Laughton can't be recalled until his junior season is over, anyhow, unless the Flyers face an emergency situation due to injuries.

There's no 8 game cup of coffee next year. The clock starts ticking on his ELC next year regardless, because he's no longer slide eligible after this year.
- Jsaquella

Personally I think Laughton is becoming our #1 blue chip trade piece.

Maybe at the deadline, when it is more certain where the pick will be. That Edmonton team isn't as bad as they are Showing and I think a lot of teams realize that. Plus MacTavish has said another 18 year old kid wont help this team.

How many defensive minded d-men are available right now that would be better then Schenn?
- youarewrong

I don't think Luke Schenn will get you even the #30 pick...or, in this case, #29 (lol@Devils)

Exactly. The question was posed as to if the Flyers would want him on the team when it's over.
And I think (by now) everyone knows he has no 8 game cup of coffee next year.
The question was, if he plays for the Flyers after his junior season is over (a la Ryan Parent), does that affect his ELC? I know playing for the Phantoms won't (Richards/Carter), but I'm not sure about the Flyers

That whole post you referenced was about Morin, not Laughton
- jmatchett383

Oh, my bad. I thougt it was Laughton.

Morin gets the same 9 game "tryout" regardless of when it starts. I agree there's no reason to rush this kid, at all.

Personally I think Laughton is becoming our #1 blue chip trade piece.
- MBFlyerfan

It's very possible that he is.

Yes sir. Flyers have scored 2 goals or less in a mind boggling 16 of 19 games. There is no way that trend can continue.
- PLindbergh31

In the fantasy league I'm in guys have lost patience with their PHI players and dropped them. I managed to pick up Streit, Voracek and Hartnell all off the WW hoping they have turned a corner.

With the way OTT has been pooping the bed lately giving up so many shots on goal and Lehner making a strong case for more starts, would you say that dropping Anderson for Mason at this stage would be a good move?

I have Niemi and Harding as my 1 and 2 right now so it's kind of a low risk high reward type of play.

Personally I think Laughton is becoming our #1 blue chip trade piece.
- MBFlyerfan

Guy's a candidate to captain Team Canada at the WJC, and some people can't wait to ship him out the door, while at the same time preaching patience.

Think they were talking about Morin.

Edit: Looking forward to see what Laughton can do.
- wolfhounds

Yeah, I'm a dope.

Yeah, Laughton's intriguing. I do think he might be their best trade chip right now.

Guy's a candidate to captain Team Canada at the WJC, and some people can't wait to ship him out the door, while at the same time preaching patience.
- jmatchett383

I don't think that anyone is advocating trading Laughton. But if I'm a GM of another team, he'd be the top guy on my list.

I don't think that anyone is advocating trading Laughton. But if I'm a GM of another team, he'd be the top guy on my list.
- Jsaquella

I wouldn't move him unless it was as part of a crazy trade for a true Elite defenseman (there's about 6 league-wide), and I don't see that happening. Guy is 4th in the OHL in pts/GP.

I wouldn't move him unless it was as part of a crazy trade for a true Elite defenseman (there's about 6 league-wide), and I don't see that happening.
- jmatchett383

I'd do it for less than an elite defenseman. If I could get a guy like Yandle or Bouwmeester, I'd strongly consider it.

Granted, Laughton alone wouldn't get it done, but I'd need a relatively young defenseman, with good mobility & puck skills to consider it.

I also think Buff would be a great addition. I know Bill hates him... or rather... absolutely would not want him on the team... but I think he is a piece of the puzzle to get this team from being a playoff contendor to deep playoff contendor. Of course IMO if you move for Buff you have to make more then 1 move IMO. I could see Trading Coburn, Simmonds, Cousins, For Buff. Then moving Schenn for Edm 1st, and send our first in 2015 to Rangers for MDZ.

This year..
Timonen-Byfuglien
Streit-Meszaros
Grossmann-Del Zotto

Next Year:
Streit-Byfuglien
Grossmann-Del Zotto
Morin/Hagg/Alt-Gustefsson
- youarewrong

You seriously make my brain hurt when you come up with this stuff

I'd do it for less than an elite defenseman. If I could get a guy like Yandle or Bouwmeester, I'd strongly consider it.

Granted, Laughton alone wouldn't get it done, but I'd need a relatively young defenseman, with good mobility & puck skills to consider it.
- Jsaquella

Okay, yes, for a young guy (I wouldn't consider J-Bo young) with skill like Yandle, I'd do it. But I wouldn't do it for a guy like Buff or Campbell.

In the fantasy league I'm in guys have lost patience with their PHI players and dropped them. I managed to pick up Streit, Voracek and Hartnell all off the WW hoping they have turned a corner.

With the way OTT has been pooping the bed lately giving up so many shots on goal and Lehner making a strong case for more starts, would you say that dropping Anderson for Mason at this stage would be a good move?

I have Niemi and Harding as my 1 and 2 right now so it's kind of a low risk high reward type of play.
- BlueBallz

I'm not a fantasy hockey guy, so I'm not really sure. Anderson is a stud, but it seems as if he's been under assault in the games he's played. Ottawa doesn't exactly have a world class defense playing in front of him. Same thing can be said for the Flyers. Their attention to detail in their own end is improving under Berube.

I don't think that anyone is advocating trading Laughton. But if I'm a GM of another team, he'd be the top guy on my list.
- Jsaquella

He's, definitely, the surest thing among all Flyers prospects.

It really depends on which team asks. Some teams may prefer to upside of Morin than the certainty of Laughton.

Okay, yes, for a young guy (I wouldn't consider J-Bo young) with skill like Yandle, I'd do it. But I wouldn't do it for a guy like Buff or Campbell.
- jmatchett383

Well, relatively young, in J-Bouw's case.


I wouldn't do it for Buff or Campbell, either.

You seriously make my brain hurt when you come up with this stuff
- KINGKENZO

All the dumb trade speculation crap is boring. Flyers don't need to make any trades right now.

This is a gross over-simplification. If all you need are just hard-working guys to plug out there then, goaltending being ewual, all teams should have a pretty equal PK% since most team can find enough hard workers to use on the PK. It's like saying Lappy was the same on the PK as Powe on the PK because they both worked hard, which is not even close. Positioning, defensive coverage awareness, shot blocking ability, stick use, and anticipation are key factors on the PK.
- jmatchett383

When did I ever say that all PK'ers were the same? All I said was that it's a much different animal than being good defensively 5v5, and it takes far less of a player to kill penalties than just about anything else in the game.

That's why you'll see Joakim Andersson and Drew Miller leading the Wings in PK time despite there being a multiple Selke-winner on the bench in Datsyuk.

If a plug can be taught to burn all their energy chasing the puck like a terrier, step in front of shots, and ham fist the puck down the ice... why send an actual good player to lay down in front of a Byfuglien slapper or tire his legs out in an out-manned situation?

Short answer is, you don't.

And while Lappy was better than Powe, Lappy wasn't a great ES player either.

You seriously make my brain hurt when you come up with this stuff
- KINGKENZO

Let's not forget that it would put Winnipeg over the cap by $2.75M.

Yeah, I'm a dope.

Yeah, Laughton's intriguing. I do think he might be their best trade chip right now.
- Jsaquella

Agreed. If GMs are comfortable assuming he can take what he's doing in the OHL and extend it to the NHL, he's getting a lot of attention right now, especially with his ability to be an offensive threat on the PK. I used to absolutely love that about Richards.

Still, I really want to see Laughton for a season in Orange and Black.

Guy's a candidate to captain Team Canada at the WJC, and some people can't wait to ship him out the door, while at the same time preaching patience.
- jmatchett383

Slow your roll there buddy.


You don't agree he is becoming a top trade piece to get this team a pretty good defensive asset coming the other way? Especially when he has Giroux, Lecavalier, Couturier, and Schenn ahead of him on the depth chart and will not be supplanting any of them any time soon?

When did I ever say that all PK'ers were the same? All I said was that it's a much different animal than being good defensively 5v5, and it takes far less of a player to kill penalties than just about anything else in the game.

That's why you'll see Joakim Andersson and Drew Miller leading the Wings in PK time despite there being a multiple Selke-winner on the bench in Datsyuk.

If a plug can be taught to burn all their energy chasing the puck like a terrier, step in front of shots, and ham fist the puck down the ice... why send an actual good player to lay down in front of a Byfuglien slapper or tire his legs out in an out-manned situation?

Short answer is, you don't.

And while Lappy was better than Powe, but Lappy wasn't a great ES player either.
- Tomahawk

I was just upset, as a guy who prided himself of being a very good defensive and PK player, that you trivialized the role as just having to be a "hard worker" to be a PK player. There is a ton more to it than that. There's a reason top PK players (like Lappy) are coveted around the league.

Well, relatively young, in J-Bouw's case.


I wouldn't do it for Buff or Campbell, either.
- Jsaquella

I know I'm late to the party here on the Buff debate, but I wouldn't touch him. The game against the Flyers showed all sides of him. Fantastic talent, lazy, out of shape, poor on coverages. Not to mention his goal celebrations were a little over the top.

Okay, yes, for a young guy (I wouldn't consider J-Bo young) with skill like Yandle, I'd do it. But I wouldn't do it for a guy like Buff or Campbell.
- jmatchett383

J-Bo is young enough...he's only 30. also, the funniest is how over the past 5 years or so that guy has be "THE guy" to "DO NOT WANT" back to "he's definitely an asset"

always loved what this guy brought. 25 minute nights...you can set your watch to them.

Slow your roll there buddy.


You don't agree he is becoming a top trade piece to get this team a pretty good defensive asset coming the other way? Especially when he has Giroux, Lecavalier, Couturier, and Schenn ahead of him on the depth chart and will not be supplanting any of them any time soon?
- MBFlyerfan

He definitely is a top trade piece. And if he gets us a young, top-pair defenseman, I'd trade him. But if you have a ton of good centers (see Boston who had 8 players who were centers prior to the NHL on their teamlast year), you find a way to play them all. The reason he is a top trade piece is because he's valuable to all teams, including the one who owns his rights.

J-Bo is young enough...he's only 30. also, the funniest is how over the past 5 years or so that guy has be "THE guy" to "DO NOT WANT" back to "he's definitely an asset"

always loved what this guy brought. 25 minute nights...you can set your watch to them.
- eshake

He's a very solid player if you have a top pairing in front of him.