Bill Meltzer - Today's Blog - Meltzer's Musings: Status Quo, Quick Hits

[pilldoc]

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?blogger_id=45

 

"We’ve got a couple guys we’re still looking at if we get them in the right range – one guy specifically – so, there’s still things you can do," he said.

Who could that one particular target be? The most widely rumored forward candidate has been veteran agitator Steve Ott. Other notable names still on the market include the likes of speedy but enigmatic former 30-goal scorer Devin Setoguchi, Radim Vrbata, Dustin Penner, Mikhail Grabovski, Lee Stempniak, Brenden Morrow, David Booth, Ray Whitney, Nikolai Kulemin and Mike Santorelli.

Hextall said the team would also ideally like to add an unrestricted veteran defensemen for depth. The remaining market includes the likes of Michael Del Zotto (what on earth has happened with him in the last two seasons?), Andre Benoit, Jamie McBain, Raphael Diaz, Paul Ranger, Chris Butler and aging veterans in their mid-to-late 30s such as Sami Salo, Derek Morris, Cory Sarich, Scott Hannan and Joe Corvo.

 

So who do you think they are targeting "IF" they had the cap room by moving VLC?  Who would you want from this list if any?  Not sure if I would want Steve Ott on this team.  I know about a year or two ago, there were some on here debating if Dustin Penner would be a good fit.  Vrbata?

 

On defense, there was much discussion yesterday about Del Zotto.  I don't think this team would go down the road for a mid to late 30's defenseman UNLESS it was for a 1 or 2 year deal only into for the young kids to grow.

 

Thoughts? / Opinions?

 

[brelic]

I like Del Zotto. Granted, I haven't watched him a ton, but teams may have soured on him. I think he still has a lot of upside.

 

I'm sure we could get him for around $3M as a replacement for Schenn or Grossmann.

[off_the_post]

There are a few names out there that are interesting.  Del Zotto jumps out at me the most - more for his supposed potential rather than his recent play which I understand (not from watching first hand though) is not up to his potential.

[Philly29]

If by some miracle that the team could find a way to afford it. Vrbata and Del Zotto would be two solid pick ups.

[off_the_post]

Mueller, who is not mentioned above, is very interesting.  He put up some good numbers before some severe concussion issues.  I don't think they can take a gamble with their limited cap space but if VLC is moved....

[jammer2]

 Switch G to the wing and make his center *Grab*ovski.....how funny would that be?!?

[jammer2]

  There is no doubt some upside to Mr.Del Zotto. Last year could have been an abberation, who knows?  Here is my big problem with signing him...he is a huge risk. The Flyers can't afford to make a mistake on a top 6 d-man. There is a real good chance he could be a weak link in the line-up, a player who opposing coaches can focus on getting match ups on. We have to get better defensively, so there is a real good chance Del Zotto would be a counter-productive move. The upside on offense does not equal the potential problems on defense in my books.

[doom88]

DelZotto > Grossmann

[brelic]

DelZotto > Grossmann

 

I'd agree with that. Del Zotto at least has mobility in his toolset, and can be taught to make smarter decisions within a cohesive system.

[doom88]

I'd agree with that. Del Zotto at least has mobility in his toolset, and can be taught to make smarter decisions within a cohesive system.

And, youthful potential.

[xganarchy]

I'm kind of interested in Booth. He has some great talent, good goal scoring while with Florida, and a LW. Thoughts?

[brelic]

I'm kind of interested in Booth. He has some great talent, good goal scoring while with Florida, and a LW. Thoughts?

 

What happened to him in Vancouver? He was brutal. 

[Vanflyer]

replacement for Schenn or Grossmann.

 

It would have to be the later. If its Schenn, then that makes Macdonald negligible. 2 steps backwards for one step forward. 

[jammer2]

@Vanflyer  There is a reason Del Zotto is just sitting there for free with no takers. He's a risky venture in his own end. Grossmann is much better defensively than Del Zotto, the Flyers have to get better in their own end, not worse. I'm all for dumping Gross in the right kind of deal, mainly because it will mean a youngster has forced their hand and found a way on the roster.....but I'm iffy on Del Zotto. This guy really regressed and looked lost in his own end most of the time. I just think it's a real buyers beware situation.

 

  This part I know for sure, Del Zotto has tremendous offensive upside. He can run a top pp. That is a very valuable skill in this league...so the fact he is still available. is curious to say the least.....has me worried.

[murraycraven]

Mueller, who is not mentioned above, is very interesting.  He put up some good numbers before some severe concussion issues.  I don't think they can take a gamble with their limited cap space but if VLC is moved....

 

 

Agreed... I think Mueller is worth the risk and would be a cheap short term deal.  I like DZ too but they would need to trade a defensman (or two) if they were to sign him.  

[Jam1986]

How about Alt. Just puck out and up that is all that matters

[aziz]

And, youthful potential.

 

and traded straight up for kevin klein, and then 6 months later allowed to walk as an unqualified RFA.  that is a pair of pretty spectacularly terrible comments on what the teams that have owned him thought of his game.  

 

guys, the grass is not always greener.  how many 24 yearolds can you think of whose teams shrugged their shoulders and just let the kid walk away unqualified?  

[Orangecat]

I'd be fine with mueller or setoguchi to help add some low risk goal scoring pop.

[murraycraven]

setoguchi

 

pass on seto for me... head case and lazy.

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

I'd have no problems with Del Zotto. He had a bad year last year. It happens to players. Prior to that, when Tortorella took over as the Rangers boss, Del Zotto was really becoming a complete player. He was making good decisions defensively, he was playing well offensively and looked like he was going to be the top power play defender and solid second pairing guy (a Matt Carle). Then, Tortorella gets fired, Vigneault comes in and Del Zotto is in his dog house from the get go. No reasons were indicated, but Del Zotto was there. He gets shipped to Nashville and the same, he's in Trotz's dog house and no reason given. I'm sure it probably took a toll mentally on Del Zotto and instead of asking the coach what he needed to do, he tried figuring things out on his own, taking an even bigger hit to his confidence.

 

Now, there were 'stories' coming out that Del Zotto is a bit of a partier and that he was known to frequent night clubs regularly. With that being said, I'd have to think that being discarded by two franchises might be the wake up call that Del Zotto needs to get his focus back. Personally, I'd love to see him in Philadelphia because he is definitely a legitimate 2nd pairing guy with great offensive upside if given the opportunity and if his confidence isn't shattered. Maybe this is the type of reclamation project that the Flyers should take a chance on. He's had considerable success in the past and is only one season removed from a near .5 PPG scoring average.

[aziz]

I'd have no problems with Del Zotto. He had a bad year last year. It happens to players. Prior to that, when Tortorella took over as the Rangers boss, Del Zotto was really becoming a complete player. He was making good decisions defensively, he was playing well offensively and looked like he was going to be the top power play defender and solid second pairing guy (a Matt Carle). Then, Tortorella gets fired, Vigneault comes in and Del Zotto is in his dog house from the get go. No reasons were indicated, but Del Zotto was there. He gets shipped to Nashville and the same, he's in Trotz's dog house and no reason given. I'm sure it probably took a toll mentally on Del Zotto and instead of asking the coach what he needed to do, he tried figuring things out on his own, taking an even bigger hit to his confidence.

 

from what i understand, he had problems with tortorella, and then vigneault, and finally trotz.  i don't know, i didn't pay a lot of attention to the rags' internal dramas, but traded for crap (and rangers fans figure they won that trade, fwiw), then healthy scratched by nashville, and then allowed to just walk away at 24.  nashville didn't even try to get a 4th round pick for his rights, they wanted him gone.  sounds like a terrible thing to add to the flyers' roster at this point.  

 

maybe the most informative thing i saw was this posted in the comments of an article talking about how he basically needs to get on his knees and beg a team to take him at this point:

 

erdrick68 - Jul 6, 2014 at 11:28 PM

His biggest problem is a seeming arrogance. He refuses to learn from his mistakes. I have no problem with young players making mistakes, but they should be making new mistakes which indicates they have worked to fix past problems. Del Zotto since 2009 and he still makes the same exact mistakes he made as a rookie. The reason his rookie season was his best was because teams didn’t yet have a detailed enough scouting report to exploit the holes in his game, but even then his play tailed off significantly as the season went on. He still plays the game like he’s in junior and just being more talented matters. Crosby doesn’t dominate just because of talent, he also works incredibly hard every off season to improve a weakness in his game, such as becoming an excellent face off man after the criticism began to mount. MDZ is like Ovechkin, once a book became available for beating him, they failed to adjust. For most of his career Ovie had that one, outside-inside, move and after defensemen started to finally work to prevent it, he had to adjust his play (after his first down season).

 

smells like disaster for the flyers, to me.

[doom88]

and traded straight up for kevin klein, and then 6 months later allowed to walk as an unqualified RFA. that is a pair of pretty spectacularly terrible comments on what the teams that have owned him thought of his game.

guys, the grass is not always greener. how many 24 yearolds can you think of whose teams shrugged their shoulders and just let the kid walk away unqualified?

I'm not generally a grass is greener guy, I just want Grossmann gone. I think DZ could improve, but your point is loud and clear: big risk.

I'd still take the chance, because he's an available potential solution to a Flyers problem: puck moving defenseman who are both affordable and could have upside remaining. Might as well try to buy low.

That former RFA thing though, ouch and a half.

[aziz]

That former RFA thing though, ouch and a half.

 

honestly, i can't think of another clearly NHL-caliber RFA who was just allowed to walk as a UFA.  i'm sure it's happened and i'm just forgetting about it, but still.  the level of "get the f#@k out" required to let that asset disappear with no possibility of return or compensation is intense.  that's where my bad feeling is coming from.  he is definitely a talent, definitely has upside, and if the price is right, could be worth a go, but...that's two teams over the course of 6 months that wanted him gone no matter what was or wasn't coming back.  that's a pretty amazing thing.

[Mad Dog]

I'll pass on Setoguchi.  A drama quinn with an attitude problem and a sense of entitlement.  Flyers fans will boo him of the arena after 10 games tops.

[doom88]

honestly, i can't think of another clearly NHL-caliber RFA who was just allowed to walk as a UFA. i'm sure it's happened and i'm just forgetting about it, but still. the level of "get the f#@k out" required to let that asset disappear with no possibility of return or compensation is intense. that's where my bad feeling is coming from. he is definitely a talent, definitely has upside, and if the price is right, could be worth a go, but...that's two teams over the course of 6 months that wanted him gone no matter what was or wasn't coming back. that's a pretty amazing thing.

Yep, I'm drawing a blank too.