- MBFlyerfan

Well played

So, 2nd round picks anyone?

I got:

Caps over Pens in 6
This Pens team has holes and Ovi is on a mission, I can't wait to chat with Kenny from Jersey City after this series!

Lightning over Bruins in 6
Unlike the Leafs, the Bolts have some quality Dmen and a top notch goalie. Bruins had some real difficulty with the Leafs speed and they are going to see more of the same with Tampa. Plus, I have no confidence in Rask winning another series.

And, in the West
Sharks over Vegas in 6
It's hard to pick against Vegas, but the Sharks are just on fire right now. I think San Jose gets a split in Vegas and doesn't lose a home game in the series.

Preds over Jets in 7
This is going to be a great a series, but in the end, I'll go with Rinne in a do or die game 7 over the much more untested Hellebuyck.
- BiggE

I can't believe I got all the first round winners correct (not lengths but the teams that advanced)

Round 2 I have

Caps over Pens in 7
Tampa over Boston in 6
Nashville over Winnipeg in 6
Vegas over SJ in 7

Oh and I wonder what cute website Kenny has for the Caps.

Well played
- dragonoffrost

How does he feel when the fans tell him to "HIT SUMBUDDY!"

When the playoffs come I am all for players playing thru their injuries, as long as we are not talking about permanent injuries and esp concussions, but I am not on board with Simmonds playing thru a torn pelvis. I acknowledge they didn't have a prospect in the system up to Simmonds ability but playing thru an injury like that probably caused the groin issue and quite frankly he was a shell of his usual self. i think we all knew he was hurt. he played like it all season and in my opinion it hurt the team. Just take the time off to get healthy.
- nastyflyergirl

They had Lindblom. They had Vecchione. They had Read. Three guys that were NHL ready. None of them are Wayne Simmonds, there is no doubt, but they could've made something work.

I agree that they should've taken the time to get Simmonds healthy when it happened that early in the year.

How does he feel when the fans tell him to "HIT SUMBUDDY!"
- jmatchett383

- dragonoffrost

I see. And what about when he's asked to "DO SUMTHIN WIDDIT!"

He pretty much said that the fans shouting shoot for a minute and a half during a pp are frustrating at times. but they block it out also. People were on Bill's twitter going insane about how the fans were right. LOL
- dragonoffrost

Why are the players bringing the fans up like that? Your answer is the fans pay good money to go to the games and aside from throwing things on the ice or screaming vulgarities have a right to voice their opinion. It’s our job to put the puck in the net. Anything other than that is utter nonsense I’m afraid to Check their quotes

yeah, I dont see how they replace a healthy Simmer on the wing. With that many injuries he was at half speed.

yeah, I dont see how they replace a healthy Simmer on the wing. With that many injuries he was at half speed.
- wcorvette

When simmers deal runs out the flyers are looking at legitimate in house options that could very well be ready by the 19/20 season. Frost, laczynsjki, Allison will all likely be ready to contribute along with maybe one of the first rounders from this year. I would not do a deal this summer as far as resigning him goes.

I hear you, but even a marginal upgrade is better than none at all. At this point, when looking at the depth of their prospect pool, I'd be willing to put the latter of our 2 first rounders into play if that's what it takes to bring in a quality starting goalie.
- BiggE

if they can get a Hutton or Bernier for the right contract, I am ok getting a goalie.

Question-

if you get the goalie but don't get the D and C3, wouldn't that minimize the value of the goalie? I mean Elliot would be a better goalie with a better team in front of him. The Flyers breakdowns are big breakdowns.

I think I lean towards signing the right vet D and the right 3C. If you can, then upgrade the goal, all 3 would be nice but probably not happening.

My order
3C
Vet D
Goalie

???

The "fair contract extension" will be the tricky part. It's not so much the money for me as the length. I'd rather deal with a higher cap hit over 4 years, than have him under contract for 6+

While there are certainly examples to the contrary, history does show that most non-superstar forwards see a drop off in their play as they move into their 30s and that drop off usually accelerates once they reach their mid 30s. Signing him to a deal that will expire when he's 34 would seem to be the smarter way to go.

Either way, unless as Bill says, they are simply "blown away" by a trade proposal, you keep him for 18-19. Worst case is that you likely get a great year out of a hard working player who is playing for a new contract and hopefully he helps you make the playoffs and win a round or 2. If he then walks after the season because you feel his contract demands are out of line, so be it.
- BiggE

it won't go this way but more curious. if the options were 6 for 3 or 3 for 6 which would you choose?

Genuinely excited at what they're going to (hopefully) do this offseason

Free agency isn't necessarily a solution to a team's woes, but I truly think that they can find something in the range of forwards 9-12 that can help them

Those two first-round picks, assuming STL doesn't crack the top 10, give them the ability to make a move to insert an actual player onto the roster that clearly helps them

There are teams that are seriously going to be looking to do something to change their trajectory. This season with so few coaches fired means that the heat is on for plenty of teams to actively upgrade their rosters because it's not going to be this quiet next seas
Montreal, Calgary, Buffalo, Edmonton, the Blackhawks, and probably the Kings are going to be aggressive. That Carolina owner is kind of a wild card. He seems like he will do change just because he feels like it.

Bergevin, Treliving and Chiarelli have to know they aren't getting another season if they don't make the playoffs -- and those teams each could have an interesting piece that the Flyers could possibly pry loose that could help them

You can smell it coming -- not saying it's going to be the biggest deal ever. Just think that Hextall is going to make a move for an established, mid-20s player who people will look at when a deal gets done and be like, "OK. That makes perfect sense"
- AllInForFlyers

agreed, said this the other day, there are plenty of trade partners out there, no excuse for Hexy not to make a good hockey trade to sure up the holes in this lineup.

It would be great if a reporter asked Hak for his thoughts on why his team lost 5 home games against the Pens by a combined score of 28-9.

People are losing their minds on social media about Giroux's comments about fans booing and whatnot. Pretty hilarious.
- Ftown19125

Eh, I don't mind Giroux's voicing his opinion on this, because it won't change anything, so he really has nothing to lose.

it won't go this way but more curious. if the options were 6 for 3 or 3 for 6 which would you choose?
- nastyflyergirl

with their current cap space, I would front load for a shorter term

if they can get a Hutton or Bernier for the right contract, I am ok getting a goalie.

Question-

if you get the goalie but don't get the D and C3, wouldn't that minimize the value of the goalie? I mean Elliot would be a better goalie with a better team in front of him. The Flyers breakdowns are big breakdowns.

I think I lean towards signing the right vet D and the right 3C. If you can, then upgrade the goal, all 3 would be nice but probably not happening.

My order
3C
Vet D
Goalie

???
- wcorvette

I would consider 3C and upgrading in goal to be 1A and 1B

Getting a veteran Dman would be way below those 2 for the following reasons:

Provy and Ghost at this point are vets and locks for the lineup
AMac is also a vet and isn't going anywhere yet
Hagg pretty much plays a safe, veteran like game and with 3 AHL and 1 NHL season now under his belt, he should be a pretty steady player
Sanheim will fill one of the spots and assuming he continues to get stronger, he will continue to improve and get better as the season goes along.

That's five of the 6 spots filled and you still have Morin and, at least for now Gudas. I don't see them adding any veteran dmen unless they move Gudas. And, even if they do move Gudas, they will likely just sign a veteran 6/7 type to compete with Morin for the last spot. They could also have Myers pushing for a spot at some point during the season as well.

If they want to resign Simmonds ad the 3rd line RW, who is no longer on the top PP it got to be no more than 4 years at 5mil tops. And they have to, HAVE TO, start filitering in kids from the Phantoms. No more signing bottom six FAs to multi-year deals. No more taking bad contracts back in trades.

I'm personally not in favor of signing Simmonds long term but if they're going to do it then that's what it has to be.

Eh, I don't mind Giroux's voicing his opinion on this, because it won't change anything, so he really has nothing to lose.
- johndewar

Couturier said something similar about the fans who yell shoot from the first second of a powerplay. I don't mind that, either.

Eh, I don't mind Giroux's voicing his opinion on this, because it won't change anything, so he really has nothing to lose.
- johndewar

I mean I don't care either, and don't really know if the quote was taken out of context, but he shouldn't say fans booing affects their play.

it won't go this way but more curious. if the options were 6 for 3 or 3 for 6 which would you choose?
- nastyflyergirl

Kind of a silly question because there is no way he is taking a pay cut in his next deal, but if he was going to go as low as a 3 million aav, then sure, sign him to a 6 year deal.

I see. And what about when he's asked to "DO SUMTHIN WIDDIT!"
- jmatchett383

I think Simmonds next deal is going to be something in the range of 6-7 years and between 36-40M over that time range.

A home town discount might look like 6 yrs 35-38M range.

I don’t think these 5 yr at 5M are realistic. Sorry, would be great but I can’t see it.

If they don’t like those numbers then they can keep him for most of next season and try to move him at the TDL or keep him if they are in the playoffs and let him walk for no return.
Bad asset management, but having a healthy Simmonds for the playoffs is valuable.

I think the likelihood of getting an offer where they are blown away for him this summer has decreased because of his play and injuries this year. It could still happen but seems less likely.

I would consider 3C and upgrading in goal to be 1A and 1B

Getting a veteran Dman would be way below those 2 for the following reasons:

Provy and Ghost at this point are vets and locks for the lineup
AMac is also a vet and isn't going anywhere yet
Hagg pretty much plays a safe, veteran like game and with 3 AHL and 1 NHL season now under his belt, he should be a pretty steady player
Sanheim will fill one of the spots and assuming he continues to get stronger, he will continue to improve and get better as the season goes along.

That's five of the 6 spots filled and you still have Morin and, at least for now Gudas. I don't see them adding any veteran dmen unless they move Gudas. And, even if they do move Gudas, they will likely just sign a veteran 6/7 type to compete with Morin for the last spot. They could also have Myers pushing for a spot at some point during the season as well.
- BiggE

cant disagree but I think they should move gudas and I would love to see a vet back there with cup experience. I do think size is their biggest need on the back, by size I mean reach, this past season they had all short arm D.

perfect world
3C
Gudas traded, Morin is healthy, Sanheim puts on 7-10 pounds and they sign a vet D with cup experience.

I guess the goalie/D is 2A and 2B for me. A slightly better goalie with not adding a Vet D that knows how to win, is almost a waste in some ways, unless that goalie is much better. Do I think that Provy, AMAC, Ghost, Hagg, Morin and Gudas or Myers will be better than this year? yes, but they will still have breakdowns that young D have. I think Hextall will bank on Elliot being healthy and I even think if healthy we see Stolarz get a shot

Couturier said something similar about the fans who yell shoot from the first second of a powerplay. I don't mind that, either.
- Feanor

I do hope that both Couturier and Giroux are both as honest with their teammates when they lose focus as they are when talking about fan's booing, though.

Re Simmonds:

A) Take offers on him, but don’t just trade him for the sake of trading him. It has to make sense and work (obviously).

B) Don’t extend him just yet

C) If the flyers for whatever reason are out of the playoff race (I don’t see this), you move him OR even if you are in playoff race and some teams overpays dramatically

D) IF you do move him in scenario C. You hope he resigns in the off season 🤙🏻