There is little hope this gets turned around in the next few years. Very little will change next year.

Goalie and core defense in tact. Maybe you have 2 of Attard York or Zamula. I doubt it. Need vet presence. Either way they will have growing pains they should be having now. No need to not have them learn at the nhl level at this time.

Offensively You will have 2 huge question marks in Cam and Coututier. Neither are world beaters to begin with. Nothing on the farm that will make a huge difference.

Add a Bad GM and a coach who is not a right fit for this team.

Combine their ineptitude at drafting and development.

You have a bunch of players, many of whom I would have/still would jettison, who show no sense of urgency. They are all content with their role on this team as they collect their check. Losing is all they know.

What hope are you really left with?
- furio16

Wow this couldn’t be more appropriately written.
The horizon of suck is blinding!!

26% in the face off dot nice.
We are poised to string together A good run of lotto positioning games.
I’m so thankful for the quick start of wins that shoulda been loses thanks to Mr Carter.
Hope nobody gets hurt crashing to earth.

1. How funny would it be they get the #1 pick Bedard refuses to play here.

2. Doesn’t change much at all. Still a bad team with little offense.

3. All you are going to get for JVR and Braun ( who they may not even trade) are mid rd picks who are lottery tickets. That is fine though does nothing for the next 4 years. Ellis is not retiring. Flat out dumb to suggest otherwise.

Accumulate Cap space. Now that is funny. They are to incompetent to do that. Look at the current cap picture.

So all your hope is pretty much based on luck.
- furio16

You're welcome to disagree with someone's take but we don't need to call them dumb in any such way. Please refrain from these types of comments.

The Flyers may have lost the last 3 games but I believe they played much better this past week than they did earlier in the season or anytime last season. Scoring chances against are down, puck possession is much better, much better zone exits, less turnovers at their own blue line, good looks on their power plays. The difference this past week is the lack of the skill on the Flyers in that they just can't finish enough plays. They had some good zone time today and good PP looks, just could not capitalize. If the Flyers can get Cutter Gauthier next year plus another high pick, that should up the skill level and begin to turn things for the better.
- jd250

That's the depressing thing... their overall game can improve, but without superhuman goaltending they're still gonna get smoked. Must be frustrating knowing that as a player.

12+ more non descript minutes from frostzky.

once AA is healthy will he be signed?

The Flyers may have lost the last 3 games but I believe they played much better this past week than they did earlier in the season or anytime last season. Scoring chances against are down, puck possession is much better, much better zone exits, less turnovers at their own blue line, good looks on their power plays. The difference this past week is the lack of the skill on the Flyers in that they just can't finish enough plays. They had some good zone time today and good PP looks, just could not capitalize. If the Flyers can get Cutter Gauthier next year plus another high pick, that should up the skill level and begin to turn things for the better.
- jd250

you forgot to add signing JOB. That will also up the skill level.

12+ more non descript minutes from frostzky.

once AA is healthy will he be signed?
- hello it's me 2050

You know the answer to that.

You're welcome to disagree with someone's take but we don't need to call them dumb in any such way. Please refrain from these types of comments.
- Aaron_85

Oh lord….you are new.

12+ more non descript minutes from frostzky.

once AA is healthy will he be signed?
- hello it's me 2050

I thought he had a few really good shifts…playing with Bellows, another guy that despite dominating the Jr. ranks really hasn’t been able to translate it to the NHL.

Oh lord….you are new.
- landros 2

Actually I have a serious question. What is to stop the Flyers and Ellis from making a back door agreement such that the Flyers pay him his salary off the books if he retires? Maybe they do this by giving Ellis a title in the organization, then are the Flyers not allowed to pay their staff whatever they want? I can't imagine a team has not done this in the past already.

I thought he had a few really good shifts…playing with Bellows, another guy that despite dominating the Jr. ranks really hasn’t been able to translate it to the NHL.
- landros 2

if they get bodies back I expect bellows to be waived. doesn't seem a like a torts guy

Oh lord….you are new.
- landros 2

And also the moderator.

Actually I have a serious question. What is to stop the Flyers and Ellis from making a back door agreement such that the Flyers pay him his salary off the books if he retires? Maybe they do this by giving Ellis a title in the organization, then are the Flyers not allowed to pay their staff whatever they want? I can't imagine a team has not done this in the past already.
- jd250

I am almost positive this would be considered cap circumvention and the Flyers would most likely be heavily fined/lose draft picks over it.

That's the depressing thing... their overall game can improve, but without superhuman goaltending they're still gonna get smoked. Must be frustrating knowing that as a player.
- Tomahawk

That's what happens. Players are human with emotion. They face the reality eventually of what their team is. A team that doesn't believe it can win has a tough time winning. Then effort will be blamed again. All the comments of how this team is so much different and how Tortorella has them playing hard will come crashing down. Will the locker room become splintered again?

I thought he had a few really good shifts…playing with Bellows, another guy that despite dominating the Jr. ranks really hasn’t been able to translate it to the NHL.
- landros 2

Bellows can't skate so he is constantly behind the play. However I did notice Provorov shunned Bellows on the 2nd PP unit, in that I felt Bellows was open for a few one-timers and Provorov didn't pass to him. With Frost, I did notice he had a good look and shot on one of the PPs in the 3rd, but it was blocked. I am not a fan of Frost, but to be honest I am done with Hayes on that top line with Tippet and TK; Hayes is another one that is constantly behind the play and he over-passes also. I would not mind seeing a period or two with Frost centering those two to see if he can at least keep up.

I am almost positive this would be considered cap circumvention and the Flyers would most likely be heavily fined/lose draft picks over it.
- MBFlyerfan

I'm amazed that was labeled a serious question.


"Flyers Ryan Eliis has retired, and the Flyers have hired him as a special assistant to the GM for 24M dollars in salary"

The odds of Cutter Gauthier coming onto the Flyers next year and making an impact is very low. He can certainly make the team but most likely 2-3 years away from making a significant impact on the status of the team.

I'm amazed that was labeled a serious question.


"Flyers Ryan Eliis has retired, and the Flyers have hired him as a special assistant to the GM for 24M dollars in salary"
- MJL

1 million per to be a remote scout. for however many years. plus travel expenses !!!

And also the moderator.

- MBFlyerfan

Ya I saw that a while back….good luck with that.

I am almost positive this would be considered cap circumvention and the Flyers would most likely be heavily fined/lose draft picks over it.
- MBFlyerfan

Probably right ... but even if Ellis does not come back the Flyers can at least spend his cap money, though they can't accumulate cap as they could if it was off the books. So next year the Flyers should have $14.25M is space from JVR and Braun off the books and Ellis on LTIR. I still think there is a deal to be made with Boston for Hayes. Next year Hayes will have only 3 years left on his deal and if say the Flyers cover $2M per I think Boston would be interested since they will be desperate for a veteran center after Krejci and Bergeron are gone.

Actually I have a serious question. What is to stop the Flyers and Ellis from making a back door agreement such that the Flyers pay him his salary off the books if he retires? Maybe they do this by giving Ellis a title in the organization, then are the Flyers not allowed to pay their staff whatever they want? I can't imagine a team has not done this in the past already.
- jd250

This specific example is listed in the CBA:

26.15 Examples of Circumvention. The following is a non-exhaustive list of activities that either constitute a Circumvention under this Article 26 or from which a Circumvention may be inferred:

...

e) A Club and a Player, during the Player's active career, agree that upon the Player's retirement, he will receive a sum of money for services to be provided to the Club after retirement.

if they get bodies back I expect bellows to be waived. doesn't seem a like a torts guy
- hello it's me 2050

And I think this is the type of kid they should give a long look at as well. You are probably correct, but this year should be all about the development. Who knows maybe it is and maybe they have already seen enough of Bellows to know.

1 million per to be a remote scout. for however many years. plus travel expenses !!!
- hello it's me 2050

Yes, his salary would be $24M over 10 years :-)

Actually I have a serious question. What is to stop the Flyers and Ellis from making a back door agreement such that the Flyers pay him his salary off the books if he retires? Maybe they do this by giving Ellis a title in the organization, then are the Flyers not allowed to pay their staff whatever they want? I can't imagine a team has not done this in the past already.
- jd250

That would be a Fletcher move….circumvent the cap and get penalized a draft pick in the year Bedard is up…..

This specific example is listed in the CBA:
- Tomahawk

Well .. there is the answer, thanks!!