Forsberg like vision???

Sheesh

The losers werre DAL-MTL-EDM

Because they failed to make that HUGE 3 way deal

Technically the whole thread is flawed.... " who didn't get better?"

Well anyone who didn't make a deal didn't get better, Chicago. Vancouver and San Jose didn't get better at all, but they are still the class of the west.

The Flames did in fact get better, Toskala is cleary better than McBackup and Staois is an upgrade on Pardy. Did they do enough? Obviously no, but they are definitely better.

It is all mute really, I don't see anyone in the West being able to beat Chicago.....but a Washington/Pittsburgh vs Chicago Final will be epic

Technically the whole thread is flawed.... " who didn't get better?"

Well anyone who didn't make a deal didn't get better, Chicago. Vancouver and San Jose didn't get better at all, but they are still the class of the west.

The Flames did in fact get better, Toskala is cleary better than McBackup and Staois is an upgrade on Pardy. Did they do enough? Obviously no, but they are definitely better.

It is all mute really, I don't see anyone in the West being able to beat Chicago.....but a Washington/Pittsburgh vs Chicago Final will be epic
- scoot174

agreed

Forsberg like vision???

Sheesh
- faceto27

giroux is the next richard park

Eklund: So Who Didn't Get Better? (on the Flames and Flyers)
- Eklund

I agree on some of the chemistry issues amongst the (Flyers) lines. It's nice to know Carcillo can sub in on the first line when necessary, but his place is on that fourth line with Betts and Lappy...they were easily one of the most effective fourth lines and I think Lavy felt better about rolling four lines with that particular trio. Giroux and Briere do makes sense, go ahead and put Gagne with them.

Not sure of the icetime for each line, but it seems like you can roll the top 3 fairly evenly and have no heistation to use the 4th liberally as needed. Top players get their added minutes on the special teams etc..

Gagne Giroux Briere - Skilled skating, playmaking and and finish...Giroux's elite passing skills should work with Gagne's ability to get open in dangerous spots for those lethal quick release shots. Briere has the skill and skating to fit in well here too...they're undersized yes, but none of these players is really that soft and are strong on their skates, so it's not like opposing players are just going to have their way with them.

JVR Carter Leino - Good size and skilled... JVR and Carter's skating can help pickup the average skating Leino's...Leino will complement with his puck handling skills and his penchant to go to the net.

Hartnell Richards Powe/Ash - Hartnell back in his natural LW position with someone he's had proven chemistry with in Richards..., gritty, cylcling, with some skill to score.

Carcillo Betts Lappy - best fourth line in hockey? Possibly...these three seem to play really well together, they all work hard, they're fast, tough and gritty...they can cycle well and hold posession deep in the opposing zone and have shown the ability to score goals. Asham and Powe look ok with Betts and Lappy, but Carcillo seems to complete that line in ways the others don't.

It is all mute really,...
- scoot174

No wonder I couldn't hear it...

No wonder I couldn't hear it...
- Atomic Wedgie

oops, too many Rye and Cokes last night

Kinda funny how people bring up teams Ek didn't mention not getting better and are serious about it.

Listen at Flyers buzz we are on pins and needles to hear about Philly as much as possible. They are in on every trade and they are the center piece to every article. The dominoes begin and end with the Flyers people!

Did you guys just start coming hear?

Long live the Flyers! Ek has serious made me dispise em!

The losers werre DAL-MTL-EDM

Because they failed to make that HUGE 3 way deal


- faceto27

I'm sure the deal was done, it's just that each GM thought the other one was going to fax the paperwork in.

giroux is the next richard park
- slimjim514

In 12 years, he will be an up and coming young superstar.

Grabbing Toskala as well is a testament to how ridiculously tight the West has become. The Flames need to give Kipper some rest and they can't afford to lose a single point.

Right. So they got Toskala for this?

For some odd reason, finding a quality starter has not been a priority for the Flyers in years, this year is no different. After the Ponger trade, we know they don't have a 1st rounder this year, the question is....do they have the prospect Van would have asked for? I'm sure Philly tried to upgrade in net but the asking price might have been too high
- Symba007

It's been a priority. They just haven't made good choices.

Gagne Giroux Briere - Skilled skating, playmaking and and finish...Giroux's elite passing skills should work with Gagne's ability to get open in dangerous spots for those lethal quick release shots. Briere has the skill and skating to fit in well here too...they're undersized yes, but none of these players is really that soft and are strong on their skates, so it's not like opposing players are just going to have their way with them.


- exlund

Giroux is very talented and a will be a good player. But labling his passing skills as elite is an extreme exaggeration right now. Maybe in the future, but not right now.

I agree on some of the chemistry issues amongst the (Flyers) lines. It's nice to know Carcillo can sub in on the first line when necessary, but his place is on that fourth line with Betts and Lappy...they were easily one of the most effective fourth lines and I think Lavy felt better about rolling four lines with that particular trio. Giroux and Briere do makes sense, go ahead and put Gagne with them.

Not sure of the icetime for each line, but it seems like you can roll the top 3 fairly evenly and have no heistation to use the 4th liberally as needed. Top players get their added minutes on the special teams etc..

Gagne Giroux Briere - Skilled skating, playmaking and and finish...Giroux's elite passing skills should work with Gagne's ability to get open in dangerous spots for those lethal quick release shots. Briere has the skill and skating to fit in well here too...they're undersized yes, but none of these players is really that soft and are strong on their skates, so it's not like opposing players are just going to have their way with them.

JVR Carter Leino - Good size and skilled... JVR and Carter's skating can help pickup the average skating Leino's...Leino will complement with his puck handling skills and his penchant to go to the net.

Hartnell Richards Powe/Ash - Hartnell back in his natural LW position with someone he's had proven chemistry with in Richards..., gritty, cylcling, with some skill to score.

Carcillo Betts Lappy - best fourth line in hockey? Possibly...these three seem to play really well together, they all work hard, they're fast, tough and gritty...they can cycle well and hold posession deep in the opposing zone and have shown the ability to score goals. Asham and Powe look ok with Betts and Lappy, but Carcillo seems to complete that line in ways the others don't.
- exlund

Since your a flyer fan, and I get so much other flyer info from Ek, I decided to skip your post.
No hard feelings though, I am sure it was a solid post.

After the many SJ no shows Olympics, Wilson should have made major changes by moving Joe and Nabby.

Oh, and the Bruins GM is so inept, it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't make the playoffs.
- bruinsbeer1969

Why get better, They need to get worse to get 2 top 5 picks in June. They don't want to start making improvements until july 1st.

Since your a flyer fan, and I get so much other flyer info from Ek, I decided to skip your post.
No hard feelings though, I am sure it was a solid post.
- homiedclown

That was actually a smart decision!

Technically the whole thread is flawed.... " who didn't get better?"

Well anyone who didn't make a deal didn't get better, Chicago. Vancouver and San Jose didn't get better at all, but they are still the class of the west.

The Flames did in fact get better, Toskala is cleary better than McBackup and Staois is an upgrade on Pardy. Did they do enough? Obviously no, but they are definitely better.

It is all mute really, I don't see anyone in the West being able to beat Chicago.....but a Washington/Pittsburgh vs Chicago Final will be epic
- scoot174

Wow you are in deep trouble if you think Toskala is better than anyone and you got way worse just before the Olympic break.

Wow you are in deep trouble if you think Toskala is better than anyone and you got way worse just before the Olympic break.
- honesthockey

auld was much better and much cheaper

Since your a flyer fan, and I get so much other flyer info from Ek, I decided to skip your post.
No hard feelings though, I am sure it was a solid post.
- homiedclown

Eklund: So Who Didn't Get Better? (on the Flames and Flyers)
- Eklund

The Flyers didn't get better because they have mismanaged their assets and had nothing to trade, except for key pieces of their future.

The Flyers could have added a good goalie and decent scoring wingers if they had trade Giroux, van Riemsdyk and Carter.

The Flyers didn't get better because they have mismanaged their assets and had nothing to trade, except for key pieces of their future.

The Flyers could have added a good goalie and decent scoring wingers if they had trade Giroux, van Riemsdyk and Carter.
- Jsaquella

Thanks to the Pronger trade. They gave way too much for an aging d-man. Sbisa has a solid future in front of him. Two first rounds picks could be tough to swallow in a few years.

i like how all the other teams got a paragraph.... philly gets a book lol i wonder why.


and there were only 2 bad teams?

what about SJ? Lightning? Carolina(whitney)?
- boltsfan48

*Sigh*

...7 points out of a playoff spot, 19 games to go.

...currently on a 7 game winning streak.

Whitney didn't want to be moved. Has an NTC. Was only presented with one trade, and that was in february.

Why trade him when you don't need to? He's coming back next season whether you trade him or not. He can help you maybe make a miraculous shot at the playoffs... and you already have the pieces (picked up 7 draft picks in trades) to move up in the draft and grab a top 3 pick.

There was no need to trade Ray Whitney.

Thanks to the Pronger trade. They gave way too much for an aging d-man. Sbisa has a solid future in front of him. Two first rounds picks could be tough to swallow in a few years.
- J_Demers

It was also dealing away 2nd rounders to lose bad contracts or a pot sweeteners in questionable trades

Thanks to the Pronger trade. They gave way too much for an aging d-man. Sbisa has a solid future in front of him. Two first rounds picks could be tough to swallow in a few years.
- J_Demers

About the time that Pronger is a foregone conclusion, Sbisa will be playing top minutes for somebody. Unless the Flyers win the Cup, which doesn't seem likely at this point. It was a bad deal.

Giroux is very talented and a will be a good player. But labling his passing skills as elite is an extreme exaggeration right now. Maybe in the future, but not right now.
- MJL

Well, Ek said giroux "is Marc Savard" and has "almost Forsberg like vision"..I thought I was taking it down a notch when I just said "elite", lol...

I do believe Giroux as the best vision for passing on the team and he's only going to get better as he develops at the NHL level. He's that guy you have to keep your stick on the ice for when you play with him...just do that and he'll find you. I watched Giroux in some games in the QMJHL and have seen enough examples of it in his short time in the NHL...he does have high-end, what some would consider to be elite level vision/passing skills. As he develops further in the NHL and plays a more prominent role, with better, more complementary players, I believe this will become more obvious.

Now, if you want to get into semantics and defining "elite" in this context, I'm sure we can both make arguments...suffice it to say he has a very high ceiling and a big reason is his vision and passing skills...they still need some refining and further development at this level, so in that sense I can understand not seeing them as elite right now, but the raw skill is there to become one of the leagues elite passers...but if you want to say he isn't there yet, I get that.