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Bill, do you think the Flyers will make a move on defense before the deadline or wait until the off season? Also is Trevor Daley a fit? Thanks

Bill, do you think the Flyers will make a move on defense before the deadline or wait until the off season? Also is Trevor Daley a fit? Thanks
- killercam

I think they will try to add someone by the deadline, but the pickings are a bit slim and the prices inflated (even for rentals) because every team wants to add D depth and there are relatively few teams that are sellers right now.

Yes, Trevor Daley is a fit if the Flyers could get him. He has outstanding wheels. Good passer. Sporadic offense. The weaknesses are that he is undersized and (although actually rather physically strong with a low center of gravity) is not physical at all. Fairly injury prone. Turns over his share of pucks but nothing out of line for someone who handles the puck a lot.

As long as they don't stumble horribly here, I really can't see a trade to be made unless someone wants to overpay for someone like Mez or Hall. The Flyers don't have a ton of depth at any prospect position and should be looking to remain competitive while restocking.

That said, if there is no blockbuster to be had (no immediate back end fix), I'd like them to target a high risk high return guy like Rundblad as long as the price isn't insane (I.e. no B. Schenn or Couturier or any if the locked-uo "core."). I'd be tempted to move Coburn if the package was tempting enough.

James Van Riemsdyk would be a good addition to this club.

So glad the Olympics are over.

This team is kind of limited in its options to add talent at this point, so it must learn to play with the talent they have on hand. No one is coming in a trade to save this team, so hopefully, they can pull together and consistently play the way they played on that California swing.

According to Ek, yeah I know take it with a grain of salt, the Flyers have interest in Andy MacDonald from the Isles. Thoughts?

According to Ek, yeah I know take it with a grain of salt, the Flyers have interest in Andy MacDonald from the Isles. Thoughts?
- BiggE

For free/Mez, yes.

According to Ek, yeah I know take it with a grain of salt, the Flyers have interest in Andy MacDonald from the Isles. Thoughts?
- BiggE

+ he's relatively young,
+ he soaks up a lot of ice time,
+ he's semi-handy on the PP,
+ he's a decent puck-mover, mobile,

- struggles against tough matchups,
- average defensive player, at best,
- offensive production, particularly at ES is questionable,
- supposedly turned down $4M offer, so looks like he plans to get paid big,
- Isles fans, especially stats heads, aren't too keen on him
- left shot


To me, it's buyer beware. On the surface, AMac is having a career season in terms on points and icetime, and he's still somewhat young, so a lot of the less analytical GMs are going to be jumping all over that. Which probably means, bidding will be fierce and the price to acquire him and resign him will both be unreasonably high.

According to Ek, yeah I know take it with a grain of salt, the Flyers have interest in Andy MacDonald from the Isles. Thoughts?
- BiggE

Sure. But what will it cost?

He's going to be a guy a lot of teams will want. He's very solid, plays a lot of minutes & even the most cash strapped teams can fit his minuscule cap hit

- Isles fans, especially stats heads, aren't too keen on him

- Tomahawk

I'll take him! haha

But yeah, he's going to want $$ this offseason.

if Holmgren does something....it probably will be a minor tinker.....other wise he will have to make a "hockey deal" in other words give up something of value to get something....one thing that was glaring at the olympics was how important D is and how many great D men there are....the Flyers D is below average...not average...below average. Frankly I could care less what the Flyers give up in trades to rebuild "the elephant in the room D" ....because with out a franchise D man like Pronger, or a severe up grade ....they can not be considered contenders.
How can the Flyers have spent SO SO SO much on D and still have it as a glaring weakness.....Holmgren this is on you.

James Van Riemsdyk would be a good addition to this club.
- Potash4prez

think they'll do Luke Schenn straight up ?

Sure. But what will it cost?

He's going to be a guy a lot of teams will want. He's very solid, plays a lot of minutes & even the most cash strapped teams can fit his minuscule cap hit
- Jsaquella

Without any guarantee of being able to re-sign him without significantly overspending, I'd be pretty wary about giving up any more than a 2nd and a prospect other than Laughton, Morin, Hagg, Ghost or Stolarz.

My best guess is that someone will offer more than that, so I doubt he ends up here unless Homer overpays.

edit: I think I'd much rather have Daley, if for no other reason than he's signed to a very reasonable contract for the next few years.

Without any guarantee of being able to re-sign him without significantly overspending, I'd be pretty wary about giving up any more than a 2nd and a prospect other than Laughton, Morin, Hagg, Ghost or Stolarz.

My best guess is that someone will offer more than that, so I doubt he ends up here unless Homer overpays.

edit: I think I'd much rather have Daley, if for no other reason than he's signed to a very reasonable contract for the next few years.
- BiggE

the propects you mention? I wonder if the Flyers are as high on these guys as most fans are? if one gets moved for any of those players we will have our answer.

think they'll do Luke Schenn straight up ?
- landros 2

Maybe for a 20 oz fountain drink of your choice.

I'd be totally okay with moving Scott Laughton.

Straight up for someone like Matt Dumba

if Holmgren does something....it probably will be a minor tinker.....other wise he will have to make a "hockey deal" in other words give up something of value to get something....one thing that was glaring at the olympics was how important D is and how many great D men there are....the Flyers D is below average...not average...below average. Frankly I could care less what the Flyers give up in trades to rebuild "the elephant in the room D" ....because with out a franchise D man like Pronger, or a severe up grade ....they can not be considered contenders.
How can the Flyers have spent SO SO SO much on D and still have it as a glaring weakness.....Holmgren this is on you.
- landros 2

I agree, but 2 things:

1) How many of these "great" defensemen are available without hurting the Flyers so badly that they're basically putting an elite defenseman and an ECHL team on the ice every night?

2) Do you give up on all of your star/young players and hope that nothing bad happens to your elite defenseman (Pronger's eye, for instance) that ends his career? Because then you're at a 10-year rebuild.

If it lands a TRUE elite defenseman, then I'd trade anyone besides Giroux in the right deal.

edit: I think I'd much rather have Daley, if for no other reason than he's signed to a very reasonable contract for the next few years.
- BiggE

I think Daley's a good player, but shouldn't they be done with trading draft picks for more dmen on the wrong side of 30?

I'd rather them go into the POs with what they have, and then reevaluate during the summer when you're not forced to do salary-in/salary-out. Meanwhile, continue to save picks to load up on more guys like Hagg and Ghost.

I think Daley's a good player, but shouldn't they be done with trading draft picks for more dmen on the wrong side of 30?

I'd rather them go into the POs with what they have, and then reevaluate during the summer when you're not forced to do salary-in/salary-out. Meanwhile, continue to save picks to load up on more guys like Hagg and Ghost.
- Tomahawk

I agree. Go with what you have. If you make the playoffs, good, maybe you can pull an upset or two (and if we somehow miraculously did, and then faced Pittsburgh int he ECF...who knows). But keep what you havem don't go fishing unless it's for the white whale, and keep building the roster from within.

I'd be totally okay with moving Scott Laughton.

Straight up for someone like Matt Dumba
- mochoson

That's certainly two players trending in completely opposite directions.

That's certainly two players trending in completely opposite directions.
- Tomahawk

Only because Laughton's clearly a bust. He couldn't even play over Jay Rosehill.

if Holmgren does something....it probably will be a minor tinker.....other wise he will have to make a "hockey deal" in other words give up something of value to get something....one thing that was glaring at the olympics was how important D is and how many great D men there are....the Flyers D is below average...not average...below average. Frankly I could care less what the Flyers give up in trades to rebuild "the elephant in the room D" ....because with out a franchise D man like Pronger, or a severe up grade ....they can not be considered contenders.
How can the Flyers have spent SO SO SO much on D and still have it as a glaring weakness.....Holmgren this is on you.
- landros 2

I find it hard to understand how the Flyers franchise defenseman taking a stick to the eye and suffering a career ending injury, is on the GM. Time and again, this is ignored in what has happened to the Flyers defense. And the huge role it had it the dominoes that followed. I think the defense needs to be improved for sure going forward. But if as Bill talked about in the blog, the Flyers play a solid team game defensively, then the defense is not a glaring weakness. If this current team is going to have any success this season, then the forwards have to give the support to the defense, to compensate for any weaknesses on the backend.

One thing I'd like to add to the special teams. STOP ALLOWING SO MANY SHORT HANDED GOALS! THEY ARE A KILLER. Thank you.

Only because Laughton's clearly a bust. He couldn't even play over Jay Rosehill.
- jmatchett383

4 points and a hat trick last night…I'm talking about Jay Rosehill in yesterdays practice. Oh and Laughton had a pretty good game last night too I think.