Kovalchuck will be a UFA soon
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

He has to at least be on Fletch's radar.

They have but its rare. Giroux is a competitive guy like myself. He is the type of guy that wants to lead his team to a championship not just go to a team with a better shot. He would have left long ago if that was the case, well before signing his current deal.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

It's not that rare. You're presuming what he wants. I'm going to presume that Giroux wants to win a Cup and he might be willing to accept a trade to a team with a legit shot that he could bolster. He may not take part in the skating of the Cup though if he was not the main guy to lead them to the Cup! LOL

He has to at least be on Fletch's radar.
- Raven728

I hope not..
He just got released from one of the bottom teams in the league.

I hope not..
He just got released from one of the bottom teams in the league.
- opeth_pa

Agent was saying he wasnt getting the opportunity. Coaches can be like that. If they dont like you, you are going to suffer whether its justified or not

It's not that rare. You're presuming what he wants. I'm going to presume that Giroux wants to win a Cup and he might be willing to accept a trade to a team with a legit shot that he could bolster. He may not take part in the skating of the Cup though if he was not the main guy to lead them to the Cup! LOL
- MJL

He may not but thats the price of loyalty, something Giroux has for the Flyers. Like I said. He could have left at any time during the rebuild. He is not going to leave now, not when the team is trending upwards.

Agent was saying he wasnt getting the opportunity. Coaches can be like that. If they dont like you, you are going to suffer whether its justified or not
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Coaches tend to give players opportunity that deserve it and earn it with their play.

He may not but thats the price of loyalty, something Giroux has for the Flyers. Like I said. He could have left at any time during the rebuild. He is not going to leave now, not when the team is trending upwards.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

You're making this statement without any thought to it. You keep saying he could've left. The only time a player has complete control ito leave a team is when he is a UFA. Giroux has never been a UFA in his career.

Agent was saying he wasnt getting the opportunity. Coaches can be like that. If they dont like you, you are going to suffer whether its justified or not
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

A fair point..
Was just reading he has been scratched since early November?

Coaches tend to give players opportunity that deserve it and earn it with their play.
- MJL

They tend to but not always. In Kovalchuk's case it was probably the lazy Russian.

But sometimes coaches have a blindspot due their own biases. To state otherwise is just unrealistic.

You're making this statement without any thought to it. You keep saying he could've left. The only time a player has complete control ito leave a team is when he is a UFA. Giroux has never been a UFA in his career.
- MJL

So Giroux has never had to sign a contract with the Flyers after his entry level deal? He's just been stuck with the team until now? He couldnt ask for a trade?

They tend to but not always. In Kovalchuk's case it was probably the lazy Russian.

But sometimes coaches have a blindspot due their own biases. To state otherwise is just unrealistic.
- MBFlyerfan

Coaches certainly have reasons why they favor one player over another but if a player is not getting playing time it's far more likely due to the players play. The bias is normally created by the players play. In Kovalchuk's case, it has to give pause that he can't get in the lineup on a bad team.

So Giroux has never had to sign a contract with the Flyers after his entry level deal? He's just been stuck with the team until now? He couldnt ask for a trade?
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

You stated that he could've left. That is false. He can request a trade but that doesn't mean it would be granted by the team. You want to have it both ways. You claim a player with a NMC can't be traded and now that a player under a long term contract could've left whenever he wanted to.

They tend to but not always. In Kovalchuk's case it was probably the lazy Russian.

But sometimes coaches have a blindspot due their own biases. To state otherwise is just unrealistic.
- MBFlyerfan

Exactly. Everyone has a bias. Some people can put it aside others cant. Some young players fail because the coach simply did not like them. Even if those types of coaches gave them opportunities they were likely short leashed opportunities

You stated that he could've left. That is false. He can request a trade but that doesn't mean it would be granted by the team. You want to have it both ways. You claim a player with a NMC can't be traded and now that a player under a long term contract could've left whenever he wanted to.
- MJL

I stated he could have left because he could have. No one held a gun to his head 5 years ago and forced him to sign an 8 year deal. HE COULD HAVE JUST LEFT . This isnt rocket science. He could have not signed, hit UFA status and went to a better team when the Flyers were trending down.

I stated he could have left because he could have. No one held a gun to his head 5 years ago and forced him to sign an 8 year deal. HE COULD HAVE JUST LEFT . This isnt rocket science. He could have not signed, hit UFA status and went to a better team when the Flyers were trending down.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Giroux was an RFA when he signed his long term deal. He COULD NOT HAVE JUST LEFT. NOT SIGNING WOULD NOT HAVE GRANTED HIM UFA STATUS.
The Flyers retain his rights and it would be the teams choice on what to allow to happen in that situation. You state that it's not rocket science, which I agree with. It seems as though you're not aware of how contracts work in the NHL.
I'll repeat, Giroux has never hit UFA status in his career. There has never been a period when Giroux just could've chosen to leave to play with another team.

Just a tough situation. After Farabee is suspended they will be down 7 forwards. Tough to win that way.

Fletcher needs to bring in a forward in trade and then hope everyone else isn't long term injured.

Hopefully, homecooking can get them back in the win column.
- mickel25

And the veterans should put more "weight" on their shoulders in this situation. Some of them are still MIA

Giroux was an RFA when he signed his long term deal. He COULD NOT HAVE JUST LEFT. NOT SIGNING WOULD NOT HAVE GRANTED HIM UFA STATUS.
The Flyers retain his rights and it would be the teams choice on what to allow to happen in that situation. You state that it's not rocket science, which I agree with. It seems as though you're not aware of how contracts work in the NHL.
I'll repeat, Giroux has never hit UFA status in his career. There has never been a period when Giroux just could've chosen to leave to play with another team.
- MJL

Doesnt change anything, he doesnt have to sign for 8 years. He can sign to get him to UFA, If its about controlling where he goes, he doesnt need to go as far as a NMC

I stated he could have left because he could have. No one held a gun to his head 5 years ago and forced him to sign an 8 year deal. HE COULD HAVE JUST LEFT . This isnt rocket science. He could have not signed, hit UFA status and went to a better team when the Flyers were trending down.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

This is simply wrong. He was an RFA.

Doesnt change anything, he doesnt have to sign for 8 years. He can sign to get him to UFA, If its about controlling where he goes, he doesnt need to go as far as a NMC
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

You're talking about something that didn't happen. You stated that he could've left whenever he wanted. Simply not the case.

Doesnt change anything, he doesnt have to sign for 8 years. He can sign to get him to UFA, If its about controlling where he goes, he doesnt need to go as far as a NMC
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

His option, if he wanted to continue to play in the NHL once his second contract was up, was to sign with the Flyers.

Now he could have negotiated a different term, yes. But no, he has never had the chance to leave and choose a different team in the NHL. Also, holding out/refusing to sign does not grant you UFA status.

You're talking about something that didn't happen. You stated that he could've left whenever he wanted. Simply not the case.
- MJL

Which he could have, obviously not as originally intended but the fact is the Flyers were a poop show. He might have been forced to sign a contract but it didnt have to be 8 years. He could have signed a bridge deal or a deal like Matthews that got him to UFA where he could have signed with a Contender or perhaps got traded in his final year. Instead he chose a long term contract with a rebuilding team. He clearly wants to be here.

Which he could have, obviously not as originally intended but the fact is the Flyers were a poop show. He might have been forced to sign a contract but it didnt have to be 8 years. He could have signed a bridge deal or a deal like Matthews that got him to UFA where he could have signed with a Contender or perhaps got traded in his final year. Instead he chose a long term contract with a rebuilding team. He clearly wants to be here.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

And at what point in his career did he have to option to leave and sign elsewhere as you stated in bolded uppercase letters?

Also, what does him refusing to sign have to do with UFA status? I'm pretty sure that's not how it works.

In Kovalchuk's case it was probably the lazy Russian.
- MBFlyerfan

McClellan on Kovy:

“I can tell you that he’s been outstanding. Kovy’s situation has nothing to do with him as a person or his work ethic or anything like that. He’s outstanding. He works as hard as anybody right now.”

Maybe be less careless with your stereotypes.

what does everyone think Hall will actually fetch in a return. I just look at what Mark Stone got least year as a good predictor. Guessing Hall wants free agency, but a lot thought the same about stone last year and he signed with Vegas relatively quick.

McClellan on Kovy:



Maybe be less careless with your stereotypes.
- Tomahawk

Maybe McClennan just meant that with respect to other Russian players.