Thread Tools

Display Modes

**jtkratzer** · 05-19-2008, 03:25 AM

I'm reading that Modry and Smith won't be back next year...no surprise on Modry. I want Parent with the Flyers next year. I'm not sure on Smith yet. How long does Hatcher have left on his contract?

If the Flyers are going to trade a forward for a top 2 defenseman, who should they let go?

Who would you like to see them go after in the UFA market on defense?

I'm interested in seeing Holmgren work his magic like he did last year.

I'm wondering if Giroux or vanRiemsdyk will make the team next year.

I really can't see how this team doesn't compete for the division and conference title next year. They accomplished quite a bit this year and most of the year was without Gagne.

After lighting things up in the first round, Prospal's production in the playoffs just completely disappeared. Will he be brought back?

Who else is UFA at the end of the year?

**jtkratzer** · 05-19-2008, 05:40 PM

[quote]Now, in a sense, comes the tough part. He has a lot of big contracts in place, but still has to sign restricted free agents Jeff Carter and R.J. Umberger and will have to find a way to create more salary cap space if he entertains the notion of going after an A-list free-agent defenseman like Brian Campbell.

To do that, there are difficult decisions to make: Does he try to get veteran defenseman Derian Hatcher ($3.5 million) to retire? Not re-sign any of his unrestricteds — Vaclav Prospal, Jason Smith, Jaroslav Modry, Jim Dowd? Attempt to trade an aging Mike Knuble, a Sami Kapanen, or possibly a young (but perimeter) player like Scottie Upshall?

Quote:

Given that Coburn, Randy Jones and Parent made huge strides this year, Hatcher, who was limited to only 44 games by knee, foot and other ailments, might find himself in a very limited role if he does return.

“Derian proved again this year that when he's healthy he's a good player,” Holmgren said. “He only played in 40-something games, and that's an area of concern.”

Hatcher, who turns 36 in a couple of weeks, doesn't sound like he's ready to call it quits yet.

“I feel for the most part pretty good,” he said. “Right now I plan on playing. But if I can't get through the summer (and a rigorous off-season conditioning program), then I'm going to have to look into [retirement]. Right now is a bad time because I haven't given it a ton of thought.”

At this point, I want Jeff Carter and RJ Umberger back. Umberger has proven to be a very versatile player who can fill in anywhere and contribute on the score sheet. Carter is still getting better.

There will have to be a move made to clear up cap space for a guy like Brian Campbell or another tier-1 defenseman. Hatcher played well in the games he was healthy, but his health is a concern for me. If he does not comeback and the Flyers let Modry go, there should be some space open for a tier-1 d-man.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a guy like Knuble or Kapanen moved as they are aging and the Flyers continue to have young players getting ready to make an impact. I think a Sefan Ruzicka or a Ryan Pultony are going to be making a lot of noise in training camp.

There is also the Fabian Brunnstrom whirlwind going on.

I really wouldn't have a problem with Modry being sent packing. I like Upshall a lot, I think he has room to mature, but he is a player with speed, intensity, and grit to really be a pest.

Quote:

As for Smith, Holmgren says there is interest in the 34-year-old captain.

I'm somewhat on the fence about Jason Smith. I think if he's brought back, I'd like to see it on a 1 year contract. He was beat often to the outside with speed, was a -4 on the season, and had his lowest offensive production since 1996-1997. I love his character and his grit that he will play through just about anything, but we really need a defenseman who can put up more than 10 points. He's one of our lowest scoring defensemen.

Quote:

The biggest thing now is that Holmgren has shown the ability to wheel and deal with the best of them, which bodes well for the Flyers' future.

“Paul did a great job rebuilding this team,” Daniel Briere said. “He found pieces that mesh well together. I think it's a giant step in the right direction for this organization.”

I'm pumped to see what Homer can do with the rest of the pieces this offseason.

Source

swflyers8 · 05-19-2008, 06:04 PM

I'm sure Homer will work his magic once again and get us some defensive help in here before next season.

Penglose · 05-20-2008, 01:45 PM

You want Whimpney? He's free.

**jtkratzer** · 06-06-2008, 02:01 PM

Paul Holmgren at it already: Flyers Acquire Syvret From Edmonton

**jtkratzer** · 06-06-2008, 02:17 PM

Quote:

I have heard from numerous sources that the Flyers are heavily shopping free agent defenseman Brian Campbell, formerly of the Buffalo Sabres. He going to require a new deal probably for big money and a lot of years.

Philadelphia had help in the salary-cap department, thanks to the retirement of veteran Sami Kapanen. Hopeful departures in Derian Hatcher, Jason Smith, Jim Dowd, and possibly others can help make the Brian Campbell acquisition a strong possibility.

Andrej Meszaros could be on the move this summer. Not only has the name of the Ottawa Senators defenseman surfaced in possible trade talks with the Philadelphia Flyers, but his agent, Ritch Winter, confirmed to Sun Media yesterday that the 21-year-old Meszaros turned down a lucrative offer to play in Russia next season.

The talk is Meszaros, who made $984,000 (all terms US) this season and can become a restricted free agent on July 1, could have made in excess of $3.5 million next season to play in Russia, but he has no interest in leaving the NHL. (Credit: Yahoo Sports.)

If it was up to me, Upshall would be the player I choose for this deal, hands down. I agree that his intensity is important, but his negatives out weigh his positives. He doesn't have great puck handling, and he tends to commit bad penalties at the wrong times.

Scottie Upshall was brought in to score goals, but there has been a lack thereof since the deal that brought him here.

R.J. Umberger on the other hand showed his worth during the Flyers unexpected playoff run. He was a dominating force doing whatever he wanted to on the ice. With the exception of the Pittsburgh series, Umberger earned his next contract from the Flyers.

The Flyers are one, maybe two players away from being a contender to raise what the Red Wings did last night, and thats saying a lot given where they were a year ago.

I trust the GM Paul Holmgren and so do all of the Flyers faithful. So if you're a Flyers fan, keep your eyes locked on these stories and my writings, because when I know something, you all will know something.

Source

I don't think Brian Campbell is the answer. I think it'd be too much money on the cap for just a couple of players. If Smith and Hatcher both go, that's 2 defensemen the Flyers will need to replace. What if they don't bring Modry back either?

I'm assuming Parent will play full-time with the Flyers this year, rather than just sparingly as a injury fill in.

Homer has his work cut out for him.

**jtkratzer** · 06-11-2008, 05:14 PM

Holmgren recently said this:

“We were one of only two teams with three 30-point defensemen, so I think there are just a couple tweaks here or there that need to be made. We're certainly going to be better.”

Is that right?

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/ne...8-1545893.html

**jtkratzer** · 06-11-2008, 05:18 PM

No, that's not right, Chicago (Byfuglien, Seabrook, and Keith), Philly (Timonen, Coburn, and Jones), and Detroit (Lidstrom, Rafalksi, Kronwall) have and I'm looking to see if anyone else did.

Ottawa traded Joe Corvo, but he did have over 30 points, but didn't have over 30 points with either team.

**jtkratzer** · 06-14-2008, 04:12 PM

Speculation about Prospal, Smith, and Hatcher not coming back:

Quote:

His first priority was re-signing Carter, a restricted free agent. A first-round pick in the 2003 entry draft, Carter had 29 goals and 53 points this season and ably filled in when Richards went down with a hamstring injury. Holmgren said that teams inquired about Carter almost every day around the trade deadline, meaning he could become a popular target if he reaches free agency and the Flyers are forced to match an offer.

"We'll get him signed," Holmgren said. "I have no doubt about that."

Umberger, who scored eight goals against Montreal in the semifinals, and defenceman Randy Jones are the other top two restricted free agents.

"We will do what we can to get our guys signed, especially the guys that we feel we can move forward with," Holmgren said.

The Flyers will move forward with Stevens behind the bench. The second-year coach was on the hot seat when a 10-game losing streak nearly bumped Philadelphia out of the playoffs. But a strong finish earned the Flyers the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, and they won series against No. 3 seed Washington and top-seeded Montreal.

Stevens' contract expires at the end of the next season, but it's unlikely he'll be a lame duck. Holmgren hoped to work out a new deal with Stevens before training camp.

"I expect him to be here long term," Holmgren said.

Another task for the Flyers is getting Biron better protection. Timonen and Braydon Coburn are set as the top defensive pairing. But team captain Jason Smith and veteran Derian Hatcher were both injury prone and are unlikely to return.

Holmgren revealed that Smith played with two separated shoulders in the post-season and Hatcher needed his knee drained almost every day. While Holmgren called their efforts "pretty inspirational," they might not fit next year as the Flyers try to get younger and faster.

Trade deadline acquisition Vaclav Prospal went from stretch-run sensation to MIA in the playoffs. The unrestricted free agent also might not return.

Losing Prospal might not matter much if Simon Gagne is healthy and returns to his All-Star form. Gagne played in only 25 games this season because of lingering symptoms of a concussion. Holmgren said Gagne was working out and should be ready for the start of training camp.

Source

**jtkratzer** · 06-14-2008, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Danny Briere, Mike Richards, Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell, Simon Gagne, Joffrey Lupul, Marty Biron, Braydon Coburn, Ryan Parent and Marty Biron seem to be the only guarantees to return.

Jeff Carter is a restricted free agent and Holmgren said he is priority No. 1 to sign. R.J. Umberger, Randy Jones and Patrick Thoresen are also restricted, and Holmgren said his plan is to sign all of them.

As for the unrestricted set, Riley Cote seems likely. Beyond that, it’s a crap shoot.

Holmgren has expressed an interest in Jason Smith, but it’s not certain Smith wants to return. Vinny Prospal and Jaroslav Modry are gone. Jim Dowd was really serviceable, but with the Flyers bringing in Claude Giroux and Downie looking for more minutes, odds are long that Dowd will be back.

Mike Knuble, Derian Hatcher, Sami Kapanen, Scottie Upshall, Lasse Kukkonen and Antero Niittymaki all have another year left on their contract, but could be used in other ways to create cap space.

Hatcher could either retire and come off the salary cap entirely, or the Flyers could opt to buy him out of his final year at two-thirds of his $3.5 million salary ($2.3345 million) over the next two years (with $1.16725 million counting against each season’s cap).

The others could conceivably be shopped as trade bait in order to clear space. Of course, there is the chance that every one of them returns, but not if Holmgren wants to get what he covets the most - another speedy, puck-moving defenseman.

“Our overall mobility and speed on our backend needs to get better,” he said. “Whether we have those players internally or not, we will see… We have to go through some internal stuff here over the next week to 10 days and try to come up with the direction we want to go.”

The Flyers secretly covet free agent defenseman Brian Campbell and would like to be able to put together the money it will take to land the two-time All-Star.

However, he won’t come cheap. He’ll probably command a contract slightly below the one the Flyers offered Timonen last summer (six years, $38 million), meaning the Flyers may need to shed about $5 million in current salary to get him.

If not, they may have to seek out a more affordable alternative, like Colorado’s John-Michael Liles or Montreal’s Mark Streit.

The draft is just one month away, so expect some activity by the Flyers there, and free agency begins July 1 and the usual frenzy will follow.

But later this summer, in the dog days of August, look for the Flyers to offer a contract extension to Biron, who will be entering the final year of his deal.

Source

If Cote goes, who fills his skates?

The Flyers have the pieces of the puzzle on offense, but my concern is that defense. Look at how Detroit played, they were just a machine out there, and they practically have an all-star defense. There were only 6 times in the regular season and twice in the playoffs where they lost consecutive games.

The Flyers are really in a tough spot right now with their defense. If Smith and Hatcher go, the only guy left who makes big hits on the back end is Coburn. This team thrives on punishing the other team with physical play. Perhaps that tide is changing in Philadelphia.

Quote:

Assuming junior sensation Claude Giroux makes the roster next season, the Flyers currently have 17 players under contract with a total payroll of just under $48 million.

The good news is that the NHL salary cap is expected to rise to about $55 million. The bad news is the Flyers need to sign Jeff Carter, R.J. Umberger, Randy Jones and Riley Cote.

For argument's sake, let's say Carter gets $4 million, Umberger gets $3 million, Jones gets $1 million and Cote gets $750,000.

Now you have a 21-man roster totaling just under $57 million, about 2 mill above the cap.

You've also lost Jason Smith, Vinny Prospal, Jaroslav Modry and Jim Dowd to free agency, and you've done nothing to improve the speed of your defense.

These are the obstacles that lie ahead for Holmgren this summer. Turning "D' to "O'

Holmgren made no bones about it last week when he said his top priority in the offseason is upgrading the speed of his defense.

There are a few ways the Flyers can do that and still stay under the salary cap.

First, they'll need to bid a painful farewell to their tough-as-nails captain. If Smith would play for $1.5 million, the Flyers would gladly take him next season because he is a true warrior and a tremendous influence in the locker room.

But at 34, Smith probably realizes he has a shot at one more $2 million-plus contract and can get at least that on the open market from Minnesota or New Jersey, each of which could use his physical presence on the blue line.

Second, they'll need a decision from Derian Hatcher. If he is healthy, Hatcher's $3.5 million is an albatross for a team in dire need of foot speed on the blue line. If he's not, the Flyers can put him on the long-term injury list (ala Mike Rathje) and his salary will not count against the cap.

If the Flyers can convince Hatcher to either retire or go on LTI, they drop their cap number down to about $53.5 million.

To upgrade the mobility of their blue line, the Flyers can sign one or two free agents (Brian Campbell, Mark Streit and Wade Redden are among the most desirable) or trade for an established player such as Tomas Kaberle.

Campbell and Streit finished tied for third among NHL defensemen with 62 points last season and both could command in the $6 million range. Redden made $6.5 million last season and he won't be seeking a pay cut. Losing a right wing?

The only way the Flyers can land a defenseman of that caliber is to trade away some of their depth at forward.

The most obvious player would be veteran right wing and all-around good guy Mike Knuble, who is in the final year of a contract that pays him $2.8 million. If the Flyers traded Knuble for a draft pick and combined that with Hatcher's $3.5 million, they would be down to about $50.7 million in payroll, or $4.3 million under the projected cap.

Still not enough for a guy like Campbell, Streit or Redden.

Since Giroux is looking like a right wing who can step in on one of the top three lines, the Flyers could also trade Joffrey Lupul ($2.3 million) or Scottie Upshall ($1.225 million) for a solid No. 4 defenseman.

So, no matter how you look at it, the Flyers will need to peel away some of their depth at forward if they hope to create salary space for the two defensemen they need on the blue line. And that will take some creative salary shuffling by Holmgren.

Source

Thread Tools

Display Modes

Register Now

View more hockey photos

Thread Tools Display Modes

Register Now

View more hockey photos

Thread Tools

Display Modes