I would have to seriously consider it, only for 2 reasons:

1) We have way more offensive firepower, including 2 young promising centers, than we do top-pair defensemen.
2) Elite level defensemen are much harder to acquire than elite-level forwards

For those reasons alone, I'd consider it. However, being as Giroux is this team's captain and has been (when healthy) one of the top forwards in the game, I'd probably step away.
- jmatchett383

I don't expect any of those promising Centers to approach the level of Giroux offensively, and as a catalyst. Giroux is a non starter for me.

Would you trade Roo for Chara? He's a "bonified TOP PAIRING dman."

Again, not gonna happen for a whole different variety of reasons than Nashville, but still, just asking.
- jmatchett383

I wouldn't because Chara is too old. If Giroux is going away it is for a top pair guy under 30, hopefully under 28.

I'm not interested in Josi. Schenn will become a far better player and we'd regret swapping the two.

If its not a bonified TOP PAIRING dman then stay away. But for the right top pairing guy, say Shea Weber, I'm packing Roo's bags.
- moylander

Nashville's probably not eager to trade Josi anyway... Trotz is on record saying he's better than Suter was at the same age... pretty tall praise. If anybody's getting dangled, it's probably MDZ, even though they just got him.

Anyone know Streit has usually been paired with for the Swiss?

Not sure David Poile would agree with that statement.

It sure seems like that from a Flyers' perspective though, doesn't it?
- Tomahawk

Yes, Nashville has stockpiled elite defensemen. But on the whole, there are more elite forwards in the game than there are elite defensemen.

Anyone know Streit has usually been paired with for the Swiss?
- Feanor

Diaz... the guy that just got traded for Dale Weise.

http://www2.dailyfaceoff....eams/lines/11/switzerland

I don't expect any of those promising Centers to approach the level of Giroux offensively, and as a catalyst. Giroux is a non starter for me.
- MJL

So let's say Schenn becomes a 65-70 point player (which I think he can be) to replace Giroux's 85-95 points. Do the points between them lost gets become offset by adding Shea Weber for the rest of his natural life?

I didn't realize Josi missed 10 games this season with a concussion after a hit from none other than Steve Downie. Seems like it was his third or fourth career concussion.

Yes, Nashville has stockpiled elite defensemen. But on the whole, there are more elite forwards in the game than there are elite defensemen.
- jmatchett383

I think that's changing... the number of really high-quality, super-skilled young d available in the draft year after year has really increased, starting from that crazy 2008 Petro/Karlsson/Doughty/etc draft, to Hedman/OEL, Hamilton/Brodin, Trouba/Maatta, down to the most recent recent Jones draft. Seems like a lot more of the skilled kids in midget and below seem to be playing D now or are being converted to D.

I don't expect any of those promising Centers to approach the level of Giroux offensively, and as a catalyst. Giroux is a non starter for me.
- MJL

If you were going to build a stanley cup team from scratch and you had to pick between a 28 year old Shea Weber and a 26 year old Claude Giroux - who do you pick? To me its a no brainer - and I love Giroux - but nobody plays D like Weber right now - Nobody. There are plenty of top flight centers, some even better than Giroux.

So let's say Schenn becomes a 65-70 point player (which I think he can be) to replace Giroux's 85-95 points. Do the points between them lost gets become offset by adding Shea Weber for the rest of his natural life?
- jmatchett383

In my opinion it doesn't. I think Schenn can be a 60 pt player in a 2nd line Center role. Where he'll see more favorable matchups then a 1st line Center does. Remove Giroux and put Schenn in the 1st line Center role, and he sees top defensive pairings and checkers on a regular basis, and his production goes down. Giroux is capable of putting up top numbers against top checking and defense pairings. And more importantly is able to carry that over to a playoff situation, and carry a team offensively. The difference would be huge, even with Weber. The bottom line is that the Flyers need both to win. They either need to build the defense with a stable of better all around players, or add that one stud that can carry a team playing 30 minutes defensively. And they need to do it without trading Giroux.

If you were going to build a stanley cup team from scratch and you had to pick between a 28 year old Shea Weber and a 26 year old Claude Giroux - who do you pick? To me its a no brainer - and I love Giroux - but nobody plays D like Weber right now - Nobody. There are plenty of top flight centers, some even better than Giroux.
- moylander

How has Nashville been doing building a Stanley Cup team around Weber?

If you were going to build a stanley cup team from scratch and you had to pick between a 28 year old Shea Weber and a 26 year old Claude Giroux - who do you pick? To me its a no brainer - and I love Giroux - but nobody plays D like Weber right now - Nobody. There are plenty of top flight centers, some even better than Giroux.
- moylander

I'd argue that in a couple of years, guys like Petro, OEL, Subban, Karlsson and probably Jones will be outpacing Weber as far as total value toward winning.

Weber always struck me as more Rob Blake than Chris Pronger... beautiful skill set, but he doesn't have that same je ne sais quoi that 44/25/20 had.

How has Nashville been doing building a Stanley Cup team around Weber?
- MJL

how have the flyers been doing building around giroux? you didn't answer my question... if you had to choose one, which one?

Usually find myself agreeing with MJL, but not this time around. I'd trade Giroux for Weber straight up. I think both Coots and Schenn are at the point in their careers where they can both take increased roles (Schenn#1 / Coots#2). Sure, we'll lose offensive production, but there are a lot of guys here that can benefit from an increase in offensive responsibility (more PP time, more chances in offensive-zone draws, etc.). Laughton can be brought up as well. Flyers also seem to do a decent job of finding offensive talent outside of the draft (recently, think Read, Raffl).

I'd absolutely HATE to make that trade, but it'd be a necessary evil.

Usually find myself agreeing with MJL, but not this time around. I'd trade Giroux for Weber straight up. I think both Coots and Schenn are at the point in their careers where they can both take increased roles (Schenn#1 / Coots#2). Sure, we'll lose offensive production, but there are a lot of guys here that can benefit from an increase in offensive responsibility (more PP time, more chances in offensive-zone draws, etc.). Laughton can be brought up as well. Flyers also seem to do a decent job of finding offensive talent outside of the draft (recently, think Read, Raffl).

I'd absolutely HATE to make that trade, but it'd be a necessary evil.
- steelydan

If you trade 28, you'd better have an 88 to fall back on AND be getting a 37 and a 10 back.

I dont want Shea Weber. I want my team to stop making trades for the sake of making trades.

how have the flyers been doing building around giroux? you didn't answer my question... if you had to choose one, which one?
- moylander

Yes, I did answer the question. I answered it with the first reply I made to you on this subject. I wouldn't choose one over the other. I know that they need both to get there. And swapping one for the other is treading water in my opinion. The Flyers just went to a Cup final in 2010, then made a radical change in direction. How long has Nashville had Weber? They chose to build the team around Giroux. Don't waver from that now.

I dont want Shea Weber. I want my team to stop making trades for the sake of making trades.
- mochoson

1.) Chris Pronger had a career ending injury.

2.) We tried to get Shea Weber and it didn't work.

I'd love to see this franchise move on from both of these events. I really would.

1.) Chris Pronger had a career ending injury.

2.) We tried to get Shea Weber and it didn't work.

I'd love to see this franchise move on from both of these events. I really would.
- johndewar

I think the franchise has moved on, its the fans that haven't.

Yes, I did answer the question. I answered it with the first reply I made to you on this subject. I wouldn't choose one over the other. I know that they need both to get there. And swapping one for the other is treading water in my opinion. The Flyers just went to a Cup final in 2010, then made a radical change in direction. How long has Nashville had Weber?
- MJL

2010.... with a guy named Pronger anchoring the D... and a gritty 2-way center Mike Richards playing #1 C.

Look at the teams that have won the stanley cup the last four years... all have had elite top dmen (chara, keith, seabrook, doughty) and all had gritty 2-way #1 Centers (Toews, Bergeron, Kopitar).

They don't need an elite playmaking center to get to the SCF. They do need elite D and 2-way forwards.

I think the franchise has moved on, its the fans that haven't.
- twotoekenn

Its the olympic break. I don't see what the harm is in talking about this stuff now. At least people are being realistic in trade proposals. You go to other threads and they want to acquire Landeskog for spare parts and 2nd round picks.

2010.... with a guy named Pronger anchoring the D... and a gritty 2-way center Mike Richards playing #1 C.

Look at the teams that have won the stanley cup the last four years... all have had elite top dmen (chara, keith, seabrook, doughty) and all had gritty 2-way #1 Centers (Toews, Bergeron, Kopitar).

They don't need an elite playmaking center to get to the SCF. They do need elite D and 2-way forwards.
- moylander

Those Cup-winning teams had a hell of a lot more to them than just a two-way center and a good 1st-pair. I recall Patrick Kane and David Krejci having quite an appreciable effect on those clubs' runs, and Anze Kopitar is about as an elite of a playmaking offensive force as you'll find in the NHL.

Those Cup-winning teams had a hell of a lot more to them than just a two-way center and a good 1st-pair. I recall Patrick Kane and David Krejci having quite an appreciable effect on those clubs' runs, and Anze Kopitar is about as an elite of a playmaking offensive force as you'll find in the NHL.
- Tomahawk

Those Cup teams were far deeper than this current Flyers team and definitely deeper than the 2010 Flyers team.

Those Cup teams were far deeper than this current Flyers team and definitely deeper than the 2010 Flyers team.
- johndewar

Definitely, and Leino/Briere were just as important to that 2010 run as Richards and Pronger were.