You’re welcome.

No, it’s not the end of the world, but it can seriously harm a team. Here is an example.

Let’s say that Jones is just as bad as he was in San Jose and the Flyers need an upgrade. They don’t feel that any of their prospects are ready so that upgrade has to come from outside the organization and they are right up against the cap ceiling. They now have two options:
1. Waive Jones; assuming no one takes him (which is extremely likely) this would only free up about 1.1 million which limits their choices of goalies to acquire.

2. Pay someone (draft picks/prospects) to take Jones off their hands to allow them 2 million max to put towards a goalie.

And that is only one scenario. Going into the season with less than 700K in space would not allow them to make any short term injury call ups. It’s just not a smart way to operate an NHL team.
- BiggE

Yea I’m very nervous about Jones as well haha, better to have a cushion. Really hoping the lesser workload, a fresh start, and a better team can help him improve his game .

I haven’t seen anything said by players or coaches but I’d love to hear their plan to avoid the slow starts next year. Start practice very uptempo, change the pre game locker room music, anything! This has plagued the team for years and I feel like it only gets discussed once it starts happening

I haven’t seen anything said by players or coaches but I’d love to hear their plan to avoid the slow starts next year. Start practice very uptempo, change the pre game locker room music, anything! This has plagued the team for years and I feel like it only gets discussed once it starts happening
- ClaudeFather

Atkinson is the answer! Haha

Chucky gonna Chucky. I really thought he had a good start to the off season although he probably paid an extra draft pick for Risto. Should have been either just the 1st or just the second, but not both. Really like the guys that he brought in and shipped out, but then he petered out. Jones may be a downgrade over Elliot and bringing Thompson back really makes no sense. This forward group as a whole still isn't fast or physical enough. Help!!

Atkinson is the answer! Haha
- Hextall271

Haha, Hopefully the new mix of guys help

Bill, as I see it, with Flyers opting to go to Arbitration, Sandheim can choose to go the two year route and become an UFA upon completion of the Contract. Doesn't this put the Flyers at risk of losing him for nothing... winning the battle but losing the war? While the Stats from last Season favor the Flyers in Arbitration, it is a huge gamble for the Flyers if Sandheim bounces back but has a chip on his shoulder thinking he was shortchanged. I'm thinking that the Flyers would be better off going for a one year prove it bridge with control on their side going into a lame duck season next year. Your thoughts on this please, Bill.

Could easily see this.

Bill, as I see it, with Flyers opting to go to Arbitration, Sandheim can choose to go the two year route and become an UFA upon completion of the Contract. Doesn't this put the Flyers at risk of losing him for nothing... winning the battle but losing the war? While the Stats from last Season favor the Flyers in Arbitration, it is a huge gamble for the Flyers if Sandheim bounces back but has a chip on his shoulder thinking he was shortchanged. I'm thinking that the Flyers would be better off going for a one year prove it bridge with control on their side going into a lame duck season next year. Your thoughts on this please, Bill.
- ForeverFlyer16

What was the alternative though, sign him long term when we really don’t know what he brings to the table. He’s been inconsistent, even though I thought he was one of our better Dmen last season. Still a chance this doesn’t go to arbitration, and even if it does it doesn’t mean the relationship is ruined.

I predict Risto will be well liked by mid way point of the year.

The problem is that without any other moves, Fletcher has painted himself into a corner. Assuming they’ll want to open the season with a minimum of a 1 million dollar cap cushion, they have only 7 million to sign both Sanheim and Hart. This is my biggest complaint with the Ristolainen deal. With the extremely generous package that went to Buffalo and with only one year left on his deal, Fletcher needed to be adamant that the Sabres retain at least 1 million of his cap hit. To not do so was a flat out mistake.
- BiggE

To your point, he did paint himself into a corner. He had no leverage to get them to retain salary. It's clear he targeted Ristolainen and has been targeting him for a while. He was going to make a deal for the player and negotiated the best deal he could that he could live with. The most under discussed aspect of the trade is the contract situation. You traded for a player that has question marks, overpaid and have no leverage in a future contract. As Flyers fans, we need to keep and open mind and hope that he improves playing on a better team and not having as heavy of a load on his shoulders in playing 2nd pair rather than first pair.

I predict Risto will be well liked by mid way point of the year.
- arichardson22

and hated every time he makes a mistake.


funny how people comment like a D never makes a mistake, it is how they recover that makes a difference, one bad play can't lead to a string of bad games, like last season.

I predict Risto will be well liked by mid way point of the year.
- arichardson22

There are fans that will love his aggressive nature and physical play no matter how well he actually plays.

Ellis & Risto will be our best two defense by seasons end. Provy will still probably unfortunately get the most TOI but Ellis & Risto will make fewer mistakes.

I see a lot of people who make a big deal about Risto’s poor numbers while playing on dumpster teams but defending Provy’s horrible play last year because he lost 1 player, Niskanen. Talking out of both sides of their mouth.

Ellis & Risto will be our best two defense by seasons end. Provy will still probably unfortunately get the most TOI but Ellis & Risto will make fewer mistakes.

I see a lot of people who make a big deal about Risto’s poor numbers while playing on dumpster teams but defending Provy’s horrible play last year because he lost 1 player, Niskanen. Talking out of both sides of their mouth.
- Fopa21

Allow me to point out the mistakes you made with this post and how people aren't talking out of both sides of their mouth. Last season was a poor season for pretty every player on the Flyers, Provorov included. However before that, Provorov has a track record of being a pretty good player and has been playing a top pairing role in the NHL since he was 20 years old. What is the basis for stating that a mistake prone player in Ristolainen, will all of a sudden make fewer mistakes? You didn't offer any reasonable point for why that will be the case concerning Ristolainen.

To your point, he did paint himself into a corner. He had no leverage to get them to retain salary. It's clear he targeted Ristolainen and has been targeting him for a while. He was going to make a deal for the player and negotiated the best deal he could that he could live with. The most under discussed aspect of the trade is the contract situation. You traded for a player that has question marks, overpaid and have no leverage in a future contract. As Flyers fans, we need to keep and open mind and hope that he improves playing on a better team and not having as heavy of a load on his shoulders in playing 2nd pair rather than first pair.
- MJL

The leverage would be to just walk away rather than overpay for a player with only one year left on his deal. Fletcher pretty much has to re-sign Ristolainen now and thus he will be negotiating from a position of weakness. That rarely ends well.

Its amazing THIS is what you took from that article. Especially when they pretty much state the opposite.



- MBFlyerfan

That portion of the article wasn't in your original post was it? If it was I missed it. I wouldn't pay a wooden nickel for the Athletic so anything they write I don't take seriously.

To your point, he did paint himself into a corner. He had no leverage to get them to retain salary. It's clear he targeted Ristolainen and has been targeting him for a while. He was going to make a deal for the player and negotiated the best deal he could that he could live with. The most under discussed aspect of the trade is the contract situation. You traded for a player that has question marks, overpaid and have no leverage in a future contract. As Flyers fans, we need to keep and open mind and hope that he improves playing on a better team and not having as heavy of a load on his shoulders in playing 2nd pair rather than first pair.
- MJL

I can see and agree with all of this, I can also see other teams were in the mix and I can see the risk in making it public that CF coveted Risto. I can also see if Risto has a good season him wanting to stay, knowing he is wanted and he fits. I could see the Flyers and Risto coming to a reasonable deal/slight overpay. If that happens, I think the risk will be in the term. I think he will be and Flyers will want to offer term to keep the cap hit down. So even in the best case scenario there will be risk at the end of Risto's next contract.

It is just the NHL, there is risk no matter what, you hope your upside hits and the consequences are minimal. Look at Tampa, they gave up a 1st and 3rd for Savard rental. During the season Savard's metric were not good, the Athletic actually predicted his next contract would be 1 year at 1.3. Savard had a great playoffs and now got his 4 year deal from the Habs. Risk for Tampa when they traded (yes legit cup contender) and risk for the HAbs, that Savard is the player from the cup run and not from debacle Blue Jacket season

The leverage would be to just walk away rather than overpay for a player with only one year left on his deal. Fletcher pretty much has to re-sign Ristolainen now and thus he will be negotiating from a position of weakness. That rarely ends well.
- BiggE

That's my point. He wasn't prepared to walk away. He wasn't going to walk away. He was committed to making a deal for Ristolainen. He has not been the kind of player that you have that approach for.

I can see and agree with all of this, I can also see other teams were in the mix and I can see the risk in making it public that CF coveted Risto. I can also see if Risto has a good season him wanting to stay, knowing he is wanted and he fits. I could see the Flyers and Risto coming to a reasonable deal/slight overpay. If that happens, I think the risk will be in the term. I think he will be and Flyers will want to offer term to keep the cap hit down. So even in the best case scenario there will be risk at the end of Risto's next contract.

It is just the NHL, there is risk no matter what, you hope your upside hits and the consequences are minimal. Look at Tampa, they gave up a 1st and 3rd for Savard rental. During the season Savard's metric were not good, the Athletic actually predicted his next contract would be 1 year at 1.3. Savard had a great playoffs and now got his 4 year deal from the Habs. Risk for Tampa when they traded (yes legit cup contender) and risk for the HAbs, that Savard is the player from the cup run and not from debacle Blue Jacket season
- wcorvette

Montreal didn't give up a 1st, a 2nd and an NHL roster player for Savard. I would've taken signing Savard over the Risto deal all day and twice on Sunday.

Allow me to point out the mistakes you made with this post and how people aren't talking out of both sides of their mouth. Last season was a poor season for pretty every player on the Flyers, Provorov included. However before that, Provorov has a track record of being a pretty good player and has been playing a top pairing role in the NHL since he was 20 years old. What is the basis for stating that a mistake prone player in Ristolainen, will all of a sudden make fewer mistakes? You didn't offer any reasonable point for why that will be the case concerning Ristolainen.
- MJL

Buffalo had a worse season the Philly last year? I guess you think so because they looked great against us every time? Risto also has played top pairing minutes his whole career and has been labeled their franchises cornerstone since being drafted.

Montreal didn't give up a 1st, a 2nd and an NHL roster player for Savard. I would've taken signing Savard over the Risto deal all day and twice on Sunday.
- MJL

no but Tampa did, Habs signed in for 4 years with the idea he is the player that made the cup run and not the player from the season.

I would have liked Savard also but I see where CF thought that Risto was more of a long term solution for the top 4

Montreal didn't give up a 1st, a 2nd and an NHL roster player for Savard. I would've taken signing Savard over the Risto deal all day and twice on Sunday.
- MJL

For sure we would've got savard, no way he would've wanted to play for his home town team that he ended up signing with

Besides call ups, the cap cushion allows them to absorb ELC performance bonuses without incurring cap penalties in the following season. It also allows more leeway to make in season trades. Not having enough cap cushion can lead to having to slide a woefully unprepared amateur player into the lineup as an injury fill in (this happened under Holmgren) or dressing only 17 skaters rather than the usual 18.
- BiggE

Or signing college kids to a tryout contract so you can ice 6 defensemen in a game

That portion of the article wasn't in your original post was it? If it was I missed it. I wouldn't pay a wooden nickel for the Athletic so anything they write I don't take seriously.
- PLindbergh31

I assumed you read the whole article before talking out your ass.

Bill, Do any of these head office changes and scouts a major plus or minus?