2022-23 Flyers: How about just less suck?

[purdue81]

With bruins signing one year deals with Bergeron and Krecji I’m guessing they try 22-23 for a run, then a complete tear down after that.

 

[lasgop8]

With bruins signing one year deals with Bergeron and Krecji I’m guessing they try 22-23 for a run, then a complete tear down after that.

We should've done a tear down 3 years ago.

 

[awaz]

I would add Couturier (yes, even at $7.75M), Laughton ($3M) and Braun ($1M) to the list of guys providing positive value compared to their contracts as well. If these three guys are healthy, they will at least earn every penny of these contracts.

According to Dom's model, Couturier was actually 4th worst on the team behind Deslauriers, Hayes, and Ristolainen. That's in total value though, it has him at 1.45M overpaid for 8 years. I expect that's skewed with last year being bad, but not that much. Couturier has averaged a 66 pt pace over the last 6 years (his prime essentially). Looked at it on it's own, 7.75M is probably fine. The bigger problem with Couturier is that the Flyers apparently expect him to lead the offense too. He's not that guy. The Flyers should absolutely not be counting on him to be that guy.

I like Laughton and he has my vote for captain. But 3M is overpaid. He's a 30pt guy that is a 3rd line winger or 4th line center. Brings some physicality and maybe some value on the PK (can you really say anyone on the Flyers abysmal PK should actually be PK-ing in the NHL?) That's just not worth 3M, IMO. Dom has him at 1.6M overpaid per year. Maybe he's the guy you overpay for intangibles, but 60% of the Flyers cap space goes towards overpaying guys for intangibles.

 

[Retroram52]

Spot on again awaz!

 

[Maverick426h]

According to Dom's model, Couturier was actually 4th worst on the team behind Deslauriers, Hayes, and Ristolainen. That's in total value though, it has him at 1.45M overpaid for 8 years. I expect that's skewed with last year being bad, but not that much. Couturier has averaged a 66 pt pace over the last 6 years (his prime essentially). Looked at it on it's own, 7.75M is probably fine. The bigger problem with Couturier is that the Flyers apparently expect him to lead the offense too. He's not that guy. The Flyers should absolutely not be counting on him to be that guy.

I like Laughton and he has my vote for captain. But 3M is overpaid. He's a 30pt guy that is a 3rd line winger or 4th line center. Brings some physicality and maybe some value on the PK (can you really say anyone on the Flyers abysmal PK should actually be PK-ing in the NHL?) That's just not worth 3M, IMO. Dom has him at 1.6M overpaid per year. Maybe he's the guy you overpay for intangibles, but 60% of the Flyers cap space goes towards overpaying guys for intangibles.

Well, I disagree with him. People forget how good Couturier is. Back to back 76 point seasons (without really being a top pp guy) and Selke winner. Sure, I don't expect him to lead the offense, but what line is he on then? He'd be one of the best second line players in the world because he does everything else extremely well and can still get you almost a point per game. This dude just needs to get healthy and have someone to play with. He could've went to free agency and gotten way more money. Last season was a complete aberration for him.

Laughton is like a poor man's version of this. He does it all too and I think that makes him well worth the $3M per season. 30 points last season in only 67 games. Playing over 16 minutes per game does not suggest he is a 4th line player. That's absurd.

Braun was one of the few plus players on the team last season. He's easily worth $1M and if all else fails, could land us another 3rd round pick at the deadline.

 

[lasgop8]

A 2022 World Juniors guide for Flyers fans

A bit of summer hockey on deck.

www.broadstreethockey.com

 

[purdue81]

A 2022 World Juniors guide for Flyers fans

A bit of summer hockey on deck.

www.broadstreethockey.com

Hilarious line:

“And, of course, it may well be worth keeping an eye on future Flyer Connor Bedard while you’re watching Team Canada.”

 

[lasgop8]

Hilarious line:

“And, of course, it may well be worth keeping an eye on future Flyer Connor Bedard while you’re watching Team Canada.”

 

[Chris p Bacon]

I need to come here more often, but every time I do I see Awaz has posted another truth bomb article and it gives me the sads. I usually go stand in the corner and sob uncontrollably for about 10 minutes then I'm fine.

 

[lasgop8]

I need to come here more often, but every time I do I see Awaz has posted another truth bomb article and it gives me the sads. I usually go stand in the corner and sob uncontrollably for about 10 minutes then I'm fine.

It will be great if we have a good season and we are all happy at season end.

 

[Chris p Bacon]

It will be great if we have a good season and we are all happy at season end.

You know Brother, Imma going to try to be the optimist, but I just don't see anything to be excited about, I hope JVR is gone at the deadline and if they moved Hayes I wouldn't be heartbroken. Hopefully Hart has a good season and some of the younger kids grow and flourish, but man we signed a lot of WTF contracts this off season, and to be stuck with them for more than 2-4 seasons. You're asking a lot of my faith lol.

 

[lasgop8]

You know Brother, Imma going to try to be the optimist, but I just don't see anything to be excited about, I hope JVR is gone at the deadline and if they moved Hayes I wouldn't be heartbroken. Hopefully Hart has a good season and some of the younger kids grow and flourish, but man we signed a lot of WTF contracts this off season, and to be stuck with them for more than 2-4 seasons. You're asking a lot of my faith lol.

Hey that's why they play the games. At the very least it will be a lot more fun to watch this team than the boring and uninspired hockey we have played the past three years.

 

[awaz]

Well, I disagree with him. People forget how good Couturier is. Back to back 76 point seasons (without really being a top pp guy) and Selke winner. Sure, I don't expect him to lead the offense, but what line is he on then? He'd be one of the best second line players in the world because he does everything else extremely well and can still get you almost a point per game. This dude just needs to get healthy and have someone to play with. He could've went to free agency and gotten way more money. Last season was a complete aberration for him.

Laughton is like a poor man's version of this. He does it all too and I think that makes him well worth the $3M per season. 30 points last season in only 67 games. Playing over 16 minutes per game does not suggest he is a 4th line player. That's absurd.

Braun was one of the few plus players on the team last season. He's easily worth $1M and if all else fails, could land us another 3rd round pick at the deadline.

I mean we're splitting hairs here. Laughton and Couturier (and Braun) are not the problem the Flyers have. At those numbers, they're fine.

I say Laughton is a 3rd line W or 4th line C because that's where I think he'd play on a cup contender. 16 minutes for a basement dweller that had half their forwards missing isn't really a good barometer of where Laughton should play in the lineup. If Mav is building a cup contender with Laughton on the roster, what line do you have him on?

For me, Couturier is better suited as a 2C. And I'd gladly spend 7.75 on a 2C of his caliber. If he has really good wingers, a la 85 pt Claude Giroux, I don't think he holds you back as a 1C. But I think traditional cup contenders have a 1C that leads the team offensively. The Mackinnons, Crosbys, Stamkos, of the league. Boston won with Bergeron as a 1C, but Marchand and Pasta were 80+ point wingers. If the Flyers want Couturier to be that 1C, then they need wingers of Marchand/Pastrnak caliber to play with him. And they do not have that.

I expect Couturier will face the wrath of the fan base this year. He's the highest profile guy and when the team sucks, he'll take brunt of it. Same as Giroux did for 10 years. But it has far more to do with the lack of supporting cast than his quality as a player.

 

[awaz]

I need to come here more often, but every time I do I see Awaz has posted another truth bomb article and it gives me the sads. I usually go stand in the corner and sob uncontrollably for about 10 minutes then I'm fine.

Hey, if there was a year to suck, this is it.

Scott Wheeler's preseason top 32 prospects for the 2023 NHL Draft

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler gives us his preseason ranking of the 32 best draft-eligible prospects for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

theathletic.com

"On the whole, though, this 2005 age group looks special, led by a trio so impressive at the top that they’re going to reduce parity in the league and widen the gap between the contenders and the bottom feeders. I cannot overstate this, either: This draft isn’t just about the big three. I’m confident (or at least as confident as I can be at this point) that it’s going to produce a sterling top 10, high-end prospects well into the teens and maybe even the 20s, and a first round to remember."

Bedard, Michkov, and Fantilli project to be the kind of "build a cup contender around them" prospects. And Wheeler points out a few times that well in to the teens you can find difference makers.

 

[Retroram52]

Awaz, once again spot on posts!!

 

[lasgop8]

Maximizing Flyers’ van Riemsdyk trade value

The Philadelphia Flyers are tight to the cap and need to give younger players a chance to thrive. Trading James van Riemsdyk helps both causes.

phillysportsnetwork.com

The day we signed this clown was the day we screwed up the whole organization. One of the worst move in franchise history.

 

[lasgop8]

Set for world juniors, Foerster has ‘all the intangibles and the skill set' Flyers need

Tyson Foerster is one of four Flyers prospects competing at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship. Joining him are forward Elliot Desnoyers and defensemen Emil Andrae and Brian Zanetti. By Jordan Hall

www.nbcsports.com

 

[purdue81]

Set for world juniors, Foerster has ‘all the intangibles and the skill set' Flyers need

Tyson Foerster is one of four Flyers prospects competing at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship. Joining him are forward Elliot Desnoyers and defensemen Emil Andrae and Brian Zanetti. By Jordan Hall

www.nbcsports.com

Would love to see any signs of the prospect pool being something to look forward to.

 

[lasgop8]

Would love to see any signs of the prospect pool being something to look forward to.

It would be nice to see Cutter Gauthier playing for the USA.

 

[Maverick426h]

I mean we're splitting hairs here. Laughton and Couturier (and Braun) are not the problem the Flyers have. At those numbers, they're fine.

I say Laughton is a 3rd line W or 4th line C because that's where I think he'd play on a cup contender. 16 minutes for a basement dweller that had half their forwards missing isn't really a good barometer of where Laughton should play in the lineup. If Mav is building a cup contender with Laughton on the roster, what line do you have him on?

For me, Couturier is better suited as a 2C. And I'd gladly spend 7.75 on a 2C of his caliber. If he has really good wingers, a la 85 pt Claude Giroux, I don't think he holds you back as a 1C. But I think traditional cup contenders have a 1C that leads the team offensively. The Mackinnons, Crosbys, Stamkos, of the league. Boston won with Bergeron as a 1C, but Marchand and Pasta were 80+ point wingers. If the Flyers want Couturier to be that 1C, then they need wingers of Marchand/Pastrnak caliber to play with him. And they do not have that.

I expect Couturier will face the wrath of the fan base this year. He's the highest profile guy and when the team sucks, he'll take brunt of it. Same as Giroux did for 10 years. But it has far more to do with the lack of supporting cast than his quality as a player.

I think we pretty much agree on all of this. I just disagree with the dude who wrote that article. Nothing wrong with Laughton as your 3rd line center, on just about any team. Couturier was the most underrated player in the league just 3 seasons ago. He's a stud, but we're in agreement that he won't have anyone elite to play with, which will make him look like he's not worth his contract.