As much as I want to think Frost can be that 3rd line center I have a hard time putting him that starting 9. He needs to have a great camp and show he is healthy.

Danult would be a solid 3 C but he will probably price himself out of that role with the Flyers.

Derek Stepan?
Tyler Bozak?
Nick Bonino?
Riley Nash?
Alex Wennberg?


Could any of these guys fill a 3rd line center role on a 1 year deal and a price the Flyers can afford?

Right now little over 12 million. Just my guesses, maybe a little high but siding with caution.
Hart gets 5
Sanheim 3
Morin 1
Back up goalie 1-2

Leaving 1-2 million in cap space for a 12/13 forward w jamm
- Fopa21

Hart 3 x3 years
Sanheim 4 x4 years
Morin 1 x2 years
Back up Goalie 1.5-2 x1 year

9.5 -10 M which leaves around 2 Mil for that 4th line veteran center.

No back up D other then some AHL two way contracts with some guys that can get stored down in the AHL.

Pretty good off season for Chuck if he can pull it off.

There still maybe a hockey trade out there. I’m sure Chuck is kicking the tires.

Flyers won't spend to the ceiling. Sanheim will get significantly more than 3... I'd say 4.5 range. Hart will get less than 5 on a bridge deal. Morin probably comes in less than 1M. They'll spend market value depending on the backup.

Still a possibility of trade(s).
- bmeltzer

I’ll take Bill’s assessment over mine. 😆

I’d slit hart in at around 4 for 2 years. Others look correct. 2 mil for a quality backup sounds about right.
- Hextall271

I'd be surprised if hart makes 4m per season. If he killed it last season again then absolutely I see 4m and term but with it being a bridge and Hart having some of the most awful numbers out of any goalies I see him as a 3 - 3.5m max
Sign him for 2 years. Tell him he has to prove which guy he is this year. Put what chip on his shoulder and hope he dominates and gets paid next deal

Bill,
You've talked lately about stats guys vs scouts. Has anyone taken an overperforming team like Montreal last year, or St Louis winning the cup, and worked backwards analyzing when the stats predicted it? Do you have any thoughts yourself on those teams?
Also curious if you can think of any d-men or backup goalies teams may want to shed (maybe ones from the ED lists) for cap space (not the huge salaries but teams looking for a couple million to clear) who might fit here?
I think Fletch has been smart to build through rostered players rather than through UFA.

Did your daily Horoscope at least bring you some positive vibes today?
- arichardson22

Magic 8 ball says "PROBABLY NOT"

MY OUIJA Board liked the big Leaf kid.

Bill,
You've talked lately about stats guys vs scouts. Has anyone taken an overperforming team like Montreal last year, or St Louis winning the cup, and worked backwards analyzing when the stats predicted it? Do you have any thoughts yourself on those teams?
Also curious if you can think of any d-men or backup goalies teams may want to shed (maybe ones from the ED lists) for cap space (not the huge salaries but teams looking for a couple million to clear) who might fit here?
I think Fletch has been smart to build through rostered players rather than through UFA.
- therabbi

WTF....Bill do you think the theory of relativity holds any value as to why the Phucking sun is hot

As much as I want to think Frost can be that 3rd line center I have a hard time putting him that starting 9. He needs to have a great camp and show he is healthy.

Danult would be a solid 3 C but he will probably price himself out of that role with the Flyers.

Derek Stepan?
Tyler Bozak?
Nick Bonino?
Riley Nash?
Alex Wennberg?


Could any of these guys fill a 3rd line center role on a 1 year deal and a price the Flyers can afford?
- J35Bacher

Danault definitely out of the Flyers price range.

I think ideally the Flyers would prefer to try out Frost/Lacyzski as a top 9 center this season and sign a bottom-6 center.

I also think they'll spend money on a bottom pairing dman first. If there's money left over to sign a Bonino, Zajac or Riley Nash, that would be fantastic.

Stepan is intriguing. He's a likely available for a bargain price coming off an injury. I think he could even be an effective 4th line center playing with guys like Laughton/Allison/Lindblom if Frost or Lazcynski are playing well in the top 9.

Why would he or the team want a 1 year deal
- ClaudeFather

You seem like a smart person so I am sure you can come up with at least 1 reason why both may do it.

I I just want to put this out there for a possible 6/7 defensemen that should cost no more than 1 million for a one year contract and not impede York or Zamulas development. Luca Sbisa, he is a hitter blocks shots and is perfect for that slot

Alright before I even back read comments in today’s blog can I please put this forward.

People please stop putting g on top line projections. He’s done. And he’s blocking bee from that spot. Which leads me too

We have a few players on offense with some term. I’m not including Jvr as he’s only got 2 years left. Might be traded and IMO should be on 3rd line and is most of the time anyways.
Hayes many years left
Atkinson many years left
Coots god forbid if signed many years left
Please please please drop g off top lines and drop Atkinson of top line. Put bee and tk up there and let them grow.

Let this year be g swan song year. We have way to much depth to bring him back. Treat him right and move him at deadline.

I’d consider it, probably a concussion away from retirement but
- ClaudeFather

As is any player.

That fact that we are talking about depth cowards, defenders and goalies means at last this board finally gets it. We don’t have room for much more baring a hockey trade. Which I wouldn’t put past Chuck right now but I doubt it would be anything more than a 4th PK guy with size and versatility.

Most of the line up is set good. 3C is the most unpredictable but we have options there. I would hope that Frost can fill a protected center roll given some veteran line mates. That would them to use the very flexible Laughton somewhere else as needed.

I I just want to put this out there for a possible 6/7 defensemen that should cost no more than 1 million for a one year contract and not impede York or Zamulas development. Luca Sbisa, he is a hitter blocks shots and is perfect for that slot
- jimbass1

Not a bad option at all as a #7 guy. Best case scenario is he is still around come September and we offer him a PTO.

He'd be a great depth signing if York is going to start the year on the Phantoms. I'll say now though that a 3rd pairing of him and Braun isn't something I'd be ecstatic about for anything more than a handful of games.

Alright before I even back read comments in today’s blog can I please put this forward.

People please stop putting g on top line projections. He’s done. And he’s blocking bee from that spot. Which leads me too

We have a few players on offense with some term. I’m not including Jvr as he’s only got 2 years left. Might be traded and IMO should be on 3rd line and is most of the time anyways.
Hayes many years left
Atkinson many years left
Coots god forbid if signed many years left
Please please please drop g off top lines and drop Atkinson of top line. Put bee and tk up there and let them grow.

Let this year be g swan song year. We have way to much depth to bring him back. Treat him right and move him at deadline.
- Stayin alive

They’re not getting rid of G at the trade deadline. They’re in win now mode. Silly dude. Just silly.

Now if your just saying this is what you would do than people can debate but if you saying this is a real possibility for this team? Then this is just silly talk. 🤦‍♂️

You seem like a smart person so I am sure you can come up with at least 1 reason why both may do it.
- hello it's me 2050

I can’t, it’s not happening

As is any player.
- hello it's me 2050

Every other player in the league got knocked unconscious twice last season, correct

Here how I’d set lines to both compete and let kids grow. Barring no other moves

Farabee-coots-tk
Jvr-Hayes-Atkinson
G-frost-Allison
Oscar-Laughton-nak

If frost doesn’t produce or can’t handle 3c and needs to be moved to wing laughts can move up to 3c or g moved over to 3c

Jvr can be slid down to 3lw Oscar bumped up in lineup. There’s much flexibility within the bottom 9 for injuries cold streaks etc. they main thing is giving the young guys with higher talent the opportunity to have whole season to grow. Frost tk bee

I can’t, it’s not happening
- ClaudeFather

What if they cant agree on a bridge or long term deal?

Every other player in the league got knocked unconscious twice last season, correct
- ClaudeFather

Is that what i said?

every player is 1 hit away from never playing again. True or false?

Here how I’d set lines to both compete and let kids grow. Barring no other moves

Farabee-coots-tk
Jvr-Hayes-Atkinson
G-frost-Allison
Oscar-Laughton-nak

If frost doesn’t produce or can’t handle 3c and needs to be moved to wing laughts can move up to 3c or g moved over to 3c

Jvr can be slid down to 3lw Oscar bumped up in lineup. There’s much flexibility within the bottom 9 for injuries cold streaks etc. they main thing is giving the young guys with higher talent the opportunity to have whole season to grow. Frost tk bee
- Stayin alive

6 million on your 4th line. Damn.

It was in the Fletcher post-draft transcript. Yes, he's being re-signed imminently.
- bmeltzer

That’s great news!! I actually believed he was getting kicked out. I’m happy for him. I wanted him to stay.

Is that what i said?

every player is 1 hit away from never playing again. True or false?
- hello it's me 2050

False, there will be plenty of hits given next year without retirement

False, there will be plenty of hits given next year without retirement
- ClaudeFather

Good stuff.

They’re not getting rid of G at the trade deadline. They’re in win now mode. Silly dude. Just silly.

Now if your just saying this is what you would do than people can debate but if you saying this is a real possibility for this team? Then this is just silly talk. 🤦‍♂️
- peesinwind

If they play g on top line wing then they’ll be out of playoffs and won’t be in win now mode. And I don’t think they believe they are in win now mode. Cf said they wanted to get better. To correct some areas he saw as clearly problematic. He has never stated they are in win now mode. I’m sure he hopes they’ll compete but realistically I don’t think he’s thinks it’s a finished product. He knows there’s only so much that can be done in 1 off season. Honestly g being in last year I don’t think cf looks at lineup and brings him back in any way. Too much young talent there and coming up soon. And I don’t think g would accept a small $ deal. G is at the stage where he can choose what contender he wants to go to to try to win a cup. Surely he knows this team isn’t that close. I think it’s very likely his role is serverly reduced this year and welcomes a trade at deadline. If bee improves at all over last season he’s gonna break that top line lw spot open.