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Meltzer's Musings: Couturier, Unlikely Jersey Sightings |
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As training camp slowly approaches, the Flyers are faced with the dual challenge of ridding themselves of a contract or two (they are currently at the maximum) and freeing up some salary cap space.
Figuring that Michael Leighton and Matt Walker will be waived in order to become cap compliant, the Flyers currently have a mere $175,239 of room under the cap. This does not include an LTIR allowance for Ian Laperriere.
Until the Flyers free up both contract room and cap room under the respective maximums, there really isn't much point in talking about whether 2011 first round draft pick Sean Couturier or tryout Michael Nylander have a shot at making the team.
The contract issue won't be tough to resolve. By mutual agreement, the Flyers could terminate the contract of Joonas Lehtivuori, who is in the final year of his entry-level contract and appears unlikely to return from Europe (he just signed with Modo in Sweden).
Cap space, however, is going to be tougher to come by. Even if Couturier were to have an extremely impressive training camp and look to be NHL ready now, the Flyers will only have about $1.34 million of total cap space available for the season once Laperriere goes on LTIR. There really aren't that many places where the Flyers are likely to free up much additional space before opening night other than potentially waiving Jody Shelley because of his $1.1 million cap hit.
The hefty cap penalties ($1,402,500 worth of them) that the Flyers got hit with for this season because of bonus overages on last season's cap have really hamstrung the team's ability to sign any additional players this off-season. For rookie Couturier or tryout veteran Nylander to make the team, they would have to not only play well enough to merit a spot, they'd have to play well enough to compel the club to move out more salary to accommodate theirs.
Otherwise, the Flyers will get their LTIR allowance on Laperriere and use it only in an emergency when they need to make callups due to injuries in the lineup. The existing $175,239 could disappear fast when it comes times to make temporary recalls. However, I really do think Shelley's roster space could be in danger at training camp strictly for reasons of freeing up additional space to potentially make a minor trade at some point during the season.
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The other day, Moe Mantha's name popped to mind in a blog idea that I had for making a list of semi-obscure players who had at least two short stints with the Flyers. Thinking of Mantha also reminded me of a game we sometimes play up in the pressbox before games: Spot the fan down below wearing a jersey depicting the name and number of the most unlikely ex-Flyers player.
On at least three occasions, I have seen a woman who sports a Mantha jersey with the Flyers' 25th anniversary patch (worn during the 1991-92 season). What makes that especially odd is the fact that Mantha's stint with the team that season lasted a mere 5 games after he came over from Winnipeg.
What is the most unlikely/unusual Flyers' jersey you have seen at the arena or elsewhere? I'm not talking about the folks that have their own name placed on the back (often with the number 69, as if we didn't get the joke) or those hideous half-home/half-road hybrid jerseys you see every once in awhile. In this case, it refers only to a real player.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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