Vanflyer

I did not know that. So, how does that work with all the games they play- I mean do they really attend classes or is it commensurate type of enticement? I mean zero insult, I just know that the reason the NCAA schedule is so light in games is because they really (sort of) want the players to get an education (but there are strict guidelines on players grades and such: see NCAA basketball and NCAA football).

Either you are a bobsled underdog fan or you mis-read the topic at hand an intended this post for the Green Stuff post / thread. :-P

Agreed. Its interesting to see the origin of programs players are getting drafted these days. In my hey day (dating myself), maybe 2 or 30 made the first round. Not so now. That said, (not directed at you), hockey development in the US has taken ahold (I am not sure its by bettemans doing as much as the Sniders of the world), but the US is 10 x the size in population as the us (guessing- but I know its somewhere near that). And while hockey is "candadas game", not all kids want to play it or can afford it. You see a player like Ghost emerge that plays for a SMALL collegiate hockey program and demonstrate that level of skill and you know that the tables are getting leveled out (as a side note, I think his teammate got signed by an NHL team as well). My biggest dis and its a double edge sword is games played. In major juniors, they play 2x the games as NCAA. Yet, at the same time, the NCAA is educating the players. Its kind of important. Lets say that 10% of each program make to some pro level to sustain a living. That leaves 90% holding a bag with nothing to do. In the NCAA, the player holds a degree (for whatever its worth). For me, while my degree was not my calling, it meant a ton as it opened a door.

keeper league?? Both are vezina candidates. I think bobs had a bit of a down year compared to his vezina year, but injuries plagued him. I really like both. Your real name is not Bobby C. is it? Playing out your alter-ego and having to ruskies as your goalies on your fantasy team?? LOL

@hf101- "The Flyers tried trading up in the draft but were unable to, " Wonder if it was Ritchie- whom I have a man crush on?

I played div 1 (colorado college) and it was the same. I won't say it was easy and that the program did not want to push the kids to be the best, but they certainly had all players best interest at heart. Say what you want about NCAA, but its not the red headed step child to amateur hockey / chl it used to be.

And he has perhaps the 2nd best goalie ever (arguably the 1st) as his coach. The thing with Valarmov (and perhaps it was smoke and mirrors) was he was thinking about going back to motherland to play in the KHL for more money. So the caps jettisoned for mere peanuts in the scheme of things (a 1st in 2012 and a 2nd in 12 / 13). At the end of the day, I don't think it was KHL that Valarmov was thinking of, it was getting the hell out of dodge. I will state it again: Avs win division and Valarmov is in top three for Vezina.

So Sbisas situation is a rare case then?? I know why the coach did it (playoff push and playoffs), but you and @flyercanuck and perhaps a couple others who follow juniors more closely than I ever did would know.

Being a half-breed born in Colorado, I am really going to enjoy watching this upcoming season. I have them as division winners again. Some say Valarmov was flash in the pan and that the team overachieved (not really that inaccurate on the later). The moves they made in the offseason have them poised to be even better. Everyone will be saying Statsny who (even St Louis).

How about black jerseys with a picture of bettemen with a red cross out circle and on the back instead of players names "just say no". It would be great for play by play.

100%. While players get traded in all levels of hockey (particularly in major juniors), I wonder if there is a degree of analysis on drafting a kid that you know is going to play 1 or more years of junior before being ready to make a leap to any level of pro hockey that either entices / instills confidence in a selection or nixes it. Point being, its an investment and while an NHL club holds rights, they have ZERO say or influence on how and what the kid does at the non-pro level. Other than perhaps off season mentoring. In sbisas case, its a shame. Yet, he is still only 24. But he has had some really good coaching in Anaheim and still did not turn it around after his junior coach completely burned him out / blew him out of the water. Its interesting he is going to Vancouver. WHL central. He is not a lost cause, but certainly a poster boy of how a junior team can eff up a player.

With the goldfish / guppies eating the shark or vice versa?? The former would be quite comical / satirical.

Truthfully, (not directed at you jammer), I could give a rats arse. I thinking is an effing corporate ploy to make more money and I effing hate. There is only one instance I see a "third jersey" appropriate and its on limited production supply / demand: The winter classic. So, the jerseys <insert team> wear for those games should be regarded as a "limited edition" third jersey. For all the other teams, TWO jerseys: home and away. Its hard enough going to a game let alone having to shell out another $150 for a "gimmick" jersey.

Thanks Aziz- I was thinking of you when I typed that, that you would clarify or correct me. For @Podein25 , VLC had the latter (a NMC). @aziz Since you are here, do you know anything about what happens with the signing bonus (VLC is still owed 4.5m) if: a) bought out? b) traded (and the flyers want to absorb some portion of his salary)? As a side note, as bad as we all feel about the contract, reading that an additional 4.5m is owed in signing bonus just makes me want to puke. Did Homer fall off the wagon, or does VLC have unscrupulous pictures of homer doing things?? How on gods earth could that contract have been oky'd- even by mr senility Snider??

Can't we say that about 95% of draft picks? Not picking on you, but in general. All are projects in one regard or another and most need development in one regard or another. I kind of snicker at those that think we should have taken Kapanen and the he is SECOND line ready for the NHL. On a different thread (forget the topic), I took a gander at the 2012 draft class. There is only one guy (motta) that is having a meaningful impact in the NHL (and the door opened mostly because of Pens injuries). I looked at the list and - being somewhat dim, I only saw maybe 3 players that were drinking from the big straw. So, thats 10% of the top 30 that are even at the show and only one that is doing anything worth noting two years plus from their draft. So, as you say, let nature / development take their due course. There are rare exceptions, but Morin is not one.

Interesting how you said that. I mentioned on (maybe this thread) how Sbisa was ruined (nearly), by his Hurricanes coach (WHL). In Sbisa's regard, while he was a call-up due to necessity, he truly should have either never been called up or never been sent back down. It has / is his undoing- in part to poor management by both his Junior team and his AHL team (but mostly his junior team). I think we can all agree he was not a flash in the pan. He had all the raw tools to be a very effective 3/4 dman. But mismanagement (and some culpability on Sbisa himself) have diminished that. Point being, (and you would know better than me), NHL teams need to appropriately monitor their investments at the amateur level- without being intrusive. The CHL / NCAA in of itself is not an end to a means for the NHL. At the same time, there has to an obligation not to eff things up for those that have skill to play in the NHL.

No worries. I have to beg, borrow or steal to pretend I remember things. Good to see you again. Cheers

Thats what I was thinking. If they buy him out, his cap hit for THIS year is 1.5 (so a 3m in cap saving). The only issue is that the following two years are 3m. If said rumors are true "ok". I think Hextall is hesitant to borrow from peter to pay paul, but will if the need is warranted. For me, it really comes down to Laughton / Schenn / our need for a top flight LW. If schenn comes to camp and states it put up / shut up for him style and can gel with G and V, then domino two slides into place> Couturier moves to second line center. Then domino 3 could slide into place (laughton makes the team out of camp and centers third line). If all those dominos are in play, then i push the buyout button for Vinny. If not then status quo and wait for a team that becomes decimated by injuries / in-need of a 2nd line aging center and willing to pay- before or at the trade deadline. One thing I think is certain is even if Vinny pots 25 this year, he will not be a Flyer next year. Hextalls modo is to build defense on outward and despite what Vinny can / might do on the offensive side, his defensive side negates most of that and that will just piss Hextall off to jettison him one way or another.

There are many much smarter people than me on the board, but I do believe that his NTC eliminates that option. For example, if one a 1 way contract he can be waived. A 2way contract he can be sent to AHL hell to burn. But with at NTC, neither can happen. He (and his agent) get to dictate his fate alone- other than a buyout option (I think). I know that he has given his list of places to land for a trade (and thus Hextall allowing his agent to freely contact those teams- as the Flyers are not looking for anything in return). And here we sit, with nil in movement. Its not that he is horrible, I think its what I posted earlier (particularly the 4.5m still owed in signing bonuses). If the Flyers could eat that at a prorated amount for the length of the contract, I would just buy him out. If its a 1x shot against this years cap, then its a wash just to keep him and try to move him at the trade deadline.

I had to look it up. While there are several 6'3-6'5 dmen in the league, there is only one that is 6'7 (chara). It really does not mean a hill of beans if you can't skate. But if he can skate skate and think the game with his "moxy" at the NHL level- woooohooo. I forget how tall kjell Sameulson was / is (looked it up 6'6). But I remember (maybe) emerick in his never ending euphemisms saying playing against kjell was like playing against an octopus (because of his reach and ability to just tie up a player). The interesting thing is that Kjell is the asst coach of the Phantoms. Things that make you go hmmmmmmm.

While I think he surpassed expectations and I DO remember you Jammer touting him during that draft and lamenting we did not take him (I believe at that time our cupboards were slim in regards to d-stock), I also think his was more by necessity of the pens (injury) than progression on his part. That said, he did acquit himself quit well for his junior team (london nights- OHL) and in the WJC for Finland. But, as we all know, the jump from junior to NHL is quite a leap and it proves your analysis / judgement correct that he was / is a finished product. It will be interesting this year to see how he handles elevated competition with the departure of Niskanen and Orpik. 19 years old. I like Laughton allot, but I like Matta more.

Gauthier? If so, refresh my feeble memory.

The pens had their hand forced. They were decimated with injuries (only behind the Detroit Redwings in man games lost). It bode well with them in Matta's regard (whom the Flyers passed up- chose Laughton). It is interesting, just to put drafts into perspective, of that draft class (2012), how many are playing in the NHL and having a decent contribution? http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=635645 I would say Matta is the only one that has amounted to anything- and as a d-man no less. No sour grapes here as I think Laughton is going to be a fine NHL player- just at that point in time, a dman of Matta caliber should have been the pick. Congrats to Shero and scouts for making that pick. At this point, he is the pick of the litter of the first round of that draft.

No worries- and I did not mean to sound indignant toward you. The TSN.ca announcers immediately proclaimed him to be a McD clone in potential. The other little tid bit (and this on the Sanheim thread- I forget who posted it) stated that a renowned scout turned analyst had Sanheim ranked at #7. Take that what its worth, but the scout is supposedly renowned for his acute sense of judging talent. The basis for the push (to paraphrase) had to do with everytime the scout / analyst saw sanheim, he had improved. This is a WHL scout where Sanheim played (calgary). So the scout / analyst saw him MANY times and each time he saw him sanheim had improved.

Not many. His effing junior (WHL) coach screwed the pooch on him. Its not the Flyers fault, but his "cup of coffee" he had with the Flyers and subsequent trade to Anaheim sealed his fate. If memory serves me correctly, when he went back down to juniors, his coach was playing him nearly 40 minutes a game. Absolutely blew any development out of the water. While not a total wash-up at 24- getting kind of close. He was and * on the anaheim / vancouver trade, not a marquee.