I have written that this year's Flyers really aren't all that good a team, and I haven't seen anything to make me change my mind. They're not contenders, but they are finding their niche as a bubble playoff team.
After a pretty rough start, the Flyers took 7 of 8 points from a 4 game homestand. The wins were hardly commanding victories, but they scrapped out the wins against other bubble teams. They followed that up with a humbling loss in Toronto, before a gritty win in Winnipeg.
The lesson learned from this stretch is we've seen how the Flyers have to win games this year. They don't have the firepower to outscore teams like last year; 4 and 5 goal performances will be rare. Bryzgalov is playing excellent however, as he is tracking the puck very well, and really battling and recovering better. The Flyers also are doing more to collapse around the net in ways they desperately needed to last year.
The Flyers can get some wins this year in this fashion, but it's all pretty fragile. For one, this team is completely dependent on Bryzgalov (hard to believe we're saying that about Bryzgalov after last year, or the Flyers in general, well, ever). Partially because Bryzgalov has been very good, and partially because the backup goalie situation is so lousy.
It's also fragile because of the youth up front. Giroux is looking overwhelmed with Hartnell and Jagr out of the lineup. Recently, Read, Voracek and Schenn have stepped up their play, but who knows how that will keep up. It will be a struggle all season, but hopefully Hartsy and Mesz will be back relatively soon, which will help.
Speak of Jagr...
Jagr is one of many recently departed Flyers doing very well thus far. Jagr has become a key piece on offense for Dallas, and is leading the team with 11 points in 13 games. The Flyers are missing him this year more than I expected. Also;
-Matt Carle is playing big minutes in TB (which shouldn't be surprising) and already has 2 goals. The other key departure for the Flyers this year.
-JVR has 8 goals in 13 games, a pretty stark change from the 11 he scored in 43 for the Flyers last year. Many of these have been of the tap-in variety, finishing off others' plays (he only has 2 assists), but there's nothing wrong with that. He's playing well and with confidence, but there's no need for Flyers fans to panic about that trade at the moment.
-Similar to JVR, Jeff Carter has 6 goals (and only 1 assist) in 11 games for the offensively challenged Kings.
Put all this together, and you can see all the offense that has gone out the door from Philadelphia. That kind of goal-hawking from JVR and Carter is certainly a missing ingredient from this year's Flyers roster.
But Don't Panic
The Flyers have obvious needs, which my man Bill Meltzer accurately describes and prioritizes; "1) a puck-moving defenseman who can play 20+ minutes per game, 2) a scoring winger who possesses both good size and a consistent willingness to work in the "greasy" areas of the ice (though I might go a little more towards high-end skill players who snipe, in the mold of Perry or Iginla mentioned below), 3) a backup goaltending upgrade in case of a long-term injury to Ilya Bryzgalov, 4) a fourth-line center who is strong on defensive zone face-offs." http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=49290#.UR0bGqWyD9l
Despite this, it DOES NOT make sense for the Flyers to go chasing down trades. For one, they are not a contender this year, so trading more youth and picks is a bad idea. The Flyers have very few high-end prospects, and are generally depleted of prospects outside the NHL from trading away so many picks under Holmgen. Second, these are tough holes to fill, as evidenced by the Timonen contract signed last week.
Clearly the Flyers looked around and saw Timonen was their only option for a number 1 defensemen next year. He is old, and isn't the defensemen he used to be, but the Flyers renewed him at a very high cap number (shockingly high at first glance) because they had no other choice. After accepting that reality, my only regret is that they couldn't get Kimmo to resign for say $4.5m instead of 6. $1.5m in cap space will make a difference if the Flyers pursue Iginla or Perry as free agents after this season...
Opinions on NHL topics of the moment, but mostly on the Flyers.
Showing posts with label jvr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jvr. Show all posts
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Monday, June 25, 2012
Draft Weekend Recap
Indeed, the pieces on the board began to move this weekend for the Flyers. The rumors were getting crazy on Thursday, and the Flyer were supposedly in on everyone; Nash, Parise, Ryan, Suter, Weber, and trading up in the draft. Ultimately, the Flyers made far less daring moves.
JVR
The move that was so heavily rumored in March finally came about. For starters, I am on board with trading JVR. He seems like a good kid, and he has the talent, I'm just not sure I see him producing consistently. Often the only difference between a journey-man goal scorer and a top line allstar is consistency, and I think JVR will always be a streaky player. He's not effective playing on the outside, and he's simply not a banger at heart. Either way, I've previously written about his development here and here.
As for the particulars on this trade, I wrote about this in March, and not much has changed since...
The Flyers top need was a physical dman, and they now have a promising young one. A good, simple, hockey trade without a clear "winner" in my opinion.
Bobrovsky
Like JVR, I was ready to see Bob go. I also wrote about this the other day. Either way, I think his most likely career path is as a backup or journeyman starter. He will now get a chance to prove himself in Columbus that he won't get here.
The Flyers should be happy with the trade return for him. I think his reputation around the league has sunk a little bit over the last several months, and there was no way the Flyers were going to get the kind of return the Caps got for Varlamov last year---ultimately a fairly high first round pick in a deal that shocked a lot around the league. Still, to salvage a mid-second round pick and two 4th rounders is a good return. The Flyers definitely benefitted from other teams snatching up backup goalie candidates in the previous week, apparently allowing the Flyers to choose between Winnpeg's offer of the #39 pick, or the #45 pick and two 4th rounders from Columbus.
Incidentally, the Flyers drafted a goalie with the #45 pick.
Draft Picks
I will not pretend to know much about who the Flyers drafted. Regarding their first round pick, it was mildly disappointing to see them take a center without high-end potential when they have rarely picked in the first round at all the last few years and desperately need defensemen in the system. On the other hand, this player appears very likely to actually graduate to the NHL, and the Flyers have been amazing at picking winners late in the first round (Gagne, Williams, Giroux). Scouts say this is a very poor draft class as well.
What Next?
First, this is how I see the Flyers cap situation;
To complete this, I guessed at a value for Voracek, and plugged in a backup goalie that may not be accurate, but the salary should be. I also plugged in Carle at $4.25, although I find it hard to believe he will sign for so little, but people keep throwing it out there. The takeaway is that the Flyers could have about $6 million or more to throw at a top-6 forward.
I think their pursuit of Nash is now dead. JVR and Bob were their two major trading chips to get Nash, and they have been cashed in. Personally, I think the Columbus GM is overplaying his hand, and as teams like the Flyers move on, the offers for Nash will now begin to get worse. I wasn't a huge fan of Nash to Philly anyway.
The two major targets the Flyers could go after is Parise or Ryan. Again, the Flyers don't have many assets left to trade for Ryan, so I'm not seeing it. Regarding Parise, I think the Flyers have a lot of interest and will make an offer. I have my doubts about how they'll fare in a bidding war on the open market, however.
The conservative course is to resign Jagr and pick up a role-player for the bottom two lines for about $5 million combined. This is probably the wisest course in my opinion. Granted, maybe the Flyers can't resign Carle or Voracek (silence is ominous regarding his extension, I think), and then all this needs to be re-evaluated.
JVR
The move that was so heavily rumored in March finally came about. For starters, I am on board with trading JVR. He seems like a good kid, and he has the talent, I'm just not sure I see him producing consistently. Often the only difference between a journey-man goal scorer and a top line allstar is consistency, and I think JVR will always be a streaky player. He's not effective playing on the outside, and he's simply not a banger at heart. Either way, I've previously written about his development here and here.
As for the particulars on this trade, I wrote about this in March, and not much has changed since...
On paper, the trade makes a lot of sense. It is a like-for-like trade:http://mostlyflyers.blogspot.com/2012/01/jvr-for-luke-schenn.html
-both players were very high draft picks; JVR #2 in 2007 and Schenn #5 in 2008
-both players have made some noise in the NHL, with Schenn immediately joining the big club as an 18 year old and JVR turning a lot of heads in the playoffs last year
-both players may be seen as underwhelming in their development, with Schenn's ice time down this year and JVR not building off last year's playoffs
-both players are signed to manageable long term contracts
The Flyers need defensemen, the Leafs need size up front. The trade is merely teams trying to address an organizational need while holding their salary, youth and long term potential constant.
All that said, the devil will be in details. Flyers fans expect Schenn and other goodies for JVR, and Leafs fan vice-versa. A rumor I read yesterday is that it will be the Flyers who have to sweeten the pot to complete the deal, and the Leafs want Matt Read.
No thanks on that one. If that's the case I walk away.
The Flyers top need was a physical dman, and they now have a promising young one. A good, simple, hockey trade without a clear "winner" in my opinion.
Bobrovsky
Like JVR, I was ready to see Bob go. I also wrote about this the other day. Either way, I think his most likely career path is as a backup or journeyman starter. He will now get a chance to prove himself in Columbus that he won't get here.
The Flyers should be happy with the trade return for him. I think his reputation around the league has sunk a little bit over the last several months, and there was no way the Flyers were going to get the kind of return the Caps got for Varlamov last year---ultimately a fairly high first round pick in a deal that shocked a lot around the league. Still, to salvage a mid-second round pick and two 4th rounders is a good return. The Flyers definitely benefitted from other teams snatching up backup goalie candidates in the previous week, apparently allowing the Flyers to choose between Winnpeg's offer of the #39 pick, or the #45 pick and two 4th rounders from Columbus.
Incidentally, the Flyers drafted a goalie with the #45 pick.
Draft Picks
I will not pretend to know much about who the Flyers drafted. Regarding their first round pick, it was mildly disappointing to see them take a center without high-end potential when they have rarely picked in the first round at all the last few years and desperately need defensemen in the system. On the other hand, this player appears very likely to actually graduate to the NHL, and the Flyers have been amazing at picking winners late in the first round (Gagne, Williams, Giroux). Scouts say this is a very poor draft class as well.
What Next?
First, this is how I see the Flyers cap situation;
To complete this, I guessed at a value for Voracek, and plugged in a backup goalie that may not be accurate, but the salary should be. I also plugged in Carle at $4.25, although I find it hard to believe he will sign for so little, but people keep throwing it out there. The takeaway is that the Flyers could have about $6 million or more to throw at a top-6 forward.
I think their pursuit of Nash is now dead. JVR and Bob were their two major trading chips to get Nash, and they have been cashed in. Personally, I think the Columbus GM is overplaying his hand, and as teams like the Flyers move on, the offers for Nash will now begin to get worse. I wasn't a huge fan of Nash to Philly anyway.
The two major targets the Flyers could go after is Parise or Ryan. Again, the Flyers don't have many assets left to trade for Ryan, so I'm not seeing it. Regarding Parise, I think the Flyers have a lot of interest and will make an offer. I have my doubts about how they'll fare in a bidding war on the open market, however.
The conservative course is to resign Jagr and pick up a role-player for the bottom two lines for about $5 million combined. This is probably the wisest course in my opinion. Granted, maybe the Flyers can't resign Carle or Voracek (silence is ominous regarding his extension, I think), and then all this needs to be re-evaluated.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Offseason Preparations
I've had my little break, and the dust has settled after the playoff exit. Offseason grumblings are beginning to trickle out, so I'd like to make sense of it all.
Starting with the least speculative news, multiple reports last week indicated Jagr's first choice is to indeed resign with the Flyers, despite the indications that he was ready to move on fresh off the playoff loss. Talks with the Flyers are said to be progressing, with one rumor on twitter saying that an agreement is already reached.
Additionally, claims are that the Flyers will resign Carle too, at slightly below market rate. The twist to all this that the Flyers don't have the "tagging space" to sign them yet (basically, your payroll next year can't exceed this year's cap). As a result, the cap will rise to $70.3 million on July 1, and the Flyers will be free to sign these guys then. By that time however, Carle will officially be a free agent, and I still think someone throws $5+ million at him. Could that throw a wrench in the Flyers plans?
Either way, let's assume these signings both happen. Now I have heard NOTHING about Voracek resigning, but let's plug that in too. You get this picture.
*This is without the "bonus cushion." This means that for players like Schenn, his cap hit will be the full $3.11m until he misses a bonus benchmark. This will happen soon, but even so, this is the limit with which the Flyers must comply on opening day. If there is the "bonus cushion" this season, the Flyers can exceed the cap by such a bonus, but would be penalized if the players ultimately earned the bonus and send the Flyers over the cap.
Now ignore the lines, and I had to guess at contract values for Jagr, Voracek and Carle, but this should be more or less accurate. The main takeaway is that, making no other changes, merely resigning these guys leaves little cap space for other signings. This leaves the possibility of a plain vanilla offseason of resignings only, with no other acquisitions of note.
The Flyers rarely stand pat though, often pulling off trades at the draft. I'm not going to speculate on roster depth maneuvers, but there could be a few big pieces in play.
JVR-Nash Rumors
For one, Howard Eskin dropped this nugget yesterday; JVR is delaying having surgery, which could hold up a trade for Nash because the Flyers can't trade him if he isn't healthy. Now Eskin knows nothing about hockey in terms of analysis, but his information is good. He usually only says something about the Flyers when he gets good info.
JVR was on the Flyers post-season surgery list, and unusually (but not shockingly), he has not had the surgery yet. The Flyers have already denied the insinuation that there is any intent on the part of JVR to delay his surgery, and that does seem like a bombastic accusation.
Putting aside the question of intent by JVR, but taking the underlying issue of his health holding up a trade as true, this transaction would return to a few themes. Go back to the trade deadline, and the Flyers were players for Nash. It was left at, and I quote Darren Dreger, "Price too high for Flyers(at moment) for Nash. May re-engage later. JVR,Bobrovski, Schenn or Couturier believed to be part of asking price." Also, this would be the second time a JVR injury is seen as holding up a deal, as he was out with a concussion in February when the Luke Schenn trade rumors were everywhere.
I've already evaluated a JVR-Nash trade, but my stance remains the same---JVR will never be the player Nash is, but Nash's best days are behind him. JVR and Bob I'd be happy to trade, but I would not include Schenn or Cooter in the trade for a diminishing star with a big cap hit like Nash. We'll see if there's anything to this.
Nashville Defensemen
Putting aside Nash, the Flyers real need is top-end defensemen. The two names being thrown around are Suter and Tobias Enstrom. Enstrom is basically a younger Timonen, but he has one year left on his contract (at a low cap it), and would require a trade to acquire. Suter will be a free agent on July 1, and Nashville is trying hard to resign him.
I've seen reports that the Suter doesn't want to sign with the Flyers, but even assuming those are incorrect, I doubt we'll see this signing. For one, Nashville has the cap space and will pull out all the stops to keep him. Second, everyone knows Detroit wants him, and Detroit has just seen Lidstrom retire and is letting Stuart go. I think Suter stays in Nashville or goes to Detroit.
This situation creates a second domino--Shea Weber. He is my grand hope for the Flyers this offseason. A full-on replacement for Chris Pronger. Weber is a restricted free agent, so practically this means a trade. JVR again? (A JVR+Mesz+picks seems to be a popular rumor. I'd take that trade FWIW.) The wrinkle here is that Weber and Suter are the spine of Nashville's team, and despite their limited budget, I can't see any way they let both Weber and Suter go. Despite my fantasies, I think the most likely scenario is Suter to Detroit, Weber staying in Nashville.
Bobrovsky
Getting back to Bobrovsky, the Flyers could try to save some cap space but getting a cheaper backup. Bob's future prospects in Philadelphia are waning, though I was an advocate of trading him last offseason. I don't think Bob has nearly as much trading value as Flyers fans like to believe, but the time might be right to trade him anyway and bring in an experienced number 2.
Starting with the least speculative news, multiple reports last week indicated Jagr's first choice is to indeed resign with the Flyers, despite the indications that he was ready to move on fresh off the playoff loss. Talks with the Flyers are said to be progressing, with one rumor on twitter saying that an agreement is already reached.
Additionally, claims are that the Flyers will resign Carle too, at slightly below market rate. The twist to all this that the Flyers don't have the "tagging space" to sign them yet (basically, your payroll next year can't exceed this year's cap). As a result, the cap will rise to $70.3 million on July 1, and the Flyers will be free to sign these guys then. By that time however, Carle will officially be a free agent, and I still think someone throws $5+ million at him. Could that throw a wrench in the Flyers plans?
Either way, let's assume these signings both happen. Now I have heard NOTHING about Voracek resigning, but let's plug that in too. You get this picture.
*This is without the "bonus cushion." This means that for players like Schenn, his cap hit will be the full $3.11m until he misses a bonus benchmark. This will happen soon, but even so, this is the limit with which the Flyers must comply on opening day. If there is the "bonus cushion" this season, the Flyers can exceed the cap by such a bonus, but would be penalized if the players ultimately earned the bonus and send the Flyers over the cap.
Now ignore the lines, and I had to guess at contract values for Jagr, Voracek and Carle, but this should be more or less accurate. The main takeaway is that, making no other changes, merely resigning these guys leaves little cap space for other signings. This leaves the possibility of a plain vanilla offseason of resignings only, with no other acquisitions of note.
The Flyers rarely stand pat though, often pulling off trades at the draft. I'm not going to speculate on roster depth maneuvers, but there could be a few big pieces in play.
JVR-Nash Rumors
For one, Howard Eskin dropped this nugget yesterday; JVR is delaying having surgery, which could hold up a trade for Nash because the Flyers can't trade him if he isn't healthy. Now Eskin knows nothing about hockey in terms of analysis, but his information is good. He usually only says something about the Flyers when he gets good info.
JVR was on the Flyers post-season surgery list, and unusually (but not shockingly), he has not had the surgery yet. The Flyers have already denied the insinuation that there is any intent on the part of JVR to delay his surgery, and that does seem like a bombastic accusation.
Putting aside the question of intent by JVR, but taking the underlying issue of his health holding up a trade as true, this transaction would return to a few themes. Go back to the trade deadline, and the Flyers were players for Nash. It was left at, and I quote Darren Dreger, "Price too high for Flyers(at moment) for Nash. May re-engage later. JVR,Bobrovski, Schenn or Couturier believed to be part of asking price." Also, this would be the second time a JVR injury is seen as holding up a deal, as he was out with a concussion in February when the Luke Schenn trade rumors were everywhere.
I've already evaluated a JVR-Nash trade, but my stance remains the same---JVR will never be the player Nash is, but Nash's best days are behind him. JVR and Bob I'd be happy to trade, but I would not include Schenn or Cooter in the trade for a diminishing star with a big cap hit like Nash. We'll see if there's anything to this.
Nashville Defensemen
Putting aside Nash, the Flyers real need is top-end defensemen. The two names being thrown around are Suter and Tobias Enstrom. Enstrom is basically a younger Timonen, but he has one year left on his contract (at a low cap it), and would require a trade to acquire. Suter will be a free agent on July 1, and Nashville is trying hard to resign him.
I've seen reports that the Suter doesn't want to sign with the Flyers, but even assuming those are incorrect, I doubt we'll see this signing. For one, Nashville has the cap space and will pull out all the stops to keep him. Second, everyone knows Detroit wants him, and Detroit has just seen Lidstrom retire and is letting Stuart go. I think Suter stays in Nashville or goes to Detroit.
This situation creates a second domino--Shea Weber. He is my grand hope for the Flyers this offseason. A full-on replacement for Chris Pronger. Weber is a restricted free agent, so practically this means a trade. JVR again? (A JVR+Mesz+picks seems to be a popular rumor. I'd take that trade FWIW.) The wrinkle here is that Weber and Suter are the spine of Nashville's team, and despite their limited budget, I can't see any way they let both Weber and Suter go. Despite my fantasies, I think the most likely scenario is Suter to Detroit, Weber staying in Nashville.
Bobrovsky
Getting back to Bobrovsky, the Flyers could try to save some cap space but getting a cheaper backup. Bob's future prospects in Philadelphia are waning, though I was an advocate of trading him last offseason. I don't think Bob has nearly as much trading value as Flyers fans like to believe, but the time might be right to trade him anyway and bring in an experienced number 2.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
The Offseason Plan
THE SETUP
Here is my best guess as to what the Flyers base lineup will be.
Notes to this chart
-Nearly all of these salary numbers are final, except for Bourdon and Voracek. They are RFAs, and I have guessed at salaries for them
-Pronger, Kubina, Carle and Jagr are not in this lineup.
-A salary cap of $69 million, which is a number that has been thrown around. Obviously with the CBA expiring things could get interesting regarding the cap.
THE ISSUES
-Is Jagr coming back?
That is the first question to answer. If the season ended in January, I would say definitely. He looked tired and beat up as the season carried on though, and his role was reduced. Jagr loved everything about playing for the Flyers this year, and he sounds like he wants one more year in the NHL, but he won't sign here unless he feels he will get significant minutes. He signed with the Flyers against expectations last year because he thought it was a good "hockey fit", and he will leave if that "hockey fit" no longer applies.
-The Defense
By signing Grossmann to an extension, the Flyers took care of their top offseason priority in April. That seems like a decent contract, provided his knees hold up. The Flyers still need help back here though, with Pronger seemingly done, and Timonen is at the end of his career, undersized, and has not survived an 82 game season without sustaining performance-inhibiting injuries the last 2 seasons.
I don't think Carle will be back, because someone will be willing to give him $5m+ a year for several years, and I don't think the Flyers should be that team. You never know though with the way Clarke is talking. There's also a (very) small chance Timonen could retire, freeing up his $6.3m salary, and the Flyers could chase Suter for big money.
Lastly, I've seen spitballing the Flyers could trade for someone like Weber, would involve trading significant assets. Such a move fits the Flyers MO, and while it would hurt to trade away more picks and young forwards, a defense corps with Coburn, Carle and Weber could be rock solid for several years. So many variables to that though...
-Size up front
The Flyers score a ton of goals, but their forward corps is small and not very physical. A big body for the 2/3rd line (who plays big) would balance the roster.
-Goaltending
Nothing to discuss here really. Bryzgalov did not have a good year overall, but I expect improvement next year now that he knows what to expect in Philly. His instincts with the media are wrong for the town, but he's figuring it out.
If you recall, at the end of February, Bryzgalov made comments about "finding the peace in his soul" to play in this city. Most commented that this was a very troubling sign reflecting a discouraged player, and I said it was a good sign. For the record, on the day of that comment, Bryzgalov's save percentage stood at .898. After that comment, he had a spectacular month of March and had a .929 save percentage for the remainder of the season. He will still makes gaffes, but now he knows the lay of the land in Philly and will be better for it.
THE PLAN
There are a ton of ways you could go, but this is what I would do:
-Trade JVR, preferably for an up-and-coming dman. I'm not sure what the trade value of JVR is right now, and if it's diminished in the last few months, but surely the Flyers could make a "hockey trade" for a talented young defenseman whose career is also experiencing less than an exponential growth. Personally, I don't see JVR as a player who will ever consistently perform at all-star level, and the team needs defense more than another skating forward.
JVR could also be the centerpiece of a larger deal for a prominent defensemen.
-Sign a rugged 2/3 line winger to fill JVR's now vacant spot in the top nine. Unfortunately there aren't many such candidates out there on the UFA market, though Shane Doan, Ryan Smyth, Paul Gaustad, Dustin Penner, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Travis Moen and Daniel Winnik might be worth looking into.
-If you can skillfully pull these two things off, the Flyers will still have $3-7 million in cap space to play with, allowing for other signings or taking salary in a trade that could further bolster the defense.
-Make an executive order for system adjustments. I've been beating this drum for a few months. I was really hoping that, as a silver lining to a deep Flyers cup run, would be to buck the trend of tight defense in the NHL today. Alas, look at the teams left in the playoffs; LA (2nd in goals against, and they eliminated VAN and STL who were 4th and 1st respectively), Phoenix (5th), NY (3rd), NJ (9th) and the Caps, who are 21st but only because they started a season with a different coach. Clutch-and-grab is creeping back into the game.
I also believe Bryzgalov will look like a different goalie in a defense-first scheme. This is how he did it in PHX, and his clear weaknesses are side-to-side movement and shot recovery. Defense-first is the way the wind is blowing, and could maximize the talent the Flyers have. Can Lavy make that adjustment? If the team is still leaking goals and looking unspectacular in December, his seat will begin to get hot.
Here is my best guess as to what the Flyers base lineup will be.
Notes to this chart
-Nearly all of these salary numbers are final, except for Bourdon and Voracek. They are RFAs, and I have guessed at salaries for them
-Pronger, Kubina, Carle and Jagr are not in this lineup.
-A salary cap of $69 million, which is a number that has been thrown around. Obviously with the CBA expiring things could get interesting regarding the cap.
THE ISSUES
-Is Jagr coming back?
That is the first question to answer. If the season ended in January, I would say definitely. He looked tired and beat up as the season carried on though, and his role was reduced. Jagr loved everything about playing for the Flyers this year, and he sounds like he wants one more year in the NHL, but he won't sign here unless he feels he will get significant minutes. He signed with the Flyers against expectations last year because he thought it was a good "hockey fit", and he will leave if that "hockey fit" no longer applies.
-The Defense
By signing Grossmann to an extension, the Flyers took care of their top offseason priority in April. That seems like a decent contract, provided his knees hold up. The Flyers still need help back here though, with Pronger seemingly done, and Timonen is at the end of his career, undersized, and has not survived an 82 game season without sustaining performance-inhibiting injuries the last 2 seasons.
I don't think Carle will be back, because someone will be willing to give him $5m+ a year for several years, and I don't think the Flyers should be that team. You never know though with the way Clarke is talking. There's also a (very) small chance Timonen could retire, freeing up his $6.3m salary, and the Flyers could chase Suter for big money.
Lastly, I've seen spitballing the Flyers could trade for someone like Weber, would involve trading significant assets. Such a move fits the Flyers MO, and while it would hurt to trade away more picks and young forwards, a defense corps with Coburn, Carle and Weber could be rock solid for several years. So many variables to that though...
-Size up front
The Flyers score a ton of goals, but their forward corps is small and not very physical. A big body for the 2/3rd line (who plays big) would balance the roster.
-Goaltending
Nothing to discuss here really. Bryzgalov did not have a good year overall, but I expect improvement next year now that he knows what to expect in Philly. His instincts with the media are wrong for the town, but he's figuring it out.
If you recall, at the end of February, Bryzgalov made comments about "finding the peace in his soul" to play in this city. Most commented that this was a very troubling sign reflecting a discouraged player, and I said it was a good sign. For the record, on the day of that comment, Bryzgalov's save percentage stood at .898. After that comment, he had a spectacular month of March and had a .929 save percentage for the remainder of the season. He will still makes gaffes, but now he knows the lay of the land in Philly and will be better for it.
THE PLAN
There are a ton of ways you could go, but this is what I would do:
-Trade JVR, preferably for an up-and-coming dman. I'm not sure what the trade value of JVR is right now, and if it's diminished in the last few months, but surely the Flyers could make a "hockey trade" for a talented young defenseman whose career is also experiencing less than an exponential growth. Personally, I don't see JVR as a player who will ever consistently perform at all-star level, and the team needs defense more than another skating forward.
JVR could also be the centerpiece of a larger deal for a prominent defensemen.
-Sign a rugged 2/3 line winger to fill JVR's now vacant spot in the top nine. Unfortunately there aren't many such candidates out there on the UFA market, though Shane Doan, Ryan Smyth, Paul Gaustad, Dustin Penner, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Travis Moen and Daniel Winnik might be worth looking into.
-If you can skillfully pull these two things off, the Flyers will still have $3-7 million in cap space to play with, allowing for other signings or taking salary in a trade that could further bolster the defense.
-Make an executive order for system adjustments. I've been beating this drum for a few months. I was really hoping that, as a silver lining to a deep Flyers cup run, would be to buck the trend of tight defense in the NHL today. Alas, look at the teams left in the playoffs; LA (2nd in goals against, and they eliminated VAN and STL who were 4th and 1st respectively), Phoenix (5th), NY (3rd), NJ (9th) and the Caps, who are 21st but only because they started a season with a different coach. Clutch-and-grab is creeping back into the game.
I also believe Bryzgalov will look like a different goalie in a defense-first scheme. This is how he did it in PHX, and his clear weaknesses are side-to-side movement and shot recovery. Defense-first is the way the wind is blowing, and could maximize the talent the Flyers have. Can Lavy make that adjustment? If the team is still leaking goals and looking unspectacular in December, his seat will begin to get hot.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Season Review
All playoff exits feel disappointing. Through the ups and downs, fans always convince themselves that their team can win any series. The Flyers flame-out was sudden, but in the long view, it makes a little more sense.
At no point this season did I think the Flyers were really primed for a serious cup run. They were too young up front, having traded away their core forwards. Then things started going pretty well, but Pronger went down. Without Pronger, I thought a long playoff run was precluded.
The Flyers defensive and goaltending struggles reinforced that perception, until March shutouts made me begin to think I could be wrong. The defense showed hope, and they could score whenever they needed to. Eventually however, the gas tank ran dry and ingrained problems caught up to them.
It was a memorable and exciting season, and I could not label this team as underachievers. That's pretty much all you can ask for as a fan.
PLAYER REVIEWS
Forwards:
-Giroux. The burden fell to him to step up with Carter and Richards gone, and he responded with an MVP caliber season that Richards or Carter never produced.
-Briere. A very poor regular season, largely saved by 8 playoff goals. His overall game never really fired on all cylinders though, even in the playoffs.
-Voracek. His 49 points is not all that impressive, but he was a valuable player for the Flyers, and I certainly didn't see anything like conditioning or effort issues that his old CBJ coach criticized him for on the way out. He may never break 25 goals or 65 points, but I could see him being a winger on a quality top line.
-Hartnell. A quiet playoffs shouldn't dilute a career year, and I think he was playing hurt anyway. Consistently energetic, physical, and showed a finishing touch I didn't think he had. All this after a pre-season lost to health concerns and a terrible start.
-Jagr. 54 points in 73 games, veteran leadership, and the self-proclaimed "most enjoyable year" of his career. That qualifies as a success. Jagr did have some nagging groin issues, and his energy level fluctuated throughout the year, so it remains to be seen if he will be back.
-Schenn. 18 points in 54 games is an unimpressive line, but he improved as the season wore on, and I'd go so far as to say he was the Flyers' best player in game 1 of the Pittsburgh series. I expect him to take the next step in his career next year.
-Read. He turned out to be one of the best rookies in the league. 24 goals, played everywhere on the front line, and in all situations. Pretty much ideal.
-Simmonds. Almost doubled his career high in goals, largely due to 11 PP goals. He looks to be a streaky scorer going forward, as he battles and puts himself in good positions but doesn't have very soft hands, his physical initiative will make him a fan favorite.
-Talbot. Gave the Flyers everything they could hope for. A lunchpail player and team guy, he went from 8 goals last season with Pittsburgh to 19 this year, and he and Giroux were lethal shorthanded in the playoffs.
-Couturier. Surpassed all expectations this season, with 13 goals and logged big minutes in the playoffs. Remarkable for an 18 year old, I could not identify any clear deficiencies in his game. What a draft day steal, he could be a key player for the Flyers for a long time.
-Wellwood. Nothing spectacular, but a young, speedy player that should be an asset for bottom lines and depth next year.
-Rinaldo. Did all that could be asked of him. Not a high skill guy, he successfully brought a lot of energy and spark to the Flyers. He will have to continue to work on his discipline, though in his defense, he is clearly targeted by the officials and is on the short end of a lot of marginal calls.
-JVR. I think JVR had a very disappointing season. Yes, he had injuries, and his point production was decent before all the injuries. Still, I wrote that his early stat line flattered his play even before all the injuries, and there's no escaping the reality of the 11g, 13a, 43gp for a player who was supposed to score 30+ goals this year. He was very good in game 1 against NJ, but did little else in that series.
-Shelley. Yes, he is still on this team.
Defense:
-Timonen. Another year of wear and tear on Timonen's body, he still was able to be the Flyers top defensemen this year. Injuries severely limited him in the playoffs.
-Meszaros. Was inconsistent all year, never finding the form he had most of last season. Then his season was cut short by an injury. Maybe next year will be a bounce back season.
-Coburn. Unremarkable regular season, but logged huge minutes in the playoffs.
-Grossmann. The strong, defense-first, shot-blocking defenseman the team needed. He has bad knees though, so let's hope they hold up.
-Carle. The team's de facto number 1 defensemen this year, covering a lot of territory and eating minutes. A very good chance that his time as a Flyers is over, however.
-Kubina. He could not provide the reliable veteran presence the team was looking for---too old and slow, and picked up some injuries too. Little chance of him returning.
-Pronger. His season never really started, and his career may be over. It's a shame his time with the Flyers was so short-lived.
-Gustafsson. He really made some nice strides this season, though he could struggle at times. Skilled and smart, but undersized. It will be interesting to see what he can do next year in extended time.
-Bourdon. Another pleasant surprise, as his career seemed to have stalled in the minors. Looks like he might have an NHL future yet.
-Lilja. Seldom used in the regular season, played decently in the playoffs. Too old and slow to play a significant role.
Goalies:
-Bryzgalov. Things did not go as planned, though he was amazing in March. Too inconsistent and gaffe prone, but on and off the ice. Seemingly has some growing up to do, though a full season in Philly under his belt will help. Expectations will remain high with his 9 year contract. I am optimistic.
-Bobrovsky. Started the season strong, but on the whole did not take the next step in his career this year. Now heading into the last year of his contract with the Flyers.
At no point this season did I think the Flyers were really primed for a serious cup run. They were too young up front, having traded away their core forwards. Then things started going pretty well, but Pronger went down. Without Pronger, I thought a long playoff run was precluded.
The Flyers defensive and goaltending struggles reinforced that perception, until March shutouts made me begin to think I could be wrong. The defense showed hope, and they could score whenever they needed to. Eventually however, the gas tank ran dry and ingrained problems caught up to them.
It was a memorable and exciting season, and I could not label this team as underachievers. That's pretty much all you can ask for as a fan.
PLAYER REVIEWS
Forwards:
-Giroux. The burden fell to him to step up with Carter and Richards gone, and he responded with an MVP caliber season that Richards or Carter never produced.
-Briere. A very poor regular season, largely saved by 8 playoff goals. His overall game never really fired on all cylinders though, even in the playoffs.
-Voracek. His 49 points is not all that impressive, but he was a valuable player for the Flyers, and I certainly didn't see anything like conditioning or effort issues that his old CBJ coach criticized him for on the way out. He may never break 25 goals or 65 points, but I could see him being a winger on a quality top line.
-Hartnell. A quiet playoffs shouldn't dilute a career year, and I think he was playing hurt anyway. Consistently energetic, physical, and showed a finishing touch I didn't think he had. All this after a pre-season lost to health concerns and a terrible start.
-Jagr. 54 points in 73 games, veteran leadership, and the self-proclaimed "most enjoyable year" of his career. That qualifies as a success. Jagr did have some nagging groin issues, and his energy level fluctuated throughout the year, so it remains to be seen if he will be back.
-Schenn. 18 points in 54 games is an unimpressive line, but he improved as the season wore on, and I'd go so far as to say he was the Flyers' best player in game 1 of the Pittsburgh series. I expect him to take the next step in his career next year.
-Read. He turned out to be one of the best rookies in the league. 24 goals, played everywhere on the front line, and in all situations. Pretty much ideal.
-Simmonds. Almost doubled his career high in goals, largely due to 11 PP goals. He looks to be a streaky scorer going forward, as he battles and puts himself in good positions but doesn't have very soft hands, his physical initiative will make him a fan favorite.
-Talbot. Gave the Flyers everything they could hope for. A lunchpail player and team guy, he went from 8 goals last season with Pittsburgh to 19 this year, and he and Giroux were lethal shorthanded in the playoffs.
-Couturier. Surpassed all expectations this season, with 13 goals and logged big minutes in the playoffs. Remarkable for an 18 year old, I could not identify any clear deficiencies in his game. What a draft day steal, he could be a key player for the Flyers for a long time.
-Wellwood. Nothing spectacular, but a young, speedy player that should be an asset for bottom lines and depth next year.
-Rinaldo. Did all that could be asked of him. Not a high skill guy, he successfully brought a lot of energy and spark to the Flyers. He will have to continue to work on his discipline, though in his defense, he is clearly targeted by the officials and is on the short end of a lot of marginal calls.
-JVR. I think JVR had a very disappointing season. Yes, he had injuries, and his point production was decent before all the injuries. Still, I wrote that his early stat line flattered his play even before all the injuries, and there's no escaping the reality of the 11g, 13a, 43gp for a player who was supposed to score 30+ goals this year. He was very good in game 1 against NJ, but did little else in that series.
-Shelley. Yes, he is still on this team.
Defense:
-Timonen. Another year of wear and tear on Timonen's body, he still was able to be the Flyers top defensemen this year. Injuries severely limited him in the playoffs.
-Meszaros. Was inconsistent all year, never finding the form he had most of last season. Then his season was cut short by an injury. Maybe next year will be a bounce back season.
-Coburn. Unremarkable regular season, but logged huge minutes in the playoffs.
-Grossmann. The strong, defense-first, shot-blocking defenseman the team needed. He has bad knees though, so let's hope they hold up.
-Carle. The team's de facto number 1 defensemen this year, covering a lot of territory and eating minutes. A very good chance that his time as a Flyers is over, however.
-Kubina. He could not provide the reliable veteran presence the team was looking for---too old and slow, and picked up some injuries too. Little chance of him returning.
-Pronger. His season never really started, and his career may be over. It's a shame his time with the Flyers was so short-lived.
-Gustafsson. He really made some nice strides this season, though he could struggle at times. Skilled and smart, but undersized. It will be interesting to see what he can do next year in extended time.
-Bourdon. Another pleasant surprise, as his career seemed to have stalled in the minors. Looks like he might have an NHL future yet.
-Lilja. Seldom used in the regular season, played decently in the playoffs. Too old and slow to play a significant role.
Goalies:
-Bryzgalov. Things did not go as planned, though he was amazing in March. Too inconsistent and gaffe prone, but on and off the ice. Seemingly has some growing up to do, though a full season in Philly under his belt will help. Expectations will remain high with his 9 year contract. I am optimistic.
-Bobrovsky. Started the season strong, but on the whole did not take the next step in his career this year. Now heading into the last year of his contract with the Flyers.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Devils Game 1 Review
It all seemed too predictable.
Predictably, the long layoff exacerbated the Flyers' slow starts, and the Devils had the game's first 10 shots and its first goal.
Predictably, the Flyers slowly took over the game against a fatigued Devils team.
Predictably, Brodeur had some real strong stretches, but doesn't dominate entire games anymore.
Predictably, it was Danny Briere popping up to score two key goals.
Overall, I think we saw a preview of what this series will look like. The Devils contained the Flyers at times, denying the Flyers space and stopping attacks before they started. In time, however, the Flyers asserted their superiority.
Notes:
-Briere simply turns it up in the playoffs. He had a terrible regular season, making the success of his season entirely hinge on his playoff performance. Well now he has 7 goals in 7 playoff games. As good as he was in the playoffs last year, it took him 8 games to get 7 goals then. This is all the more impressive considering he finished the season with only 3 goals in his last 34 regular season games.
-Playoff JVR is back. He revved it up and drove the net a few times. He didn't finish any of those plays, though he did roof a loose puck with style for one goal. Laviolette put JVR up with Briere and Voracek, reducing the ice time of Schenn in the process, but it looks like that may be the right call.
-The Flyers were able to spread out their defensemen's ice time much more tonight than at any point of the Pittsburgh series. The health of Grossman, increased faith in Lilja and Gustafsson, and quite frankly less threatening forward talent on the Devils made this possible. This may not be a good sign because of what it implies about his health, but Timonen actually had the fewest even strength minutes of any defensemen.
-The Devils had success taking away the Flyers passing outlets and forcing the Flyers defensemen to carry the puck further than they normally would up the ice. The Devils got their 3rd goal on a chain of events that started this way.
-Wellwood played a very good game, and looked like one of the few Flyers ready to go from the start. As a member of the checking line with Talbot and Cooter, Wellwood will continue to see more ice time than Schenn, Read or Simmonds.
-My review of Bryzgalov today was a pretty strong start, but could've been better later. In particular, he was a little slow moving around and reacting, leaving his five-hole open. Bryzgalov didn't have much to do in the 3rd period, but he should've done better on the Sykora goal and made a momentum preserving stop.
Predictably, the long layoff exacerbated the Flyers' slow starts, and the Devils had the game's first 10 shots and its first goal.
Predictably, the Flyers slowly took over the game against a fatigued Devils team.
Predictably, Brodeur had some real strong stretches, but doesn't dominate entire games anymore.
Predictably, it was Danny Briere popping up to score two key goals.
Overall, I think we saw a preview of what this series will look like. The Devils contained the Flyers at times, denying the Flyers space and stopping attacks before they started. In time, however, the Flyers asserted their superiority.
Notes:
-Briere simply turns it up in the playoffs. He had a terrible regular season, making the success of his season entirely hinge on his playoff performance. Well now he has 7 goals in 7 playoff games. As good as he was in the playoffs last year, it took him 8 games to get 7 goals then. This is all the more impressive considering he finished the season with only 3 goals in his last 34 regular season games.
-Playoff JVR is back. He revved it up and drove the net a few times. He didn't finish any of those plays, though he did roof a loose puck with style for one goal. Laviolette put JVR up with Briere and Voracek, reducing the ice time of Schenn in the process, but it looks like that may be the right call.
-The Flyers were able to spread out their defensemen's ice time much more tonight than at any point of the Pittsburgh series. The health of Grossman, increased faith in Lilja and Gustafsson, and quite frankly less threatening forward talent on the Devils made this possible. This may not be a good sign because of what it implies about his health, but Timonen actually had the fewest even strength minutes of any defensemen.
-The Devils had success taking away the Flyers passing outlets and forcing the Flyers defensemen to carry the puck further than they normally would up the ice. The Devils got their 3rd goal on a chain of events that started this way.
-Wellwood played a very good game, and looked like one of the few Flyers ready to go from the start. As a member of the checking line with Talbot and Cooter, Wellwood will continue to see more ice time than Schenn, Read or Simmonds.
-My review of Bryzgalov today was a pretty strong start, but could've been better later. In particular, he was a little slow moving around and reacting, leaving his five-hole open. Bryzgalov didn't have much to do in the 3rd period, but he should've done better on the Sykora goal and made a momentum preserving stop.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Finally, an Opponent
After dispatching the Flyer's archrival of the moment, the Flyers will now face their chief rival from about 1995-2005, the New Jersey Devils.
This year's Devils aren't the most formidable team, but they are capable of playing some good hockey. Brodeur is also a legend, but at 39 he is much more vulnerable than he used to be.
The Flyers are capable of winning this series convincingly, but a victory lap would be premature. The Flyers's bad starts and lack of 60 minute efforts could make this a long series if the Devils stay the course.
The Flyers largely need to forget the last series. It was a wide-open series of passion. This series will not be. The Devils this year allowed the second fewest shots against in the NHL, and were 4th from the bottom in generating their own shots, so prepare for much tighter hockey. Fortunately for the Flyers, the Devils weren't suffocating when protecting leads either.
Notes:
-The Flyers will not be repeating their 50+% power play percentage. Better, more reliable 5-on-5 play will be required. Despite a poor first round performance, the Devils PK was #1 in the league this year in the regular season (the Penguins were #3, FWIW).
-Health will be a major issue. Grossmann appears ready to go, but Briere, Jagr and Timonen are all in various states of disrepair. Bryzgalov appears to be healthy, but you also can't forget his injury status. Lastly, Meszaros is increasing participation in practices, but all estimates peg him joining the series very late, if at all.
-The Flyers played the Devils 6 times this season
-10/8 - Bryzgalov gets a 20 save shutout in the 2nd game of the season. 3-0 Flyers.
-11/3 - The Flyers blow a 2-0 lead, losing 4-3 in a shootout. The Devils outshoot the Flyers 39-23
-1/21 - The Flyers again take a 2-0 lead, and a couple of PP goals by Hartnell ends in a 4-1 Flyers victory
-2/4 - The Devils get 3 PP goals and 1 SHG, and chase Bobrovsky from the game leading 6-0. The Flyers score 4 goals in the third period to make it respectable. 6-4 Devils.
-3/11 - A 1-1 game early in the 3rd period, the Devils score 3 unanswered goals, outshooting the Flyers 31-19 overall. 4-1 Devils.
-3/13 - In the back-end of the home-and-home series, the Flyers shut down NJ and Bryzgalov gets a 17 save shutout, 3-0 Flyers.
-FWIW, Bryzgalov's numbers against NJ this year were 3-0, 0.29 GAA, .987 save percentage, 2 shutouts. All losses fell on Bobrovsky, though Bobrovsky admittedly saw a lot more shots than Bryzgalov in those games.
-I will be interested to see how JVR performs this series, as hopefully his health will have improved significantly in the last week.
This year's Devils aren't the most formidable team, but they are capable of playing some good hockey. Brodeur is also a legend, but at 39 he is much more vulnerable than he used to be.
The Flyers are capable of winning this series convincingly, but a victory lap would be premature. The Flyers's bad starts and lack of 60 minute efforts could make this a long series if the Devils stay the course.
The Flyers largely need to forget the last series. It was a wide-open series of passion. This series will not be. The Devils this year allowed the second fewest shots against in the NHL, and were 4th from the bottom in generating their own shots, so prepare for much tighter hockey. Fortunately for the Flyers, the Devils weren't suffocating when protecting leads either.
Notes:
-The Flyers will not be repeating their 50+% power play percentage. Better, more reliable 5-on-5 play will be required. Despite a poor first round performance, the Devils PK was #1 in the league this year in the regular season (the Penguins were #3, FWIW).
-Health will be a major issue. Grossmann appears ready to go, but Briere, Jagr and Timonen are all in various states of disrepair. Bryzgalov appears to be healthy, but you also can't forget his injury status. Lastly, Meszaros is increasing participation in practices, but all estimates peg him joining the series very late, if at all.
-The Flyers played the Devils 6 times this season
-10/8 - Bryzgalov gets a 20 save shutout in the 2nd game of the season. 3-0 Flyers.
-11/3 - The Flyers blow a 2-0 lead, losing 4-3 in a shootout. The Devils outshoot the Flyers 39-23
-1/21 - The Flyers again take a 2-0 lead, and a couple of PP goals by Hartnell ends in a 4-1 Flyers victory
-2/4 - The Devils get 3 PP goals and 1 SHG, and chase Bobrovsky from the game leading 6-0. The Flyers score 4 goals in the third period to make it respectable. 6-4 Devils.
-3/11 - A 1-1 game early in the 3rd period, the Devils score 3 unanswered goals, outshooting the Flyers 31-19 overall. 4-1 Devils.
-3/13 - In the back-end of the home-and-home series, the Flyers shut down NJ and Bryzgalov gets a 17 save shutout, 3-0 Flyers.
-FWIW, Bryzgalov's numbers against NJ this year were 3-0, 0.29 GAA, .987 save percentage, 2 shutouts. All losses fell on Bobrovsky, though Bobrovsky admittedly saw a lot more shots than Bryzgalov in those games.
-I will be interested to see how JVR performs this series, as hopefully his health will have improved significantly in the last week.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Dullest Deadline Day Ever
So basically nothing happened. The Flyers didn't do anything (which makes sense), but neither did anyone else. No trade for Nash, Brown, Bernier, Nabokov....nada.
Regarding the Flyers, there was no room on this roster. Their major obstacle is goaltending, but they already have so much committed to goalies this season and in Bryzgalov long term, how can you make a short term fix? There was no simple way to manage the situation. I thought bringing in Nabokov was an option, mainly because he is having a very good season and will be a UFA, so it would be a clear upgrade with a finite end point. As for some chatter on guys like Giguere or Theodore, why bother?
JVR also can finally exhale, at least until the offseason. Multiple reports said the Sharks made a hard push for him this morning, but the discussions never got far.
Outside of Philadelphia, apparently trade prices were very high, scaring off most buyers. That makes sense for teams to say deadline acquisitions are overrated and we're certainly not going to pay these prices, however I would expect the market to correct itself. If the prevailing prices are so high, you would think that teams who were leaning against selling would jump in if their assets were fetching such high returns. Apparently the Jets were the only team to get that memo, trading Oduya even though they are still in the playoff hunt.
Regarding the Flyers, there was no room on this roster. Their major obstacle is goaltending, but they already have so much committed to goalies this season and in Bryzgalov long term, how can you make a short term fix? There was no simple way to manage the situation. I thought bringing in Nabokov was an option, mainly because he is having a very good season and will be a UFA, so it would be a clear upgrade with a finite end point. As for some chatter on guys like Giguere or Theodore, why bother?
JVR also can finally exhale, at least until the offseason. Multiple reports said the Sharks made a hard push for him this morning, but the discussions never got far.
Outside of Philadelphia, apparently trade prices were very high, scaring off most buyers. That makes sense for teams to say deadline acquisitions are overrated and we're certainly not going to pay these prices, however I would expect the market to correct itself. If the prevailing prices are so high, you would think that teams who were leaning against selling would jump in if their assets were fetching such high returns. Apparently the Jets were the only team to get that memo, trading Oduya even though they are still in the playoff hunt.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Bromance Rekindled
After a tumultuous year, the couple that has been together since they were teenagers have found each other again.
If the Kings weren't already "Flyers West" with all their former flyers players and coaches, it could get even more uncanny.
The scorecard;
-Dean Lombardi, Kings GM, former Flyers scout
-Ron Hextall, Kings Assistant GM, nearly 500 games played for the Flyers
-Terry Murray, Kings coach until early this season, former Flyers coach
-John Stevens, interim Kings coach, former Flyers coach
-Active players: Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne, Justin Williams
Then there's this nugget from Bob McKenzie this morning: "Why trade Brown? IMO, LAK like Brown as "player," not as enthused about Brown as captain. IMO, only matter of time til Mike Richards gets C."
In short order the Kings could be a team coached by John Stevens, captained by Mike Richards, with Jeff Carter as their leading goal scorer. Sound familiar?
Carter Trade II
If you're keeping score at home, the return the Blue Jackets received for Carter is a mid-first round pick and Jack Johnson. The return the Flyers received was a high first round pick, Jake Voracek and a 3rd round pick. Columbus did well to salvage a trade that has been disastrous for them, but the Flyers can be pleased they got more value and appear to have sold high on Carter.
In on Brown
Both Darren Dreger and Bob McKenzie say the Flyers are involved in talks for Brown, so I'm going to take it as truth. Dustin Brown is the captain of the Kings, is generally good for 25 goals and 60 points, and hits everything that moves. The question is, can the Flyers afford his cap hit this season? Brown's cap hit of just $3.125 is generally very desirable, but the Flyers are already up against the cap this season. If the Flyers were to trade JVR+ for Brown, they would still need to trim ~$1.5m elsewhere on the roster. Ironically, making this trade would increase cap space for the Flyers next season as JVR's cap hit rises to $4.25 next year.
The Flyers roster this season doesn't have any clear holes anymore, so a trade for Brown is bordering on gratuitous, though it would make the Flyers a better team this year and next. Either way, only a few more days of the trade rumors before the deadline. Until then, JVR will probably be very nervous. Also, FWIW, Pierre LeBrun wrote on ESPN.com this morning that a few weeks the Flyers were talking JVR for Jack Johnson, but obviously it didn't happen (perhaps due to JVR's concussion?).
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