Fiddler is close to $2mm per year. Why sign him when you can have Hall, Laughton or Raffl and spend the cash on a good second pair guy like Stralman?
- Jsaquella

I don't really want Hall back. He was great on face-offs, but he's sooooo slow and this team needs to get faster.

I've never seen a from you.
- PhillySportsGuy

You need to pay attention

It's a fine line. It's difficult to find a 6th defenseman who is good enough to play in the top 6, but not good enough to force Alt to the minors under all circumstances.
- PhillySportsGuy

I'm wide open to starting the season with Alt as the 6th defenseman and giving him a month or two. If they need to make a move, they can still do so in December and if he's playing well enough, maybe all they'd need to do is make a Huskins or Mike Weaver type deal, sending a late round pick for a depth veteran.

Starting the season with a kid like Alt also can help them maximize Pronger's LTIR

I enjoy having a fourth line that can actually contribute, and I don't need to twist my pubes every time they are on the ice in fear of them taking a dumb penalty or giving up a goal.

Im kind of along the lines of Stralman being already more of what they have. Overpaid mediocrity. I personally don't believe in that kind of defensive group long term.
- flyer_nutter

A 4th line of Raffl-Laughton-Rinaldo should be able to contribute. If we get 2013-14 Rinaldo again, we can look to make a move for a 4th line winger.

Michael Carter Williams, Thadeus Young, Pick #10 and next year 1st for Kyrie Irving. Probably not near enough, but watching the Phils the mind wanders.

Ok, take on a bad contract or 2 as well. Let Clevland start over.

You need to pay attention
- ob18

I'll stay focused.

I want all of them to push for a spot. It'd be great if Alt or Lauridsen can step in and provide solid third pair play. Not sure I want to count on them doing so, though
- Jsaquella

They may not have a choice, cap space may force them to do some things they otherwise don't want to do right now.

Maybe I'm wrong & they can find a way to not force/rush any prospect.

I enjoy having a fourth line that can actually contribute, and I don't need to twist my pubes every time they are on the ice in fear of them taking a dumb penalty or giving up a goal.

Im kind of along the lines of Stralman being already more of what they have. Overpaid mediocrity. I personally don't believe in that kind of defensive group long term.
- flyer_nutter

Considering the 4th line almost always featured Rinaldo or Rosehill, if not both, icing a 4th line of Hall, Raffl & Laughton is an immense upgrade.

Hell, it's even better than Vinny with Rinaldo and McGinn, because Laughton and Raffl can at least skate

I'm wide open to starting the season with Alt as the 6th defenseman and giving him a month or two. If they need to make a move, they can still do so in December and if he's playing well enough, maybe all they'd need to do is make a Huskins or Mike Weaver type deal, sending a late round pick for a depth veteran.

Starting the season with a kid like Alt also can help them maximize Pronger's LTIR
- Jsaquella

Yeah. I feel like that's easier to do when you have a true top pair. It's easier to hide guys.

The Flyers will need much more balance to offset their lack of a top pair.

I would like to have Alt start with the team. I'm just not sure they can give him a month or two to feel things out. It could put the team in a similar situation to this year where they're forced to overplay Timonen.

A 4th line of Raffl-Laughton-Rinaldo should be able to contribute. If we get 2013-14 Rinaldo again, we can look to make a move for a 4th line winger.
- PhillySportsGuy

That useless fool should be picking turds from Lappy's ass.

Done with Rinaldo. I don't care how hard he hits, he is a liability to take a stupid call based on play and reputation. Cant carry the puck to save his life.

Flyers need a return to Carcillo-Betts-Lappy. A fourth line that can actually play. Not borderline NHL talent scrubs.

Considering the 4th line almost always featured Rinaldo or Rosehill, if not both, icing a 4th line of Hall, Raffl & Laughton is an immense upgrade.

Hell, it's even better than Vinny with Rinaldo and McGinn, because Laughton and Raffl can at least skate
- Jsaquella

So what you are saying, is you don't want Fiddler

They may not have a choice, cap space may force them to do some things they otherwise don't want to do right now.

Maybe I'm wrong & they can find a way to not force/rush any prospect.
- ob18

It might be a good idea to clear space and dump salary however they can when it comes to guys that don't fit well, and then maybe use the Brayden Schenn trade chip to get a good defenseman(yes, it will take Schenn + in all likelihood) and that means they have enough cap to sign a guy like Stralman and a veteran to play battle Laughton for 3rd line C.

They may not have a choice, cap space may force them to do some things they otherwise don't want to do right now.

Maybe I'm wrong & they can find a way to not force/rush any prospect.
- ob18

Hextall did say he wouldn't force things and if they needed to take a step back to take two steps forward, he would do it.

So what you are saying, is you don't want Fiddler
- flyer_nutter

Not at $2mm per year, when I can use kids like Raffl and Laughton there.

Not at $2mm per year, when I can use kids like Raffl and Laughton there.
- Jsaquella

Ahhh gotcha. My notion was that those kids would need to be moved up, after dealing out bSchenn and Hartnell.

That useless fool should be picking turds from Lappy's ass.

Done with Rinaldo. I don't care how hard he hits, he is a liability to take a stupid call based on play and reputation. Cant carry the puck to save his life.

Flyers need a return to Carcillo-Betts-Lappy. A fourth line that can actually play. Not borderline NHL talent scrubs.
- flyer_nutter

Raffl and Laughton can play. They are both more skilled than Lappy and Betts. Those guys were more savvy and gritty.

There's no way you can tell me Rinaldo has less discipline than Carcillo. I don't really like Rinaldo either, but I don't think he's the worst option if you have Raffl and Laughton with him.

Hextall did say he wouldn't force things and if they needed to take a step back to take two steps forward, he would do it.
- PhillySportsGuy

That means patience, so everybody might want to buckle up for the bumpy ride to continue.

Ahhh gotcha. My notion was that those kids would need to be moved up, after dealing out bSchenn and Hartnell.
- flyer_nutter

If you deal Schenn & Hartnell and then sign Jokinen & Vrbata, they're the ones that slide up. I'd be willing to sign Jokinen even if Hartnell stays and use him as Giroux's LW.

That means patience, so everybody might want to buckle up for the bumpy ride to continue.
- ob18

If people cant stomach the idea of building things right, then they deserve to 2nd round exists shoved up their ass for the next 10 years.

Yeah. I feel like that's easier to do when you have a true top pair. It's easier to hide guys.

The Flyers will need much more balance to offset their lack of a top pair.

I would like to have Alt start with the team. I'm just not sure they can give him a month or two to feel things out. It could put the team in a similar situation to this year where they're forced to overplay Timonen.
- PhillySportsGuy

Agreed. It's hard for me to count on him...if he had 3 years of AHL experience, fine. But it's simply one option. Who knows, maybe they can find next season's Tom Gilbert and get a top 4 guy for $1.2mm

That means patience, so everybody might want to buckle up for the bumpy ride to continue.
- ob18

I think it's important to have patience with the defense. It's just not possible to fix things without completely mortgaging the future or opening holes in other places.

IMO, the best thing the Flyers can do for the defense is make every line a strong two-way line. I believe they can accomplish this with a few subtle moves.

Agreed. It's hard for me to count on him...if he had 3 years of AHL experience, fine. But it's simply one option. Who knows, maybe they can find next season's Tom Gilbert and get a top 4 guy for $1.2mm
- Jsaquella

Yeah. Now would be a great time for one of those sneaky good moves.

Yeah. Now would be a great time for one of those sneaky good moves.
- PhillySportsGuy

It'd be awesome.

Brad had an interesting idea on twitter, which I stole in one of my other posts. Maybe, if they package B. Schenn they can get a top pair or potential top pair defenseman, and that fills a big hole. Dump Vnny & Grossmann for whatever the freight will bear and you free up a bit of cap room

They can slide Couturier up to 2nd line C, give him good wingers and play him in a less defensive role and give him a shot to blossom. Sign a fairly cheap vet to battle Laughton & Raffl for 3rd line C and then you can look at adding another defenseman as a FA without it being a vital hole. Hell, bring back Kimmo to be on the third pair.

It'd be awesome.

Brad had an interesting idea on twitter, which I stole in one of my other posts. Maybe, if they package B. Schenn they can get a top pair or potential top pair defenseman, and that fills a big hole. Dump Vnny & Grossmann for whatever the freight will bear and you free up a bit of cap room

They can slide Couturier up to 2nd line C, give him good wingers and play him in a less defensive role and give him a shot to blossom. Sign a fairly cheap vet to battle Laughton & Raffl for 3rd line C and then you can look at adding another defenseman as a FA without it being a vital hole. Hell, bring back Kimmo to be on the third pair.
- Jsaquella

I think that was the thought when they traded JVR, but it ended up backfiring. I just don't know if Schenn holds enough value to bring back that type of player. I'm assuming the package would include a first rounder and maybe a prospect too.

Edit: Do you think Schenn+1st brings back a guy like Shattenkirk?

I think that was the thought when they traded JVR, but it ended up backfiring. I just don't know if Schenn holds enough value to bring back that type of player. I'm assuming the package would include a first rounder and maybe a prospect too.
- PhillySportsGuy

It'd almost certainly require more than Schenn, although with the right return, I'd be open to doing it.

It's not really giving up on Schenn, it's trading from a spot of depth to address a really pressing weakness.