Digityman

1) Hart has always, and will be for the foreseeable future, the linchpin to this whole team. 2) Agree to an extent. He just needs to return to pre-covid level. Anything more is a boon. 3) Hayes might be the only one that wouldn't reach that if he plays like he did last year. The other two can do that fairly easily being on PP1 4) Riskolainen on the 3rd pair, far less minutes than his 20+ he averaged in Buffalo is not going to drag this team down much (if at all) even if he was as 'bad' as he was in Buffalo.

Hayes can't keep up with them and I think would actually hold them back which would waste Farabee/Atkinson. Our two shoot first wings need to be with someone that can set them up. Hayes isn't that guy. That's why I had JVR - Hayes - NAK. NAK can fly around and try to dig the puck off the boards for JVR/Hayes. Also a pretty heavy line. Or of course you could totally mess around and try: Farabee - Couturier – Atkinson Frost - Giroux – Allison JVR – Hayes – Konecny Lindblom – Laughton - NAK That 2nd line could be lethal but small.

Thanks. Not sure how I missed them. Need more coffee. I added them to the original post

You have a point. Homer syndrome is real. I do think that if the cap was rising (no pandemic) Ghost would fetch at least a draft pick. It wasn't the player/skill that was the issue. It was the salary that came with it.

Do you still believe this with the current roster?

Ever think part of the reason Buffalo sucked was I couldn't imagine playing on a team that was probably the worst in the past decade. Night after night of just knowing you are going to suck. What's the point of giving it your all? You aren't going to make the playoffs. Would you put in the extra effort? Imagine playing for 5(?) coaches in 8 years? 5 different systems. 5 different expectations. 8 years of not making the playoffs and having the chance to play for the one thing you dreamt of your whole life? Jesus. Advanced stats are real but they can be flawed in some areas. Compete level and just down right depression can not be accounted for.

I find it funny that it's Meyer's that he blows by on the outside. Meyer's barely lays a body on him to allow a HUGE man to drive the Flyers franchise goalie. That there is some funny sh!t.

I could see them trading Giroux at the deadline but not Couturier. Couturier becomes the captain for the next 5 years. Unfortunately the way it looks now with the flat cap, returns are down but Giroux could fetch a substantial return for a team that's going for it in the playoffs. I just can't see them finishing out of the PO's again which means they don't trade anyone, then resign Giroux which honestly is a bad hockey decision. I like Giroux and want to see him finish his career here but trading him is the right 'business' decision I think.

Found this site which picks the lines for fantasy sports. "Players ratings by corsica hockey". I was thinking Atkinson would be up with Giroux/Couturier but I don't like Konecny with Hayes. I was thinking more of: Giroux - Couturier - Atkinson JVR - Hayes - NAK Farabee - Frost - Konecny Lindblom - Laughton - Allison That 2nd line would be more checking than the 3rd. 3rd is young but has a lot of potential.

This team as of today just feels different which is what most of us wanted. Jake is gone, new leadership in the lockroom....It just feels like it changed. Will it be better, worse or the same production/points wise.....not sure Players typically don't turn bad. Hart, TK, Provorov, Lindblom (had a small excuse), and to some extent Hayes (although I fear it won't be much better on average) - they all didn't forget how to play. They had off years and for whatever reason, they all had them at the same time. I'd like to believe they all come back better at least, which should push them into the 6-8th spot just on that alone. Adding in a stronger Lindblom and a older Farabee, Allison and Frost who I'm convinced is going to be the first Flyer to win the Calder (even though I don't actually think he is eligible any more due to the 20 games the previous year). Frost will be like Giroux was when he first came into the league. He might start on the Phantoms to start the year but he'll quickly be called up and just take it from there. He's got potential to be a 50+ point guy and if he has someone like Allison/Atkinson on his line, he'll hit 50+ assists in a few seasons. I just wish he would have had the chance to live with Briere because I see a lot of Giroux similarities in Frost. Size, weight, vision, hands, overall play....He might not be the Flyers first line center but he's got lots of potential if he can stay healthy. Anyway, then Fletch fixed 3 of the 4 biggest issues on the team which could potentially push them up to the 4-6th. And if it all comes together as it's dreamed about by Fletch, they are finishing the season 1-4th with home ice. My guess is they finish 4th. Funny because for a while there goalies and defense was what the Flyers actually had. Current goalies in the system: Sandstrom, Ustimenko, Ersson, Tomek, Fedotov, Kolosov (Thanks @OccamsRazor) Sandstrom was supposed to be the guy at one point I think. I saw him play once, he got lit up badly and pulled in the first period. 25gp, 3.27gaa .885 for the Royals in 2019-20 11gp, 3.19gaa .903 for the Phantoms in 2020-21 Ustimenko - 6'3", 187lbs, 22yrs. Lyon's backup? 46gp, 1.78gaa, .927 in 2018-19 with Dynamo. 31gp, 2.40gaa, .919 in 2019-20 with the Royals. Royals weren't great either. Pretty good numbers. Samuel Ersson - 6'2", 178lbs, 21yrs. 35gp, 2.90gaa, .895 in 2019-29 with Brynas (Sweden) 42gp, 2.96gaa, .911 in 2020-21 with Brynas (Sweden) Fedotov's numbers are pretty good actually and I'd like to see him come over. He's a huge man. 24 years old, 6'8" and 200lbs. Could he come over and be Lyon's backup in the AHL or play in the ECHL? 32gp, 2.10gaa, .931 in 2019-20 for Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL) 26gp, 2.21gaa, .925 in 2020-21 for Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL) Tomek was the next hero in line. I know nothing about him. 32gp, 2.34gaa .927 in 2019-20 for HK Kukla (Slovakia) 14gp, 2.51gaa .899 in 2020-21 for SaiPa (Liiga) Kolosov - way too early for numbers. 6'1", 187lbs. 19 years old. Still needs to grow into his body. NHL: Hart & Free Agent AHL: Lyon and Fedotov ECHL: Sanstrom & ?

Cizikas/Palmieri would be a good pickup. I'm a little nervous to fill all the spots and not have anything for the kids to play for. Right now there is one spot maybe two. I do like having a veteran though to fill in should a kid falter.

Yea, that's true.

I didn't see this all put together in one spot and I needed to see it broken out so....this is what happened in the past week or so. Going into the 2021-2022 season the Flyers top priorities were: Top-pair defensemen for Provorov to play with (and mentor the kids). Ellis A shoot-first top 6 winger. Atkinson (I think we need another but not sure it can/will happen) To get tougher to play against. Ristolainen (and Atkinson & maybe a little of Ellis honestly) A backup goalie capable of playing 20-30 games. Of the 4 trades, the only one that is questionable is the Ristolainen trade including the 1st round pick. The issues with the 2nd round 2023 pick is laughable. 2023? There is a 25% chance a 2nd round player makes the NHL and that wouldn't be until 2027-2028. Pretty sure a few us might be dead by then and even if we all make it, Chuck has a couple years to recoup that pick. So, for the 1st round pick. Here's a list of the Flyers first round picks since 2004 (in no particular order): Steve Downie, Jay O'Brien, Sam Morin, German Rubtsov, Luca Sbisa, Cam York, Nolan Patrick, Scott Laughton, Morgan Frost, JVR, Joel Farabee, Travis Sanheim, Ivan Provorov, Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux Green are better than Ristolainen. 7 of 16 44% Yellow might be better Ristolainen. 4 of 16 25% Red are not better Ristolainen. 5 of 16. 31% You could argue Laughton/Frost should be green but you could also argue Ristolainen is better when not playing on one of the worst teams of the past decade. (Ryan O'Reilly) Even if all the "maybes" end up being better, that's 11 of 16 or a 69% chance that first round pick turns out to be better than Ristolainen is now and that player would not be ready until the 2024-2025ish season. With York, Allison, Frost, Foerster, Zamula, Laczynski, Andrae, Wisdom, Brink, Tuomaala all with legit chances of making/sticking to the NHL, do they really need another "maybe". I'm all for stock piling picks and prospects and the Flyers have done that for years now that's why the cupboards are pretty full right now. The fact is, the defense is better now and with York & Zamula coming up quickly, it looks to get even better. Provorov - Ellis Sanheim - Braun (Risto) Morin - Risto (Braun) York, Zamula Offensively things look a little better as well. Atkinson adds the shoot first mentality the first line was sorely missing. I can see 30+ for Atkinson this year, I'll put $1 on it. I'd like to see another top 6 goal scorer added but those are hard to come by. Lindblom will be better, TK will hopefully prove last year was an anomaly and Frost comes in healthy with something to prove. Removing Patrick just opened the spot for Frost to step into. Giroux - Couturier - Atkinson JVR - Hayes - Konecny Lindblom - Frost - Farabee ??? - Laughton - NAK Things are looking good. I'd still like to see JVR moved just because I don't like him. UFA's out there..... Eberle is being shopped by the Islanders, Tarasenko is still out there. Landeskog anyone? Jaden Schwartz has 50pt potential. Chuck needs a 1B goalie in case Hart stumbles again. Halak, Bernier? /rant

Good contract. I like the kid. I pray he can get a full training camp and season in.

I think it was an over payment personally but there are three head coaches that I still think know more than me. I'm willing to see this one play out. I know I'm heavily in the minority.

No need to watch the draft now....

It is a lot but if they can sign him for a decent contract the defense is set for a while. Now need to work on a top six shoot first guy. Dude must be overjoyed to be out of buffalo

Two picks? Ill never understand the issue with ghost. I liked him and would have kept

I think Chuck is going to try as hard as he can to trade before he buys out. I think Ghost is on the roster opening night, along with one of JVR/Jake

Not one person had this pick. Link Ho Lee Fuk

Larsson is RH. Does that rule Braun out? Does this change predictions on who the Krack take from the Flyers? Can the Kraken now turn around and trade Larsson? (What's the rules?) I know there were a few posters wanting Larsson, so what's a realistic package the Flyers could offer.

@GratefulFlyers There's that Timonen-like piece to think about too. You have 'smooth skating, puck moving Cam York' that will have a real shot at being on the team this year (I can't imagine he won't be) and to some extent Zamula and the rest of the young dmen. To have Ellis as a mentor will provide a ton of unseen value for the next 6 years. While losing Myers sucked, there's a reason why assets were stock-piled. York will make you forget Myers. I'm with you on this except Frost is going to get a shot at 3C this year I think. Then if (and I think when) he proves he deserves the 2C, Hayes drops back to 3C. At this point I'd like to see top 6 scoring for sure. And I'm hoping the kids come back stronger....Konecny, Hart, Frost, Lindblom....all need to have rebound years.

Carey Price? All about the contract there I guess.

Man, I forgot about Frost for a little while there. His creativity was sorely missed this year.

@OccamsRazor Agree. No issue giving a first rounder like Rubtsov more time.