Same bs every year

[caluso]

Haven't we seen this movie before: signing past-their-prime players to absurd contracts and concomitantly rewarding one of your best players with a bloated contract before he really earns it (I love Giroux but he is very inconsistent: mediocre defensively and average at 5 on 5 play).

What happened to the youth movement? The signing of Vinny stunts the development of Schenn, Couturier and Laughton. And, for what reason? Lecavelier is not the missing piece - the player who puts us over the top. We are very slow up front, lack bangers who can get the puck in the corners, our defense is terrible and we have a huge question mark in goal. We are not one player away from competing for the Cup. Sorry.

Wouldn't we have been better off rebuilding and commiting to a youth movement. This team is mired in mediocrity for a reason and it is not a coincidence that we haven't won the Cup in decades: horrible management that lacks a vision - with no idea how to construct a team. As long as Snider and Gomer are in charge, expect to see the same, sad movie over and over again.

[jammer2]

@caluso I dub thee...."one of the smart ones".

edit, don't agree with the G comments, but the rest is fair.

Edited July 7, 2013 by jammer2

[krasy]

Giroux is mediocre defensively? OK, that was all i need to know before stop reading ....

[aziz]

We are very slow up front

Giroux, Simmonds, voracek, read, schenn, don't really strike me as particularly slow.

lack bangers who can get the puck in the corners

hartnell, Simmonds, rinaldo, schenn?

our defense is terrible

as compared to? boston, Chicago, nashville? LA, maybe, but minus scuderi methinks they are defensively thin.

we have a huge question mark in goal

welp, better than a pound-ampersand-percentage-excamation point, right? (cheat sheet, that is: #@%!)

The signing of Vinny stunts the development of Schenn, Couturier and Laughton.

how does he do that? I can see schenn, if lecavalier gets the 2nd line center spot, but then bump schenn over to wing. minor drag for schenn, but it isn't the end of the world. and I can't see any way that lecavalier gets in the way of couturier of laughton at all. if no vinny, then schenn would be 2nd line C...so couturier would be 3rd line. i.e., couturier linemates/icetime isn't effected at all. and laughton may not make the team, anyway, and even if he does, it wasn't going to be on the 2nd line. he's a defensive center, 3rd line will be his home if he does make it to the NHL.

[trevluk]

Haven't we seen this movie before: signing past-their-prime players to absurd contracts and concomitantly rewarding one of your best players with a bloated contract before he really earns it (I love Giroux but he is very inconsistent: mediocre defensively and average at 5 on 5 play).

What happened to the youth movement? EXACTLY WHICH OF OUR YOUTH ARE GOING TO LOSE WITH THE DEALS HOMER HAS MADE? ANSWER - NONE.

The signing of Vinny stunts the development of Schenn, Couturier and Laughton. BECAUSE HAVING A STANLEY CUP WINNING FORMER CAPTAIN IS KRYPTONITE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PLAYERS?

And, for what reason? Lecavelier is not the missing piece - the player who puts us over the top. THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE MISSING PIECE AND VINNY FILLS ONE OF THOSE MISSING PIECES.

We are very slow up front, UHHHH, GIROUX, VORACEK, SIMMONDS, ALL HAVE RESPECTABLE SPEED AND READ COULD BE ONE OF THE FASTEST SKATERS IN THE LEAGUE.

lack bangers who can get the puck in the corners, SIMMONDS, HARTNELL, AND RINALDO ARE ALL PRETTY GOOD AT THIS.

our defense is terrible. OUR DEFENSE WAS LAST YEAR WAS RIDDLED WITH INJURY AND PLAYED TERRIBLY, HOWEVER IT APPEARS OUR TOP 6 D THIS YEAR WILL BE KIMMO, SCHENN, COBURN, STREIT, GROSSMAN, GUSTAFSON. IF THEY STAY HEALTHY THEY MAY NOT BE THE TOP DEFENSE IN THE NHL NEXT YEAR BUT POSSIBLY TOP 5 OR 10 IN THE LEAGUE. I'M NOT GOING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT BUT FEEL FREE TO COMPLAIN IF YOU THINK IT WILL HELP.

and we have a huge question mark in goal. AGREED BUT I STILL LIKE OUR CHANCES WAY BETTER WITH MASON/EMORY THAN WITH BRYZASTER AND LEAKY.

We are not one player away from competing for the Cup. Sorry. WHO EVER SAID THE FLYERS WERE ONE PLAYER AWAY FROM A CUP LAST YEAR???

Wouldn't we have been better off rebuilding and commiting to a youth movement. This team is mired in mediocrity for a reason and it is not a coincidence that we haven't won the Cup in decades: horrible management that lacks a vision - with no idea how to construct a team. As long as Snider and Gomer are in charge, expect to see the same, sad movie over and over again. THE FLYERS 13/14 WILL BE MUCH STRONGER THAN LAST YEAR, POSSIBLY EVEN A CUP CONTENDER, AND WE DIDNT LOSE ANY OF OUR YOUNG GUYS. I WOULDNT CONSIDER THAT MEDIOCRITY BUT I GET THE FEELING NOTHING WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY. HOMER HAS MADE SOME VERY DUMB MOVES OVER THE YEARS BUT SO FAR NOT THIS SUMMER. HE STILL HAS TIME THOUGH.

[trevluk]

@aziz

Great minds think alike! You just type faster than I do!

[toughfighter83]

i do agree about the defense and in goal but with screwing the development with schenn and courturier by signing vinny that doesnt screw it up, it only thing that screws them up is being sent them down to the ahl or trading them.

[Howie58]

Haven't we seen this movie before: signing past-their-prime players to absurd contracts and concomitantly rewarding one of your best players with a bloated contract before he really earns it (I love Giroux but he is very inconsistent: mediocre defensively and average at 5 on 5 play).

What happened to the youth movement? The signing of Vinny stunts the development of Schenn, Couturier and Laughton. And, for what reason? Lecavelier is not the missing piece - the player who puts us over the top. We are very slow up front, lack bangers who can get the puck in the corners, our defense is terrible and we have a huge question mark in goal. We are not one player away from competing for the Cup. Sorry.

Wouldn't we have been better off rebuilding and commiting to a youth movement. This team is mired in mediocrity for a reason and it is not a coincidence that we haven't won the Cup in decades: horrible management that lacks a vision - with no idea how to construct a team. As long as Snider and Gomer are in charge, expect to see the same, sad movie over and over again.

I don't know if I agree with all of what you say but it's a theme raised in today's Inquirer. Basically, we have to believe that the young nucleus of forwards Homer has collected are the hub of the future. Our D is a big question. G is improved on paper, a question mark in practice. So, Homer keeps his young guns intact. But we don't know if they are 22 caliber or 50 caliber.

Me thinks this is a transition year for the Flyers. With an increased cap and others off the books, the D can be thoroughly retooled. The Vinny signing is hard to explain in my book.

Best,

Howie

[jammer2]

Who knows, if the Flyers stand pat, have a bit of faith in Schenn, maybe he improves 20-30 pts in a break out year, and Vinny regress enough that Shenn's pts total would make acquiring Vinny a waste of time.....guess we will never know. Ditto for the Striet and Gus situation. These are the kids you selected, have a little faith they will respond to fill the holes, before investing in the theory they are not capable.

[aziz]

<br />Vinny regress enough that Shenn's pts total would make acquiring Vinny a waste of time.....guess we will never know. Ditto for the Striet and Gus situation. These are the kids you selected, have a little faith they will respond to fill the holes, before investing in the theory they are not capable. <br />

??

I was unaware that you could max out on available talent. thought there were 12 forward positions and 6 defensive. I kinda think it'd be great if schenn has a 60 point season along with lecavalier having a 60 point season of his own. and that gus and streit could both be successful.

goaltending is the only either/or on the team. having several capable skaters in each position is a good thing.

[jammer2]

??

I was unaware that you could max out on available talent. thought there were 12 forward positions and 6 defensive. I kinda think it'd be great if schenn has a 60 point season along with lecavalier having a 60 point season of his own. and that gus and streit could both be successful.

goaltending is the only either/or on the team. having several capable skaters in each position is a good thing.

Just say'in, have faith in Gus and Schenn, then you don't have to watch these guys embarass themselves as their contracts get to the half way point....and THEN....wait for it...actually spend the money on things we need.....or even better, don't spend it at all, take it into the season and put yourself in a positon of strength. Amazing how many quality players/deals can fall into your lap when you have more cap space than your rivals. Just cause you have the money, does not mean you have to spend it....just ask Buffalo and Mr.Leino and and Mr.Erhoff. Homer can't stand to have a few bucks in his pocket!

Edited July 7, 2013 by jammer2

[caluso]

your logic is seriously flawed. who cares that Vinny was captain of a stanley cup winning team. that was years ago. using your reasoning, had the flyers signed wayne gretzky or mark messier, winners of 5 and 6 stanley cup rings respectively, that wouldn't stunt or be bad for the team, either. the simple fact is that Vinny will be centering the second line, displacing Schenn to wing, and keeping Couturier as a third line centerman (4th if he keeps playing the way he did). how is that helping those two develop? Schenn is forced to play out of position while Couturier will be forced to play sparingly. And, then there's Laughton.....relegated to the minors.

also, you mentioned that centerman was a missing piece. REALLY? C was our deepest position: G, Schenn, Cout, Laughton. Vinny's money would have been better spent finding a young winger or young d-man.

and, i argue that you don't make a move for Vinny unless he is that one piece who puts you over the top; otherwise, why spend 4.5 million per year for an ageing C who not only ties up valuable cap space, but blocks the development of younger players. THIS IS A HARD SALARY CAP LEAGUE, EVERY DOLLAR MATTERS.

Edited July 7, 2013 by caluso

[aziz]

@caluso

displacing Schenn to wing, and keeping Couturier as a third line centerman

Dude, make up your mind as to what you are going to be upset about. One of schenn being displaced to wing or couturier centering the third line was going to happen, anyway. They can't both center the second line, can they? Were you prepared to be pissed about those travesties before the lecavalier signing?

What if lecavalier goes to a wing? Or centers Giroux and voracek?

Edited July 7, 2013 by aziz

[murraycraven]

Say what you want but when you look at the contracts that have been given out Vinny and Streit look like steals. Moreso, Emery could have gotten more money elsewhere...

Wah, wah, wah... Can we get over the whining here? Are they a contender? Most likely not. Are they better now than last year? Absolutely.

We did not give up any of our core to acquire players at a reasonable cap hit. We drafted two kids that will be with the club in a few years and have a chance to be very good NHL players - on Defense.

Lastly, we rid ourselves of two bad contracts and one serious locker room cancer. The team is better and we still have our youth... Like I said : can we quit the whining?

Edited July 7, 2013 by murraycraven

[falcor1313]

Some were expecting a rebuilding year correct? younger players are going to get playing time...kimmo and mez are comming off the books next year...and we drafted 2 possible starters on the blue line 2-3 years from now....i'd say thats a good start...oh yea..they also got rid of the bryzaster...and they might make the playoffs and win a series and once your in, who knows

[mojo1917]

@murraycraven

They are a threat to make the playoffs, on paper at least. I think there is good skill and a good mix of types of players, speed , grinders , vets , young guys I think they will be improved dramatically.

Once in the tournament they could get a good draw and have some luck with injuries...who knows.

I am a little skeptical of trying to have it both ways ( retooling while rebuilding) but this roster looks to have achieved just that. Aziz mentioned somewhere that sucking sucks and rarely leads to anything but continued sucking. Were it not for Pittsburgh lucking into Lemieux and Crosby , heck even Malkin , we would be less enamored of sucking being the strategy to win cups.

I am okay with these moves, still a little puzzled about Lecavalier , why we would need another C is ... ? Unless G moves to his wing on the top line with Voracek... The group of youngsters was a little rudderless last year and hopefully VLC will help with leadership and direction.

[OccamsRazor]

I am okay with these moves, still a little puzzled about Lecavalier , why we would need another C is ... ?

Because there is a offer sitting on the table somewhere for a player(s) they want i guarantee it and he is to cover if.......when they pull the trigger on it, maybe soon also to keep him from falling into enemies hands... he 's brings size down the middle when he wants to use it.

He has won a Cup...and his price per year ain't bad...the only problem maybe is the length.

[beachflyer]

Lecavalier is better than all the other flyers forwards with the exception of Giroux. What's not to like about his signing?? IMO B Schenn will never become the player he was touted to be. Think the same of him as JVR. Saw JVR in Norfolk once and he was terrible and except for a few games in a Flyers jersey did very little; hardly ever used his size. Keep the faith, the flyers can only go up this year!

[Mad Dog]

IMO B Schenn will never become the player he was touted to be.

If I may ask... how do you know that?

Edited July 8, 2013 by Mad Dog

[OccamsRazor]

If I may ask... how do you know that?

He's got Homer's magic 8 ball!!!!!!!!!

[beachflyer]

If I may ask... how do you know that?

Just a gut feeling and watching his play for the past two years. I honestly hope that I am wrong though.

[caluso]

Lecavalier is better than all the other flyers forwards with the exception of Giroux. What's not to like about his signing?? IMO B Schenn will never become the player he was touted to be. Think the same of him as JVR. Saw JVR in Norfolk once and he was terrible and except for a few games in a Flyers jersey did very little; hardly ever used his size. Keep the faith, the flyers can only go up this year!

since voracek is our best forward, that is absurd.

[caluso]

@caluso

Dude, make up your mind as to what you are going to be upset about. One of schenn being displaced to wing or couturier centering the third line was going to happen, anyway. They can't both center the second line, can they? Were you prepared to be pissed about those travesties before the lecavalier signing?

What if lecavalier goes to a wing? Or centers Giroux and voracek?

no matter how you cut it, Lecavelier takes minutes from both of those guys. we did not need a C. it is a waste of valuable cap dollars.

let schenn be the second line center. or, if you want Schenn on the wing, move Cout up to the second line and promote Laughton. give youth a chance!

like i keep saying, lecavelier is a waste of cap dollars: we need a winger and d-men....we have centers who can do the job.

[beachflyer]

since voracek is our best forward, that is absurd.

Was our best forward last year but the talent and experience of Lecavalier will prove me right. Having a player of Lecavalier's pedigree can and will only improve the flyers.

[aziz]

<br />no matter how you cut it, Lecavelier takes minutes from both of those guys.<br />

I really just can't figure the math there. one or the other, yeah, he does. both? I mean, again, if schenn centers the 2nd line instead of lecavalier, then couturier is on the 3rd. if schenn moves to wing and couturier centers the 2nd instead of lecavalier, then schenn is on a wing. how could it work where couturier isn't on the 3rd line AND schenn centers the 2nd??

or, if you want Schenn on the wing, move Cout up to the second line and promote Laughton. give youth a chance!

well, really, couturier seems to me more and more like a 3rd line defensive guy. he doesn't have the wheels for a press-the-attack game. I could be wrong, but I think i'd WANT to see him in a 3rd line role, really. it seems the best use of his abilities. and laughton...I haven't seen anything of him outside of the 5 games last season, but everything I can find, scouting-wise, says potentially a 3rd line guy, with some ability for spot-filling on the second line. I don't see a problem with giving him a full season in the A. don't know what the rush is to get him on NHL ice, he has some teeth to cut, still. again, from what little I've seen and everything I've read.

like i keep saying, lecavelier is a waste of cap dollars: we need a winger and d-men....

winger: move schenn to the side. done. and just as I get the impression couturier's best use is on the 3rd, I think maybe moving schenn nearer the boards makes the most use of his game. the guy likes to hit, likes to chase pucks into corners, likes to break wide down the left side. so put him over there and let him play. what is it hurting him to do that, and then receive passes from a four-time allstar center?

dman: ok. I think the flyers are ok on the blueline, but pretending they aren't, what are you going to do? unwind the lecavalier deal, what are you going to do with those cap dollars right now to add someone to the blueline? who are you getting? there really isn't anyone out there, is there? plus, I thought we were giving youth a chance, why are you wanting to go out and bring someone else in?