Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Worlds, Morin and More

For those who have said on social media "Giroux has never been the same since then,"


You could have just stopped right there, Bill



Quick question re Dallas: I'm guessing one of the 2 goalies from last season gets bought out, do you agree?

I wonder if Hexy appreciated Morin posting those pics.

Are the Flyers actually gonna sign Dove-McFalls, or did they just post that glowing piece about him on the website to make him feel nice on his way out the door?

Go Sens Go!

Here we go Ottawa here we go. I've been watching Oli Maata during these playoffs and he is not a good player. I used to think he was a solid young Dman but geez this guy is on the wrong end of a lot of plays.

Sens looked good last night...... Anderson was on it. I'm hoping they can give the flightless birds all they can handle and then some........

I wonder if Hexy appreciated Morin posting those pics.

Are the Flyers actually gonna sign Dove-McFalls, or did they just post that glowing piece about him on the website to make him feel nice on his way out the door?
- Feanor

"Will Sam Morin please report to the office"

I wonder if Hexy appreciated Morin posting those pics.

Are the Flyers actually gonna sign Dove-McFalls, or did they just post that glowing piece about him on the website to make him feel nice on his way out the door?
- Feanor

He's a draft choice with limited potential, but he still could one day be their 4th line center. I'd be mildly surprised if they didn't sign him.

Here we go Ottawa here we go. I've been watching Oli Maata during these playoffs and he is not a good player. I used to think he was a solid young Dman but geez this guy is on the wrong end of a lot of plays.
- ClaudeFather

Pens fans are raking Maata over the coals in their thread.

The next 4.5 months should be fascinating for Flyers fans:

1. Who goes in the expansion draft?
My guess is Raffl, though Cousins, Bellemare and Laughton are also possibilities. I also don't rule out Hexy making a small deal to insure a guy like Read being taken.

2. Who are the Flyers goalies come October?
Neuvirth will probably be one, but you never know. Hexy is a tricky guy, for all we know he's working on a deal to trade Neuvy and is then gonna turn around and sign Mason!

All kidding aside, I'm betting it's Neuvirth and one of Bernier or Miller.

3. Who will be the Flyers pick at #2?
My gut feeling is Hischier is going to NJ and Patrick will be a Flyer

4. Who will make the opening night roster?
Besides the locks: 2 goalies, Provy, Ghost, Gudas, and at least one of AMac/Manning on D and G, Jake, Coots, Simmonds, Schenn, Filpulla, Bellemare (if not lost to Vegas) and Weise up front, it's a wide open race.

On D, Morin, Hagg, Sanheim and perhaps Myers will be battling for what should be 2 available spots and up front there is a large cast of characters, minus the guy they lose to Vegas, fighting for the last 6 spots (assuming they carry 14): TK, the #2 pick, Raffl, Read, Cousins, Laughton, Vecchione, Weal, Lindblom and Leier should all be in the mix.

The next 4.5 months should be fascinating for Flyers fans:

1. Who goes in the expansion draft?
My guess is Raffl, though Cousins, Bellemare and Laughton are also possibilities. I also don't rule out Hexy making a small deal to insure a guy like Read being taken.

2. Who are the Flyers goalies come October?
Neuvirth will probably be one, but you never know. Hexy is a tricky guy, for all we know he's working on a deal to trade Neuvy and is then gonna turn around and sign Mason!

All kidding aside, I'm betting it's Neuvirth and one of Bernier or Miller.

3. Who will be the Flyers pick at #2?
My gut feeling is Hischier is going to NJ and Patrick will be a Flyer

4. Who will make the opening night roster?
Besides the locks: 2 goalies, Provy, Ghost, Gudas, and at least one of AMac/Manning on D and G, Jake, Coots, Simmonds, Schenn, Filpulla, Bellemare (if not lost to Vegas) and Weise up front, it's a wide open race.

On D, Morin, Hagg, Sanheim and perhaps Myers will be battling for what should be 2 available spots and up front there is a large cast of characters, minus the guy they lose to Vegas, fighting for the last 6 spots (assuming they carry 14): TK, the #2 pick, Raffl, Read, Cousins, Laughton, Vecchione, Weal, Lindblom and Leier should all be in the mix.




- BiggE

I'm really hoping we can get Ryan Miller, with him being a little older i think him and Neuvy can be a good mix and have something like a 60/40 split. I think he has some good hockey left in the tank.

This might be me being too optimistic but Oskar should step in and be a serious top 6 player and immediately make our team better. The kid at 20 years old was just the MVP of arguably the 3rd best hockey league in the world.

Morin will be a bust, I can see PLind & Crims now

Bobby Ryan's OT goal last night is the type of goal no player on the Flyers can score.

No question morin busts. Need more than a 3rd pairing d at the 11 spot

No question morin busts. Need more than a 3rd pairing d at the 11 spot
- Just5

I knew I missed adding you to that list

How does the over abundance of forwards get sored out? . Adding #2, Vecchione and Lindbom certainly makes things crowded.....

Re: BiggE

1. Who goes in the expansion draft?
I'll go with Laughton (they'll see former 1st round potential and still young at 23) or Bellemare for helping to build a strong culture.

2. Who are the Flyers goalies come October?
This one I dread and pray Hextall somehow has a deal worked out with LV to take Neuvirth or trade him there. But I'll go with a Bernier/Neurvirth combo.

3. Who will be the Flyers pick at #2?
I agree with you. I think Hischier goes 1 and the Flyers go Patrick.

4. Who will make the opening night roster?
Forwards are the trickiest for me especially if a current non-roster player in Laughton gets taken. There's just a ton to choose from, but my gut says (making up line combos to keep track of how many players I pick)...
Lindblom-Giroux-Voracek
Konecny-Filppula-Simmonds
Schenn-Couturier-Weal
Bellemare-Vecchione-Weise
Raffl/Read would be my current extras but I think Raffl is too good to scratch and would find a role or be traded if not selected by Vegas.

I don't see the Flyers signing a d-man who automatically makes the team but could see a Schultz type brought into camp as competition for Morin and Hagg but I think both youngsters make it...
Provorov-Gudas
Gostisbehere-Morin
MacDonald-Hagg
Manning

Re: BiggE

1. Who goes in the expansion draft?
I'll go with Laughton (they'll see former 1st round potential and still young at 23) or Bellemare for helping to build a strong culture.

2. Who are the Flyers goalies come October?
This one I dread and pray Hextall somehow has a deal worked out with LV to take Neuvirth or trade him there. But I'll go with a Bernier/Neurvirth combo.

3. Who will be the Flyers pick at #2?
I agree with you. I think Hischier goes 1 and the Flyers go Patrick.

4. Who will make the opening night roster?
Forwards are the trickiest for me especially if a current non-roster player in Laughton gets taken. There's just a ton to choose from, but my gut says (making up line combos to keep track of how many players I pick)...
Lindblom-Giroux-Voracek
Konecny-Filppula-Simmonds
Schenn-Couturier-Weal
Bellemare-Vecchione-Weise
Raffl/Read would be my current extras but I think Raffl is too good to scratch and would find a role or be traded if not selected by Vegas.

I don't see the Flyers signing a d-man who automatically makes the team but could see a Schultz type brought into camp as competition for Morin and Hagg but I think both youngsters make it...
Provorov-Gudas
Gostisbehere-Morin
MacDonald-Hagg
Manning
- five4fighting10

You don't see Patrick/Hischier and/or Cousins on the roster?

You have to wonder if hexy and the flyers would have stuck with wrist surgery singular if morin didn't post the pic

Raffl if unprotected will be the one banished to vegas.
Laughton would not be worth the ED pick if he is unprotected, just as an Ahler who had a sniff as a first rounder. He is more of a pot sweetener with picks and Amac for bold trade move for a goalie/any other major need.

With 29 other goalies to choose from I doubt that Vegas will take Neuvy.

No question morin busts. Need more than a 3rd pairing d at the 11 spot
- Just5

Even if his limit is 3rd pairing NHL dman, I don't think that is a bust if he is a regular NHL player.

McIlrath is a bust.

http://www.eliteprospects...m/player.php?player=37170

Gormley is a bust.

http://www.eliteprospects...m/player.php?player=19428

Forbort is not a bust.

http://www.eliteprospects...m/player.php?player=31265

No question morin busts. Need more than a 3rd pairing d at the 11 spot
- Just5

It's such a shame we don't have any other top notch young defensemen in the system

You don't see Patrick/Hischier and/or Cousins on the roster?
- BiggE

Son of a...I knew I was missing a few. I think Patrick/Hischier have a better than 50/50 shot of making the team, but unless a few forwards are moved via trade/expansion draft, I don't really see a spot for Cousins. I'd like to keep him, I like him as a 3rd/4th liner and see guys like him on nearly every team still alive in the playoffs. But with higher priced vets (Read, Weise, even Raffl) on the roster, I don't see the room.

The 3 x-factors to me will be if a forward currently on the team gets taken by Vegas, if Lindblom claims a spot like I expect him to, and if Hexy is able to move one of the vets I mentioned above. Those are 3 roster spots that could alter the look of our lineup greatly.

I know we aren't a contender yet, but our forward core looks a lot deeper today than it did before the trade deadline last year. Adding Filppula, #2 pick if he makes the team, and Lindblom make us drastically deeper. That's a huge step forward in the right direction.

Son of a...I knew I was missing a few. I think Patrick/Hischier have a better than 50/50 shot of making the team, but unless a few forwards are moved via trade/expansion draft, I don't really see a spot for Cousins. I'd like to keep him, I like him as a 3rd/4th liner and see guys like him on nearly every team still alive in the playoffs. But with higher priced vets (Read, Weise, even Raffl) on the roster, I don't see the room.

The 3 x-factors to me will be if a forward currently on the team gets taken by Vegas, if Lindblom claims a spot like I expect him to, and if Hexy is able to move one of the vets I mentioned above. Those are 3 roster spots that could alter the look of our lineup greatly.

I know we aren't a contender yet, but our forward core looks a lot deeper today than it did before the trade deadline last year. Adding Filppula, #2 pick if he makes the team, and Lindblom make us drastically deeper. That's a huge step forward in the right direction.
- five4fighting10

My guess is that Raffl goes to LV, Laughton is traded, Read is bought out and Leier back in LHV. Since I think Hischier is going to NJ and Patrick to us, here is how I see it shaking out:

Lindblom-G-Jake
Filppula-Coots-Schenn
TK-Patrick-Simmonds
PEB-Vecchione-Weise or Weal
Spares: Weise or Weal and Cousins