Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 
Forums :: Blog World :: Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Flyers Fall to Golden Knights, 5-3
Author Message
MJL
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Candyland, PA
Joined: 09.20.2007

Mar 15 @ 2:33 PM ET
Correct, they are a team making strides. Goaltending is clearly a weak point of the roster. Hart would be a huge upgrade for the next few seasons on that team
- ClaudeFather



I don't see Hart commanding that much. I don't see Buffalo giving up a potential top 15 pick in a deep draft for Hart even if you throw in Laughton. I could be wrong and I hope I am. I think you could get a 2nd and a 3rd for Hart. Putting Laughton into the deal doesn't get you the 1st.
NC Flyers Fan
Philadelphia Flyers
Joined: 07.19.2018

Mar 15 @ 2:41 PM ET
I don't see Hart commanding that much. I don't see Buffalo giving up a potential top 15 pick in a deep draft for Hart even if you throw in Laughton. I could be wrong and I hope I am. I think you could get a 2nd and a 3rd for Hart. Putting Laughton into the deal doesn't get you the 1st.
- MJL


This is exactly what I mean. Not enough in return, then don’t trade him. He is 24 and still an RFA at the end of his deal. He can definitely still be here and be impactful if the team finds success. No!…to any bad trades for the Flyers young players.

ClaudeFather
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: west haven, CT
Joined: 08.14.2015

Mar 15 @ 2:42 PM ET
I don't see Hart commanding that much. I don't see Buffalo giving up a potential top 15 pick in a deep draft for Hart even if you throw in Laughton. I could be wrong and I hope I am. I think you could get a 2nd and a 3rd for Hart. Putting Laughton into the deal doesn't get you the 1st.
- MJL

I’m not sure I give up Hart for a second. I think it fits for Buffalo, they get a goalie as well as a glue guy in the bottom 9 of their lineup. Although they are a young team, they should be trying to compete. Maybe there are better deals out there but I don’t think they need more first round picks at this moment, a trade they might be willing to make. Just a suggestion, hopefully the GM is exploring all options this summer
Shrike
Joined: 05.20.2016

Mar 15 @ 2:43 PM ET
Just curious. What do you think the appropriate punishment would be?
- mickel25

Removed from hockey team and can’t participate in any extracurricular activities at school, paying for a new replacement of an equal or better quality chair, public apology and community service with disabled.
SMS4016
Joined: 01.27.2011

Mar 15 @ 2:50 PM ET
Levy is not a better prospect at 21 than Hart (who was already in the NHL) was. If they acquire Hart, he is their No. 1 goalie for the foreseeable future.
- bmeltzer

Ummmmm no. Not even close. All things considered as far as prospect they are roughly the same at that age.

Hart being in nhl at 21 was a mistake. He absolutely should not have been. What did it accomplish? Remember just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Did hart come out the other end ok? Time will tell.

Also he absolutely would NOT be the goalie for the foreseeable future. Why would buffalo commit to hart beyond this contract? He’s gonna command a much higher salary in 2 years. He’d be a stopgap. There’s ZERO chance buffalo would commit that cap to him while huge contracts hitting and more young guys to extend. You simply would NEVER do that with levy there on cheap deal.

Now if levy were to flounder obviously that would change things. But to say if Buffalo traded for hart he’d be there goalie for foreseeable future is ridiculous. Buffalo has been extremely clear on this. That’s why they went comrie/UPL combo hoping they could hold up til levy gets there.

There’s a lot of talk of buffalo getting a more established goalie here in town to bridge this gap. Again hart being only 24 and 2 years left on deal with big contract looming there’s basically no chance he’d be extended in buffalo.

Now if by foreseeable future you mean only harts current deal then sure. But if you’re saying what I think that he’d be their goalie into next deal it’s highly unlikely and would only depend on levy busting out. And that’s extremely unlikely to predict in 2 years time. Levy will most likely be in ahl next season then on Sabres roster in 2 years.

So in harts contract year you’d have a hart/levy combo. Nice for sure. But what do you do at end of that season? Extend hart? What’s hart gonna want at 26? Buffalo not gonna pay that. Not a chance
Dkos
Season Ticket Holder
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Gritty, PA
Joined: 01.15.2007

Mar 15 @ 2:52 PM ET
Oh, is that what happened?

Do you think for one second that was what he was doing? Searching for a handicapped girl, waiting for her to leave her chair so he could throw it down the stairs in some sort of vendetta against poor handicapped females?

Give me a break.

The rest I agree with.

- MBFlyerfan


wow, that's not what I was saying at all. I guess I didn't make myself clear. Maybe I should have said, "the perception of a rich kid preying on a handicapped girl upsets people". All I was trying to say is that people get worked up when they see something that offends them and their first reaction, especially online, seems to be to strike out. Outrage seems to be the only way people can react anymore. I dont know what Briere's motivation was. If you've paid any attention to what I've said about this incident at all you will see that I'm in favor of waiting to get all the info from reliable sources such as the police or the college before making any judgements. I did say that the video looks bad and I have come out as being opposed to throwing wheelchairs down the stairs and bad behavior, but not much beyond that.
MJL
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Candyland, PA
Joined: 09.20.2007

Mar 15 @ 2:53 PM ET
This is exactly what I mean. Not enough in return, then don’t trade him. He is 24 and still an RFA at the end of his deal. He can definitely still be here and be impactful if the team finds success. No!…to any bad trades for the Flyers young players.
- NC Flyers Fan


If you can get a 2nd and a 3rd from a non playoff team like Buffalo. Have to consider that. You may be able to get a late 1st from a playoff team that needs a goaltender but that is a narrow fit.
MJL
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Candyland, PA
Joined: 09.20.2007

Mar 15 @ 2:55 PM ET
I’m not sure I give up Hart for a second. I think it fits for Buffalo, they get a goalie as well as a glue guy in the bottom 9 of their lineup. Although they are a young team, they should be trying to compete. Maybe there are better deals out there but I don’t think they need more first round picks at this moment, a trade they might be willing to make. Just a suggestion, hopefully the GM is exploring all options this summer
- ClaudeFather



It's a deep draft and a top 15 pick could net a strong prospect. They could go another route while they wait for Levi to develop.
SMS4016
Joined: 01.27.2011

Mar 15 @ 2:59 PM ET
Why Devon Levi Should Go Down As One Of College Hockey's Greatest Goalies
With Northeastern's season over, Devon Levi's NCAA career likely ends with some of the best numbers ever put up by a goaltender in the college ranks.
Mar 13, 2023 by Chris Peters
Why Devon Levi Should Go Down As One Of College Hockey's Greatest Goalies
Saturday night’s Hockey East quarterfinal played out like so many games had this season for the Northeastern Huskies. The Providence Friars kept piling up shots, especially in the second period when they delivered an astonishing 20 pucks to the net.

And like so many games before it, Devon Levi stood in the Huskies’ crease, dutifully turning aside the vast majority of the flying rubber he faced. He stopped 19 of the 20 shots in that overwhelming middle frame, ceding only one goal that allowed the Friars to level the score after Northeastern held a 1-0 lead following a first period goal of their own.

Northeastern held Providence to 14 shots outside of that second period, but the only shot that mattered in the end was the diving stab at a rebound by Brady Berard that snuck past Levi four minutes into overtime. Levi stopped 32 of 34, but Northeastern’s season ended on home ice in that fateful quarterfinal.

It also likely marked the end of one of the most brilliant two-year spans a goalie has ever had in the collegiate ranks. Levi is expected to sign with the Buffalo Sabres in the near future after two full seasons manning the crease for the Huskies.

It would have been three, but the netminder missed his entire freshman season due to injury sustained at the 2021 World Junior Championship where he had a record-setting performance in net for Canada.

🇨🇦 Devon Levi continues to make history. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/7gQH6Uzb63

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 5, 2021
In 66 career games in the NCAA, Levi went 38-22-6, with a .942 save percentage, 1.90 goals-against average and 16 shutouts.

Levi’s .942 career save percentage is the second best mark in the history of men’s college hockey. Connor Hellebuyck is the all-time leader with a .946 career save percentage in eight fewer games.

For many, Ryan Miller is the best NCAA goalie ever. He has the Hobey Baker to show for it and one of the most remarkable careers over three full seasons at Michigan State. Hellebuyck is also up there as a record holder and owner of one of the best two-year runs we’ve ever seen at the collegiate level and has turned that into a Vezina Trophy-winning career in the NHL.

In terms of collegiate prowess, Levi is right in that conversation with those two players and if he had a better team in front of him over the last two years, he likely would have achieved even more accolades than he’s already gotten.

Devon Levi anchors the @GoNUMHockey penalty kill, sliding post-to-post to make a diving save and retain a shutout. #HEPlaysOfTheYear pic.twitter.com/j66u86p1BY

— Hockey East (@hockey_east) August 3, 2022
In his first full collegiate season in 2021-22, Levi posted a .952 save percentage which tied Hellebuyck for the second best full-season save percentage in NCAA history. Despite missing some games to be part of Canada’s Olympic team at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Levi carried his team to the NCAA tournament and made 34 saves in a 2-1 loss to Western Michigan.

What makes Levi’s career so special isn’t just that he made a lot of saves. He made so many that I’d argue no player in the country was more valuable to his team than Levi was to Northeastern.

He faced an average of 32 shots against per game. For reference, last year’s Hobey Baker winner Dryden McKay faced an average of 21 shots against per game over a four-year career. Additionally, Miller saw an average of 26 shots against per game in three years at Michigan State, while Hellebuyck saw an average of 29 shots against per game.

Levi had to work a bit harder for his lofty numbers because the team in front of him was among the leakiest in the nation. Among the 62 Division I college teams this year, Northeastern allowed the 11th most shots against per game, while they were 12th among 59 teams in 2021-22.

Despite that, Northeastern won the Hockey East regular-season title last season. This year, the Huskies couldn’t score enough to help Levi out. And the junior goalie did have one of his tougher stretches of his career in the middle of the season.

That’s what makes his season kind of remarkable in another way, though. In the most critical part of the season, Levi stood tall. He helped the team win its second straight Beanpot after missing last year’s tournament for the Olympics, stopping 63 of the 66 shots he faced against Boston University and Harvard. Levi was named the Beanpot MVP.
missingmike
Joined: 07.08.2011

Mar 15 @ 2:59 PM ET
Levy is not a better prospect at 21 than Hart (who was already in the NHL) was. If they acquire Hart, he is their No. 1 goalie for the foreseeable future.
- bmeltzer

Bill, are there any legs under Hart trade story?
MJL
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Candyland, PA
Joined: 09.20.2007

Mar 15 @ 3:01 PM ET
Ummmmm no. Not even close. All things considered as far as prospect they are roughly the same at that age.


- SMS4016



Ummmm, yes.


You misread what Bill posted. He didn't state that Hart was a better prospect than Levi. He stated that Levi is not a better prospect than Hart at that age. Bill is correct, if they acquire Hart, it's to be their #1. Otherwise, why would they pay the cost?
SMS4016
Joined: 01.27.2011

Mar 15 @ 3:02 PM ET
Why Devon Levi Should Go Down As One Of College Hockey's Greatest Goalies
With Northeastern's season over, Devon Levi's NCAA career likely ends with some of the best numbers ever put up by a goaltender in the college ranks.
Mar 13, 2023 by Chris Peters
Why Devon Levi Should Go Down As One Of College Hockey's Greatest Goalies
Saturday night’s Hockey East quarterfinal played out like so many games had this season for the Northeastern Huskies. The Providence Friars kept piling up shots, especially in the second period when they delivered an astonishing 20 pucks to the net.

And like so many games before it, Devon Levi stood in the Huskies’ crease, dutifully turning aside the vast majority of the flying rubber he faced. He stopped 19 of the 20 shots in that overwhelming middle frame, ceding only one goal that allowed the Friars to level the score after Northeastern held a 1-0 lead following a first period goal of their own.

Northeastern held Providence to 14 shots outside of that second period, but the only shot that mattered in the end was the diving stab at a rebound by Brady Berard that snuck past Levi four minutes into overtime. Levi stopped 32 of 34, but Northeastern’s season ended on home ice in that fateful quarterfinal.

It also likely marked the end of one of the most brilliant two-year spans a goalie has ever had in the collegiate ranks. Levi is expected to sign with the Buffalo Sabres in the near future after two full seasons manning the crease for the Huskies.

It would have been three, but the netminder missed his entire freshman season due to injury sustained at the 2021 World Junior Championship where he had a record-setting performance in net for Canada.

🇨🇦 Devon Levi continues to make history. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/7gQH6Uzb63

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 5, 2021
In 66 career games in the NCAA, Levi went 38-22-6, with a .942 save percentage, 1.90 goals-against average and 16 shutouts.

Levi’s .942 career save percentage is the second best mark in the history of men’s college hockey. Connor Hellebuyck is the all-time leader with a .946 career save percentage in eight fewer games.

For many, Ryan Miller is the best NCAA goalie ever. He has the Hobey Baker to show for it and one of the most remarkable careers over three full seasons at Michigan State. Hellebuyck is also up there as a record holder and owner of one of the best two-year runs we’ve ever seen at the collegiate level and has turned that into a Vezina Trophy-winning career in the NHL.

In terms of collegiate prowess, Levi is right in that conversation with those two players and if he had a better team in front of him over the last two years, he likely would have achieved even more accolades than he’s already gotten.

Devon Levi anchors the @GoNUMHockey penalty kill, sliding post-to-post to make a diving save and retain a shutout. #HEPlaysOfTheYear pic.twitter.com/j66u86p1BY

— Hockey East (@hockey_east) August 3, 2022
In his first full collegiate season in 2021-22, Levi posted a .952 save percentage which tied Hellebuyck for the second best full-season save percentage in NCAA history. Despite missing some games to be part of Canada’s Olympic team at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Levi carried his team to the NCAA tournament and made 34 saves in a 2-1 loss to Western Michigan.

What makes Levi’s career so special isn’t just that he made a lot of saves. He made so many that I’d argue no player in the country was more valuable to his team than Levi was to Northeastern.

He faced an average of 32 shots against per game. For reference, last year’s Hobey Baker winner Dryden McKay faced an average of 21 shots against per game over a four-year career. Additionally, Miller saw an average of 26 shots against per game in three years at Michigan State, while Hellebuyck saw an average of 29 shots against per game.

Levi had to work a bit harder for his lofty numbers because the team in front of him was among the leakiest in the nation. Among the 62 Division I college teams this year, Northeastern allowed the 11th most shots against per game, while they were 12th among 59 teams in 2021-22.

Despite that, Northeastern won the Hockey East regular-season title last season. This year, the Huskies couldn’t score enough to help Levi out. And the junior goalie did have one of his tougher stretches of his career in the middle of the season.

That’s what makes his season kind of remarkable in another way, though. In the most critical part of the season, Levi stood tall. He helped the team win its second straight Beanpot after missing last year’s tournament for the Olympics, stopping 63 of the 66 shots he faced against Boston University and Harvard. Levi was named the Beanpot MVP.

- SMS4016



To say levy is not as good a prospect as hart at 21 is ridiculous. Oh wait. Hart was brought up early to nhl during not go time. Guess that’s the deciding factor
SMS4016
Joined: 01.27.2011

Mar 15 @ 3:06 PM ET
Bill, are there any legs under Hart trade story?
- missingmike

There’s definitely legs under it. Ersson has shown to be able to play at close to hart level. Obviously for short period of time and normally not advisable to go that route but when you total rebuild yes you move hart for sure. It’s a no brainer.

People have to understand to the fact what does hart want? He’s won at minor levels. Why would he want to stay here? So in 5-7 years when team might be able to start to contend he’s a part of it? When he’s 30? Doesn’t even fit team timeline let alone his personal timeline.

You move him at draft.
SuperSchennBros
Location: Not protected by the Mods...I mean Mob. Take your best shot!
Joined: 09.01.2012

Mar 15 @ 3:07 PM ET
To say levy is not as good a prospect as hart at 21 is ridiculous. Oh wait. Hart was brought up early to nhl during not go time. Guess that’s the deciding factor
- SMS4016

Yes. The plan was to always allow Hart to develop and to Hextall’s credit, he did everything he could to keep Hart in the minors including playing 7 goaltenders ahead of him that season. Well 6. Talbot might have saw two games that year.
SMS4016
Joined: 01.27.2011

Mar 15 @ 3:10 PM ET
If you can get a 2nd and a 3rd from a non playoff team like Buffalo. Have to consider that. You may be able to get a late 1st from a playoff team that needs a goaltender but that is a narrow fit.
- MJL

You could possible get buffalos 1st round pick. They are extremely young they had 3 first round picks last year and te thinking was they’d move 1. They didn’t. They easily could flip this years 1st for hart. Or another goalie. They need a goalie until levy arrives and is ready. They could also go Fa although that’s more unlikely because of cost. Hart for 2 years at his salary is almost ideal stopgap. Buffalo will get a stopgap probably at draft.
mickel25
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Morgantown, PA
Joined: 01.21.2011

Mar 15 @ 3:11 PM ET
Removed from hockey team and can’t participate in any extracurricular activities at school, paying for a new replacement of an equal or better quality chair, public apology and community service with disabled.
- Shrike


I doubt the public apology happens. Not sure they can ban him from every extracurricular activity. Dismissal from the team, paying to fix/buy a new wheelchair and some sort of community service seems like an appropriate punishment.
MJL
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Candyland, PA
Joined: 09.20.2007

Mar 15 @ 3:14 PM ET
You could possible get buffalos 1st round pick. They are extremely young they had 3 first round picks last year and te thinking was they’d move 1. They didn’t. They easily could flip this years 1st for hart. Or another goalie. They need a goalie until levy arrives and is ready. They could also go Fa although that’s more unlikely because of cost. Hart for 2 years at his salary is almost ideal stopgap. Buffalo will get a stopgap probably at draft.
- SMS4016


Anything is possible. Now you're arguing against yourself. You talked in an earlier post about if they acquire Hart, having to extend him in a couple of years. It is more than just taking on the contract to get Hart. Have to pay the trade cost also. They're going to do that for just a couple of years of Hart and give up a top 15 pick? Possible but unlikely. Which goes back to what Bill posted to which you replied ummm no. If they pay the cost to acquire Hart. It's because they want him as their #1 for the foreseeable future which is more than just two years.
ClaudeFather
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: west haven, CT
Joined: 08.14.2015

Mar 15 @ 3:19 PM ET
It's a deep draft and a top 15 pick could net a strong prospect. They could go another route while they wait for Levi to develop.
- MJL

Always seem to be goalie turnover in the off season as well, but tough to get a good one. You don’t want to be that team going into playoffs without a clear starter, Toronto
SMS4016
Joined: 01.27.2011

Mar 15 @ 3:19 PM ET
Ummmm, yes.


You misread what Bill posted. He didn't state that Hart was a better prospect than Levi. He stated that Levi is not a better prospect than Hart at that age. Bill is correct, if they acquire Hart, it's to be their #1. Otherwise, why would they pay the cost?

- MJL

Ummmm no… idgaf what he stated. Hart at 21 absolutely should NOT HAVE BEEN in nhl.

Hart should’ve stayed in ahl.

Levy went college route and decided to return jr year instead of going pro. Had he gone pro he’d had been in ahl. They both at 21 would/should be in ahl.

Just because levy stayed in college ( read article I posted about being with top goalie EVER in college ranks) and hart being on flyers does not mean as prospect hart is better. It means flyers as pro team are dumber. But yes sure believe hart was top goalie prospect. He wasn’t.

And I never said levy was a better prospect at that age. I said they were basically the same just took different paths.

You can throw your hat into ring all you want. Of buffalo trades for hart yes it’s to be their starter. Obviously. Buts to be stopgap starter. No one ever said they’d trade for hart to be their backup. The dispute is “foreseeable” future of hart in buffalo. That “foreseeable” would be until hart gets new contract.
MJL
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Candyland, PA
Joined: 09.20.2007

Mar 15 @ 3:21 PM ET
Always seem to be goalie turnover in the off season as well, but tough to get a good one. You don’t want to be that team going into playoffs without a clear starter, Toronto
- ClaudeFather


Yep, a team like Toronto or maybe Edmonton is a team you might be able to get a first round pick for Hart.
SMS4016
Joined: 01.27.2011

Mar 15 @ 3:22 PM ET
Yes. The plan was to always allow Hart to develop and to Hextall’s credit, he did everything he could to keep Hart in the minors including playing 7 goaltenders ahead of him that season. Well 6. Talbot might have saw two games that year.
- SuperSchennBros

Like I said it makes the flyers dumber. Never ever should’ve brought him up at 21. Yeah for a game here or there sure. Not to be permanent. It kills me people compare hart to other prospects because hart was in nhl. That means nada. It was dumb. A poor excuse to push a narrative actually.
Just5
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: PA
Joined: 05.22.2008

Mar 15 @ 3:24 PM ET
I don't see Hart commanding that much. I don't see Buffalo giving up a potential top 15 pick in a deep draft for Hart even if you throw in Laughton. I could be wrong and I hope I am. I think you could get a 2nd and a 3rd for Hart. Putting Laughton into the deal doesn't get you the 1st.
- MJL


You get a 1 bare minimal for hart or don’t move him at all

Who was the guy? Jeannot or something that got a 1?

MJL
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Candyland, PA
Joined: 09.20.2007

Mar 15 @ 3:26 PM ET
Ummmm no… idgaf what he stated. Hart at 21 absolutely should NOT HAVE BEEN in nhl.

Hart should’ve stayed in ahl.

Levy went college route and decided to return jr year instead of going pro. Had he gone pro he’d had been in ahl. They both at 21 would/should be in ahl.

Just because levy stayed in college ( read article I posted about being with top goalie EVER in college ranks) and hart being on flyers does not mean as prospect hart is better. It means flyers as pro team are dumber. But yes sure believe hart was top goalie prospect. He wasn’t.

And I never said levy was a better prospect at that age. I said they were basically the same just took different paths.

You can throw your hat into ring all you want. Of buffalo trades for hart yes it’s to be their starter. Obviously. Buts to be stopgap starter. No one ever said they’d trade for hart to be their backup. The dispute is “foreseeable” future of hart in buffalo. That “foreseeable” would be until hart gets new contract.

- SMS4016


Bill did not comment or suggest or even address anything about whether Hart should've been or shouldn't have been in the NHL.

Bill also did not post that Hart was a better prospect at 21 than Levy.

Nobody has said that you did say that Levy is a better prospect at that age.

Nobody has said that you said that they'd trade for Hart to be the backup.

By foreseeable future, than means longer than the 2 years left on Hart's contract. It's common sense to think that why would Buffalo pay a high cost for just two years of Hart? If they're paying the cost, it's because they want him as their #1.

Again, here is exactly what Bill posted. Copied and pasted. Tell me where it says that Hart was a better prospect at that age than Levy?

"Levy is not a better prospect at 21 than Hart (who was already in the NHL) was. If they acquire Hart, he is their No. 1 goalie for the foreseeable future."
SuperSchennBros
Location: Not protected by the Mods...I mean Mob. Take your best shot!
Joined: 09.01.2012

Mar 15 @ 3:27 PM ET
So I just tripped and fell upon this podcaster and it’s titled “Philadelphia Flyers:Danny Briere + What’s next?” He said two sentences before I turned it off and started typing here. I didn’t need to hear the rest.

Danny Briere has a lot of pride. He’s a guy who was told he wasn’t going to make it in the league because he’s too small. Phoenix drafted him and barely gave him a chance. When the lights are the brightest, no many were better than Briere in the playoffs. I mean, isn’t this reason enough to give him a chance? Doesn’t Briere’s hockey resume say he cares? He could have went back to Quebec. He didn’t retire a flyer but his best years were here and he’s back.
Angus4444
Philadelphia Flyers
Joined: 12.03.2018

Mar 15 @ 3:28 PM ET
And this is why nothing will happen to Carson Briere for doing this.
- Shrike

I meant you not Carson
Page: Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17  Next