Goalie vs OTT?

[flyerrod]

Who gets the start in the OTT game? Myself, I would play Mason for a few games and see how he does. The question is, will the Heads see Bryz's remarks as a cry for a chance or will they see it as a "he's done". Thoughts?

[Bertmega]

I think you go with Mason only because it would be nice to see how he plays through adversity. Truth be told, I think Bryz is back next year as there really ins't any other options on the table that would come cheap.

Side note: I think Holmgren trades for Weber in the off season. Rinne's numbers are great and theit D is decent, but they couldn't buy a goal to save their lives.

I am fully prepared to see D. Briere bought out and Couturier along with Schenn traded to acquire Weber. Basically the same trade the Holmgren nixed (allegedly) last summer. Sorry to see it happen, but that's where I am at with this.

Anyhow, I do digress, I want to see Mason for three reasons:

1) to see how he handles the pressure cooker

2) to show that the Flyers are committed to change

3) to finally put this disastrous season behind me

Edited April 10, 2013 by Bertmega

[TimKerrFan12]

@Bertmega

Who do u think would replace Couturier and Schenn?. Isn't that kind of stealing from Peter to pay Paul? Not arguing about it, just curious as to see where our forwards would go after losing those two guys. Free agents?

[canoli]

oh lord not this again - Weber-mania. But I thought he couldn't be traded for a year anyway - is that year up after this season? I guess it is.

I'm with Kerr, this is robbing Pete to pay Paul. It'd be great to have Shea Weber of course but man...giving up 2 prime forwards who are only a couple years past voting age? I'm not so thrilled with Schenn - I get the feeling we're already seeing close to his best. But Couturier is either going to be a monster or a mucker - and I'd like to find out which while he's still a Flyer.

[Bertmega]

I would imagine Laugton would get a shot on the 4th line and Talbot would slide to center.

After a lot of careful thought I want nothing to do with Weber due to the length, but I have a feeling that the brass is going to hurt this team bad.

I could see forward lines of:

UFA-Giroux-Voracek

Hartnell-UFA(Maybe Bozak)-Simmonds

Gagne (restructured)- Talbot- Read

McGinn-Laughton-Rinaldo

Defense Combos:

Weber-Schenn

Coburn-Grossmann

Timonen-Mezaros

Gervais

Bryzgalov

Mason

Not wishing this at all. I'd keep Schenn and Couturier all day long, I just have a feeling about this one.

[pilldoc]

I would imagine Laugton would get a shot on the 4th line and Talbot would slide to center.

After a lot of careful thought I want nothing to do with Weber due to the length, but I have a feeling that the brass is going to hurt this team bad.

I could see forward lines of:

UFA-Giroux-Voracek

Hartnell-UFA(Maybe Bozak)-Simmonds

Gagne (restructured)- Talbot- Read

McGinn-Laughton-Rinaldo

Defense Combos:

Weber-Schenn

Coburn-Grossmann

Timonen-Mezaros

Gervais

Bryzgalov

Mason

Not wishing this at all. I'd keep Schenn and Couturier all day long, I just have a feeling about this one.

Agree not wishing for this at all....but if this happens then if the Flyers are Top 5 drafting, I could see the Flyers drafting McKinnon or Drouin (if they are still available)...that would solve the problem of replacing either Coots or Schenn.......gonna be interesting.....

[Bertmega]

@pilldoc

That is a good observation Pill. I too hope that I am way off base, I just have an eerie hunch that we're selling the farm for a defender this summer.

I wouldn't mind Drouin regardless though. He is a beast.

[mojo1917]

I like Schenn's game a lot, he's a born Flyer and I think his touch around the net will improve, he's got good instincts and is finding places to score from, but he's not finishing, i think he'll figure it out, of the two I'd rather keep him. Actually, i'd prefer to keep them both. i think they're both going to be very good pros. Fix the D with this draft , and money. I really don't want either of them playing in Phx when Keith Yandle is making us long for the days of Matt Carle's turnovers....

[canoli]

I agree Schenn is tough - "a born Flyer" says it right. And I'm sure he'll be a better finisher eventually, I just don't see a *whole* lot of room between where he is now and his ceiling. I get the feeling he's bumping up against it already. I hope I'm dead wrong and he goes on to score 30+ for the next 10 years with us. But if I had to pick 1 guy to trade it would B. Schenn because he'll also fetch more than Couturier right now.

With Couturier I see the opposite. I see a huge space between him now and what his ceiling could be. I think we've only seen a tiny fraction of what this kid is capable of. Maybe he ends up a 3rd-line defensive forward, a decent 2-way guy but never a goal-scorer in the NHL but I'd take my chance with him over Schenn. At the very least with Couts you've got a solid defender....Schenn is a hitter (which is great) but positionally I don't think he cares much about defense.

[Jmdodgesrt4]

I see the flyers getting a center in the draft and trading coots or Schenn for weber/yandle. I believe you would see a dman packaged along with a center for one of them. But in reality I would much rather hold onto everyone and select the best player available and go from there.

[OccamsRazor]

I am fully prepared to see D. Briere bought out and Couturier along with Schenn traded to acquire Weber.

How about Danny B. and Mezz for Weber i'd do...

[OccamsRazor]

It'd be great to have Shea Weber of course but man...giving up 2 prime forwards who are only a couple years past voting age? I'm not so thrilled with Schenn - I get the feeling we're already seeing close to his best. But Couturier is either going to be a monster or a mucker - and I'd like to find out which while he's still a Flyer.

I agree but if we could move Danny B and Mezz i'd do it...free up some cap space.

Or move these two too another team for a young blueline prospect...i'm sure it would have to be deep organization but there are a few...not all are as poorly run like the Flyers at times....or most times.

[doom88]

I'd try Hartnell, Mesz, and the obligatory 2nd for Weber. Maybe Cousins too if something interesting is thrown in by Nsh.

[RonJeremy]

I dont see us depleting the offense to trade for Webber,.Webber is considered the best dman in hockey, think about what we gave up for a 35 year old almost washed up Pronger, Nasville would want way too much for a young Webber, but I definitely see us trading for a defenseman, Im thinking more along the lines of someone like Coots going for a young defenseman with talent , who has not yet emerged , similar to how Coots is a young talented forward, who also has not emerged yet. I dont think we trade for Luke Schenn and then trade his brother away. We need to trade for one defenseman, and then draft one as well. Laughton or Cousins can step into Coots spot. If we drafted Hamlton in the first place , like we should have, we would finally after 45 years, have our first ever drafted franchise defensman. Then again ,if we didnt trade Bob, we would also have a real good young goalie, with a good contract. Hopefully Mason pans out, and we get a good dman and Homer doesnt end up looking like a complete tool for not picking Hamilton and for trading Bob. We have been trading for goalies and defenseman for the last 20 years.

[canoli]

Webber is considered the best dman in hockey, think about what we gave up for a 35 year old almost washed up Pronger

yikes - that's a scary .. and a good ... point.

[murraycraven]

Weber is a pipe dream so let's move on... I just hope Homer does not shoot the load and trade for yandle. He is a nice player but he is a turnover machine honestly. He is not even the best dman on the yotes.

Don't get me wrong... if Weber could be had I would be all in. I would move scooter and bschenn for him. I have said it before - I think schenn is going to fall short of the scouting reports. Cooter is simply not a good skater and his offense from jrs is nothing to translate into the NHL...

I hope I am wrong but this is MHO...

[Samifan]

Weber has also played like **** this year. Is it because he does not want to be in Nashville or did playing with Suter make him the player he was?

[DinahMoeHumm]

Why would Nashville trade Weber now? Maybe I'm off base, but weren't they paying him a huge chunk of change from that contract in the first year? That's a seriously expensive "rental" if they dish out that cheese and keep him for one year rather than just letting him go via the offer sheet and running off with the picks.

[Dynamo 47]

If the space cadet truly fell asleep during a meeting I would sit his ass on the bench the remainder of the season. Tell Mason he is the man the rest of the way and it will be his chance to prove himself worthy of being the number one going into next season.

[Polaris922]

Weber has also played like **** this year. Is it because he does not want to be in Nashville or did playing with Suter make him the player he was?

It seems a lot of players slump after signing the big contract. I'm sure losing a quality partner like Suter hurt as well. I think Weber is perfectly happy with the Preds as a team. If you came to my door and said you'd pay me $14 million a year to play for you you'd be my favorite GM for at least a few years!!