Attard played better last night than the $5.1 million man did in his last game.
- Feanor

As the defender with the least amount of ice time and responsibility, he played well.

Attard played better last night than the $5.1 million man did in his last game.
- Feanor

Attard is a raw piece of granite that needs to be refined. He has size, skating ability, puck skills and offensive moxie. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a good grasp on playing his position away from the puck. He needs to be developed and taught the fine points of playing defense. If he can do that, he could be a player. Unfortunately, I have zero faith in the Flyers development team being able to do that. They'll try to remove his strengths and try to make him play like Justin Braun.

You aren't getting a top 15 pick for JVR in whole or part of a trade. The Flyers can absolutely afford to re-sign Sanheim. There is no chance that Ellis will retire. Why would he?
- MJL

Welcome back! Then tell me how the Flyers afford to pay Sanheim the roughly $6M he will demand when they are paying Ellis (who is not retiring according to you) $6.25M, Provrov $6.75M, Risto $5.1M, and DeAngelo $5M? Yes the team can afford to give Sanheim a raise and can fit it under the cap as long as Ellis is on LTIR, but you asked this question before, what if Ellis comes back, what then? Can the Flyers really afford to allocate about $30M of cap space on defenseman, not including the 6th and 7th defenseman? The other thing to consider is as along as LTIR used, the Flyers are not truly under the cap and therefore cannot accrue any cap space as the year moves on. Its the definition of cap jail which you knew a while ago I will admit.

Soft injury prone players!
- wbroudy

Like Atkinson and Ristolainen.

Welcome back! Then tell how the Flyers afford to pay Sanheim the roughly $6M he will demand when they are paying Ellis (who is not retiring according to you) $6.25M, Provrov $6.75M, Risto $5.1M, and DeAngelo $5M? Yes the team can afford to give Sanheim a raise and can fit it under the cap as long as Ellis is on LTIR, but you asked this question before, what if Ellis comes back, what then? Can the Flyers really afford to allocate about $30M of cap space on defenseman, not including the 6th and 7th defenseman?
- jd250

Ellis is done. Never playing another game.

Yes. But he lost fight, he no good.
- hockeylover

MacEwen and Deslauriers standing right there watching this kid get fed.

You aren't getting a top 15 pick for JVR in whole or part of a trade. The Flyers can absolutely afford to re-sign Sanheim. There is no chance that Ellis will retire. Why would he?
- MJL

Let me guess. You think philly should resign sanheim. I see you haven’t learned anything during your ban

Welcome back! Then tell how the Flyers afford to pay Sanheim the roughly $6M he will demand when they are paying Ellis (who is not retiring according to you) $6.25M, Provrov $6.75M, Risto $5.1M, and DeAngelo $5M? Yes the team can afford to give Sanheim a raise and can fit it under the cap as long as Ellis is on LTIR, but you asked this question before, what if Ellis comes back, what then? Can the Flyers really afford to allocate about $30M of cap space on defenseman, not including the 6th and 7th defenseman?
- jd250

Ellis will be placed on LTIR. I'm unaware of any cap provision or cap rule that says you can only pay your defense in aggregate a certain amount. So they can afford to re-sign him. The question of whether they should or not based on the state of the team, is another question. The issue is that he is in the final year of his deal and there is flat cap environment with many teams at or near the cap. Which will limit the trade market for Sanheim if the Flyers decide to move him. Fletcher has missed the ball again with no foresight into the future of managing the cap. This is another example of how the moves that Fletcher has made, has handcuffed the team like you were told it would in 2021 instead of putting the team on the path to the cup like you claimed in 21.

Ellis is done. Never playing another game.
- Feanor

My understanding is when an NHL player retires, he stops being paid all future annual salary under his contract, as well as forfeiting any remaining signing bonus still unpaid. So why would Ellis ever retire even if he can't play any longer? Maybe the Flyers will trade his contract over time to a team that needs to get to the floor but I wouldn't hold my breath. I just don't see any way the Flyers can pay Sanheim.

Welcome back! Then tell me how the Flyers afford to pay Sanheim the roughly $6M he will demand when they are paying Ellis (who is not retiring according to you) $6.25M, Provrov $6.75M, Risto $5.1M, and DeAngelo $5M? Yes the team can afford to give Sanheim a raise and can fit it under the cap as long as Ellis is on LTIR, but you asked this question before, what if Ellis comes back, what then? Can the Flyers really afford to allocate about $30M of cap space on defenseman, not including the 6th and 7th defenseman? The other thing to consider is as along as LTIR used, the Flyers are not truly under the cap and therefore cannot accrue any cap space as the year moves on. Its the definition of cap jail which you knew a while ago I will admit.
- jd250

They can easily resign him. The question is should they? Same as most players that come up at contract time. Sign? Let walk? Use as asset?

Pretty clear ALL Players at this stage of the game with this poop team should be moved as assets if possible and if not just let them walk

Welcome back! Then tell me how the Flyers afford to pay Sanheim the roughly $6M he will demand when they are paying Ellis (who is not retiring according to you) $6.25M, Provrov $6.75M, Risto $5.1M, and DeAngelo $5M? Yes the team can afford to give Sanheim a raise and can fit it under the cap as long as Ellis is on LTIR, but you asked this question before, what if Ellis comes back, what then? Can the Flyers really afford to allocate about $30M of cap space on defenseman, not including the 6th and 7th defenseman? The other thing to consider is as along as LTIR used, the Flyers are not truly under the cap and therefore cannot accrue any cap space as the year moves on. Its the definition of cap jail which you knew a while ago I will admit.
- jd250

Trying to figure out next years roster is useless. Torts is going to figure out who doesn't fit his plan and there will be lots of changes.

The flat cap era is almost over.

https://www.forbes.com/si...5-season/?sh=7e157a9d6895

With a strong caveat that these are forecasts and are subject to change, here’s where the cap ceiling is projected to land:

2022-23: $82.5 million (firm)
2023-24: $83.5 million (projected)
2024-25: $87.5 - $88 million (projected)
2025-26: approximately $92 million (projected)

Ellis will be placed on LTIR. I'm unaware of any cap provision or cap rule that says you can only pay your defense in aggregate a certain amount. So they can afford to re-sign him. The question of whether they should or not based on the state of the team, is another question. The issue is that he is in the final year of his deal and there is flat cap environment with many teams at or near the cap. Which will limit the trade market for Sanheim if the Flyers decide to move him. Fletcher has missed the ball again with no foresight into the future of managing the cap. This is another example of how the moves that Fletcher has made, has handcuffed the team like you were told it would in 2021 instead of putting the team on the path to the cup like you claimed in 21.
- MJL

There was no way for Fletcher to foresee this would happen to Ellis. Sure, you are right that something wasn't right with trading what turned out to be very little for a very good player like Ellis, but he passed the physical and played in camp and pre-season, so I don't see how any one can prove Nashville knew he was hurt this bad. Trading for Risto did not work out, I grant you that. However the real crime for Fletcher was resigning Risto at this ridiculous contract, and then going out and trading and signing DeAngelo, who I like but was not right for this team right now. So Fletcher has put this team is cap jail no doubt, but it was his moves at the deadline and this off season that IMO sunk this team!

They can easily resign him. The question is should they? Same as most players that come up at contract time. Sign? Let walk? Use as asset?

Pretty clear ALL Players at this stage of the game with this poop team should be moved as assets if possible and if not just let them walk
- SMS4016

I can already see Tort's frustration with this team's makeup. He already knows this is going to be a long season! I think you are right, there will be a lot of changes this year.

My understanding is when an NHL player retires, he stops being paid all future annual salary under his contract, as well as forfeiting any remaining signing bonus still unpaid. So why would Ellis ever retire even if he can't play any longer? Maybe the Flyers will trade his contract over time to a team that needs to get to the floor but I wouldn't hold my breath. I just don't see any way the Flyers can pay Sanheim.
- jd250

The poster didn't state that Ellis would retire. He said he is never playing again.

The flat cap era is almost over.

https://www.forbes.com/si...5-season/?sh=7e157a9d6895

With a strong caveat that these are forecasts and are subject to change, here’s where the cap ceiling is projected to land:

2022-23: $82.5 million (firm)
2023-24: $83.5 million (projected)
2024-25: $87.5 - $88 million (projected)
2025-26: approximately $92 million (projected)
- Feanor

To me it's not that they spend to the cap every year. They do not have flexibility from year to year. That is the real issue. They are but locked into this roster for the next three seasons essentially.

There was no way for Fletcher to foresee this would happen to Ellis. Sure, you are right that something wasn't right with trading what turned out to be very little for a very good player like Ellis, but he passed the physical and played in camp and pre-season, so I don't see how any one can prove Nashville knew he was hurt this bad. Trading for Risto did not work out, I grant you that. However the real crime for Fletcher was resigning Risto at this ridiculous contract, and then going out and trading and signing DeAngelo, who I like but was not right for this team right now. So Fletcher has put this team is cap jail no doubt, but it was his moves at the deadline and this off season that IMO sunk this team!
- jd250

Fetcher's entire approach is the issue rather than just a few individual players. I'm amazed at how Ristolainen in a short period of time has gone from a player who you claimed checked all the boxes, added an element the Flyers needed. Is the Flyers best defenseman and occasionally calling him one of the best defenseman in the league to now being a player who is signed to a ridiculous contract and isn't a good player.

The poster didn't state that Ellis would retire. He said he is never playing again.
- MJL

I know, thank you. My point was if Elis never plays again, he will not retire because, I mean, why would he? So his contract stays in LTIR year after year, meaning it will be pretty much impossible for the Flyers to be truly under the cap, and therefore impossible accrue any cap space throughout the year. This is cap jail to me, and its totally 100% on Fletcher.

MacEwen and Deslauriers standing right there watching this kid get fed.
- SuperSchennBros

I don't think the Flyers brain trust even noticed that.

They were too busy drooling over Attard being game for the fight. That's the kind of "character" this organization values.

Hayes comes across as a guy that having a good time is more important than winning.
- rayc16

Hayes is the guy in your beer league who comes not because he likes playing hockey, but because he likes drinking beer.

Fetcher's entire approach is the issue rather than just a few individual players. I'm amazed at how Ristolainen in a short period of time has gone from a player who you claimed checked all the boxes, added an element the Flyers needed. Is the Flyers best defenseman and occasionally calling him one of the best defenseman in the league to now being a player who is signed to a ridiculous contract and isn't a good player.
- MJL

Reason is I watched him play for a season and evaluated what I saw. I do not think Risto is as bad as a defenseman as you and others, or the metrics, state he is. IN fact early on in the season I thought he played very well. However, I agree his hockey IQ is low, he sucks on the PK, offers very little offensively and as last season wore on his net front coverage got worse. By the end of the season, it was clear to me he should not be resigned and moved at the deadline. I was disappointed in him to be honest, he gave an honest effort and has the size, skating ability and shot to be a really good player, but it was clear he was not right for this team right now. Allocating $25M+ to Risto over 5 years was tragic for the Flyers IMO.

Attard is a raw piece of granite that needs to be refined. He has size, skating ability, puck skills and offensive moxie. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a good grasp on playing his position away from the puck. He needs to be developed and taught the fine points of playing defense. If he can do that, he could be a player. Unfortunately, I have zero faith in the Flyers development team being able to do that. They'll try to remove his strengths and try to make him play like Justin Braun.
- MJL

MJ, welcome back. How was HB Jail? Did the Warden treat you well or did you suffer daily beatings for being politically incorrect?

If this team was smart they would move Sanheim at the deadline and really get going on this rebuild. Sanheim is a solid player, but this team is full of mediocrity. He’s one of the few that we can get a good return and we won’t be competing for anything in the next 5 years. No reason to extend him.

Can Ellis be bought out if he is on LTIR?

Noah Cates reminds me a bit of Mike Richards, doesn't wow me but always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Also happy to see Sandstrom and Ersson doing well, at least the Flyers have options in goal for once in my lifetime.