5,000 Posts for a Flyers Cup in 2018!

[lasgop8]

When does camp start?

 

[awaz]

When does camp start?

Not soon enough!

Development camp for the youngsters is this weekend/next week though. So that'll give us something.

 

[JBM73]

Rather than seeking free agents, Flyers expect young players to step up

 

[JBM73]

From Bill Meltzer:

Hextall has said that he may invite an unrestricted free agent veteran to try out for a contract during the preseason as a fall-back in case the young defensemen struggle in camp. Yesterday, he denied having any interest in -- or contact with -- unrestricted free agent Andrei Markov, so as not to block the young defensemen vying for as many as two roster spots.

My view has not changed. Even at 38 years old, Markov would be a significant upgrade on veterans Andrew MacDonald and Brandon Manning irrespective of what the youngsters do in camp. To not even explore the idea of adding Markov and then paring down some veteran salaries has nothing to do with boxing out young players.

Rather, it has the optics of being a tacit unwillingness to consider either a) eating a portion of MacDonald's salary for the next three seasons in order to make him more tradeable or b) an unwillingess or inability at present to trade a combination of Brandon Manning and a high-salaried vet on an expiring contract, either in the same deal or separate transactions, in order to offset the cap dollars it would take to add Markov on a one-year or two-year contract.

From a sheer hockey standpoint, I'd favor option B. Markov could have been paired with second-season NHLer Ivan Provorov atop the blueline, with Radko Gudas a fixture on the second pair, MacDonald in his more appropriate 5th defenseman role, one rookie in the lineup as well as third-year NHLer Shayne Gostisbehere. If a second rookie rose up in camp to push MacDonald for his lineup spot this season or next, so much the better. This wouldn't a Cup-caliber blueline yet but it would be better than last season's group. Right now, there are too many unknown quantities being heavily relied upon heading into camp, and whatever vet tryout candidates there may still be lingering on the market late in the summer likely won't be as good as Markov.

That's just how I see it. Of course, my opinion isn't the one that counts and I also don't have the benefit of knowing what moves were discussed with other teams and what may or may not be out there to make by opening night.

For now, it seems that Hextall is content with sticking to a plan of having MacDonald remain in the top-four mix with Gudas as the other heavy ice-time vet, and Manning competing with two rookies (or one rookie and a depth vet signed off a tryout) for the fifth and sixth starting spots.

 

[lasgop8]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/canadiens-bargain-galchenyuk-three-years-221222457.html

 

[chy1127]

From Bill Meltzer:

Hextall has said that he may invite an unrestricted free agent veteran to try out for a contract during the preseason as a fall-back in case the young defensemen struggle in camp. Yesterday, he denied having any interest in -- or contact with -- unrestricted free agent Andrei Markov, so as not to block the young defensemen vying for as many as two roster spots.

My view has not changed. Even at 38 years old, Markov would be a significant upgrade on veterans Andrew MacDonald and Brandon Manning irrespective of what the youngsters do in camp. To not even explore the idea of adding Markov and then paring down some veteran salaries has nothing to do with boxing out young players.

Rather, it has the optics of being a tacit unwillingness to consider either a) eating a portion of MacDonald's salary for the next three seasons in order to make him more tradeable or b) an unwillingess or inability at present to trade a combination of Brandon Manning and a high-salaried vet on an expiring contract, either in the same deal or separate transactions, in order to offset the cap dollars it would take to add Markov on a one-year or two-year contract.

From a sheer hockey standpoint, I'd favor option B. Markov could have been paired with second-season NHLer Ivan Provorov atop the blueline, with Radko Gudas a fixture on the second pair, MacDonald in his more appropriate 5th defenseman role, one rookie in the lineup as well as third-year NHLer Shayne Gostisbehere. If a second rookie rose up in camp to push MacDonald for his lineup spot this season or next, so much the better. This wouldn't a Cup-caliber blueline yet but it would be better than last season's group. Right now, there are too many unknown quantities being heavily relied upon heading into camp, and whatever vet tryout candidates there may still be lingering on the market late in the summer likely won't be as good as Markov.

That's just how I see it. Of course, my opinion isn't the one that counts and I also don't have the benefit of knowing what moves were discussed with other teams and what may or may not be out there to make by opening night.

For now, it seems that Hextall is content with sticking to a plan of having MacDonald remain in the top-four mix with Gudas as the other heavy ice-time vet, and Manning competing with two rookies (or one rookie and a depth vet signed off a tryout) for the fifth and sixth starting spots.

Manning is a good option to have as he can be a #7 and fill in as needed at $975,000 as the young guys have to play in the top 6 if on the team. You, me, Hexy and everyone else would like to get rid of A Mac but no one wants his contract. If he is buried in the AHL we only get something like $925,000 cap relief. Markov just does not fit under the cap as he is seeking about $6 million/year. After signing 1 forward (laughton) and 2 Dmen (hagg and Morin) we have about 2.4 million space. The only real chance was to get Las Vegas to take him but that didn't happen. I don't see a realistic way to clear that much space to sign Markov.

 

[lasgop8]

5 players to watch for 2017 Flyers development camp

 

[lasgop8]

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=86295

 

[lasgop8]

5 things to know for 2017 Flyers development camp

 

[FlyerFinFan]

Manning is a good option to have as he can be a #7 and fill in as needed at $975,000 as the young guys have to play in the top 6 if on the team. You, me, Hexy and everyone else would like to get rid of A Mac but no one wants his contract. If he is buried in the AHL we only get something like $925,000 cap relief. Markov just does not fit under the cap as he is seeking about $6 million/year. After signing 1 forward (laughton) and 2 Dmen (hagg and Morin) we have about 2.4 million space. The only real chance was to get Las Vegas to take him but that didn't happen. I don't see a realistic way to clear that much space to sign Markov.

I agree Manning is fine decent and good contract. Rookies must beat out guys like AMac if not bring them along slowly until they do. The guys not that bad it's just a horrible contract. Stick to the plan Hexy....

 

[Maverick426h]

I agree Manning is fine decent and good contract. Rookies must beat out guys like AMac if not bring them along slowly until they do. The guys not that bad it's just a horrible contract. Stick to the plan Hexy....

Manning is a fine #7, yes, and so be it if MacDonald is #4, but don't give him 20 minutes a night and we have to then wonder who is with Provorov.

Would definitely be great to have another veteran, only one rookie defender making the team and then bring up one of the other rookies from the Ahl only when we have an injury or two.

Guys like Morin and Hagg have already had a ton of Ahl seasoning though. These guys should be ready to go now.

 

[chy1127]

Manning is a fine #7, yes, and so be it if MacDonald is #4, but don't give him 20 minutes a night and we have to then wonder who is with Provorov.

Would definitely be great to have another veteran, only one rookie defender making the team and then bring up one of the other rookies from the Ahl only when we have an injury or two.

Guys like Morin and Hagg have already had a ton of Ahl seasoning though. These guys should be ready to go now.

They both looked good in their 1 game audition last year. Absent a veteran on a free agent try out, 2 rookies defensemen will be on the team

 

[Maverick426h]

They both looked good in their 1 game audition last year. Absent a veteran on a free agent try out, 2 rookies defensemen will be on the team

When I look at how old these guys are and how many Ahl games they have under their belt, they should be ready to go this coming season, right away.

Hagg is 22 with 202 games.

Morin is 21 with 150 games.

It's sort of now or never for these guys in my opinion. How much more can they learn in the Ahl?

 

[JBM73]

When I look at how old these guys are and how many Ahl games they have under their belt, they should be ready to go this coming season, right away.

Hagg is 22 with 202 games.

Morin is 21 with 150 games.

It's sort of now or never for these guys in my opinion. How much more can they learn in the Ahl?

Agreed. They need to target a replace for AMac, who is simply...not...good, and not bring in a vet just to keep a rookie in the AHL a little longer.

 

[FlyerFinFan]

Agreed. They need to target a replace for AMac, who is simply...not...good, and not bring in a vet just to keep a rookie in the AHL a little longer.

This is my point AMAC isn't that bad and if these rookies can beat him out then the team will get better. But don't just give it to them....

 

[Chris p Bacon]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/flyers-prospect-laberge-had-sleep-033330447.html

Sounds like a pretty tough kid.

 

[Maverick426h]

They both looked good in their 1 game audition last year. Absent a veteran on a free agent try out, 2 rookies defensemen will be on the team

And maybe that's not a bad thing either. The kids seem to be taking this game over as of late. Toronto made the playoffs last season while regularly starting somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-8 rookies per game. That would've never happened 10+ years ago.

 

[Maverick426h]

This is my point AMAC isn't that bad and if these rookies can beat him out then the team will get better. But don't just give it to them....

I think we'd be comfortable with him on the last pairing, he's just obviously too expensive. I hope they have the confidence to waive him if Morin, Hagg and Myers all beat him in camp. That and starting three rookie defensemen sounds crazy, but two of these guys have played in the Ahl for a long time and already had a taste of the Nhl.

I'm just saying that we've already shown we're not loading up for the Cup this season or next with the acquisition of Lehtera and departure of Schenn, so we might as well give the rookies some serious on the job training.

We probably dress at least five rookies next season regardless. They are coming.

 

[lasgop8]

Hextall's learned to read Russians

 

[lasgop8]

http://www.courierpostonline.com/st...felix-sandstrom-doing-things-right/462888001/