Flyers add more depth with trade for Derek Grant

[King Knut]

8 hours ago, LegionOfDoom said:

These guys I hear are great depth insurance players who are vets. Now if there are any injuries we can bring up Bunny and Joel up and Frost as oppose to having really no one to bring up if injuries happen in a seven game series. Look how Hayes turned out as Nolan Patrick has not even been in one game all year. Had Fletch not made that move, where would we be at.

 

In regards to face-offs, in the playoffs that could be the difference of advancing or loosing a winnable series.

These players I hear play tough playoff hockey.

The GM is giving the coach tools and setting him up for success, not for completly changing the dynamic of the team.

They put Farabee and Bunny to get more ice time and improve their confidence/game in the AHL knowing they can bring them up in case of injuries and give the vets on the top six more depth to assist in rolling four lines with known quantities.

These are stealth solid moves that have a higher upside to succeed in a playoff environment.

 

I think Hazy was always the guy.  I feel like we came to that consensus here on the board last year sometime after he went to the Jets.

 

We didn't even have the insight Fletcher did on Patty's problems. I wanted Stone, but the Knights and the deadline took care of that.  Panarin would have been nice, but the 2C/3C to get Patty the minutes he needed to develop was the other thing I thought they needed maybe a little more and Hayes fit that bill to a T.

 

I think most of us here would have cringed that the thought of Duchene or someone coming in instead.

 

My only criticism of the Hayes deal was that Fletcher likely overpaid in dollars and term, but in the end, he got the guy many of us here were into.

 

Fletch has been pretty open about his reliance on AV to tell him what they need on the ice and he's done well to stay focused and get those pieces.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Podein25]

8 minutes ago, King Knut said:

 

I'll be honest.  I'm not terribly concerned about losing Bunny.  I think Farabee needs to be back throughout the remainder.  He's important.

 

But this guy is a good add for what ails the Flyers.  He's an extremely strong Penalty killer and thus will spell Giroux and or Coots from their PK time leaving them more fresh for 5V5 (at which they are already monsters) and PP time.

 

For him to have 14 goals with only 23%offensive zone starts is a bit remarkable.  His Corsi's trash, but the Ducks are horrible and he's literally at 23% Ozone starts which makes it a bit challenging to get legit shot attempts.

 

This is a good add.  As long as he and Thompson don't bump NAK.

 

 

 

Grant did score 3 of those 14 goals in one game (including an empty netter), so grain of salt I guess. But if you look at his career stats, he seems to have a knack for scoring. This might just mean that he's big and not scared to go into the dirty areas around the net for the garbage. Doesn't matter, goals are goals. And size is size.

 

I like the move.

[King Knut]

1 minute ago, Podein25 said:

 

Grant did score 3 of those 14 goals in one game (including an empty netter), so grain of salt I guess. But if you look at his career stats, he seems to have a knack for scoring. This might just mean that he's big and not scared to go into the dirty areas around the net for the garbage. Doesn't matter, goals are goals. And size is size.

 

I like the move.

 

Yeah and he's got a couple on the PP, but a guy who can put together a hat trick while playing on the Ducks this year?  

 

I'll take him for nothing on my roster.  

 

I'm not saying he's Ovechkin.  I'm saying he ain't a nothing bottom 6er.  

[Podein25]

1 minute ago, King Knut said:

I'm saying he ain't a nothing bottom 6er.

 

Yeah, fair enuff. Hayes is only marginally better probably, lol.

[OccamsRazor]

53 minutes ago, King Knut said:

I'm saying he ain't a nothing bottom 6er.  

 

I think these to guys will help give them some grit an toughness with the sound defense to help grind with the bigger banging teams like the Caps and Bruins if they are to ever met if they get into the playoffs.

 

I think Farabee needs some time with the Phantoms to recharge the battery and find his offense again. I don't think the flu helped him any but his offense had disappeared no goals since February 1st. It will do him some good to get back with Frosty and get back to goal scoring.

 

Bunnaman still has some positioning to work on when he doesn't have the puck and it would hurt him some to get back to putting the puck in the net too (no goals since january 13th).

 

I know these guys have been helping more in defensive roles but they have had their chances to score and haven't some no harm in sharpening their offensive skills now too which maybe has more to do with confidence than anything.

 

They will be back that is why they were loaned since there is no more waivers for the rest of the year and now the Flyers are allowed only 4 more recalls till the playoffs start.

 

These two acquisitions will make the Flyers harder to play against IMHO.

 

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by OccamsRazor
but the results of continuing to win will be the true test

[Digityman]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

I think Farabee needs some time with the Phantoms to recharge the battery and find his offense again. I don't think the flu helped him any but his offense had disappeared no goals since February 1st. It will do him some good to get back with Frosty and get back to goal scoring.

 

Farabee needed to go back 2-3 months ago honestly but there wasn't any better options available.  He will lick his wounds and be ready for a call up in the playoffs or ready next fall.  Same for Frost.  Bunnaman played fine and will one day be a good 4th line player for the Flyers.  But adding two guys that are currently better than Farabee/Bunnaman are NOW, means the Flyers are that much better and hard to play against.  While the kids get more time (needed time) to develop.  

 

Do these guys get to play in the AHL playoffs should phantoms make it miraculously?  I thought I saw the cutoff was around this time.

[flyercanuck]

4 hours ago, Digityman said:

 

Farabee needed to go back 2-3 months ago honestly but there wasn't any better options available.  He will lick his wounds and be ready for a call up in the playoffs or ready next fall.  Same for Frost.  Bunnaman played fine and will one day be a good 4th line player for the Flyers.  But adding two guys that are currently better than Farabee/Bunnaman are NOW, means the Flyers are that much better and hard to play against.  While the kids get more time (needed time) to develop.  

 

Do these guys get to play in the AHL playoffs should phantoms make it miraculously?  I thought I saw the cutoff was around this time.

 

Ya Farabee was looking lost out there...rushing plays, fumbling the puck. He's going to be a good player, he just needs to get used to playing in a better league.

[LegionOfDoom]

20 hours ago, King Knut said:

These guys I hear are great depth insurance players who are vets. Now if there are any injuries we can bring up Bunny and Joel up and Frost as oppose to having really no one to bring up if injuries happen in a seven game series. Look how Hayes turned out as Nolan Patrick has not even been in one game all year. Had Fletch not made that move, where would we be at.

20 hours ago, King Knut said:

 

I think Hazy was always the guy.  I feel like we came to that consensus here on the board last year sometime after he went to the Jets.

 

We didn't even have the insight Fletcher did on Patty's problems. I wanted Stone, but the Knights and the deadline took care of that.  Panarin would have been nice, but the 2C/3C to get Patty the minutes he needed to develop was the other thing I thought they needed maybe a little more and Hayes fit that bill to a T.

 

I think most of us here would have cringed that the thought of Duchene or someone coming in instead.

 

My only criticism of the Hayes deal was that Fletcher likely overpaid in dollars and term, but in the end, he got the guy many of us here were into.

 

Fletch has been pretty open about his reliance on AV to tell him what they need on the ice and he's done well to stay focused and get those pieces.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I was alluding to was that Hayes turned out to be a center that we NEEDED, in regards to depth that we didn't know would be so crucial to having, not having Patrick now as to comparing picking up these two players for our stretch run in case someone goes down with a temporary injury and these two players we picked up won't be spooked, come going deeper, into the playoff games and rounds.

[OccamsRazor]

Wow i didn't realize Grant had 15 goals this year....hmmmm....interesting.

 

....3 more than Matt Duchene....let that sink in a minute. 

[Clarke2Leach]

On 3/4/2020 at 1:06 AM, OccamsRazor said:

Wow i didn't realize Grant had 15 goals this year....hmmmm....interesting.

 

....3 more than Matt Duchene....let that sink in a minute. 

Grant's looked pretty darn good in the little bit I've been able to see.

[OccamsRazor]

10 minutes ago, Clarke2Leach said:

Grant's looked pretty darn good in the little bit I've been able to see.

 

I know he even has more goals than Voracek....

[Podein25]

6 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

I know he even has more goals than Voracek....

 

Lol.

 

At least lately I haven't wanted to get on a plane to Philly and personally strangle Jake.

 

Lately. 

[flyercanuck]

19 minutes ago, Podein25 said:

 

Lol.

 

At least lately I haven't wanted to get on a plane to Philly and personally strangle Jake.

 

Lately. 

 

It's amazing how much better guys can play when they're motivated...like EIGHT AND A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO PLAY HOCKEY shouldn't be enough.

[Podein25]

1 minute ago, flyercanuck said:

 

It's amazing how much better guys can play when they're motivated...like EIGHT AND A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO PLAY HOCKEY shouldn't be enough.

 

It is. And that you basically have to be shamed into it by a guy like Derek Grant FFS

[Howie58]

Based on our small sample of games, Fletcher will have a tough decision to make in whether or not to resign Grant.  He seems like a good add.  How and in what ways this continues down the road--can't say.  

[OccamsRazor]

1 hour ago, Howie58 said:

Based on our small sample of games, Fletcher will have a tough decision to make in whether or not to resign Grant.  He seems like a good add.  How and in what ways this continues down the road--can't say.  

 

That is a good problem to add he signed a one 700K deal with the Ducks so he is more than affordable to bring back.

[Howie58]

17 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

That is a good problem to add he signed a one 700K deal with the Ducks so he is more than affordable to bring back.

Agreed!  I think the questions may be how much more he expects and potential roster slot takeaway?  Do we have a bottom six prospect with more upside?  Don't know.  Meanwhile, Grant seems to work well with the gang.

[flyercanuck]

9 minutes ago, Howie58 said:

Agreed!  I think the questions may be how much more he expects and potential roster slot takeaway?  Do we have a bottom six prospect with more upside?  Don't know.  Meanwhile, Grant seems to work well with the gang.

 

If he'd sign for a year or two...no more.

[OccamsRazor]

15 minutes ago, Howie58 said:

Agreed!  I think the questions may be how much more he expects and potential roster slot takeaway?  Do we have a bottom six prospect with more upside?  Don't know.  Meanwhile, Grant seems to work well with the gang.

 

This is how i see the lineup starting next season after camp...

 

28 Claude Giroux - 14 Sean Couturier - 93 Jakub Voracek
49 Joel Farabee - 13 Kevin Hayes - 11 Travis Konecny
21 Scott Laughton - 19 Nolan Patrick - 18 Tyler Pitlick
12 Michael Raffl - 38 Derek Grant - 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel

 

 

...i think everyone comes back except Thompson unless Patrick is ready. I think Lindblom maybe mid season next year.

 

Mogan Frost might push hard and could make it and then Grant is pushed to the 13th forward spot. Still some very good depth.

 

I think Chuckles will move JVR to a team in need of some skill on the wing with money to burn....think Arizona.

[flyercanuck]

16 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

This is how i see the lineup starting next season after camp...

 

28 Claude Giroux - 14 Sean Couturier - 93 Jakub Voracek
49 Joel Farabee - 13 Kevin Hayes - 11 Travis Konecny
21 Scott Laughton - 19 Nolan Patrick - 18 Tyler Pitlick
12 Michael Raffl - 38 Derek Grant - 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel

 

 

...i think everyone comes back except Thompson unless Patrick is ready. I think Lindblom maybe mid season next year.

 

Mogan Frost might push hard and could make it and then Grant is pushed to the 13th forward spot. Still some very good depth.

 

I think Chuckles will move JVR to a team in need of some skill on the wing with money to burn....think Arizona.

 

That's some great depth. 

 

 Zona can reunite JVR and Kessel. Maybe trade for Bozak and see if they can go for a collective -500

[OccamsRazor]

Just now, flyercanuck said:

 

That's some great depth. 

 

 Zona can reunite JVR and Kessel. Maybe trade for Bozak and see if they can go for a collective -500

 

I'm hoping that Morgan Frost really really pushes himself into the line up net year. But if not he won't be 22 till may of next year so some extra seasoning can never hurt.

 

Then if/when Oskar is ready by maybe mid season next year he can push someone else out the lineup maybe Raffl or Pitlick.

 

But that is neither here or there right now i'm only worried about now. I'm wondering if it is just best to wait till next camp/preseason to try and play Nolan Patrick

 

. I know he has been practicing with the team and all but that is way different when guys on the other team are trying to hurt and take guys out of the lineup with cheap shots and we know he will have a target on his back.

[flyercanuck]

3 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

I'm hoping that Morgan Frost really really pushes himself into the line up net year. But if not he won't be 22 till may of next year so some extra seasoning can never hurt.

 

Then if/when Oskar is ready by maybe mid season next year he can push someone else out the lineup maybe Raffl or Pitlick.

 

But that is neither here or there right now i'm only worried about now. I'm wondering if it is just best to wait till next camp/preseason to try and play Nolan Patrick

 

. I know he has been practicing with the team and all but that is way different when guys on the other team are trying to hurt and take guys out of the lineup with cheap shots and we know he will have a target on his back.

 

Frost and Farabee have the skill, they just need some strength and a bit of NHL seasoning. Both should end up good players.

 

 Part of me would love to see Patrick step in just before playoffs. Part of me wants him to wait til next season. I just hope the poor bastard has a career.

[ruxpin]

1 minute ago, flyercanuck said:

 

Frost and Farabee have the skill, they just need some strength and a bit of NHL seasoning. Both should end up good players.

 

 Part of me would love to see Patrick step in just before playoffs. Part of me wants him to wait til next season. I just hope the poor bastard has a career.

All of that. 

 

Plus, we really have a good mix right now.  I'd be hesitant to insert him and juggle lines and chemistry, etc., that seem to be working. Probably a little short-sighted of me, but on the other hand that seems to be why Ghost remains out. 

 

I don't know. That's a hard call. 

[OccamsRazor]

2 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

Plus, we really have a good mix right now.  I'd be hesitant to insert him and juggle lines and chemistry, etc., that seem to be working.

 

I agree and then to see him get blown up in the playoffs and stay down on the ice ala Lindros in the 1999-2000 playoffs series changing deflating play by the cheap shot by Stevens would be hard to live through again.

 

I lean towards saving him for next year especially with them playing so well...

[CoachX]

What happens next year will be a result of what this group does now. So, lets assume they make a strong playoff push and lose in a hard fought conference or finals series? Do you keep them together for another run because you were THAT close? Do you assess and make a tweak to get them over the hump? Or do you look at the bigger body of work, several previous seasons, and make major moves that gut the core (jake/jvr) etc?

 

The queation I would ask in that scenario is whether the current line up is just having a magical run, or has the coach made the players better than we came to expect them to be?