Free Agency predictions

[NastyNate]

Just curious as to what your expectations/predictions are for the Flyers offseason strategy...

[Irishjim]

i voted #3 i feel a blockbuster will happen but it will be a major surprise trade not ryan or weber as only homer can pull off

[NastyNate]

yea i think that seems the most likely. hopefully its for a d-man but i wouldnt be surprised if its for nash or ryan either.

[Freddy Fog]

I'm hoping for a Shane Doan signing for three years. He is a beast, a leader and a nice person as well. I met him when I worked in Phoenix, and he is a class act.

[pilldoc]

@irish

yup agree with ya there....a total right hook that nobody saw coming...just saying.......

[Bertmega]

I can see a Kyle Wellwood type player. That's about it.

Carle will be resigned, Jagr will walk and we'll have some room in-case of a trade or injury.

[orange_crush]

#1 ...cmon this is the Flyers they always go big...Suter will be a Flyer...resign Vorckek and Bourdon.....Carle and Jagr are gone..sign Clemenson

[sarsippius]

I voted for minor tweaks, but I know in my heart it's gonna be Homer with some big atom bomb of a move that we don't need or doesn't particularly address our weaknesses

[DaGreatGazoo]

I should put this in my Servalli bashing thread, but I'm lazy to go find it...since we are talking free agents, this is as good a place as any. From Meltzer today, for those who don't read him..if these numbers are correct(and I trust Meltzer's calculations), unless Carle is walking, Voracek or some other signficant salary is moved...It doesn't appear that the Flyers are going to be major players in UFA.

So let's just stick to the $70.3 million ceiling and $11,481,267 of cap space pre-Pronger LTIR as the operating figures. That cap space is based upon the holdover contracted players who were on the roster at the end of the 2011-12 regular season.

Now, it is possible that a bonus cushion may be re-instituted for next season's cap whenever a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. As of now, however, one cannot simply assume that there will be a bonus cushion. For that reason, as of now, the Flyers have to calculate Brayden Schenn's cap hit as $3.11 million rather than $1.77 million (there is a discrepancy between Capgeek and a 2011 report from Darren Dreger as to what is entailed in Schenn's second season bonuses).

Got all that? OK, now let's start with $11,481,267 of cap space and:

1) Subtract a Matt Carle re-signing and call it a $4.75 M cap hit

2) Subtract a Jakub Voracek re-signing and call it a $3.0 M cap hit

4) Subtract a free agent backup goalie signing and call it an $800,000 cap hit

5) Subtract a Marc-Andre Bourdon re-signing and call it about $975,000

6) Subtract a Tom Sestito re-signing and call it about $650,000

With no bonus cushion, that would leave the team with $1,306,627 under the $70.3 million cap before you figure in Pronger's LTIR.

OK, so LTIR allows a team to exceed the cap if necessary by up to the difference between the amount of available cap space ($1,306,627) and the injured player's cap hit ($4,921,429 for Pronger). If the Flyers were to use the maximum, they would have $3.61 million of cap space.

If the Flyers waived Jody Shelley before the season -- which may happen this year but did not a year ago -- the available cap space grows to $2,406,627 before dipping into to LTIR. If they do no intend to carry Andreas Lilja again next season, that would be $737,500 of extra space, pre-Pronger.

If you notice, however, the list of moves above does not include re-signing Jaromir Jagr or bringing in a similarly-priced replacement. As of right now, that would eat up all remaining cap space and compel the club to dip into LTIR space in order to absorb the cap hit.

[jammer2]

We need to kick 1.5 mill or so into the back up spot IMHO. I regualr back up is not what we need. We need somebody to step in and win a playoff series if needed. This excludes Biron, Bouch, Leights and any other former Flyer stiff they want to dig out of the mothballs. We need Clemmenson or Montoya...those are the only 2 that could be legit starters if needed....and more importantly will command more than a mill...this is not a spot to cheap out. We have a crappy back up and we may not even be a playoff team....or last just one round. @DaGreatGazoo

[DaGreatGazoo]

@DaGreatGazoo

Yes????

[xganarchy]

We need to kick 1.5 mill or so into the back up spot IMHO. I regualr back up is not what we need. We need somebody to step in and win a playoff series if needed. This excludes Biron, Bouch, Leights and any other former Flyer stiff they want to dig out of the mothballs. We need Clemmenson or Montoya...those are the only 2 that could be legit starters if needed....and more importantly will command more than a mill...this is not a spot to cheap out. We have a crappy back up and we may not even be a playoff team....or last just one round. @DaGreatGazoo

I vote for Valiquette!!

[jammer2]

@xganarchy I liked Valequette when he was with the Rangers. I'd be more than willing to give him a try out. Last I heard he went to the KHL, where it looked like he had decent stats playing for a bad team. Then last year he played for some team in Europe I never heard of and has ?????? as a stat line. Maybe fc can clear this up for us and give us a Steve update?? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Valiquette

[aziz]

If you notice, however, the list of moves above does not include re-signing Jaromir Jagr or bringing in a similarly-priced replacement. As of right now, that would eat up all remaining cap space and compel the club to dip into LTIR space in order to absorb the cap hit.

exactly. and that's why i can't see anything earth shattering happening. holmgren has to be smart enough to know you can't blow the team up every summer, and i don't see many real price-appropriate upgrades out there. i expect a signing or two, might see fringe guys like harry z or rinaldo or whatever get shuffled, but there just isn't space for anything huge without digging a big hole in the roster.

[jammer2]

Is Ryan Dingle a UFA? Gotta keep track of the up and coming stars....

[SoCalFlyfan]

I predict Homer makes a splash and signs : Marty Murray, Brad Tapper, and Mark Cullen...and maybe Niko Dimatrakos.

[hf101]

Below, the full list of unqualified RFAs. Any interest??

Anaheim Ducks: Riley Holzapfel, Rick Schofield, Dale Mitchell,

Calgary Flames: Riley Grantham, Logan MacMillan, Blake Comeau

Carolina Hurricanes: Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll, Matthew Pistilli, Kyle Lawson

Colorado Avalanche: Kevin Porter, Peter Mueller

Columbus Blue Jackets: Brent Regner, Taylor Ellington, Shawn Hunwick

Dallas Stars: Angelo Esposito, Mikhail Stefanovich, Michael Neal, Jake Hauswirth

Edmonton Oilers: Cam Barker

Florida Panthers: Wojtek Wolski, Ondrej Roman, Keith Seabrook, Justin Bernhardt

Los Angeles Kings: Ray Kaunisto

Minnesota Wild: Kris Fredheim, Nick Johnson, Guillaume Latendresse

Montreal Canadiens: Michael Blunden, Petteri Nokelainen, Mark Mitera, Hunter Bishop, Olivier Fortier, Robert Slaney, Andrew Conboy, Danny Masse

Nashville Predators: Zach Stortini, Jack Hillen, Brodie Dupont, Ryan Flynn, Atte Engren

New Jersey Devils: Timo Pielmeier, Kory Nagy

New York Rangers: Andreas Thuresson, Lee Baldwin, Francois Bouchard, Sam Klassen, Chris Chappell

New York Islanders: Tyler McNeely, Tony Romano, Yannick Reindeau, Yuri Alexandrov

Ottawa Senators: Craig Schira

Phoenix Coyotes: Gilbert Brule

Pittburgh Penguins: Cal O'Reilly, Mattias Modig, Boris Valabik, Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Alexandre Picard

San Jose Sharks: Benn Ferriero, Cam McIntyre, Tyson Sexsmith

Tampa Bay Lightning: Benoit Pouliot, Sebastian Piche

Vancouver Canucks: Marc-Andre Gragnani, Mike Duco, Victor Oreskovich, Ryan Parent

Winnipeg Jets: Michael Forney, Eric Fehr, John Negrin, Fredrik Pettersson

[jammer2]

@hf101 I know Dale Mitchell from his Windsor Spitfire days. Small guy but plays big. Wicked skater with a cannon of a slap shot. The Marlies cut him last year and he tore up the ECHL with the Reading Royals. Would love to have him on the Phantoms. One of those yappy players where his energy is contageous....little ball of fire.

[doom88]

Maybe Mueller or Wolski.

[mojo1917]

Peter Mueller oft injured and a center is not being tendered by the Avs he's big ,right hand shot, could he play wing? Bad concussion history...he's intriguing though.

[jammer2]

@mojo1917 Oh yeah, Mueller is a super talented guy....he ever gets over this injury/concussion thing he could contribute big time. Would probably come cheap....big risk/big reward kinda move.

[Polaris922]

Maybe Mueller or Wolski.

I'd gree with Wolski too... seems to be capable, but a bit streaky.

[hf101]

@mojo1917

Latendresse is another that had concussion issues last year.

Wow, Angelo Esposito was drafted #20 by the Penguins in 2007

[Polaris922]

@mojo1917 Latendresse is another that had concussion issues last year. Wow, Angelo Esposito was drafted #20 by the Penguins in 2007

Yeah there was a lot of hype about him initially and he just never progressed it seems. He hit his plateau I guess.

[Vanflyer]

Just curious as to what your expectations/predictions are for the Flyers offseason strategy...

There is an option on polls to let voters see who voted for what. It's your poll, but I personally find it interesting to see who voted for what. I mean this is not Parliament or Congress.

Just saying. :-)