Yes, but I wonder if the mindset is different now. Probably not but I still am holding out hope. I guess we'll see what happens at the trade deadline and then in the off-season. The mindset last year was doing an aggressive retool by getting 2 or 3 players would fix everything. I think Torts coming in here and Briere being given a louder voice has maybe changed some minds. I can only hope Scott and Fletcher heed what Torts has been consistently preaching that this team is currently lower than a rebuild but are still trying to lay the footings, and change their direction. "We'll see" as the old farmer says.
- jd250

Torts will want to win next year and the duration. Didn't come here to spend his last years as an NHL coach to "rebuild". He will tell chuck what he wants and chuck will bend over.

How do you measure what the most out of what he has is?
- MJL

For Risto I think that is easy. First does the eye-test tell you he is better? Yes! Then do the underlining defensive metrics tell you he is better? Yes! Finally what impact is there to his offensive game? Significant but not detrimental. I would actually like to see Risto on the PP a bit more, I think with his shot he can make a positive difference, but even without PP time, I think Risto can put up 25-30 points in a season which is not bad, as long as his defensive game is sound. Risto will never be worth $5.1M a year, but if he plays up to say a $4M per year player maybe that is good enough. Of course if Fletcher listened to me, he would have went after Adam Larsson who for $4M per season has 22 points and a +31 in 47 games.

Yes, we are stuck with Risto, but we are also stuck with Sanheim, Ellis, Atkinson and Couturier. We can thank our GM for this! So all Torts can do is get the most of out what he has and so far he has done just that.
- jd250

Man I hope coots can come back as the same player but with back to back back surgeries at his age... it's a scary contract now. If healthy, he is worth every penny of it, but is he is a shell of himself then that's gonna hurt.
Ellis is done. It's safe to onsider that he is just LTIR money for the duration of that contract
Who knows what Cam is going through. He was ready to go opening night and now the season is more than half over and he hasn't played a minute yet. Who knows what he will be like when he comes back. That's soooo much money tied up but I can't blame the feltch for the injuries that we had.
I DO blame him for overpaying every single person that has signed a contract through him. Agents must salivate to know that they are signing contracts of players who are under CFs open check book philosophy
Sanheim has value but the duration of that contract is hard to navigate in this market without taking salary back, which I don't want. We need picks and valuable prospects

Man I hope coots can come back as the same player but with back to back back surgeries at his age... it's a scary contract now. If healthy, he is worth every penny of it, but is he is a shell of himself then that's gonna hurt.
Ellis is done. It's safe to onsider that he is just LTIR money for the duration of that contract
Who knows what Cam is going through. He was ready to go opening night and now the season is more than half over and he hasn't played a minute yet. Who knows what he will be like when he comes back. That's soooo much money tied up but I can't blame the feltch for the injuries that we had.
I DO blame him for overpaying every single person that has signed a contract through him. Agents must salivate to know that they are signing contracts of players who are under CFs open check book philosophy
Sanheim has value but the duration of that contract is hard to navigate in this market without taking salary back, which I don't want. We need picks and valuable prospects
- Bob Habib

And frankly, If Risto is not worth $5.1M per season, how is Sanheim worth even that much salary, never mind $6.25M per!?!

For Risto I think that is easy. First does the eye-test tell you he is better? Yes! Then do the underlining defensive metrics tell you he is better? Yes! Finally what impact is there to his offensive game? Significant but not detrimental. I would actually like to see Risto on the PP a bit more, I think with his shot he can make a positive difference, but even without PP time, I think Risto can put up 25-30 points in a season which is not bad, as long as his defensive game is sound. Risto will never be worth $5.1M a year, but if he plays up to say a $4M per year player maybe that is good enough. Of course if Fletcher listened to me, he would have went after Adam Larsson who for $4M per season has 22 points and a +31 in 47 games.
- jd250

he hasnt put up over 20 points in 3 seasons.

Torts will want to win next year and the duration. Didn't come here to spend his last years as an NHL coach to "rebuild". He will tell chuck what he wants and chuck will bend over.
- hello it's me 2050

Yes Torts wants to win, but I think he realizes there is the right way to build a championship team and for that it takes time. Torts knows you can't buy a championship team no matter how many talented players you can afford. I really don't think Torts is in a rush to be honest, but I do think he wants to see progress towards this end goal each season.

Man I hope coots can come back as the same player but with back to back back surgeries at his age... it's a scary contract now. If healthy, he is worth every penny of it, but is he is a shell of himself then that's gonna hurt.
Ellis is done. It's safe to onsider that he is just LTIR money for the duration of that contract
Who knows what Cam is going through. He was ready to go opening night and now the season is more than half over and he hasn't played a minute yet. Who knows what he will be like when he comes back. That's soooo much money tied up but I can't blame the feltch for the injuries that we had.
I DO blame him for overpaying every single person that has signed a contract through him. Agents must salivate to know that they are signing contracts of players who are under CFs open check book philosophy
Sanheim has value but the duration of that contract is hard to navigate in this market without taking salary back, which I don't want. We need picks and valuable prospects
- Bob Habib

Sanheim would have received a max term contract of 7 years had he hit free agency imo.

For Risto I think that is easy. First does the eye-test tell you he is better? Yes! Then do the underlining defensive metrics tell you he is better? Yes! Finally what impact is there to his offensive game? Significant but not detrimental. I would actually like to see Risto on the PP a bit more, I think with his shot he can make a positive difference, but even without PP time, I think Risto can put up 25-30 points in a season which is not bad, as long as his defensive game is sound. Risto will never be worth $5.1M a year, but if he plays up to say a $4M per year player maybe that is good enough. Of course if Fletcher listened to me, he would have went after Adam Larsson who for $4M per season has 22 points and a +31 in 47 games.
- jd250

The eye test for me does not say that he is better. He's made a couple of good offensive plays. His metrics are still poor. He's just been moved down the lineup.

You make me laugh. Back when you were having your love affair with Ekholm. You asked me who I wanted the Flyers to go after. I said Larsson. You told me he was overrated and was a 3rd pair defenseman.

Yes Torts wants to win, but I think he realizes there is the right way to build a championship team and for that it takes time. Torts knows you can't buy a championship team no matter how many talented players you can afford. I really don't think Torts is in a rush to be honest, but I do think he wants to see progress towards this end goal each season.
- jd250

the good ole right way stuff. Every coach knows certain markets have a short shelf life. Philly is one of them. He wants to make the playoffs then see what happens.

He doesn't have time. 1 year already in the books.

The eye test for me does not say that he is better. He's made a couple of good offensive plays. His metrics are still poor. He's just been moved down the lineup.

You make me laugh. Back when you were having your love affair with Ekholm. You asked me who I wanted the Flyers to go after. I said Larsson. You told me he was overrated and was a 3rd pair defenseman.
- MJL

Not true. From before the season even ended I was posting that the Flyers should get either Ellis or Ekholm from Nashville since they would not be able to afford both (which I was once again right about) and that I would sign Larsson as a free agent since the Flyers needed two, not one, top 4 defenseman. I even predicted that Larsson could get done for about $4M in cap space which I was also right about.

What about the rest of the game?
he plays against lesser competition overall. That is a fact.
- hello it's me 2050

What rest of the game? Did you misread what I said?

-Road match ups, teams are gonna take advantage of all third pairs being on the ice.
-Penalty kill
-Holding a one or two goal lead.

John Tortorella relies on Ristolainen quite a bit and Ristolainen is gonna see tough match ups.

he hasnt put up over 20 points in 3 seasons.
- hello it's me 2050

I would love to know what’s up with the sudden obsession with Ristolainen putting up point is. Ristolainen isn’t put in very many offensive situations. In fact Provorov’s offensive responsibility has come down and with that has his offense.

You’re right, Ristolainen hasn’t had more than 20 points in a season, when he was in Buffalo, seeing a lot of power play time.

When Brayden Coburn played here, he made 4.5 million. He also didn’t see offensive situations nor did he regularly post more than 20 points per season. Nobody complained. So why now? Why is it so important a defenseman in a defensive role put up points, even if the points seem to becoming, late or not?

Not true. From before the season even ended I was posting that the Flyers should get either Ellis or Ekholm from Nashville since they would not be able to afford both (which I was once again right about) and that I would sign Larsson as a free agent since the Flyers needed two, not one, top 4 defenseman. I even predicted that Larsson could get done for about $4M in cap space which I was also right about.
- jd250

Pixies and fairy tales. Nashville didnt trade Ellis because they couldnt afford him. They traded him because they knew he was breaking down. They acquired McDonagh not long after. Wrong on all counts.

Pixies and fairy tales. Nashville didnt trade Ellis because they couldnt afford him. They traded him because they knew he was breaking down. They acquired McDonagh not long after. Wrong on all counts.
- MJL

that's your version of it.

I would love to know what’s up with the sudden obsession with Ristolainen putting up point is. Ristolainen isn’t put in very many offensive situations. In fact Provorov’s offensive responsibility has come down and with that has his offense.

You’re right, Ristolainen hasn’t had more than 20 points in a season, when he was in Buffalo, seeing a lot of power play time.

When Brayden Coburn played here, he made 4.5 million. He also didn’t see offensive situations nor did he regularly post more than 20 points per season. Nobody complained. So why now? Why is it so important a defenseman in a defensive role put up points, even if the points seem to becoming, late or not?
- SuperSchennBros

When Brayden Coburn played here, he made 4.5 million. He also didn’t see offensive situations nor did he regularly post more than 20 points per season. Nobody complained. So why now? Why is it so important a defenseman in a defensive role put up points, even if the points seem to becoming, late or not?
- SuperSchennBros

Coby was really really good defensively. And he was effective at pushing play.

Risto is neither of those things, so if he's not contributing offense, then what is he good for?

Thankfully right now he's contributing some offense.

What rest of the game? Did you misread what I said?

-Road match ups, teams are gonna take advantage of all third pairs being on the ice.
-Penalty kill
-Holding a one or two goal lead.

John Tortorella relies on Ristolainen quite a bit and Ristolainen is gonna see tough match ups.
- SuperSchennBros

wasnt his already explained to you yesterday by another poster. 4 dman see more minutes than RR. He plays bottom pair minutes and match ups. Why s hard for you to except?

I would love to know what’s up with the sudden obsession with Ristolainen putting up point is. Ristolainen isn’t put in very many offensive situations. In fact Provorov’s offensive responsibility has come down and with that has his offense.

You’re right, Ristolainen hasn’t had more than 20 points in a season, when he was in Buffalo, seeing a lot of power play time.

When Brayden Coburn played here, he made 4.5 million. He also didn’t see offensive situations nor did he regularly post more than 20 points per season. Nobody complained. So why now? Why is it so important a defenseman in a defensive role put up points, even if the points seem to becoming, late or not?
- SuperSchennBros

I was responding to another posters comments corky.


Coburn >>>>>>>>>> RR all day every day.

Lyksell
- jd250

Gotcha. He looks solid down in the A.
I hope that when he does get his shot here that he brings that same game to the big club.
He's been intriguing to me... he has potential but many pundits and bloggers don't seem as high on him as we do and I'm not sure why.

Torts will want to win next year and the duration. Didn't come here to spend his last years as an NHL coach to "rebuild". He will tell chuck what he wants and chuck will bend over.
- hello it's me 2050

Let's hope somebody bends chuck over, outside of the good ol boys club.
If the coach has more say than a GM then we can only hope feltcher's time is limited, although i have no proof to show that Torts is indeed making calls above CF. I'm just discussing your opinion and also hoping the same

Sanheim would have received a max term contract of 7 years had he hit free agency imo.
- hello it's me 2050

You're probably right but then the discussion of trading him should have been explored.
He was a valuable trade chip but for that to happen they'd need to commit to the rebuild, which clearly isn't happening

This idea that the Flyers are going to bank cap space over the off season is a laugh riot.

wasnt his already explained to you yesterday by another poster. 4 dman see more minutes than RR. He plays bottom pair minutes and match ups. Why s hard for you to except?
- hello it's me 2050

And I said to you, at least one of those defenseman shouldn’t be seeing the minutes he is in Tony DeAngelo. So why are you going around in circles with the sand stupid argument?

Coby was really really good defensively. And he was effective at pushing play.

Risto is neither of those things, so if he's not contributing offense, then what is he good for?

Thankfully right now he's contributing some offense.
- Tomahawk

Ristolainen is contributing offensively though.

Coburn also had Kimmo Timonen next to him, which helps.

I can do this all day with you guys. My responses are short and simple.

And frankly, If Risto is not worth $5.1M per season, how is Sanheim worth even that much salary, never mind $6.25M per!?!
- jd250

Great question, of which I’m sure nobody will have an answer to.