Ben Shelley: Metro Division Comparison Part 4: Islanders/Flyers

Fair assessment.

You didn’t mention coaching though, which is changing for the Flyers, and was one of the big reasons NYI had such a good season last year.

So many variables with most of the metro teams. Major crapshoot this year!

I agree with hokeeguy. Isles get the coaching edge. That means the season series will be a total toss-up between the two teams.

yeah Isles get the coaching edge, though Vigneault is an improvement for Philly

I don't know the Isles farm system well enough to know the quality of their top call up options, but it's gotta be pretty damn good to equal or best the Flyers at forward. At D Philly doesn't have much quality to choose from after their top 8 so I'd be ready to give the Isles the advantage there

I'm gonna guess that Hart has a good chance at having a better year than either of the Isles goalies, but both of them will be better than Elliott

In such a close race I think the tie goes to Philly because of Gritty

Personally i feel like Flyers are a playoff team.

If the d settles down, Hart keeps his steller play up and top 3 fowards produce as expected, i see no reason why they cant be in a playoff position.

Philly is and has been a hard team to figure out but I believe in AV and expect this to be a good year for the Flyers.

yeah Isles get the coaching edge, though Vigneault is an improvement for Philly

I don't know the Isles farm system well enough to know the quality of their top call up options, but it's gotta be pretty damn good to equal or best the Flyers at forward. At D Philly doesn't have much quality to choose from after their top 8 so I'd be ready to give the Isles the advantage there

I'm gonna guess that Hart has a good chance at having a better year than either of the Isles goalies, but both of them will be better than Elliott

In such a close race I think the tie goes to Philly because of Gritty
- Coburns_Nose

As far as call-up ready forwards the Islanders don't have great depth. They have some good depth at forward but none that are really ready to jump into NHL minutes.

Their defensive depth is excellent, both at the NHL level and directly below. They already have 7 NHL defenseman with Dobson likely to start the year with the big club and they have Aho as an excellent option in Bridgeport.

Dobson is an outstanding prospect. He is better than any of the Flyers non-NHL D prospects, even Cam York. The Flyers do have several forward prospects that project as top-6 forwards and are close to NHL-ready.

Dobson is an outstanding prospect. He is better than any of the Flyers non-NHL D prospects, even Cam York. The Flyers do have several forward prospects that project as top-6 forwards and are close to NHL-ready.
- BOSS_TWEED

All of the Flyers good 'prospects' have graduated so I'm not sure what kind of comment that is. As far as York, Dobson has the edge now but I wouldn't sleep on him, might change your tune in two years.

All of the Flyers good 'prospects' have graduated so I'm not sure what kind of comment that is. As far as York, Dobson has the edge now but I wouldn't sleep on him, might change your tune in two years.
- ClaudeFather

Strictly talking prospects. If they have graduated, they are no longer a prospect. And to clarify, any assessment of prospects is right now. Right now Dobson gets the edge but that could obviously change. What will they be in 3 years? 5 years? who knows.

Strictly talking prospects. If they have graduated, they are no longer a prospect. And to clarify, any assessment of prospects is right now. Right now Dobson gets the edge but that could obviously change. What will they be in 3 years? 5 years? who knows.
- BOSS_TWEED

Anddd that's why i said they have graduated, you claiming Dobson is better than all their D prospects is not that significant. At the moment they have 1 blue chip D prospect. If you said this 3 years ago it would have meant something.

Personally i feel like Flyers are a playoff team.

If the d settles down, Hart keeps his steller play up and top 3 fowards produce as expected, i see no reason why they cant be in a playoff position.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Who do you see falling out for the Flyers to make it? Jackets? Isles?

Who do you see falling out for the Flyers to make it? Jackets? Isles?
- BINGO!

The team with the corny grabass post-game thing

Who do you see falling out for the Flyers to make it? Jackets? Isles?
- BINGO!

Definitely canes.

The team with the corny grabass post-game thing
- eichiefs9

Giroux already plays for the flyers though...

Definitely canes.
- Cptmjl

- BINGO!

- nyisles7

don't need "forget me now" pills for dementia patients, I guess.

Fair assessment.

You didn’t mention coaching though, which is changing for the Flyers, and was one of the big reasons NYI had such a good season last year.

So many variables with most of the metro teams. Major crapshoot this year!
- Hokeeguy9

Yeah, I think the Islanders probably have the best coach in the division. In one of Ben's "Isles vs Pens" he gave the edge to the Pens. On paper the Pens are better but in this past playoffs the Isles executed Trotz's strategy to perfection. As long as the Isles are capable of playing how Trotz wants them to they will be a contender.

Totally off topic, but, Vancouver is having a real tough time signing Brock Boeser and are dying to get rid of Loui Eriksson; would a possible package of Andrew Ladd (if he agrees to remove his NTC) and Anthony Beauvillier and Josh Ho Sang make sense? I think Eriksson would be motivated to turn his career around and hopefully Trotz could get the best out of him and if the Isles could wrap up Boeser to a lengthy contract, he would be a nice side kick for Barzal for years to come. Eriksson also has 1 year less on his contract, although his cap hit is a half a Mil more per season.

Totally off topic, but, Vancouver is having a real tough time signing Brock Boeser and are dying to get rid of Loui Eriksson; would a possible package of Andrew Ladd (if he agrees to remove his NTC) and Anthony Beauvillier and Josh Ho Sang make sense? I think Eriksson would be motivated to turn his career around and hopefully Trotz could get the best out of him and if the Isles could wrap up Boeser to a lengthy contract, he would be a nice side kick for Barzal for years to come. Eriksson also has 1 year less on his contract, although his cap hit is a half a Mil more per season.
- buster29

Interesting situation. I think the deal would be good for the Islanders, but I'm not sure why the Canucks would want to trade one albatross for another, especially one with an extra year on his contract..........just to save half a million per season?? To fully assess the deal, I guess you'd have to know details of the negotiations with Boeser. If he's making unreasonable demands, then that could swing it from a good deal for the Isles to a bad deal in a hurry.

Well Vancouver's coach and Eriksson really don't get along; it's gotten quite public. Eriksson has been quoted that it would be best if he moved on. As far as Boeser is concerned, they just don't have the cap space and this would work for both teams. Beauvillier would come in around 2.5 - 3 M which they could handle and Boeser would come in at around 5 - 5.5 M which the Islanders could handle.

Totally off topic, but, Vancouver is having a real tough time signing Brock Boeser and are dying to get rid of Loui Eriksson; would a possible package of Andrew Ladd (if he agrees to remove his NTC) and Anthony Beauvillier and Josh Ho Sang make sense? I think Eriksson would be motivated to turn his career around and hopefully Trotz could get the best out of him and if the Isles could wrap up Boeser to a lengthy contract, he would be a nice side kick for Barzal for years to come. Eriksson also has 1 year less on his contract, although his cap hit is a half a Mil more per season.
- buster29

There is no way Boeser gets traded as much as l would love him.

There is no way Boeser gets traded as much as l would love him.
- gizzy77

Most likely and I’ll also say there’s no way in hell he gets traded for that package.

- nyisles7

😂