Who else do you want centering the 4th line exactly. He's a decent player who as struggled as the team has struggled. Year in year out we complain about the 4th liners. I'm just over it I guess.
- hereticpride

Cousins. Put bellemare on the wing maybe. Laughton on one side. I'd like to try it. Filpulla can pk. Try something different

That's a valid point.

I'm trying to remember a solid fourth line outside of the Betts/Lappy days.
- flyer_nutter

Trent Klatt line....

He signed more than one. I cannot judge significance. I look at the group as a whole and he has not brought in one impact FA. MDZ has been good and bad. He is the only one I might consider impactful. PEB, Weiss, Gordon, Schultz have had almost zero positive impact on this team.
- mickel25

Schultz played a lot of solid minutes for this team as has Bellemare. Weise is the only problem so far with his free agent signings that I see.

The money is more than a little high.

It is bad business to sign a 4th line player to that money due to intangibles, especially considering the way the 4th line and PK have played the past two seasons.
- StepfordSam

Disagree. I'd prefer a little less money, but I have no issue with re-signing Bellemare.

Cousins. Put bellemare on the wing maybe. Laughton on one side. I'd like to try it. Filpulla can pk. Try something different
- Just5

Laughton ummmm we'll see if he is even in the plans moving forward after he has been "learning a new role" too funny.
He will need to be a throw in to a deal as a pot sweetener and not as the next cooots lite...

Schultz played a lot of solid minutes for this team as has Bellemare. Weise is the only problem so far with his free agent signings that I see.
- MJL

I guess. If making little to no impact on the team is fine with you than whatever. I am almost ok with the initial signing of PEB. However, the extension irks me. Especially when Laughton has spent the last half of a season becoming a "defensive" center.

Gordon and Weise are awful signings. Maybe Weiss will turn it around.

So the 4th line is seriously the problematic issue?

Cousins. Put bellemare on the wing maybe. Laughton on one side. I'd like to try it. Filpulla can pk. Try something different
- Just5

I'd be okay with this honestly.

I guess. If making little to no impact on the team is fine with you than whatever. I am almost ok with the initial signing of PEB. However, the extension irks me. Especially when Laughton has spent the last half of a season becoming a "defensive" center.

Gordon and Weise are awful signings. Maybe Weiss will turn it around.
- mickel25

There is no guarantee that Laughton is going to make it as a regular NHL player. The Gordon signing has had zero negative impact on the team this year, or in the future. It was a completely no risk signing. Call it awful is overboard. All we can do is hope that Weise can turn it around and play better. Like most of the team.

So the 4th line is seriously the problematic issue?
- puckhead17

Apparently THE issue

I guess. If making little to no impact on the team is fine with you than whatever. I am almost ok with the initial signing of PEB. However, the extension irks me. Especially when Laughton has spent the last half of a season becoming a "defensive" center.

Gordon and Weise are awful signings. Maybe Weiss will turn it around.
- mickel25

Maybe because Laughton coughed up the puck twice in his zone for goals against.
Hence, lets learn how not to hurt the team.
Then, we work on offense.
Weise was a solid player for 2 seasons in Montreal, sliding into the teams top 6 at times. There was no indication he was going to flop here, unless there are other issues involved?
More concerned that our best players, are not always playing like they should, not the (frank)ing 4th line.
No one in Chicago is either beaming, or female doging about the 4th line, the best players show as such.
The best players need to be just that, and the goaltending needs to be just that.

Cousins. Put bellemare on the wing maybe. Laughton on one side. I'd like to try it. Filpulla can pk. Try something different
- Just5

Nonsense. Keep putting the same guys out there in the same roles and keep watching the puck go in your net. That's the answer.

So the 4th line is seriously the problematic issue?
- puckhead17

yes that and
-G sucking/being hurt
-Ghost missing net getting shots blked at a torrid pace
-Jake being invisible for long stretches
-VDV say no more
-Haks deployment issues
-PP being redundant
-Goaltending that resembles a fine swiss.....cheese
-PK with no jam or jelly
-not scoring goals
-starting slower then molasses rarely scoring first
-Weisse / Gordon signings
-trading patrick kane
-losing lottery (kane)
-JVR trade


This is the short list come on along and pile on!!

There is no guarantee that Laughton is going to make it as a regular NHL player. The Gordon signing has had zero negative impact on the team this year, or in the future. It was a completely no risk signing. Call it awful is overboard. All we can do is hope that Weise can turn it around and play better. Like most of the team.
- MJL

So signing a player and getting less than zero of what you expected from him is ok? I guess I just have higher standards. Not expecting 10 goals and 30 points. But expecting him to impact the PK positively and to win a majority of faceoffs was not too much to ask. He did neither.

I agree that Laughton may not make the team. However, giving PEB a guaranteed spot was not the right move. He has proven he is ineffective in almost all aspects of the game.

I'd agree that Hextall hasn't done a whole lot in FA to help the team, but it seems like he's playing the long game with the system. He's done quite a bit to solidify the Phantoms and is putting together a solid product there. I think patience includes having the prospects learn what it takes to win at the Pro level and he's giving them the opportunities to do that.

The FA signings for the Flyers haven't been great, but are far from the problem right now. There hasn't been the opportunity/cap space to sign a guy who will really make a difference. The Weise signing did suck, but it hasn't handcuffed the team.

As for trades, of the 9 that Hextall has made, he's come out on top of at least 6 or 7 of them

So signing a player and getting less than zero of what you expected from him is ok? I guess I just have higher standards. Not expecting 10 goals and 30 points. But expecting him to impact the PK positively and to win a majority of faceoffs was not too much to ask. He did neither.

I agree that Laughton may not make the team. However, giving PEB a guaranteed spot was not the right move. He has proven he is ineffective in almost all aspects of the game.
- mickel25

Okay, so I guy they signed for a one year cheap contract didn't work out, and they were able to demote him and get him off the cap, and there is no cap issue moving forward from here. If you want to make that into a big deal and manufacture drama about it, knock yourself out.

Maybe because Laughton coughed up the puck twice in his zone for goals against.
Hence, lets learn how not to hurt the team.
Then, we work on offense.
Weise was a solid player for 2 seasons in Montreal, sliding into the teams top 6 at times. There was no indication he was going to flop here, unless there are other issues involved?
More concerned that our best players, are not always playing like they should, not the (frank)ing 4th line.
No one in Chicago is either beaming, or female doging about the 4th line, the best players show as such.
The best players need to be just that, and the goaltending needs to be just that.
- puckhead17

Laughton struggled. Not ignoring that. PEB hasn't struggled? Resign PEB. Send Laughton to the minors. Why?

I do not question the Weiss signing. I question the result. Weiss has not produced resulting in me questioning the signing. He was not scheduled to flop but he did. I choose to not just let it slide.

Chicago may not complain about the 4th line. They have 3 cups in 7 years. Give me one Cup and I probably would not complain again. Ever.

from the last blog:

There is no rule against exceeding expectations. I would like to see the person that had the Jackets competing for the top seed in the Conference before the season started. In fact I saw everyone here picking the Flyers almost universally behind the Pens, Caps and Rags in the division. Perception of what a team is, isn't always reality.
- PLindbergh31

Actually I picked them to make the playoffs last year but they had a rash of injuries and I picked them again this year. Know why this year? that defense and goaltending. that defense is also why i am more optimistic about the direction of the Flyers. Obviously the players have to pan out but I love that the Flyers are building from the goaltending (further behind) and goalies out.

yes that and
-G sucking/being hurt
-Ghost missing net getting shots blked at a torrid pace
-Jake being invisible for long stretches
-VDV say no more
-Haks deployment issues
-PP being redundant
-Goaltending that resembles a fine swiss.....cheese
-PK with no jam or jelly
-not scoring goals
-starting slower then molasses rarely scoring first
-Weisse / Gordon signings
-trading patrick kane
-losing lottery (kane)
-JVR trade


This is the short list come on along and pile on!!
- Konalover

Man you got a situation alcohol couldn't even help.
Can't do a damn thing about Kane, JVR, Adam Oates for an 8th string goalie, etc.
our 7 or 8 best players should be just that, and more often than not they aren't.
I have a feeling Hextall may have been one of the GM's not wanting the expansion draft protected lists made public, he may have a shot at changing things up that not a lot of people agree with. Maybe unloading, and altering a major piece or 2.
Supporting players are important, yes, but last night the best players should have put the game away and they didn't.
VDV, and Belly are trivial arguments, at best.

Okay, so I guy they signed for a one year cheap contract didn't work out, and they were able to demote him and get him off the cap, and there is no cap issue moving forward from here. If you want to make that into a big deal and manufacture drama about it, knock yourself out.
- MJL

Actually, I did not manufacture anything. I stated that the Gordon signing was not a good one. Of course you defended it stating that it had little effect on the team. It did effect the team when he did not do any of the things he was brought in to do. Leading to a reshuffling of the roster.

So, again if you choose to ignore failed signings that's up to you. I guess I just have higher standards. #4thlinersmatter

Laughton struggled. Not ignoring that. PEB hasn't struggled? Resign PEB. Send Laughton to the minors. Why?


- mickel25

Laughton is a young player who hasn't established himself as a full time NHL player, and they made that decision in the hopes that more AHL development time would help him find his game. Bellemare is an NHL player.

Laughton is a young player who hasn't established himself as a full time NHL player, and they made that decision in the hopes that more AHL development time would help him find his game. Bellemare is an NHL player.
- MJL

Says you. However, the stats and probably most NHL scouts beg to differ.

I mentioned in the other thread Simmonds to Winnipeg for Kyle Conner and Winnipeg's 1st. I think that's a pretty solid trade. Most bottom feeders aren't going to get that that much better adding Simmonds tbh.
- hereticpride

Personally I would love that trade....but again with all trades, why would Winnipeg do that?

Laughton struggled. Not ignoring that. PEB hasn't struggled? Resign PEB. Send Laughton to the minors. Why?

I do not question the Weiss signing. I question the result. Weiss has not produced resulting in me questioning the signing. He was not scheduled to flop but he did. I choose to not just let it slide.

Chicago may not complain about the 4th line. They have 3 cups in 7 years. Give me one Cup and I probably would not complain again. Ever.
- mickel25

Guess what 4th line matters
Chicago would still have 3 cups, in 7 years using VdV, and Belly on 4th line.
Use this instead
#trivialpoopmatters

Says you. However, the stats and probably most NHL scouts beg to differ.
- mickel25

Says Ron Hextall, and I'll provide the evidence that Hextall chose to re-sign Bellemare to a 2 year contract. What evidence can you offer that probably most NHL scouts beg to differ? I'll also add that Bill Meltzer posted the other day, that 3 other NHL teams were interested in acquiring Bellemare.