Zzeke

NHL Rumors: Lightning, Ducks, Red Wings, Flyers, More BY JIM PARSONS NOVEMBER 27TH, 2020 Chances of Future Trade for Flyers’ Gostisbehere According to Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic, interest in Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has been few and far between. And, while it doesn’t look like he’ll move this offseason, don’t rule out a future trade. O’Connor still believes the defenseman is the “most likely candidate” to be traded if the Flyers need to clear salary cap space. But, O’Connor writes: “His deal is largely buyout-proof (the Flyers would save just $666,666 in 2021-22 cap space by doing so next summer), making a trade his most likely way out of Philadelphia. As injuries start to pile up around the league during 2020-21, perhaps a club has a change of heart and decides it needs another puck-moving defenseman.” source – Charlie O’Connor The Athletic Zzeke Comment - With the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft coming in June, Fletcher will probably look to trade Ghost soon - - because Ghost would be on the Flyers Exposed List and most likely be taken by Seattle. Therefore, Ghost would be lost - - without compensation for our Flyers. Most likely Flyers Exposed List: (Who do you think Seattle would take from this List?) van Riemsdyk (Age 32, Cap Hit 7M) Voracek (Age 32, Cap Hit 8.25M) Bunnaman F Twarynski F Kase F Gostisbehere D Hagg D Morin D Friedman D Exempt: First and Second year Pro (at June 2021) Farabee F 2nd year Frost F 2nd year Ustimenko G 2nd year Sandstrom G 2nd year Don't have to consider protecting - Laughton, Raffl, Gustafsson because they will be pending UFAs and could be re-signed after the June Expansion Draft, if mutual.

Are our Flyers on the leading-edge of the NHL New Era defence? Thinking about our Flyers Defence Group and the addition of Gustafsson - (If there is anyone uncomfortable with a long post, please just pass on this.) In reading all the transcripts of Fletcher/Flahr/AV media conferences of the last few months, it seems like they are thinking of a more up-pace defensive corp that is competent in the D-zone but also has speed/quickness/smarts in quickly exiting the D-zone and joining the rush. Erik Gustafsson wasn't signed to replace Matt Niskanen, but the Team feels the 28-year-old defenseman can give them something they were lacking. >> "[Gustafsson] has tremendous deception with the puck, tremendous poise," general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "We don't have a defenseman that sees the ice like he does, he can play on the power play. It's a different type of skill set than Matt ... there wasn't going to be that ability to replace Matt per se with the same style." << >> "We think his [Gustafsson] skill set meshes really well with what we need," Fletcher said. "We think we have a lot of strong defenders on our team and we're very structured defensively as a group. His skill set, his ability to go back on pucks and make good decisions and transition the puck up the ice, we thought was a very important element to add to our group." << GM Fletcher: >> "Gustafsson’s just got tremendous deception and vision. I think he generates offense a little bit differently than Ghost. I think Provorov’s elite defensively. Sanheim and Myers in my opinion will become elite shutdown defensemen in this league. Justin Braun is an elite defender [defensively]. Hägg is a good defender. So why not have a couple guys that can spring your offense? If we can defend less, that would be a great thing." << Fletcher: >> As I mentioned when we spoke about Matt Niskanen a few weeks ago, it’s going to be very difficult to replace Matt Niskanen. There wasn’t a defenseman in our opinion in the marketplace that was anywhere near as complete the player as Niskanen with the obvious exception of Pietrangelo. Whoever we were going to bring in was not going to fill the same role or have the same stylistic fit that Matt did. Essentially, we were able to bring back Justin Braun on a two-year deal. Justin in our opinion is an elite penalty killer and has that ability to defend and shut down in certain situations. Erik [Gustafsson] is a player that at least the last three seasons, has had a high impact offense at 5-on-5. Of all the defensemen in the game, I think he’s 10th at even strength points per 60 (minutes) over the last three seasons, which is a remarkable number. He has tremendous deception with the puck. Tremendous poise. We don’t have a defenseman that sees the ice like he does. He can play on the power play obviously. It’s a different type of skillset than Matt certainly, but as I mentioned a few weeks ago, there wasn’t going to be that ability to replace Matt per se with the same style. << These statements are a big hint to what Fletcher and AV are planning. Leading edge. Key statement: "So why not have a couple guys [read Provy/Gus/San/Myers] that can spring your offense? If we can defend less, that would be a great thing." "If we can defend less, that would be a great thing." (Flyers 5-man units including very mobile defencemen and with offensive puck-possession a higher percentage of game time.) The 'new era NHL' approach to the defence corps - - multiple defencemen who are very mobile, fast/quick, puck-moving out of the D-zone, join-the-rush, and can put up solid offensive numbers (in addition to being competent defensively). We now have 4 of these. Maybe it will work. Provorov - Gustafsson Sanheim - Myers (RH) Hagg - Braun (RH) #7 - Friedman (RH) (Ghost traded at some point) Instead of looking at losing an excellent defenceman in Niskanen, who complements/protects Provorov, and saying 'Gustafsson doesn't replace Niskenen' - - - can we say that actually now 'Provorov replaces Niskanen and the skilled Gustafsson replaces Provorov in role for that pair'? Do we older Flyers fans, fixed in our thinking of many years, need to open our eyes, get out of the box, and try to understand the new wave NHL with unique defencemen skill-sets and roles? Are our Flyers on the leading edge? Provorov, Gustafsson, Sanheim, Myers, Zamula, Wylie, York. Also, Fletcher played it smart - - signing Gus for 1 season. Advantages: 1) if Gus was signed for multiple years, and assuming Fletcher would opt for the Protected List 7F/3D/1G choice, Provorov/Sanheim/Myers would be protected, and Gus would be vulnerable to be selected by Seattle. Not so with Gus on a 1-year contract because Gus would be a pending UFA at the June Expansion Draft (UFA on 7/1/21). Most likely, Seattle will not select pending UFAs in the Expansion Draft. And, our Flyers would have a shot at signing him after the Expansion Draft if mutual interest.* 2) it gives Fletcher/AV a chance to evaluate Gus over the assumed 48 or 60 game 2020-21 season, plus playoffs, without commiting to a mult-year contract. *Assuming Gus has played very well for AV's team, and our Flyers want Gus back on a multi-year contract, and assuming Gus likes it here, Fletcher could 'pay' Gus with a new contract. All this without losing him in the Expansion Draft. NHL New Era Defence - - are our Flyers on the leading edge?

Bingo. Winner! When AV played for St. Louis, he was a tough guy that stood up for his teammates. As a Head Coach, his players have respect for him. Check this out: NHL Feb. 16, 1983 Stewart Gavin,TOR v Alain Vigneault,STL Toronto Maple Leafs St. Louis Blues

Yes, AV can plug him in on LW/RW on any of the 4 lines when needed, due to injury or penalty box, and be confident that he will play responsibly, not hurt the tem, and as OR said - will get timely goals.

Hey MainFlyFan, like your Profile Icon - - Maine Mariners! Trivia question - - Who is this Mariners' player??? Anyone know? Maine Mariners 1983-84 Season Defense -- shoots R Born May 14 1961 -- Quebec, PQ [59 yrs. ago] Height 5.11 -- Weight 200 [180 cm/91 kg]

Yeh CX, and this 2020-21 season is the last season on his contract. 1.6 M Cap Hit. The fact that the Flyers sent him out on loan at this time is not a good sign that there is optimsm to get the new season started in January with NHL Camps in December.

MICHAEL RAFFLLW, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS The Philadelphia Flyers have loaned winger Michael Raffl to Villacher SV of the ICE Hockey League in Austria. Raffl played with a high ankle sprain during the post-season, thought to have been suffered during the round-robin portion of the tournament. Raffl. who turns 32 on Wednesday, was born in Villach and played there until he was 24. He then joined the Flyers and has been a bottom-six forward through most of his career. Raffl had eight goals and 20 points in 58 regular season games last year but shone in the playoffs with four goals and an assist in nine games. SOURCE: Adam Kimelman on Twitter Nov 28, 2020, 12:00 PM ET I think that this is the first Flyers rostered player loaned out. Flyers prospects loaned are: - Felix Sandstrom G Vasterviks IK, Sweden Allsvenskan - Kirill Ustimenko G Gomel, Belarus, KHL - Linus Hogberg Allsvenskan’s Vita Hasten HC, Sweden - German Rubtsov C HC Sochi, Russia, KHL - David Kase C/W Karlovy Vary HC, Czech League - Linus Sandin RW/LW HV71 Jonkoping, Sweden, SHL - Maksim Sushko RW Dyamo Minsk, Belarus, KHL

Good points. Additionally - - 1) Goal scoring may not be a big issue. Our Flyers last season were 7th in the 31-team NHL in 'goals scored' (They played 1 and 2 games less than the two teams ahead of them, and could easily have been 5th in the League). 2) The reminder from GM Fletcher - don't draw conclusions from the small sample size of the 13 games of the Bubble Playoffs. I think he is right. 3) The possibility, depending on circumstances, of one of these skill forwards making the team soon (as you said - next 2 seasons): Sandin, Frost, Allison - - most likely Sandin this season - - age 24, is a goal scorer with SHL pro experience. Other positives for optimism: 1) the addition of Lindblom and potentially Patrick 2) young rostered players have not yet peaked and will get better and better: Konecny, Farabee, NAK, Bunnaman (in his 4th line role), Sanheim, Myers, Provorov, Hart Actually, thinking about the end of the 2019-20 regular season success to climb to the top and how well the team was in sync, and also knowing that finally the top-rated (2nd behind Buffalo) prospect pool is/will be ready to emerge, the future seems bright for our Flyers.

>> a source tells me they have had talks over the past few days with the Flyers regarding a top D-man for Nylander << Slow time. He needs site hits. But, just for conversation purposes, the 3 'rumors' floated this off-season have been for wingers Gaudreau, Laine, and Nylander. How would we rank them in fit for our Flyers? Also, what E is ignoring is - - having a quality top-2 pairs of defencemen are a lot harder to get than skilled forwards (top-9). The Sanheim-Myers pair of big, great skating, 2-way young mobile defencemen, along with Provorov, will be a pillar of the Flyers defense for many years. GMs around the league salavate at getting any of these guys. No way does Fletcher move any of them. (unless it's for Connor McDavid ) In 3 seasons from now, the Flyers will have the best 6-man mobile defense in the NHL that can excel in all 3 zones: LD - RD Provorov-Zamula Sanheim-Myers (RH) York-Friedman (RH) (maybe Gustafsson) #7 - Hagg

Reported today - Uh-oh, a bad sign for the NHL formulating plans to start Camps and the season soon - JARMO KEKALAINEN GM, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent out a statement that says several players have tested positive for COVID-19. The Blue Jackets closed their facilities on November 16 and it is expected to remain closed through the Thanksgiving weekend holiday as no workouts were scheduled this week. No names have been announced and it is possible that no names will ever be known. SOURCE: Frank Seravalli on Twitter Nov 24, 2020, 10:13 AM ET KELLY MCCRIMMON GM, VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS Four Vegas Golden Knights have tested positive for COVID-19. No names have been released. It is the first known outbreak amongst players in the NHL since March and the Golden Knights have shut down their facilities. “Those individual players have been self-isolating and are all recovering well," the Golden Knights wrote in a statement. "As a precautionary measure, the Golden Knights off-ice player areas (locker room, lounge, gym, training room and video room) will be closed to all players and team staff through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend." More players could be infected and as well, multiple family members have been infected according to the statement. Stay tuned. SOURCE: TSN.ca Nov 24, 2020, 7:34 AM ET

Article in the Philadelphia Inquirer today by Sam Carchidi on Flyers defenceman Sam Morin. Flyers Sam Morin, LD 6'-7", 230 2013 Draft 1st Round #11 Has Pronger nasty in his game Twice torn ACL Right Knee Grueling Rehab Now has been skating at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees for several months. Played 28 Games over 3 seasons (8 Flyers, 20 Phantoms) Article Excerpts: >> Assistant coach Ian Laperriere, a fellow French Canadian who overcame lots of adversity of his own during his playing days, has helped Morin get through rough spots with numerous one-on-one chats. And Kjell Samuelsson, the former defenseman who is the Flyers’ director of player development, has been by his side during many of his rehab skating sessions. Morin has been lifting weights and skating in Voorhees for a few months. He is about a year removed from his second ACL surgery and said he was “back to full speed.” “When camp starts, I have to be ready to go,” he said. “I still have some work to do, but the knee feels good. That’s the important part.” The NHL hopes to start training camps in mid-December and the season on Jan. 1. Morin has virtually no chance to make the team because of his inactivity the last three years, so he figures to play with the Phantoms if he clears waivers – with his injured past and his age, it’s unlikely he would be claimed – to get his game back in order. Deep down, Morin said, “I really do believe I’m going to be a hockey player again and have a nice career. I’m so lucky and thankful right now. I’m healthy again, and I just need to play. I just need to control what I can control. “He’s probably going to have to go in the American League and get 50, 60 games staying healthy under his belt,” Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said recently. “He’s got to get a chance to play.” << Full Article: [Hidden Content] It seems that there is no room on the flyers now, or in the forseeable future, for Morin with the current 6-man unit and with excellent prospects coming: 2020-21 Season Provorov - Gustafsson Sanheim - Myers (RH) (don't break them up) Hagg - Braun (RH) #7 - Friedman (RH) Ghost - traded Zamula Wylie York If Morin has an excellent Phantoms season here in 2020-21 and his right knee is good, perhaps he could be a #7 defenceman with our Flyers for 2021-22 and forward? His D-zone play, size, reach, and his toughness could be an asset. The NY Rangers know -

Wow! LW Desnoyers scored again on Saturday! He now has 12 goals in 16 games for the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL. Last season with the Moncton Wildcats he scored 11 goals over 61 games. An 18 year old developing Flyers prospect from this year's Draft, 5th Round. A highlight - including a fake between the legs finish -

Our Flyers 1C, Sean Couturier, rated #18 Center in the NHL. Fair?

Our Flyers' 2C Kevin Hayes top-5 plays: