Would the Seeler deal be better if it were only 2 years with zero trade protection? I feel like the way the deal is structured the writing may be on the wall - we still only may see two years of Seeler.

I disagree with the second bolded

I think your poehlings, cates, Hathaway’s, seelers, etc. are stop gap player, which is where we are - one elite prospect and not much else. I don’t think the flyers see any of these other guys as the future…but you do need to ice a decent team because A) it’s the NHL and B) you don’t want Michkov to think the team is completely hopeless. He needs to see some success with other good players so he doesn’t become disgruntled.
- gritty_committee

You misunderstood my reply I believe. I was referring to players like Zamula, Grans, Andrae, etc who should be playing over veterans. They're whom I was referring to as part of the future. Not the Hathaways and Seelers.

I think the whole angle of a player like Michkov needs to see some success immediately is completely overblown.

Sort of like how Drysdale and Cutter were #5OA swaps, I was kind of hoping drysdale (and maybe +) could get you Jiricek. i thought CBJ said they wanted a similar young guy so it fit the bill (young defenseman, change of scenery, injury vs AHL-bound, #5 vs #6 OA). It would have at least put some distance between the Cutter situation.

but as it turns out what CBJ got for him looked much different.
- gritty_committee

I get Drys is young but I can't imagine any team being interested in a trade for him. He can't stay healthy and his play is atrocious. At this point it feels like we just gave Cutter away for a guy that skates well but has nothing else.

Let's keep an eye out for the annual mid to late season Risto injury!
- Flyfly

I'll bookmark this one. If the Flyers don't move on from Frost, Risto and Laughton by the deadline this season, then I will say you are completely right. At this point, its clear this Flyers team is 5th in the Metro and will probably stay right there as currently constituted. That means their 1st round pick this year is outside of the top 10. This does not move the needle whatsoever. These players needs to be traded, more young kids need to be brought up and the Flyers need to finish with at least a top 10 pick, preferably a top 5 pick in order to move tihs forward.

Torts yesterday said there are no FAs coming this year or next year. That these two years are for evaluating what the Flyers have. If that is the case, which I am excited about BTW, these players must be traded. I would further move on Farabee and Drysdale.
- jd250

The Flyers aren't 5th in the Metro, they're 6th in reality.

Blocked? They are literally in the lineup. How are they blocked? It is simple Andrae and any other young player has to play their way into a lineup. You dont determine a player is ready because they played well in the AHL or had a mediocre camp. Andrae is in the lineup now because he proved to be ready. He outplayed guys and got in. The fact he is playing and routuinely in the lineup proves he isnt blocked.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Andrae was sent down out of camp when he was clearly ready for the NHL at that point. You don't go from being not ready to play in the NHL to the teams 3rd best defenseman in two months of AHL play. He was better then and he didn't get in. That proved that he was blocked and without injuries, he likely would still be in the AHL

You misunderstood my reply I believe. I was referring to players like Zamula, Grans, Andrae, etc who should be playing over veterans. They're whom I was referring to as part of the future. Not the Hathaways and Seelers.

I think the whole angle of a player like Michkov needs to see some success immediately is completely overblown.
- MJL

ah, my apologies, i see how you wrote it now.

as far as michkov seeing success, it doesn't have to be immediate, but perhaps I'm not sure how well a 19 year old can grasp "the process" so I don't want him to struggle through 3 years of awful hockey and want out. I want him to see some sort of plan, even if it's my "culture guys who lose with class" theory

So if there is none, who is playing on your club if Seeler and Johnson and Hathaway are jettisoned? They won’t ice an AHL team no matter how much you want them to.

If you think players are ok with GMs wasting away their prime years in the nhl in support of “the plan” then you’re wrong. It’s not that black and white. Still gotta ice a team. None of those guys are in the picture long term - they are here to make the rough years a little bearable. Sure, you want to lose for that draft pick…

Michkov does not.

You can ice a competitive team without hurting your cap situation long term. I don’t think the flyers have done that yet.
- gritty_committee

NHL history is rife with situations where highly skilled elite talent had to suffer through numerous losing seasons until the team developed and progressively got better. It's part of it. I'm sure they don't like it but you don't change your team building strategy because of it. Flyers are one of the worst teams in the league in handling the salary cap. They refuse to adapt to the modern day NHL

On defense Grans should stay with the Fyers. On forward, Richard and Lycksell for sure, and then near the end of the season give Tuomaala a sniff and Abols for a potential 4th line center spot.
- jd250

Richard is not a young player. He is a 27 year old AHL veteran.

NHL history is rife with situations where highly skilled elite talent had to suffer through numerous losing seasons until the team developed and progressively got better. It's part of it. I'm sure they don't like it but you don't change your team building strategy because of it. Flyers are one of the worst teams in the league in handling the salary cap. They refuse to adapt to the modern day NHL
- MJL

i 100% agree - the good old days as i put it. i think what worries me is this recent surge of young players calling the shots and dictating where they end up. it's certainly a new trend.

None of the moves the flyers have made scream “win now” to me.

It’s almost like they are putting together a rag tag team of character/hard working guys that just aren’t that good. So that when they lose, they lose with class. With honor. With perspective.

I think it absolutely makes a difference the type of players and vets you lose with. You can either take something from it or sulk.

If the tank won’t come from torts, perhaps the call is coming from inside the house with some of DBs moves.

It’s like a Disney movie, the type of culture guys on this team. Perhaps the point is to have the best locker room guys who just can’t win a game… if you’re gonna lose - lose well

I also think they are winning more than they expected lately so it could backfire and they’ll be in the mushy middle, as someone put it
- gritty_committee

The only thing that causes the Flyers to pause, and that's what it is. Not a rebuild, from their aggressive win now posture is when their incompetence forces them to put it on hold due to the damage that their actions have caused. They will get right back to it as soon as the cap clears up.

Seriously, how often this season have the flyers looked flat and it was Hathaway pressing the issue with sporadic drives to the net and goal scoring chances?
- gritty_committee

Big picture, what does that accomplish?

ah, my apologies, i see how you wrote it now.

as far as michkov seeing success, it doesn't have to be immediate, but perhaps I'm not sure how well a 19 year old can grasp "the process" so I don't want him to struggle through 3 years of awful hockey and want out. I want him to see some sort of plan, even if it's my "culture guys who lose with class" theory
- gritty_committee

How often does a top level talent want out because the team is not good for 2-3 years? Culture is one of the most overrated and overused terms in sports.

i 100% agree - the good old days as i put it. i think what worries me is this recent surge of young players calling the shots and dictating where they end up. it's certainly a new trend.
- gritty_committee

Isolated and outliers in my opinion. Plenty of college players over the years did what Gauthier did. Losing him was completely the Flyers fault.

Risto's value will never be higher, they will trade him. Laughton has fallen out of favor with Torts, he will be moved.
- jd250

Seriously doubt that Laughton has fallen out of favor with Tortorella. Laughton will see an uptick in level of play and be right back in the good graces and see more ice time. The same thing happened last season. Ristolainen will not be easy to trade.

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/takes/washington-capitals-matvei-michkov-not-drafted
- jd250

Here is what you posted.

"It was reported that Michkov tols Arizona and Montreal not to draft him because he did not want to play for them"

That article does not state that or support that claim. Nor does it mention Montreal

Here is what you posted.

"It was reported that Michkov tols Arizona and Montreal not to draft him because he did not want to play for them"

That article does not state that or support that claim. Nor does it mention Montreal
- MJL

It was pretty well known and reported after the draft that he didnt want to play for Montreal or Arizona. I thought it was common knowledge at this point.

https://www.yardbarker.co...ontreal/s1_17387_41032341

It was pretty well known and reported after the draft that he didnt want to play for Montreal or Arizona. I thought it was common knowledge at this point.

https://www.yardbarker.co...ontreal/s1_17387_41032341
- MBFlyerfan

I've heard it also but I just don't see where Michkov or his agent flat out told teams not to draft him

They will get right back to it as soon as the cap clears up.
- MJL

Jones has said as much, not necessarily a bad thing if they fit the timeline.

Big picture, what does that accomplish?
- MJL

he should be the extra forward. he's not what's wrong with the team. i'd probably trade him and plug Richard in his spot.

How often does a top level talent want out because the team is not good for 2-3 years? Culture is one of the most overrated and overused terms in sports.
- MJL

too often for the flyers if you're including "top level talent wants out because [insert any reason]"

I agree, the flyers lay on "culture" pretty thick in marketing and wording and they don't realize how silly it sounds. but i'm still subscribing to the theory that they put together a disney squad of the most mediocre "heart" guys so that they lose with a hard effort.

michkov is going to run that room one day. he's here 2 years early. i'll be patient and see what happens at the deadline and draft

Jones has said as much, not necessarily a bad thing if they fit the timeline.



he should be the extra forward. he's not what's wrong with the team. i'd probably trade him and plug Richard in his spot.



too often for the flyers if you're including "top level talent wants out because
- gritty_committee[insert any reason]"

I agree, the flyers lay on "culture" pretty thick in marketing and wording and they don't realize how silly it sounds. but i'm still subscribing to the theory that they put together a disney squad of the most mediocre "heart" guys so that they lose with a hard effort.

michkov is going to run that room one day. he's here 2 years early. i'll be patient and see what happens at the deadline and draft

The timeline is the issue as the Flyers always rush the timeline. The reality is that acquiring Michkov should be the start of the rebuild. The Flyers see it as the beginning of the end of the rebuild.
Hathaway is too good of a role players to be the 13th forward. He has value as a 4th liner to playoff teams.

Here is how I see it. Right now the Flyers could have a future core of potential top line/top pairing/elite players of Michkov, Gauthier and Buium. Instead it's Michkov, Drysdale and Luchanko. They lucked into Michkov. That's how incompetent they are.

I’m not even imagining it. I’m seeing it in real time.
- gritty_committee

Not so sure about that. Celebrini just won rookie of the month for November and he was first star last week for the entire league. The kid has game!

I think Risto will go. They will look to make room on D. Id like them to move laughton but that might be a next year deal. I doint know what they will do with Frost. Im assuming Frost goes nowhere unless they got a replacement C. No one in the AHL seems to be knocking at C so it will have to be via trade or FA.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Luchanko can replace Frost next year. Frost and possibly Farabee need to be moved for a good young center. Thanks!

flyers never trade at high value (see laughton). knowing teams may be interested in risto, now danny is saying no way we trade him.

They will not hurt their playoff chances by dealing anyone at this time. more likely add.
- login

You just couldn't stay away could you? Eh what?

I get Drys is young but I can't imagine any team being interested in a trade for him. He can't stay healthy and his play is atrocious. At this point it feels like we just gave Cutter away for a guy that skates well but has nothing else.
- Flyfly

Drysdale is brutal! I see nothing positive in his game and he is as soft as Charmain toilet paper. If Cutter ends up being a stud that could end up being one of the worst trades in Flyers history.

The timeline is the issue as the Flyers always rush the timeline. The reality is that acquiring Michkov should be the start of the rebuild. The Flyers see it as the beginning of the end of the rebuild.
Hathaway is too good of a role players to be the 13th forward. He has value as a 4th liner to playoff teams.

Here is how I see it. Right now the Flyers could have a future core of potential top line/top pairing/elite players of Michkov, Gauthier and Buium. Instead it's Michkov, Drysdale and Luchanko. They lucked into Michkov. That's how incompetent they are.
- MJL

Say something once...why say it 8,000 times? WTF!

I get Drys is young but I can't imagine any team being interested in a trade for him. He can't stay healthy and his play is atrocious. At this point it feels like we just gave Cutter away for a guy that skates well but has nothing else.
- Flyfly

He still can develop as a young D man. But with all the injuries he deserves the cat in the sack label 🏷