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Meltzer Blog: Flyers Aggressively Pursuing Zaitsev


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Igor Eronko ‏@IgorEronko  May 4
#TeamRussia F Sergei Plotnikov will buy out his #KHL contract to sign in the #NHL #Lokomotiv #IHWC

 

Bring his comrade over as well he can play LW...sure why not??? Especially if it helps land Zaitsev.

 

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=17760

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#TeamRussia F Sergei Plotnikov will buy out his #KHL contract to sign in the #NHL #Lokomotiv #IHWC

 

 

 

Red Line Report had him ranked 1st among potential European Free Agents, saying:

 

Big monster can do it all...consistently the most dangerous forward on Team Russia...big, physical, and mean on the forecheck. Hits to hurt and wins all the battles down low. Can both create and finish chances. Excellent hands and a quick release. Sees the ice and anticipates very well. Unselfish with the puck. Smart and instinctive all over the ice.

 

Can that really be a Russian hockey player he's talking about?!?

 

He turns 25 in June. 

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Yes it would seem he is getting things in order so if/when ink is about to be put to paper a deal will be done, hopefully two to move some guys out. Something tells me at the draft is when these moves take place. But not before hand...he hopefully isn't like Homer to paint himself into a corner.

 

This is a great point, if Hexy is setting up his replacement pieces, so that when he unloads players during the draft, he has rosters already filled up for the new season as well as planting seeds for the farm, if Hexy pulls it off, Hexy will be a prime candidate for having a top score as a doomsday prepper...building a sustainable system to stay relevant in the present while replenishing your supplies for the future.

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This is a great point, if Hexy is setting up his replacement pieces, so that when he unloads players during the draft, he has rosters already filled up for the new season as well as planting seeds for the farm, if Hexy pulls it off, Hexy will be a prime candidate for having a top score as a doomsday prepper...building a sustainable system to stay relevant in the present while replenishing your supplies for the future.

It's been awfully quite in the Flyer group something tells me he is keeping his plans to very few...the fewer you tell the better chances you have of keeping things under wraps...less leaks...i'm hoping this is the case.

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It's been awfully quite in the Flyer group something tells me he is keeping his plans to very few...the fewer you tell the better chances you have of keeping things under wraps...less leaks...i'm hoping this is the case.

 

 

I think there are a lot of Flyer fans who are going to have a hard time with a management who doesn't need to make a splash just for the sake of it 

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This kid's skillset sounds perfect for Hak's system he wants to implement. Now how do you move off the turds on this blueline. Luke and GrossmanN sound like the polar opposite of what he needs for his system to move forward...

 

...i say just give them away at the draft for future picks...if you can...purge...

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Red Line Report had him ranked 1st among potential European Free Agents, saying:

 

Big monster can do it all...consistently the most dangerous forward on Team Russia...big, physical, and mean on the forecheck. Hits to hurt and wins all the battles down low. Can both create and finish chances. Excellent hands and a quick release. Sees the ice and anticipates very well. Unselfish with the puck. Smart and instinctive all over the ice.

 

Can that really be a Russian hockey player he's talking about?!?

 

He turns 25 in June. 

i would not mind having the big, mean , elbow swinging Russian with some skill on my team... He looks Malkinesque without all the ugly.

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That's great that Hextall is signing all these guys, but he still needs to make room for them. Right now, that bloated blue line needs to be pared away. Honestly, if I'm Ron, everyone but Schultz and Del Zotto from last season are available. Hextall should be able to get a very good return for Streit, at least a 3rd round pick each for Grossmann and Schenn, but he's going to have to eat at least 40% of MacDonald's remaining contract in order to move him. That leaves Schultz and Del Zotto as the only returnees from last season, Gudas will be the right side guy on the third pairing, and if things go accordingly, Zaitsev and Medvedev to add to the mix. Add one of Gostisbehere, Hagg or Morin to the mix and the defense has been completely rebuilt. 

 

I'm starting to get giddy about this.

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@BobbyClarkeFan16  I'm just a little worried about the way Hexy is going about this. Now, he has no real leverage because the whole league now knows he will be desperate to unload these contracts. I guess you don't want to miss out on somebody you are convinced will help the team, but by putting the cart before the horse, he has inadvertently but himself in a bad bargaining position.

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@BobbyClarkeFan16  I'm just a little worried about the way Hexy is going about this. Now, he has no real leverage because the whole league now knows he will be desperate to unload these contracts. I guess you don't want to miss out on somebody you are convinced will help the team, but by putting the cart before the horse, he has inadvertently but himself in a bad bargaining position.

 

I'm sure he's got something up his sleeve. I think as Flyers fans, we've become so accustomed to our GMs throwing crap at a wall and seeing what sticks, that it's nice to have a GM who is secretive, but makes key moves without much fan fare or announcements. Hextall is methodical in his approach and he's very quiet about things. I'm sure he's got his takers all lined up for Grossmann and Schenn. I'm also pretty certain that he's got fires stoked for MacD and Streit as well.

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@BobbyClarkeFan16  I'm just a little worried about the way Hexy is going about this. Now, he has no real leverage because the whole league now knows he will be desperate to unload these contracts. I guess you don't want to miss out on somebody you are convinced will help the team, but by putting the cart before the horse, he has inadvertently but himself in a bad bargaining position.

Yes i agree it rings of Homer. Unless he has a deal already agreed upon which has been announced.

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I'm not worried at all about shedding Grossmann and Luke. They are serviceable d-men on expiring contracts. He should be able to move those quite easily. A 3rd rounder for Grossmann would be a decent return. He could probably get a 2nd for Luke. 

 

Streit and Schultz can also be moved quite easily. Reasonable contracts for what they bring. Streit has $5M coming for two more years, but he just put his second best career numbers and is gold on the PP. That's valuable. And Schultz is a decent 2nd pairing d-man on a 2 year contract at a reasonable hit.

 

Something tells me he'll keep Schultz because of the extension he gave him. It's his signing.

 

Gudas is a cheaper Schenn in an appropriate role (3rd pairing/extra guy). I think he keeps him too because it was his Coburn deal that brought him here.

 

I think MDZ can fill Streit's role. It might take him a year or two to reach the same level, but that's ok.

 

Anyway, I'm really enjoying Hextall's below the radar moves.

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@brelic  I think teams might initially balk at Streits deal, but once the main guy pp d-man goes down with a longer type of injury, he will suddenly look like an attractive option.

 

I don't know @jammer2. I think a lot of teams are going to see 52 points at 37 years of age with not a lot of NHL mileage on his body and are going to be enticed by that. I think there will be a number of teams interested in Streit if he goes on the market.

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I don't know @jammer2. I think a lot of teams are going to see 52 points at 37 years of age with not a lot of NHL mileage on his body and are going to be enticed by that. I think there will be a number of teams interested in Streit if he goes on the market.

 

That's kind of what I'm thinking. He's not a physical defenseman, and hasn't really been injured. So he's a durable offensive D.

 

I get your point, @jammer2, and I think the market for him would be even better in a situation you describe - sometime after the season starts and players go down to injury.

 

I would move him last of all the guys we have unless you can get something excellent for him now.

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@brelic  I think teams might initially balk at Streits deal, but once the main guy pp d-man goes down with a longer type of injury, he will suddenly look like an attractive option.

 

That's what I'm thinking.. Streit might be a good deadline deal next year. 

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RE Streit:

 

a couple of things.  I fully expect this team to contend for a playoff spot next year, I think with the overhaul of the defense that is coming because Hextall's signed like 15 guys for 7 spots, this will be a better skating team than we've had in years.   I don't think if the Flyers are in the mix and a 90- 95 point team that they will be sellers at the deadline...especially if Streit is QBing the power play and giving the team 22+ solid minutes a night.  I just think no way is Hextall ditching him.

 

I also has a small concern about creating a leadership void by dealing him.  Giroux is a hot head and it is one of the things i like about him, however, that doesn't always play and there needs to be other respected voices with credibility in the room and there aren't many of those guys left.  Trading Streit depending on who comes back might be harmful to a team that is still young-ish and finding its way. 

 

I do see where he would bring a nice return , he is a good player , he is smart , not the train wreck in his own zone that was prognosticated on this very site by many beloved posters, he has been durable and doesn't (as someone else wrote) have the typical mileage of 37 year old NHL player.  

 

these moves by Hextall do seem to foreshadow some players we've seen in the orange and black getting some new colors.

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Recent interview with MDZ:

 

http://www.yorkregion.com/sports-story/5631894-stouffville-s-del-zotto-reflects-on-past-and-present-at-ohl-final/

 

The smooth-skating blueliner is a free agent come July 1 but would like to stay with the Flyers who he signed with last year after splitting the previous season with the New York Rangers and Nashville Predators.
 
"We're hoping to get something done sooner rather than later. It's just a matter of getting something fair for both sides," he said.
 
Asked if he would like to play for the New York Islanders, a team that includes a number of his former (Oshawa) Generals teammates including Tavares, Cal Clutterbuck and Calvin de Haan, Del Zotto smiled but said he's happy in Philadelphia.
 
"There are a lot of them (ex-Generals) there... big rivalry with Philadelphia. No, I love it there (Philadephia). Closest group of guys I've ever played with. Really want to go back, really love it there. I really believe in what we're doing. It's a great fit for me and I hope to be there for many years."
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why the **** would they ask him if he would want to play for the Isles?

 

 

Cause it's the Philly media, looking/fishing for stories that are not there....cause their knowledge is not decent enough to comment on real things.

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