Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Late Bloomers, Undrafted Players, Berube, Alumni Golf

I'm fairly certain that hitch will be fired mid season and berube will lead blues to their first cup.

Flyers got a lot of praise for their draft from NHL executives that spoke to Craig Custance. He asked who had the best draft and one told him, "Philly. Hands down" They seemed to love Rubtsov, with another guy calling him a top ten pick

The Blues already announced Mike Yeo will be the head coach in 17-18.

http://blues.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=885871

“We’re excited to have Mike Yeo join us an an associate coach for next season and to become the next head coach for the St. Louis Blues for three years after that,” Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong said. “For being 42 years old, he’s got a lot of experience. He’s won a Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh, he’s taken an American League team to the finals and you saw the good job he did in Minnesota in taking that team to the second round. What excites me is his experience, but with his age, he can really relate to today’s players and it’s an exciting day for our team.”

Quite a few pretty good Flyers went undrafted. Tim Kerr probably heads the list. There is no "right" way to find talent. All avenues need to be explored and I think the Flyers have done a great job of this under both Holmgren and Hextall.

I also think they may have really struck gold with Rubtsov. If he was born in, say, Calgary, he goes top 10, no doubt.

Quite a few pretty good Flyers went undrafted. Tim Kerr probably heads the list. There is no "right" way to find talent. All avenues need to be explored and I think the Flyers have done a great job of this under both Holmgren and Hextall.

I also think they may have really struck gold with Rubtsov. If he was born in, say, Calgary, he goes top 10, no doubt.
- BiggE

Dave Poulin was also undrafted. He went to Sweden to prove himself after he graduated from Notre Dame.

Quite a few pretty good Flyers went undrafted. Tim Kerr probably heads the list. There is no "right" way to find talent. All avenues need to be explored and I think the Flyers have done a great job of this under both Holmgren and Hextall.

I also think they may have really struck gold with Rubtsov. If he was born in, say, Calgary, he goes top 10, no doubt.
- BiggE

Kerr, Poulin, Sinisalo, Kindrachuk, Read all undrafted.

I never knew we tried out Hoffman. Man we could use his goal scoring now! Oh well.

Kerr, Poulin, Sinisalo, Kindrachuk, Read all undrafted.
- Jsaquella

Yup. A couple of summers ago, I did a best all-time undrafted Flyers list and there was a lot of good ones to choose among.

Kerr, Poulin, Sinisalo, Kindrachuk, Read all undrafted.
- Jsaquella

Raffl + Bellemare

Frans Neilson rumored to be seeking a 6-7 year $40m contract. He's 32 years old...

Okposo also rumored to be seeking 7x7

something is worth whatever someone will pay

I had the chance to see Vladimir Kuznetsov play over Christmas break vs the Saint John Sea Dogs. He's a big boy but definitely has to work on his skating.

Yup. A couple of summers ago, I did a best all-time undrafted Flyers list and there was a lot of good ones to choose among.
- bmeltzer

I remember this. Could have used it when I was coming up with names

Frans Neilson rumored to be seeking a 6-7 year $40m contract. He's 32 years old...

Okposo also rumored to be seeking 7x7


- Mordecai

Hertl resigned 2 yrs 3mil per, 6 mil total.

Hate to say it but I am willing to bet Stamkos ends up in Toronto.
Local writer tweeting that he was at Maple Leaf head quarters yesterday with the
(Frank)ing mayor of Toronto helping make a sales pitch .
Leafs will be dam good up front . I am sure they will get to work on their D immediately.

Hertl signs 2 year deal at 3mil a year.

That should help with the Schenn deal.

Bill, isn't Salituro going to Columbus's dev camp? Doesn't mean they will sign him (like Myers and Calgary), but he'd have to make it to training camp still available, I suppose.

sucks when you have to buyout a useful player because of contracts of bad ones

Hertl signs 2 year deal at 3mil a year.

That should help with the Schenn deal.
- MikesPillBottle

Not really. Different contract stages. That's Hertl's bridge deal coming off he EL deal. Schenn is already past that and is closer to UFA status.

Hertl resigned 2 yrs 3mil per, 6 mil total.
- flyerfan28

That sounds wonderful, but I think it's a bad move by Wilson. Hertl is a gem and should be a part of their core. Sound good now but in 2 years time, he could be getting a big raise. Should've signed him long term for something that will seem cheap in a few years.

I never knew we tried out Hoffman. Man we could use his goal scoring now! Oh well.
- arichardson22

We also tried out Trevor Van Riemsdyk. There wasn't room for him on our stacked defense, but he was able to squeeze into Chicago's joke of a defense.

That sounds wonderful, but I think it's a bad move by Wilson. Hertl is a gem and should be a part of their core. Sound good now but in 2 years time, he could be getting a big raise. Should've signed him long term for something that will seem cheap in a few years.
- Mononoke

He's no Devin Setoguchi.

That sounds wonderful, but I think it's a bad move by Wilson. Hertl is a gem and should be a part of their core. Sound good now but in 2 years time, he could be getting a big raise. Should've signed him long term for something that will seem cheap in a few years.
- Mononoke

cuttin off your nose to spite your face...with regards to Hertl and more specifically to Schenn...id rather sign a longer deal that takes a player through his prime and then thank him for his services when he wants his next contract at 30