Posts Tagged ‘Flyers Rumors’

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Flyers and the NHL Playoff Standings

March 22nd, 2018 by Leo | Comments Off on Flyers and the NHL Playoff Standings | Filed in Flyers, General, Hockey, NHL

Below is a listing of the NHL standings for the playoffs for the Eastern Conference as they currently stand.  The Philadelphia Flyers are in good position and are hoping to improve it before playoff time.

NHL Standings: Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

1. Tampa Bay Lightning (104 points, 44 ROW)

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Philadelphia Flyers & Jakub Voracek Agree to Massive, Eight Year Contract

August 1st, 2015 by Ryan Waterman | Comments Off on Philadelphia Flyers & Jakub Voracek Agree to Massive, Eight Year Contract | Filed in Flyers, General, Hockey

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It’s the end of July, which is usually associated with the MLB and their trade deadline. This time period, also just happens to fall in the middle of the NHL’s offseason. Lost in the shuffle of the Phillies active deadline week, another Philly team has quietly made some quality moves to lock up some of their young studs. Earlier this week, the team re-signed lockdown center Sean Couturier to a six-year extension. Yesterday evening, news broke that the Flyers locked up another key piece of their young core. The team announced that they had signed forward Jakub Voracek to an eight-year, $66.5 million dollar contract.

This was a significant move, that was necessary for the team’s long-term success. Voracek was a huge piece of the limited success the Flyers had last season. In a breakout season, Jake tallied 22 goals, and 59 assists, good for a 4th place tie in points last year. He was also highly effective on the power-play last season, finishing with 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists). He really came into his own last season, and stepped up as one of the leaders on this team. Paired with Claude Giroux, Voracek helps make one of the most explosive duos in hockey. Often compared to the Malkin/Crosby duo in Pittsburgh, or the Kane/Toews duo in Chicago, the Voracek/Giroux duo may not seem all that impressive. Digging deeper into things, the duo of G & Voracek have actually outscored the duo of Kane/Toews over the last three seasons, by a margin of 396 points, to 370.

Now that the Flyers have locked up their young guns, their focus will turn towards winning. The team is in a bit of a “retool” mode, and Voracek stepping up as a leader will make things easier as far as a veteran presence in the locker room. At the young age of 25, Voracek will be entering his 8th season in the league. He’s been around the block more than a few times, and has gathered some playoff experience in his time as a Flyer. At an annual value of $8.25 million per season, there are high expectations coming with this contract. Jake is strongly expected to be one of the players, that will help end Philadelphia’s Stanley Cup drought of 40 years. With a big contract, comes big expectations. He’ll be expected to meet those expectations, or he can expect to hear it from the Philly faithful.

Overall though, this is a good signing for the Flyers. Ron Hextall has done everything right in his tenure as GM, to this point. He’s centered his focus on re-tooling for the future. He’s not admitting defeat, yet he’s also admitted that the team will remain competitive. Hexy has set this team up for long-term success, and it shows from his patience with the prospects, to his ability to secure long-term commitments from the young studs. With Voracek and “Coots” already locked up, I personally have to wonder where Brayden Schenn. Is he next in line for a long-term payday? Or, will Schenn find himself on a new team by this time next year? Only time will tell, and I for one, am looking forward to what this team has in store for us this upcoming season. If you check back towards the end of August, and I will have my “Official Flyers Season Preview” up for your viewing pleasure.

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Breaking News: Chris Pronger Traded to Coyotes

June 28th, 2015 by Ryan Waterman | Comments Off on Breaking News: Chris Pronger Traded to Coyotes | Filed in Flyers, General, Hockey

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Mere hours after the NHL Draft came to a close in South Florida, Flyers GM Ron Hextall continued his rebuild of this team. It was announced on late Saturday afternoon that the team has moved the contract of injured defenseman Chris Pronger, and shot-blocking wizard Nicklas Grossma   n to the Arizona Coyotes for 26-year old Sam Gagner, and Arizona’s choice of a 2016 4th round draft pick, or 2017 3rd round pick. This deal has sent some shockwaves through the NHL, in the short time since it was announced. To my knowledge, it is the first time that a current NHL Employee (not on the ice) has been traded.

This deal is significant for a number of reasons. With the trade of Pronger’s contract, his cap hit no longer counts towards the Flyers, allowing them to free up $4.91 Million in cap room. That money will play a HUGE role in the team’s pursuit of a top-flight winger. By moving Grossy, the team also saved an additional $3.5 Million in cap space. Acquiring Gagner also means that the team will absorb his $3.3 Million cap hit, however recent reports have suggested that Ron Hextall and co. are looking to buy-out the 26-year old former top prospect. Buying out his contract, would constitute a payment of one-third of his contract. By buying out his contract, the team would save an additional $2.7 Million, bringing their total savings to about $7.3 Million.

In his three seasons with the Orange & Black, Pronger recorded 15 goals, 77 assists, for a total of 92 points. He was one of the cornerstone of the Flyers franchise, and was a vital part of the team’s magical 2010 Stanley Cup Final run. Unfortunately, Pronger’s hall of fame career came to a devestating end. Initially shutdown in December 2011 as a result of post-concussion syndrome, it was later discovered that he was also suffering from sight issues due to an incident with than Maple Leafs star Mhikail Grabovski, in which Pronger took a stick to the eye.

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The Flyers Are Following The Defensive Blueprint

May 23rd, 2015 by Ryan Waterman | Comments Off on The Flyers Are Following The Defensive Blueprint | Filed in Flyers, General, Hockey, Sports

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If you take a look around the NHL, you’ll find one common theme. The most successful teams, have a stud defensive core. You see teams like the L.A Kings (Doughty, Muzzin, Voynov), Blackhawks (Keith, Hjalmarsson, Seabrook), Rangers (McDonagh, Staal), Blues (Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk), Ducks (Fowler, Lindholm, Vatanen) and Capitals (Green, Carlson, Alzner), who all have a stud defensive core. Another common theme amongst these teams, is that they are all primarily young. Anaheim, New York, Washington and St. Louis only have three defenseman over the age of 30, similar to the LA Kings (who only have two defenders under 30).

Every team that I have mentioned, has enjoyed recent success. The Blackhawks have won two Stanley Cups in five seasons, the Kings have snagged two championships in the last four seasons. Anaheim and the Rangers have consistently been challenging for Lord Stanley’s Cup over the past 3-4 seasons, and while the Blues have come up short in the playoffs, they’ve been one of the best regular season teams in the NHL. My point here, is that in order for a team to be successful in the NHL, a team must build a successful defensive core. Ron Hextall and the Flyers seem like they are on thei way to following this blueprint for success.

When you look at the Flyers at this current moment, you see a relatively old team (average age of 28), that is in disarray. The offense has become a laughing-stock, the defense is just as bad, if not worse than the offense, and only one-half of our goaltending tandem is worth even looking at. However, if you dig down into the Flyers farm system, you’ll see some promise on the backend. Reinforcements are coming, and they are coming in numbers. On the NHL roster, there are currently three defenseman under the age of 28 (Luke Schenn, Michael Del Zotto, Radko Gudas). One is coming off of an injury, one is currently unsigned, and the third is just flat-out, not good. It’s the worst kept secret in hockey, that the Flyers defense needs help….badly. For that help, fans need look no further than the AHL and CHL.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms currently hold a number of the Flyers defensive prospects. Former Union College standout Shayne Gostisbehere, Robert Hagg, Mark Alt, Brandon Manning, and Jesper Pettersson all reside in the Phantoms locker room. “Ghost” is looked at as one of the two “defensive cornerstones” of this team’s future. With speed being arguably his best asset, Gostisbehere is thought of as an offensive specialist, possessing incredible puck-moving skills.  In three seasons at Union College, he tallied 22 goals, and 60 assists for a total of 80 points.  Shayne got a small taste of what to expect in Philly, having played in two games with the Flyers this season, before making his way back down to Lehigh Valley, where he suffered a season-ending torn ACL.  He’s a prime candidate to crack the Flyers roster out of training camp.

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The Mike Babcock Sweepstake’s

May 18th, 2015 by Joe Buscemi | Comments Off on The Mike Babcock Sweepstake’s | Filed in Flyers, General, Hockey, TalkSportsPhilly

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If you haven’t heard by now the Flyers are front runners for the signing of Detroit Red Wings head coach, Mike Babcock. What’s so special about that? He’s currently considered one of the greatest coaches in the NHL and clearly one of the most valuable on the market. If you don’t believe that here is a brief run-down of his coaching resume: In 950 games coached he has a remarkable record of 537 wins, 285 losses, and only 19 ties. He has been to three Stanley Cup finals; 2003 with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, lost to the Devils, 2008 with the Wings, defeated the Penguins, and lost to the Penguins in a rematch the very next year. He may be one for three in cup appearances, however he became the first and continues to be the only coach in NHL history to join the “Triple Gold Club” back in 2008.  This club is one of the most sought after for hockey coaches and players, as they are awarded for winning an Olympic Gold, the Stanley Cup, and World Championship (IIHF) gold medal, three of the highest achievements  in professional hockey.

The speculation continues to grow as Babcock’s signing deadline nears it close. The Red Wings organization has been given him time to speak outside the organization until May 25th, which is only ten days away. Many teams who were originally in the running are now out, including possibly the heavier favorite Oilers, giving the Flyers an even better chance at landing coach.

Will Hextall make the bold move and sign the soon to be highest paid coach (approximately $4.5 mill) in the NHL? We have ten more days to speculate. Do you Flyers fans feel as though he would be an appropriate fit to lead this club to the Stanley Cup? Let us know by giving us your thoughts in our comments section below or voice your opinion via Twitter with the TSP team and myself @joey_boosh and @talksportsphila!

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Should The Flyers Re-Explore Acquiring Shea Weber?

August 26th, 2014 by Ryan Waterman | Comments Off on Should The Flyers Re-Explore Acquiring Shea Weber? | Filed in Flyers, General, Hockey

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It’s that time of year again. Free Agency has come to a practical standstill, and the rumor mill is running wild, once again. The hot rumor is a very familiar one…will Nashville trade superstar defender Shea Weber? Back in 2012, the Philadelphia Flyers signed Weber to a 14 year, $110 Million dollar contract, and fans were sure that Weber was as good as ours. That was until the frugal Preds splurged and matched the offer, crushing the hearts of Flyer fans, including myself. Now, that the rumor has re-incarnated itself, and Weber’s no-movement clause is up, I beg the question….does Ron Hextall make a splurge and finally land Shea Weber?

It is beyond an obvious statement to say that the Flyers defense is thin. However, with the loss of star defender Kimmo Timonen, the already thin defense has become paper-thin. While the signing of youngster Michael Del Zotto earlier this week helped, it still doesn’t make up for the fact that Kimmo is missing. Without the production of the Finnish defender, the Flyers lose their power play QB, their top offensive defender, and one of their top defensive defenders. There is not one defender currently on the roster that could step in to Timmo’s shoes. But, the only man who can, is Shea Weber. Weber is a much younger, maybe even more productive version of Timonen, taking into account that Kimmo is 37, Shea isn’t even 30.

Don’t get me wrong, the price would obviously be high….but, well worth it. The Preds would require offensive talent in return, and the Flyers have a decent amount of young, offensively talented prospects that are attractive. Guys like Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier, Scott Laughton, Tye McGinn, and Nick Cousins just to name a few. These youngsters would all be attractive options in a package heading back to Nashville, but like I said….the price is going to be steep. It would likely take 2-3 of the guys listed above, maybe another prospect and at least one first-round pick to pry Weber out of the Music City.

On paper, that may seem like a steep price, but it’s really not. Well, not for the level of play Weber provides. Weber is a Norris trophy contender every year, he is one of the top offensive defenders in the league, and is a legit lockdown defender. He is one of those “once in a generation” defenders, along the lines of Nicklas Lidstrom. Imagine what the Flyers defense would’ve been like had Flyers brass drafted the Swedish defender back in the 1989 entry draft?  Scary, huh?  Think of that, but modern-day with Weber.

What Weber would bring to Philly, is a breath of fresh air. It would take some pressure off of the offense via both ends of the ice, it would lighten some of the load on Steve Mason, and Shea would improve the play of everyone surrounding him. Weber brings out the best in his teammates, and if given the chance, I feel partnering him with Del Zotto would make for one of the most dangerous top-line duos in the NHL. Couple that with the pairings of MacDonald/Streit & Grossman/Schenn, and the Flyers wealth of young, talented defensive prospects…it could make the Flyers blue line a force for the foreseeable future.

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Top Flyers Defender On The Move?

June 18th, 2014 by Ryan Waterman | Comments Off on Top Flyers Defender On The Move? | Filed in Flyers, General, Hockey

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The already thin defense of the Flyers, seems primed to get thinner, or does it? Remember late last summer, when reports surface that the Edmonton Oilers were going hard in their pursuit of Braydon Coburn. The rumored price was to be a top six forward. However, Paul Holmgren and Craig MacTavish quickly put the kabash on those reports. Fast forward to the present day, and those reports are re-surfacing. The main difference this time around is a different man at the helm of the Flyers.

Ron Hextall took over as Flyers GM in early May, and has made no bones about wanting to make changes. Ron stated at his introductory press conference, that he wants to build this team through development, and draft…very similar to the LA Kings philosophy (It must work….LA’s got 2 cups).

This brings me back to the Coburn rumors. Reports re-surfaced on Saturday, that Edmonton is once again interested in targeting Coburn. Mark Spector of Sportsnet had a chat with the Oilers GM, in which MacTavish stated that “We’d like to get a five-six defenseman who is a good penalty killer and good shut-down player,” I personally wouldn’t mind seeing Coburn get shipped out of town.  I feel that he’s a defensive liability with very little offensive skills, that is expendable.

David Staples from the Edmonton Journal suggests that the Oilers could part with either Martin Marincin or Oscar Klefbom. Marincin is a 22 year old Slovakian defender that made his NHL debut this year.  He played in 44 games for the Oilers, tallying 6 points. Marincin reminds me of Coburn. He skates well for his size, shows good potential, but lacks physicality. Klefbom is a 20 year old Swedish defender that has yet to make his pro debut.

The 6-3″ Swede has the rare combination of speed, skill, and size. His only negative is the lack of defensive skill he possesses.  If I were Hextall, I would ask for Klefbom in return for Coby. He’s got the most potential out of Edmonton’s baby defenders.  While he may lack defensive skill, that should work itself out when he comes overseas.

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