Zzeke

1 minute ago, Zzeke said:

 

Wow! What a grind!

 

Good that our Flyers have many young players with young legs and stamina. (This grind is even more of a reason that JVR will be minimized, if here.)

 

And, the 6-player Taxi Squad is to the Flyers advantage with good talented young depth.

 

And, WAR with the Pens and Crosby/Malkin as we play them back-to-back 4-times. Animosity pent-up and violently released with only a day between games.

 

Back-to-back days with the Islanders at the end of January! With the NYI skating pace and forecheck pressure two days in a row, actuate the Flyers Taxi Squad guys.

Our dearth of Flyers games on TV from early October through January 12 - - -

- - - results in us being overwhelmed with Flyers games on TV from Jan 13 through May 8 and through the playoffs ending in mid-July.

Okay with me!

Okay with you guys?

Repeat for this new page and easy reference - 

Wow! What a grind!

Good that our Flyers have many young players with young legs and stamina. (This grind is even more of a reason that JVR will be minimized, if here.)

And, the 6-player Taxi Squad is to the Flyers advantage with good talented young depth.

And, WAR with the Pens and Crosby/Malkin as we play them back-to-back 4-times. Animosity pent-up and violently released with only a day between games.

Flyers Schedule 2020-21 Season

8 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Holy SH!T!!!

 

That is a injury waiting to happen.

 

Going to be some sloppy hockey and no time to practice.

 

ICE UP SON!!! ICE UP!!!

 

Ok your turn for some trivia. Do you know who made the above ice up comment popular?

Answer: Panthers WR Steve Smith chiding Patriots CB Aqib Talib as they battled.

But, I cheated. I googled it.

In our Saturday 12 Noon Flyers Photo Contest, there is 'NO CHEATIN'.

OR, you are at the top of the standings. BUT, no-way you get this Saturday's answer (12/26/20).

Wow! What a grind!

Good that our Flyers have many young players with young legs and stamina. (This grind is even more of a reason that JVR will be minimized, if here.)

And, the 6-player Taxi Squad is to the Flyers advantage with good talented young depth.

And, WAR with the Pens and Crosby/Malkin as we play them back-to-back 4-times. Animosity pent-up and violently released with only a day between games.

Flyers Schedule 2020-21 Season

For those who care - - 

‘I’m Back’: NHL Allows Gritty To Be Inside Wells Fargo Center This Season For Philadelphia Flyers Games

By Matt Higgins
CBS Philly
December 23, 2020

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The National Hockey League has righted a wrong. Beloved mascot Gritty will be allowed at the Wells Fargo Center this season for Philadelphia Flyers games.

“I’m back,” Gritty said in a statement.

Fans will be prohibited from going to games when the season begins due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this week, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman revealed the NHL will start the 2021 season on Jan. 13, but mascots were not included in his announcements. As we all know, barring Gritty from Flyers games is like telling Santa Claus he can’t deliver presents to children for Christmas.

Due to the outcry, Gritty created a petition for the NHL to allow him inside the arena for Flyers games.

“Without me, where is the joy? Where is the artistry? Where is the downright tomfoolery that delicately balances with the on-ice battles and displays of athletic prowess? One cannot simply exist without the other,” Gritty’s petition reads. 

“I promised the world at the brink of quarantine that I would be the orange light of hope and those plans haven’t changed. As a mascot, I have a duty, a responsibility, and I simply ask that you open your hearts to grant me permission to do what I love for the sport you all love. Let’s get weird.”

But now, the league has obliged and will allow Gritty’s shenanigans and tomfoolery to commence at Flyers games.

Gritty Tormenting the Sens

Gritty is a Great Skater

Gritty wins the Fastest Skater at the Skills Competition Beating Mathew Barzal

UPDATE TO NHL OFF-SIDE RULE

Beginning in the 2020-21 regular season, a player's skate will not have to be in contact with the blue line in order to be on-side.

Excellent video to demonstrate the Rule change:

Article today (12/23/20) at 'SI | The Hockey News' on the World Junior Tourney.

Last night, our Flyers Cam York (D) and Bobby Brink (RW) were impressive in the win vs Finland in the pre-Tourney game (TV - NHL Network and TSN).

As we know, the Tourney starts on Dec 25, and the NHL Network will broadcast all the Team USA games. TSN in Canada will broadcast all the Tourney games.

Dying for some Flyers hockey? Well we can root for the 3 Flyers players:

- York and Brink for Team USA

- Emil Andre (D) for Team Sweden

Flyers goalie Kiriil Ustimenko was a final cut from Team Russia.

Go Flyers !!

Article:

The World Junior Championship starts this week, with the best teens on the planet competing for gold.

Excerpts:

The World Junior Championship starts on Christmas Day and if you ask a Canadian, there are few greater things in life.

For regular readers of The Hockey News, the world juniors are well-known. But for casual hockey fans in the U.S., it may be more of an unknown. If you're in the latter camp, consider this a primer. If you're in the former, consider this a celebration, eh?

Canada will be watching from home. During last year's gold-medal final in the Czech Republic between Canada and archrival Russia, nearly nine million Canadians watched at least part of the game - so basically one-quarter of the country.

And what about the United States, you ask? While Canada and Russia are always favorites to win, the Americans are just a slight tier below.

Along with Team USA, Canada and Russia, the major players in today's world juniors are Sweden and Finland. The Swedes haven't lost a round-robin game in about a decade, yet the program has only won gold twice (2012 and 1981). The Finns on the other hand, usually come into the tournament as underdogs, but often with bite: they've won three of the past seven gold medals.

While the Czechs are often interesting, they haven't won a medal since 2005 or gold since 2001. Slovakia and Switzerland can beat bad teams, but usually struggle in the playoffs.

Despite the circumstances, the 2021 world juniors will feature high drama, emotional teenagers and some nail-biting games that rival any Stanley Cup final.

14 hours ago, Zzeke said:

 

The Washington Capitals and Capital One announced today [12/22/20] a season-long partnership that makes the financial corporation the first company to serve as the Capitals official helmet entitlement partner with the placement of Capital One branding on the team's helmet.

Not a bad transition for Washington. Not an offensive large sticker. And, a good play on words from Capitals - to - Capital One.

 

Hmmm. What might be an appropriate advertiser for our Flyers?

 

In honor of our Flyers fast skating RW Konecny:

(Australia's Quantas Airline)

 

Or, in honor of our Flyers goaltender Carter Hart - - Flexible Flyer (Sleds)

 

 

Okay. I know. Dumb funky stuff. I'll quit now.

 

Some advertising logo will replace the Flyers logo on the players helmets.

 

Nashville Predators advertising Bridgestone. Agree, it's entirely inoffensive compared to some of the gaudy European helmet ads.

For our Flyers, how about the company 'Snipe Gamewear'?

Watching Team USA vs Team Finland tonight (12/22/20) on the NHL Network here in the US. Don't know if it's on TSN in Canada?

Team USA is on a Power Play. The Flyers Cam York and Bobby Brink are on the 1st Power Play unit.

Also posted in the Flyers prospect thread.

Watching Team USA vs Team Finland tonight (12/22/20) on the NHL Network here in the US. Don't know if it's on TSN in Canada?

Team USA is on a Power Play. The Flyers Cam York and Bobby Brink are on the 1st Power Play unit.

1 hour ago, flyercanuck said:

I get they need to make some cash, so I'm ok with ads on the helmets for this season....as long as they promise to take them off next. But I can just see it...once Bettman gets his greedy little paws in the door he'll be putting them on jerseys next. 

 

In all the years I've been watching hockey, I can honestly say I only recall ONE product that's been advertised on a hockey uniform. And I never rushed out and bought a Skoda.

The Washington Capitals and Capital One announced today [12/22/20] a season-long partnership that makes the financial corporation the first company to serve as the Capitals official helmet entitlement partner with the placement of Capital One branding on the team's helmet.

Not a bad transition for Washington. Not an offensive large sticker. And, a good play on words from Capitals - to - Capital One.

Hmmm. What might be an appropriate advertiser for our Flyers?

In honor of our Flyers fast skating RW Konecny:

(Australia's Quantas Airline)

Or, in honor of our Flyers goaltender Carter Hart - - Flexible Flyer (Sleds)

Okay. I know. Dumb funky stuff. I'll quit now.

Some advertising logo will replace the Flyers logo on the players helmets.

59 minutes ago, Zzeke said:

NHL Schedule Tomorrow

 

Meltzer's report today - 

 

Synopsis:

 

NHL Schedule released tomorrow (Dec. 23). Reduced travel as needed during the pandemic.

Teams will often play back-to-back games in the same city with the same opponent. That means back-to-back games, on back-to-back nights.

 

There will be road trips and homestands with opponents from the shortest possible travel times between locales; for instance, the Flyers may play the Islanders, Rangers and Devils on the same road trip. 

 

- - - - - - - 

 

That means back-to-back games, on back-to-back nights, with the Pens and the hated Sidney Crosby and Malkin. WAR.

 

It will be a fun season. This Flyers team is a very good team. Perhaps a SC contender this abbreviated 56-game season. 

 

It will be a grueling season schedule, and teams with younger players and players in excellent shape will have an advantage stamina wise - - a plus for our Flyers. And, we should have a good 6-player Taxi Squad which will be a big plus because of our Flyers having one of the best NHL Prospect Pools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Included in an article today is this question:

Is playing all games in the division an advantage for the goalies or the forwards?

Anyone want to take a guess at the answer?

28 minutes ago, mkscrewy said:

what's the status of Taryn Hatcher?

@mkscrewy

Taryn Hatcher and Katie Emmer survive the ongoing shakeup at NBC Sports - Philadelphia in their roles with Flyers broadcasts.

It's the recent times industry focus on young female TV personalities, and their presentation, that sells, as determined  from focus group studies.

Flyers TV pre-game and post-game analyst was laid-off today as part of NBC Sports - Philadelphia's massive layoff program and part of nationwide cuts by parent company NBC Universal.

Therien was very good in that role and popular. Freelancer, aging Al Morganti, will now fill that role (cheaper but not nearly as good as Therien). Sad.

NHL Schedule Tomorrow

Meltzer's report today - 

Synopsis:

NHL Schedule released tomorrow (Dec. 23). Reduced travel as needed during the pandemic.

Teams will often play back-to-back games in the same city with the same opponent. That means back-to-back games, on back-to-back nights.

There will be road trips and homestands with opponents from the shortest possible travel times between locales; for instance, the Flyers may play the Islanders, Rangers and Devils on the same road trip. 

- - - - - - - 

That means back-to-back games, on back-to-back nights, with the Pens and the hated Sidney Crosby and Malkin. WAR.

It will be a fun season. This Flyers team is a very good team. Perhaps a SC contender this abbreviated 56-game season. 

It will be a grueling season schedule, and teams with younger players and players in excellent shape will have an advantage stamina wise - - a plus for our Flyers. And, we should have a good 6-player Taxi Squad which will be a big plus because of our Flyers having one of the best NHL Prospect Pools.

In this morning's news (12/22/20) - - Sam Carchidi writes in the Philadelphia Inquirer - - 

Could ‘Gus’ be on the top-line bus?

Excerpts:

Coach Alain Vigneault sounded excited Monday when he talked about a key addition to the lineup this season, defenseman Erik Gustafsson.

Gustafsson, a 28-year-old Sweden native, was signed as a free agent in October, inking a one-year deal for $3 million. He will be among a handful of players to get a chance on the top pairing, alongside Ivan Provorov. 

In a conference call with reporters Monday, Vigneault said he watched lots of video on Gustafsson in the offseason, and he likes the potential the offensive-minded defenseman brings to the lineup.

“We’re getting, in today’s game, a very important defenseman in the sense that he’s a puck-mover who can jump into the play and has good ability to make that first good pass out of our [defensive] zone,” Vigneault said. “He’s very motivated. I saw him when I came to Philly a few weeks back. He was excited to be with our group, excited to help us win. We’re looking forward to get to know him a lot more and helping him help our team.”

Gustafsson, who has averaged nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game in his career (19 minutes, 58 seconds), has his best season two years ago, collecting 17 goals and 60 points in 79 games with Chicago. The Flyers plan to use him as part of their defensive rotation and on the power play.

Yes! Hope AV/Yeo insert Gus with Provorov on the #1 pairing. Gus is LH but has played almost exclusevly on the Right Side and prefers it.

Provorov - Gustafsson
Sanheim - Myers (RH) (don't break them up)
Hagg - Braun (RH)
#7 - Friedman (RH)
Ghost - traded

“I played a couple games on the left with Calgary (recently) but it didn’t feel right,’’ he [Gus] said. “So right now I’m used to playing on the right side. I feel more confident on the right side. Whatever the coaches want me to do, I play there.’’

Being friends with fellow Swedish defenseman Robert Hagg of the Flyers should help Gustafsson with the transition to a new team. In fact, the two are currently practicing together back home in their native country. Gustafsson also is friends with Oskar Lindblom.

“They’re two very good guys to know,’’ Gustafsson said. “I’m looking forward to playing with them.’’

IMO, do not break-up the in-sync, and successful, pair of Sanheim/Myers. We won't be surprised to see AV keep the advantage of having twin towers Sanheim and Myers continued to be paired.

They played together with the Phantoms and the Flyers. Knowing your partner well in traits/tendancies/abilities is a big plus. Work in the defensive zone puck retrieval and break-out becomes automatic and efficient.
 

In today's news - - 

Ohhh nooo - - 

• GARY BETTMAN

  COM, NHL

  The NHL is expected to approve ads on helmets for the upcoming season.

  With no fans allowed in most arenas, at least to start the season, the NHL is looking at any way they can improve their revenues and having ads on helmets will certainly help. Teams apparently will be allowed to use one logo for home games and the option of using one for away contests but  will not be able to change throughout the season. This will definitely bring a different look to NHL games.

  SOURCE: Sports Business Daily

  Dec 22, 2020, 8:43 AM ET

   

  It's coming - - first helmets - - then uniforms - - 

  Can we envision our Flyers like this - - ?

   

  

   

  What advertisers would be on our Flyers?

   

  Would we want to see our Flyers skating around with this on them:

  Kmart

  Sprint

  Sears

  NY Yankees

  NE Patriots

  Charmin Ultra Soft

  Veterans Administration

  Genesis Rehab

  Visiting Angels

  

Today we have lost our #2 Center !

Kevin Hayes is out !

1 minute ago, Cheesesteak said:

 

Jiri Dopita!       

@Cheesesteak

Correct !  That's awesome Cheesesteak. Impressive. You got next Saturday's Photo Contest very quick. A point for you in the standings. You guys are toooo good !

AV Speaks - - (12/21/20)

Article this evening by Sam Carchidi at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Excerpts:

>> Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said left winger Oskar Lindblom will be ready to play when the season starts Jan. 13, that center Nolan Patrick’s medical updates have been positive, and that depth will be greatly needed because of the NHL’s condensed, 56-game schedule. <<

>> Oskar Lindblom appears to be healthy and ready for the season, his coach said. 

As for Lindblom and Patrick, Vigneault was optimistic that they would contribute.

“Oskar is fine. He’s been skating and staying in Philly for quite some time, and he’s good to go,” Vigneault said. “As far as Nolan, all I hear are positive things.”

Vigneault said Patrick has been skating in the area and feeling well, and he was hopeful Patrick would be cleared to participate in training camp after undergoing a physical on Jan. 3.

If healthy, Patrick, 22, would be the third-line center and would give the Flyers’ lineup much more balance. “There’s a tremendous amount of potential there,” Vigneault said. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed.” <<

>> With no exhibition games scheduled, the Flyers will have camp scrimmages “almost on a daily basis. Guys need to get a game feel, and those game hands and those [game] legs, and I feel that is one of the best ways to do it,” Vigneault said.

Vigneault has had several Zoom meetings with his coaches in recent months to outline camp. He said the team will practice for about 45 minutes in each session and then do some scrimmaging. <<

>> Rosters will remain at 23 players for the pandemic-shortened season, but teams will carry a four-to-six-player taxi squad. Those extra players will be needed, Vigneault said, because of the condensed schedule.

“If ever we’re going to need depth at all positions, it’s going to be this year,” he said. “In my mind, because we’ll be playing four games in six nights and a lot of back-to-backs, you’re going to need depth throughout the lineup. It’s going to be a challenge, obviously, for our group, but I think it’s a challenge we’re looking forward to.” <<

>> In a normal camp, prospects would be given a long look to make the team. With just a 10-day camp this year, however, it will be more difficult for them to impress the coaches and earn a roster spot. But even if prospects like forwards Morgan Frost, Linus Sandin, Carsen Twarynski, Tanner Laczynski, Connor Bunnaman, Wade Allison, and defenseman Mark Friedman don’t make the team, there could be spots on the taxi squad. Those players will travel with the team.

“Throughout this year, we’re going to need that organizational depth,” said Vigneault, aware that injuries and possible coronavirus infections could alter the roster at any time. “A lot of guys might not initially be in the lineup, but at some point we ‘re going to need them. When you get the opportunity, it’s your job to make it very hard for me and my coaches to take you out of the lineup, so I expect some good internal competition at all positions.”<<

>> The conditioning coaches have been in contact with all the players in the offseason, making sure they were doing drills and in a good shape, Vigneault said. “I’m very confident once we jump on the ice that guys will be in good condition and in good spirits and really looking forward to the challenges ahead of us,” he added. <<

>> Vigneault said there were “different possibilities” on who would replace the retired Matt Niskanen on the top defensive pairing with Ivan Provorov. Phil Myers appears to be the top candidate [WRITER'S OPINION], but Vigneault said there are “other possibilities.” He added that having seven or eight skating days in camp with scrimmages “will give different opportunities to different guys to play with Provy and see the fit we may get there. I think there’s going to be a lot of moving parts, depending on how certain guys play and how they arrive in camp. We may have some very positive surprises.” - - Vigneault, who is high on puck-moving Erik Gustafsson, the free-agent defenseman the Flyers signed in the offseason - - << 

Welcome back to the very talented Nolan Patrick

3 hours ago, Podein25 said:

Again, this assumed he was playing with scrubs in Winnipeg. Little is a quality player. He has played with guys like Ehlers on his wing and he has played with Wheeler and Scheifele (not just on the PP).

3 hours ago, mojo1917 said:

Flyers didn't have any trouble scoring goals last season. (during the regular season).

The top guys did struggle in the tournament...I don't know how much stock does one put on those circumstances?  

3 hours ago, AJgoal said:

https://jfresh.substack.com/p/whats-patrik-laine-worth

[Very interesting article. Thx]

2 hours ago, radoran said:

Which is why I don't see Laine coming to the Flyers, which was my point.

[Flyers didn't have any trouble scoring goals last season. (during the regular season). The top guys did struggle in the tournament...I don't know how much stock does one put on those circumstances?}

 

 

 

Guys, all good points, valid points. Good food for thought. Good stuff.

Consistent with what you are saying, I agree with GM Fletcher's statement:

"Don't draw conclusions from the small sample size of the 13 games of the Bubble Playoffs".

Again, this team will score goals. 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).

Other positives for optimism regarding goal scoring:

1) the addition of Lindblom and potentially Patrick

2) young rostered players have not yet peaked and will get better and better: Konecny, Farabee, Sanheim, Myers, Provorov

3) The probability of one of these young skill forwards making the team at the 3RW: Sandin, Allison, Laczynski - - most likely Sandin this season - - age 24, is a goal scorer with SHL pro experience.

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 one of the top-rated prospect pools is/will be ready to emerge, the future seems bright for our Flyers.

All that said, I can't help but drool over this forward lineup going forward for the next X years:

Lindblom-Couturier-Laine
Farabee-Hayes-Konecny
Giroux-Patrick/Frost-Sandin (G will settle P/F and S)
Laughton-Bunnaman-Aube Kubel (ideal AV 4th line)
#13-Raffl

Voracek out somehow

JVR out somehow

It seems like Winnipeg will deal Laine and fill their needs at 2C and 2nd pairing D plus. Will our Flyers compete with an offer(s)?

Yes, Cap Management issues and trade asset issues.

I may be the only one here that would make this offer - - 

I'll stick with - - 

If Fletcher can get Laine for any variation/pieces of this package (not all of this package), then do it:

- Patrick C or Frost C (Winnipeg's choice)

    (Wpg may go for the hometown Patrick with a 'games-played' proviso)
- Ghost D
- York D or Wylie D (Winnipeg's choice)
- JVR or Voracek (Winnipeg's choice) - required to be included for Flyers Cap Management
- 1st Rounder 2021 Draft
 

If it doesn't work, this is still a very good team and will score goals.

36 minutes ago, Podein25 said:

 

Why would we want this player [Laine], based on these bolded sentences?

 

First off, it's rank entitlement. Second, it's simply not true that Laine hasn't played with the best players. For a long stretch they had him playing the point on the number one PP unit, along with Scheifele, Wheeler, Ehlers etc. At other times he was on the off wing. In short, their entire PP was organized around trying to get the puck to him!

 

I'm sorry, but the notion that Laine has been "held back" by his coach is fanciful and young Patrick knows this. The fact that he has spread this nonsense to reporters should make us run away from him. 

 

 

@Podein25

I don't remember what article this paragraph came from. When I saved it, I should have copied the link.

You would know best P25, as you are there in Manitoba and see things first-hand. I respect your opinion.

However, I'm in the camp of:

Laine, in a prorated 82 game season, averaged 38 goals over his 4 NHL seasons including a 44 goal season (age 18-21).  Surprisingly, in 3 of his 4 seasons, he was a 'plus' player.

Put Laine with quality playmaking linemates like Courturier and Giroux, and he may be a 40+ goal scorer for many years. We think about how that translates to wins and a big plus toward being SC contenders.

Regarding his feeling of 'entitlement' and other immature issues, he is only age 22 and has not yet fully matured in committment, drive, and 'team'. And has not yet reached his playing peak!

We think about what he may be when he matures and develops a hard-work ethic with that awesome talent level. This guy is now a goal scoring machine - - and will grow into an awesome goal producer when he gets good linemates, good coaching, good team, and matures.

Just IMHO.

8 hours ago, Howie58 said:

I don't see Fletcher going for Laine unless there is some kind of salary dump.  At this stage, the only thing that comes to mind is the need to establish lines and D-pairings quickly.  There isn't much time for experimentation.  I also wonder if the trade deadline will mean that much--not a lot of time to integrate a newcomer.  

@Howie58

Good stuff. Agree with you on the salary cap issue. As a pending RFA, Laine's agent will be looking at his 22 YO client to go from his current 6.75 M to 8+ M Cap Hit, and Laine has arbitration rights.

Ideally, 31 YO Voracek, with 4 more years @ 8.25 M, would be included in a package. But, no chance IMO. Winnipeg reportedly is moving Laine for Cap reasons and for reasons of Laine wants out. Reports:

[At the beginning of the off-season]
Winnipeg has a total of 10 players on their NHL roster that are pending unrestricted free agents and four restricted free agents, with only $14-million in cap space — GM Kevin Cheveldayoff might have his busiest offseason yet.

This level of flexibility and uncertainty leaves the Jets in a tight spot with Laine. He is going to get a substantial bump in pay and will only leave his current team wanting more cap space to fill out the roster. With this in mind, it makes sense to take some calls on the player and the Flyers appear to be the frontrunners in terms of such calls.

Trading Laine and eliminating that potential enormous contract would allow the Jets to fill in those roster holes. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Winnipeg is looking for at least a second-line center and a second-pairing defenseman.

All Patrik Laine wants to do is play with his team's best players, and he's never had the chance in Winnipeg. Head coach, Paul Maurice loves to balance out his top-2 lines, and Laine is always stuck with whatever's left after Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Turns out, Laine has had enough of riding in the coat-tails and according to a Jets source, he's informed Jets management his preference is to be traded! It's hard to reach your potential when you feel you're constantly being held back by your coach. That soon will change for Patrik Laine and he'll be happy to hear the trade news. 

Sometimes you have to give to get and the Winnipeg Jets appear to be balancing that fact this off-season. Specifically, the team is weighing whether trading Patrik Laine will help the club fill other voids it has at centre and on defence. It’s no secret that they need to upgrade a defense corps that lost Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers all in one offseason, but how exactly will they address that underperforming offense? 

Analyzing what Laine brings to the Flyers is already a foregone conclusion. A pure sniper would do wonders for a power play that came up lame when they needed it most during the postseason while taking some of the offensive pressure off the aging likes of Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier, and Jakub Voracek. Laine would help lead the charge of Philadelphia’s next generation, which already has a big piece in 23-year-old Travis Konecny.

In your point about is there enough time to integrate a newcomer - - we are looking at a newcomer at 3RW before a potential Laine deal:

Perhaps:

Lindblom-Couturier-Voracek
Farabee-Hayes-Konecny
Giroux-Patrick-Sandin (G will settle P and S)
Laughton-Bunnaman-Aube Kubel (ideal AV 4th line)

#13-Raffl

JVR out

If Patrick not healthy, then Frost at 3C.

Provorov - Gustafsson
Sanheim - Myers (RH) (don't break them up)
Hagg - Braun (RH)
#7 - Friedman (RH)
Ghost - traded

Hart
Elliott

With adding Laine, that squeezes out Sandin at RW, unless miraculously Winnipeg would take Voracek (no way). So, one newcomer either way - - Sandin or Laine.

Interesting - 

GARY BETTMAN
COM, NHL

Bob McKenzie is reporting that the NHL season will end on May 8.
It has been widely reported that the season will begin on January 13 but the end date was unknown until now. That's 56 games in 115 days or 16.5 weeks. The NHL Entry Draft is expected to take place on July 23-24 with free agency beginning on July 28. That should set the 2021-22 season to begin in early October as the NHL gets back on track. One thing left to decide is when the expansion draft for Seattle takes place, with the date obviously being before the Entry Draft.

SOURCE: Bob McKenzie on Twitter
Dec 20, 2020, 9:32 AM ET
 

No mention of the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft. I guess we can assume the advertised June 2021 is still good.

Today - - Today - - Our Flyers are on TV with a

'live' game at 6 PM ET.

Sunday, Dec 20, 2020

Our Flyers' highly touted prospects - - - 

Cam York (D)

Bobby Brink (RW)

- - - are playing a pre-tournament game in the World Junior Championships in Edmonton. York/Brink are key players for Team USA vs Switzerland today.

Team USA is considered a favorite to win the Gold Medal in the tourney which begins on Dec 25.

Today's game with Flyers players is on the NHL Network in the US at 6 PM ET. Our Eagles game is at 4 PM ET, so one of these games can be recorded.

Sadly, TSN in Canada is not covering this game. Sorry for member P25 here. TSN's first coverage will be on Tuesday Dec 22, USA vs Finland.

Yes! 'LIVE" hockey today with Flyers' players.

Cam York
Age 19
SCOUTING REPORT
An excellent skater with a very smooth stride, he is adept at joining the rush and putting up points. He also displays very good hockey sense, and he defends his position rather well. Lacks size and strength, so he needs to add more bulk and get physically stronger for the highest level. His quickness and hockey savvy make him a constant threat in transition. Long Range Potential: Swift-skating, talented defenseman with upside.

[Flyers AGM] Flahr called York an “elite skater” who needs to improve his strength before he’s ready to turn pro. “He’s very smart. He’s good moving the puck, and he’s got a strong offensive dimension," he said. "For him, it’s just being able to handle the bigger, stronger guys at the pro level and being able to handle the rigors of the NHL’s 82-game schedule.”
 

Bobby Brink (RW)
SCOUTING REPORT
A quick, shifty forward who is quite heady, he has a deadly shot and excellent hockey sense (he knows where to go to score goals). Despite a lack of size and strength, he goes to the tough areas of the ice willingly in order to score. While his heart is big, and he is both feisty and gritty, he will always have to prove himself against bigger opponents as he climbs the ladder. Long Range Potential: Diminutive but smart, sharpshooting winger with good upside.