Vanflyer

It is a very rare case. Most teams/coaches have the players best interest at heart. I know the Spitfires are very family based, a home away from home if you will and they would never even dream of employing a tacit like that.

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. 

For those that think Varly was a flash in the pan....don't hold your breath, this guy was/is the real deal.

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. 

Another way to rock the boat is to give the player permission to go home until a trade is made to a different CHL team. There are a few ways the GM's can strike back....although I can't remember any team doing what I just wrote, demanding a trade.

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. 

Another factor on Iggy's side is he will not be facing the top checking line because of the Ave's depth at forward. In Calgary, he was facing nothing but that...Boston it was off an on....but it could translate into more goals.

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). 

maybe....Black jerseys with Philadelphia written on them in orange and white lettering

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. 

In short, his jr. coach failed him. 

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. 

I want the Sharks to get an alternate jersey with Goldfish or guppies on it.

 

Force them to wear it in shame for the first 10 games of the next season every time they blow it in the playoffs(So pretty much, every year)

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

Flyers will be getting new third jerseys this year. I know it's not really important in the grand scheme of things but it's been kind of a slow offseason and this gives us a little something to look forward to.

What would you like to see the flyers third look like? I personally miss the old jerseys from the Lindros era.

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. 

That's the difference between a no movement clause and a no trade clause. NTC, he can be sent to the minors, just can't be traded without input. NMC, can't do anything but leave him on the roster.

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?? 

Morin was drafted as a project. He wasn't taken as near NHL ready, or the best Dman or any of that. A purely raw abnormally tall physical speciman. Let him develop at his pace.

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.

, so hopefully the Hitmen GM is good at his job, it's important that Sanheim has a winning program to grow and evolve with.

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. 

Ah, of course. How soon I forget these things. Oh well, there's not much left for options: I guess the fans will have to drive him out of town.

No worries. I have to beg, borrow or steal to pretend I remember things. 

Good to see you again. 

Cheers

A 4.5 mill a year deal will have far less complications/consequences to a teams cap than it does for this year....at least if you listen to rumors.

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. 

Yeah. AKA Wade Reddening. Waive him. Maybe some sap will claim him. If not, at the very least he gets to ride the bus and think about playing wing. I don't think it helps the Cap situation though, but I might be wrong about that.

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 do think his physicality and compete level will force the Flyers hands a bit. The other factor, and it can't be just dismissed, is a 6'7 d-man...on skates is close to 7 foot

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. 

 I said Matta was a pretty well finished product, very mature for his age and would not be surprised if he was fast tracked....I just felt he was very sturdy in his own end, a very nice skater and that's how I drew my conclusions.

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. 

What about "Goating" him? 

Gauthier? If so, refresh my feeble memory. 

Granted, the player made the most of it, but to the Pens credit(slight barf there), they let him play.  

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. 

It was news to me. Plus, there was the bit about rating the Flyers draft as an 'A', which is a sign we're headed in the right direction. External validation isn't necessary, but it's nice to see.

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. 

Anyone remember Sbisa?

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. 

I'm sure Hexy is trying to trade him. I think it will come down to how much salary he is willing to eat to get someone to take him. It's probably a lot.

I just looked at his "buyout" on Cap Geek : http://www.capgeek.com/buyout-calculator/?player_id=884

What I think is that Hextall will just bide his time. As for "salary to eat", Its the "buyout" cap hit next year and following season that stings (3m per annul).  Given the bind the Flyers are in, that is a bullet that can be digested as compared to this years constipation, where the buyout would be a 1.5m cap hit, and an immediate laxative. Hextall does not need to pull that rip chord until need be. 

I personally think that team (if they can not move him) are going to wait until after camp and pre-season before doing anything. Maybe Vinny gets his act together and shows up to camp in great shape (as Berube has dictated for the entire squad). Maybe he shows vigor and determination in both to prove the league wrong (lets admit it, the league has basically said "pass" on him). 

Also, his contract is not that bad. Sure the 4.5m stings, but he is only owed 3m per year salary wise on the remainder. The part that stings (I believe) for most teams is he is still owed another 4.5m in signing bonuses. 

I guess the question that cap geek does not answer is: if flyers pay for the 4.5m signing bonuses, what is their cap hit for that (ie, prorated for the remainder of the contract=1.1m per year for 4 years, OR a one time hit of 4.5m this upcoming season). If the later, then there is your rub. The Flyers need relief THIS year. 

So, here are the choices as I see them: 

1) Let the guy play 4th line center until trade deadline. 

2) Buy him out. 

3) Trade him, with cash going the other way to remove the sting of the 4.5m signing bonuses. 

I probably go with option 1. While the team is good, I don't think its stanley cup good. He will have only 3 years left on the contract with 8m left owed on salary (not sure on the signing bonus stuff). But even if the flyers kick in 2M towards that on the trade, it certainly must be prorated even against next year or the following). 

That option also give a bit of insurance for injury. 

It also automatically squelches the Laughton as a Flyer next year- which I think is a good thing. Let him play in the AHL until vinny is traded and then call him up. 

But I for one was never able to be comfortable at wing when moved from center. I found myself out of the play all the time, half a step in front or behind always. Very frustrating. I felt unable to anticipate like I used to and just not effective. For a read and react type player, it can be very difficult to do. You go from being a player who can dictate the play (on a good day) to a bystander. I hated it and it showed. Coaches put me back at center promptly every time.

I guess for me, playing both d and winger, I don't fathom. I slotted center a couple of times, but sucked at it (horrible on drawls and horrible on coverage deep in the zone). So for my perspective, it would be a walk in the park. Cam Neely, Mark Recchi, many other guys that played prolifically at wing. Heck, even rensberge. Of course all had a great centerman, but that is not VLC. To move to wing at this stage should not be a stutter step. It should be easier- especially considering his inability to back check and play defense. He has less skating footage to cover.

He won't be gone until the trade deadline unless Nashville is desparate to replace fisher. Play him as 4th line center. And then we can no longer say to Phaneuf "suckit" Bellemare score 20 this year.

Button compared Sanheim to current New York Rangers' star defenseman Ryan McDonagh in his 2007 draft year. 

No insult, but that is old news. All scouts have compared him of that and some even higher. If he ever was to attain that projection of a McD, I would be ecstatic. I love his game and character. But before we all get excited, I think its 4 years in the making before such lofty expectations can be even nearly realized. 

Same with Morin, Hagg, Ghost, etc. Lets call it a pipeline. 

For me, there are maybe (I am stretching it), 3 guys from the draft that can step into an NHL role without detriment to their development immediately. 

other than an injury though, you just utilize him on the pp and a few shifts here and there.

I guess its an ending thought. For me- a no nothing, I would utilize skill and manipulate it to make it work. Including moving a centerman to wing. For me and for all the posters here on the VLC convo, playing center is the third hardest position behind d and then goaltending. Moving to wing is a cake walk. I am not joking about this. I get the VLC does NOT want to play wing. Thats a homer stupidity as the flyers did not need another centerman. The fact he can not adapt to an easier position is complete bs. He is making multi-millions and was bought out. For me, I say eff off if you can not even "adapt" to an easier position. 

How many of us have played both serious hockey and pond / beer league hockey. The transition from center to wing is so much easier. Arent we prognosticating that our 22 y/o center can do just that to fill the LW whole on the top line. If a yungin' like that can do it, why can't an old tooth that is way over paid can't adjust. 

You want to know why, he is not any good anymore. He is lazy and does not want to work the corners or behind the net. He wants to do a rush and score, play the PP and score and gaze at his teammates while they bust their butts back checking while he inadvertently does a shift change. 

THIS is why VLC has not been moved. 

Buy the douche out and be done with it. Riddens the homer era. 

"

He should be a perfect fit. Hell, he might even hit 35 next year if he can avoid injuries. One thing for sure, he will have a wicked center who can find him darting in and out of scoring spots....it will be like a shooting gallery for Iggy.

I agree with that. And while I have no evidence to suggest it, I think Jerome is one of those guys that defies the traditional deterioration of age (think Chelios / Lidstrom). There is absolutely no evidence of his slowing down. The guy has not scored less than 30 goals in the last 15 years (discount the shortened season in 2012-2013). That is just incredible. He has essentially been a .8 ppg player in that time frame (with very little spikes), and that was with playing with some crappy Flames teams. 

The only thing that kind of stands out (minorly), is that Boston diminished some of his ice time (not by much). He played on average 17:22 last year and significantly reduced his PK role (unlike when he was playing top PP and top PK in calgary). I think that helped keep his legs fresher. Also, only 4 of his 30 goals last year came on the PP. He was burning teams on 5-on-5 play- pretty damn impressive. 

35 is certainly not off the mark.