Dynamo 47

I hope the Kings win in 6. For no other reason then Hextall getting his Stanley Cup ring. While I am sure he would have preferred it as a player, it will just as impressive on his finger as an Executive.

I cannot root for the Devils in any way, shape, or form. Heck I even rooted for the Rangers to beat them. I would be bothered by seeing Carter holding the Cup but I would be happy for Gags, Richards, and people like Hextall to finally get his ring.

Excellent reference to Patrick Sharp. I think there is some similarities with the Sharp reference and Stewart. Hitch just does not seem to place much stock in the younger players. Not to mention I get the impression that if you do something he doesn't like one time, you are in the doghouse for a long time. I think Stewart does have some Patrick Sharp potential. He scored 28 goals with the Avs and did not get first line minutes. To score 15 in limited time with Hitch's system isn't too bad. I like the fact he would add some size, grit, scoring potential, and a right handed shot to the team. I doubt the Flyers go in that direction but if they are looking at forwards I would hope they would consider Stewart.

I was wondering the same thing. In Colorado he looked like a promising and blossoming power forward. And I agree we know how Hitch dislikes and has little faith in young players. The one thing I did hear rumors about was his conditioning? That makes me think Patrick Maroon all over as they are the same size and style. The difference is Stewart has proven he belongs in the NHL. It would be nice to add some more size and potential 30 goals on the wing. The fact he is young and can develop chemistry for a long time with his teammates doesn't hurt either (and we need a right handed shot badly up front).

If the Flyers go forward I love the potential of this kid, Toronto native Tom Wilson. He already has NHL size and tenacity. The Flyers would really have to work him to see if he has the hands to develop into a power forward or if they want to use a first of a potential Tom Sestito. To me he has the potential to be a Milan Lucic type player or a Tom Sesito. Any friends of there in "O" have anything they can add? Tom Wilson, RW Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, 3/29/94 Bio: 6’4, 200 lbs., R Plymouth Whalers, OHL Rankings: ISS – 27; CSS – 15 (NA) The Skinny: Few players in this draft class boast Wilson’s combination of size and sandpaper – but will his decent finishing be enough for some who would prefer to see more skill out of a first-rounder?

There is not one forward who is appealling to me on the UFA list that is realistic. Parise, of course but the price and the fact he will likely sign with the Debs make it unlikely. I did see two names that appealled to me in the RFA category. First is Evander Kane who is and RFA. He is only 20 and coming off a 30 goal season. You put him on Giroux's left wing and the kid could score 45 - 50. He has good size, is gritty and would be a nice compliment to those we already have. It would probably take about $5.5 million in an offer sheet to sign him but if we dropped Jagr's contract we are almost there. I doubt that Winnipeg lets him go. The second is a guy I think we can get. He is young, 24, big (6'1 228), plays big and most importantly, is a Right handed shot. I am talking Chris Stewart of the St. Louis Blues. He only scored 15 goals last season (which I think is a byproduct of Hitch's defensive style of play) but scored 28 goals in the 09-10 season for the Avs. He is a big kid who plays big and would be a nice complement to a 2nd line but could play 3rd and wouldn't look too out of place with Giroux on the top. He has a cap hit of currently 2.875 and he might be had for 3.5.

And if you add Hartnell's contract expriring with Kimo, that is $10.5 million. So it can happen as long as someone like Detroit with appeal and space doesn't sign him to one hell of an offer sheet (as Weber is an RFA).

I wouldn't mind seeing the Flyers do kind of a Chris Gratton type deal with the Preds for Weber. I would have no issue with giving up two number 1's, and JVR for Weber if that would get it done. Defensemen like Weber are a rare commodity of skill, grit, physicality, and scoring potential. He will fill multiple needs for the team with one signing (leadership, a physical presence on the blueline, a steady presence on D, and a RH shot from the point).

I definitely think the Flyers go defense first and I would love to see either Slater KoekKoek or my personal favorite Dalton Thrower. I think Thrower is what the Flyers need and that is a defenseman who is a PITA to play against. A guy with decent size 6'0 200 who throws his body around physically and can and will drop the gloves if need be. The Flyers need to be a tougher team to play against and I think that against Jersey it was way too easy for the Devils.

Well it's often said the LA Kings are Flyers West both in style, players, and management. The two teams do have a similar makeup and play a similar style but the difference is goaltending and defense. You put Quick on the his Flyers team and they would have likely had a different outcome. Not placing all the blame on Bryz as his defense sucked on some nights in front of him but.. I personally am rooting for a Kings - Rangers final. I think it would be great for the sport and for fans. I would have had no issue with Richards hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup but damn it will be hard watching if Carter does.

That is a pretty interesting question. The first names that comes to mind are Briere, Bryz, and Pronger. Pronger will be LTIR and have a minimal cap hit. Plus I would hope and pray that almost a full season off allows him to play again Briere still has a nice cap hit but he is Danny Playoff and to me for a team that is close, you need that scorer you can depend on come playoffs. If you go to Cap Geek there are a couple contracts that really stand out both in term and dollars. JVR just signed the extension but if he ever is healthy and plays to his potential should be worth it. To me I think it's Bryz you use for amnesty. I still think he can win a Stanley Cup and not sure with the team being close it's wise to drop him but man that contract is a killer. We still have enough depth and talent to use to acquire another netminder. I would still give some thought to one problem for another by swapping Bryz for Luongo if it could be done as I think both would benefit from a change of scenery. In Luongo's case I think a change will make him elite again.

It is hard for me but I am pulling for the Rangers in this series. I hate both teams but I hate the Rangers less. Plus my ulterior motive is that I am hoping for a Rangers - Kings final which would be great for the game and for the fans.

I think the system is fine. It is fast, physical, and exciting. I think a HUGE part of the problem with the system is the defense. When you had Pronger back there, there were little turnovers, one outlet pass to the tape and the rush was going the other way. Not to mention he cleared the porch, blocked shots and settled the defense down. Losing him had more of an impact then anyone would have thought. I think we saw in the playoffs that our defense was completely overmatched and lost a lot of one on one battles. Adding two guys, a guy like Suter, and a bigger physical defenseman (as well as a healthy Mezaros) will make a HUGE difference. Remember this team was without Pronger and Mez for a good part of the year. They also have 2 and sometimes 3 rookie defenseman a game for a good portion of the season.

I think he and the team will be fine next year. I did not expect a cup this year. I expected the team to play hard, compete, and experience growing pains, which they have. Next year with some lineup changes is when I expect to make our legitimate run and I expect Bryz to be the man to take us. In the 2012 playoffs, he is 4th in the number of shots faced. The top 3 are still playing. So Bryz faced more rubber then a stripper at a Secret Service party. Now granted his GAA and Save % should have been better but to me the defense was a big part of our downfall. I look at Fluery this playoffs. He couldn't stop a beachball but I don't think the Pens lost faith in him. He is still their man. The Flyers need to improve their defense and get more physical to give Bryz better looks at shots, less rebounds because the porch will be cleared and less turnovers in the defensive zone.

I think Bryz will be fine next season. I like the fact he cares and seems to have a little fire. But then again, I applauded Checkmanek for ripping his teammates for playing like crap in front of him...

Hey mojo. I think we might have talked about it. I am not giving up on JVR by any means but we need some major help on defense and the offense this season was fine without him. It's not like he is Bobby Ryan who already has a couple 30 goal seasons under his belt. JVR has potential but might not ever realize it here. I definitely give him up if I can get a top 4 defenseman in return. I have always liked Jackman and proposed trading free agent for free agent during the season with Carle going to the Blues for Jackman. I wanted Jackman for leadership, grit and most importantly a physical presence on defense as with Pronger out we had none. We got Grossman who I really like but we need less finess and more bang on the blueline.

Defense Turnover machine Carle walks I think we sign Suter I would try to reopen the trade for JVR and acquire Schenn or Bogosian Sign free agent Matt Carkner from Ottawa (possibly to play forward) My defense is Suter, Mez, Coburn, Grossman, Kimo, Schenn with Carkner as my 7th The defense would be bigger and more physical and better equipped to deal with an aggressive forecheck like the Devils and to clear the porch in front of Bryz. Goalie Like it or not we are stuck with Bryz and his contract. One poster submitted an interesting proposal and that was to trade one issue in Bryz for another in Luongo. Their salaries are almost identical and the trade might benefit both with a change in scenery. Forwards I let Jagr walk. Lappy's cap hit comes off as well as Betts I give Jake a bump in pay I need a scoring forward with the absence of JVR and Jagr so my options would be: There are three intriguing RFA forwards out there who I might consider making an offer Evander Kane - 6'2 20 years old and score 30 goals last season. His cap hit is 3.1 million and 5.5 million might get him. He is gritty, can score and is young. Hell I would trade JVR straight up for him as he is less expensive and has a lot more production Chris Stewart - Big kid who scored 28 goals on 09/10 for Colorado but dropped to 15 goals in Hitch's offensive stifling system. He is another big body who can score and be effective on the forecheck. He is also a RH shot which we need and might be able to sign for 3.5 - 3.8 Sam Gagner - he is my wild card. I high prospect who hasn't materialize at this level yet. He is a RH shot, and scored 18 goals, 29 assists for 47 points last season. He is making 2.275 and could be had for about 3.5 - 3.75 The likelihood of any of those drastic changes being made are slim to none but I do think the defense needs an overhaul. If we kept the current lineup but added Schenn and Suter to the blueline I think we are an improved team. I am also intrigued about a Luono Bryz trade. I think Luongo when he is on can be the best in the world. I think he would benefit enormously from a change in scenery. Conversely, I think Bryz would also do well with a change in scenary.

I agree with a lot of them. Honestly after all the moves were made in the offseason if a crystal ball told you the team would finish with over 100 points and beat the Pens (with Crosby) in the playoffs I would have been happy. I did not expect the team to win the Cup this season as I did not think the defense was good enough even if Pronger was healthy. The highlights to me was watching Giroux become the best player in the league even if the media still salivated when Crosby took the ice. Watching Simmonds develop. When the trades were made I said fans would love Simmonds as he was a poster child for Flyer hockey and would score 25 goals. Seeing the young players not only play but develop and flourish. Seeing 88 back in a Flyers uniform. I loved the reception as it was deafening at the Winter Classic and see him and Johnny hook up on a beautiful Legion of Doom type play was incredible to see.

I would not. I think he performed on the ice and had a HUGE impact on Giroux but I would much rather use that $3 million in salary for a younger player who could develop with the core we have now.

Ron, as always, your word is gospel. I have hated Bettman ever since they brought him over from the NBA. He has never understood the game nor respected it's history, traditions, and it's fan base. When he came to the league in the 90's the league was at it's all time high in popularity. The scoring per game averages were high, there were plenty of fights in a game, rivalries were intense and hated. In those early years he kind of sat back and played a minor role. It wasn't until he started tinkering with the game that it went downhill. Scoring was down primarily due to the trap. So someone who knew nothing of the game started tinkering with the rules. He started cracking down on refs to call the clutching and grabbing to where games became special teams snore fests. He implemented the shoot out which to me is an absolute disgrace. He modified OT to 4 on 4. So now there is much less clutching and grabbing. The result? Concussions at an all time high. Players are bigger and faster then ever and now with no impediments on their way to collisions, there is more head injuries then ever. Physicality - used to be one of the games primary selling points where there was violent collisions, battles along the walls and in front of the net, fighting because there was no instigator rule and players could police the game. Now a smurf can stand in front of the net without fear. Battles along the wall and in the corner are all but extict. Fighting has become almost a joke as the majority are staged off a faceoff, Along with that the respect for other players has disappeared as there is not repercusions for a cheap shot. And worst of all, to me the lockout in 2004 was the worst thing Bettman ever did. As a result we have a watered down product. We still have teams in markets where they shouldn't be. We have a salary cap that actually hurts the bigger market teams, revenue sharing, etc. Now he has done some good such as the Winter Classics but overall to me he has out too much of his mark; an NBA mark on the product and because of that it is not the same game I loved to watch as kid and play well into my 40's. I cannot wait until the *** clown is gone by natural means or otherwise.

Never too early for shots on the first day of the Flyers playoffs!

That is awesome! Funny thing is I think that might be Gary Bettman calling!

My Two Cents Worth: 1. While I applaud Harry's effort there is NO WAY he should have been the guy. He wasn't playing in the last game. There is no message sent when your hoping your face breaks the other guy's hand. That should have been the job of ANY Flyer who played in the game and not even a goon. If Hartnell or Simmonds went after him that is fair as they are similar in size and type of game 2. Shelley is worthless He has no intimidation factor and I will call it as I see it, he was scared by Big Mac, I thought the Flyers should have went after John Scott in the offseason. He is huge 6'8, plays defense so he would be perfect in the 7th defenseman role. He is also one of if not the most feared fighter in the league. He is someone who could have taken Big Mac and even been around to be a thorn in Chara's side should we play them. Instead the Rangers acquired him at the deadline. Case in point there was a big hit against a Pen in a Rangers game and you could see the Pens "rush" to their teammates aid by pushing Scott but not one of them was going to go with him. That is an enforcer and what you need him to do. 3. I also blame the Flyers organization as well. As soon as they saw the Pens called up one of the biggest goons in any league the Flyers should have responded in part by calling up Mathers, Oliver Lauridssen, Klotz in kind. The Flyers knew the game could get out of hand and that the league would probably penalize the Flyers more for anything anyway so why not fight fire with fire. I cannot stand that team. I hate the organization. * I dislike Mario from his diving days when the "Mario Rule aka the diving unsportsmanlike penalty was created particularly for him. * I have no respect for the way Crosby plays the game. * I hate the obvious bias the league shows towards Crosby and Malkin and the disparity in fines and penalties. * I am pissed that our most physical defenseman was taken out with a cheap knee on knee hit by a Pen and there was no fine, penalty or suspension. * I am pissed that our best playoff performer is out with an injury that never should have happened because "tough guy" Bylsma put out goons in the last minute of a lost game. * I am ticked to see Crosby and Malkin both give stick work and slash and whack and not be penalized * Most of all I am pissed that because the Pens sucked for 5 or 6 years and they were lucky to get 10k fans to a game and won lottery picks but were still going to move if they didn't get a new arena that MY TAX MONEY is helping to pay for their arena. To me this series should reference the old Flyers logic and that is "If you can't beat em. Beat em". If losing game one, put the fourth line out in the last minute and head hunt. Punish Crosby and Malkin cleanly every time they are on the ice, OK, now my blood pressure is soaring. I just want to win this series and physically dominate the Pens. I hate this team so much I could accept losing the next round if we beat these whining, spolied, entitled, double standard Penguins. Damn, pas me the Tylenol

Here's my take: Rangers in 5 - The Rangers defense is simply too good for the Sens Bruins in 6 - I think this will be much closer then people think but the Bruins experience, goaltending, and physical style win out in the end Devils in 5 - I think Florida will steal one but the Devils were the hottest team in the league entering the playoffs. Penguins in 5 This one kills me but I think we are fighting an uphill battle. * We are missing our most physical defensemen in Grossman courtesy of a cheap shot by a Pen. * We are missing our best playoff performer in Briere courtesy of a hit that never should have happened in the last minute of play by a goon line member of the Pens. * We all know that the Pens will receive any and every questionable call and receive the benefit of more power plays chances as well as more timely power play chances.

I don't have any real shockers as here's how I see it: #1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 LA Kings Canucks in 6 - This is probably my favorite series (other then the Flyers) to watch in the first round.#2 St. Louis Blues vs. # 7 SJ Sharks (Season Series Blues 4-0 over Sharks) Blues in 6 - Goaltending and defense win in the playoffs and the Blues have used that all season#3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. # 6 Chicago Blackhawks (Season Series Coyotes 3-1 over Blackhawks) Blackhawks in 6 - I think the Blackhawks win this series; possibly in 5.# 4 Nashville Predators vs. # 5 Detroit Red Wings (Season Series Tied at 3-3) Red Wings in 6 - I still think the Wings are a good team and capable of a long playoff run