QUICK HITS

1) It is far too early to predict with confidence whom the Flyers will expose in the NHL Expansion Draft next year when the new Las Vegas team picks. However, what we do know are the rules and can speculate around that.

For example, in order to comply with the requirements set forth by the NHL, teams MUST expose at least:

* One defenseman who is a) under contract in 2017-18 and b) played in 40 or more NHL games the prior season OR played in 70 or more NHL games in the prior two seasons.

Brandon Manning played in 56 games in 2015-16 and would need to play just 14 games in 2016-17 to meet the games played requirement. His recent agreement to a two-year contract already satisfies the contractual requirement.

Andrew MacDonald is signed through 2019-20. He would need to play 40 games for the Flyers in 2016-17 to satisfy the exposure requirement.

Note: Defense prospects Ivan Provorov, Samuel Morin (a second-year pro in 2016-17), Robert Hägg (who was a slide-rule player in 2014-15 despite playing for the Phantoms), Travis Sanheim and Philippe Myers will all be exempt from the Expansion Draft. Veteran defensemen Mark Streit and Nick Schultz are unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2017 and would have to sign an extension in-season to be available to meet the minimum exposure requirement for the Expansion Draft.

As such, the Flyers' at present should not have any problem protecting Shayne Gostisbehere, Michael Del Zotto (presuming the impending UFA is signed to an extension) and Radko Gudas.

* "One goaltender who is under contract in 2017-18 or will be a restricted free agent at the expiration of his current contract immediately prior to 2017-18. If the club elects to make a restricted free agent goaltender available in order to meet this requirement, that goaltender must have received his qualifying offer prior to the submission of the club’s protected list."

Not that there is not an NHL games played minimum here. Both Anthony Stolarz and Alex Lyon (whose first year of entry-level contract was burned by the Flyers per agreement with the player; a prerequisite for getting him signed in the first place) will be restricted free agents after the 2016-17 season. With a slew of more experienced NHL goaltenders from whom to choose, it seems unlikely that the Flyers would lose either prospect if exposed.

Both Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth are unrestricted free agents next summer. The Flyers could very well sign one or the other to a pre-emptive extension. In that event, the player would be protected.

* "Two forwards who are a) under contract in 2017-18 and b) played in 40 or more NHL games the prior season OR played in 70 or more NHL games in the prior two seasons."


At present, the Flyers may have to expose two among Matt Read (signed through 2017-18), Michael Raffl (signed through 2018-19) and Dale Weise (signed through 2017-18). However, the likes of Scott Laughton, Nick Cousins, Jordan Weal, Roman Lyubimov (one a one-year entry-level contract) and prospect Taylor Leier are RFA eligible next summer. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Chris VandeVelde and Boyd Gordon are all potential unrestricted free agents.

Travis Konecny (slide-rule eligible in 2016-17) and Nicolas Aube-Kubel (Phantoms rookie in 2016-17) will be among the Expansion Draft exempt players in the organization.

Teams will have to options for their protected lists: Either a) seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender, or b) Eight skaters (forwards and defensemen combined) and one goaltender. Option makes much more sense for the Flyers. So, a very tentative and preliminary protected list could look something like this:

Forwards (7): Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier are clear-cut. The Flyers would then have two open spots to decide among the rest of the draft-eligible players above while exposing two to meet the minimum requirement.

Defensemen (3): Shayne Gostisbehere, Michael Del Zotto (UFA in 2017) and Radko Gudas would presently be the top three candidates for protection.

Goaltender (1): One among Steve Mason or Michal Neuvirth if their contract is extended. In the event neither agrees to an extension beyond next season, the Flyers could protect a prospect goalie.


2) Trivia: What uniform number has been worn by the most players in Flyers' franchise history? (Answer at the end)


3) Today in Flyers History: August 12

1967: In preparation for the franchise's first season of operation, the Flyers sign former Boston Bruins goaltender Bernie Parent (the first player Philadelphia selected in the NHL Expansion Draft) and minor league veteran goaltender Claude Cyr (a former Philadelphia Rambler among many stops) to contracts.

2004: The Flyers sign Mattias Timander to a two-year contract extension. The player, originally acquired for depth during the 2003-04, ultimately stays in Sweden with Modo during and after the locked-out 2004-05 NHL season.

Birthday: Rosaire Paiement, a popular 1960s-era Flyers player who spent parts of the franchise's first three seasons with the club, turns 71 years old today. One of 16 children, Rosaire is the older brother of long time NHL player Wilf Paiement.

Trivia answer: Thirty-two players have worn number 15 for at least one game with the Flyers. The most notable players to wear number 15 on a long-term basis include current Flyers defenseman Michael Del Zotto as well as past players such as Terry Crisp, Rich Sutter and Pat Falloon.

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