I always look back at how Buffalo got a 1st rounder for Gaudstad
- J35Bacher

Viktor Tikhonov... not Burmi, but he's avail as UFA this summer. Skilled, fast, two-ways, decent size...

Tell that to the NHL's "model team" the pittsburgh Penguins. They've won the last 5 Stanley Cups, right? Because they have 2 "generational" players and some of the best possession defensemen in the league.
- jmatchett383

Clearly I'm talking about the Edmonton Oilers. Best rererebuild ever.

in?
- hammarby31

sneaking in the playoffs as the 8 seed and losing in 5 in the first round? Honestly its hard to watch and not root for them to win and get it but honestly I feel a top 10 pick and additional draft picks is better for the team moving forward

I'm not saying they should be considered a Cup contender or even a Conference Finals contender. But, if you feel that there's no point in making the playoffs when you don't win the Cup, would you argue that the team would have been better off just forfeiting every game and getting the #1 pick? I mean, what's the point of playing and possibly earning a few points here and there if you don't win the Cup,, right?
- jmatchett383

The question should be what the Flyers have to do to put together a realistic cup contender not one that relies on luck or another team imploding for achieving any success. Hextall himself intimated that when he said he wouldn't make a trade of youth and picks unless it would propel the Flyers into the top 5 or 6 teams in the league.

So I think most agree that the Flyers current roster isn't in the top 5 or 6 league wide. So how does it get there? In today's NHL, that is pretty much through the draft. The Flyers have a nice prospect system but I wouldn't call it robust. And it's not just my opinion, but pretty much every ranking service outside of Craig Button has the Flyers prospect pool in the bottom half of the league. So to build that up you need picks. The more picks you have the better the odds of finding great talent. Or do you believe the flyers can simply out draft the rest of the 29 teams in the league with just their 7 picks each year; teams that are picking higher, have more picks, and or a much better track record of finding talent after round 1? A team can also supplement their roster with free agents if they have cap space which the Flyers do not.

So why is selling if you get good deals at the deadline thus clearing cap space and getting extra picks not a good idea versus to hold what they got and squeak in as the 8th seed? Maybe they can get deals this summer but wouldn't it be prudent to take what's on the table now instead of hoping for something later on?

I can't even remember exactly what I was screaming at every Rangers shooter, but I'm glad there were no children around. I do distinctly remember jumping up and down and basically throwing a tantrum the entire shootout. And I do remember crying a little bit when Boosh made the save on Jokinen.
- jmatchett383

That was the last flyers win I saw in person. Every game since has been a loss.
Spectacular. Rags were playing to get to the shootout and it blew up on them.

When they trade Grossmann for a 2nd round pick we can add his name to the conversation
- Marc D

sneaking in the playoffs as the 8 seed and losing in 5 in the first round? Honestly its hard to watch and not root for them to win and get it but honestly I feel a top 10 pick and additional draft picks is better for the team moving forward
- nastyflyergirl

Because you only ever get good players in the top-10 and players are better suited for the long-term by learning that's it's okay to intentionally lose games than trying to win.

The maple leafs twitter account is great. Couple of days ago someone tweeted at them and said whoever runs their twitter is hilarious. The Leafs posted a picture of a stuffed Kermit the Frog at a keyboard. I replied to that saying, "Well that explains so much about their franchise." They tweeted a .gif of Kermit the Frog back at me shaking his head.

the wursht.
- hammarby31

Liverwursht. What is Holmgren's equivalent deal of Gomez/McDonagh?

The question should be what the Flyers have to do to put together a realistic cup contender not one that relies on luck or another team imploding for achieving any success. Hextall himself intimated that when he said he wouldn't make a trade of youth and picks unless it would propel the Flyers into the top 5 or 6 teams in the league.

So I think most agree that the Flyers current roster isn't in the top 5 or 6 league wide. So how does it get there? In today's NHL, that is pretty much through the draft. The Flyers have a nice prospect system but I wouldn't call it robust. And it's not just my opinion, but pretty much every ranking service outside of Craig Button has the Flyers prospect pool in the bottom half of the league. So to build that up you need picks. The more picks you have the better the odds of finding great talent. Or do you believe the flyers can simply out draft the rest of the 29 teams in the league with just their 7 picks each year; teams that are picking higher, have more picks, and or a much better track record of finding talent after round 1? A team can also supplement their roster with free agents if they have cap space which the Flyers do not.

So why is selling if you get good deals at the deadline thus clearing cap space and getting extra picks not a good idea versus to hold what they got and squeak in as the 8th seed? Maybe they can get deals this summer but wouldn't it be prudent to take what's on the table now instead of hoping for something later on?
- psuhockey

So again, I ask...if you're not a "Cup contender", why even bother playing a game? Just don't even go to any games, you'll be 0-82, and get a high pick. Heck, you could just trade every single player on the team, have an all-AHL roster (along with some overpriced veterans to reach the cap floor) and have like 40 draft picks. From what you're saying, that would be preferable, because winning is a horrible thing to do unless you win the Cup.

Viktor Tikhonov... not Burmi, but he's avail as UFA this summer. Skilled, fast, two-ways, decent size...


- Tomahawk

I think it would be smart to make a play for either of those guys. I don't think they would cost too much and they add skill and speed. Burmistrov is a RFA so I bet you could find out if he definitely wants to be back before making a play for him.

Viktor Tikhonov... not Burmi, but he's avail as UFA this summer. Skilled, fast, two-ways, decent size...


- Tomahawk

I think it would be smart to make a play for either of those guys. I don't think they would cost too much and they add skill and speed. Burmistrov is a RFA so I bet you could find out if he definitely wants to be back before making a play for him.

So again, I ask...if you're not a "Cup contender", why even bother playing a game? Just don't even go to any games, you'll be 0-82, and get a high pick. Heck, you could just trade every single player on the team, have an all-AHL roster (along with some overpriced veterans to reach the cap floor) and have like 40 draft picks. From what you're saying, that would be preferable, because winning is a horrible thing to do unless you win the Cup.
- jmatchett383

Isn't this what the Sixers are doing?

Liverwursht. What is Holmgren's equivalent deal of Gomez/McDonagh?
- PLindbergh31

Mason for Leighton and a pick

Trade Giroux and Voracek, you could probably get a first for each of them.

Build through the draft.

Liverwursht. What is Holmgren's equivalent deal of Gomez/McDonagh?
- PLindbergh31

Zhitnik for Coburn? Man, Waddell was horrible.

Isn't this what the Sixers are doing?
- PLindbergh31

I'm surprised the Sixers don't just put together a roster of draft picks. And I don't mean players chosen with draft picks, I mean actually make the starting center their lowest 2015 1st round pick and so on.

So again, I ask...if you're not a "Cup contender", why even bother playing a game? Just don't even go to any games, you'll be 0-82, and get a high pick. Heck, you could just trade every single player on the team, have an all-AHL roster (along with some overpriced veterans to reach the cap floor) and have like 40 draft picks. From what you're saying, that would be preferable, because winning is a horrible thing to do unless you win the Cup.
- jmatchett383

Well buffalo is trying that very thing. If Buffalo wins the cup before the Flyers, then that method will finally be proven to work.

LA, Chicago, and Pittsburgh winning the last 6 years obviously wasn't enough for you.

Zhitnik for Coburn? Man, Waddell was horrible.
- Tomahawk

Didn't we trade 2 2nds for the corpse formerly known as Pavel Kubina?

sneaking in the playoffs as the 8 seed and losing in 5 in the first round? Honestly its hard to watch and not root for them to win and get it but honestly I feel a top 10 pick and additional draft picks is better for the team moving forward
- nastyflyergirl

Yeah, better draft position across all 7 rounds would be nice.

Trade Giroux and Voracek, you could probably get a first for each of them.

Build through the draft.
- jmatchett383

You forgot Simmonds. He'd fetch another first. cmon fella

Zhitnik for Coburn? Man, Waddell was horrible.
- Tomahawk

Waddell was awful.

Isn't this what the Sixers are doing?
- PLindbergh31

Big difference is that one player in basketball can turn an entire franchise around.

Yeah, better draft position across all 7 rounds would be nice.
- Tomahawk

BPA

Well buffalo is trying that very thing. If Buffalo wins the cup before the Flyers, then that method will be proven to work.
- psuhockey

Bullpoop, because Edmonton will be direct proof that it doesn't work.

You still haven't answered my question. Since they can't, by your definition, win the Cup, wouldn't they have been better suited gutting their team and just forfeiting every game?