Considering that Kimmo's up at the end of next season, does anyone know who the top UFAs are in 2013?
- GeorgeBailey

http://www.capgeek.com/fr...sition_id=-1&fa_type_id=2

Pierre Mcguire was on WFAN radio yesterday for an hour, and took calls from fans. Was pretty cool.

He said look for Anaheim to be unable to sign Justin Schultz, and for Schultz to end up with the NYR. Pierre said the kid is NHL ready right now, and is a can't miss top pairing guy. Just what the Rags need to add to Mcdonagh, Staal, Girardi, and Del Zotto.

nor would I.

If I am moving JvR, its for a more well rounded guy.
- jak521

I love JVR. But I would trade him for Enstrom. He's small, but as well-rounded as they come. He's in a similar situation as Ryan Suter (with Weber and Byfuglien).

(edit: I see that Enstrom is a UFA after this upcoming season, so that changes things)

Bill,

Good job(s) as usual.

Do you feel any team drafts and develops defenseman better than most others (i.e. Devils)? The Flyers haven't drafted, developed, and maintained too many good ones over the years. However, I think we all agree that this isn't the end of the world.

If you had to rank the top 3 d-men over the last 5 - 10 years, who would they be? I'll go Chara, Pronger, Lindstrom.
- Daman

If you go 10 years out, I'd say 1) Lidström, 2)Pronger, 3) Niedermayer.

If you go only 5 years out, I'd say 1) Chara, 2) Lidström, 3) Weber.

Parise Career points 502 194 216 410
Carter Career points 516 202 175 377

Pretty comparable I would say and not like Carter was a dud at 11. If we are really getting technical we missed out on Corey Perry as well who went 29 and we took Richards just before him. So yes deep draft that year
- Daceroni

Sorry, I'll have to go back and see where I said Carter was a dud....OK, never did.

Parise was much more highly touted during the year leading up to their draft, and when he was available, I wanted the Flyers to select him. Carter wasn't totally out of left field, but Parise was more of a sure bet in the eyes of most analysts and experts.

Also, Parise plays in New Jersey, in a far less offensively aggressive system than Carter played in during most of his time with the Flyers.

Considering that Kimmo's up at the end of next season, does anyone know who the top UFAs are in 2013?
- GeorgeBailey

There are a few big names, like Edler and Enstrom, but no Charas or guys in the top level.

Douglas Murray is another name... There are a bunch of guys who could make reliable 4-6 d-men.

Very often with defensemen, unless a team is willing to live with up to five years of growing pains from his draft year to his third or fourth pro season, it will be the defenseman's SECOND NHL organization that reaps the benefits.

The Flyers simply are not willing to wait that long, so they pull the plug on a lot of young defensemen. But they've also been the beneficiaries a few times of other teams dealing too soon, such as acquiring Coburn right at the point where he was finally ready to compete for a full-time NHL job.
- bmeltzer

Yea, but Bill. How many of the Defenseman the Flyers drafted have turned out to be above average NHL defenseman after the Flyers gave up on them? Maybe Pitkanen? Maybe Niinimaa? They are average, but I dont think the FLyers gave up really special players... Not like islanders trading Chara...

nor would I.

If I am moving JvR, its for a more well rounded guy.
- jak521

He is a pretty well rounded guy, but I worry about his size and that he tends to get worn down.

Very often with defensemen, unless a team is willing to live with up to five years of growing pains from his draft year to his third or fourth pro season, it will be the defenseman's SECOND NHL organization that reaps the benefits.
- bmeltzer

It's tied to their goaltending, too. Teams like the Rangers and Predators can live with mistakes from young D because they've traditionally had great goaltending to cover up any mishaps. We know the Flyers haven't exactly had that luxury.

The team's incredible streak of selecting impact forwards in the mid-late 1st-round should be enough to dispel the notion that they'll be drafting by position.

Claude Giroux > Bobby Sanguinetti.

This seems to be a fairly deep draft. The Pronger injury had a significant trickle down effect on this franchise, had he not been injured Flyers would likely still have both second round picks. The trade for Grossmann was a good one, as Flyers were able to lock him up, but the Kubina trade simply looks horrific right now.

Because a lot of police officers don't know the law. This wasn't the first time a ticket happy clown tried to write me up for something that isn't illegal. Also, I have 4 uncles, a step dad, 2 cousins, and 5 other extended family members who are in law enforcement.

As the boy scouts say, be prepared.
- Jsaquella

Is this the only law you carry with you or do you have many print outs?

Great blog.

Don't know the source but saw a recent commentary saying a team should never use a first round pick to take a Dman unless it was for a #1 guy like a Doughty or Karlsson who had clear offensive upside. Great, stay at home Dmen are slow to develop and guys like Chara, Weber and Lidstrom often only begin to show their offensive edge once they get their defensive game in place.

The same comment suggested that you never waste an early round pick on a goalie. There will always be an exception (Cary Price). But, most top prospect goalies never actually make it to the elite level. On the other hand, if you look at the top goalies, how many we're taken in the late rounds.

A team should use their early picks to draft kids who can see and anticipate the game, who can skate, have size and good hand/eye coordination.
- Daman

I read Bill's blog and that's it...
overall outside of maybe the top 20 and even then it's a true crap shoot. It's all about needs.
Each team is different with how they draft.
Instead of adding, it's always something about disagreeing or adding questions to the fire...not worth having yourself get banned.

I love JVR. But I would trade him for Enstrom. He's small, but as well-rounded as they come. He's in a similar situation as Ryan Suter (with Weber and Byfuglien).
- bradleyc4

I disagree B-rad... I know he isnt a Mike Green, but he also isnt a guy like Letang. I want a guy who can bring it offensively, but is better in his own end.

Pierre Mcguire was on WFAN radio yesterday for an hour, and took calls from fans. Was pretty cool.

He said look for Anaheim to be unable to sign Justin Schultz, and for Schultz to end up with the NYR. Pierre said the kid is NHL ready right now, and is a can't miss top pairing guy. Just what the Rags need to add to Mcdonagh, Staal, Girardi, and Del Zotto.
- PLindbergh31

Schultz/Del Zotto would be pretty redundant, IMO. They both play the same sort of role.

I give Del Zotto huge credit for remaking his game -- he was considered very suspect defensively when he came into the NHL. It remains to be seen if Schultz could be a good fit in Tortorella's system. Right now, I don't think he can. I think he'd spend a lot of time as a healthy scratch his first NHL season if he played for the Rangers.

Yea, but Bill. How many of the Defenseman the Flyers drafted have turned out to be above average NHL defenseman after the Flyers gave up on them? Maybe Pitkanen? Maybe Niinimaa? They are average, but I dont think the FLyers gave up really special players... Not like islanders trading Chara...
- RooNosHockey

Pitkanen, Niinimaa, Seidenberg. You can probably add Sbisa in there, as well, although getting Pronger was big.

That said, given the Flyers history of drafting defensemen, what gives you confidence that they'll draft John Carlson and not Colten Tuebert or Thomas Hickey?

The real question is who did Parise have playing with him... That team never had half the offensive talent the Flyers had..

On top of it, Parise is a much better all around impact player.
- jak521

I think in terms of impact on a team they are both comparable. The edge that I think Parise has is that he has been more consistent offensively, and has been a better playoff performer.

Schultz/Del Zotto would be pretty redundant, IMO. They both play the same sort of role.

I give Del Zotto huge credit for remaking his game -- he was considered very suspect defensively when he came into the NHL. It remains to be seen if Schultz could be a good fit in Tortorella's system. Right now, I don't think he can. I think he'd spend a lot of time as a healthy scratch his first NHL season if he played for the Rangers.
- bmeltzer

I haven't seen Schultz play Bill so I will defer to you here. Do you think the Flyers will be in the mix for Schultz?

My question is why do you have a printout of the seat belt laws on you?
- aightwebang17

So he can stick it to the man..... Just like someone else here sits with a print-out of the NHL CBA's Salary Cap... Stick it to da man.....

I disagree B-rad... I know he isnt a Mike Green, but he also isnt a guy like Letang. I want a guy who can bring it offensively, but is better in his own end.
- jak521

I think Enström is decent in his own end of the ice. He has always had some trouble coping with big, strong forwards but he moves the puck very effectively under pressure.

Is this the only law you carry with you or do you have many print outs?
- funmaster18

Nope this is the one I carry, because of past experience. Basically, it started when we were at a party, and all the cop in laws were there. One asked about the car seat configuration, and it led to a discussion where the 7 cops present all had different answers to the question of what the law said.

I printed it out that night and carry it to avoid having to go to court with the printout.

I disagree B-rad... I know he isnt a Mike Green, but he also isnt a guy like Letang. I want a guy who can bring it offensively, but is better in his own end.
- jak521

We'll have to agree to disagree. I don't think you're giving Enstrom enough credit for what he does/brings to their blueline. It's because of his play that Byfuglien can do the things he does in the offensive zone.

So he can stick it to the man..... Just like someone else here sits with a print-out of the NHL CBA's Salary Cap... Stick it to da man.....
- RooNosHockey

Why have a print out? Anyone can just go to www.capgeek.com


Hell, you can even send them question to clarify and they respond back pretty quickly

Yea, but Bill. How many of the Defenseman the Flyers drafted have turned out to be above average NHL defenseman after the Flyers gave up on them? Maybe Pitkanen? Maybe Niinimaa? They are average, but I dont think the FLyers gave up really special players... Not like islanders trading Chara...
- RooNosHockey

I think his point is that if you look at the Flyers when they pick d-men in the 1st round... and you see this..

#19 Luca Sbisa
#4 Joni Pitkanen
#28 Jeff Woywitka
#20 Darren Rumble
#20 Kerry Huffmann
#16 Steve Smith

Pitkanen, Niinimaa, Seidenberg. You can probably add Sbisa in there, as well, although getting Pronger was big.

That said, given the Flyers history of drafting defensemen, what gives you confidence that they'll draft John Carlson and not Colten Tuebert or Thomas Hickey?
- Jsaquella

Seidenberg is the one that got away, IMO. They completely misread his areas of strength and rushed him up badly.

In the immortal words of Dean Wormer 0.0%

90% chance Parise stays in NJ
10% chance he joins Suter in Detroit
- PLindbergh31

no way he signs in nj