So, now the standard of #1C on a contending club has shifted from numerical analysis which flatters Couts but leaves him out of top 10, to opinion analyses of outside writers (what do they know!) that does the same, to being actual past winners?

I think Couts could have been a #1C contender, on clubs like say Blues, or Barry Trotz's Preds, or even perhaps Boston though Bergeron is faster. But not here.

Let me ask you a question. Suppose we did not have Couts in the lineup. Lets say then we are a 20-26th ranked club, which seems reasonable.

Woud you sign him for 9 mil 8 years at the age of 30 after so many injuries to a new contract to the same club?
- PT21

Coots is a difference maker. Assuming you want to win, and you don't have any immediate prospect of filling 1C from within, and you didn't want to pay the trade cost of bringing in help from another team, then yeah.... it would be an easy decision to sign him to market value.

Thing is, for the Flyers... they don't have to let him get to market, and there's absolutely no risk at all since they know the player inside and out already.

Next year summer: Offer sheet Brayden Point:11 million 7 years.
- PT21

First, Tampa would have to leave BP susceptible to an OS. 0%

And $11m? You understand that' s 4 1st-round picks, right?

Here is something to shake things up a little:

Next year: Trade Couturier for 1st rounder + picks/prospects (never mind what the +, read on to get to point, point is we get a first rounder and not too much salary back).
Ditto Giroux.

This year: one of JVR/gone gone with sweeteners.

Next year summer: Offer sheet Brayden Point:11 million 7 years.

2 of the 4 firsts given up are recovered. You get a 26 year old guy who is much more aligned with age of young kids coming up.

After the next 2-3 years, after the other of Voracek/JVR contract comes off:

Bee-Point-TK
Frost/Lindblom-Hayes-Foerster
Lindblom-Frost/Patrick-Wisdom
Ratcliffe-Vet-Sandin/Allison

Provy-Myers/Vet
Sanheim-York/Myers
Sanheim/York-Zamula
- PT21

Do you play on Xbox, Switch or Playstation?

Not sure if this is to me. I love Hart and believe in him 100%. However the exGA for our goaltending in March was 40 goals against. We gave up 75. That is much more than just poor defense. It didn't help. But our goaltending has been atrocious. I do think some of that to your point is confidence and also over compensating for a bad team defense and trying to do too much with in turn leads to unnecessary goals against.

I wouldnt mind getting a more capable 1a 1b goaltender to pair with Hart for another few years ie bishop vasilevsky. Elliot is amazing in a secondary capacity but seems to slip soon as the volume of games creeps up.
- Tfaehner

Yeah, you probably weren't there that day to argue the shell-shock theory. What you posted above is concerning for sure.

But somehow I just have this feeling about Hart. I saw how last year he seemed to give up 1, even 2 bad goals and settle down right thereafter. I saw his teammates talk about how unflappable he is.

I am still cautiously optimistic about him. I feel he went through a bad patch, and it was just an unrelenting month in all aspects: the play in front of him, the schedule, the pressure.

I wish he had been pulled earlier and play continued with Elliot and Lyon for longer. I mean, who the hell cares about this year's playoffs when your team, on merit, is a bubble to bottom 10 club?

So Canadian players could only be drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 70s? Lol
Since probably 95+% of NHL players were Canadians in the 70’s that would make it pretty tough on the other teams.

NHL teams had exclusive rights to amateur teams that they sponsored. That system was phased out in 1963 and completely eliminated by the 1969 draft. So give Scotty his due. Lol
- Djapana

Regarding the draft that is not what I said. I said the Canadiens had an advantage over other teams. However after you posted this I went back and looked more closely at the key players on those clubs, and a lot of them came from trades and just really good drafting, and for that I think Sam Pollock deserves the credit.

First, Tampa would have to leave BP susceptible to an OS. 0%

And $11m? You understand that' s 4 1st-round picks, right?
- Tomahawk

He mentioned that so yes he does. I mean it's a solid plan. The Flyers are going to trade two top players and not take any salary back. Just picks and prospects. All in the hope that they can sign Point to an offer sheet. I mean, what could go wrong?

First, Tampa would have to leave BP susceptible to an OS. 0%

And $11m? You understand that' s 4 1st-round picks, right?
- Tomahawk

Very little chance, sure, but it could happen. Tampa still has Stamkos on books for several years. All he has to do is not sign whatever TB offers him till then.

He has been OSed before, you know.

As for 4 first rounders, read the rest of what I wrote.

Regarding the draft that is not what I said. I said the Canadiens had an advantage over other teams. However after you posted this I went back and looked more closely at the key players on those clubs, and a lot of them came from trades and just really good drafting, and for that I think Sam Pollock deserves the credit.
- jd250

To be clear, when the Canadians had that advantage, it was just having the first pick out of the QMJL. They didn't have the rights to all Canadian players. That was also a long time ago.

I actually picked Hart to win the Vezina in the Hockeybuzz Leafs prediction thread. I haven’t watched a lot of Flyers games this year, but something looks very, very wrong.

There’s a good article in the Athletic today about how Campbell’s career was thrown off course by the mental side. Maybe that’s what is ailing Hart - trying to do too much.

As they say, goaltending is 50% physical, 90% mental.
- Atomic Wedgie

Completely understand what your saying. When I watch them do flopping splits with 50 pounds of equipment on and on skates.....,I do question the 50 percent physical part ,..., I can’t even touch my toes anymore.

He has been OSed before, you know.
- PT21

He declined it. Like he'd decline the Flyers.

As for 4 first rounders, read the rest of what I wrote.
- PT21

My eyes started bleeding part way through. Sorry.

Your "plan" is not only completely pie in the sky, it would likely leave the Flyers holding their Richards

Very little chance, sure, but it could happen. Tampa still has Stamkos on books for several years. All he has to do is not sign whatever TB offers him till then.

He has been OSed before, you know.

As for 4 first rounders, read the rest of what I wrote.
- PT21

Brayden Point has never signed an offer sheet.

Coots is a difference maker. Assuming you want to win, and you don't have any immediate prospect of filling 1C from within, and you didn't want to pay the trade cost of bringing in help from another team, then yeah.... it would be an easy decision to sign him to market value.

Thing is, for the Flyers... they don't have to let him get to market, and there's absolutely no risk at all since they know the player inside and out already.
- Tomahawk

Win what? A few more games in the regular season? Or the cup/get to contender status?

The chances of the latter will not be materially changed by his presence.

As for easy decision, would a club like Ottawa - very young, then sign him? If your answer is yes, lets see what they do this off-season. Some teams have the sense to not burden their rebuilding phase with high priced aging vets.

Brayden Point has never signed an offer sheet.
- MJL

Always dreamed of being a Flyer. I hear he had Bobby Clarke underoos and a Gritty alarm clock as a boy. He, Bobby Ryan and Johnnie Gaudreau will be the next Legion of Doom.

He declined it. Like he'd decline the Flyers.



My eyes started bleeding part way through. Sorry.

Your "plan" is not only completely pie in the sky, it would likely leave the Flyers holding their Richards
- Tomahawk

As opposed to your plan which would be, lets hear it:

..

As opposed to your plan which would be, lets hear it:

..
- PT21

Step 1) Don't do anything stupid.

Brayden Point has never signed an offer sheet.
- MJL

Facts have no place in this discussion. The topic will now change to he was OFFERED the opportunity to sign one.

Always dreamed of being a Flyer. I hear he had Bobby Clarke underoos and a Gritty alarm clock as a boy. He, Bobby Ryan and Johnnie Gaudreau will be the next Legion of Doom.
- Tomahawk

It's all fantasy and Dorothy tapping her toes with PT21. Now he wants you to answer if Ottawa would sign Couturier as a UFA.

As opposed to your plan which would be, lets hear it:

..
- PT21

EDIT: Btw, that OS was a stupid one. Like the one to Aho. It was underpriced and for two short a term.

11m would be much more than what he would get from TB very likely.

Always dreamed of being a Flyer. I hear he had Bobby Clarke underoos and a Gritty alarm clock as a boy. He, Bobby Ryan and Johnnie Gaudreau will be the next Legion of Doom.
- Tomahawk

I think I heard that on WGR 550

Step 1) Don't do anything stupid.
- Tomahawk

Ah, March 2021 just said hello. Iotw, too late.

Do please carry on. Provide lines. In detail.

Dont do MJL-meets-Forest-Gump style fatuous banalities like 'the time will come when it will come to make a bold move'

Facts have no place in this discussion. The topic will now change to he was OFFERED the opportunity to sign one.
- corduroy

Oh no, facts have a place but just PT21's facts. For example, the opinion piece of player rankings pre season on NHL.com. Those player ratings are facts and the gold standard.

Always dreamed of being a Flyer. I hear he had Bobby Clarke underoos and a Gritty alarm clock as a boy. He, Bobby Ryan and Johnnie Gaudreau will be the next Legion of Doom.
- Tomahawk

At least for Johny he actually has said he'd love to play here and his dads with the organization in a small capacity.

The rest are fan fiction. Put a tooth under your pillow and maybe fletcher will get them all to sign vet mins to play for their childhood dream team.

Always dreamed of being a Flyer. I hear he had Bobby Clarke underoos and a Gritty alarm clock as a boy. He, Bobby Ryan and Johnnie Gaudreau will be the next Legion of Doom.
- Tomahawk

I would hold out for OV this summer. He will sign for cheap just to win two cups in a row with another organization and break Wayne’s goal scoring record. Making the rivalry with Sid that much better. Shame he ends malkins career with that hit.

One can hope. If a salary goes and we look at the f a market for this summer. Landeskog while unlikely to hit ufa is the player I would target. Otherwise in two we shall see if all the Johnny hockey talk is real. His college buddy is here.

He declined it. Like he'd decline the Flyers.



My eyes started bleeding part way through. Sorry.

Your "plan" is not only completely pie in the sky, it would likely leave the Flyers holding their Richards
- Tomahawk

Not normal. But I would let them hold me.

Not normal. But I would let them hold me.
- Peter Richards

Are you more than one?