Personally I'd do the second the horn blows after the 3rd period April 16th.
- Pelle31Forever

do it now give the flyers that spark to sneak in the playoffs....

I won't say there isn't merit to "hitting the Torts wall", but losing 5-1 at home to Chicago and 6-2 to Columbus with Jet f@cking Greaves in net is a whole new level of suckage for this franchise.
- Pelle31Forever

I totally agree. They weren’t just beaten but destroyed in those games. Looks like they quit to me.

I respect this view, but why add 9 million in salary in dead weight over the last calendar year (Johansen and Petersen)? We cannot forget Briere had a deal in place to trade Sanheim for Krug- which would have been a clear downgrade. Krug said no.

I certainly understand the concern with not moving Laughton and TK yet. Rumor is TK may get surgery this summer, how does that impact a trade or extension? The overvalue of a 3rd line center on an okay contract has to end. I have no problem with the Tippett extension, Seeler ext very meh. Whatever the reason, Walker was not extended, which was the right move in a rebuild. I do not expect a JVR type siging in free agency. I do expect a trade for a center. There are a lot of RFA centers this summer. I would consider such a move towards a rebuild. I think they stand pat at goalie.
- Trox88

There isn't much out there at all in terms of future free agents, RFA or UFA at center to trade for.

Just gotta fix the PP too?
- Pelle31Forever

Omfg. Between the terrible pp, the insane lineup and line match decisions in ot, ive been losing it watching this team collapse. It’s bad when you just hope the pp can keep it in the zone for a bit and not lose too much momentum. Thats seriously the standard we are it now.

I totally agree. They weren’t just beaten but destroyed in those games. Looks like they quit to me.
- Hextall271

They played their balls off all season long. Now down the stretch, with the playoffs on the line, they're just going to quit? Does that make any sense?

do it now give the flyers that spark to sneak in the playoffs....
- hello it's me 2050

Hahaha could you imagine. 91 points is the best they can do and that won't be enough.

I totally agree. They weren’t just beaten but destroyed in those games. Looks like they quit to me.
- Hextall271

It's between their ears right now. They give up the first goal and their body language says it all.

The top 4 on the blueline is seemingly set next season, I wonder if they trade Zamula in the summer. He will be an RFA, and eventually Seeler would move down to the 3rd pair left side-which Zamula currently plays.

Finally, the mystery of Risto continues. Will he play again?
- Trox88

Would make a lot of sense to go with York Sanheim Seeler Drydale and Andrae Ristolainen/Attard. I doubt that is what they will do though.

I totally agree. They weren’t just beaten but destroyed in those games. Looks like they quit to me.
- Hextall271

Bad goaltending is demoralizing more so than any coach speak.

I do expect a trade for a center. There are a lot of RFA centers this summer.
- Trox88

I wonder if they are going to go after Cole Perfetti. The Jets and Flyers scouted each other for months including minor league systems. Seems like something bigger than just a rental Scott Walker. Not sure what Winnipeg needs but Lambert is ready at center in the minors so they could afford to dump Perfetti.

There isn't much out there at all in terms of future free agents, RFA or UFA at center to trade for.
- MJL

We'll see Lundell, Necas, Krebs, Sillinger, and Johnson are examples of RFA centers. Most of the RFAs available would be players who did not live up to their draft status. Briere would hope to replicate the Tippett reclamation project-certainly not a guarantee to work out as well. I certainly do not believe Briere will offer sheet anyone. However, a trade could be possible.

Brass tacks this team still needs:

A first line center
A starting goalie
A true top defenseman that can skate and eat up a ton of minutes
A 3rd line center - Laughton IMO played his best hockey as a winger
A proven top 6 winger

They have nothing to fill these voids immediately in their system apart from Mishkov (who may never make it to Philadelphia). Drysdale may develop into a legitimate top defenseman but he'll need to take some significant strides forward.
- Pixote Andolini

only real hope for a 1st line center is to draft top talent or sign mcdavid when he's a UFA

We'll see Lundell, Necas, Krebs, Sillinger, and Johnson are examples of RFA centers. Most of the RFAs available would be players who did not live up to their draft status. Briere would hope to replicate the Tippett reclamation project-certainly not a guarantee to work out as well. I certainly do not believe Briere will offer sheet anyone. However, a trade could be possible.
- Trox88

Don't you have to consider the likelihood of the team trading the player? Those players are trade candidates? Do you know what else Briere would have to replicate with the Tippett trade? Someone like Giroux to trade. Not sure if the Flyers replicator is working to that degree.

Would be very funny if Briere signed Walker to a 5x5 this offseason.

I believe that is the case. Also the Flyers have lost 17 of the last 24 games. I wonder what happened to the culture change, the standard applied and the fixing of the locker room during that 24 game stretch?
- MJL

Coots scratch/ demotion that the team did not take well?

I wonder if they are going to go after Cole Perfetti. The Jets and Flyers scouted each other for months including minor league systems. Seems like something bigger than just a rental Scott Walker. Not sure what Winnipeg needs but Lambert is ready at center in the minors so they could afford to dump Perfetti.
- psuhockey

Interesting and Perfetti had been a healthy scratch until recently.

Don't you have to consider the likelihood of the team trading the player? Those players are trade candidates? Do you know what else Briere would have to replicate with the Tippett trade? Someone like Giroux to trade. Not sure if the Flyers replicator is working to that degree.
- MJL

Of course, but GMs change or plans get reviewed and change. As an example, CLB will have a new GM. Does the new GM view Sillinger and Johnson as building blocks? Who knows. Someone just brought up Perfotti from WPG. Maybe Chevy views Lambert as top 6 center worthy-sell Perfetti now to strengthen the roster in other areas. Just pointing the potential different possibilities on why RFA centers may be available this summer.

Would be very funny if Briere signed Walker to a 5x5 this offseason.
- StepfordSam

Realistically, I can see this happening.

We'll see Lundell, Necas, Krebs, Sillinger, and Johnson are examples of RFA centers. Most of the RFAs available would be players who did not live up to their draft status. Briere would hope to replicate the Tippett reclamation project-certainly not a guarantee to work out as well. I certainly do not believe Briere will offer sheet anyone. However, a trade could be possible.
- Trox88

more like a kadri acquisition. he is torts like player.

anyone who is similar to frost in any way is off the table.

They played their balls off all season long. Now down the stretch, with the playoffs on the line, they're just going to quit? Does that make any sense?
- MJL

Yeah I’m with you on this one. They haven’t quit at all. They’ve been playing at a high level of compete all year and they just seem like they have no more to give. They don’t have the Elite talent to carry them through, their PowerPlay shows no creativity and it’s clear the coaching staff never practiced it. And let’s remember many of these younger players have never played an NHL 82 game schedule so this is a new experience for them that they need to train differently in the offseason. A successful season IMO and they have several picks in the coming drafts. Stay the course. Take the positives out. Be aggressive perhaps at the draft and target that 1C and 1D in the next couple drafts, and BE PATIENT.

Oh and please no buyouts. Let these aging veteran drift away in to the sunset over the next year or two and trade RR for a handful of magic beans if you have to.

All this talk about how they greatly exceeded expectations the reality is they are only 8 points better than last years awful team.

It's frustrating to be where we're at. To hold onto a playoff spot and control our own destiny is more than we could ask for. To sh*t the bed down the stretch just rips the ass out of you.

They're going to finish right about where we had hoped. It was just the way they got there.

Coots scratch/ demotion that the team did not take well?
- missingmike

I personally don't buy that either.

All this talk about how they greatly exceeded expectations the reality is they are only 8 points better than last years awful team.
- hfc355

That is the evidence. The east is a 💩 fest.

Of course, but GMs change or plans get reviewed and change. As an example, CLB will have a new GM. Does the new GM view Sillinger and Johnson as building blocks? Who knows. Someone just brought up Perfotti from WPG. Maybe Chevy views Lambert as top 6 center worthy-sell Perfetti now to strengthen the roster in other areas. Just pointing the potential different possibilities on why RFA centers may be available this summer.
- Trox88

In what world is a GM on a bottom feeder like Columbus not going to view Johnson and Sillinger as building blocks? At 20 and 21 years old? No offense but we'll have the entire off season for silly season. Let's not invoke fantasy here for the Flyers to get something we may covet. Need to at least have a basis in reality.