The Philadelphia Flyers 2024-2025 Season: Progressing Towards Lord Stanley's Cup

[Chris p Bacon]

I hear that, but that's a 6'6" kid making $8.35 million who is a -12 and has only 23 hits on the season. He's insulated a bit too because Dahlin is their bonefide, #1 defenseman.

The fans and everyone on this forum would absolutely shit all over him as a Flyer...Lol

I think Byram has played better and also should cost less.

I've given both of these guys a look in fantasy, at one time or another, this season. They're both cold now though and so is the entire franchise...Lol

I agree with you, that's way to high a price for potential, Byrum is going to be a far better choice. He's got great mechanics and is pretty solid in all aspects of the game.

 

[awaz]

Well, idk how he really earned that contract, quite frankly. By being big and putting up 35 points? The kid just turned 22 and he's already making nearly $60 million across 7 seasons. They took a huge gamble on the youngster and I'd rather not inherit that...Lol

Provorov was 8.5% of the Flyers cap when he signed his 6.75x6 at 22. 0.4ppg his first 3 seasons.

Power was 10% of the Sabres cap when he signed his 8.35x7 at 21. 0.45ppg his first 2 seasons.

Not that dramatically differently. Obviously things went awry with Provorov and the Flyers but he was a bonafide 1st pair guy his entire time here. Probably still could be if CBJ didn't have one of the best dmen in the league ahead of him in Werenski.

Plus 6'6 with good skating. Worthy gamble IMO. Especially with the cap expected to go up big time the next few years. Not saying I'd say no to Byram either. But if Buffalo were willing to give him up in addition to Colorado already giving him up, that's an eyebrow raiser too.

 

[awaz]

I agree with you, that's way to high a price for potential, Byrum is going to be a far better choice. He's got great mechanics and is pretty solid in all aspects of the game.

Don't need 'pretty solid'. Flyers are full up on 'pretty solid'. You want a middle 6 forward or 2nd pair dman, we have a billion of them and a billion more in the pipeline. Another one just means more mediocrity.

Gotta take home run swings at a guy that could be a game changer if developed correctly.

 

[Chris p Bacon]

I went on YouTube to see any Owen Power fights, all it comes up with are clips of him getting abused. We already have that big soft heartless guy Awaz, sorry man not a needle mover.

 

[Chris p Bacon]

Don't need 'pretty solid'. Flyers are full up on 'pretty solid'. You want a middle 6 forward or 2nd pair dman, we have a billion of them and a billion more in the pipeline. Another one just means more mediocrity.

Gotta take home run swings at a guy that could be a game changer if developed correctly.

I think Byrum could be solid 2nd pairing guy, just need 3 more lol.

 

[awaz]

I think Byrum could be solid 2nd pairing guy, just need 3 more lol.

They already have 3 second pairing guys. Probably another one coming next year in Bonk. The problem is they don't have any 1st pairing guys! Or any in the pipeline. We're just beating our heads against the wall with this 'won't tank, won't gamble on reclamation projects, won't take swings at young guys' strategy. There's nothing coming to fill the massive void on the top line and top dpair. Gotta do SOMETHING to address those holes or they'll never compete.

 

[awaz]

I mean really. Look at the Panthers lineup after this deadline.

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart
Tkachuk-Bennet-Marchand
Luostarinen-Lundell-Boqvist
Greer-Sturm-Rodrigues

Forsling-Ekbland
Mikkola-Jones
Schmidt-Kulikov

Bobrovsky

Which Flyers crack that lineup? TK probably pushes Verhaeghe out of their top 6. Michkov could probably crack their 3rd line. Couturier is probably a 3rd/4th line tweener. Cates and Foerster probably their 4th line. Tippet is probably talented enough to be in the '12 best forwards', but might get scratched because his role is filled by other guys.

Defense? Sanheim and York can maybe push Mikkola-Jones down to the 3rd pair. And that's it.

So in comparison to a top contender, the Flyers have one top 6 forward, one third liner, three fourth liners, and a 2nd pair. They HAVE to take some chances if they're not going to just tank. I just don't see another way. They need so much talent to get to that level.

 

[Maverick426h]

I went on YouTube to see any Owen Power fights, all it comes up with are clips of him getting abused. We already have that big soft heartless guy Awaz, sorry man not a needle mover.

He would get called a pussy daily here, at the very least. Again, 23 hits in 61 games for a guy who is that big is absolutely pathetic.

 

[Retroram52]

Well stated Maverick. I am not sure why the Flyers can't seem to find the exact guys we need with all of our swiss cheese holes! If we know we need a couple of 1st pairings dudes, a Center, and maybe another Goalie, then why are the Flyers FAFO-ing around with all of this side shit that gets stirred-up during the trade deadline period?

 

[Maverick426h]

I mean really. Look at the Panthers lineup after this deadline.

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart
Tkachuk-Bennet-Marchand
Luostarinen-Lundell-Boqvist
Greer-Sturm-Rodrigues

Forsling-Ekbland
Mikkola-Jones
Schmidt-Kulikov

Bobrovsky

Which Flyers crack that lineup? TK probably pushes Verhaeghe out of their top 6. Michkov could probably crack their 3rd line. Couturier is probably a 3rd/4th line tweener. Cates and Foerster probably their 4th line. Tippet is probably talented enough to be in the '12 best forwards', but might get scratched because his role is filled by other guys.

Defense? Sanheim and York can maybe push Mikkola-Jones down to the 3rd pair. And that's it.

So in comparison to a top contender, the Flyers have one top 6 forward, one third liner, three fourth liners, and a 2nd pair. They HAVE to take some chances if they're not going to just tank. I just don't see another way. They need so much talent to get to that level.

I'm not going to challenge you on any of that, however, they are the defending Cup champs, they have 1 pick in the 1st three rounds of the next TWO drafts combined and also, only 1.4% of their cap is dead.

We haven't sniffed a Cup in about 15 years, have 11 picks in the 1st three rounds of the next two drafts combined and about 18% of our cap is dead.

Two teams in two entirely different positions.

 

[Maverick426h]

Looks like we also shipped Erik Johnson back to the Avs for RW Givani Smith.

 

[Maverick426h]

Our next shot here is the 2025 draft on June 27th. If we don't make the right selections and/or trades on that day, we're just going to wait that much longer before we have a playoff hockey team in Philly.

Meanwhile, I definitely expect to slide down in the standings and pick top 4 or 5, at least.

 

[awaz]

I'm not going to challenge you on any of that, however, they are the defending Cup champs, they have 1 pick in the 1st three rounds of the next TWO drafts combined and also, only 1.4% of their cap is dead.

We haven't sniffed a Cup in about 15 years, have 11 picks in the 1st three rounds of the next two drafts combined and about 18% of our cap is dead.

Two teams in two entirely different positions.

Totally different places to be sure. But if that roster is what it takes, the Flyers are 4 top 6 forwards (giving Michkov the benefit of the doubt as he gains experience), and a top pair away from a contender. 6 top of the lineup guys are needed. They either have to take some risks on reclamation projections or bat 1.000 in the draft. Because even their current prospect pool, according to people that follow that stuff closer, doesn’t have any answers to those holes in it. Bonk is hopefully a 2nd pair guy and Luchanko seems more on the 2C/3C fence.

Just so damn frustrating to watch them follow this plan. Again. And with less to go on than when they had G, Jake, and Simmonds.

 

[purdue81]

Don't need 'pretty solid'. Flyers are full up on 'pretty solid'. You want a middle 6 forward or 2nd pair dman, we have a billion of them and a billion more in the pipeline. Another one just means more mediocrity.

Gotta take home run swings at a guy that could be a game changer if developed correctly.

Operative phrase “if developed correctly”

When was the last time the Flyers took a diamond in the rough and made them shine ?

 

[purdue81]

On Marchand :


The pick is a 2027 second-rounder that turns into a 2028 first-round choice if Marchand plays 25% or more of Florida's playoff games in the first two rounds, Sweeney confirmed to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.

Sweeney noted Marchand's injury impacted the return. The winger is currently week-to-week with an upper-body ailment.

My favorite memory of Marchand was the shootout whiff.

 

[awaz]

Operative phrase “if developed correctly”

When was the last time the Flyers took a diamond in the rough and made them shine ?

Fair point. But gotta try something, right?

 

[Chris p Bacon]

Fair point. But gotta try something, right?

I agree, something needs to be done. I won't mind a huge swing at something. Be nice to have a shot at Rantanan but where do we fit that type of number in? No way we're shedding bad contracts such as Coots and Risto anytime soon. At this rate it's just going to be a rinse and recycle process.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea, somehow the Flyers have to shake themselves free of the ghosts of the last 10-15 years and they have to get better in their scouting and player development departments. It starts there.

 

[purdue81]

Fair point. But gotta try something, right?

Yes, agree. But what has Philly done to improve their development. Is Lappy still at Phantoms ?

 

[Maverick426h]

Totally different places to be sure. But if that roster is what it takes, the Flyers are 4 top 6 forwards (giving Michkov the benefit of the doubt as he gains experience), and a top pair away from a contender. 6 top of the lineup guys are needed. They either have to take some risks on reclamation projections or bat 1.000 in the draft. Because even their current prospect pool, according to people that follow that stuff closer, doesn’t have any answers to those holes in it. Bonk is hopefully a 2nd pair guy and Luchanko seems more on the 2C/3C fence.

Just so damn frustrating to watch them follow this plan. Again. And with less to go on than when they had G, Jake, and Simmonds.

First off, the Panthers are a lot more than a contender. They are the defending Cup champs and a potential dynasty in the making. Also, they didn't just begin this quest at the beginning of last season or even a handful of seasons ago. Barkov was drafted 2nd overall in 2013. That's 12 years ago, folks.

That franchise hadn't won dick since finally breaking through last season after some massive trades, plus numerous tweaks to the roster across years and years. They missed the playoffs five times with Barkov and were knocked out in round 1 three times. They finally broke through and made the Cup finals in '23, won it all in '24 and are in position to get back there again this year.

The point is, this shit doesn't just happen overnight. There will be fucking hardships along the way of creating a winner. Yes, Danny B is going to have to consolidate his resources and make some courageous moves here eventually. Until he completely fumbles the ball, I have to believe in his plan. That and the franchise has to make the right moves at the draft and develop some of those prospects into stars. It's all there for the taking. This is not some impossible thing. Let's go get it.