I would love it if Hayes is gone by the deadline but the off-season is much more likely, especially after the cap increase becomes clearer. Bettman was in Boston yesterday for the Fenway game and he said the Escrow from Covid has a good chance to be paid off this season, which means the cap goes up a lot more than expected. Bettman did not commit to anything but did say revenues have increased significantly this year and that is helping to pay things off.
- jd250

Look around the league. How many contending teams are in LTIR. The cap going up 4M just gets them to stay out of LTIR. They're going to need cap space to re-sign their own players. They aren't going to waste it on Hayes.

Defensive metrics are independent of offense. Other defenseman are playing on the same team under the same coach. I'm not sure how many times you're going to go to this well. Ristolainen has not improved. He has declined further to the point where he is no longer a viable top 4 defenseman and his contract makes him one of the worst player values in the league. Ristolainen is not capable of improving. He is in his 10th NHL season. It's only going to get worse.
- MJL

Yet, I and others are observing Risto has improved significantly this season. Possession metrics like Corsi and Fenwick do take into account chances for which is driven by shots. Risto not generating shots (whether shots he attempts or others attempt while he is on the ice) is a major reason Risto's Corsi is low.

Look around the league. How many contending teams are in LTIR. The cap going up 4M just gets them to stay out of LTIR. They're going to need cap space to re-sign their own players. They aren't going to waste it on Hayes.
- MJL

Why? The Flyers wasted their cap on Hayes. What? We have the only meat-head GM in the league?

Yet, I and others are observing Risto has improved significantly this season. Possession metrics like Corsi and Fenwick do take into account chances for which is driven by shots. Risto not generating shots (whether shots he attempts or others attempt while he is on the ice) is a major reason Risto's Corsi is low.
- jd250

Is this "others" the same sources that you claimed to have said that Ristolainen is having his best NHL season? You were asked to produce one source that has said that, and you failed to do so.

The numbers for Ristolainen have been provided for you in a previous conversation. There is no improvement.

Why? The Flyers wasted their cap on Hayes. What? We have the only meat-head GM in the league?
- jd250

You're claiming that a contending team is going to take Hayes. They tend to not have meat-head GM's.

Oh thank you mr brilliance bringing up a kid who has just started college.

You're right he has changed the trajectory of this franchise already we going to win a cup with him next year....start the parade jackass.
Crawl back into your hole.
- konalover711

Cut the name calling. Talk about hockey. No more warnings here tonight.

His metrics look bad because Risto is not generating offense. I believe this is because he is taking the coaching from Torts and Shaw to heart and actively working on his positioning and defensive game, and yes, just watching him you can see he has vastly improved in that area of his game. He is no longer taking himself out of the play to deliver a big hit, he is getting himself in the shooting lanes and blocking shots and he is much more active with his reach and stick. He is doing what Torts wants, and that is to end plays and keep things to the outside. The cost of this has been Risto's offensive game. I however believe that once Risto gets more comfortable with the game Torts is asking him to play and it becomes more natural for him, his offense will return. He has 2 assists in his last 4 games and I have noticed him getting more pucks on net and being a bit more aggressive offensively. Risto may never be that 40+ point defenseman, but I will take 20 points and solid defense from him at this point.
- jd250

His metrics were bad even when he was generating offense in Buffalo.

And contrary to your view that he's improved defensively, Provy and RRs GA/60 have shot up dramatically since they were paired together. So many blown coverages.

The one thing you are right about is that Torts has curbed most of RR's running around. Unfortunately that was far from his only issue.

His metrics were bad even when he was generating offense in Buffalo.

And contrary to your view that he's improved defensively, Provy and RRs GA/60 have shot up dramatically since they were paired together. So many blown coverages.

The one thing you are right about is that Torts has curbed most of RR's running around. Unfortunately that was far from his only issue.
- Tomahawk

The issues in coverage and play anticipation still exist. The Flyers play a passive low zone collapse around the net defensively. Rather than a man to man coverage where a defender is more likely to roam.

Thompson with another hat trick tonight and he has now scored 30 on the season. Caufield with a goal tonight and that's his 22nd. Looks like my 40 goal prognostication for him is right on schedule. Why can't the Flyers get guys like this? Oh wait...

The Sabres are going to be a force in the not too distant future. I honestly believe that they could be a true contender as soon as next year.

Yawn

Goal Caufield on pace for 40 goals!

Goal Caufield on pace for 40 goals!
- THE EVIL WITHIN

For a team with a bunch of young fancy talent that is getting obliterated in their games lately

Thompson with another hat trick tonight and he has now scored 30 on the season. Caufield with a goal tonight and that's his 22nd. Looks like my 40 goal prognostication for him is right on schedule. Why can't the Flyers get guys like this? Oh wait...

The Sabres are going to be a force in the not too distant future. I honestly believe that they could be a true contender as soon as next year.
- Phillywhiteout

Was this post from yesterday or 8 years ago?

Was this post from yesterday or 8 years ago?
- mickel25

Be skeptical all you want. They cleaned house a couple of years ago and now have real management in charge of things there. Those in the know....KNOW!! The Flyers could learn something from this team. Clean house from top to bottom. Thanks!

For a team with a bunch of young fancy talent that is getting obliterated in their games lately
- Just5

The team sucks, but I guess you're saying the Flyers don't need a young 40 goal scorer cause they have a plethora of offensive talent? Right!

Be skeptical all you want. They cleaned house a couple of years ago and now have real management in charge of things there. Those in the know....KNOW!! The Flyers could learn something from this team. Clean house from top to bottom. Thanks!
- Phillywhiteout

You could be right. Not really arguing against your premise. Just pointing out that the same thing has been said about the Sabres multiple times over the last decade or so. Second half of the season is when the cream rises.

You could be right. Not really arguing against your premise. Just pointing out that the same thing has been said about the Sabres multiple times over the last decade or so. Second half of the season is when the cream rises.
- mickel25

It’s crazy…they have picked in the top 10 for 10 years straight (including 2 #1’s and 2 #2’s).

For a team with a bunch of young fancy talent that is getting obliterated in their games lately
- Just5

They dressed 5 rookie Dmen the other night, not winning many games with that. Joel Edmunson on your top pair…

Be skeptical all you want. They cleaned house a couple of years ago and now have real management in charge of things there. Those in the know....KNOW!! The Flyers could learn something from this team. Clean house from top to bottom. Thanks!
- Phillywhiteout

Sabres are on to their third shiny 1st-time GM under the Pegulas. Each of Adams' predecessors found out the hard way that tearing something down was a lot easier than building it back up.

What makes Adams any different than Murray or Botterill? The minute the team doesn't turn the corner Kim Pegula will get nervous and can him.

(Not to mention the way he handled Eichel)

What values would that be specifically? That is the question. Not asking what makes you believe that Tortorella doesn't like Hayes.
- MJL

Tort's values north-south players, players that don't turn the puck over and make the simple play. Hayes is the epitome of an east-west player, a player that improvises as he goes along and with that sometimes comes really bad turnovers. Torts also values foot-speed as he puts it. Hayes is slow by today's NHL standard. At $6M or $7M, no team would ever sign Hayes at this stage in his career. But at $3.5-$4M for a bottom 6 role that includes the PK with an occasional jump into the top 6 when needed, Hayes would still be considered good value.

Tort's values north-south players, players that don't turn the puck over and make the simple play. Hayes is the epitome of an east-west player, a player that improvises as he goes along and with that sometimes comes really bad turnovers. Torts also values foot-speed as he puts it. Hayes is slow by today's NHL standard. At $6M or $7M, no team would ever sign Hayes at this stage in his career. But at $3.5-$4M for a bottom 6 role that includes the PK with an occasional jump into the top 6 when needed, Hayes would still be considered good value.
- jd250

Which PO teams are looking for "slow", "east-west" players who "turn the puck over" for their bottom-six tho?

Tort's values north-south players, players that don't turn the puck over and make the simple play. Hayes is the epitome of an east-west player, a player that improvises as he goes along and with that sometimes comes really bad turnovers. Torts also values foot-speed as he puts it. Hayes is slow by today's NHL standard. At $6M or $7M, no team would ever sign Hayes at this stage in his career. But at $3.5-$4M for a bottom 6 role that includes the PK with an occasional jump into the top 6 when needed, Hayes would still be considered good value.
- jd250

Why does Tortorella like Provorov, DeAngelo and Farabee then? They all turn the puck over more than Hayes does.

Hayes is not a slow player and there are numerous players in the lineup who don't skate as well as Hayes does.

Which PO teams are looking for "slow", "east-west" players who "turn the puck over" for their bottom-six tho?


- Tomahawk

It's an alternate reality. We want to get rid of Hayes for these reasons, but a playoff contender will take him for 3 more years. It's in the same universe where Ristolainen is having the best year of his career and has been fixed by Torts and Shaw.

Tort's values north-south players, players that don't turn the puck over and make the simple play. Hayes is the epitome of an east-west player, a player that improvises as he goes along and with that sometimes comes really bad turnovers. Torts also values foot-speed as he puts it. Hayes is slow by today's NHL standard. At $6M or $7M, no team would ever sign Hayes at this stage in his career. But at $3.5-$4M for a bottom 6 role that includes the PK with an occasional jump into the top 6 when needed, Hayes would still be considered good value.
- jd250

I rather have Kampf, Engvall, kerfoot or holmberg as my bottom 6 centers. I think if the Flyers are looking to trade Hayes its an off season move to someone like SJ, Anaheim, Chicago for a C prospect and like a 4th round pick. A team thats not really a contender yet but needs a NHL player/body.

It’s crazy…they have picked in the top 10 for 10 years straight (including 2 #1’s and 2 #2’s).
- Wingdestroyer

And fell ass backwards into Tage Thompson.