Where do we go from here? Your predictions.

[doom88]

Richards and Giroux were late first round picks.

[Flyingswede]

I dont care about the top names. Winning mentality is more important than adding top names to a loosers team. I rather see better "taking care of" youngsters and the development of them. Homer did some mistakes and we are suffering right know, its just to keep working and hope Hexy is smarter.  We'll come back.  

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

I'm not holding my breath just because of a two game win streak. Fact is, against the top teams, this team simply does not measure up. At the same time, Hextall just can't blow things up and openly tank. The competitor in him won't. I've said it before and I'll say it again - if the Flyers are out of contention two weeks before the trade deadline, Hextall will go into full sale mode and I expect at least 7 or 8 bodies to be moved, several draft picks come our way and significant salary cap space open up. 

[Vincent05]

Richards and Giroux were late first round picks.

Yes and so was Williams and Gagne. Shows they can get 2 good forwards every 10 years or so.

[doom88]

Yes and so was Williams and Gagne. Shows they can get 2 good forwards every 10 years or so.

Look at how many picks were traded away.

[idahophilly]

I'm not holding my breath just because of a two game win streak.

 

 I'm not asking anyone to hold their breath. However, knowing they are not going to get a top 3 pick (barring a legitimate collapse), I'd rather the team do as good as they can and develop what they have per my plan laded out previously. Negative feeds negative and that isn't good for the new players coming up. Positive feed positive. I find it better to be a glass is half full person than burn it all down. So long as your ready with a plan if it goes in the crapper all the way then there is no harm in enjoying watching the lines gel and see what they can do, as a group and individually. There is still 50+ games to go.

[flyercanuck]

@idahophilly

 

Buffalo has 26 points. Philly has 27. I'm going to guess Buffalo is feeling pretty good about themselves right now with their play. The Flyers need an enema to purge themselves of Vinnie, Umberger and most of that D. Until they do that, this team CAN'T win. If I'm Hextall I'm listening to offers for any of that. D should be moveable at the deadline at worst.

[brelic]

@idahophilly

 

Buffalo has 26 points. Philly has 27. I'm going to guess Buffalo is feeling pretty good about themselves right now with their play. The Flyers need an enema to purge themselves of Vinnie, Umberger and most of that D. Until they do that, this team CAN'T win. If I'm Hextall I'm listening to offers for any of that. D should be moveable at the deadline at worst.

 

I think Hexy's been all ears since he took office.

 

But don't delude yourself into thinking there are any offers for the garbage we have on the blueline. If we don't even want them - a bottom 5 team - why on Earth would anyone else?

 

As a side note, I'm still annoyed that Berube is scratching MDZ on some sort of rotation with Schenn. 

[Vincent05]

@brelic

Playoff teams will want them for depth in case of injury. I only see guys with expiring contracts that have some value.

[radoran]

@brelic

Playoff teams will want them for depth in case of injury. I only see guys with expiring contracts that have some value.

 

You know who has an expiring contract on the Flyers?

 

Bellemare, White, Vandevelde, Timonen, Del Zotto, Schultz, Coliacovo and Emery.

 

Everyone else is signed through next season.

 

#homercoaster™

[Vincent05]

I'm sure Hexy can get some picks for MDZ, Schutlz and CC. Might not be what you like but at least something.

[fanaticV3.0]

I think Hexy's been all ears since he took office.

 

But don't delude yourself into thinking there are any offers for the garbage we have on the blueline. If we don't even want them - a bottom 5 team - why on Earth would anyone else?

 

As a side note, I'm still annoyed that Berube is scratching MDZ on some sort of rotation with Schenn. 

 

I hate, hate, hate, when coaches develop completely inexplicable vendettas against specific players. It's starting to get to the point where I am beginning to think if Berube is here next year, Del Zotto won't be.

[radoran]

I'm sure Hexy can get some picks for MDZ, Schutlz and CC. Might not be what you like but at least something.

 

Sure, but that's not at all what I think brelic was talking about.

 

He's not trying to get rid of MDZ or CC - and they're really not the issues on the blueline and certainly not what brelic calls "the garbage" (Coliacovo has played five games...). Moreover, anyone could have had either of them for nothing last summer and both of them were available when Hextall needed to sign them.

 

I also think a 2nd is - at best and in a desperate situation - what you can get for any of them and the more likely scenario of getting a third and a couple fourths for those guys you mention isn't going to make that much of a difference, either.

 

I also wouldn't mind hanging onto (24-year-old) MDZ.

 

Getting rid of (some of) the five guys signed for next season - Grossmann, LSchenn, etc. - would make the biggest difference and open up places for our "Developing" defensemen.

[flyercanuck]

I think Hexy's been all ears since he took office.

 

But don't delude yourself into thinking there are any offers for the garbage we have on the blueline. If we don't even want them - a bottom 5 team - why on Earth would anyone else?

 

As a side note, I'm still annoyed that Berube is scratching MDZ on some sort of rotation with Schenn. 

 

 

I don't think anyone is lining up for our highly sought after defence.. But I do think come trade deadline, or close to it, teams who think they have a shot will be sifting through the rubble of the sellers for some available depth, especially on the blueline. Dmen tend to take a beating in postseason. Teams looking for physicality may well be willing to take a chance on a Schenn or Grossmann. As much abuse as Coburn takes on this board, plenty of teams would like to see what they could do with a big guy who can skate I'd imagine. I could see teams making offers on DZ or Shultz as well. It won't be anything blockbuster, but it might be something.

[radoran]

I do think come trade deadline, or close to it, teams who think they have a shot will be sifting through the rubble of the sellers for some available depth

 

I agree with this, but none of those guys are true "rentals" in that they have additional year(s) on their deals that could mitigate the value of their appeal.

 

Coburn is probably the most valuable piece.

 

IIRC, Grossmann was brought here under the same terms you are describing. And then homercoastered into a big contract to "justify" the assets spent acquiring him (a 2nd and a 3rd - sounding #homercoster™ familiar)..

[brelic]

Sure, but that's not at all what I think brelic was talking about.

 

He's not trying to get rid of MDZ or CC - and they're really not the issues on the blueline and certainly not what brelic calls "the garbage" (Coliacovo has played five games...). Moreover, anyone could have had either of them for nothing last summer and both of them were available when Hextall needed to sign them.

 

I also think a 2nd is - at best and in a desperate situation - what you can get for any of them and the more likely scenario of getting a third and a couple fourths for those guys you mention isn't going to make that much of a difference, either.

 

I also wouldn't mind hanging onto (24-year-old) MDZ.

 

Getting rid of (some of) the five guys signed for next season - Grossmann, LSchenn, etc. - would make the biggest difference and open up places for our "Developing" defensemen.

 

Yes, that's exactly what I was talking about. 

 

By "garbage" I meant guys like MacDonald (more related to contract), Grossmann, Schenn. 

 

Ideally, I would keep Streit, MDZ, Coburn, Schultz and Colaiacovo (give him another 1 year deal). Coburn's deal expires after next season, so you can decide then if you want to keep him. But until then, he really is our #1A along with Streit. I can't imagine a scenario where we get a better defenseman than Coburn for next season (at his relatively cheap salary) without giving up way too much in return. It just wouldn't be worth it.

 

Leave one roster spot open for competition, where hopefully one of Alt, Manning, Hagg or Ghost comes in and earns a spot. For insurance purposes, they could keep Schenn or Grossmann around.

 

So you might end up with something like

 

Streit/Coburn

MDZ/Schultz

Colaiacovo/Ghost

 

That looks a lot more mobile than what we have now.

[brelic]

 

 

IIRC, Grossmann was brought here under the same terms you are describing. And then homercoastered into a big contract to "justify" the assets spent acquiring him (a 2nd and a 3rd - sounding #homercoster™ familiar)..

 

Madness. There's no way in hell we could get a 2nd and 3rd for Grossmann now. 

[brelic]

I don't think anyone is lining up for our highly sought after defence.. But I do think come trade deadline, or close to it, teams who think they have a shot will be sifting through the rubble of the sellers for some available depth, especially on the blueline. Dmen tend to take a beating in postseason. Teams looking for physicality may well be willing to take a chance on a Schenn or Grossmann. As much abuse as Coburn takes on this board, plenty of teams would like to see what they could do with a big guy who can skate I'd imagine. I could see teams making offers on DZ or Shultz as well. It won't be anything blockbuster, but it might be something.

 

Sure, it's possible - I imagine teams would prefer someone in our top 3 over our bottom 3 (or 5, as it were). Coburn and Streit would probably garner strong interest. 

[radoran]

Madness. There's no way in hell we could get a 2nd and 3rd for Grossmann now. 

 

You wouldn't get that for him with another year on the deal, no. Next year at the deadline - under the right circumstances - possibly a 2nd. Not thinking even then they get two 3+ picks for him.

 

He was a $1.625M defenseman when the Flyers got him and then, of course*, more than doubled his salary and added a modified NTC.

 

And they even spelled his name right for the first time in his NHL career!

 

 

 

* #homercoaster™

[brelic]

You wouldn't get that for him with another year on the deal, no. Next year at the deadline - under the right circumstances - possibly a 2nd. Not thinking even then they get two 3+ picks for him.

 

He was a $1.625M defenseman when the Flyers got him and then, of course*, more than doubled his salary and added a modified NTC.

 

And they even spelled his name right for the first time in his NHL career!

 

 

 

* #homercoaster™

 

Homer - Turning 1st round picks into 2nd round picks since Versteeg.

[Adamflyers]

I have never thought his team was worthy of the McDavid Sweepstakes or any of the top 5 picks to be honest.  I believe I stated this opinion in the beginning of the year when I felt we were ranked too low in the Power rankings.

 

This team has too much scoring potential and too good a goalie to be bad enough for one of the coveted picks in this years draft, without making a trade.  It doesn't mean they won't crap the bed and get down there, but when I look at this roster of forwards and the goalie, I don't see it.  The recent bad stretch and the lack of goals were perplexing to me considering the guys who were not scoring have a good track record of putting up some goals.  Matt Read especially had me wondering if he was playing hurt or if his confidence was just shot, but he has finally made an appearance this season.

 

What still troubles me about this team, even with the good forwards, is how a team like the Rangers can still keep them in check.  They could barely score a goal against them, let alone win a game.

 

My prediction is still the same as it was when the season began....probably good enough to be on the playoff bubble and with some luck sneak in or just miss, but not bad enough to pick for any generational players.  At this point, patience is the only hope we have.  We have 4 young d-men developing in the A and juniors.  We have an O that can obviously score goals, but they have to stay consistent and have to figure out how to beat the defensive minded teams.  Does that mean we need a new coach?...I'd say yes because I was never a fan of the Berube hire, but I feel like every coach we have had since the trap style hockey came around has not been able to guide this team to victories against that style of D, so not sure if it would do any good.

[brelic]

What still troubles me about this team, even with the good forwards, is how a team like the Rangers can still keep them in check.

 

Team speed.

 

Individually, we have too many middle of the road skaters, especially on the blue line.

 

As a team, our execution falls flat and is prone to mistakes when it is pressured. The Rangers are always moving their feet (and I'm not using that as a cliche - watch their feet when they pursue us and then watch us when we 'pursue' them half-heartedly).

[flyercanuck]

I agree with this, but none of those guys are true "rentals" in that they have additional year(s) on their deals that could mitigate the value of their appeal.

 

Coburn is probably the most valuable piece.

 

IIRC, Grossmann was brought here under the same terms you are describing. And then homercoastered into a big contract to "justify" the assets spent acquiring him (a 2nd and a 3rd - sounding #homercoster™ familiar)..

 

Coburn has value despite what some on here would have you think. I'm not in the "he needs to go" camp but would deal him for the right return. He, Grossmann and Schenn each have one more year after this one. I don't think any of them are old enough to make that a deal breaker. Of course we aren't the only sellers but D is something teams covet at the deadline and I think we'd be open to offers on any of them.

[Adamflyers]

Team speed.

 

Individually, we have too many middle of the road skaters, especially on the blue line.

 

As a team, our execution falls flat and is prone to mistakes when it is pressured. The Rangers are always moving their feet (and I'm not using that as a cliche - watch their feet when they pursue us and then watch us when we 'pursue' them half-heartedly).

Good point.  I always think of G and Jake as fast, but sometimes I see them in a foot race with another player and I'm often disappointed that they couldn't get there first.  Same goes for a couple others.  I think some of our guys have speed, but they fall more towards the middle when compared to other players in the league.

 

I think with the speed we have, ti should be enough to do better than the slop we have seen against NY so far though.  Smart passing combined with the speed they have should be able to get into the zone cleanly more often then they have against those defensive minded teams.

[Podein25]

Coburn has value despite what some on here would have you think. I'm not in the "he needs to go" camp but would deal him for the right return. He, Grossmann and Schenn each have one more year after this one. I don't think any of them are old enough to make that a deal breaker. Of course we aren't the only sellers but D is something teams covet at the deadline and I think we'd be open to offers on any of them.

 

Agreed. The good news is any of them could move. Coburn is easily the most valuable - worth a 2nd rounder for sure - and would be coveted for a team making a run. You need 8 solid D-men come playoff time. Such are the rigours of playoff hockey...guys who have shown they can play at the NHL level matter when it comes to the playoffs. It doesn't matter that much that they haven't played well on a lousy team...