It's an issue, but not a major one imo. They've got Bourdon and Gustafsson who are NHL-ready. Manning and Lauridsen are not far behind. Not likely to be a top-4 guy in the bunch, but you have these guys so you don't have to pay $3.5 million to a 3rd pairing defenseman or for depth/injury fill-in purposes.
- bradleyc4

agree 100%

I don't want Schultz. Great potential but he's already showed his maturity in how he's treating this Anaheim situation. The guy hasn't played a day in the NHL and already he is dictating where he wants to go. He's earned nothing.
- NickTheKid87

I only want him cause he's a right handed shot...

Eric Lindros
- Scoob

Don't want him either.

Isnt the flip side of Bill's Blog, that given that our Goalies are expensive and we must be spending less on our forwards then all other teams. This is especially good when you consider how much production we got out of them last year.

Isnt the flip side of Bill's Blog, that given that our Goalies are expensive and we must be spending less on our forwards then all other teams. This is especially good when you consider how much production we got out of them last year.
- FlyersFirst

No comment.

My issue with Schultz is that he is a highy-toted, offensive minded defenseman. The fan base here will be on him from the first mistake he makes plus most fans don't appreciate want offensive defenseman bring to the table because they are more prone to mess up defensively.

I think one of the reasons Claude Giroux is so popular and has grown so much is because he was never that highly toted. You don't expect to be drafting a superstar at 22nd overall so anything more than a good NHL player exceeds the fan base's expectations and therefore makes him even more loved and takes away the pressure of having to perform to your allotted potential.

Well to me having him and his family at the draft table is idiocy. I didn't see Ed there for the Flyers. It just shows you to what level he seems to be involved and that can be a bad thing.

I am shocked that Howson has a job. Between the Carter disaster, seemingly overvaluing Nash and maybe Bob and then the optics of firing your scouts etc right after the draft? It smacks of a clown show. As a fan I'd be saying to myself, so you as the GM just allowed your scouting staff which you clearly had no faith in to make picks in the draft that just ended 2 days ago??? Dear lord. Great to say you want to go in another direction, but set the course before the draft!
- Hextall271

Probably why he thinks he's going to get a Herschel Walker type of return on Nash, to save his ass, the firing all the scouts was ridiculous, and in the timing of it!

No comment.
- bradleyc4

you show great restraint, padawan.

I'm on the fence about him. Time has faded my memory a bit. I'll have to go back and look at his career and numbers.
- Scoob

Well, further to my real point on the post, do you think that Sundin is much moe deserving than Lindros?

I never saw Sundin as a shoe in HOFer which he has become. I always found he did great in the Reg season and really didn't score important goals in the playoffs. I remember in 02 I think it was.. the Leafs were on a roll in the playoffs and were up 2-1 on Carolina in the ECF.. Basically Roberts was leading the team with solid goaltending. Then Sundin comes back.. they lose 3 straight. Done.. not all his fault, but it always seemed he came up small. Great Reg season scorer, but Lindros was the better player IMO, and I think Sundin got the nod because he was a Leaf.

Anyway the point I was trying to make and hoping to discuss is that I like our D core but I also liked our core of forwards when we had Richards, Carter, Lupul, Hartnell, Umburger and Upshall. Little by little they had to go to make room for something else like depth on the back end and space for Giroux to play.

Haven't been around in a few days (thx to an injury) so what's new?


I know this is a dumb question

Well, further to my real point on the post, do you think that Sundin is much moe deserving than Lindros?

I never saw Sundin as a shoe in HOFer which he has become. I always found he did great in the Reg season and really didn't score important goals in the playoffs. I remember in 02 I think it was.. the Leafs were on a roll in the playoffs and were up 2-1 on Carolina in the ECF.. Basically Roberts was leading the team with solid goaltending. Then Sundin comes back.. they lose 3 straight. Done.. not all his fault, but it always seemed he came up small. Great Reg season scorer, but Lindros was the better player IMO, and I think Sundin got the nod because he was a Leaf.
- Hextall271

Politics

Anyway the point I was trying to make and hoping to discuss is that I like our D core but I also liked our core of forwards when we had Richards, Carter, Lupul, Hartnell, Umburger and Upshall. Little by little they had to go to make room for something else like depth on the back end and space for Giroux to play.
- Schenn2shine

so what would you like homer to do with the current team?

A. Sign Carle
B. Trade for Ryan
C. Sign Parise.

Anyway the point I was trying to make and hoping to discuss is that I like our D core but I also liked our core of forwards when we had Richards, Carter, Lupul, Hartnell, Umburger and Upshall. Little by little they had to go to make room for something else like depth on the back end and space for Giroux to play.
- Schenn2shine

Man
That unit of forwards changed pretty quickly!

Hearing the flyers are meeting with Jagr's agent today.....I only want Jagr at less than the price he received last year and I don't see Jagr wanting that. I'd sign Jagr to an incentive contract (which i believe doesn't count against the cap) with a base salary of like 1.75 or 2.

I do agree, most teams you look at go with a top 4 with heavy minutes (especially with a $60 million goalie). But we seem to have uncertainty going into the season assembling a top 4 that can handle the minutes that we can say we're sure on

Kimmo back surgery
Mez is his back fully healed?
Grossman he had the knee & concussion but we haven't heard anything negative
Schenn he may not be ready to assume a top 4 role yet, as like the one for one for jvr he is still developing his game
- puckhead17

My feeling on Schenn is, if possible, slot him in the #5 d spot and see how he grows. The guy was thrown into the fire far too fast, and I'd like us to give him a better atmosphere here where he can be mentored and progress. Apparently, he put some muscle on last summer and it worsened his already limited mobility. Maybe he has to lose some etc... we'll see Hanging around vets like Timonen and hopefully Prongs as a mentor will help.

Regardless, give him time to grow in less pressured role.

so what would you like homer to do with the current team?

A. Sign Carle
B. Trade for Ryan
C. Sign Parise.
- flyersfan51

or D. ALL THREE!!!!

Flyers have proved time after time they can't find success with Dmen in the first two rounds. As much as I hate to say it why continue to bother? Take the best guy available and go from there. There will always be free agents and trades. As long as the cabinet is full I personally don't care how we got them.
- hereticpride

for the hell of it, I went back about 20 drafts to see who the Flyers drafted in the first round:

Forwards: 8 couturier, 2 JVR, 22 Giroux, 29 Downie, 11 Carter, 24 Richards, 28 Williams, 22 Gagne, 15 Zubrus

Defense/goalies: 19 Sbisa, 4 Pitkanen, 27 Woywitka, 22 Ouellet, 22 Boucher

My feeling on Schenn is, if possible, slot him in the #5 d spot and see how he grows. The guy was thrown into the fire far too fast, and I'd like us to give him a better atmosphere here where he can be mentored and progress. Apparently, he put some muscle on last summer and it worsened his already limited mobility. Maybe he has to lose some etc... we'll see Hanging around vets like Timonen and hopefully Prongs as a mentor will help.

Regardless, give him time to grow in less pressured role.
- Hextall271

Totally agree!!!

Even if the Flyers re-sign Carle, they will still have over 6M in Cap space to work with. So I don't see what the issue is. So what's the solution. Does anyone want to trade Coburn, so they can play Bourdon. Coburn is in his prime and getting better and better. Trade Meszaros to play Bourdon. Meszaros may have the best skillset of all the defenseman on the Flyers. He's shown in the past that he can play at a high level. We read talk about limiting Timonen's minutes to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Best way to do is to have the depth the currently have. Trade Coburn or Meszaros, or don't re-sign Carle. And one injury and suddendly your 3rd pair is Bourdon, and Lilja, or another Rookie. Or one of those players playing on a higher pair.
- MJL

I gotta say, I want to see them go into the season with Timonen, Schenn, Grossmann, Carle, Coburn, Meszaros and Bourdon as their 7. As often as this team has limped into the playoffs on the backend, I am not anxious to move any of them.

for the hell of it, I went back about 20 drafts to see who the Flyers drafted in the first round:

Forwards: 8 couturier, 2 JVR, 22 Giroux, 29 Downie, 11 Carter, 24 Richards, 28 Williams, 22 Gagne, 15 Zubrus

Defense/goalies: 19 Sbisa, 4 Pitkanen, 27 Woywitka, 22 Ouellet, 22 Boucher
- nastyflyergirl

i think they should keep drafting forwards and signing free agent defensmen.

I think we need to stop bashing the team for taking the best player available over defense prospect needs. Drafting best player available has worked out pretty good for us, g and coots for example.

Considering the injuries and key guys (Pronger and Timonen) done or almost done, I don't think it's wise to be trading away from the blue line.

After Kimmo's contract is off the books next season, the % of available funds allocated to the blue line will start to even out (assuming you don't spend his entire $6.33 mil cap hit on a replacement).

If you trade a guy like Meszaros, you could head into the '13-'14 season with only Carle (assuming he's re-signed), Coburn, Schenn and Grossman. Not exactly a tremendous top-4.
- bradleyc4

this

I gotta say, I want to see them go into the season with Timonen, Schenn, Grossmann, Carle, Coburn, Meszaros and Bourdon as their 7. As often as this team has limped into the playoffs on the backend, I am not anxious to move any of them.
- nastyflyergirl

I agree -- but I really want to see them make a run at Parise.

for the hell of it, I went back about 20 drafts to see who the Flyers drafted in the first round:

Forwards: 8 couturier, 2 JVR, 22 Giroux, 29 Downie, 11 Carter, 24 Richards, 28 Williams, 22 Gagne, 15 Zubrus

Defense/goalies: 19 Sbisa, 4 Pitkanen, 27 Woywitka, 22 Ouellet, 22 Boucher
- nastyflyergirl

All 3 D men still in the league
We just didn't keep them

Those forwards make a great top 9!