off_the_post

Really? How many games has Handzus played in the NHL? There are a lot of 1st round draft picks that have had great careers in the NHL that are not busts but never considered stars. So you may think that qualifies as a bust but I don't and never said it. The reason I would trade Coots is that he is an asset and is marketable and could actually net a decent return. The reason I would trade Coots and not Laughton is that Coots projects higher than Laughton. Laughton is projected to be a 3rd line player if I recall from the media coverage when he was drafted. I trade Coots over Laughton to get a better return now. The goal is to improve the defense using excess assets at center. Coots will return more in a trade. Hey I was all for developing in a draft until the VL signing. But fact is VL is signed so I am trying to think of what else to do with that fact. To me trading Coots makes the most sense. Many players score in Junior. Many of those never sniff that level of production in the NHL. Based on Coots skating speed I think he may be a 2nd line center but definitely not a number 1.

Did I call him a bust? He started out as a number 1 pick early in his draft year and got mono. His stock fell and the Flyers were able to pick him up later in the first as a "steel". I think he is a nice hockey player but ultimately he seems to be, IMHO, an average skater at best. Based on this it IMHO that if we can trade him and perhaps Mez (due to his contract) for a top 3 defenseman then you now have the luxury of being able to do it with VL. Look, I don't like the VL signing at all but in the game of assets/liabilities he is an asset. We now have more assets at center and are able to make a trade. Do you trade G? No. Do you trade Laughton? No. Schenn? I'd rather keep him over Coots. Talbot or Read who can play center? Perhaps Read. So really the one I see is expendable is Coots based on my opinion that I don't think he is a strong skater.

Why? Because I simply think one of our young players is too slow a skater to be an truly effective center? I am all for keeping youth but not blindly. IMHO Coots is a very slow skater which is generally not a big asset for a center.

I am not a cap geek but the spidey sense is telling me there is not enough cap space for Weber.

Wow, just when I thought management could not dissapointment me more there they go again and out do themselves. I appreciate what Vinny is and was. I would have appreciated it even more if he went to a different team so the Flyers could actually address their needs.

I don't mind trading Coots at all. After last year I thought he simply doesn't have the foot/skating speed to reach his potential. He reminded me of Handzus but with less teeth and perhaps more hair. Nashville might be ready to let a D-man go. I'd be calling the Preds ASAP.

Any chance he can play D? I really can't believe this offseason. The only silver lining I see if Homer can move a young center for a top 4 dman. I don't understand moving Coburn either. He is our only mobile D man in the prime years of his career (bad year aside last year) the flyers have. I can only shake my head in disbelief.

I guess when you can't get a mulligan on letting Carle walk you need to make a desparate move like this.

After two seasons the Flyers will be top 10 again. I don't have high expectations on next year's team and with Kimmo 99% retireing thereafter and no immediate successor (as of yet) I am doubtful for the year after next. I am not saying they wont make the playoffs, just when they will be Top 10 again. I would rather have another season like this past one if it meant the flyers do not sign some 35+ 3/4 defenseman to a long term, no movement, etc. contract and try to pass them off as a number 1. @Howie58, thanks for coming up with a topic outside the buyout bryz.

Understood. But the problem is then there is now $6m the flyers can not pay for defense. I think in order to pay for the contract a young forward like Read or younger forward like Couts will need to be traded. This is assuming Bryz is bought out and some of his money is used to give an extension & increase to Mason and the rest is used for a verteran back up goalie.

Whatever they do I think we all need to understand that after the 13-14 season Giroux is a RFA and Read is a UFA. They are both in line for a big raise. I hope they plan accordingly. If that means Bryz is bought out this or next season, then so be it.

The flyers would need to give up value i.e. picks or take back another bad contract which may need to be bought out. It is an interesting option but I just can't see it happenning even if it was allowed. Nice thinking outside the box but I don't want to see him in O&B next year. Nothing mallicous, they just need to go their separate ways (yes I am listening to journey right now).

Yeah, you draft Nate and then eventually trade Couts (to a team that ignores his skating woes) for a decent roster dman.

So, just because it is late in the day and the masters is on my mind is drifting. I checked the UFA d-men this year and came across Bobby Sanguinetti. If I remember correctly in 2006 the Flyers were rumored to have interest in drafting him but the Rangers 'nabbed' him with the pick immediately before. The Flyers drafted...wait...ah...what was the name again?...oh yeah Giroux. Fast forward to a few years later... Giroux, although perhaps not the best player in the world, has turned into a great player. Where is Bobby? He is an UFA and has yet to find a real spot in the NHL. While Bobby still has time to develop, given that dmen take longer to develop, the moral of this story is that you can never really tell what you are going to get in the draft. Let's keep this in mind as we cheer/not cheer for the O&B over the remainder of the season. The O&B could get that d-man they want and in 6 years he could be a UFA....

I see his quote a bit different. I think he is saying he can not control who the Flyers sign or their decision about him. He can only control what he can which is his play and that is what he cares about. The article doesn't paint him in a good light that is for sure but perhaps he is a realist that and most goalies are flakes.

He had some glorious chances today, and well, the score speaks for itself sadly.

I think he is a bigger goalie then Bryz and definately played bigger. I couldn't belive how small Bryz looked in the net. The net look "humungous big".

@mojo1917 - I agree. Hall sure looked good tonight.

Thanks for the input. I don't know how the rules work but if the Generals lose the series is Laughton able to join the flyers? With Talbot down I would have thought there was an opening until they picked up Adam Hall. Or does Laughton go to the AHL?

Tampa now has the biggest goalie tandom in NHL history I would think.

I like Lougalov better.

I'd like to see Yandle in O&B but depends on the price. Off topic: It wouldn't surprise me to see Danny B. as LTIR for the last 2 years of contract. Not that I expect that or encourage it, I just see it as a possibility.

but that would be free - no?

Conditional 7th. I hope he is a UFA at the end of the season.

I think he is injured but I may be wrong.