I'm puzzled by anyone who while watching this playoff series thinks the Flyers are a few Free Agent moves away. They still have to have considerable internal growth among the young players before they get to that point. You use free agency to supplement your team and maybe fill that final hole, not to build it. You don't even know what those holes will be yet.
- MJL

I thought they were closer than they were. Thought they could shorten the bench some and grind out the series

Never thought they wouldn't stay out of the box and wouldn't get any key saves

They have Couturier, Patrick at center as well as multiple top center prospects such as Frost in the well. Getting into a 7 year contract for big money for a center is not the right move.
- MJL

What if you got him on a short term deal 1-2 years that didn’t block the prospects in the long run and allows him to enter the market again in a year or two?

Name one specific thing a forward thinking team in the NHL does?
- MJL

They trade Kessel, Tyler Biggs, Tim Erixon, and a conditional second round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a blockbuster deal for Kasperi Kapanen, Scott Harrington, Nick Spaling, and conditional first-and third-round draft picks


They trade for Kessel giving up virtually nothing and have the leafs pay a portion of his salary for the duration of the contract

In this day and age in the nhl, that is forward thinking and innovative on both teams part

PGH is making them look worse than they really are. They've been the best team in hockey by quite a bit since Sullivan took over and a bad matchup for the Flyers. We'll never know, but I think we'd be looking at a much different series if they pulled WSH. Four of those Dmen are going to be much better by next spring, MacD has been fine, so they do need a guy back there. They need another forward for sure, maybe two. Obviously, they have 3 vet goalies who aren't good enough.

It'll be another year of give the kids a shot, which I'm OK with.
- fls13

Yeah. Could be worse. Could be Buffalo

I agree with what you wrote. I hope Frost becomes a big time center. St Louis figured out how to use Schenn at center this year. The Blues didn't miss the playoffs because of Brayden Schenn. The trade is still to be determined.
- ravishingone

That’s all I’m saying...I think Frost is going to be really, really good.

team sucks season sucked at least we got into the playoffs instead of getting a better draft pick right?

What if you got him on a short term deal 1-2 years that didn’t block the prospects in the long run and allows him to enter the market again in a year or two?
- Sublime55

Taveras will not sign a 1-2 year deal.

PGH is making them look worse than they really are. They've been the best team in hockey by quite a bit since Sullivan took over and a bad matchup for the Flyers. We'll never know, but I think we'd be looking at a much different series if they pulled WSH. Four of those Dmen are going to be much better by next spring, MacD has been fine, so they do need a guy back there. They need another forward for sure, maybe two. Obviously, they have 3 vet goalies who aren't good enough.

It'll be another year of give the kids a shot, which I'm OK with.
- fls13

Except they have to get over the whole, don't want have too many rookies playing defense at the same time. Sanhiem, Morin and Hagg should all be on the team next year and playing.

Taveras will not sign a 1-2 year deal.
- MJL

good cause tavares might

I think that excuse is overused. Aging vets never need to earn their ice time.

Bottom 6 veterans often get to make 10 mistakes because the coach is afraid of the rookie making 1.

In a coaches mind it's often easier to justify a vet in the lineup because they generally don't take the heat from a vet making a mistake that they do when a rookie makes a mistake.

Young players can learn from their mistakes and get better. Bottom 6 veterans usually do not improve, they usually only get worse.

The only concern, imo, should be if the young player is overwhelmed, not making "rookie mistakes". I would rather a young player make his mistakes in 2017, not 2018 or 2019.
- Flyers_01

Sarcasm

They trade Kessel, Tyler Biggs, Tim Erixon, and a conditional second round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a blockbuster deal for Kasperi Kapanen, Scott Harrington, Nick Spaling, and conditional first-and third-round draft picks


They trade for Kessel giving up virtually nothing and have the leafs pay a portion of his salary for the duration of the contract

In this day and age in the nhl, that is forward thinking and innovative on both teams part
- corduroy

The poster claims that to be a forward thinking team you have to make moves that are original. Making a trade to improve a team is hardly original. Neither is retaining salary in a trade.

how many more years do we have to watch giroux and voracek stink it up?

They have to figure out the goalie situation other then hoping Hart is the answer. Trades for goalies who became 1 goalies has been done. Bishop from Ottawa to TB. Talbot from Rangers to EDM. Jones from LA to eventually SJ. Anderson from Anaheim to TOR. The band aid approach is not good enough playoff time.

good cause tavares might
- 2Real

No, he won't either.

The poster claims that to be a forward thinking team you have to make moves that are original. Making a trade to improve a team is hardly original. Neither is retaining salary in a trade.
- MJL

They have to figure out the goalie situation other then hoping Hart is the answer. Trades for goalies who became 1 goalies has been done. Bishop from Ottawa to TB. Talbot from Rangers to EDM. Jones from LA to eventually SJ. Anderson from Anaheim to TOR. The band aid approach is not good enough playoff time.
- ravishingone

They already have Elliott and Neuvirth under contract. Very good chance at least one of them returns next season.

MJL was just on the FAN590 said it ways always his dream to have a great coach like Hakstol
- 2Real

He has done a good job given what he has. I mean we have a rookie NHL coach, he is going to make mistakes but the guy has done good things with this team. He got us to the playoffs, this is more or less the same team that missed last year. He got Couturier living up to his potential and Giroux to bounce back for a career year. Despite the way people criticized his way of dealing with the younger player, Guys like Sanheim, Konecny, Lindblom and Patrick are playing well.

Flyers are going to lose to the Pens but that isnt going to be on Hakstol. The Pens right now are the better team, The Flyers are pretty young and the playoff experience on this team is limited. Elliot is not making the big saves and Flyers look like a team that knows they cant win. We see flashes of what they are capable of but more experience is going to be needed to live up to that.

how many more years do we have to watch giroux and voracek stink it up?
- 2Real

Really dissapointed by them in this series. I didnt think that the Flyers had a prayer of getting past the Pens, but you’d think the MVP of the league could muster up a few points. Maybe generate a little excitement?

So if you could sign a player better then them all ....you would do it ?
- landros 2

No. What good is it to have Crosby, Couturier, Patrick and Tavares when you have no defense or goaltending? You have to spend your money smart. Tavares is not what the Flyers need.

how many more years do we have to watch giroux and voracek stink it up?
- 2Real

You mean be among the top players in scoring? Sure they are having a bad playoffs but no one is really having a good playoffs.

They have to figure out the goalie situation other then hoping Hart is the answer. Trades for goalies who became 1 goalies has been done. Bishop from Ottawa to TB. Talbot from Rangers to EDM. Jones from LA to eventually SJ. Anderson from Anaheim to TOR. The band aid approach is not good enough playoff time.
- ravishingone

Starting doesn't make a tender good. Talbot is and would be a dumpster fire here.

They already have Elliott and Neuvirth under contract. Very good chance at least one of them returns next season.
- MJL

Ok, but that shouldn't stop them from exploring. Both are under contract for 1 more year. I m not worried about putting either one thru waivers if you can upgrade the position. Lyon and Stollie honestly probably are nothing more then NHL backups. That s a whole lot of faith Hart and/or Sandstrom will be ready in 2 years.

I'll guess he hasn't been 100% at all in 2018
- Scoob

First ten games he was lights out
After that I agree

Except they have to get over the whole, don't want have too many rookies playing defense at the same time. Sanhiem, Morin and Hagg should all be on the team next year and playing.
- FlyerFan16

Probably. At least we'll see a lot more of them. I can't figure the souring on Hagg but at this point it doesn't matter much. One key thing we're seeing is PGH's top guys have outplayed our top guys by quite a bit, so for the Flyers to go deep, they're going to have to make that up with depth up front. They have a few guys who don't kill you out there but they don't help you enough either.

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