The Future

[wbon22]

...it starts now(ish).

Clearly not going anywhere: Giroux, Voracek
More than likely not going anywhere: Simmonds, Couturier, Raffl, Read, Streit, Mason, MacDonald, MDZ, VandeVelde, Bellmare, White, Schultz, Gudas
Might be going somewhere: B Schenn, L Schenn, Grossmann, Umberger
Going anywhere (PLEASE): Rinaldo, Lecavalier, Colaiacovo, Emery

The Flyers have really come a long way in organizational depth on defense. They still have some ways to go. There could be up to 3 spots on the blue line up for grabs. Are there three players in the system ready? Then there is the questions of Laughton and Cousins. Bundy made a good point today during the game that Cousins would be better off playing with skill players in more of a settled offensive role as apposed to being used as a 4th line energy player. Is he a 2nd line NHL center? I don't know. The same could be/has been said about Laughton. Then he suffered the concussion and hasn't seemed to be the same player at either the NHL or AHL level.

I really worry more about the forward position for the next year or so because of the long standing Flyers tradition to draft/sign muckers and grinders and "character" players and projects. And then wed themselves to these players (Rinaldo).

Besides the needs on the ice, the Flyers coaching staff off the ice need to be addressed. Berube isn't a Bad coach, he just isn't a very good one either. He has one style that requires certain players in certain positions and if he doesn't have that he scrambles. He could grow, but I really don't want another season of him benching healthy players and dressing players who should be on LTIR (Umberger). Hextall inherited him and it really looks as if there is a disconnect (IMHO).

All in all, the Future doesn't appear to be boring no matter how you look at it.

 

[Cobiemonster]

The coaching staff needs to go away - besides Joey Mullen, who has a strong power play going - the PK isn't just the lack of good defensive players, it's the coaching too

 

[wbon22]

On the coaching staff...I would not be adverse to having Terry Murray added to the staff....not as the head coach, but to oversee the defense. That is if he moved on from the Phantoms.

I am not 100% behind Mullen and the PP, but .... I think at least some of the things that I have seen wrong with the PP are more down to Berube and the sometimes random personnel assignments.

 

[awaz]

I think long term, leier, Laughton, and cousins would be a good 3rd line or a dynamite 4th line. In today's nhl you need skill, in addition to defense, and agitation, to have a top notch 3rd or 4th line. I don't think any of the 3 have the offensive punch required to play top 6 in the nhl. Which is perfectly fine, keeping them out of the top 6 would mean the flyers built a strong team. They would be part of that.

 

[wbon22]

I re-watched some of the last 5 games with B Schenn on the RW next to Cooter and Read. This creates an interesting problem. The Flyers COULD keep both B Schenn and Cooter and Read as a unit (can be a 2nd or 3rd line based on opponent). That means you then have G & Jake w/ either Raffl or ??? Bellmare and Vande and White. Ultimately that leaves Simmonds (when healthy) Vinny and ???

That is ultimately not bad. IF the Flyers can rotate either Lindblom( ?? ) Coussins and Laughton and Umberger to fill the top LW and the Vinny line LW role and spot play based on injury. That is not as bad as it has felt all year. Read, Cooter and Schenn have areal chemistry. They play a complimentary style. Schenn really seemed to play better 3 zone hockey on the RW than on the LW.

Still a lot of Blue Line questions, but for the forwards sake, I am feeling a little better.

 

[chy1127]

...it starts now(ish).

Clearly not going anywhere: Giroux, Voracek
More than likely not going anywhere: Simmonds, Couturier, Raffl, Read, Streit, Mason, MacDonald, MDZ, VandeVelde, Bellmare, White, Schultz, Gudas
Might be going somewhere: B Schenn, L Schenn, Grossmann, Umberger
Going anywhere (PLEASE): Rinaldo, Lecavalier, Colaiacovo, Emery

The Flyers have really come a long way in organizational depth on defense. They still have some ways to go. There could be up to 3 spots on the blue line up for grabs. Are there three players in the system ready? Then there is the questions of Laughton and Cousins. Bundy made a good point today during the game that Cousins would be better off playing with skill players in more of a settled offensive role as apposed to being used as a 4th line energy player. Is he a 2nd line NHL center? I don't know. The same could be/has been said about Laughton. Then he suffered the concussion and hasn't seemed to be the same player at either the NHL or AHL level.

I really worry more about the forward position for the next year or so because of the long standing Flyers tradition to draft/sign muckers and grinders and "character" players and projects. And then wed themselves to these players (Rinaldo).

Besides the needs on the ice, the Flyers coaching staff off the ice need to be addressed. Berube isn't a Bad coach, he just isn't a very good one either. He has one style that requires certain players in certain positions and if he doesn't have that he scrambles. He could grow, but I really don't want another season of him benching healthy players and dressing players who should be on LTIR (Umberger). Hextall inherited him and it really looks as if there is a disconnect (IMHO).

All in all, the Future doesn't appear to be boring no matter how you look at it.

I think B Schenn goes to the 3rd RW next year and then possibly moved.

L. Schenn is a tough one. I don't see anyone trading for him because he is a 3rd pairing guy getting 2nd pairing money. Maybe at the trade deadline. Grossmann falls into the same except he is borderline 2nd pairing on a decent team. Colaiacovo is a UFA. He actually was a deal for his contract but will not be back. If MDZ signs we have 8 NHL contracts on the books for defense including Manning. There really are no open spots on defense but Morin is probably the most ready of the group. He will get a long look at camp but probably start a LV.

The most we can hope for on Umberger is a buy out. I think he has $9.2 left on his contract and We get charged with 2/3 of the remaining k ($6 mill) spread over 4 years (2 times the remaining years) his buy out would be $1.5 over 4 years. (I think this is close but the only buy out calculator was on capgeek). Vinny is too expensive to buy out. Rinaldo has another year and Emery is a UFA.

We have limited space and need 2 top 6 forwards and a back up goalie. White an VV are UFAs and hopefully are back for 4th line duties with PEB. Hexy has a tough job to improve next years team. I don't think there is a good group of LWs available. We need a 1LW so Raffl can go to 2LW.