Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: RTP, NCAA Update, Goalie Week, TIFH and Much More

Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: RTP, NCAA Update, Goalie Week, TIFH and Much More
- bmeltzer

Thanks Bill

Bill I love reading your posts every day. If you are ever struggling with something to write I would love to see an in depth analysis of how the Flyers stack up with the rest of the division since the draft and off-season. What are your opinions on what the Rangers are doing?

Someone suggests Sandin could potentially be the net front presence on the PP. how some folks interpret it - he’s taking Girouxs spot on the half wall and the PP now runs through him lol

Bill I love reading your posts every day. If you are ever struggling with something to write I would love to see an in depth analysis of how the Flyers stack up with the rest of the division since the draft and off-season. What are your opinions on what the Rangers are doing?
- youarewrong

Not Bill but I feel like the Rangers are in a spot that could go a few different ways and it’s too early to tell. They have a pair of dare I say superstar players up front in Panarin and Zib, Strome clearly compliments Panarin well. I think Laffriene is going to be the real deal, book is still out on Kakko. Kreider I don’t really care for and after that I don’t love their forward group, couple guys with potential. The D, they had some young guys with really solid years but not sold on their defense, especially with Trouba as a #1. And then two solid pieces in net but both still young. They could be good but I also could see them struggle.

Not Bill but I feel like the Rangers are in a spot that could go a few different ways and it’s too early to tell. They have a pair of dare I say superstar players up front in Panarin and Zib, Strome clearly compliments Panarin well. I think Laffriene is going to be the real deal, book is still out on Kakko. Kreider I don’t really care for and after that I don’t love their forward group, couple guys with potential. The D, they had some young guys with really solid years but not sold on their defense, especially with Trouba as a #1. And then two solid pieces in net but both still young. They could be good but I also could see them struggle.
- ClaudeFather

Would you take the Rangers players/prospects or the Flyers players/prospects?

Would you take the Rangers players/prospects or the Flyers players/prospects?
- login

No, I think we are in a good spot and have a lot less question marks than them. Their D situation is ugly, you can’t ice jack johnson. Hart has proved himself as well, their goalie situation seems to be in good shape but I like Hart over both of their guys. Their top forward players are better than ours but I think we are much deeper.

Financial issues loom much larger in the debate than appreciated when to start NHL season. NHL only gets around 30% of revenue from all source TV contracts. Each team spends around $160mm salaries being half under the cap. They also generate around $160 in revenue and break even. A season without full fan participation in the seats would cost each owner around $100 million in losses or $3 billion for the league. This goes way beyond each team losing millions of dollars as if its only a few, which they do each year anyway. While the NFL and NBA can breakeven with no fans in stands, the NHL hemorrhages red ink. Just consider this when you hear the ongoing debate between players and owners regarding season start. It's not a debate over small CBA technicalities, it's about not losing BILLIONs for the owners. Even if the latter will never publicly admit it.

ICYMI, Brink's helpers:

#1


#2


And although it's belated, here is Cam York's goal from Thursday night:

Watching Sharp have so much success in Chicago kinda hurt, he could’ve been a huge contributor AGAINST the Hawks in 2010. Oh well, you win some you lose some.

Something I noticed and liked about the second Brink saucer pass. After he makes the pass he stayed by the far wall to intercept the wraparound in case the shot missed. I love seeing that kind of hockey sense.

And that first play just displayed great vision in traffic.

Watching Sharp have so much success in Chicago kinda hurt, he could’ve been a huge contributor AGAINST the Hawks in 2010. Oh well, you win some you lose some.
- Dave21Brown

Hitch just didn't like him for some reason.

Just read Eklund’s latest nonsense. If we traded for Nylander using anyone of our defenders, you don’t include a pick. I understand Ghost and a pick for Nylander but not any of these other guys.

Just read Eklund’s latest nonsense. If we traded for Nylander using anyone of our defenders, you don’t include a pick. I understand Ghost and a pick for Nylander but not any of these other guys.
- SuperSchennBros

With the departure of Niskanen there is already a huge hole in the defense. Trading away Myers or Sanheim in this situation is GM malfeasance and grounds for immediate removal.

No chance Fletcher does this.

With the departure of Niskanen there is already a huge hole in the defense. Trading away Myers or Sanheim in this situation is GM malfeasance and grounds for immediate removal.

No chance Fletcher does this.
- StepfordSam

Agreed. Plus the Flyers aren't really in a good enough cap situation to be able to afford Nylander without sending back multiple roster assets.

The Flyers don't need Nylander anyway.

Agreed. Plus the Flyers aren't really in a good enough cap situation to be able to afford Nylander without sending back multiple roster assets.

The Flyers don't need Nylander anyway.
- MBFlyerfan

They certainly don’t. It would indicate a panic move based on low scoring over a small sample of games after the COVID break.

Fletcher has shown he is smarter than that. As usual I’m sure Ek is simply reporting a conversation that’s been had. Flyers are rightly not budging on the defenseman demands.

Agreed. Plus the Flyers aren't really in a good enough cap situation to be able to afford Nylander without sending back multiple roster assets.

The Flyers don't need Nylander anyway.
- MBFlyerfan

Nylander would arguably be their top winger going forward and a core piece. Don’t agree that they don’t need him. They don’t need him at the expense of Sanheim however. Flyers already thin on defense.

The lack of playoff scoring is a concern to me.

If you really need Nylander, sign Hoffman for a 1 year deal for less, dump ghost for pennies and move on. Just not good ideas

If you really need Nylander, sign Hoffman for a 1 year deal for less, dump ghost for pennies and move on. Just not good ideas
- wcorvette

Maybe Hoffman doesn’t want to sign here

Just read Eklund’s latest nonsense. If we traded for Nylander using anyone of our defenders, you don’t include a pick. I understand Ghost and a pick for Nylander but not any of these other guys.
- SuperSchennBros

You may not agree to pay the price, or believe you want him, but that price Ek mentions is the fair price for Nylander.

Except for his rookie season and holdout season he is scoring a minimum of 60 points a season and last year he was on track for 70. He is therefore on merit already a 1st line winger on most clubs. Our defensive prospects are not there yet. The age is a wash. So you have:

Proven 1st line winger on any club being traded for current 2nd pairing D guys on one team who have both upside and frankly downside.

Currently, TOR would be right to ask for more.

Would you take the Rangers players/prospects or the Flyers players/prospects?
- login

Yes, I would. No question.

EDIT: I meant I would take Rangers team. More high ceiling guys there.

Someone suggests Sandin could potentially be the net front presence on the PP. how some folks interpret it - he’s taking Girouxs spot on the half wall and the PP now runs through him lol
- ClaudeFather

No, people said it is unlikely he will play on the pp. Possible sure, but odds are against it.

1. Given the struggles of our pp last year esp in playoffs, they will try to modify it, but have a short training camp to introduce changes. At that time, Sandin would not be a lock to even make the roster. In that case, they would be experimenting with new looks on the pp and having a player practice on those pp units who may not end up being on the roster. That's compounding the uncertainty.

2. Given the shortened regular season, there will be less time for Sandin (or any other prospect on the outside) to play himself in. All prospects will have smaller windows. And games will mean more, so less appetite for experimentation by coaches.

3. Given the compressed schedule, this will mean less practice time, hence less experimentation.

4. There is a large number of forwards guaranteed to play already. If Patrick and Frost are on team, there would likely be just 1 spot on team for him, and NAK and Raffl would be well ahead of him.

No, people said it is unlikely he will play on the pp. Possible sure, but odds are against it.

1. Given the struggles of our pp last year esp in playoffs, they will try to modify it, but have a short training camp to introduce changes. At that time, Sandin would not be a lock to even make the roster. In that case, they would be experimenting with new looks on the pp and having a player practice on those pp units who may not end up being on the roster. That's compounding the uncertainty.

2. Given the shortened regular season, there will be less time for Sandin (or any other prospect on the outside) to play himself in. All prospects will have smaller windows. And games will mean more, so less appetite for experimentation by coaches.

3. Given the compressed schedule, this will mean less practice time, hence less experimentation.

4. There is a large number of forwards guaranteed to play already. If Patrick and Frost are on team, there would likely be just 1 spot on team for him, and NAK and Raffl would be well ahead of him.
- PT21

You’re just looking at this way too hard, obviously it would be if he made the team. We haven’t had a net front presence since Simmonds. Patrick had a little stint there and looked good but it was a small sample. It’s the off-season, people are floating out ideas, it’s not insane to think Sandin, if on the roster, got to front of the net PP spot on one of the units. We literally don’t have someone to play that role.

You’re just looking at this way too hard, obviously it would be if he made the team. We haven’t had a net front presence since Simmonds. Patrick had a little stint there and looked good but it was a small sample. It’s the off-season, people are floating out ideas, it’s not insane to think Sandin, if on the roster, got to front of the net PP spot on one of the units. We literally don’t have someone to play that role.
- ClaudeFather

Not saying its impossible. Kirivanta was undrafted last year, ended up on pp during WCF and SCF even. Just saying its unlikely for this year.

You’re just looking at this way too hard, obviously it would be if he made the team. We haven’t had a net front presence since Simmonds. Patrick had a little stint there and looked good but it was a small sample. It’s the off-season, people are floating out ideas, it’s not insane to think Sandin, if on the roster, got to front of the net PP spot on one of the units. We literally don’t have someone to play that role.
- ClaudeFather

Coming back Oscar is good in front. Jvr and coots this past year. And if in as mentioned patty. NAK I think played a little. Options are always nice.