He and Pitkanen really turned into very good defensive players.
- bradleyc4

Still puzzled on why the Flyers traded Pitkanen.

Anyone remember how Ottawa manged to let Chara walk as a free agent?
- Feanor

Had Redden and Chara both becoming UFAs in their prime. Had to let one walk, they chose Redden. As a side note, Chara made it no secret he wanted to be captain of the Sens in the near future, but Alfie was and still is here.

Meh. I've made up my tiny little mind and you're not going to change it. And dont even think about using facts, statistics, or eyewitness accounts.
- Doc_Sarcasm

How about a chocolate bar and a pair of nylons?

depends on the mkt. when bryz and vokoun were the only significant veteran options, the latter was left holding the bag because the mkt just wasn't there. there will be enuf options out there that we can't say for sure what backstrom will be offered. as long as we don't do something stupid like trading for the rights of a UFA, we would be in the drivers seat.
- isaiah520

The market also includes a player being willing to go back to Europe.

No.

I think Bill needs to dedicate a section of his blog to this CBA topic every day until both our CBOs have been used.
- Rocktane

That proposed scenario is so obvious that clearly anyone can come up with it so why don't those same folks take the next step and think about how that would be the first "loophole" that the CBA would close?

Still puzzled on why the Flyers traded Pitkanen.
- MJL

I remember one story... I can't remember if it was Kapanen or who the other Finnish player was, but whoever it was, just threw up his hands at the notion of reaching Pitkanen, basically saying.. "I cant talk to him. You try to teach him something, he nods at you and goes back to doing the same thing he was doing before."

That proposed scenario is so obvious that clearly anyone can come up with it so why don't those same folks take the next step and think about how that would be the first "loophole" that the CBA would close?
- Scoob

I don't see what's wrong with buying him out. Then re-signing him to a contract that makes up the difference of the 1/3rd that the player lost. And having the player for a much lower Cap hit. I don't think the League would see that as circumventing the Cap at all.

I remember one story... I can't remember if it was Kapanen or who the other Finnish player was, but whoever it was, just threw up his hands at the notion of reaching Pitkanen, basically saying.. "I cant talk to him. You try to teach him something, he nods at you and goes back to doing the same thing he was doing before."
- Doc_Sarcasm

He certainly wasn't a perfect player here. But he was a good player, who's only gotten better. And is a solid defenseman.

Still puzzled on why the Flyers traded Pitkanen.
- MJL

Pitkanen will be a UFA next year, too. He really needs to stay healthy for the whole season and put up 40 points to command a big new contract.

Still puzzled on why the Flyers traded Pitkanen.
- MJL

Was that lupul that he was traded for?

Was that lupul that he was traded for?
- twotoekenn

Lupul and Jason Smith

Was that lupul that he was traded for?
- twotoekenn

And Jason Smith.

I remember one story... I can't remember if it was Kapanen or who the other Finnish player was, but whoever it was, just threw up his hands at the notion of reaching Pitkanen, basically saying.. "I cant talk to him. You try to teach him something, he nods at you and goes back to doing the same thing he was doing before."
- Doc_Sarcasm

Todd Fedoruk took a swipe at Joni in a practice, as I recall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu8-SBTUcqY

He certainly wasn't a perfect player here. But he was a good player, who's only gotten better. And is a solid defenseman.
- MJL

When he was here he was a turn over machine in the Janne Niinima mold. They tried to change things in his game but he wouldn't do it. He played a very high risk game and that wasn't going to fly under the circumstances. They felt the trade was an upgrade to the forwards and defense.

The market also includes a player being willing to go back to Europe.
- MJL

which vokoun chose not to do, so we'll have to see what backstrom thinks...

which vokoun chose not to do, so we'll have to see what backstrom thinks...
- isaiah520

Backstrom just had sports hernia surgery. IN PHILADELPHIA.

Decision made.

Okay Question time. I think there is something I am missing. I've been retooling the Flyers lineup at Capgeek.com Once Pronger goes on LTIR and the RFA's head back to the AHL (except Gus) and we resign Gags. We still have just over a mil in cap space. Am I missing bonuses or something? Or is it possible to retain the team for next year including Briere and Bryz?

I realize a lot of people HAVE to add another player to justify fixing a team that diddn't make the playoffs. But dealing with the early difficulties of the season and the initial dropoff an then imrpovement in our younger players. I guess I'm of the oppinion that the best improvement this team can make is letting their younger players develop and their injured players heal.

FORWARDS
Simon Gagne ($2.500m) / Claude Giroux ($3.750m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
Scott Hartnell ($4.750m) / Danny Briere ($6.500m) / Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m)
Brayden Schenn ($3.110m) / Sean Couturier ($1.375m) / Matt Read ($0.900m)
Maxime Talbot ($1.750m) / Scott Laughton ($1.107m) / Zac Rinaldo ($0.750m)
Jay Rosehill ($0.675m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Kimmo Timonen ($6.000m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Braydon Coburn ($4.500m) / Andrej Meszaros ($4.000m)
Erik Gustafsson ($0.851m) / Nicklas Grossmann ($3.500m)
Bruno Gervais ($0.825m)
GOALTENDERS
Ilya Bryzgalov ($5.667m)
Steve Mason ($1.500m)

Okay Question time. I think there is something I am missing. I've been retooling the Flyers lineup at Capgeek.com Once Pronger goes on LTIR and the RFA's head back to the AHL (except Gus) and we resign Gags. We still have just over a mil in cap space. Am I missing bonuses or something? Or is it possible to retain the team for next year including Briere and Bryz?

I realize a lot of people HAVE to add another player to justify fixing a team that diddn't make the playoffs. But dealing with the early difficulties of the season and the initial dropoff an then imrpovement in our younger players. I guess I'm of the oppinion that the best improvement this team can make is letting their younger players develop and their injured players heal.

FORWARDS
Simon Gagne ($2.500m) / Claude Giroux ($3.750m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
Scott Hartnell ($4.750m) / Danny Briere ($6.500m) / Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m)
Brayden Schenn ($3.110m) / Sean Couturier ($1.375m) / Matt Read ($0.900m)
Maxime Talbot ($1.750m) / Scott Laughton ($1.107m) / Zac Rinaldo ($0.750m)
Jay Rosehill ($0.675m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Kimmo Timonen ($6.000m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Braydon Coburn ($4.500m) / Andrej Meszaros ($4.000m)
Erik Gustafsson ($0.851m) / Nicklas Grossmann ($3.500m)
Bruno Gervais ($0.825m)
GOALTENDERS
Ilya Bryzgalov ($5.667m)
Steve Mason ($1.500m)
- flyler

I think it's more that Briere disappeared this last season ont he ice... And honestly we have a bunch of young centers who need his slot and Briere is even worse as a winger. I adore the guy, I really do but he has no place in Philly next year. Buying him out helps take pressure off the cap in case we do try and get someone else.... We also have to look at keeping some cap room next season for re-signing people...
But there is always a chance he stays. I just think it's a small one. Homer will be making moves this summer. It's Holmgren!

I think it's more that Briere disappeared this last season ont he ice... And honestly we have a bunch of young centers who need his slot and Briere is even worse as a winger. I adore the guy, I really do but he has no place in Philly next year. Buying him out helps take pressure off the cap in case we do try and get someone else.... We also have to look at keeping some cap room next season for re-signing people...
But there is always a chance he stays. I just think it's a small one. Homer will be making moves this summer. It's Holmgren!
- FlyersGrace

As much as I like Briere, I dont think there's any chance he stays. He's showed a ton of heart and a ton of class in his stay as a Flyer, but over the last year plus he's been something of a liability (playoffs notwithstanding) on the ice, and a liability with a 6.5 million cap hit at a time when we're already at least 3 million over the cap.

When he was here he was a turn over machine in the Janne Niinima mold. They tried to change things in his game but he wouldn't do it. He played a very high risk game and that wasn't going to fly under the circumstances. They felt the trade was an upgrade to the forwards and defense.
- mayorofangrytown

But he has since corrected a lot of those issues. I think they gave up on him too fast.

Okay Question time. I think there is something I am missing. I've been retooling the Flyers lineup at Capgeek.com Once Pronger goes on LTIR and the RFA's head back to the AHL (except Gus) and we resign Gags. We still have just over a mil in cap space. Am I missing bonuses or something? Or is it possible to retain the team for next year including Briere and Bryz?

I realize a lot of people HAVE to add another player to justify fixing a team that diddn't make the playoffs. But dealing with the early difficulties of the season and the initial dropoff an then imrpovement in our younger players. I guess I'm of the oppinion that the best improvement this team can make is letting their younger players develop and their injured players heal.

FORWARDS
Simon Gagne ($2.500m) / Claude Giroux ($3.750m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
Scott Hartnell ($4.750m) / Danny Briere ($6.500m) / Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m)
Brayden Schenn ($3.110m) / Sean Couturier ($1.375m) / Matt Read ($0.900m)
Maxime Talbot ($1.750m) / Scott Laughton ($1.107m) / Zac Rinaldo ($0.750m)
Jay Rosehill ($0.675m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Kimmo Timonen ($6.000m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Braydon Coburn ($4.500m) / Andrej Meszaros ($4.000m)
Erik Gustafsson ($0.851m) / Nicklas Grossmann ($3.500m)
Bruno Gervais ($0.825m)
GOALTENDERS
Ilya Bryzgalov ($5.667m)
Steve Mason ($1.500m)
- flyler

You didn't include the bottom part of the roster using the Cap calculator. Did you use the Bonus Cushion?

Flyler Idea..
- flyler

Im perfectly fine with the most of that... but buying out Briere is a must for me.

But he has since corrected a lot of those issues. I think they gave up on him too fast.
- MJL

That's a common theme that ran through the Flyers Franchise when Ken Hitchcock was the coach. See Siedenberg, Dennis and Sharp, Patrick.

At least he got ice time.

So... In Toronto they get a two hour radio special on Locker Room Clean Out Day.

I remember one story... I can't remember if it was Kapanen or who the other Finnish player was, but whoever it was, just threw up his hands at the notion of reaching Pitkanen, basically saying.. "I cant talk to him. You try to teach him something, he nods at you and goes back to doing the same thing he was doing before."
- Doc_Sarcasm

also ate boogers at practice