And then when they're off their ELCs?
- Mononoke

trade the players that aren't worth their contracts at that time or buy em out

Ok, so if the longest you would go is three years (and this is just fine) then there is no need to discuss Lucic or Backes. Backes will sign for 5 years somewhere and Lucic will sign for a minimum of 6 years and may even sign right there in LA for as many as 8 years with some concessions on dollars/year (I believe he will sign with LA for 6 years at a cap hit of approximately $5.75).

Next....I am not sure what you are thinking when you say that Backes and Lucic could be had for anywhere close to the dollars that Stamkos is looking at. Stamkos will sign for 7 years (or 8 in TB) at $10 million or more....not even a question about that.

Personally here are a few thoughts from a non-Flyer fan:

- Do NOT sign any UFA this off-season.
- Trade some younger assets for a slightly more developed forward that is about to be an RFA (ie, find last year's Saad)
- Extend Neuvirth when the time is right. Mason is a decent G (think Reimer) and can be hot and cold, but I would prefer to retain the G with a better upside and I believe that is Neuvirth (and I thought that before 'the goal')

The last things I would look at, but something that I would give thought to, is dealing your franchise player, Claude Giroux. Yeah, yeah, I know I will take heat for this, but Claude isn't the same player he was just two years ago and his cold starts are very concerning.

Yes, of course he has a NTC/NMC but it is easy enough to test the waters with him. The return would also be huge. Now is the time.

Build your team around your youth on D....it will serve you well.
- Dollars2Donuts

So a few things, i think this was a well thought out post, but i find that you're way off in all of your comparisons .

first off, if lucic signs for 5.75 mil and backes for 5 mil, thats 10.75 mil on the cap hit. if stamkos makes 10 mil or more, than thats pretty close to what the other 2 guys would be paid, and if stamkos makes, say, 11 mil a year, then he eclipses both guys cap hits. thats what i was saying

second, we may not sign any UFA's this season, but we are certainly not dealing any younger assets. hextalls plan all along is to be patient and bring them up. this is counter productive. also, going out and finding this year's Saad is way easier said than done. unless you have a crystal ball, its a crapshoot. you can't just start throwing young prospects around hoping you land on a gold mine.

third, another fan who is not aware of how good steve mason actually is. do you realize that his 5 on 5 save percentage is top 3 in the ENTIRE NHL, since he was traded to the flyers? do you also realize his GAA was below 2 and his Save% was above .935 when we played the rangers in 7 games in 2014. this playoff series vs the caps, was house money. no one expected us to even be in the playoffs, much less compete against the presidents trophy winners. having a great goalie combo takes a lot of pressure of the guys in front of them. yes, eventually one of them will command too much and it wont be feasible to keep both, but neuvy hasnt played more than 48 games in any season he was a pro, he has lingering issues and cant 100% be trusted yet. you also say higher potential, but mason is one year YOUNGER than neuvy. dont get how the potential argument comes into play here.

lastly, trading G would be one of the biggest mistakes this franchise could make. not only trading your captain, your heart, and franchise player who you just signed, but this nucleus of players has grown together and will be the foundation for this team. the defense on this team has never been up to the par, but with our prospects blooming in juniors on the minors, those problems will be fixed. Giroux is the NHL's leading scorer since 2011, how is it ever time to trade a guy like that?? a guy who is top 3 in faceoffs, top 10 in minutes played, a top line center, a #1 power play guy, a penalty killer, and a leader who backs up his talk on the ice. do you realize that even after only having 1 point in 6 games he is still a point per game player in the playoffs?

unfortunately, you have the attitude most flyers fans have. he has one bad play, one bad game, one bad series, and its over and done with. trade him and get another guy here. and honestly, you wouldnt even get fair value for him for what he brings. in a perfect world yes, but we obviously dont live in one. thats not how it works. hes 28 years old, and is in the middle of his prime, and thats on the early side of his prime. he still has 4-5 great years left. and once he gets some help on the back end, his numbers will go up and our wins will go up.

i'm sorry, i watch and read about this team everyday, and you honestly couldnt be more wrong.

trade the players that aren't worth their contracts at that time or buy em out
- 2Real

YEAH!

trade the players that aren't worth their contracts at that time or buy em out
- 2Real

Eyeknowwrite

So a few things, i think this was a well thought out post, but i find that you're way off in all of your comparisons .

first off, if lucic signs for 5.75 mil and backes for 5 mil, thats 10.75 mil on the cap hit. if stamkos makes 10 mil or more, than thats pretty close to what the other 2 guys would be paid, and if stamkos makes, say, 11 mil a year, then he eclipses both guys cap hits. thats what i was saying

second, we may not sign any UFA's this season, but we are certainly not dealing any younger assets. hextalls plan all along is to be patient and bring them up. this is counter productive. also, going out and finding this year's Saad is way easier said than done. unless you have a crystal ball, its a crapshoot. you can't just start throwing young prospects around hoping you land on a gold mine.

third, another fan who is not aware of how good steve mason actually is. do you realize that his 5 on 5 save percentage is top 3 in the ENTIRE NHL, since he was traded to the flyers? do you also realize his GAA was below 2 and his Save% was above .935 when we played the rangers in 7 games in 2014. this playoff series vs the caps, was house money. no one expected us to even be in the playoffs, much less compete against the presidents trophy winners. having a great goalie combo takes a lot of pressure of the guys in front of them. yes, eventually one of them will command too much and it wont be feasible to keep both, but neuvy hasnt played more than 48 games in any season he was a pro, he has lingering issues and cant 100% be trusted yet. you also say higher potential, but mason is one year YOUNGER than neuvy. dont get how the potential argument comes into play here.

lastly, trading G would be one of the biggest mistakes this franchise could make. not only trading your captain, your heart, and franchise player who you just signed, but this nucleus of players has grown together and will be the foundation for this team. the defense on this team has never been up to the par, but with our prospects blooming in juniors on the minors, those problems will be fixed. Giroux is the NHL's leading scorer since 2011, how is it ever time to trade a guy like that. a guy who is top 3 in faceoffs, top 10 in minutes played, a top line center, a #1 power play guy, a penalty killer, and a leader who backs up his talk on the ice. do you realize that even after only having 1 point in 6 games he is still a point per game player in the playoffs.

unfortunately, you have the attitude most flyers fans have. he has one bad play, one bad game, one bad series, and its over and done with. trade him and get another guy here. thats not how it works. hes 28 years old, and is in the middle of his prime, and thats on the early side of his prime. he still has 4-5 great years left. and once he gets some help on the back end, his numbers will go up and our wins will go up.

i'm sorry, i watch and read about this team everyday, and you honestly couldnt be more wrong.
- sjk540

If that's the case, then I don't get why the Flyers, or any team with a bonafide 1C, would want to add him for the $$ he wants.
- jmatchett383

I don't either. That's why Toronto makes so much sense to everyone on so many levels. They can afford it. They love to be in the spot light. He can make even more money with outside/local endorsements (he has the national deals already). They don't have a number one center and haven't for a decade. He's young enough that they can begin to win with the boat load of talent on the Marlies along with Marner and who ever they get this draft.

Of course the push is on in Toronto to wait a year and try to get Tavares.

I don't either. That's why Toronto makes so much sense to everyone on so many levels. They can afford it. They love to be in the spot light. He can make even more money with outside/local endorsements (he has the national deals already). They don't have a number one center and haven't for a decade. He's young enough that they can begin to win with the boat load of talent on the Marlies along with Marner and who ever they get this draft.

Of course the push is on in Toronto to wait a year and try to get Tavares.
- mayorofangrytown

God they're annoying

- YuenglingJagr

Your gif ain't all that giffy bro.

trade the players that aren't worth their contracts at that time or buy em out
- 2Real

Your gif ain't all that giffy bro.
- mayorofangrytown

Yeah I know...just figured eveyrone knew it anyway so didnt feel like finding one that worked

God they're annoying
- Mononoke

So utterly annoying.

If the Marlies win the Calder they're going to start the parade in Montreal and wind it through Ottawa.

Yeah I know...just figured eveyrone knew it anyway so didnt feel like finding one that worked
- YuenglingJagr

Eyeknowwrite
- Mononoke

inorite?

So a few things, i think this was a well thought out post, but i find that you're way off in all of your comparisons .

first off, if lucic signs for 5.75 mil and backes for 5 mil, thats 10.75 mil on the cap hit. if stamkos makes 10 mil or more, than thats pretty close to what the other 2 guys would be paid, and if stamkos makes, say, 11 mil a year, then he eclipses both guys cap hits. thats what i was saying

second, we may not sign any UFA's this season, but we are certainly not dealing any younger assets. hextalls plan all along is to be patient and bring them up. this is counter productive. also, going out and finding this year's Saad is way easier said than done. unless you have a crystal ball, its a crapshoot. you can't just start throwing young prospects around hoping you land on a gold mine.

third, another fan who is not aware of how good steve mason actually is. do you realize that his 5 on 5 save percentage is top 3 in the ENTIRE NHL, since he was traded to the flyers? do you also realize his GAA was below 2 and his Save% was above .935 when we played the rangers in 7 games in 2014. this playoff series vs the caps, was house money. no one expected us to even be in the playoffs, much less compete against the presidents trophy winners. having a great goalie combo takes a lot of pressure of the guys in front of them. yes, eventually one of them will command too much and it wont be feasible to keep both, but neuvy hasnt played more than 48 games in any season he was a pro, he has lingering issues and cant 100% be trusted yet. you also say higher potential, but mason is one year YOUNGER than neuvy. dont get how the potential argument comes into play here.

lastly, trading G would be one of the biggest mistakes this franchise could make. not only trading your captain, your heart, and franchise player who you just signed, but this nucleus of players has grown together and will be the foundation for this team. the defense on this team has never been up to the par, but with our prospects blooming in juniors on the minors, those problems will be fixed. Giroux is the NHL's leading scorer since 2011, how is it ever time to trade a guy like that?? a guy who is top 3 in faceoffs, top 10 in minutes played, a top line center, a #1 power play guy, a penalty killer, and a leader who backs up his talk on the ice. do you realize that even after only having 1 point in 6 games he is still a point per game player in the playoffs?

unfortunately, you have the attitude most flyers fans have. he has one bad play, one bad game, one bad series, and its over and done with. trade him and get another guy here. and honestly, you wouldnt even get fair value for him for what he brings. in a perfect world yes, but we obviously dont live in one. thats not how it works. hes 28 years old, and is in the middle of his prime, and thats on the early side of his prime. he still has 4-5 great years left. and once he gets some help on the back end, his numbers will go up and our wins will go up.

i'm sorry, i watch and read about this team everyday, and you honestly couldnt be more wrong.
- sjk540

Somebody get this man a beer

Somebody get this man a beer
- arichardson22

And an aspirin for his sore fingers

I may not be #fancyfeast, but that graph is going up and up means good.

Those 3 years can be explained away by Space Jam I believe.
- Mononoke

or the washington wizards?

And an aspirin for his sore fingers
- mayorofangrytown

tl:dr?

- YuenglingJagr

to be more illustrative it shouldn't be cumulative.

And an aspirin for his sore fingers
- mayorofangrytown

id take both.

and a martini to wash them both down

or the washington wizards?
- hammarby31

Only thing I disagree with is that schenn jumped into the hit. It was only a glancing blow really so to me it doesn't make sense that the force of the blow would cause him to go airborn.

I have no problem with this being a suspendable hit. I really don't even have much of a problem with the chimera hit as Voracek definitely contributed to putting himself in a poor position.

How the hell does letang get away with what he did? A guy who has a history of dirty play gets the benefit of the doubt from the league somehow? I was starting to not mind the Penguins so much up until this.
- Just5

It didn't even register as a hit in the game

id take both.

and a martini to wash them both down
- sjk540

If you're going to type that much, next time get a publisher.

We are in good hands
- Mononoke

Wrong company

Probably a stupid question (and I think I know the answer) but I'll ask anyway...

Since the Flyers have retained salary on the max of 3 players already, with 2 being pending UFA and the other retiring, I assume they cannot retain salary on any other player they may look to trade (Streit, MacDonald, Read, etc) until either Vinny officially retires or July 1, correct? If Vinny waits to file his papers until after the draft, the inability to retain any salary in a deal would probably limit the moves they could make til July 1.