But that's part of being human though....

A player ticks off a ref, natural instinct is to show that player who is boss.
- Glak18

i'm fine with that i guess to an extent. like how players with certain reputations are more likely to get called for some ticky tack penalty.

i more mean the fact they are less likely to call an obvious penalty in favor of the team on a power play. or when they make a mistake, they make some cheap call to even it up. when a team is down a few goals, more penalties seem to be called in their favor. that kind of thing.

People will jump on my back for this. But. If ghost isn’t able to be dealt the I would shop sanhiem. York in the wings in ld. Provie is our first l d. Keep Myers to mature as rhd are harder to find. Rest can be filled out with f a.
- Peter Richards

I know...I like Sanheim...in this case it would be just business. Ghost isn’t getting a protected spot no matter what with the Flyers so he is either traded or exposed which doesn’t mean they lose him. If they take on another defenseman that needs ED protection, they need to stomach going the 8 skater route or trade Sanheim. I personally think they can afford going with 8, they have enough organizational depth at forward, forwards develop faster, and forwards are easier to obtain than top defenseman. It probably means they lose TK to trade because they obviously won’t expose him. TK or Sanheim?

My only issue with refs is consistency , if a marginal trip is called in the first, call it the rest of the game. Switching the standard mid game is infuriating
- ClaudeFather

To be fair we can't even have fans/media agree on when Tom Wilson throws an illegal dirty hit where we all have the benefit of video we can watch a million times at different speeds, but we expect consistency from refs?

To be fair we can't even have fans/media agree on when Tom Wilson throws an illegal dirty hit where we all have the benefit of video we can watch a million times at different speeds, but we expect consistency from refs?
- Glak18

i don't think he means across the board. i took it as game to game. like if they're calling nothing in the first/second period, you can't start calling it tightly in the third.

I know...I like Sanheim...in this case it would be just business. Ghost isn’t getting a protected spot no matter what with the Flyers so he is either traded or exposed which doesn’t mean they lose him. If they take on another defenseman that needs ED protection, they need to stomach going the 8 skater route or trade Sanheim. I personally think they can afford going with 8, they have enough organizational depth at forward, forwards develop faster, and forwards are easier to obtain than top defenseman. It probably means they lose TK to trade because they obviously won’t expose him. TK or Sanheim?
- NC Flyers Fan

Said it before. Chuck has done it with Minnie. There are ways to protect other players as well. Could send them a prospect or pick to do so.

As far as the d men. If you do trade Travis s for in a package for the top or second line. That person provie and Myers could be the three protected. Many options. We are all just speculating.

i'm fine with that i guess to an extent. like how players with certain reputations are more likely to get called for some ticky tack penalty.

i more mean the fact they are less likely to call an obvious penalty in favor of the team on a power play. or when they make a mistake, they make some cheap call to even it up. when a team is down a few goals, more penalties seem to be called in their favor. that kind of thing.
- Ftown19125

To me that's a league issue, not induvial refs. Every referee gets evaluated and if the league wanted things called throughout the game the same way no matter the situation then they would enforce it, but don't. Probably has more to do with the union more than anything.

i don't think he means across the board. i took it as game to game. like if they're calling nothing in the first/second period, you can't start calling it tightly in the third.
- Ftown19125

Correct, game to game

To be fair we can't even have fans/media agree on when Tom Wilson throws an illegal dirty hit where we all have the benefit of video we can watch a million times at different speeds, but we expect consistency from refs?
- Glak18

I absolutely expect the refs to call a game the same way in the first second and third period, that should be the standard

Correct, game to game
- ClaudeFather

Also look who tends to be in situations who make decisions about the game...ex-players. I would bet most would say that's always been part of the game, don't change it.

CGY and Buffalo all in the same position as the Flyers. Wonder if these teams are all talking about a major shake up.

I have no interest in trading Giroux but part of me wants him out just so he has a chance to win a cup.

Word is Brent flahr was at the coyotes game.

I absolutely expect the refs to call a game the same way in the first second and third period, that should be the standard
- ClaudeFather

I agree, the beauty of sports and competition is structure and normalized standards. That way everyone is on the same playing field and the best of the best rise to the top, but as anyone who has watched any sport ever...that is not the case.

I agree, the beauty of sports and competition is structure and normalized standards. That way everyone is on the same playing field and the best of the best rise to the top, but as anyone who has watched any sport ever...that is not the case.
- Glak18

And that’s my issue with reffing

CGY and Buffalo all in the same position as the Flyers. Wonder if these teams are all talking about a major shake up.

I have no interest in trading Giroux but part of me wants him out just so he has a chance to win a cup.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Buffalo are the worst team in the league this year, and over the past 10 years.

Here is the case for trading not resigning Giroux, which to me seems compelling:

1. No one is disputing that Giroux is still a good player in regular season. You have to look however at his stats in playoff games. For a large data set, stretching back to NJ Devils in 2012, he has been 3rd line material.

2. However, if you resign Couturier, and of course have Hayes, then those two are your 1 and 2C for the next several years. Couturier is not a top 10 center in the league, and no external unbiased source thinks of him as such. Hayes is not a top 25 center.

3. Do we have stud wingers? No we do not.

The question then becomes this simple: If you keep Giroux, a mediocre playoff performer, you are siphoning away much of the $ you can use to get a more impact free agent winger. You are also keeping a guy good but not good enough and this will adversely affect your draft position.

I know...I like Sanheim...in this case it would be just business. Ghost isn’t getting a protected spot no matter what with the Flyers so he is either traded or exposed which doesn’t mean they lose him. If they take on another defenseman that needs ED protection, they need to stomach going the 8 skater route or trade Sanheim. I personally think they can afford going with 8, they have enough organizational depth at forward, forwards develop faster, and forwards are easier to obtain than top defenseman. It probably means they lose TK to trade because they obviously won’t expose him. TK or Sanheim?
- NC Flyers Fan

TK is struggling but I still keep him over Sanheim. Then again I keep Sanheim over Myers.

You wrote a lot of measured, sensible stuff today. And it's fine you agree and disagree with whatever you like.

But teams who have judiciously dwelled in the cellar for some time (extended is a subjective time, of course) and refrained from trying to correct the issue with signings have a much higher chance of future success than the mushy strategy of "drafting and developing well".

You can look at the data, which is unambiguous (we have gone through this a million times). Or you can look at examples. The examples of Chicago and Pens are of course a prime exhibit. But look also at Tampa Bay and Colorado.

Tampa Bay

Just a few years after winning the cup, with Lecavalier and St. Louis still playing at a very high level, Tampa started shedding assets. They traded Prospal (almost a ppg player then), Brad Richards (two years removed from a 91 p season, 52 points in 61 games in current season), and Boyle (their #1D) after 1 year. They made no significant moves to add players to a star studded roster.

Result? Stamkos and Hedman in successive years.

Colorado:

For a period of almost 10 years, Colorado did well in some years, very poorly in others. One thing stands out though: During these years, Avs signed not a single marquee free agent except Parenteau, and even he was quickly shipped out after 2 years. They adopted a strategy of modest additions and significant subtractions (Duchene, Stastny, Shattenkirk, Anderson, Elliott were not kept).

Result? Many misses, but Landeskog, Mackinnon, Rantanen and Makar as hauls

Colorado hasn't won anything yet. Do you doubt they will in the near future though?
- PT21

These are good examples. I believe the real reason they are winning franchises is because they continued to draft and develop even after getting the top level players. You can't discount the rest of the talent on TBL. Almost all of the core came from the draft and very good trades by Yzerman.

The fact still remains that you have about 8 years of really bad teams, 7-10 years of mediocre teams and 1 championship. Sure both teams could win future Cups but that is not a guarantee. How many teams did not go that route and won at least one Championship? The Kings, Blues and Caps are valid examples.

If you are asking if it is easier to win with Crosby than with Alexander Daigle, the answer is of course it is. Just hoping you will land a Crosby simply by being bad for an extended period of time is bad business in my view. See the Oilers, Coyotes, Florida , Buffalo, etc.

Here is the case for trading not resigning Giroux, which to me seems compelling:

1. No one is disputing that Giroux is still a good player in regular season. You have to look however at his stats in playoff games. For a large data set, stretching back to NJ Devils in 2012, he has been 3rd line material.

2. However, if you resign Couturier, and of course have Hayes, then those two are your 1 and 2C for the next several years. Couturier is not a top 10 center in the league, and no external unbiased source thinks of him as such. Hayes is not a top 25 center.

3. Do we have stud wingers? No we do not.

The question then becomes this simple: If you keep Giroux, a mediocre playoff performer, you are siphoning away much of the $ you can use to get a more impact free agent winger. You are also keeping a guy good but not good enough and this will adversely affect your draft position.
- PT21

What trumps everything you said is the fact Giroux has been a life long Flyer, closing in on franchise records and that to the point is great PR for the organization. Giroux will be a Flyer until he breaks the all-time scoring for the team or he retires.

I wouldnt care how bad they were as long as they were fun to watch. Theyve been dreadfully boring for almost a decade now.

Here is the case for trading not resigning Giroux, which to me seems compelling:

1. No one is disputing that Giroux is still a good player in regular season. You have to look however at his stats in playoff games. For a large data set, stretching back to NJ Devils in 2012, he has been 3rd line material.

2. However, if you resign Couturier, and of course have Hayes, then those two are your 1 and 2C for the next several years. Couturier is not a top 10 center in the league, and no external unbiased source thinks of him as such. Hayes is not a top 25 center.

3. Do we have stud wingers? No we do not.

The question then becomes this simple: If you keep Giroux, a mediocre playoff performer, you are siphoning away much of the $ you can use to get a more impact free agent winger. You are also keeping a guy good but not good enough and this will adversely affect your draft position.
- PT21

Farabee is turning into a stud winger

These are good examples. I believe the real reason they are winning franchises is because they continued to draft and develop even after getting the top level players. You can't discount the rest of the talent on TBL. Almost all of the core came from the draft and very good trades by Yzerman.

The fact still remains that you have about 8 years of really bad teams, 7-10 years of mediocre teams and 1 championship. Sure both teams could win future Cups but that is not a guarantee. How many teams did not go that route and won at least one Championship? The Kings, Blues and Caps are valid examples.

If you are asking if it is easier to win with Crosby than with Alexander Daigle, the answer is of course it is. Just hoping you will land a Crosby simply by being bad for an extended period of time is bad business in my view. See the Oilers, Coyotes, Florida , Buffalo, etc.
- mickel25

It also helps when a team drafts a player or two in later rounds that become a real impact player...when was the last time the Flyers had a gem like that? I mean a real gem, not a roster player or someone who is decent depth or maybe potential...

Farabee is turning into a stud winger
- Robert's Plant

Consistency is key...when you can say that after he has been doing it for 4,5,6 years then ok. TK was that player last year, but seems like there is always someone else the next year.

It also helps when a team drafts a player or two in later rounds that become a real impact player...when was the last time the Flyers had a gem like that? I mean a real gem, not a roster player or someone who is decent depth or maybe potential...
- Glak18

off the top of my head never

off the top of my head never
- login

Weird that teams that win tend to do it more often.

From yesterday's blog:

None of the Flyers high priced veterans are candidates to be traded at the deadline unless the Flyers are willing to take a bunch of salary back. Please refer to the NHL salary cap landscape.
- MJL

Did not want to respond then as game was going on.

After putting Anders Lee on LTIR,and after putting Isles have fair bit of cap space. They will definitely be getting a high priced LW.

Taylor Hall, b/c of his expiring contract status, comes up often. But both Giroux and JVR are much better players now.

Trade:

Giroux to Isles, 1.5 mil withheld. 1st round pick, likely to be low anyway, back. After this season, Isles can easily trade him for another 1-2 mil withheld at most.

or

JVR to Isles. same amount withheld, same incentives, but a 3rd rounder back, or even Komarov (cleared waivers, 3 mil hit, but just 1 more year).