As would be Niemi, Lehtonen or Elliot.

I'm down for another year of pain to pay for future success. Just not by poopty goaltending.
- flyer_nutter

Nothing worse than losing games because of goaltending that is markedly worse than league average -- more than anything, that's what got Hitch fired last year before Allen turned it around

I'm not so sure another team doesn't give him an offer Hextall will refuse to match.
- FlyerFan16

Agreed

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

Absolutely -- can't believe Donald Fehr hasn't gone to war over that

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
- AllInForFlyers

He could have his center be Patrick, Coots, or Giroux.......or uhhhhhh.....*checks roster* Eakin, Karlsson, or Bellemare.

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.
- FlyerFan16

Hextall basically said there are tons of options and he would wait for the best one. Not a bad decision.

Outside of Karl Alzner on a reasonable contract there isn't a free agent that interests me.

Nothing worse than losing games because of goaltending that is markedly worse than league average -- more than anything, that's what got Hitch fired last year before Allen turned it around
- AllInForFlyers

Yup. I have feared for a while now that the rebuild won't be good enough because there won't be enough elite talent from the later picks. It's why getting Nolan this year has been such a god send.

I think with more of these prospects filtering in over the next few years that one shouldn't see the club any lower than it did this season. You now want these kids to grow by playing meaningful games too.

Elliot/Neuvirth would be a slap in the face, and basically throwing in the towel.

He could have his center be Patrick, Coots, or Giroux.......or uhhhhhh.....*checks roster* Eakin, Karlsson, or Bellemare.
- Mononoke

Ship doe

Hextall basically said there are tons of options and he would wait for the best one. Not a bad decision.

Outside of Karl Alzner on a reasonable contract there isn't a free agent that interests me.
- Tfaehner

I'm not sure Alzner is getting a totally reasonable contract. There are teams out there (looking at you, Montreal) that need help on the blueline.

Yup. I have feared for a while now that the rebuild won't be good enough because there won't be enough elite talent from the later picks. It's why getting Nolan this year has been such a god send.

I think with more of these prospects filtering in over the next few years that one shouldn't see the club any lower than it did this season. You now want these kids to grow by playing meaningful games too.

Elliot/Neuvirth would be a slap in the face, and basically throwing in the towel.
- flyer_nutter

That's the thing about Elliott, too -- he'll get hot and you will fool yourself into thinking that he's legit, then he'll get absolutely strafed and you will see that he really is a 1B, at best, on a good team

Calgary couldn't get him out of there fast enough

He could have his center be Patrick, Coots, or Giroux.......or uhhhhhh.....*checks roster* Eakin, Karlsson, or Bellemare.
- Mononoke

Ha! I meant they pulled forwards from around the league, leaving open spots on a few teams

That's the thing about Elliott, too -- he'll get hot and you will fool yourself into thinking that he's legit, then he'll get absolutely strafed and you will see that he really is a 1B, at best, on a good team

Calgary couldn't get him out of there fast enough
- AllInForFlyers

Fleury is the same way. Guy has been bailed out time and time again by a stacked club, and star forwards that are able to score more than the other team.

Fleury is inconsistent as hell and I'd rather have Mason. Put Marc Andre on the Flyers for the last 6 years and see what kind of career he has. Flyers were basically the Leafs with their own version of Sundin in G.

I'm not sure Alzner is getting a totally reasonable contract. There are teams out there (looking at you, Montreal) that need help on the blueline.
- Doc_Sarcasm

I get it. And I'm not saying he will. He seems to be extremely under rated and I don't know why. I'd go up to 6 years 6 per for him. We do need a vet and Alzner is so solid all around. He'd be s good teacher

I get it. And I'm not saying he will. He seems to be extremely under rated and I don't know why. I'd go up to 6 years 6 per for him. We do need a vet and Alzner is so solid all around. He'd be s good teacher
- Tfaehner

Would be down but only if they deal Mac. Room for the kids is needed and Gudas should be a lock in my eyes.

Random thought, and been thinking for a while I suppose.

What style of club would one say the Flyers are going to look like?

Ottawa with the heavy D. Pittsburgh with a focus on offense. Kings - a grind it out kind of club. Leafs and Hawks - puck possession.

I see this team in a few years looking somewhat like Anaheim/Nashville hopefully.

Ship doe
- Nucker101

We don't know how he'll do tbf. Not to mention Weal doesn't likely play with him anyway.

Random thought, and been thinking for a while I suppose.

What style of club would one say the Flyers are going to look like?

Ottawa with the heavy D. Pittsburgh with a focus on offense. Kings - a grind it out kind of club. Leafs and Hawks - puck possession.

I see this team in a few years looking somewhat like Anaheim/Nashville hopefully.
- flyer_nutter

90s Devils

90s Devils
- Mononoke

Boyd Gordon is your father.

I get it. And I'm not saying he will. He seems to be extremely under rated and I don't know why. I'd go up to 6 years 6 per for him. We do need a vet and Alzner is so solid all around. He'd be s good teacher
- Tfaehner

Oh, my -- 6x6 for Alzner? I'd pass on that. I'm cheap, but I don't think he's worth more than 4.5 over 3 or 4 years -- and that's probably too generous for a defensive defenseman

Boyd Gordon is your father.
- flyer_nutter

LOL

Truthfully, I think they're gonna look a lot like the teams Hextall played for in the 80s -- you know, the Flyers have always prided themselves on two-way play as an organization. I think, as an organization, they've always believed that you create offense from defense but that you do try to score, whereas other teams have been more conservative

Oh, my -- 6x6 for Alzner? I'd pass on that. I'm cheap, but I don't think he's worth more than 4.5 over 3 or 4 years -- and that's probably too generous for a defensive defenseman
- AllInForFlyers

I think Alzner ends up in Vegas and after a bidding war shattenkirk gets 7 years 7 million from the Rangers. The only thing left for the Flyers is goalie, take your pick outside Mason.

I get it. And I'm not saying he will. He seems to be extremely under rated and I don't know why. I'd go up to 6 years 6 per for him. We do need a vet and Alzner is so solid all around. He'd be s good teacher
- Tfaehner

I think Alzner ends up in Vegas and after a bidding war shattenkirk gets 7 years 7 million from the Rangers. The only thing left for the Flyers is goalie, take your pick outside Mason.
- ravishingone

Don't see Vegas happening unless they start making trades. They have like 10 dmen under contract, and, unless they want to use LTIR, not much cap space. Suprise, they filled up that cap quick.

I think Alzner ends up in Vegas and after a bidding war shattenkirk gets 7 years 7 million from the Rangers. The only thing left for the Flyers is goalie, take your pick outside Mason.
- ravishingone

Speaking of Las Vegas, wonder when are they gonna start spinning some of those defensemen out of there? They probably need to move, what, at least three of them just to have a regular rotation of guys, even if they carry eight

Don't see Vegas happening unless they start making trades. They have like 10 dmen under contract, and, unless they want to use LTIR, not much cap space. Suprise, they filled up that cap quick.
- Adam1

I see McPhee still trading some dmen. I think he s waiting for some of the free agents to sign then in theory a guy like Methot could have more value. You know he is keeping Schmidt, McNabb and Theodore. Does Sbisa and Miller have the same priority, I'm not sure.

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."
- coffee junkie