Timonen: 1 year, 6 million deal

[doom88]

This year I firmly believe he is/will be. Barring last year I think he already was better defensively. The Pens don't need him to be a PPG'S guy, just solid defensively.

Are we talking the same Paul Martin? Better than Timo? Defensively already? Ridiculous. Absolutely not.

[Polaris922]

Are we talking the same Paul Martin? Better than Timo? Defensively already? Ridiculous. Absolutely not.

Don't forget now... Martin was a +21 and +20 player for the Devils before coming to the Pens a couple years. That's as good as Timonen ever was for your Flyers. Now Timonen has aged and Martin has struggled in our system, but honestly I think Kimo has slowed down too much to be as effective as he once was. I see him on the ice for a lot of goals for because he's your top pairing, but I see him skating by the net with his head down on an awful lot of goals against these days, don't you?

Guess we'll just all wait and see where they are at the end of the season. We can revisit it then.

[doom88]

That's because Bryz really can't stop a beach ball except by accident. Timo breaks up 2 on 1s, gets in passing lanes, blocks shots, and kills penalties. Also, the forwards were ripped on this forum for not playing deep enough in their own zone, which also leads to goals against.

As an individual, Timonen is playing very well. He's not as good as he once was, but he is still very effective.

[jammer2]

@doom88 I can imagine the price of a UFA d-man who can kill penalties, run a #1 pp unit and play smart hockey can/will fetch 6+ mill a year for multiple years. I think Kimo is on par with all the available UFA d-men coming out, except the Flyers are not tied into a future albratross contract that takes a guy past the mid thirties. It's overpaying, but not really when you consider the other options and how long of a deal they might want. I just hope it does not hinder them cap wise so they can't resign a key Flyer youngster. If that happens, signing Kimo is a counter productive move.

[LegionOfDoom]

Signing Kimo to a short term contract is not bad. We can't argue about other players when the situation was different...we where getting Shea Weber remember? Also the two Minn. boys as well.

Put this on another post, but for some reason didn't update.

This is such a shortened season and several injuries to compound the situation, we can't honestly make an assessment on our young players. At the end of the season Anaheim has a few forward UFA's to complement our Centers. We do need to look at our Defense but in a patient way, we aren't reloading we ARE rebuilding, with that many rookies that played last year and so many young players now. We are in a rebuilding situation. We just happen to have the highest point production for rookies in the league last year.

We have a few vets, but the core of our team is young. It's hard to be in this situation when we're use to having Pronger and Carle complement each other Coburn and Timo with Mez and his complement. That was solid D. We lost our High Mobility D in Carle and the calming Veteren leadership in Pronger. Those are big losses, two key positional Defensemen, and the trickle affect it caused we are witnessing. We did add toughness on D in Grossman and Luke Schenn. Mez is offensive minded so losing him bottlenecks our Defensive mobility as well. We just need a solid mobile defensemen that has good stickhandleing skills and we should be in a good position. Someone mentioned bringing back our Harvard grad forward back(Powe?) and putting him on Defense. I like that idea.

We seem to pick solid forwards. What if we converted these Forward picks into Defensemen and tell them we have a spot for them on D. Imagine if B. Schenn or Coots were our D, imagine them joining the rush, they are Defensive minded with an eye for offense. In the event we were slim on our Forward corps. we could put these guys back on the Wing or Center and when we had our injured Forwards back, they could go back to playing Defense. This way we wouldn't have to trade away our talents, and when the market opened up for an All Star Defensemen we would be able to pick one up.

Crazy thoughts on a crazy day.

What's in your backpack?

[doom88]

The fact that you'd say they tanked to get Crosby shows your lack of knowledge in the game and its history. Continue overvaluing your washed up defenseman. That kind of thinking is why 38 years have passed since you last experienced a Cup.

Are you watching any of the Flyers game in stoppages (I know your game is on with NJ at the same time)? Timonen is playing very well, again. I seriously think you're not watching Timonen as much as you might think you are? Just trying to give benefit of doubt.

[Polaris922]

Are you watching any of the Flyers game in stoppages (I know your game is on with NJ at the same time)? Timonen is playing very well, again. I seriously think you're not watching Timonen as much as you might think you are? Just trying to give benefit of doubt.

I saw his shot/pass to Schenn...was well done. I've never argued his PP prowess. MOst of his points last year come from there. The guy can pass well, just doesn't have the mobility to make him top 4 on a lot of teams in my opinion. And his legs don't allow him to rush the puck like he used to. Maybe I'm spoiled by having Letang and before that Gonchar (before his age got the best of him).. I dunno. I LIKED Timonen ... I still do actually. I just think he's too far over the hill to be to pairing on most teams, or even top four on some teams.

[doom88]

I saw his shot/pass to Schenn...was well done. I've never argued his PP prowess. MOst of his points last year come from there. The guy can pass well, just doesn't have the mobility to make him top 4 on a lot of teams in my opinion. And his legs don't allow him to rush the puck like he used to. Maybe I'm spoiled by having Letang and before that Gonchar (before his age got the best of him).. I dunno. I LIKED Timonen ... I still do actually. I just think he's too far over the hill to be to pairing on most teams, or even top four on some teams.

I actually consider defensive skill more important than offensive skill from defenseman - and Timonen lines up with what I believe defenseman should do. Maybe it's a philosophy difference? I hated Gonchar for his lack of D, and Letang until he got better recently.

[LegionOfDoom]

Let's keep the back of the hairs from bristleing fellas, Polaris has his opinion on Timo, and to each his own. Timo is a wounded soldier. A dam good one.

He has the heart of a Lion. Our Viking's ship is almost set to sail.......BUT NOT TODAY! he is wearing out, But IS NOT DONE!

He is the most valuable defensemen in the free market that never was. Homer picked him up for another year at a respectable price. To the non capoligist, they scratch there heads saying it was too much. But the price is right. Am I happy he got that much yes and no. Yes because HE DESERVES IT. No because I would of liked for him to take less for the team to have more cap room available, but by no means am I disappointed he got what he got, it's fair market value.

I don't agree he is not a top 4 defensemen, he is. His skills and experience say so, at all levels. He has been pacing himself five on five, he's smart that way, there's no need to kill himself on every shift. Though his heart is always in the hunt and will join the hunt because he is a warrior.

His longevity does focus into play and therefore I see Polaris point, but at the same time, he has to understand that not every player is going to play big minutes, but smart minutes. When you go over the boards is just as important as how long you stay out on the other side.

Timo's stamina index is alot less than before, so you play him within that spectrum and you will be fine, you push over it and that's when the problems will surface. His skills should shine more during the playoffs, and that's when it matters. And that's when you put him as your number 1-3 position. If you can afford to put him at 3 - 5 position you do it so he has enough left in the tank if you end up playing game 5 - 7 in the finals.

Claude Lemieux was a monster in the playoffs.

[CoachX]

I realize it is just one game, but Kimmo looked different to me last night. He looked fresh, and perhaps a little edgy. Maybe getting this deal done had something to do with the personal motivation of the player, and perhaps his game gets elevated a touch.

I find it interesting that we (forumites) criticize and scrutinize every move the team makes without ever really knowing what is going on inside. Of course, its not like we have any choice, and lets face it, its fun to do. But for years now I have watched Homer do these things and he always seems to have some other angle. A few years back we were an old team with a "we have to win it all" mentality, with few picks in the cupboard and no youth to speak of. However, we now have Simmonds, Schenn (x2), Giroux, Cotourier, Read, Voracek, and Laughon in the wings. And, I really don't have total heartache over Bryz right now, but that could change in an instant.

I would guess that there are things in the rules that we are not privy to. I would also guess that Homer has thought this through and has an overall plan that this signing is part of. I won't say it is destined to work, but I am fine with signing timmonen at this price and finding out what comes next.

If Homer screws it up, many of us will get what we want anyway, cause he will get his ass fired

[Bertmega]

And I find it kind of humorous that you post asking why I find fault with the move then in your post pretty much agree that it's a lot for what you're getting, which is all I've really said.

I forgot to take my]Chlorpromazine before posting lol. Half of me can tolorate the deal, the other half hates the money tied up. ]Good thing it's only for 1 year.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Bertmega