You can always upgrade the defense through UFA or trades during the summer. If JvR is part of a deal then so be it. Depends on the return that will determine who I would trade.
- stveshdy

you can always upgrade offense too

they also don't draft a lot of them in the 1st round. last 1st rounder they used on a dman was sbisa, and he's a pretty nice player. can't remember any other recent 1st round dmen the flyers have taken
- flyerscup2011

Pitkanen, and before him Niinimaa.

Nittymaki cleared waivers.

Sheldon Souray, Tim Gleason, Johnny Boychuk, Bryan Allen, and believe it or not Matt Carkner.
- Schenn2shine

I have kinda always liked Souray but he's 35. Boychuk would be okay I think. Gleason's a guy a lot of teams will be targeting. Allen and Carkner are 4-5 guys imo. Do we need more 4-5 guys?

Or maybe they don't want to expose him and get less of a return if they are indeed shopping him.
- PLindbergh31

Thats also a possibility but I dont think Schenn is going to be a top pairing defenseman in Toronto right now when they have Phanuef and Liles. I think the way Toronto has handled Schenn is actually a good move. If they want to move him to the 2nd pairing down the road that would make sense. He is a very young defenseman with alot of potential.

I have kinda always liked Souray but he's 35. Boychuk would be okay I think. Gleason's a guy a lot of teams will be targeting. Allen and Carkner are 4-5 guys imo. Do we need more 4-5 guys?
- rockychocbill

I could be opening up a can of worms but I'm glad we've been able to have a conversation that has nothing to do with Jody Shelley. In saying this though, I'm all for sending Shelley down if Sestito stays up. At the same time when I notice a guy like Matt Carkner as a UFA, I would love to have Sestito and Carkner on this team. Two big men who might be limited in their play but can can. Two players with size who can stand up for his teammates and give the Bruins toughness a run for it's money.

I have kinda always liked Souray but he's 35. Boychuk would be okay I think. Gleason's a guy a lot of teams will be targeting. Allen and Carkner are 4-5 guys imo. Do we need more 4-5 guys?
- rockychocbill

Are you saying the best option if we cant sign Suter to a reasonable contract is Matt Carle?

you can always upgrade offense too
- 2Real

Okay. I would trade JvR if the return was what the Flyers are looking for.

I like a few guys. Suter, Gleason, Stuart, Boychuk at first glance. I also think Wideman is a pretty good dman, he was scapegoated in Boston, but he's having a very solid year in D.C.
- PLindbergh31

I agree on Wideman. I'd actually like to see his offensive upside on the Flyers. I'm not sure what his value will be though. I'm pretty sure he's getting a raise from his current $3.9M. Decent PP guy iirc from having him on my fantasy team last season.

they also don't draft a lot of them in the 1st round. last 1st rounder they used on a dman was sbisa, and he's a pretty nice player. can't remember any other recent 1st round dmen the flyers have taken
- flyerscup2011

I looked for the hell of it

1976 - 17th - Suzor
1977 - 17th - McCarthy
1978 - 6th - B. Wilson
1980 - 21st - Stothers
1981 - 16th - S. Smith
1986 - 20th - Huffman
1987 - 20th - Rumble
2001 - 27th - Woywitka
2002 - 4th - Pitkanen
2008 - 19th - Sbisa

Thats also a possibility but I dont think Schenn is going to be a top pairing defenseman in Toronto right now when they have Phanuef and Liles. I think the way Toronto has handled Schenn is actually a good move. If they want to move him to the 2nd pairing down the road that would make sense. He is a very young defenseman with alot of potential.
- stveshdy

Time will tell. He's only 22 and a lot can happen in his career, I would prefer the Flyers stick with JVR. I also don't want the Flyers to continually trade guys they have recently signed to long term deals. It may affect their ability to sign free agents going forward.

Pitkanen, and before him Niinimaa.
- RooNosHockey

Niinimaa was a 2nd rounder

Nittymaki cleared waivers.
- PLindbergh31

I could be opening up a can of worms but I'm glad we've been able to have a conversation that has nothing to do with Jody Shelley. In saying this though, I'm all for sending Shelley down if Sestito stays up. At the same time when I notice a guy like Matt Carkner as a UFA, I would love to have Sestito and Carkner on this team. Two big men who might be limited in their play but can can. Two players with size who can stand up for his teammates and give the Bruins toughness a run for it's money.
- Schenn2shine

We already have guys like that. Hartnell, Simmonds, Sestito, and Lilja. Rinaldo though not big can stick up for himself, ditto Zulnerczyk, Bourdon, and Talbot.

Besides, the last thing you want is a defensman taking 5 min majors... its just that much harder on the defensive core...

I agree on Wideman. I'd actually like to see his offensive upside on the Flyers. I'm not sure what his value will be though. I'm pretty sure he's getting a raise from his current $3.9M. Decent PP guy iirc from having him on my fantasy team last season.
- rockychocbill

He's only 28, and he's on pace for a 50+ point season. He will certainly get a raise. Maybe a significant one.

age before beauty.
- rockychocbill

ha...you got me by 8..

so what the topic...are we still on the Phillies?

I could be opening up a can of worms but I'm glad we've been able to have a conversation that has nothing to do with Jody Shelley. In saying this though, I'm all for sending Shelley down if Sestito stays up. At the same time when I notice a guy like Matt Carkner as a UFA, I would love to have Sestito and Carkner on this team. Two big men who might be limited in their play but can can. Two players with size who can stand up for his teammates and give the Bruins toughness a run for it's money.
- Schenn2shine

Agree with this. And I would add the Penguins in there too. Flyers need a bit more grit. Experienced grit.

Pitkanen, and before him Niinimaa.
- RooNosHockey

i should have clarified, i meant with homer as gm

I could be opening up a can of worms but I'm glad we've been able to have a conversation that has nothing to do with Jody Shelley. In saying this though, I'm all for sending Shelley down if Sestito stays up. At the same time when I notice a guy like Matt Carkner as a UFA, I would love to have Sestito and Carkner on this team. Two big men who might be limited in their play but can can. Two players with size who can stand up for his teammates and give the Bruins toughness a run for it's money.
- Schenn2shine

Sestito is younger, cheaper, a better player, and fully capable of playing Shelley's role and adding to the physical/fighting element of it. When the Flyers get their injured players back I would actually prefer Sestito on the 4th line instead of Harry Z or Rinaldo.

We already have guys like that. Hartnell, Simmonds, Sestito, and Lilja. Rinaldo though not big can stick up for himself, ditto Zulnerczyk, Bourdon, and Talbot.

Besides, the last thing you want is a defensman taking 5 min majors... its just that much harder on the defensive core...
- RooNosHockey

Did you really just name Lilja and as a tough guy? I haven't seen anything that indicates that Zulnerczyk is a "tough guy".

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: 1/26/12
- bmeltzer

Bill, you should have done bad, then good. by the time I got to the end of the blog, all the warm, fuzzy feelings from the first part were gone and I was left with bitterness.

i should have clarified, i meant with homer as gm
- flyerscup2011

Its harder to evaluate Defensive talent before they reach the Pro's. With offense you can look at things like speed, puck handling, shot accuracy.... With defense its more about hockey sense, reading plays, etc... and its hard to tell if the results in juniors/college are a product of the talent they are playing against or the coaching schemes... Its just so much harder to pick a stud defenseman and know he will be a stud.

Are you saying the best option if we cant sign Suter to a reasonable contract is Matt Carle?
- RooNosHockey

Depends what Matt wants. It may be more prudent to sign two experienced, gritty, solid, shut down style guys @ around $3-3.5M vs. paying Carle $5M.

Did you really just name Lilja and as a tough guy? I haven't seen anything that indicates that Zulnerczyk is a "tough guy".
- Schenn2shine

I didnt say tough guys. I said they can stick up for themselves...

Bill, you should have done bad, then good. by the time I got to the end of the blog, all the warm, fuzzy feelings from the first part were gone and I was left with bitterness.
- wilsonecho91

63 points indicates there is a lot more good, then bad.