Agreed. Short of Giroux, Pronger was the one player you'd choose to not lose because of how rare and valuable he is. Savard's a very good player, but there's no way his loss compares to the Flyers.

And yes, you make a point that the Bruins are a better constructed team than the Flyers. But still, the losses affected the teams on totally different scales.



This, basically.
- jmatchett383

I agree.

I think it was a series of bad moves for the Flyers. I would, also, like to point out that the Bruins are a much better run organization right now. I will not argue about that.

For the sake of argument, let's evaluate the Flyers just after the Stanley Cup season. Let's say Pronger remains healthy and Jeff Carter has a career ending injury. With Giroux, Richards and Briere, the Flyers are built to withstand his injury.

If the Bruins lose Chara, Dennis Seidenberg becomes the number 1 defenseman for them.

I would contend that a Carter-less Flyers are better than a Chara-less Bruins.

(In terms of overall value, I felt Savard and Carter had similar value. Savard was a best scorer while carter was a better two-way player. Savard was more clutch, but Carter was much younger.)
- PhillySportsGuy

Tim Thomas and his .938SV% would probably have eased the blow... and remember they had Tomas Kaberle that year, lol.

Speaking of Thomas, remember they had to deal with his $5M of dead cap space when he went into hiding as well? B's have really experienced a lot of adversity, but they've got reinforcements at every position, where the Flyers are left naked if bad luck strikes.

I am not 100% sure about the not terrible part. They have 21 games of the next 29 against teams currently in a playoff position. They are for the season 4-12 against those teams so far. In those 16 games, they have score more than 2 goals only 4 times. They have allowed at least 3 goals in 14 of those 16 games with 10 of them being 4 or more. It could be a very bad end to this season.
- psuhockey

Especially as the real playoff teams start jockeying for a better seeding position.

What would you guys think of re-acquiring Jagr? What do you think it would take?
- mickel25

I love the guy and wish they never let him walk, but at this point I don't think there's value in bringing him back. Offense isn't the problem.

Tim Thomas and his .938SV% would probably have eased the blow... and remember they had Tomas Kaberle that year, lol.

Speaking of Thomas, remember they had to deal with his $5M of dead cap space when he went into hiding as well? B's have really experienced a lot of adversity, but they've got reinforcements at every position, where the Flyers are left naked if bad luck strikes.
- Tomahawk

Tim Thomas played like a rich man's version of Leigton's Montreal series that playoff year. He was spectacular.

The Flyers' philosophy has always been draft for forwards and fill in with trade/UFA for the defense and goalies. They finally have some good defensive prospects (Ghost, Morin, Hagg, Alt, Lauridsen) and some good goalie prospects (Heeter, Stolarz).

Tim Thomas and his .938SV% would probably have eased the blow... and remember they had Tomas Kaberle that year, lol.

Speaking of Thomas, remember they had to deal with his $5M of dead cap space when he went into hiding as well? B's have really experienced a lot of adversity, but they've got reinforcements at every position, where the Flyers are left naked if bad luck strikes.
- Tomahawk

Thomas was very good, but he played in a well structured system as well. The Bruins are loaded with great two-way forwards.

I believe the Bruins traded Thomas to the Isles. They took on his cap hit, but did not have to pay him a salary. It allowed them to reach the cap floor, I believe.

What would be the goal?
- johndewar

Vinny, Timonen, Pronger and Jagr... if Lou threw in Brodeur, and they signed Gags, you might be able to reconstruct the NHL First-Team All-Stars from the year 2003.

Thomas was very good, but he played in a well structured system as well. The Bruins are loaded with great two-way forwards.

I believe the Bruins traded Thomas to the Isles. They took on his cap hit, but did not have to pay him a salary. It allowed them to reach the cap floor, I believe.
- PhillySportsGuy

Yeah, system is solid, good two-way players up and down the lineup, great depth in goal... it all adds up to a rock-solid foundation that you can fall back on in hard times.

Like I mentioned at the tail end of the last blog... it seems like the Flyers have been built from a series of napkin sketches, not a single set of blueprints.


Thomas wasn't traded until before the deadline of that year, I believe.

Look, we don't need Weber. We need Buff, Rundblad and Yakupov. After we get them, it's all gravy.
- PhillySportsGuy

You say that sarcastically, but it would fix a lot a alments on this team....

Yeah, system is solid, good two-way players up and down the lineup, great depth in goal... it all adds up to a rock-solid foundation that you can fall back on in hard times.

Like I mentioned at the tail end of the last blog... it seems like the Flyers have been built from a series of napkin sketches, not a single set of blueprints.


Thomas wasn't traded until before the deadline of that year, I believe.
- Tomahawk

It was early in the season. The TDL was sometime in April, he was traded in February I think.

Yeah, system is solid, good two-way players up and down the lineup, great depth in goal... it all adds up to a rock-solid foundation that you can fall back on in hard times.

Like I mentioned at the tail end of the last blog... it seems like the Flyers have been built from a series of napkin sketches, not a single set of blueprints.


Thomas wasn't traded until before the deadline of that year, I believe.
- Tomahawk

I agree with you. The Flyers have neglected the development of goaltending and defenseman. The Bruins transitioned from Thomas to Rask with only a few bumps along the way. They will also be able to transfer from Chara to guys like Hamilton, Krug, Bartkowski and Morrow. They are built for sustained success.

The Flyers have always looked for people who can help them here and now.

It was early in the season. The TDL was sometime in April, he was traded in February I think.
- jmatchett383

Starting the season with $5M in dead space, and another $4M tied up in perma-LTIR, and still making it to the Finals with almost $6M in cap space to spare at the end of the season? Do you see Homer being able to pull that off, given his history of playing fast and loose (and close to the max)?

Tim Thomas and his .938SV% would probably have eased the blow... and remember they had Tomas Kaberle that year, lol.

Speaking of Thomas, remember they had to deal with his $5M of dead cap space when he went into hiding as well? B's have really experienced a lot of adversity, but they've got reinforcements at every position, where the Flyers are left naked if bad luck strikes.
- Tomahawk

The Bruins were also a bottom dwelling team for years, amassing much better picks then the Flyers... And lets not forget hitting the Kessel lottery.

You say that sarcastically, but it would fix a lot a alments on this team....
- youarewrong

What about the ailments that would result from acquiring those pieces? Who would be our best defensive players. I find it hard to believe you acquire those 3 players without giving up Couturier and/or Laughton and/or Coburn

The Bruins were also a bottom dwelling team for years, amassing much better picks then the Flyers... And lets not forget hitting the Kessel lottery.
- youarewrong

The Flyers never would have let a player like Kessel go though. They wouldn't have taken 2 picks. They would have signed Kessel to whatever he wanted.

What about the ailments that would result from acquiring those pieces? Who would be our best defensive players. I find it hard to believe you acquire those 3 players without giving up Couturier and/or Laughton and/or Coburn
- PhillySportsGuy

So you're saying filling holes by creating bigger holes is a bad idea?

Starting the season with $5M in dead space, and another $4M tied up in perma-LTIR, and still making it to the Finals with almost $6M in cap space to spare at the end of the season? Do you see Homer being able to pull that off, given his history of playing fast and loose (and close to the max)?
- Tomahawk

I bet he would have traded Thomas at the beginning of the season. Even if it meant giving a 2nd round pick with it. To the Flyers, cap space is the most important thing.

I bet he would have traded Thomas at the beginning of the season. Even if it meant giving a 2nd round pick with it. To the Flyers, cap space is the most important thing.
- PhillySportsGuy

Probably a Gagne-esque salary-dump or two as well... it wouldn't have been pretty, that's for sure.

So you're saying filling holes by creating bigger holes is a bad idea?
- jmatchett383

I am! I am saying that.

The Flyers just don't have the depth to make a major move and bring someone in. If a great deal comes along, then go ahead, but the Flyers aren't in a position to deal from a position for strength and depth because they don't have a position of strength and depth!

Probably a Gagne-esque salary-dump or two as well... it wouldn't have been pretty, that's for sure.
- Tomahawk

FWIW, I was against the Gagne trade from day 1, and was pushing for a Carter trade. It might hurt them right now, but I'm still a big fan of the Carter return.

I agree with you. The Flyers have neglected the development of goaltending and defenseman. The Bruins transitioned from Thomas to Rask with only a few bumps along the way. They will also be able to transfer from Chara to guys like Hamilton, Krug, Bartkowski and Morrow. They are built for sustained success.

The Flyers have always looked for people who can help them here and now.
- PhillySportsGuy

I dont think the Flyers neglected anything. It is much tougher to scout out what a Defensman or Goalie can be at age 16-18 then it is a forward. The Flyers made thier attempts... Pitkanen, Sbisa, Ouellet, JMP..... it becomes tough to keep taking risks on goalies and defenseman when none of them panned out... not when they have so much sucess taking forwards... Richards, Giroux, Gagne, Laughton.... all late round picks.

I am! I am saying that.

The Flyers just don't have the depth to make a major move and bring someone in. If a great deal comes along, then go ahead, but the Flyers aren't in a position to deal from a position for strength and depth because they don't have a position of strength and depth!
- PhillySportsGuy

Eeeeeeeeeeexactly. It would be great to have a surplus of....something. But they don't, and they're not in a position (right now) to subtract from any of those areas.

So you're saying filling holes by creating bigger holes is a bad idea?
- jmatchett383

Duh, you need a Sniper, Playmaker and Power Forward on each line to get the chemistry bonus!! Noob.

Probably a Gagne-esque salary-dump or two as well... it wouldn't have been pretty, that's for sure.
- Tomahawk

Such a heart breaking trade. The fact that they had to take back Matt Walker made it so much worse.

It was the gift that kept on taking.

Duh, you need a Sniper, Playmaker and Power Forward on each line to get the chemistry bonus!! Noob.
- Tomahawk

haha, so silly of me. If only we had a forward corps on 4 Datsyuk's, 4 Yakupovs, 4 Lucic's, and a defensive corps of 6 Shea Weber's....

Oh, who am I kidding, we'd still be ripping them apart constantly.