Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Offseason Poll, Showcase Update, TIFH

I don't think their should be any doubt it's a top pairing defenseman to pair with Provorov.

Although for the sake of argument, let's assume Hart doesn't get it back together, I'll entertain the decision for a backup goalie.

You build from the net out. Hart will be fine or at least perceived to be. The back up position is important but not as important as top 1d.

I know the poll is based off priority, but in the Flyers situation (has been exactly this for many years) one piece is not changing where they are at.

I'm not a blow it all up guy nor am I ride it out and hope guy.

This team needs to figure out how they want to play and build from there. Hopefully what they do in the offseason is based off what their plan is for the future and not more stop gaps for the next season (JvR, Hayes, Braun, etc).

Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Offseason Poll, Showcase Update, TIFH
- bmeltzer

I would go Jack Eichel over Seth Jones. Whether you believe in Ivan Provorov or not, you still know he’s worthy of the top pair, he only needs a partner. The real question is, who is Giroux handing the keys to the kingdom up to once he decides to move on. Farabee and Konency are nice players. Couturier is knocking on the door of 30 himself. If you get Seth Jones, than what? The Flyers can score but they don’t have dynamic top ten scoring.

The cap might be staying at a flat rate for awhile from I understand but with settle coming in, teams will get some cap relief with the expansion draft. So not much to worry about for us, I’m hoping.

I would go Jack Eichel over Seth Jones. Whether you believe in Ivan Provorov or not, you still know he’s worthy of the top pair, he only needs a partner. The real question is, who is Giroux handing the keys to the kingdom up to once he decides to move on. Farabee and Konency are nice players. Couturier is knocking on the door of 30 himself. If you get Seth Jones, than what? The Flyers can score but they don’t have dynamic top ten scoring.
- SuperSchennBros

I don't normally agree with you, but in this case I do a little bit. I don't think Eichel is the answer, but the Flyers desperately need a top guy, a real top consistent guy. The Flyers have a lot of good players, but no true catalyst. The team is built to be safe and it shows.

D-man. Does not have to be a major cap-hit, big name D-man. But they do need to bring someone in. A Mat Niskanen level D-man would work.

I think the needs go like this:

A proven, stay-at-home, upper-tier D-Man.
A sniper (Geez, how many times are we going to have to say this?).
A GOOD back-up goaltender.


Other things I'd like to see or could live with.

Break up the core. Voracek has over-stayed his welcome. Well, I should say he's over-stayed his salary by a country mile. Great $5m a year player. $8+m a year? No.
Time for Ghost to find a new home. I can't believe no one is interested.....I simply can't believe that.
Some more grit on the 3rd/4th line (Zack Kassian, anyone?).
Get rid/trade/whatever some of our 3rd-tier D-Men. Change it up. Give everyone a clean shot somewhere else. Send a message. We won't get much for them, but perhaps another team out there is in the same spot as we are.
I wouldn't mind resigning Morin and letting Sanheim walk.
The Nolan Patrick experiment should be over. -30 +/- ? E-gads.......

There are only a handful of people on this team I wouldn't entertain trade offers for. Hart, Provorov, Couturier, Farabee, perhaps.....(obviously Hayes and Giroux have no-trade clauses). After that it gets pretty muddy......we're overpaying a lot of players. You multiply that together and that's a lot of cap space being used on players who aren't producing. Can't have that.




JM2CW.

I know the poll is based off priority, but in the Flyers situation (has been exactly this for many years) one piece is not changing where they are at.

I'm not a blow it all up guy nor am I ride it out and hope guy.

This team needs to figure out how they want to play and build from there. Hopefully what they do in the offseason is based off what their plan is for the future and not more stop gaps for the next season (JvR, Hayes, Braun, etc).
- Glak18

I agree with this. But here is the problem imo

1. Whichever way they plan to play, they don't have the right horses for it. They have a large mishmash, especially up front. Building a cohesive team like Vegas, or Isles, or Tampa or even the defeated Avs will require a large turnover of personnel of veterans.

2. The only way they get the horses, in light of existing cap and contract and situation is either
a. Blow it up and keep the young guys and restart
b. Ride it out and let existing big money contracts come off naturally and then use cap space to make judicious, targeted FA signings/trades.

What I am saying is this: your position, and your reasoning, are contradictory.

I'd stay away from Jack Eichel.

He has a major neck injury and it's still unkown if he will have the artificial disk procedure or not. Reports are no player in the NHL has ever had this done so the short term/long term ramifications of this procedure are still unkown.

He is a $10 million cap hit for 5 more years and a NMC for the last 4 years of the deal.

If he recovers, does he return to the 24 to 36 goal a season level like he did the first 5 years of his career?

Does the injury/procedure limit his production to 15-20 goals a year? Which is not good enough for a $10 million cap hit.

Or does he score 2 goals in 21 games like last season?

There are too many question marks at this time on Eichel.

New leadership so they can play with a new identity. One that works hard & is tough to play against. Not happening with this group. TK, G, Farabee, all three small & physically not imposing/no ability to create havoc forechecking. JVR, Hayes, Jake, Coots (to an extent) all big but play soft. Laughts is invisible too.

#1 Need is RHD. If you can still land Eichel after that by all means go ahead. My only concern with Eichel is his attitude.

I'd stay away from Jack Eichel.

He has a major neck injury and it's still unkown if he will have the artificial disk procedure or not. Reports are no player in the NHL has ever had this done so the short term/long term ramifications of this procedure are still unkown.

He is a $10 million cap hit for 5 more years and a NMC for the last 4 years of the deal.

If he recovers, does he return to the 24 to 36 goal a season level like he did the first 5 years of his career?

Does the injury/procedure limit his production to 15-20 goals a year? Which is not good enough for a $10 million cap hit.

Or does he score 2 goals in 21 games like last season?

There are too many question marks at this time on Eichel.
- Captain_Ahab

If what you say is true, the price should not be nearly as prohibitive as a healthy Eichel.

Which is why the risk DOES make sense, if you don't give up that much.

#1 Need is RHD. If you can still land Eichel after that by all means go ahead. My only concern with Eichel is his attitude.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Attitude I can live with.

Maybe it's toxic up there, and guys seem to like it here.

A top pairing defenseman all day long. Most would agree that coming into his one season with the Flyers Niskanen was a very good but not great player, and look at the difference he made. There are 3C and reliable backup goalies available, its up to Fletcher to find them.

Definitely need the RIGHT partner for Provorov. I still believe that doesn't nessesarily have to be a top flight true #1 guy.

I would avoid Eichel. His cap hit is way too high for a guy who cant stay healthy. The only time he ever made it through a full season was his rookie year. This neck thing also gives me pause.

10 million is a lot of money for a guy who averages 15 missed games a season.

If what you say is true, the price should not be nearly as prohibitive as a healthy Eichel.

Which is why the risk DOES make sense, if you don't give up that much.
- DrMidnite

Exactly especially if we land the d too

Call me crazy but I kind of miss a good old fashion hockey trade, the kind where good players are involved. I'm hopeful the team can get their hands on a #1 defenseman either by trade, Seth Jones, or through free agency, Dougie Hamilton.

Beyond that, I'm hoping one of the older core guys are dealt to get younger and faster.

Nolan Patrick to Columbus where he can play a bigger role and get a ton of minutes might be ideal for him.....Patrick for Jones

Edit: somehow get Boone Jenner out of Columbus too 3C

Call me crazy but I kind of miss a good old fashion hockey trade, the kind where good players are involved. I'm hopeful the team can get their hands on a #1 defenseman either by trade, Seth Jones, or through free agency, Dougie Hamilton.

Beyond that, I'm hoping one of the older core guys are dealt to get younger and faster.
- DraftandDestroy

Pre-salary cap era:

Flyers trade fan favorite Rick Tocchet to rival Pittsburgh for Mark Recchi.
Flyers trade Mark Recchi to Montreal for John LeClair and Eric Desjardins.

Another reason why I hate the salary cap. It makes these moves more difficult.

Patrick, Frost, Ghost, Brink & 13th for Seth Jones and Boone Jenner

Pre-salary cap era:

Flyers trade fan favorite Rick Tocchet to rival Pittsburgh for Mark Recchi.
Flyers trade Mark Recchi to Montreal for John LeClair and Eric Desjardins.

Another reason why I hate the salary cap. It makes these moves more difficult.
- Captain_Ahab

Man that set the Flyers up for a great run in the 90's, such a great hockey trade!!

Hi Bill:

Huge fan of your work here at HB. I've been a longtime reader and lurker, but felt compelled to comment for the first time about two very important issues:

First, what can we do to get a live organ player back at the WFC?! All we get is that canned, recorded "Let's Go Flyers" riff and the atmosphere would be so much better with a real organ player that could play that and other things.

Second, we desperately need a new goal song! It's criminal that the city of Columbus has a better goal song than Philly, a city with one of the richest rock and music histories in the country. Man, even Toronto does it better with Philly's own Hall & Oates.

Pre-salary cap era:

Flyers trade fan favorite Rick Tocchet to rival Pittsburgh for Mark Recchi.
Flyers trade Mark Recchi to Montreal for John LeClair and Eric Desjardins.

Another reason why I hate the salary cap. It makes these moves more difficult.
- Captain_Ahab

.an I really do miss legit hockey trades. It's trades like this that shaped our franchise for a decade
I wish we had another John leclair type player
You couldn't move that guy from the front of your net. He was a beast

Our number 1 asset is Carter Hart. The majority of this seasons poor showing was a result of our defense. He was hung out to dry more times than not. That being said, a RHD1 is the number one priority this offseason without a doubt. As others have pointed out, there are other needs, but it is the true starting point.

Man that set the Flyers up for a great run in the 90's, such a great hockey trade!!
- DraftandDestroy

No love for Gilbert Dionne?

He was another principle coming to Flyers.

I think LeClair was a throw-in.