As far as drafting, a lot can happen before #11. But I think the top 5 are probably set. That is the final hard dropoff before the Flyers pick. The best picks availible after that seem to be.

Monahan
Ristolainen
Pulock
Nurse
Lindholm
Shinkaruk

That's how I would rate them for Philly should multiple ones be availible at 11th if someone like Mirco Mueller or Hagg is taken earlier. If Philly gets one of these players at 11th, I'll be quite happy. My Preferance would be Ristolainen, but I could not pass up on Monahan if he was availible, he'd be the Best Player availible.
- flyler

After Jones @ 1 I think with the exception of the Oilers, (who will likely take Nurse or Ristolainen) I think 2-9 is going to see a run on forwards. Dallas is really the x factor for me. I can totally see them swiping Pulock away from us. I hope they take Nurse tho.

I believe Giroux comes in at 6 mil per, or close to it. Length to be determined. He will take a hometown discount......guaranteed.
- MBFlyerfan

I am thinking more like 7. Contract based on 1.5 years of top notch production. Not enough to earn Getzlaf, Perry, Crosby, or Malkin numbers.

I am thinking more like 7. Contract based on 1.5 years of top notch production. Not enough to earn Getzlaf, Perry, Crosby, or Malkin numbers.
- youarewrong

Agree

I am thinking more like 7. Contract based on 1.5 years of top notch production. Not enough to earn Getzlaf, Perry, Crosby, or Malkin numbers.
- youarewrong

Flyers aren't going to play games like that with him, if they do it will prob be brief. I dont think he should get anymore than Getzlaf's 8.25. Thats what I think it will be 8 yr 66 mil, 8.25.

Yep...I will be amazed if it's a penny less than $7.5M per season, for eight.
- AllInForFlyers

Not worth it. 6.5 tops otherwise trade him.

I am thinking more like 7. Contract based on 1.5 years of top notch production. Not enough to earn Getzlaf, Perry, Crosby, or Malkin numbers.
- youarewrong

The onlye difference is....weren't all the aforementioned players going into UFA? Giroux is still going into RFA.

So we and the Flyers have that going for us. Not sure if it makes any difference whatsoever

After Jones @ 1 I think with the exception of the Oilers, (who will likely take Nurse or Ristolainen) I think 2-9 is going to see a run on forwards. Dallas is really the x factor for me. I can totally see them swiping Pulock away from us. I hope they take Nurse tho.
- hereticpride

Quick mock, looking at need and best available:

1) Colorado - Seth Jones (tough call, but right call)
2) Florida - Nathan MacKinnon
3) Tampa Bay - J. Drouin
4) Nashville - Alexandre Barkov
5) Carolina - Valeria Nichushkin (best available > D need at this slot)
6) Calgary - Sean Monahan
7) Edmonton - Darnell Nurse (lots of young D talent, but not 6'5, fleet, and nasty. not a much needed power forward worth taking here anyway)
8) Buffalo - Elias Lindholm
9) New Jersey - Hunter Shinkaruk
10) Dallas - Bo Horvat
11) Philadelphia - Rasmus Ristolainen (good pick, I think they do this if he's there but I still think Pulock is better pick for them)

I hope you're right. But I have no idea why he would do that.
- MJL

Because he wants a good team around him and not a bunch of scrubs.

Not worth it. 6.5 tops otherwise trade him.
- JoeRussomanno

Everyone is available for the right deal. Except for those darn NTC's

Quick mock, looking at need and best available:

1) Colorado - Seth Jones (tough call, but right call)
2) Florida - Nathan MacKinnon
3) Tampa Bay - J. Drouin
4) Nashville - Alexandre Barkov
5) Carolina - Valeria Nichushkin (best available > D need at this slot)
6) Calgary - Sean Monahan
7) Edmonton - Darnell Nurse (lots of young D talent, but not 6'5, fleet, and nasty. not a much needed power forward worth taking here anyway)
8) Buffalo - Elias Lindholm
9) New Jersey - Hunter Shinkaruk
10) Dallas - Bo Horvat
11) Philadelphia - Rasmus Ristolainen (good pick, I think they do this if he's there but I still think Pulock is better pick for them)
- cmr.266

Ive read a lot of good stuff about Ristolainen lately.

Good points. I agree that while Lavy has to assume some blame (leadership, motivation, system play), Homer flopped big time in the offseason. I don't blame him for going after Weber and co., but obviously he didn't have a Plan B or C (so it seemed). Gervais? Foster? Whoops.

I blame Homer and the veteran leadership over Lavy, but they all are due some accountability. The players all seemed to make excuses or say "it's just a matter of time, we're not getting bounces". Right.
- cmr.266

I blame Laviolette more than anyone else. I don't absolve the front office or players, but Laviolette really did a horrible job in recognizing the capabilities of his roster.

The proof is in the pudding. The Flyers went 11-5 down the stretch, with an AHL caliber defense, after Laviolette "simplified" the system. Among the 11 wins were 9 over playoff teams, including a team still playing hockey as of today.

Did Holmgren fail to acquire top level guys? Absolutely. But the bottom line is, the Flyers had enough ability to be a playoff team, but the coach pissed away two months trying to make Braydon Coburn into Chris Pronger

Ive read a lot of good stuff about Ristolainen lately.
- MBFlyerfan

He should be a good player. He plays with "men" right now so he is likely closer to being NHL-ready than any D man in this draft not name Seth Jones.

Though I think Pulock's direct skill set is something the Flyers could really use in the long-term more than Risto. Risto is not believed to be a huge point producer.

I blame Laviolette more than anyone else. I don't absolve the front office or players, but Laviolette really did a horrible job in recognizing the capabilities of his roster.

The proof is in the pudding. The Flyers went 11-5 down the stretch, with an AHL caliber defense, after Laviolette "simplified" the system. Among the 11 wins were 9 over playoff teams, including a team still playing hockey as of today.

Did Holmgren fail to acquire top level guys? Absolutely. But the bottom line is, the Flyers had enough ability to be a playoff team, but the coach pissed away two months trying to make Braydon Coburn into Chris Pronger
- Jsaquella

There's a lot of people to blame. The argument with Lavy is why aren't we seeing the motivation, the jam, the energy more consistently? Coach has to motivate the players and have them ready to go. If your player aren't that good, they had better be skating hard and hitting.

Supposedly the Avs and Sabres have discussed moving Ryan Miller, Mikhail Grigorenko and the 8th overall pick for the first overall pick

Sabres director of amateur scouting Kevin Devine mentioned that there had been talks on WGR radio.

I like Grigorenko, but there's no way I'd take on a $6mm a year headcase goalie. Lesson learned

Supposedly the Avs and Sabres have discussed moving Ryan Miller, Mikhail Grigorenko and the 8th overall pick for the first overall pick

Sabres director of amateur scouting Kevin Devine mentioned that there had been talks on WGR radio.

I like Grigorenko, but there's no way I'd take on a $6mm a year headcase goalie. Lesson learned
- Jsaquella

Very interesting. It's an absolute no brainer for buffalo. Hopefully Colorado holds their feet to the fire some more

There's a lot of people to blame. The argument with Lavy is why aren't we seeing the motivation, the jam, the energy more consistently? Coach has to motivate the players and have them ready to go. If your player aren't that good, they had better be skating hard and hitting.
- cmr.266

Bullpoop. I don't care about jam or any of that crap. I care that the team defense was awful, largely because of the system. The gapping between forwards and defensemen kills the transition game and leads to turnover and odd man rushes against and kills their ability to score.

Rather than looking at his roster last October and saying, "Hmmm, not a lot of exceptional puck movers, I better make some changes" He did very little, and it really exposed the team's soft underbelly. When he finally had too many injuries, he changed things up, which improved the team defense and also started showing signs of improving the offense.

Effort wasn't an issue. It was wasted effort.

There's a lot of people to blame. The argument with Lavy is why aren't we seeing the motivation, the jam, the energy more consistently? Coach has to motivate the players and have them ready to go. If your player aren't that good, they had better be skating hard and hitting.
- cmr.266

It's a big issue. There hasn't really been a shred of consistency since he's been here.

Very interesting. It's an absolute no brainer for buffalo. Hopefully Colorado holds their feet to the fire some more
- Just5

If that was what Colorado asked, Buffalo should have taken it faster than Lindsay Lohan does a line of blow.

Not only do you get the top pick, you lose Miller and his contract

Bullpoop. I don't care about jam or any of that crap. I care that the team defense was awful, largely because of the system. The gapping between forwards and defensemen kills the transition game and leads to turnover and odd man rushes against and kills their ability to score.

Rather than looking at his roster last October and saying, "Hmmm, not a lot of exceptional puck movers, I better make some changes" He did very little, and it really exposed the team's soft underbelly. When he finally had too many injuries, he changed things up, which improved the team defense and also started showing signs of improving the offense.

Effort wasn't an issue. It was wasted effort.
- Jsaquella

I disagree that effort/energy wasn't an issue. I think it's been a lingering issue since 2010/2011. However, I completely agree with your comments are transition and not adjusting to your personnel. Their forwards strengths are built around the transition game, chances on the counter rush, speed/breakouts. They were stuck coming back to try and limit the turnovers (to little avail).

I am not sticking up for Lavy, but it's easy for someone to question how motivated he had these players night in and night out.

Bullpoop. I don't care about jam or any of that crap. I care that the team defense was awful, largely because of the system. The gapping between forwards and defensemen kills the transition game and leads to turnover and odd man rushes against and kills their ability to score.

Rather than looking at his roster last October and saying, "Hmmm, not a lot of exceptional puck movers, I better make some changes" He did very little, and it really exposed the team's soft underbelly. When he finally had too many injuries, he changed things up, which improved the team defense and also started showing signs of improving the offense.

Effort wasn't an issue. It was wasted effort.
- Jsaquella

I am certainly in agreement with your assessment. Right or wrong, the organization is firmly behind the idea of an aggressive forecheck and pinching your d-men at the blueline. To Lava's credit, I don't think the team every quit on him or tuned him out. Of course, the defensive philosophy should have been changed sooner.

I hope Lava is smart enough to realize if he goes back to status quo, there is a good chance he won't make to January. However, with the acquiring of Streit, certainly his best attributes are in this system as opposed to a Jacques Lemaire coached team.

I disagree that effort/energy wasn't an issue. I think it's been a lingering issue since 2010/2011. However, I completely agree with your comments are transition and not adjusting to your personnel. Their forwards strengths are built around the transition game, chances on the counter rush, speed/breakouts. They were stuck coming back to try and limit the turnovers (to little avail).

I am not sticking up for Lavy, but it's easy for someone to question how motivated he had these players night in and night out.
- cmr.266

The problem is, they have to waste so much energy and effort in their own end, because of the inability of the roster to play the system, that it seems as if they're not putting forth an effort.

It's hard to play with "jam"((frank) do I hate that ridiculous term), when you're busy back checking because the defensemen are asked to do too much with the puck and the transitional game consists largely of trying to clear the puck deep enough to get a change

I am certainly in agreement with your assessment. Right or wrong, the organization is firmly behind the idea of an aggressive forecheck and pinching your d-men at the blueline. To Lava's credit, I don't think the team every quit on him or tuned him out. Of course, the defensive philosophy should have been changed sooner.

I hope Lava is smart enough to realize if he goes back to status quo, there is a good chance he won't make to January. However, with the acquiring of Streit, certainly his best attributes are in this system as opposed to a Jacques Lemaire coached team.
- ravishingone

The addition of Streit is obviously an attempt to give Laviolette gusy who can better play his system. I'm fine with that. If he's not going to change, they better make changes on the roster.

I agree wholeheartedly that the team didn't tune him out. They're buying what he's selling for sure. The speed with which they adapted to the "simplified" system when it was implemented shows that.

The problem is, they have to waste so much energy and effort in their own end, because of the inability of the roster to play the system, that it seems as if they're not putting forth an effort.

It's hard to play with "jam"((frank) do I hate that ridiculous term), when you're busy back checking because the defensemen are asked to do too much with the puck and the transitional game consists largely of trying to clear the puck deep enough to get a change
- Jsaquella

I don't disagree with those points. They just obviously weren't particularly good at doing that either. Most of the over-30's guys had poor years regardless, so you have to put some of the blame on the players and the veteran leadership.

It's a new year, bud. Streit addresses the breakout element.

I don't disagree with those points. They just obviously weren't particularly good at doing that either. Most of the over-30's guys had poor years regardless, so you have to put some of the blame on the players and the veteran leadership.

It's a new year, bud. Streit addresses the breakout element.
- cmr.266

It is a new year. Streit will help the transition game, for sure. But he's not a 30 minute a night guy.

Laviolette will have to be much more adaptable if they are to have success.

http://www.thehockeynews....urts-more-than-helps.html
agree w/ the overall tenor of this, though not all particulars