Aside from his Goals Per Game avg, shot total, & penalty minutes going down (and you can argue that his decisions have gotten better), how can one debate his "hunger for the puck" had been satisfied by his "hunger for the buck" in his long term contract?
- Flyer_Nation71

He has been here for 6 Seasons. You don't judge a player on one year, ignore the rest. The long term contracts was an agreement between two parites. Mike Richards could have signed a shorter term deal, and left himself the oppurtunity to hit the open market in Free Agency for possibly more money.

Players roles change and are used differenty, in different Seasons depending on a number of factors.

Applause
- Flyskippy

Lunch break eh? I now have to connect to some other companies internet because mine blocked this site. haha

I just feel trading both Carter and Richards was unnecessary. Who knows the real reasons why. We will never know.
I felt the only glaring weakness was the goaltending, that was addressed, and imo the drastic trades weren't justified. It's like they took two steps forward and three back. At least in the short term.
- PLindbergh31

Pronger and Lavy were not on Richards side

that's the thing. This team was ready to win now once they obtained the goaltender. By the time Schenn and Couterier are even anything that approach Richards and Carter, Pronger and Timonen are long gone, and Bryzgalov is on the other side of 35.
- PLindbergh31

I beleive that with the moves the team would have likely had to make to fit in both Bryzgalov and Richards and Carter, would have left the Flyers with a team that they didn't like, and didn't feel would be a contender. And would be continually hampered by the Cap with no quality prospects to bolster the lineup, combined with a lack of draft picks due to past deals, left them in a position and a bad cycle of team management that they felt they had to get out of. So the made two quality Hockey deals instead of continuing to make the poor deals they've had to make in the past.

I think MOAT's day was just ruined w/Preems ranking.
- flyguy12

Thought the same thing.

that's the thing. This team was ready to win now once they obtained the goaltender. By the time Schenn and Couterier are even anything that approach Richards and Carter, Pronger and Timonen are long gone, and Bryzgalov is on the other side of 35.
- PLindbergh31

Briere and Giroux are not bad replacements IMO, Flyers will be just fine for the next couple of years and for years to come with those two young guys!

It is Clarke then everybody else.

I don't care about anything other then bringing the cup back to Philly.

Richards didn't do it nor has any other.

the goaltending left something to be desired in the playoffs for sure. laviolette made it even worse with his handling of things. that being said, i don't think the goaltending had much to do with the team's struggles down the regular season stretch. they simply didn't show up to compete much after the turn of the calendar from jan to feb.
- OrangeBlack27

i agree. they were tops in the league through the first half and the goaltending was a big reason why. post-AS game they just steadily declined and never flipped the swtich that so many argued or hoped for. i don't put it on the goaltending.

It is Clarke then everybody else.

I don't care about anything other then bringing the cup back to Philly.

Richards didn't do it nor has any other.
- ggunky

There is only one Bobby Clarke. There likely won't be another.

I beleive that with the moves the team would have likely had to make to fit in both Bryzgalov and Richards and Carter, would have left the Flyers with a team that they didn't like, and didn't feel would be a contender. And would be continually hampered by the Cap with no quality prospects to bolster the lineup, combined with a lack of draft picks due to past deals, left them in a position and a bad cycle of team management that they felt they had to get out of. So the made two quality Hockey deals instead of continuing to make the poor deals they've had to make in the past.
- MJL

Fair point. They certainly have a chance to re-stock the pipeline with all the picks they have now. Hopefully Holmgren doesn't throw them away for a quick fix.

No clue what to expect this year. If they missed the playoffs it wouldn't shock me. People sometimes do not realize that the difference between a 100 point season and missing the playoffs is 3 or 4 wins.

i agree. they were tops in the league through the first half and the goaltending was a big reason why. post-AS game they just steadily declined and never flipped the swtich that so many argued or hoped for. i don't put it on the goaltending.
- hammarby31

It was a total team failure and collapse. Not just on goaltending.

What's this rumor you hear?
- MJL

his conditioning in general.

Fair point. They certainly have a chance to re-stock the pipeline with all the picks they have now. Hopefully Holmgren doesn't throw them away for a quick fix.

No clue what to expect this year. If they missed the playoffs it wouldn't shock me. People sometimes do not realize that the difference between a 100 point season and missing the playoffs is 3 or 4 wins.
- PLindbergh31

I expect the Flyers to make the playoffs. I think with the strength of the defense, and goaltending, that should put them in. But I agree with you and talked about that the other day. There is such a fine line between being in or out, and as you said, 3 or 4 games one way or another is all it takes to miss the playoffs.
I'm against the Flyers trading a high pick for a deadline acquisition unless it's a young player they intend to keep. No Versteeg deals this year. Not intended to be a slight on Versteeg.

his conditioning in general.
- jak521

Glad you call it a rumor, because that's all it is. Don't see a conditioning issue with Richards.

That's a poor analogy in my opinion. Fantasy Hockey has no relevance here. Salary Cap issues were clearly a huge part of why the deals were made.
- MJL

A league with no cap is indeed fantasy....

Going with your concept. If his salary was indeed the reason for the move...

If he had played the way he had in 07-08-09(ish) his cap wouldnt be an issue. The fact that over the past two years his play seemed to diminish, he tended to have major injuries, and there were atleast perhaps some character issues, you may be right... he wasnt worth his contract...

I expect the Flyers to make the playoffs. I think with the strength of the defense, and goaltending, that should put them in. But I agree with you and talked about that the other day. There is such a fine line between being in or out, and as you said, 3 or 4 games one way or another is all it takes to miss the playoffs.
I'm against the Flyers trading a high pick for a deadline acquisition unless it's a young player they intend to keep. No Versteeg deals this year. Not intended to be a slight on Versteeg.
- MJL

Exactly. If it's a trade for a player who they believe is part of what they are building then I would be all for it.

The big wildcard in this season is the health of Pronger. If he plays 60-70 games at close to full strength then I would agree they should make the playoffs. If he is in and out of the lineup all year and the third pairing is Lilja and some combination of Bartulis/Gustafsson then the top two pairings are going to get worn down to a nub.

Glad you call it a rumor, because that's all it is. Don't see a conditioning issue with Richards.
- MJL

besides the fact that you have suggested on multiple occasions that he had played a lot of hockey as an excuse for his effort levels.

There is only one Bobby Clarke. There likely won't be another.
- MJL

expect a reply around 5'oclock from ob with a link to a whitepages.com listing of hundreds of robert clarkes.

Will never know the entire truth to the trade. The Flyers were gearing up for a Stanley Cup run then all of a sudden decided:

1) We want prospects
2) We want salary cap space
3) We need more picks
4) We want long-term flexibility

Everything I've posted above were issues that have been going on for over three years, now all of a sudden it became the main stream into him being dealt? Theres more there than we know about. You dont trade a captain unless hes a problem or your rebuilding imo. Maybe he was traded b/c they felt hes not a franchise player anymore, but that even makes me question him even more as a player that they werent willing to commit to him anymore.

expect a reply around 5'oclock from ob with a link to a whitepages.com listing of hundreds of robert clarkes.
- OrangeBlack27

*bookmarks*

A league with no cap is indeed fantasy....

Going with your concept. If his salary was indeed the reason for the move...

If he had played the way he had in 07-08-09(ish) his cap wouldnt be an issue. The fact that over the past two years his play seemed to diminish, he tended to have major injuries, and there were atleast perhaps some character issues, you may be right... he wasnt worth his contract...
- jak521

Stating that if there wasn't a Cap Richards likely wouldn't have been signed to a 12 year deal, has nothing to do with fantasy. The motivation behind the deal was to lower the Cap hit. It's common sense, not fantasy.

I think that Holmgren and the Flyers brass are just as much at fault for signing two players to franchise level deals that weren't franchise players in the first place, only to then a short time later, even shorter for Carter, have second thoughts on those deals. It shows a lack of foresight on their part. Like I said, Holmgren painted himself into that corner.

no references to Ilkka today?

besides the fact that you have suggested on multiple occasions that he had played a lot of hockey as an excuse for his effort levels.
- jak521

No, I never offered it as an excuse for his effort. I have never had an issue with Mike Richards effort level. His effort level is your issue, not mine. He's missed 13 games the last 4 Seasons, which doesn't include the playoffs or the Olympics. While playing close to 20 minutes a night, with a lot of hard minutes such as on the PK. That doesn't suggest a conditioning issue to me.

It was a total team failure and collapse. Not just on goaltending.
- MJL

Ayup. Might as well use 30+ fingers to point at the players, coaches, GM, and owner.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Where did Richards rank among Flyers' captains?
- bmeltzer

I don't care where he ranks anymore. He was given the ball and he fumble it.