I wonder what Detroit will want in return.
- FlyerFan16

They torpedoed his value by exposing him imo.

I'd offer them Raffl and a mid round pick. I think that's fair. They'd probably be looking to pry Hagg off of us though I'd imagine. From what I understand their defense has gotten quite weak.

fun and cool
- Mordecai

They will never win a first round match up against Pen or Wash with G and JacKub as their "best " players.

I smell a Jonathan Bernier signing soon.
- Tomahawk

Well....Chelyabinsk Lokomotiv in the KHL needs a goalie.

They will never win a first round match up against Pen or Wash with G and JacKub as their "best " players.
- Bonerfide69

"please notice me"

Wow

Just took a look at TSN Top 25 Free Agents. Yikes

Free Agent Frenzy has been slowing down for years, but I always made time to watch. If I'm free I will certainly pay attention, but I am definitely not making a special effort -- if the wife wants to do something or it's really nice outside, I'm not gonna say no
- AllInForFlyers

If they reduced compensation on rfas, things would be a lot more exciting

I wonder what Detroit will want in return.
- FlyerFan16

Apparently more than we thought.

Either that, or everybody's been scared away by his alleged 'cockiness'.

Apparently more than we thought.

Either that, or everybody's been scared away by his alleged 'cockiness'.
- Tomahawk

Well they aren't going to give the player away..........He had the worst team they've have in front of him in the last 25 years.

As long as I live, I'll never forget how excited I was last July 1st, feverishly checking my phone on the way up to Boston. Who did we get? What's going down?

When I found out we signed Dale Weise, Boyd Gordon, and some AHLers I was so happy I almost leapt from my seat and into traffic! Finally, some size, grit, and bottom 6 reliability. A couple mean customers to show the Caps how strong we were, to take pressure off Giroux in the face-off dot, to provide secondary scoring, to fix the PK.

I can only hope this year goes as well when I find out we have our new starting goalie: fingers crossed Jonathan Bernier or Brian Elliott!


(I had StepfordSam proofread this post)

A lot of talk about about why hextall hasn't resigned Mason yet. Maybe Mason is playing hardball? He said multiple times he doesn't want a 1a/1b situation and that's what it sounds like hextall wants. Maybe it's Mason holding up any deal until he sees what other offers he can get first.

Well they aren't going to give the player away..........He had the worst team they've have in front of him in the last 25 years.
- ob18

I think it became apparent when they protected Jimmy Howard and dared Vegas to take him that they don't think he's a part of their future or internally value him highly, despite only one bad year. There were rumors during the year that they preferred Howard and their AHL goalie to Mrazek, and they don't look entirely false right now. Ken Holland is also a mastermind GM, so he could be operating on a level of player evaluation we hockeybuzz GMs can't comprehend.

I think it's pretty obvious when they protected Jimmy Howard and allowed Vegas to take him that they don't think he's a part of their future or internally value him highly, despite only one bad year. There were rumors during the year that they preferred Howard and their AHL goalie to Mrazek, and they don't like entirely false right now. Ken Holland is also a mastermind GM, so who knows what he could be doing.
- Mononoke

Regardless they aren't going to just give him away.........He'll take his time, he doesn't have to make a move right now.

Hexy can't wait forever but also doesn't have to make a snap decision.

A lot of about about why hextall hasn't resigned Mason yet. Maybe Mason is playing hardball? He said multiple times he doesn't want a 1a/1b situation and that's what it sounds like hextall wants. Maybe it's Mason holding up any deal until he sees what other offers he can get first.
- funmaster18

I thought a couple of Bill's blogs had indicated that both parties appeared ready to move on from one another.

I thought a couple of Bill's blogs had indicated that both parties appeared ready to move on from one another.
- Doc_Sarcasm

I missed some of his blogs on the goalie situation. Im sure Mason also wants a longer term contract and it seems like Hexy wants a short term solution for now

I missed some of his blogs on the goalie situation. Im sure Mason also wants a longer term contract and it seems like Hexy wants a short term solution for now
- funmaster18

Its going to be really interesting to see where Mason ends up. I'm not sure where the market is at for his services right now.

A lot of talk about about why hextall hasn't resigned Mason yet. Maybe Mason is playing hardball? He said multiple times he doesn't want a 1a/1b situation and that's what it sounds like hextall wants. Maybe it's Mason holding up any deal until he sees what other offers he can get first.
- funmaster18

In all honesty I think they've moved on from Mason. Guy wants to be the starter even when he's wildly inconsistent. They're trying to develop goalies from within and that requires giving guys starts. I just don't think it's a match.

From Flyers site: THE EXPERTS AGREE

With the good fortunes of having a first round pick in the Top 2, its easy to say that a team had a good draft, but in reality that's not necessarily the case. Every Draft there tends to be that "sleeper" pick and whether a team can hit on late rounds. The Flyers goal isn't just one however and many across the hockey world took notice.

Ryan Kennedy of the Hockey News gave only three teams an 'A' Grade, the Flyers being one of them:

"GM Ron Hextall has been a draft master during his tenure in Philly, stacking picks and making nice selections."

Puck Daddy, Greg Wyshynski, at Yahoo also proclaimed the Flyers part of the "Winner" category:

"Getting two first rounders in that Schenn swap is a ridiculously good return… The aggressive trade to select Isaac Ratcliffe at No. 35, the Matthew Strome pick at No. 106 … just a really great two days from Ron Hextall and company."

Bleacher Report also gave the Flyers an 'A' grade, as did TheScore.com, who further weighed in:

"Given that many mock drafts, and even NHL Central Scouting, had Nolan Patrick as the No. 1 player in the draft, the Philadelphia Flyers are certainly pleased with how things worked out Friday… In all, the Flyers got some great offensive options, and grabbed a solid goaltender in Kirill Ustimenko."

Its going to be really interesting to see where Mason ends up. I'm not sure where the market is at for his services right now.
- Doc_Sarcasm

Nothing better than it was here -- he might interest Arizona as a 55-game starter, but everywhere else is a 1A/1B like with Neuvirth, and there are only a couple of those slots

Now, mind you, there shouldn't be. If I was St. Louis, I'd rather have Mason than Allen, and if I was Winnipeg, I wouldn't want my job riding on HellICan'tSpellItuck and Hutchinson, but that's just me

I thought a couple of Bill's blogs had indicated that both parties appeared ready to move on from one another.
- Doc_Sarcasm

That he hasn't signed yet is a bad sign. Same with Weal. These guys are currently listening to other GMs offers and Hexy is pursuing other options. Yes, they could both decide the grass is not greener on the other side but it is very unlikely.

I smell a Jonathan Bernier signing soon.
- Tomahawk

That's where I think this goes

Its going to be really interesting to see where Mason ends up. I'm not sure where the market is at for his services right now.
- Doc_Sarcasm

Yeah, I don't see anyone offering any of the UFA goalies, including Mason, a long term big money deal. He may end up re-signing here simply due to no one else making a better offer and Hexy not being particularly interested in any of the other FAs nor in spending assets to acquire someone

Bernier/Neuvirth tandem is a downgrade IMO.
- FlyerFan16

Absolutely -- that kind of goaltending tandem can get people fired in other places

Darn i wish that EK MAF rumour was true
- Bonerfide69

MAF is over rated as (frank)

I thought a couple of Bill's blogs had indicated that both parties appeared ready to move on from one another.
- Doc_Sarcasm

That's been reported from a few different sources. I can't find it now, but Hextall said something to the point of there are 5 or 6 goalies out there and only one opening and Mason is still an option. That's not word for word.

There doesn't appear to be to many choices for Mason, maybe Winnipeg? I just looked at the FA goalies and think Mason is the best of what is out there. Trade is an option but not sure how much Hextall would be willing to part with.

Anyone who says skating is an issue doesn't know what they're talking about. It is rare for big men to move with the fluidity and speed he does. Many have a gawkiness and knock kneed quality.......like Logan Stanley or Hague, etc. Some others are more fluid, but their strides are a touch heavy, like Logan Brown, who moves decently well. There are so few guys that big that not only have the speed but have the quick feet and fluidity and the smarts. Given that GMs salivate over them and that they're so coveted, it was pretty shocking to see Ratcliffe still there at 35, even if I still personally had a few ahead of him (I'm using their logic). I would've been less surprised to see him reached on from 15-20 than drop. People always point to what an amazing skater Morin is for his size. That's Ratcliffe as a forward.

But being bigger isn't always better. Coordination gets harder. Isaac doesn't have it with the feet, but his hands are quite choppy puck handling, and he can have trouble tracking it on his blade and moving it and skating with it under pressure. He's best when the puck is on his stick for short times getting shots and cycling it, or off the rush sniping.....and I wouldn't expect much playmaking. His hands are not what I'd label "soft." Stick skills aren't really something that develop at age 18+. It's my only knock really, and perhaps that's a reason he fell. As dazzling a package as he brings otherwise, the hands might hold him back.

I personally think he's less raw as a player than others say, just needing more weight to fix some balance and puck strength issues at that height. But he's awesome and fun to watch and will fit it one way or another. He'd work really well with a deft passer/puck handler like Rubtsov or Frost, I bet.
- Mononoke

I think he'll be re-signed. I think Schenn leaving definitely means he'll be re-signed as part of the plan to replace his points. He should've been re-signed anyway. But Hextall won't let him go over 250-300k or something. I also think Weal's history with him and the trust factor he gained late last year with the team provides more of a comfort factor. He's still not proven, and going somewhere else could place him at the risk of being in a bad situation that sets him back. His situation would be good and more predictable here. He'd likely be in the top 9 anyway.
- Mononoke

Sounds good -- never really want to lose an asset for free if you can help it. But I do wonder if he might get an offer that he can't refuse. There's not a lot of players out there and Vegas did pull 12-15 forwards from around the league