Well that was fun

Bad news, the Russians are still ticked off from when the Flyers beat the red army. MM is a plant on the inside, all videos of his play are fake, Russians knew the Flyers were desperate and had a history of terrible 1st round picks. Flyers rebuild is now further delayed, rumor has it, Flyers signed Torts to a lifetime contract after finding out, least fans will come to see him.

Rumor that Canes may buyout Jesperi Kotkaniemi. I would expect Briere to have interest if this happens. He will only be 24 this summer. They can offer him a top 9 role and can show how Poehling improved after being an underperformig 1st rd pick.
- Trox88

I don’t understand this way of thinking. Like the post before about signing Stephenson. How does this help the Flyers become a contender long term? Do you guys really think that the Flyers are going to win a cup with 4 lines of middle six forwards? Kotkaniemi was playing 4th line wing for Carolina. Brink put up nearly as many goals and pts this year playing over 20 fewer games.

With Michkov coming over here’s how the lines look right now.

Foerster/Frost/Michkov
Tippet/Couturier/Konecny
Farabee/Poehling/Brink
Cates/Laughton/Hathaway

Atkinson & Deslauriers as extras.

Sanheim is a good 2nd pairing veteran NHL defenseman that skates well, can contribute offensively and is still pretty young. He is also pretty durable. I think a team like Utah with younger and skilled players would like a player like Sanheim who can offer some veteran leadership also. I think Sanheim would be the centerpiece.
- jd250

You've fully entered into silly season realm where a team like Utah is going to give up a pick that could possibly land them an all star level player for a good 2nd pair NHL veteran defenseman if they just add a bit. Don't forget the intangible of leadership. You've been well schooled in Flyer-ism.

What the Flyers would be getting is the 6th pick and a chance to draft a defenseman that in several years could be a #1 defenseman for them. That is very different than trading Sanheim for a legit 1D. And again, what I think of Sanheim is not relevant. What only matters is what other teams think of him.
- jd250

I didn't state that they would be trading Sanheim for a legit D. Read it again. What you think of Sanheim is extremely relevant when you're proposing that the Flyers could trade him for the 6th overall pick in the draft. It's talking out of both sides of your mouth.

I don’t understand this way of thinking. Like the post before about signing Stephenson. How does this help the Flyers become a contender long term? Do you guys really think that the Flyers are going to win a cup with 4 lines of middle six forwards? Kotkaniemi was playing 4th line wing for Carolina. Brink put up nearly as many goals and pts this year playing over 20 fewer games.

With Michkov coming over here’s how the lines look right now.

Foerster/Frost/Michkov
Tippet/Couturier/Konecny
Farabee/Poehling/Brink
Cates/Laughton/Hathaway

Atkinson & Deslauriers as extras.
- Schmojo

Well, can't a player improve with a change of scenery? Who are the long term answers at center in the organization right now? Maybe Couts because of the contract. Who else? In 2 years, will Poehling and Frost be mainstays? The discussion today has been how to get a 1C. That's fine, in 3 yrs tell me who 2C, 3C, and 4C. Kotkaniemi is a former top 3 pick, seems like a low risk high reward potential signing.

Well that was fun

Bad news, the Russians are still ticked off from when the Flyers beat the red army. MM is a plant on the inside, all videos of his play are fake, Russians knew the Flyers were desperate and had a history of terrible 1st round picks. Flyers rebuild is now further delayed, rumor has it, Flyers signed Torts to a lifetime contract after finding out, least fans will come to see him.
- wcorvette

It’s even worse. The Russians are sending Andrei Lomakin over.

Well, can't a player improve with a change of scenery? Who are the long term answers at center in the organization right now? Maybe Couts because of the contract. Who else? In 2 years, will Poehling and Frost be mainstays? The discussion today has been how to get a 1C. That's fine, in 3 yrs tell me who 2C, 3C, and 4C. Kotkaniemi is a former top 3 pick, seems like a low risk high reward potential signing.
- Trox88

Of course a player can improve with a change of scenery, but Poehling is a borderline 3rd/4th line player even after improvement this year.

In 3 years, it really depends on the direction they go. If they go the rebuild route I’d prefer, maybe they get a 1C in the 2025 draft. Maybe they get lucky and a guy like Catton falls to them at 12 this year and/or move up from the FLA pick and take Hage.

Your 2C & 3C could be any combo of Catton, Frost, or Hage. Couturier is going to be tough to move with that contract so he’s probably still around in 3 years.

My goal is for the Flyers to be worse next season. Because 2C, 3C, 4C, 2nd pair defense, 3rd pair, all of that doesn’t matter if they don’t find a 1C or 1D. And you rarely find those guys outside the top picks.

i have nothing against this Nuck team, but i really want Edmonton to win to shut up the anti-tankers

i have nothing against this Nuck team, but i really want Edmonton to win to shut up the anti-tankers
- THE BLACK HAND

Damn, Bouchard with another goal

edit: Hyman credited with the goal

i have nothing against this Nuck team, but i really want Edmonton to win to shut up the anti-tankers
- THE BLACK HAND

Wild that’s still a battleground hill at this point

Wild that’s still a battleground hill at this point
- stayinthefnnet

its ridiculous, but hey, they were fun to watch this year

But how are you getting that 1C? Adding Stephenson would make the Flyers better, therefore likely drafting later than 12 next year. The best course would be to not sign anyone, move a couple roster players, to ensure they’re worse, and then take one of the top centers in 2025.
- Schmojo

I agree. Even if Michkov comes over now there shouldn’t be panic to get marginally better. Time is on the Flyers side. SJ got Eklund, Smith and soon Celebrini. Now SJ needs a 1D. That tank is progressing well.

Of course a player can improve with a change of scenery, but Poehling is a borderline 3rd/4th line player even after improvement this year.

In 3 years, it really depends on the direction they go. If they go the rebuild route I’d prefer, maybe they get a 1C in the 2025 draft. Maybe they get lucky and a guy like Catton falls to them at 12 this year and/or move up from the FLA pick and take Hage.

Your 2C & 3C could be any combo of Catton, Frost, or Hage. Couturier is going to be tough to move with that contract so he’s probably still around in 3 years.

My goal is for the Flyers to be worse next season. Because 2C, 3C, 4C, 2nd pair defense, 3rd pair, all of that doesn’t matter if they don’t find a 1C or 1D. And you rarely find those guys outside the top picks.
- Schmojo

That's a big assumption they can choose correctly over the next few years. See Nolan Patrick as an example. Taking a chance on Kotkaniemi has such little risk. If he turns out to be a top 6 center, it will cost them draft spots, no doubt.

Are you defining top picks as top 10 - just curious? That is not always the case. Carolina comes to mind. Outside of Heiskanen, Dallas roster has been built outside the top 10. The Vegas model is collecting every other teams top 10 picks. 😀. I'm not suggesting giving up high draft picks for players, but I also don't want them not to look at under performing young players and not try to acquire, especially at center. Certainly, continue to draft centers because since Couts was drafted, their ability to draft centers in the 1st rd has been horrendous. Morgan Frost has been the best center drafted since Couts. Is Frost a legitimate 2nd line center on a serious Cup contender?

I agree. Even if Michkov comes over now there shouldn’t be panic to get marginally better. Time is on the Flyers side. SJ got Eklund, Smith and soon Celebrini. Now SJ needs a 1D. That tank is progressing well.
- Minnyhock

SJ has the 14th pick too. If I was them I’d be doing anything possible to move up to get one of the D this year. They have Vegas’ 1st next year too. I would package that with 14 to move up.

That's a big assumption they can choose correctly over the next few years. See Nolan Patrick as an example. Taking a chance on Kotkaniemi has such little risk. If he turns out to be a top 6 center, it will cost them draft spots, no doubt.

Are you defining top picks as top 10 - just curious? That is not always the case. Carolina comes to mind. Outside of Heiskanen, Dallas roster has been built outside the top 10. The Vegas model is collecting every other teams top 10 picks. 😀. I'm not suggesting giving up high draft picks for players, but I also don't want them not to look at under performing young players and not try to acquire, especially at center. Certainly, continue to draft centers because since Couts was drafted, their ability to draft centers in the 1st rd has been horrendous. Morgan Frost has been the best center drafted since Couts. Is Frost a legitimate 2nd line center on a serious Cup contender?
- Trox88

You have to assume they make good draft picks. If they don’t then it doesn’t matter what they do.

Kotkaniemi is not going to be a top 6 center. He was given plenty of opportunity in Montreal and then again in Carolina. He was outplayed by younger players and reduced to a 4th line winger, he couldn’t even stay at center on the 4th line. Flyers are already deep on the wing with young players. They signed Eklind as a depth option and beyond that I’d rather not fill another spot and allow guys like Tuomaala, Rizzo, Lycksell, Avon, Desyoners and others to have a shot at playing either from a good camp or getting called up for injuries. There really just isn’t a spot for him unless they subtract a few guys.

Top picks would be top 10 but more closely top 5.

Carolina has Svechninov who was drafted 2nd overall, but you probably want to focus on Aho right? #1 center found in the 2nd round. How many #1 centers have come from outside the first round recently? Aho in 2015, Point in 2014, Bergeron in 2003. So in 20 years, 3 guys. Also, Carolina had that high 2nd round pick to draft Aho because they finished in the bottom 5, in one of the deepest drafts since 2003.

Outside of Heiskanen…yeah nobody in favor of a rebuild is saying you only draft top 10 and don’t need to draft well with later picks. You need to draft well throughout the draft in addition to getting that 1-2 elite players at the top. Take Heiskanen off of Dallas and they’re out in the first round. Even with how well they drafted otherwise, they’d be out already. It’s why I proposed the idea of using TK as a centerpiece to getting a top pick. The idea is to not move the other 1st picks they have but use them to get additional good players.

Vegas is unique because of how well they were setup by the expansion draft. An existing team would struggle to pull the same thing off and even Seattle wasn’t able to replicate it.

Couturier is the best C they’ve drafted since 2003. Where was he drafted, in the top 10 at 8th overall.

Is Frost a 2C on a cup contender? Right now that’s a no. I like what I saw from him this year but he’s gotta take another step for me to say he’s a legit 2C on a contender. It’s why I mentioned before about moving up into the top 10 without giving up 12. You hope a guy like Catton falls to 12. Or you get Hage later in the first. Catton has 1C potential. Hage doesn’t quite have the same chance as Catton to be a 1C but he could very well be a 2C. Then they’re setup in 2025 to get another top C with their own pick and still have the Colorado pick. What it does is give you more chances of hitting the lottery on a pick. If you hit on 2 centers, then Frost becomes your high end 3C on a contender.

Saw Martinez and Bill talking about how Mitchov coming could open the TO trade options more. Music to my ears. Please trade TK for a good young return.

I don’t understand this way of thinking. Like the post before about signing Stephenson. How does this help the Flyers become a contender long term? Do you guys really think that the Flyers are going to win a cup with 4 lines of middle six forwards? Kotkaniemi was playing 4th line wing for Carolina. Brink put up nearly as many goals and pts this year playing over 20 fewer games.

With Michkov coming over here’s how the lines look right now.

Foerster/Frost/Michkov
Tippet/Couturier/Konecny
Farabee/Poehling/Brink
Cates/Laughton/Hathaway

Atkinson & Deslauriers as extras.
- Schmojo

That’s a very ungood Centers roster.

Saw Martinez and Bill talking about how Mitchov coming could open the TO trade options more. Music to my ears. Please trade TK for a good young return.
- coffee junkie

Utah has a tremendous young team. They need leadership and veterans and have $40mil in space. They won’t take cap dumps they want talent. TK, Laughton, Courturier are what they need. It’s gonna take a lot to pry #6 from them. Does TK and Laughton and Floridas pick get it done?

A deal that has TK + going for a high pick, my guess, 40% of the fanbase (Hockeybuzz) will cheer and 60% will see it as a bad idea.

A deal that has TK + going for a high pick, my guess, 40% of the fanbase (Hockeybuzz) will cheer and 60% will see it as a bad idea.
- wcorvette

If they actually move a guy like him, Laughton or Sanheim it would at least signal the teams direction.

A deal that has TK + going for a high pick, my guess, 40% of the fanbase (Hockeybuzz) will cheer and 60% will see it as a bad idea.
- wcorvette

Who’s the target? Trading up for defensemen is stupid. A team can get #1 defensemen well outside the top 10 picks and there is a big bust/underwhelming rate for drafting defensemen high.

Who’s the target? Trading up for defensemen is stupid. A team can get #1 defensemen well outside the top 10 picks and there is a big bust/underwhelming rate for drafting defensemen high.
- psuhockey

wasn't thinking of the deal, just the fanbase and like any business the Flyers will consider the fan base. I would not mind keeping TK for the right deal, that would be a contract that can be moved with a return. I am ok moving TK, but the return has to be rock solid, like you say, drafting isn't always a sure thing. I prefer a pick and a good young prospect that has some known talents.

If they actually move a guy like him, Laughton or Sanheim it would at least signal the teams direction.
- landros 2

it would and we will see in the next 60 days, MM comes over, leadership might bend to the 60% of the fanbase that prefers keeping TK and adding.

wasn't thinking of the deal, just the fanbase and like any business the Flyers will consider the fan base. I would not mind keeping TK for the right deal, that would be a contract that can be moved with a return. I am ok moving TK, but the return has to be rock solid, like you say, drafting isn't always a sure thing. I prefer a pick and a good young prospect that has some known talents.
- wcorvette

I don’t think Konecny is as popular with either side of the fan base as he’s being portrayed. The media loves him but I don’t think the fans would shed a tear if he’s moved especially if Michkov is here.

Who’s the target? Trading up for defensemen is stupid. A team can get #1 defensemen well outside the top 10 picks and there is a big bust/underwhelming rate for drafting defensemen high.
- psuhockey

When is the last time the Flyers drafted a legit #1 NHL defenseman? Let alone outside of the top 10.