5,000 Posts for a Flyers Cup in 2018!

[Maverick426h]

Stat of the Day:

The next two teams we play (Detroit and Buffalo) are a combined 1-8-6 against the Metro.

That's 14 losses in 15 games, folks! We better win these ones!!

 

[lasgop8]

I just want to see balance, The streak I want to see is consistency game in and game out. I don't care if they lose but be in it til the end, don't give shit away, if you get outplayed, gear up next game and come out swinging, all I ask for as a fan. They have the parts as far as I can see, question remains, as I agree with Awaz, does Hakstol have the right buttons to push?

Did any of the last three coaches have the right buttons to push?

 

[lasgop8]

Streaky Flyers seek an even keel

 

[Maverick426h]

Nobody is really talking about this, but we need the real Wayne Simmonds back with the Flyers here asap. What has happened to this guy? He's been virtually an automatic 30 goal man for the last 6 seasons with us and now he's just gone completely flat.

Yes, he has 10 goals and is still technically on pace for 25, but he has only 4 in his last 25 games and 2 of those were on an empty net. I really don't think he's playing with that edge he normally has either. The truth is, he'll struggle to get to even just 20 goals if he doesn't kick it into gear.

It's not just goals either. This is a guy who would have 50-60 points, 100+ penalty minutes, 200+ shots, 20+ power play points (easily) and more at the end of each full season. He's not going to reach any of those this year.

The swap of Voracek and Simmonds may be an attempt to spark Simmonds more than anything by putting him with Giroux and Couturier. It hasn't really worked as of late and he's playing huge minutes too.

Here's hoping we get this guy to turn it around soon and provide the scoring, toughness and intensity we need out of him.

 

[Chris p Bacon]

Nobody is really talking about this, but we need the real Wayne Simmonds back with the Flyers here asap. What has happened to this guy? He's been virtually an automatic 30 goal man for the last 6 seasons with us and now he's just gone completely flat.

Yes, he has 10 goals and is still technically on pace for 25, but he has only 4 in his last 25 games and 2 of those were on an empty net. I really don't think he's playing with that edge he normally has either. The truth is, he'll struggle to get to even just 20 goals if he doesn't kick it into gear.

It's not just goals either. This is a guy who would have 50-60 points, 100+ penalty minutes, 200+ shots, 20+ power play points (easily) and more at the end of each full season. He's not going to reach any of those this year.

The swap of Voracek and Simmonds may be an attempt to spark Simmonds more than anything by putting him with Giroux and Couturier. It hasn't really worked as of late and he's playing huge minutes too.

Here's hoping we get this guy to turn it around soon and provide the scoring, toughness and intensity we need out of him.

Interestingly they were talking about this subject on nhl live, they were looking at a bunch of players who have cashed in on their 30 + goal scoring season, but when they looked closely they saw that quite a few of those players would not have been in the 30 range had it not been for 5+ empty net goals. They were saying these players knew when they were padding their goal stats too lol, I don't blame them but they asked the question which was, are these guys true 30+ goal scorers?

I think Simmonds has a nagging injury myself, and like a lot of hockey players wont take the time off to truly let it heal. Hope I'm wrong but I've seen him take 2 nasty slappers off his ankle/foot.

 

[4thstreet]

Nobody is really talking about this, but we need the real Wayne Simmonds back with the Flyers here asap. What has happened to this guy? He's been virtually an automatic 30 goal man for the last 6 seasons with us and now he's just gone completely flat.

Yes, he has 10 goals and is still technically on pace for 25, but he has only 4 in his last 25 games and 2 of those were on an empty net. I really don't think he's playing with that edge he normally has either. The truth is, he'll struggle to get to even just 20 goals if he doesn't kick it into gear.

It's not just goals either. This is a guy who would have 50-60 points, 100+ penalty minutes, 200+ shots, 20+ power play points (easily) and more at the end of each full season. He's not going to reach any of those this year.

The swap of Voracek and Simmonds may be an attempt to spark Simmonds more than anything by putting him with Giroux and Couturier. It hasn't really worked as of late and he's playing huge minutes too.

Here's hoping we get this guy to turn it around soon and provide the scoring, toughness and intensity we need out of him.

He was our #1 trade bait candidate.

Everybody wanted him.There is still some interest,but the return is going to be reduced a hell of a lot.

 

[Maverick426h]

He was our #1 trade bait candidate.

Everybody wanted him.There is still some interest,but the return is going to be reduced a hell of a lot.

He still probably is and I bet he will get dealt out west at the deadline for a prospect and picks. It's impossible to be all-in for the Cup this season or next when we traded Schenn away and are carrying dead weight like Lehtera or Read. You could argue Filppula or MacDonald too, but they are actually playing and if anything, are just overpaid.

We're set to have an absolute ton of cap space in 2019 and especially 2020 though. It will be interesting to see what we do with it all. Yes, some guys will be due raises with new contracts, but there will be a lot of space leftover.

 

[Maverick426h]

Even just next season Filppula, Read and the Umberger buyout all come off the books. That's $10.125 million in extra cap space and the only key player we will have to re-sign is Hagg. I don't anticipate that being an expensive signing either.

 

[Maverick426h]

The Wings did us a favor and clobbered the Islanders last night, but we need to put an end to that tonight and keep them from winning three straight for the first time this season.

Looks like Howard will get the start. His December numbers are terrible, but that's mostly due to two really lopsided losses. Let's light him up again like Clark Griswold's house in Christmas Vacation!!

 

[awaz]

Was reading the other day about all the cap space the Flyers will have coming in to this offseason. Could be an interesting one for the Fly guys. Lots of interesting names out there.

Big one being John Tavares. If they Flyers decide to move Simmonds and buyout Lehtera, that's 7.3 more space, bringing the total up to 17 mil in space. Obviously have to back fill Simmonds, Lehtera, and Filpula.

You could realistically offer Tavares 10-12 mil and it doesn't kill you next season. Spend 3-5 'replacing' Simmonds. Then you've got 9ish coming off the books for 19-20 when you have to sign Konecny and Provorov.

Theoretically that could work. A big salary, passionate fan base, young up and coming team. I would think Philly would be a fairly attractive landing spot for Tavares.

 

[awaz]

Could also go for 1 year big salary guys..

Thornton
Sedin 1
Sedin 2
Nash
Plekanec

All UFAs this summer from the one year seasoned vet bin.

E. Kane
JvR
Neal (puke)

UFAs as well if they want to add a top 6 forward.

 

[lasgop8]

Morning Skate: Red Wings @ Flyers, Predicted Lineups, How to Watch

 

[Maverick426h]

Tavares, Grabner, Kane, JvR, maybe even Bailey. I would steal any of these guys from one of our rivals at the right price/term in a heartbeat. Marchessault from Vegas for example. These guys can all score and many of them are very fast players still in their prime years too.

 

[awaz]

Tavares, Grabner, Kane, JvR, maybe even Bailey. I would steal any of these guys from one of our rivals at the right price/term in a heartbeat. Marchessault from Vegas for example. These guys can all score and many of them are very fast players still in their prime years too.

I'll be super curious to see if they make a big pitch for Tavares. Looks like the pieces are in place for them to do so, would add some extra credence to the Schenn deal if that was the idea all along. Adding Tavares would make the Flyers a terrifying force in the next few years.

 

[Maverick426h]

I'll be super curious to see if they make a big pitch for Tavares. Looks like the pieces are in place for them to do so, would add some extra credence to the Schenn deal if that was the idea all along. Adding Tavares would make the Flyers a terrifying force in the next few years.

I didn't even realize the guy had only just recently turned 27 too. Seems like he's been around forever or at least as long as Giroux. And so, he's young enough (and elite enough) to sign to a long term deal for huge money and not regret it. I'm not talking 10 years, but definitely 5 or 6.

 

[EVille3]

I didn't even realize the guy had only just recently turned 27 too. Seems like he's been around forever or at least as long as Giroux. And so, he's young enough (and elite enough) to sign to a long term deal for huge money and not regret it. I'm not talking 10 years, but definitely 5 or 6.

I could be wrong, but didn't the CBA limit free agent contracts to 6 years if you sign with a new team and 8 years if you re-sign with your current team?

 

[Maverick426h]

I could be wrong, but didn't the CBA limit free agent contracts to 6 years if you sign with a new team and 8 years if you re-sign with your current team?

Probably. That sounds about right. Six years of Tavares would be perfectly fine with me though, at almost any price.

 

[lasgop8]

Tavares, Grabner, Kane, JvR, maybe even Bailey. I would steal any of these guys from one of our rivals at the right price/term in a heartbeat. Marchessault from Vegas for example. These guys can all score and many of them are very fast players still in their prime years too.

We had our chance to get Grabner cheap but instead Hexy decided to sign Weise for 2 years and let Grabner go to the Rags and he only has 44 goals in the last year and a half. Also Schenn better and cheaper than all of those free agents except for Taveras and hell cost 10-12 million.

 

[lasgop8]

I'll be super curious to see if they make a big pitch for Tavares. Looks like the pieces are in place for them to do so, would add some extra credence to the Schenn deal if that was the idea all along. Adding Tavares would make the Flyers a terrifying force in the next few years.

So letting Schenn at 25 and making only 5 million go to sign a 27 year old who makes 10-12 million is a smart idea?

 

[lasgop8]

Probably. That sounds about right. Six years of Tavares would be perfectly fine with me though, at almost any price.

Schenn 38 points 5 million

Taveras 42 points 10-12 million

6 years of Schenn would've been much better.