Me too. I'm hoping this year we can be more like the Bruins. Some goaltending, a rough overall team, some speed, some depth - very difficult to play against.

In the physical department, we have Simmonds, Harts, Sestito, Rinaldo, and L Schenn. Maybe Grossmann.

Some good skill as well - G, Chek, etc.

I just want to see this team make every team it faces have a difficult time.
- Daman

Tito and rinaldo will hardly play...we actually could use another big forward w/o JVR and jagr in the lineup. jagr set up so much for giroux and hartnell...he'll be missed.

Bouwmeester is still available.
- bradleyc4

Hopefully he continues to be available for other teams not named Philadelphia

That was really what my question was based on. Have to believe the Flyers will do a deal for a puck moving Dman before the season starts. With all the great young talent up front they can still get stymied if they do not have the D that can handle the transition and move the puck up ice quickly on the breakout.

Don't understand the motivation to deal for Ryan or Nash when the same assets could be used to get a #1D.
- spatso

i dont beleive the flyers will trade anyone till they see what unfolds with weber and nashville next week

Good luck with that.
- Jsaquella

+2

Bouwmeester is still available.
- bradleyc4

It is less than ideal but it will have to work.

I would like to see Mez take the lead here and maybe Coby. Odds are that the Flyers will continue to use that play where they speed up the ice, drop the puck to G or Briere, and they penetrate.

As I mentioned yesterday, I would be excited just to see a 0-0 game through the first 10 minutes. We may have been the worst starting team in league history
- Daman

I remember Voracek doing pretty well running the point on the PP... poop.. he hasnt be traded has he?

Tito and rinaldo will hardly play...we actually could use another big forward w/o JVR and jagr in the lineup. jagr set up so much for giroux and hartnell...he'll be missed.
- isaiah520

Wouldnt mind Arnott at all..

Me too. I'm hoping this year we can be more like the Bruins. Some goaltending, a rough overall team, some speed, some depth - very difficult to play against.

In the physical department, we have Simmonds, Harts, Sestito, Rinaldo, and L Schenn. Maybe Grossmann.

Some good skill as well - G, Chek, etc.

I just want to see this team make every team it faces have a difficult time.
- Daman

I think in the physical game you have to look at guys like Brayden Schenn, Matt Read (threw a bunch of big hits last year), Meszy Coburn and even G as well. Those guys all play with an edge.

i dont beleive the flyers will trade anyone till they see what unfolds with weber and nashville next week
- mydoglicks

I don't have any doubt that Holmgren has already given Poile a supportive call either directly or through a third party and indicated what might be potentially available if Nashville decides to move Weber.

I like the D as is. I think MAB is going to be real good and I would be hesitant to deal him in a much talked about potenial trade for Ryan or Nash. I see some of Letang in Bourdon, not as good offensively but better in the his own end. I like Gus also. I think he is developing into a Timonen type player which will be a real asset to have once Kimmo is gone in a few years. Also, who better to learn from than the man himself? I haven't heard much buzz about Luke Schenn but I believe this will be a steal. The Flyers have had a great track record recently of bringing in defensemen from teams that soured on them (Carle in TB, Coburn in ATL and Meszaros in TB) and turning their careers around. Schenn is going to be a real stud for the O&B. One last thing, I know we have not heard anything on the status of Pronger. I realize it does not look good for him to return but what if he starts to feel better in say January or February and begins to work out to get back in playing shape with an eye towards returning for the playoffs? No cap hit in the playoffs and adding someone like that at the most important and meaningful time of the year........Just some food for thought.
- C-Vac

I applaud and love the optimism. But there isn't much hope for Pronger. And it's also not likely that Bourdon comes anywhere close to the player that Letang is. Or that Gustafsson becomes remotely close to the player that Timonen is. But I hope I'm wrong.

Good luck with that.
- Jsaquella

wash and repeat, cycle ????

I don't have any doubt that Holmgren has already given Poile a supportive call either directly or through a third party and indicated what might be potentially available if Nashville decides to move Weber.
- spatso

It would take bigggg pieces.. Figured JvR would have been the starting piece, but was way off on that one..

Itll probably end up costing at least one of our "un-touchables" (coots probably) +++

Wouldnt mind Arnott at all..
- jak521

in the role we have available, I agree.

Holy crap, talking about a Weber trade already?

Trade amnesty day.

One would have to assume that the trade for L. Schenn was made with the idea that Matt Carle was going to be re-signed. With Carle gone, the defense core (on paper) isn't even as good as last year. Granted hockey isn't played on paper. The defense can be better than it was last year if everyone stays healthy. What are the odds of that? Basically zero. So as others have noted a long term injury to Timonen, Meszaros, or Coburn and there will be significant struggles.
- PLindbergh31

Let's put it in perspective. Every team is in the same boat. A serious injury to a top defensmam would affect every team. No team is immune from that possibility. Secondly, as has been spoken about numerous times. It is about the mix of defenseman. With the loss of Carle, the Flyers are weakened in certain areas such as puck movement, and offense from the back end. But with the addition of Schenn, they are a more physical team on the back end. So we'll see what that translates into. And we'll see if other players who are going to be given more responsibilities, can handle it.

The Flyers have more than enough cap room to keep Pronger active, so long as there are no other moves forthcoming. In fact, unless they do make moves, Pronger won't even be put on LTIR.
- Jsaquella

Believe it or not, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility.

That doesn't mean that I believe he'll play again, but just hear me out.

Perron went down with a serious concussion in November of 2010 and didn't even return until December of 2011. That's over 13 months, and he came back, didn't miss a beat, and put up 20-20 numbers in 60 games.

Kariya had similar long-term absences during his career, including in the latter stages.

Right now Pronger has been out for nearly 8 months. Who's to say he won't turn the corner in say 5 or 6 more months?

The odds are slim, but, my point is that it's not out of the realm of possibility, and as Flyers fans, and fans of hockey in general, we might as well hope for the best.

Tito and rinaldo will hardly play...we actually could use another big forward w/o JVR and jagr in the lineup. jagr set up so much for giroux and hartnell...he'll be missed.
- isaiah520

As I have said here before, I think Rinaldo was one of the most noticeable players in the last playoff game. They can still make an impact.

Can we declare amnesty on trade discussions so that Ryan, Nash, and Weber will not be discussed today?
- Daman

Imagine what last year would have been like if we had all known how serious Homer was shopping Carter and Richards? There was a little bit of talk about trading Carter, but if it was as public as the Nash or Ryan situations, especially with both Richards and Carter, it would have been nuts in here.

Believe it or not, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility.

That doesn't mean that I believe he'll play again, but just hear me out.

Perron went down with a serious concussion in November of 2010 and din't even return until December of 2011. That's over 13 months, and he came back, didn't miss a beat, and put up 20-20 numbers in 60 games.

Kariya had similar long-term absences during his career, including in the latter stages.

Right now Pronger has been out for nearly 8 months. Who's to say he won't turn the corner in say 5 or 6 more months? .
- LordStanley88

Even if you're right, and I hope you are, I wonder how long a guy of his size and age can stay out and be effective.

The odds are slim, but, my point is that it's not out of the realm of possibility, and as Flyers fans, and fans of hockey in general, we might as well hope for the best

I thought the Flyers were going to smoke the Devils in the playoffs. I believe the Flyer forwards were far more dangerous and threatening for the entire series. But, they just made too many mistakes on the back end, especially in terms of getting the puck up ice quickly when they had the opportunity.

I am a great fan of Holmgren and his ability to do the right deal at the right time. I am betting he does the right deal for the right kind of guy (like the deal Florida did last year for a Brian Campbell like player).
- spatso

The Flyers forwards were as much to blame for that as the defense was.

Hopefully he continues to be available for other teams not named Philadelphia
- stveshdy

I'd bet on St. Louis there.

Bernier to the Oilers makes too much sense too.

[quote=Daman]

Pronger was always the king of conditioning, so I think he'd do fine if he were ever cleared.

Again though, it's obviously a glass half-full approach of looking at the current situation.

Believe it or not, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility.

That doesn't mean that I believe he'll play again, but just hear me out.

Perron went down with a serious concussion in November of 2010 and din't even return until December of 2011. That's over 13 months, and he came back, didn't miss a beat, and put up 20-20 numbers in 60 games.

Kariya had similar long-term absences during his career, including in the latter stages.

Right now Pronger has been out for nearly 8 months. Who's to say he won't turn the corner in say 5 or 6 more months?

The odds are slim, but, my point is that it's not out of the realm of possibility, and as Flyers fans, and fans of hockey in general, we might as well hope for the best.
- LordStanley88

I'm simply looking at the realities of the cap, not a possible return of Pronger.

The fact is, if the Flyers have more than $4.91mm in cap room, Pronger won;t be LTIR'd. There's no reason to do it if he fits under the cap. I'd be stunned at a return of Pronger as a player, at any time.

Believe it or not, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility.

That doesn't mean that I believe he'll play again, but just hear me out.

Perron went down with a serious concussion in November of 2010 and din't even return until December of 2011. That's over 13 months, and he came back, didn't miss a beat, and put up 20-20 numbers in 60 games.

Kariya had similar long-term absences during his career, including in the latter stages.

Right now Pronger has been out for nearly 8 months. Who's to say he won't turn the corner in say 5 or 6 more months?

The odds are slim, but, my point is that it's not out of the realm of possibility, and as Flyers fans, and fans of hockey in general, we might as well hope for the best.
- LordStanley88

Those players were still in their prime and were much younger. And weren't 37 years old like Pronger was, in the twilight of his career.

Even if you're right, and I hope you are, I wonder how long a guy of his size and age can stay out and be effective.

- Daman

Agreed. At best he'd come back about a month before the playoffs and you'd have him when it really starts to matter.