Lets face it. He's not worth two more years at 4.5M per in a flat cap world.

To anybody.

Oddly enough, I think if the Flyers had put Gustafsson on waivers, he would have had a better* shot of being claimed by a team in the position to put one of their D-men on LTIR, and then simply let Gustafsson walk at the end of the season.

By any measure, Gustafsson is worse than Ghost, but he's cheaper and his contract vanishes at the end of the season.


*Better does not necessarily = good.
- Doc_Sarcasm

gus gone after this year since he's only a 1 year deal that may be more tradable
ghost appears to not be tradable and i guess it is 1 less player that can be picked in the draft hoping to push teams to someone else like Jake or JVR?

Anyone seen an updated prognosis on Hedman's injury from last night?

It looked pretty bad so he's out for awhile...just wondered if word came down on if it is season ending.

Lets face it. He's not worth two more years at 4.5M per in a flat cap world.

To anybody.

Oddly enough, I think if the Flyers had put Gustafsson on waivers, he would have had a better* shot of being claimed by a team in the position to put one of their D-men on LTIR, and then simply let Gustafsson walk at the end of the season.

By any measure, Gustafsson is worse than Ghost, but he's cheaper and his contract vanishes at the end of the season.


*Better does not necessarily = good.
- Doc_Sarcasm

The market has to develop closer to the trade deadline. There are players that might be available to a contender closer to the deadline that aren't available now that are a bigger upgrade over Gostisbehere. Teams that think they can contend are not going to tie up whatever cap maneuverability they have with Gostisbehere if they think they add a better player in a week or two.

Keep it mind it was the Sabres and these vets go through just as long pointless droughts as the kids. They also don’t come out ready to play time and time again.

Flyers have some good kids coming along but no game changers. This isn’t an issue of just waiting for kids to develop.
- hereticpride

Someone mentioned Detroit, and they are doing exactly what needs to be done. No long term FA signings. Ride out the remainder of contracts. Content to dwell in the cellar till then.

A time to sow, and a time to reap. Combine the two, and the harvest is never going to be great.

Cleared waivers

Cleared waivers
- hereticpride

Source?

Source?
- BroadSTmayhem

Elliott Friedman Twitter

Lebrun too

Logic is create 4.5 in cap space to better use on a player that fits what your trying to accomplish. That show I see it.
- login

Afraid Flyers are not one player away from any accomplishment but got your point

Flyers have some good kids coming along but no game changers. This isn’t an issue of just waiting for kids to develop.
- hereticpride

I remember when everybody thought Boston was dead in the water about 5-6 years ago. Sunsetting veteran core, looked like no standout kids in the pipeline. They had just traded Hamilton because they didn't have enough cap space to sign him, giving them three shots at Barzal, Connor, Chabot, Boeser and TK and somehow they missed them all.

Yet here they are, still standing and competitive. Pasta turned out to be a LOT LOT better than expected. They found McAvoy with a middle-round pick. Their vets still had plenty left to give. That mountain of non-elite depth prospects they were sitting on all broke into the league.

So yeah... what's the opposite of counting chickens before they're hatched? Because that's where the Flyers fanbase is right now. Absolutely zero clue as to what's on the horizon, yet somehow convinced that the team is hopeless.

Cleared waivers
- hereticpride

Elliott Friedman Twitter
- hereticpride

Accomplished absolutely nothing (re: putting Ghost on waivers).

Cleared waivers
- hereticpride

Well, as much as I am down on this team and the coaching staff...If this was done for any reason other than a potential other deal in the works , ie some type of discipline in public there is something really rotten going on in that locker room with the coaching staff...might be worse than the Gord Murphy snitch coach ..

I doubt they would put him on waivers if he wanted to move to another team.

Kid,no one wants you kid in todays covid flat cap landscape

I remember when everybody thought Boston was dead in the water about 5-6 years ago. Sunsetting veteran core, looked like no standout kids in the pipeline. They had just traded Hamilton because they didn't have enough cap space to sign him, giving them three shots at Barzal, Connor, Chabot, Boeser and TK and somehow they missed them all.

Yet here they are, still standing and competitive. Pasta turned out to be a LOT LOT better than expected. They found McAvoy with a middle-round pick. Their vets still had plenty left to give. That mountain of non-elite depth prospects they were sitting on all broke into the league.

So yeah... what's the opposite of counting chickens before they're hatched? Because that's where the Flyers fanbase is right now. Absolutely zero clue as to what's on the horizon, yet somehow convinced that the team is hopeless.
- Tomahawk

I guess Cam York is magically going to fix all three defensive lines lol.

Flyers have some good prospects but if you’re banking on any of them to drastically change the course of this franchise you’re just fooling yourself.

The rebuild started when Hextall was hired in May of 2014. That season ended with no playoffs. Here we are 7 years later and the team is still a dumpster fire.

Quick fix? Where are the results?
- PLindbergh31

If you do half-assed rebuilds and keep a whole bunch of good but not great players on your roster for a long period of time, this is what happens.

I have been screaming about this for 8 years now. For the life of me I will never understand why fans who suffer through spells like this every few years forever cannot accept that in a salary cap age with so many teams, the most likely way to the top is through ruthlessly cutting ties and picking high.

I remember when everybody thought Boston was dead in the water about 5-6 years ago. Sunsetting veteran core, looked like no standout kids in the pipeline. They had just traded Hamilton because they didn't have enough cap space to sign him, giving them three shots at Barzal, Connor, Chabot, Boeser and TK and somehow they missed them all.

Yet here they are, still standing and competitive. Pasta turned out to be a LOT LOT better than expected. They found McAvoy with a middle-round pick. Their vets still had plenty left to give. That mountain of non-elite depth prospects they were sitting on all broke into the league.

So yeah... what's the opposite of counting chickens before they're hatched? Because that's where the Flyers fanbase is right now. Absolutely zero clue as to what's on the horizon, yet somehow convinced that the team is hopeless.
- Tomahawk

This is entirely too well thought out a response. What the hell, bro?

I remember when everybody thought Boston was dead in the water about 5-6 years ago. Sunsetting veteran core, looked like no standout kids in the pipeline. They had just traded Hamilton because they didn't have enough cap space to sign him, giving them three shots at Barzal, Connor, Chabot, Boeser and TK and somehow they missed them all.

Yet here they are, still standing and competitive. Pasta turned out to be a LOT LOT better than expected. They found McAvoy with a middle-round pick. Their vets still had plenty left to give. That mountain of non-elite depth prospects they were sitting on all broke into the league.

So yeah... what's the opposite of counting chickens before they're hatched? Because that's where the Flyers fanbase is right now. Absolutely zero clue as to what's on the horizon, yet somehow convinced that the team is hopeless.
- Tomahawk

Exactly. The Flyers have a strong prospect base. They have a good number of really talented young players. They'll be drafting more players. This year sucks but I am not concerned about the long term future. As long as Dave Scott doesn't wreck it.

The market has to develop closer to the trade deadline. There are players that might be available to a contender closer to the deadline that aren't available now that are a bigger upgrade over Gostisbehere. Teams that think they can contend are not going to tie up whatever cap maneuverability they have with Gostisbehere if they think they add a better player in a week or two.
- MJL

He is a top 4 dman available for free so on a "great" contract. Why not take him as no guarantee you can get that top 4 dman in a few weeks. You see how hard Fletcher has tried no?

If you do half-assed rebuilds and keep a whole bunch of good but not great players on your roster for a long period of time, this is what happens.

I have been screaming about this for 8 years now. For the life of me I will never understand why fans who suffer through spells like this every few years forever cannot accept that in a salary cap age with so many teams, the most likely way to the top is through ruthlessly cutting ties and picking high.
- PT21

Absolutely.

Do Jake next Chuck

If Gostisbehere gets claimed Gustafsson will play. What other lineup changes would there be?
- PLindbergh31

Morin to play left and right D on the third pair?

Exactly. The Flyers have a strong prospect base. They have a good number of really talented young players. They'll be drafting more players. This year sucks but I am not concerned about the long term future. As long as Dave Scott doesn't wreck it.
- MJL

As do many teams.

I guess Cam York is magically going to fix all three defensive lines lol.

Flyers have some good prospects but if you’re banking on any of them to drastically change the course of this franchise you’re just fooling yourself.
- hereticpride

No actually it's not banking on the prospects that is kidding yourself. There is no other way. You cannot trade your way out of this or use free agency to do it. I'm not saying don't make any moves but drafting and developing is the only way. I've said it numerous times. The Flyers went out and traded for Niskanen, signed Hayes, trade for Braun. Where are we? Still waiting on the young players. You can't change that. Not without shrinking whatever window opens and jamming up the cap.

I remember when everybody thought Boston was dead in the water about 5-6 years ago. Sunsetting veteran core, looked like no standout kids in the pipeline. They had just traded Hamilton because they didn't have enough cap space to sign him, giving them three shots at Barzal, Connor, Chabot, Boeser and TK and somehow they missed them all.

Yet here they are, still standing and competitive. Pasta turned out to be a LOT LOT better than expected. They found McAvoy with a middle-round pick. Their vets still had plenty left to give. That mountain of non-elite depth prospects they were sitting on all broke into the league.

So yeah... what's the opposite of counting chickens before they're hatched? Because that's where the Flyers fanbase is right now. Absolutely zero clue as to what's on the horizon, yet somehow convinced that the team is hopeless.
- Tomahawk

I don't remember when people were saying they are dead in the water. They have had decent success intermittently ever since the cup. The years you speak of were Marchand coming into his prime, and Bergeron in perpetual Selke contention.

But I disagree they are legit contenders now. They are essentially a one line team, as the last round of their last playoffs starkly proved.

I think the difference between you and me is that you are content to sort of keep the fire burning, the way you phrase "still standing and competitive," while I want more.

Looking forward to the next time Ghost scores a goal and the flood of people screaming "Yeah baby, Ghost is back!". Then I'll see them next year....

If you do half-assed rebuilds and keep a whole bunch of good but not great players on your roster for a long period of time, this is what happens.

I have been screaming about this for 8 years now. For the life of me I will never understand why fans who suffer through spells like this every few years forever cannot accept that in a salary cap age with so many teams, the most likely way to the top is through ruthlessly cutting ties and picking high.
- PT21

The same thing happens to teams that do the proper rebuild according to you. They never get there. See Buffalo, Edmonton, etc. This is what you don't understand. There are no guarantees. You can't ruthlessly cut ties in a salary cap age. You're trying to lecture fans while not understanding it yourself.
At least now we can dispense with the ad nauseum argument that the Flyers can't contend because they don't have any elite players after Provorov was voted a top 10 NHL defenseman by a group of NHL players, coaches and GM's.