radoran

I'd get used to having 5/6 D issues - and 4th line F as well. With Pronger's LTIR status, there's going to be a lot of callups and guys who can go to the AHL and back to make up for Pronger's cap hit. As I understand it, they can't use his space to sign an offseason FA but thyey can use it to bring in guys during the season.

Why would Timonen or Hartnell (with an NMC and an NTC) want to leave? And, assuming we tell them they're not wanted here any more and to please not let the door hit them on the way out, and then buyout Bryz, what value does an NTC/NMC offer have to a potential FA going forward? Regardless of the feasibility, the long term problems aren't Timonen and Hartnell - both of whom are up after next season. The issues are Bryzgalov for eight more and Pronger for five more after this (pending one following bread crumbs out of the woods and the other ever being able to play again).

Neither of them have been world-beaters. Doughty is making $7M though... Through 2019...

Thornton's on the Cup. Twice. I'll take that in the room 11 times out of 10. And, despite his just 8:50 TOI (and almost 2 minutes/game in the box) he's one of four guys to have played in every game for da Broons this season with Bergeron, Horton and Kelly. Last year he had 10 minutes TOI, played in 79 games with 10 goals and 10 assists. This for $812K cap hit for the past two years. By contrast Shelley has 11 goals since 2005-2006 and 10 assists since 09-10, has played in 14 games this season with 4:42 TOI and a little more than a minute/game in the box and hasn't played more than 60 games in a season since 2008-2009. For three years at $1.1M per. You want an enforcer? Fine. Get a better one. Cheaper.

In the respect that he shouldn't be on the ice playing professional hockey at this stage of his recovery from injury, yes.* I think the results speak for themselves. They could have gotten 0-0-0 -1 in the past two games from any number of people, with probably less turnovers and certainly less risk of reaggravating the chronic injury. In fairness, in December he was 6-8-14 +7 in 13 games. And you have to admire a player - especially at this stage of his career - wanting to be out there on the ice contributing. But you also have to be able to hold them back for their good and the overall good of the team. We need Jagr in March and April much more than we need him for two weeks in January. * I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on television.

I kinda like the old school look. I think it has reflected the more "lunchpail" mentality the team is trying to get back to - a solid work ethic up and down the lineup with contributions all around. Nothing flashy - just do your job. I'd LOVE going to even a mostly-white mask. Tim Thomas' is a nice one. I keep expecting them to color-by-numbers it in though. In the end, I don't really care what the goalie is wearing as long as it stops pucks.

There's a kernel of truth in what you're saying... ;-)

They're paying Matt Walker $1.7M to play for the Phantoms. They're paying Leighton $1.55M to play for the Phantoms. Comcast only had $1.8B cash on hand in the last reporting period, so they may need to cut back on office supplies.

Oddly enough, they came in the game the Rags lost to the Flyers in a shootout that sent the Flyers on their Finals march that ended with Mr. Softee. This march included the biggest comeback ever in the history of professional sports against the Boston Bruins. The next year, with Shelley in the roster, the team lost ignominiously in the second round. Against the Boston Bruins. Coincidence? We report - you decide.

It's six years. Starting next season... It's not "awful" but I haven't been blown away by Johnson, despite him being the #3 overall pick. And, of course, for playing NCAA hockey instead of Junior...

Of course they can score. Jody Shelley scored two goals in a game once. True Story. Then Homer gave him a 3-year, $3.3M contract...

There's no "factoring in" - those are the numbers regardless if Carle re-signs here or not. I like Johnson, just not sure about the deal through 2018. Long-term deals have not been terribly kind in this league...

JVR will make $2.5M next year. His cap hit will be $4.25M. Johnson will make $3.5M next season with a $4.35M cap hit through 2018.

I never called him "brutal" and disagree with the terminology. My point is that if you have a high performing player who is aging with a chronic injury you let the injury heal significantly before you put him back on the ice. They gain nothing by putting him back out there in this condition. It will not improve the groin, his play suffers and the chance of seriously reinjuring or aggravating is raised considerably.

It's actually my friend Cameron's dad's...

What's the point on playing a 39yo with chronic groin problems "with injury"? My 1961 Ferrari 250 GT looks great, but the engine knocks horribly and it pulls to the left while driving. Better keep it on the road, though, wouldn't want people to think it was "soft."

Nobody's arguing the overall JVR point. We'd all like to see him do more and be more consistent while doing so. But Simmonds, who is actually making MORE than JVR this season (by about $100K) has three FEWER points than JVR in five MORE games. Both players are on pace for career highs in points. And, for Seravalli, JVR is "quiet" while Simmonds is "on pace for a career high". Interesting "analysis" is my only point here...

I'd move him for the right deal in a heartbeat. But for Seravalli to say that he's been "quiet" and then in the NEXT SENTENCE talk about Simmonds and Voracek on pace for career highs in points while IGNORING the same thing about JVR says volumes to me about his "analysis."

There was a significant question as to whether he would even play in the NHL this season. How this turns into him "being quiet" I have no idea. If Seravalli thought the Flyers were relying on Couturier for anything this season, he should be taken off the beat. You know who's also on pace for a career high in points? James van Riemsdyk...

I thought "no way are they still paying Yashin" But, $2.2M through 2015... Ouch. DiPietro's at $4.5M through 2021. No, seriously.

I don't think it's "crude" at all. It's simply a raw statistical analysis. And one which bears out that the team became younger, cheaper and better with the trades. Schenn and Simmonds have some (limited) familiarity from LA and seem to be working well together. I think they are a great fit for JVR at this point. Crater and Richards were what they were and I didn't get the feeling they were going to be getting much better. To be clear, they are both very good but with limitations of which we are all aware. I think the parade of younger, underachieving talent in and out - Upshall, Lupul, Versteeg - and the inability of experienced vets to integrate with the "younger core" showed that there was a need for a different direction. I have no idea why Columbus thought Crater - who's resume features goal scoring - could be the playmaking center that Rick Nash has needed for his entire career. Getting Voracek and Couturier for him is a steal. I think that this is the best thing that could have happened to Voracek. He's on a team that's going somewhere and playing with a childhood idol. I can see LA taking on Richards - especially with Lombardi and Hextall out there as well as Stevens. I think Simmonds is a perfect fit for the Flyers and Schenn brings that "upside." And I think the change of scenery and responsibility and market will serve Richards well, too.

It's good for them to get it out of their systems in college and not wait until they sign 10-year NHL contracts like some guys from Junior hockey we could name...

I was a bit snarky today. Prepping for dental work on Monday :-( I think JVR had a pretty good game today, The Simmonds-Schenn-JVR line seems to be working well. I think they're all good influences on each other, actually. Will be watching again tomorrow... I'd like to see if Simmonds' attitude can rub off on him a bit. Schenn just seems happy to be out there. As I've said, I'd trade JVR in the right deal. And that deal might come up at this deadline before whatever modified NTC he has kicks in with the new deal. I'm not looking to jettison him for spare parts or because he's "disappointing." Looking at the new deal, next year he "makes" $2.5M while his cap hit is $4.25M and he doesn't "make" more than $4M until the 14-15 season. In terms of compensation, if he continues to improve I think his deal might turn out fine. As it is, I think the Flyers have two of the top five players that came out of that draft in JVR and Voracek (along with Couture, Kane and Gagner(?)) and I'm looking to see JVR play with more consistency and confidence as he continues to mature.

We better trade JVR now. His value will never be higher. Oh, wait, no. His value is bubkus. There's no market for a guy who's going to put up 50 points in his third season and is under a reasonable cap number for the next five years or so. Waive him. It's the only way we'll get any value for the investment. And by "value" I mean "addition by subtraction." </snark> ;-)

Yeah, but neither of them made too too much more than they did when they were in Buffalo. I got the real feeling that the organization was ready to get rid of both of them for reasons not entirely limited to money.