The Flyers RW depth:
TK
Atkinson
Tippett
Foerster
Allison
Brink
Lycksell
Who goes?
- Flybynight88

tomoulla (or however you spell it) as well.

Allison for sure, can't stay on the ice, then one of these players will move to his off wing. I don't see Brink being ready for the Flyers next season unless he significantly improves his skating this summer, which I don't see happening.
- jd250

haven't heard anything about a cam update this year unless i missed it. so not counting him in until he puts the sweater back on.

This. The extension was bad before the injuries. As a general rule you should stay away from paying large sums of money beyond year 32. yes, there are exceptions, but when they are not the exceptions, they become disasters.
- mr4tno

why? worked out great for parise and suter...

This. The extension was bad before the injuries. As a general rule you should stay away from paying large sums of money beyond year 32. yes, there are exceptions, but when they are not the exceptions, they become disasters.
- mr4tno

I disagree that it was bad before the injuries. I think the idea of trading Couturier for future assets certainly had merit. There is no such rule. It is a case by case basis.

Why don't we wait and see how both players look this off-season and into next season before we once again don the doom and gloom hats. The fact is the Flyers will be losing several players this summer, leading the way will be Hayes and most likely Provorov. If that happens the Flyers for the first time in a while will be accumulating cap space which is a very good thing. Also with several roster spots open at forward and on defense, any kid that has earned his spot on the big club will be there. Couts and Cam are good players if healthy, and if they are healthy and play, they will propel this team forwards, not backwards. You need to get used to one simple fact, this year is as low as the Flyers will go for quite a while give the group of young players they have. If they get lottery luck they can be contending relatively quickly, otherwise its going to be a slow burn. Bottom line, the only thing that will severly impact their progress is not hitting on their draft picks. At a minimum they need to select the right players with their 1st round picks.
- jd250

I have been following the Flyers far too long to know that "rebuild" is not in their DNA; I'm going to have to actually see it before believing. Case in point the three stooges are still part of the process (until I actually hear someone say they are not). I remember one year, after the TDL acquisitions went in a disastrous direction, Ed Snider claiming they "would never sacrifice the future again". He was right back at in the next year.....

A healthy SC and CA will only make them slightly better than status quo, so indirectly, it will propel them backwards.

How the heck are the flyers going to rebuild this defense? As good as this draft is for forwards...not so much for D. They had a stud RHD sitting in their laps last draft and passed him up. Do you guys think provy or Tk can fetch a blue chip stud?
- Flybynight88

Two first round picks in 24’

Even if they get fortunate in the lottery, they will not be a contending team relatively quickly. There is no single player they can draft in this draft that can do that.
- MJL

oh contraire mon frere ... if the Flyers were to get one of the top 3 centers in this draft and Couturier returns to form or close to form, this team, with the younger players they have and coaching staff, will be competing sooner rather than later. However if the Flyers pick outside the top 3, they will get a good player hopefully but one that will take some time to develop and thus the window is longer.

If I'm not mistaken Atkinson had a 40 goal season under Torts in Columbus. That's a difference maker to me. I think the chances of Coots getting back to the level he was at before the TWO back surgeries is pretty slim. I hope I'm wrong, but let's just say that I don't like the odds.
- Phillywhiteout

4 years and one significant injury ago

oh contraire mon frere ... if the Flyers were to get one of the top 3 centers in this draft and Couturier returns to form or close to form, this team, with the younger players they have and coaching staff, will be competing sooner rather than later. However if the Flyers pick outside the top 3, they will get a good player hopefully but one that will take some time to develop and thus the window is longer.
- jd250

So you think a healthy Couturier and an 18 year old kid is what this teams missing?

I have been following the Flyers far too long to know that "rebuild" is not in their DNA; I'm going to have to actually see it before believing. Case in point the three stooges are still part of the process (until I actually hear someone say they are not). I remember one year, after the TDL acquisitions went in a disastrous direction, Ed Snider claiming they "would never sacrifice the future again". He was right back at in the next year.....

A healthy SC and CA will only make them slightly better than status quo, so indirectly, it will propel them backwards.
- mr4tno

Even without Cam and Couts again next year, this Flyers team will be better next year, not worse. I have come to the harsh reality that this is as close to bottom as this team is going to be.

So you think a healthy Couturier and an 18 year old kid is what this teams missing?
- ClaudeFather

The Flyers need top centers. One of the biggest problems the Flyers have had this year has been puck possession, and a lot of that is fueled by poor faceoff %. Couturier at even 90% will positively impact the team's possession and consequently team scoring will improve also. Now add a player like Fantilli to the mix, who has super star 1C potential, with the wingers the Flyers have (TK, Foerster, Tippet and Gauthier coming) and the goalies (Hart, Ersson), yes better center player IMO is what this team is missing.

Couturier's game was never about speed. I don't see that as an issue if he is healthy.
- MJL

That is exactly the point. He was never a speedster and now will probably be slower. Plus his game is build on going to the dirty areas and taking a beating. It is not like the opposition is going to say "you can get physical with him but please leave the back alone"

why? worked out great for parise and suter...

- Peter Richards

Well there is definitely a common thread there (unless I am mistaken, of course)

oh contraire mon frere ... if the Flyers were to get one of the top 3 centers in this draft and Couturier returns to form or close to form, this team, with the younger players they have and coaching staff, will be competing sooner rather than later. However if the Flyers pick outside the top 3, they will get a good player hopefully but one that will take some time to develop and thus the window is longer.
- jd250

What did you say in your post? Did you say they would be competing relatively quickly or did you say they would be contending relatively quickly. There is a difference.

That is exactly the point. He was never a speedster and now will probably be slower. Plus his game is build on going to the dirty areas and taking a beating. It is not like the opposition is going to say "you can get physical with him but please leave the back alone"
- mr4tno

That's the point that you're making. That is not a fact. There is also the possibility that he comes back strong and is the same player. We don't know. We have to wait and see. Do you want to be pessimistic or optimistic. I choose to be optimistic.

The Flyers need top centers. One of the biggest problems the Flyers have had this year has been puck possession, and a lot of that is fueled by poor faceoff %. Couturier at even 90% will positively impact the team's possession and consequently team scoring will improve also. Now add a player like Fantilli to the mix, who has super start 1C potential, with the wingers the Flyers have (TK, Foerster, Tippet and Gauthier coming) and the goalies (Hart, Ersson), yes better center player IMO is what this team is missing.
- jd250

Faceoffs are important but they don't have much of an impact on puck possession. A healthy Couturier will certainly impact the Flyers puck possession because he controls the game and the puck when he is on the ice.

There are going to be some trades made that are likely going to create some holes. They're missing a lot more than you think they are.

Two first round picks in 24’
- ClaudeFather

yes, and we need more

The Flyers need top centers. One of the biggest problems the Flyers have had this year has been puck possession, and a lot of that is fueled by poor faceoff %. Couturier at even 90% will positively impact the team's possession and consequently team scoring will improve also. Now add a player like Fantilli to the mix, who has super start 1C potential, with the wingers the Flyers have (TK, Foerster, Tippet and Gauthier coming) and the goalies (Hart, Ersson), yes better center player IMO is what this team is missing.
- jd250

especially in the d zone. g was a top guy for years. brown was good at this as well.

That's the point that you're making. That is not a fact. There is also the possibility that he comes back strong and is the same player. We don't know. We have to wait and see. Do you want to be pessimistic or optimistic. I choose to be optimistic.
- MJL

I chose neither, but I am a realist.....

I chose neither, but I am a realist.....
- mr4tno

A realist realizes that Couturier coming back strong is a realistic possibility.

A realist realizes that Couturier coming back strong is a realistic possibility.
- MJL

A realist sees it as a possibility, but not a strong possibility. Two back surgeries and two years out of hockey; it’s more realistic to think he may come back, but not as strong as before and that he will most likely struggle with his back for the remainder of his career.

A realist sees it as a possibility, but not a strong possibility. Two back surgeries and two years out of hockey; it’s more realistic to think he may come back, but not as strong as before and that he will most likely struggle with his back for the remainder of his career.
- Dkos

I don't see that. If the realist had the medical facts about his exact surgery and his medical prognosis. Or is basing it on past case history, then maybe. I'm not aware of any experts who have said that it's not a strong possibility. What we have is hockey fans thinking hey he had back surgery. I understand that but that's not really a fact to my knowledge. It's actually not two years. More like a year and a half if I'm not mistaken. Players do come back from major surgeries and back injuries.

A realist sees it as a possibility, but not a strong possibility. Two back surgeries and two years out of hockey; it’s more realistic to think he may come back, but not as strong as before and that he will most likely struggle with his back for the remainder of his career.
- Dkos

especially when we are looking at professional athletes, in a sport where even healthy players are not playing after 35. can he come back and play. probably yes but the older you get the harder surgery recoveries become.

Faceoffs are important but they don't have much of an impact on puck possession. A healthy Couturier will certainly impact the Flyers puck possession because he controls the game and the puck when he is on the ice.

There are going to be some trades made that are likely going to create some holes. They're missing a lot more than you think they are.
- MJL

Lets look at the power play as a example. The Flyers have one of the worst Power plays in the league, yet when the team actually gets set up in the offensive zone they can move the puck and score, at least they have improved this area as the season has gone a long. So why is their PP % so poor? Its because most of the time they lose that first o-zone face off and the puck is cleared down the ice, taking at a minimum 20 seconds off the clock. Now this exasperates the other Flyers' problem, zone entries. During most PPs the Flyers have had this year, an entire minute has gone by before the Fyers finally set up in the o-zone. Getting better centers that can consistly win 54-58% of their face-offs will go a long way to improving possession. Yes couturier will help just by being in the lineup but to me, add 2 top centers on this current team and I see them contending, not just competing, much sooner than you think.

I was reviewing the UFA center list and the top of the list is all players over 32. So.I do believe there is an opportunity to move Hayes retaining salary and not adding sweetners. I think this could be the center depth chart next season

Coots
Frost
Cates
Desoyners

For a team that should be in rebuild mode, I am good with this depth chart.