Not sure I agree there. Maybe in the first season after. But then he put up 102 points and should have won the MVP in 17-18. Put up 85 points in 18-19, and has been pretty productive in Ottawa.
- MBFlyerfan

Hate thinking of those years we wasted with G and Jake. If we had a good leader it couldve been so much better. 2 good skilled, some say border line elite guys, and nothing to come of it

I am really interested to see what they do moving forward with Draisaitl and McDavid.

Draisaitl is going to get at least 12.5 for 8 years and probably more.

Then next season after that McDavid is going to be looking at another 8 year probably close to max contract. Maybe he takes a team friendly deal at 15 million AAV. (18 is MAX if calculated on a 92 million cap.)

Do they cut bait now and trade Draisaitl? Or do they really want to run it back paying those 2 close to 30 million and remain basically a one line team?
- MBFlyerfan

I believe EDM will run it back next season and hope Draisaitl extends. If they got bounced early in the playoffs, moving Draisaitl may have been a little more likely.

Worst case scenerio for EDM is they run it back again next season. Draisaitl does not re sign and leaves in the summer. McDavid becomes Gretzky 2.0 and gets moved in a blockbuster trades. Oilers cannot afford to lose both stars for nothing.

Best case scenerio, Draisaitl extends for 8 yrs @ 15 million/yr next season. McDavid then extends for 17 million/yr. And the Nurse contract just keeps going. 😀

Sanheim is a 2nd pair defenseman and as much as people complain, he is being paid like one.
- MBFlyerfan

no issue with he deal, homegrown 2nd pair D, who plays up in the lineup.

no issue with he deal, homegrown 2nd pair D, who plays up in the lineup.
- wcorvette

At the time I really had an issue with the term. But not really any more.

Hate thinking of those years we wasted with G and Jake. If we had a good leader it couldve been so much better. 2 good skilled, some say border line elite guys, and nothing to come of it
- bradster

Thanks Hextall

I believe EDM will run it back next season and hope Draisaitl extends. If they got bounced early in the playoffs, moving Draisaitl may have been a little more likely.

Worst case scenerio for EDM is they run it back again next season. Draisaitl does not re sign and leaves in the summer. McDavid becomes Gretzky 2.0 and gets moved in a blockbuster trades. Oilers cannot afford to lose both stars for nothing.

Best case scenerio, Draisaitl extends for 8 yrs @ 15 million/yr next season. McDavid then extends for 17 million/yr. And the Nurse contract just keeps going. 😀
- Trox88

so much went right for them this season after their start, McD and D not scoring in the finals, that has to be alarming, all the while a complete team is picking them apart. Elite x 2 not up to the challenge to a really good team.

no issue with he deal, homegrown 2nd pair D, who plays up in the lineup.
- wcorvette

Solid guy. Eats a lot of minutes. Doesn’t miss many games.

Solid guy. Eats a lot of minutes. Doesn’t miss many games.
- Dkos

I don’t really understand the negative talk on him. Even in a rebuild you need a player like him that can do many different things for you and do a good job with it. Great? No. But he’s worth his contract.

no issue with he deal, homegrown 2nd pair D, who plays up in the lineup.
- wcorvette

could not agree more. he is being paid pretty much in line with what he bring. but flyers fans always need to focus on a player to complain about. if this team had some talent he would be slotted correctly. sanheim is not an issue...

I don’t really understand the negative talk on him. Even in a rebuild you need a player like him that can do many different things for you and do a good job with it. Great? No. But he’s worth his contract.
- Just5

Fans hated on Giroux. There’s no explaining it.

Thanks Hextall
- ClaudeFather

When Hextall moved Schenn, I still feel that was the right time to blow it up and rebuild fully.

Simmonds, Voracek and Giroux would have brought you hauls at the time.

so much went right for them this season after their start, McD and D not scoring in the finals, that has to be alarming, all the while a complete team is picking them apart. Elite x 2 not up to the challenge to a really good team.
- wcorvette

Maybe there’s something to the “defense wins championships” saying. Also, it seems the Oilers stars are getting worn down and tired. They’ve been in playoff mode since early in the season and have run the gauntlet in some pretty grueling playoff series. Those 13 games against Vancouver and Dallas weren’t easy and frankly Edmonton does not have good depth. The Panthers have been through some tough series too, but all the pressure is not on their stars. Their 3rd and 4th lines are solid and Dlorida just keeps on coming and coming and coming.

Maybe there’s something to the “defense wins championships” saying. Also, it seems the Oilers stars are getting worn down and tired. They’ve been in playoff mode since early in the season and have run the gauntlet in some pretty grueling playoff series. Those 13 games against Vancouver and Dallas weren’t easy and frankly Edmonton does not have good depth. The Panthers have been through some tough series too, but all the pressure is not on their stars. Their 3rd and 4th lines are solid and Dlorida just keeps on coming and coming and coming.
- mikeyo27

I dont think the depth is bad, it just isnt producing very much at all.

A goalie with a .89 save percentage doesnt cut it either.

I dont think the depth is bad, it just isnt producing very much at all.

A goalie with a .89 save percentage doesnt cut it either.
- hello it's me 2050

That’s for sure

Definite trash. But I can't image that is the strongest pick available regardless of who was previously drafted.
What a dumpster of an article. Do they even watch hockey?
- Bob Habib

Exactly. If all of the defense, Catton, Eiserman, Helenius, are gone then I’d rather see them select Hage or trade the pick. Eiserman is the only wing I’d be ok with them selecting because he’s a big swing on upside.

He's looking for huge numbers. Vancouver has over $25 million in cap this summer, and they probably not signing him due to his price.
- TheFreak

No. This always happens, a player has a good year playing down in the lineup on a good team and then goes out and gets top of the lineup money and underperforms expectations because they’re just middle of the lineup quality.

Remember Versteeg? Was an above average 3rd liner on the Blackhawks and then Toronto paid him top 6 money. Then the Flyers traded a 1st rd pick for him. He failed both places because they were trying to force a 3rd liner into a top six role.

That’s honestly how I feel about a lot of the Flyers current lineup. They have a few guys that are above avg middle six players that look worse because they’re being asked to play top line roles. Put them on a team with a true top line and their perceived ability changes.

If Michkov does come over this summer, I hope Briere takes a run at Tarasenko. Give Michkov a true mentor who can still play at a high level.
- Trox88

They’d need to clear cap space. If they do that through trading TK, Laughton, etc. then I’m cool with a 1yr deal where he can be moved at the deadline. But I don’t want buyouts being forced in order to bring him in to try to make the playoffs.

Solid guy. Eats a lot of minutes. Doesn’t miss many games.
- Dkos

cap moving up, yea, they might have known more than the arm chair GM's, sure I would have preferred less term.

Maybe there’s something to the “defense wins championships” saying. Also, it seems the Oilers stars are getting worn down and tired. They’ve been in playoff mode since early in the season and have run the gauntlet in some pretty grueling playoff series. Those 13 games against Vancouver and Dallas weren’t easy and frankly Edmonton does not have good depth. The Panthers have been through some tough series too, but all the pressure is not on their stars. Their 3rd and 4th lines are solid and Dlorida just keeps on coming and coming and coming.
- mikeyo27

They do and it is great down here for hockey, the town is on fire, creating fans, rinks are full with kids, love it.

Oilers tanked more than the Pens, I like the players but will never pull for the team.

When Hextall moved Schenn, I still feel that was the right time to blow it up and rebuild fully.

Simmonds, Voracek and Giroux would have brought you hauls at the time.
- J35Bacher

if they just would have moved Simmonds or Jake, it would have changed the fate of the Flyers.

if they just would have moved Simmonds or Jake, it would have changed the fate of the Flyers.
- wcorvette

Simmonds is in my top 5 for favourite Flyers but looking back and in hindsight, it should have been Simmonds traded in that Blues deal that brought back Frost and Farabee. Brayden Schenn was younger, which is what we were going for…

Simmonds is in my top 5 for favourite Flyers but looking back and in hindsight, it should have been Simmonds traded in that Blues deal that brought back Frost and Farabee. Brayden Schenn was younger, which is what we were going for…
- roenick97

loved him, and it was a hard call, but both should have been traded, G and Jake were young enough where high picks would have had time to have impact while G and Jake were still high end players. That probably would have caused a few more loses, then you would have had assets to trade up or add what was needed for G and Jake, giving them more kicks at that can. But yea, 20/20 vision.

I dont think the depth is bad, it just isnt producing very much at all.

A goalie with a .89 save percentage doesnt cut it either.
- hello it's me 2050

I think it's a combination of the oilers goalie having a subpar finals and Bob playing out of his mind. It's not like the oilers aren't getting their shots, 32+ SOG in 2 of the 3 games.

McDavid has 14 SOG and 0 goals, 3 assists. DRAISAITL has 9 SOG and 0 goals, 0 assists. Both have had some open chances that they normally bury and not scored. How many attempted shots, from good scoring positions, have just sailed high or wide?

Bob making the great saves every night gives everyone in front of him confidence.

No. This always happens, a player has a good year playing down in the lineup on a good team and then goes out and gets top of the lineup money and underperforms expectations because they’re just middle of the lineup quality.

Remember Versteeg? Was an above average 3rd liner on the Blackhawks and then Toronto paid him top 6 money. Then the Flyers traded a 1st rd pick for him. He failed both places because they were trying to force a 3rd liner into a top six role.

That’s honestly how I feel about a lot of the Flyers current lineup. They have a few guys that are above avg middle six players that look worse because they’re being asked to play top line roles. Put them on a team with a true top line and their perceived ability changes.
- Schmojo

Exactly. The conversation has been about Sanheim. He's not a top pairing defenseman. He's a 2nd pairing defenseman and a good one. Elevate him to have to play at a higher role and warts are exposed.

No. This always happens, a player has a good year playing down in the lineup on a good team and then goes out and gets top of the lineup money and underperforms expectations because they’re just middle of the lineup quality.

Remember Versteeg? Was an above average 3rd liner on the Blackhawks and then Toronto paid him top 6 money. Then the Flyers traded a 1st rd pick for him. He failed both places because they were trying to force a 3rd liner into a top six role.

That’s honestly how I feel about a lot of the Flyers current lineup. They have a few guys that are above avg middle six players that look worse because they’re being asked to play top line roles. Put them on a team with a true top line and their perceived ability changes.
- Schmojo

Exactly. Players have to be slotted correctly. But you can’t do that until you get the right players. Also rans like Flyers and Wild always have too many players too high in the lineup. Then the bottom of the lineup has at least one or two players who should be in the press box or the AHL.