Now that the Kings are in...

[forty_three]

Serious question Flyers' Fans:

How do you rate the moves last offseason?

Granted, I realize that there is the in-between stop in Columbus for Carter, so the moves didn't directly lead to what we've seen, but still. All things being equal, knowing what we know, how do you feel about sending Carter and Richards away?

From a Blue Jackets perspective, I am still okay with the deal for Carter to a degree. Final judgement will be reserved for how Jack Johnson approaches next season after potentially watching his team win a cup without him. If he comes out an mopes, then the whole deal is shot. If it fires him up to grab his team by the throat and make something of themselves... Okay.

I will not lament the perceived loss of Sean Couturier, because there is no saying that Howson would have picked him. Voracek, eh. He's good, but not irreplaceable. The big problem I had with the deal was the fact we got Carter. He's a very strong talent. But he's a finisher. And he had no place on a line with another finisher. He was just the wrong guy.

Now, had Howson sent the pick and Jake for Richards? Yeah, I'd have been A-OK with that. And chances are Richards would still be in Columbus.

If anything, the Kings/Yotes series made me truly appreciate how big a mistake it was to send Vermette away. Damn I miss that guy.

 

[awaz]

i'm still completely in love with those trades.. i think richards for simmonds was about even this year, throw in schenn's bright future and damn.. and couturier for carter by itself is a win for the flyers IMO.. voracek is just gravy, very good gravy, i really liked his game this year

richards and carter are fantastic complimentary players IMO.. they are awesome when they are not the focal point.. so having them as a 2nd line when you can throw out kopitar's line in front of them, its dynamite.. i dont think the two of them are the right personalities to be the guys that are relied on every night.. especially carter.. i think when the pressure is on him to score that goal that the team really he needs, he crumbles.. and to be honest, i dont think richards is that talented of a hockey player, he's just got a big heart and a refusal to lose.. he's a grinder, except he actually does have some skill and can provide some offense.. neither of them are good at being the primary scoring, but both of them are fantastic to have as the secondary scoring

we'll see how it works out in columbus with jack johnson, but as far as the kings and flyers go, i think they both made out gangbusters in these deals.. the kings got the second line they needed, the flyers got to move giroux in to the spotlight, got 2 depth players that can bring a combination of skills, and 2 guys with bright futures (which their farm system badly needed)

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

If the Kings win the cup which I expect them to do, they win both trades period.

 

[awaz]

If the Kings win the cup which I expect them to do, they win both trades period.

this season, sure i agree with you.. but if the flyers didnt make the moves they are an inferior team this year.. IMO.. and if schenn and couturier improve like normal top prospects do, the flyers in a year or 2 will have 4 players near the caliber of carter and richards

i really do think this has the potential to be a win for both (possibly all 3) sides

 

[filosofy29]

If the Kings win the cup which I expect them to do, they win both trades period.

I don't buy this logic. They "win" for themselves, but it doesn't mean they got the better end of the deal. The Kings would/should be happy as hell and good for them and their fans.....but if they can't afford to sign Quick due (in part) to Carter and Richards contracts.....and these two get their Stanley Cup victory, start partying, caring less about hockey and more about LA weather/beaches .....and the Flyers go on to win multiple cups, who really won? If Carter didn't want to be in Columbus, then Howson lost the trade to Philadelphia, but won the trade to LA. He got something for a guy who didn't want to be there.

My personal opinion is both LA and PHI got what they wanted/needed. If Philadelphia had a full season/playoffs with Chris Pronger, they might have met up with Los Angeles in the Finals.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I don't buy this logic. They "win" for themselves, but it doesn't mean they got the better end of the deal. The Kings would/should be happy as hell and good for them and their fans.....but if they can't afford to sign Quick due (in part) to Carter and Richards contracts.....and these two get their Stanley Cup victory, start partying, caring less about hockey and more about LA weather/beaches .....and the Flyers go on to win multiple cups, who really won? If Carter didn't want to be in Columbus, then Howson lost the trade to Philadelphia, but won the trade to LA. He got something for a guy who didn't want to be there.

My personal opinion is both LA and PHI got what they wanted/needed. If Philadelphia had a full season/playoffs with Chris Pronger, they might have met up with Los Angeles in the Finals.

Penner will be an UFA at the end of the year. As will Stoll. The Kings will have plenty of cap space to resign Quick.

 

[Vadered]

The Richards trade we might have won or lost; I love what we got but I loved Richards too. Carter, on the other hand, managed a whopping 34 points in the regular season and 4 points in the first two ROUNDS of the playoffs. Admittedly he was a little better in the Phoenix series, but he's played fourteen postseason games this year and been held off the score sheet in eight of them. He is a -4 in those 8 games. He might win the cup this year, but it's a function of his team more than him (Richards hasn't been much better for the playoffs points-wise but he is more of a defensive forward than Carter has ever dreamed of being).

 

[quoipourquoi]

The Flyers won the trades. The Kings won the 2005 Draft.

 

[4thstreet]

i'm still completely in love with those trades.. i think richards for simmonds was about even this year, throw in schenn's bright future and damn.. and couturier for carter by itself is a win for the flyers IMO.. voracek is just gravy, very good gravy, i really liked his game this year

richards and carter are fantastic complimentary players IMO.. they are awesome when they are not the focal point.. so having them as a 2nd line when you can throw out kopitar's line in front of them, its dynamite.. i dont think the two of them are the right personalities to be the guys that are relied on every night.. especially carter.. i think when the pressure is on him to score that goal that the team really he needs, he crumbles.. and to be honest, i dont think richards is that talented of a hockey player, he's just got a big heart and a refusal to lose.. he's a grinder, except he actually does have some skill and can provide some offense.. neither of them are good at being the primary scoring, but both of them are fantastic to have as the secondary scoring

we'll see how it works out in columbus with jack johnson, but as far as the kings and flyers go, i think they both made out gangbusters in these deals.. the kings got the second line they needed, the flyers got to move giroux in to the spotlight, got 2 depth players that can bring a combination of skills, and 2 guys with bright futures (which their farm system badly needed)

^^^this-plus the intangible fact that Giroux has transformed into 1 of the leagues top players at a quicker rate minus Richards and Carter.

 

[dash]

The only thing Holmgren did wrong this season was inking a nutbar to play net...

/Granted, all goalies are a little different.

 

[Jimmy_the_Tongue]

I liked the Flyers better when Carter and Richards were there...

 

[awaz]

I liked the Flyers better when Carter and Richards were there...

 

[raptorlife4]

Richards is a hell of a player but it was time for a change for both partys.
Carter was getting injured all the time and can NEVER be forgotten for missing an easy goal in Game 6 against the Blackhawks during the cup.

Flyers got alot of talent back. They also are not saddled with Carter and Richards very long term contracts

 

[elocomotive]

I personally love watching Voracek play hockey. He's not excellent in any one facet, but he plays every part of the game well. Has some nifty moves at times, great vision, tough to move him off the puck, plays defense, and can light up a guy to boot. One of my favorite non-Caps to watch. Very impressed by him.

Those moves seem like a net gain, especially as some of those young players mature and improve. But I wonder if the Bryz mess will more than offset those gains. Flyers' fans have to hope for a bounce back next year (which I don't think will happen with Bryz mental makeup) or the team is either (1) saddled with his salary and having to find another option or (2) forcedly playing the guy with the big contract.

It's funny b/c going into this past season, it seemed like the Flyers locked up that goalie they've been seeking but the forwards they acquired were a big question mark. Now the script is flipped.

 

[awaz]

I personally love watching Voracek play hockey. He's not excellent in any one facet, but he plays every part of the game well. Has some nifty moves at times, great vision, tough to move him off the puck, plays defense, and can light up a guy to boot. One of my favorite non-Caps to watch. Very impressed by him.

Those moves seem like a net gain, especially as some of those young players mature and improve. But I wonder if the Bryz mess will more than offset those gains. Flyers' fans have to hope for a bounce back next year (which I don't think will happen with Bryz mental makeup) or the team is either (1) saddled with his salary and having to find another option or (2) forcedly playing the guy with the big contract.

It's funny b/c going into this past season, it seemed like the Flyers locked up that goalie they've been seeking but the forwards they acquired were a big question mark. Now the script is flipped.

amnesty buyout please?

i have faith that bryz will bounce back.. he was the best goalie, arguably the best player, in the league in march up until he broke his foot and then he kinda came unglued again against the pens, but he was very solid against the devils, it just didnt show, and the series losing goal was a bad one.. that being said, that contract is effin awful even if he's god's gift to man in the next couple seasons

 

[filosofy29]

Penner will be an UFA at the end of the year. As will Stoll. The Kings will have plenty of cap space to resign Quick.

So they sign Quick to a big contract and then are forced to sign cheap depth players. Surely the concept I was getting at isn't that hard to imagine right?

All I'm saying is, a lot of things happen in the future that we don't foresee.

 

[quoipourquoi]

But I wonder if the Bryz mess will more than offset those gains. Flyers' fans have to hope for a bounce back next year (which I don't think will happen with Bryz mental makeup) or the team is either (1) saddled with his salary and having to find another option or (2) forcedly playing the guy with the big contract.

It's funny b/c going into this past season, it seemed like the Flyers locked up that goalie they've been seeking but the forwards they acquired were a big question mark. Now the script is flipped.

Well, it's not like it was Bryzgalov's fault they lost to New Jersey. Philadelphia couldn't beat Brodeur in overtime - even with powerplays. And then they couldn't give him any defensive support in Game 4. He played bad against Pittsburgh, but he played well enough to win against New Jersey. The team really just needed one more big time playoff performer on the ice. You know, the one they had in 2010.

 

[flyersfan4706]

I think the FO expected a step back this year. And then here we are, 1 less loss in the 1st round and 1 more win in the 2nd. Younger, and we have a goalie that is better than Fleury. I dont want the Kings to win it just because of Richards and Carter, but them winning certainly does not have us lose the trades. Frankly, they already appear to be steals. Not to mention that Schenn, Couturier, and Voracek have plenty of time to grow.

The Kings are going to win the Cup. I am glad Richards wins it, glad Gagne should get his name engraved on there. Carter on the other hand, that one hurts. Man has 4 goals and 5 assists in 14 games, and 1 game was a shutout inwhich he got a hatty. I do not miss him a bit.

 

[dash]

Well, it's not like it was Bryzgalov's fault they lost to New Jersey. Philadelphia couldn't beat Brodeur in overtime - even with powerplays. And then they couldn't give him any defensive support in Game 4. He played bad against Pittsburgh, but he played well enough to win against New Jersey. The team really just needed one more big time playoff performer on the ice. You know, the one they had in 2010.

But at some point, you need your goalie to step up and steal the occasional game for you in the playoffs. Bryz didn't do that for the Flyers against the Devils and consequently, the Flyers failed to moved on.

 

[awaz]

Well, it's not like it was Bryzgalov's fault they lost to New Jersey. Philadelphia couldn't beat Brodeur in overtime - even with powerplays. And then they couldn't give him any defensive support in Game 4. He played bad against Pittsburgh, but he played well enough to win against New Jersey. The team really just needed one more big time playoff performer on the ice. You know, the one they had in 2010.

ya.. i still miss gagne a lot.. he was always a great player for them