MELTZER'S MUSINGS: JULY 9, 2016
1) Whether it is a restricted free agent in Brayden Schenn's situation or a player such as Brandon Manning or Jordan Weal, it should never come as a surprise when the agent for an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent files for arbitration on behalf his client.
It is a procedural matter of protecting the player's rights under the Collective Bargaining Agreement in the event of an impasse in negotiations. Once a hearing date is announced, it's a way of setting a deadline to get a negotiated agreement done. Without a deadline, things have a way of dragging on and on. An arbitration does not mean the two sides are necessarily at loggerheads, although that is sometimes the case.
Actually, it would be more surprising news if there was NOT a filing. The NHL's arbitration hearings this year start on July 20 and will run through August 6.
In Schenn's case, there is a reasonable possibility that the negotiation could go on until the 11th hour of a looming arbitration hearing. That's sometimes when the more complicated contract deals finally get done. Flyers GM Ron Hextall had such a situation during his own playing days, in the summer of 1996. The deal was not done until the day of a scheduled hearing, whereby the arbitrator was told his services would not be necessary.
If a case does go to arbitration, it need not be treated as Armageddon. The infamous Tommy Salo arbitration hearing is the exception and not the rule. Most arbitration hearings, while adversarial in terms of debating a player's contract worth, are more matter-of-fact and respectful. In the Salo case, then-GM of the New York Islanders, Mike Milbury, savagely attacked his starting goaltender's playing abilities and character to the point that, as the story goes, a shaken Salo was reduced to tears. (Salo, incidentally, later ended up becoming a general manager for Swedish team Leksand).
The prediction here is that the Flyers will not end up in arbitration with any of their players. Neither Manning -- who has been the last player signed each of the last two summers -- nor Weal in particular have strong cases for salaries beyond what can be negotiated. With Schenn, there's risk on both sides, which is more often than not an impetus to reach a negotiated agreement.
Schenn's agent is veteran Don Meehan, who represents dozens of NHL players and has represented hundreds of players over the years. The Flyers have always had a reasonably solid working relationship with Meehan's agency in terms of getting deals done amicably.
2) Jordan Weal's situation heading into next season is one of the most precarious on the team. He spent almost all of last season in the press box both with the LA Kings (10 games) and the Flyers (four games). He also missed three weeks due to an injury.
Hextall said in April at his end-of-season media session that the organization is still high on the player, whom the Flyers acquired in the deal that sent Vincent Lecavalier and Luke Schenn to the LA Kings.
More than anything else, Weal fell victim to the numbers game in the lineup last season. Then things got to the point where he'd been sitting out so many games that playing him in a meaningful game was not realistic.
"We were still battling for the playoffs and, at a certain point, it's also about what's fair. Down the stretch, after Jordan played just [14] games all year, it's not fair to him or to the team if you play him and expect him to play at the pace everyone needs to play at that time of year," Hextall said.
"But we like what Jordan can do. We think he can help us going forward. He's a good little player, a talented one. He's done everything that was asked of him. What else could he do? Probably nothing. He works hard in practice. He’s the first guy out there 45 usually before anybody use. He works at his game. He’s diligent. He works off the ice.”
The departure of still-unsigned unrestricted free agent Sam Gagner opens the window a crack for Weal to compete for playing time in 2016-17. However, it would still seem that the numbers game works against him, barring injuries or trades.
If one figures that the top five forwards (Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, Schenn and Sean Couturier) are a given and that Michael Raffl, Dale Weise, Matt Read, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Chris VandeVelde, Nick Cousins (who no longer waiver exempt), Scott Laughton and recently signed Boyd Gordon are all higher on head coach Dave Hakstol's depth chart exiting last season and preparing for training camp next season. That's 13 forwards ahead of Weal in the current pecking order.
Weal, who starred in the American Hockey League for Manchester, would be another firecracker addition to an increasingly stacked Lehigh Valley Phantoms roster. He would get more playing time, which he needs at this point, and opportunity to springboard into an NHL callup where he might actually play for the Flyers (or another team).
In order to send him to the Phantoms, though, the Flyers would first have to get Weal through waivers. Even though the Kings really did not have much use for Weal last season -- nor did the Flyers after his acquisition -- he spent the entire year in the National Hockey League. Presumably, there was an expectation that the skilled but undersized 24-year-old would be lost via waiver claim. Otherwise, what was the purpose of having him sit out game after game, week after week?
In fairness to the player, Weal needs either to have a chance to compete for an NHL job -- whether with his present organization or another -- or else return to the American Hockey League and build his case anew for a NHL spot. Either which way, he needs to play somewhere.
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2016 FLYERS ALUMNI GOLF INVITATIONAL
The 2016 Flyers Alumni Golf Invitational will be held on July 18 at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. The event will raise money for the Flyers Alumni Association, Flyers Charities and BLOCS.
The Golf Invitational will offer a round of golf, lunch, cocktail reception and dinner program.
Subject to changes and additions, the following Flyers Alumni -- widely representing every decade of team history -- will be attending: Ray Allison, Bill Barber, Frank Bathe, Craig Berube, Brian Boucher, Jesse Boulerice, Danny Briere, Terry Carkner, Lindsay Carson, Jeff Chychrun, Bob Clarke, Bill Clement, Steve Coates, Riley Cote, Doug Crossman, Barry Dean, Eric Desjardins, Andre "Moose" Dupont, Doug Favell, Todd Fedoruk, Ross Fitzpatrick, Mark Freer, Larry Goodenough, TJ Gorence, Paul Holmgren, Ed Hospodar, Mark Howe, Kerry Huffman, Bob "the Hound" Kelly, Tim Kerr, Orest Kindrachuk, Mike Knuble, Ian Laperriere, Mitch Lamoureaux, Neil Little, Brad Marsh, Phil Myre, Bernie Parent, Dave Poulin, Brian Propp, Chris Pronger, Luke Richardson, Don Saleski, Dave "the Hammer" Schultz (attending but not golfing), Ilkka Sinisalo, Derrick Smith, and Joe Watson.
For more information,
click here.
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