Imagine what he will command after the McDonald extension...
- Chest Rockwell

Hence the reason I think we are in the drivers seat. We have some really good D that are signed long term and to reasonable contracts or we have young RFA d that are very reliable and proven.
As much as we would like to trade Kessler, there is no market for 2lC this year. Look at the UFA list for centers.
Stastny
Will Likely resign

Legwand
Will be UFA

Roy
Will be UFA

Bolland
Will be ufa

Grabovski
Will be UFA

Goc
Will be UFA

These are all good 2lc that can be had for no roster cost at all.

Can you believe the Flyers just resigned McDonald to 6 year $30 million extension?!

It's so ridiculous that even the Flyers Insider/Fanboy Extraordinaire doesn't have it up on the main page.

The guy was making $550,000 this year! That's almost a 1000% raise! Who is this guy's agent?
- Chest Rockwell

If only we had a player agent as GM we also could have taken Homer to the cleaners.

Hence the reason I think we are in the drivers seat. We have some really good D that are signed long term and to reasonable contracts or we have young RFA d that are very reliable and proven.
As much as we would like to trade Kessler, there is no market for 2lC this year. Look at the UFA list for centers.
Stastny
Will Likely resign

Legwand
Will be UFA

Roy
Will be UFA

Bolland
Will be ufa

Grabovski
Will be UFA

Goc
Will be UFA

These are all good 2lc that can be had for no roster cost at all.
- Linden_4_Capt

Stastny is the only one who is even close to capable of carry Kelser's jock strap.

Stastny is the only one who is even close to capable of carry Kelser's jock strap.
- Chest Rockwell

To the Canucks yes. But my point was from other GM's point of view. If I am looking for a 2LC and the UFA pool for good 2LC is deep why would I trade a top pick, a prospect and a roster player for Kesler? Use that to strengthen other areas of need. It just does not make any sense for a guy that is on a decline and is injury prone.
I would love to see Kesler get traded but this year is not the right year. Maybe at TDL he will have more value.

On second note I was looking to see how the latest signing impacts Flyers. There is a good possibility the B- Schenn can be had. if the Cap goes up to 71 as projected then Flyers have 6.4mil to sign Downie, Schenn, Mcginn, 3 more UFA to till out bottom 6, a #6 and #7 D and a backup goalie.

Here is the list of top UFA D this year.

Boyle, Dan » D SJS 37 $6,666,667 2014 (UFA)
Will resign and retire a Shark.

Timonen, Kimmo » D PHI 39 $6,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Will retire

Markov, Andrei » D MTL 35 $5,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Should Retire

Pitkanen, Joni » D CAR 30 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Will sign as a 5-6 somewhere

Zidlicky, Marek » D NJD 37 $4,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Nobody wants him

Meszaros, Andrej » D BOS 28 $4,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Too slow

Quincey, Kyle » D DET 28 $3,775,000 2014 (UFA)
tops 5-6

Salo, Sami » D TBL 39 $3,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Should retire

Orpik, Brooks » D PIT 33 $3,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Only D of value that is still young but will most likely resign before FA

Mitchell, Willie » D LAK 36 $3,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Only D I would go after but is slowing down now

Schultz, Nick » D CLB 31 $3,500,000 2014 (UFA)
3-4 at most

Tallinder, Henrik » D BUF 35 $3,375,000 2014 (UFA)
Overrated

Robidas, Stephane » D ANA 37 $3,300,000 2014 (UFA)
Cant stay healthy

Klesla, Rostislav » D BUF 32 $2,975,000 2014 (UFA)
6-7 potential

Greene, Matt » D LAK 30 $2,950,000 2014 (UFA)
Nothing Spectecular but will likely resign

Morris, Derek » D PHX 35 $2,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Likely will resign

Niskanen, Matt » D PIT 27 $2,300,000 2014 (UFA)
Only other D of value and young but will either resign or get traded.
- Linden_4_Capt

Unless we get Boyle or another pmd, the only other d on the list I'd be interested in is Matt Greene, plays a bit physical (too slow?) and we are sorely lacking in that everywhere in our lineup ...

Unless we get Boyle or another pmd, the only other d on the list I'd be interested in is Matt Greene, plays a bit physical (too slow?) and we are sorely lacking in that everywhere in our lineup ...
- hillbillydeluxe

This signing would be the polar opposite of the direction our teams needs to go.

Greene would be good if we end up trading Edler.

To the Canucks yes. But my point was from other GM's point of view. If I am looking for a 2LC and the UFA pool for good 2LC is deep why would I trade a top pick, a prospect and a roster player for Kesler? Use that to strengthen other areas of need. It just does not make any sense for a guy that is on a decline and is injury prone.
I would love to see Kesler get traded but this year is not the right year. Maybe at TDL he will have more value.

On second note I was looking to see how the latest signing impacts Flyers. There is a good possibility the B- Schenn can be had. if the Cap goes up to 71 as projected then Flyers have 6.4mil to sign Downie, Schenn, Mcginn, 3 more UFA to till out bottom 6, a #6 and #7 D and a backup goalie.
- Linden_4_Capt

Kesler is not my favourite player, but what he brings and at that cap hit, if you want him, you want him now. Not getting any younger and these guys seldom are available.

With the salary cap, the summer has to be the time to make the big trade so there is time to make adjustments and get cap compliant. But I don't know sh!t sitting here in my under-roos drinking coffee.

This signing would be the polar opposite of the direction our teams needs to go.

Greene would be good if we end up trading Edler.
- Chest Rockwell

I don't know what the Boston model is really, big guys, lots of fore checking and puck pressure... We aren't big and couldn't keep up the fore check over the past season... And if we played with the same edge as Boston, we may as well put a sofa in the penalty box because it will always be in use.

If we would have got Soupy from Florida in the Lu deal, we would be in the playoffs.

(6th pick may be better for the future. )

I don't know what the Boston model is really, big guys, lots of fore checking and puck pressure... We aren't big and couldn't keep up the fore check over the past season... And if we played with the same edge as Boston, we may as well put a sofa in the penalty box because it will always be in use.

If we would have got Soupy from Florida in the Lu deal, we would be in the playoffs.
- hillbillydeluxe

Like that wasn't complicated enough. Getting Campbell to waive and under the cap, as well signing more UFA's this season would have been a nightmare for Gilman.

Like that wasn't complicated enough. Getting Campbell to waive and under the cap, as well signing more UFA's this season would have been a nightmare for Gilman.
- Chest Rockwell

If you are making the playoffs, you don't mind having some of these challenges.


Maybe needed a GM better at wheeling and dealing to make those moves....

Which team has had the most success with trading for project players or with players that were headed in that direction, underperforming/underwhelming? is finding these players attributed to the scouting system or is their success all development on the new team?

I know Gillis liked the idea of picking up late blooming college free agents and some of that has to be scouting.

What pisses me off about Tortorella's statements recently is in regards to the lack of depth - looking down the bench at these faces that weren't ready.. or something like that... Anyway, don't you have to play these kids some minutes and try to increase over the season, build up their minutes and responsibility? Development?

Anyway, with a different coach, this team would have been in the playoffs. Hope this pick pans out.

@dantencer:MacTavish says the player development department and processes within the organization are "the best in the game".

@dantencer:MacTavish says the player development department and processes within the organization are "the best in the game".


- AlexF

Pretty easy to say that when you're picking first overall or close to it all the time...

@dantencer:MacTavish says the player development department and processes within the organization are "the best in the game".


- AlexF

They need some help on d and a forward like Doan to lead or set an example.
(Patrick Sharp or Spezza, idk, they need some leadership and experience badly)

Withering on the vine...

Who needs playoffs when we have the draft lottery?

New blog is up here:

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=59408