Speculation: Potential Offseason Acquisitions

[flyersfan187]

No. He's not a #1 defenseman and he'll be getting #1 money. He won't fix much on this team. Anything regarding Niskanen is a terrible idea.

There are very few number 1 defenseman in the league and there are rarely any ever that are available. Which is why he will be getting that much money and the Flyers should jump on him when they can. He isn't a #1 defenseman but he is a player that can play top minutes with Coburn and contribute while doing it.

 

[duffy9748]

There are very few number 1 defenseman in the league and there are rarely any ever that are available. Which is why he will be getting that much money and the Flyers should jump on him when they can. He isn't a #1 defenseman but he is a player that can play top minutes with Coburn and contribute while doing it.

So you willingly want to give a guy top pairing money even though you're aware he isn't a top pairing defenseman?

 

[dats81]

Depends on what his ceiling would be... if he turns out a #1b/#2 defenseman in a couple of years like a Timonen or Shattenkirk and with the salary cap rising, he could be worth the money.

 

[FlyersFan61290]

Knew I was forgetting someone.

That's the whole point of adding a guy like Kulemin, losing Grossmann and Rinaldo, and mixing up the lines slightly though. To give more PK options in addition to better ability to roll four lines at ES so Couturier can play less in a strictly defensive role and more in a mixed one. People want Couturier to take the next step offensively but well never even see if he can do that if he's thrown out there in a strictly defensive role. Can't have your cake and eat it too (not you specifically, but you get my point).

It's not like were contending soon anyhow so why not give him that opportunity the same time were giving guys like Laughton and Ghost opportunity?

I completely agree but I doubt management will. You know they expect results every year and if that means Couts gets loads of PK time and the toughest ES defensive assignments then that's what they'll do.

It sucks not knowing if Couts has more but if he's helping the team win I don't think management cares. IMO the trade of defensively (between Couts and whoever takes some of his hard minutes) would have to be next to zero. The team was 8th in g/g (just think of where they would have been if not for that historically bad goal scoring start) and 20th in ga/g.

 

[Boxscore]

Niskanen will be massively overpaid and a team like the Flyers will be stupid enough to do it.

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

Niskanen will be massively overpaid and a team like the Flyers will be stupid enough to do it.

I don't think Niskanen comes here. Snider and Homer seem to want Ghost to get a fair shot at the roster, as well as maybe Haag.

 

[RJ8812*]

pulled this from another board

"I think the Flyers are looking at UFA Matt Niskanen, and so are a lot of teams.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Homer (or whoever the GM is) makes a call to see if Shattenkirk is available
If the Flyers can acquire a D-man through a trade or free agency, would not be surprised if Coburn is moved.
I imagine they’ll try and move Vinny, explain it was a bad fit and pay a portion of his salary.
I like Statsny as a 2nd line center if Col. doesn’t sign him, but he could be too costly. Flyers still need a solid #2 at center. Schenn’s not the guy.

 

[Curufinwe]

Who's the quote from?

I'm still waiting to hear which D-man the Flyers could realistically acquire who would make Coburn expendable. Shattenkirk and Niskanen are not the type of defensemen who you can play on a shutdown pair at ES and get four minutes a game shorthanded.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

That is a LOT of movement. Bringing in someone big enough to replace Coburn, then trading Coburn, then trading Vinny, then signign Stastny (or someone else as #2C), and presumably making another trade (or two) since that still leaves the Flyers with too many defensemen and too many forwards. I don't see it happening. Maybe one of those things happens (I think most likely is Schenn being dealt), but I don't see multiple big splashes.

 

[flyershockey]

Who's the quote from?

I'm still waiting to hear which D-man the Flyers could realistically acquire who would make Coburn expendable. Shattenkirk and Niskanen are not the type of defensemen who you can play on a shutdown pair at ES and get four minutes a game shorthanded.

Pretty much. Trading Coburn without having a plan to bring in someone to replace him is a recipe for a lottery pick. If anything, they should be looking to add a guy like Shattenkirk to play with Coburn.

 

[RJ8812*]

Who's the quote from?

I'm still waiting to hear which D-man the Flyers could realistically acquire who would make Coburn expendable. Shattenkirk and Niskanen are not the type of defensemen who you can play on a shutdown pair at ES and get four minutes a game shorthanded.

He just said his source. But this source of his has been pretty good in breaking Flyers rumours

It isn't Eklund, so no need to worry

 

[Garbage Goal]

I completely agree but I doubt management will. You know they expect results every year and if that means Couts gets loads of PK time and the toughest ES defensive assignments then that's what they'll do.

It sucks not knowing if Couts has more but if he's helping the team win I don't think management cares. IMO the trade of defensively (between Couts and whoever takes some of his hard minutes) would have to be next to zero. The team was 8th in g/g (just think of where they would have been if not for that historically bad goal scoring start) and 20th in ga/g.

Like I said, I know management will never, ever do it. In the real world though were going to go through some growing pains requiring patience to become more for at least one year, if not more like three. No reason not to see what Couturier can do if were not going to be winning anything.

We haven't won anything the last two seasons either and this season with a Hart nominee, Couturier playing a defensive role, pretty much the healthiest roster in a long time, and Mason playing out of his head at times. We still lost in the first round to a team also not that good in a conference that is pretty terrible right now.

I don't trust management to ever accept reality, but they should and if they did then they would do something similar to what I described. Build our ability to roll four decent lines at ES, see what Couturier can do outside of defense, and give guys like Laughton/Ghost a shot.

 

[Garbage Goal]

I wouldn't mind signing Niskanen and I wouldn't be surprised if the Flyers signed him (even mentioned his name a few times), would be happy to lose Lecavalier, would be happy to see a guy like Stastny at center over Schenn as I don't think Schenn should be a center.

They would overpay Niskanen a lot most likely, definitely overpay Stastny, and retaining salary on Lecavalier after having him play one year with four left and the return likely being minimal is...ugh. Kill me now. Such a stupid signing the moment it happened and I really wouldn't be surprised to see them lose one bad contract in Lecavalier then make another one with Stastny or Niskanen.

That's what this organization has done really, mess around with contracts. Got lucky with compliance buyouts on both Briere and Bryzgalov contracts then signed the Lecavalier contract. Before all that they signed Pronger to that contract without understanding the 35+ rule.

This team really does not inspire faith with big name free agent contracts.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

I'd love for Stastny to come here but the cost is definitely too high. Currently paid $6.6M and I can't see him taking a pay cut outside of the Avs possibly down to $6M and I really don't think that even happens. Even with all of our centers I agree that we need a solid second line center.

Improving the defense is going to be a problem. The way it is situated we have way too much money invested in a group, that really isn't any good. Without making moves it's going to be extremely hard to improve the defense. $21.85M (31% of cap space at $71.1M) in five d-men is not ideal.

 

[FlyersFan61290]

I don't think the offseason will be nearly as eventful as some think and/or hope.

I'm sure they are looking at some people and considering some trades but if they weren't they wouldn't be doing their jobs. I'm not saying I don't see a signing or a trade but not a whole lot of turnover IMO.

Actually I think it's better off that way. I would prefer to keep the core intact and give some young guys a shot at the NHL (Ghost/Hagg, Laughton) and increase the roles of others on the team (the Schenns and Couts) to see what you have, while shipping out those that clearly don't fit here (Grossmann and Vinny, that would clear up about 8 mil). I honestly think with this core the team will be a legit contender within 4 years. G will be 30 in four years but he's not a goal scorer so history has shown he should withstand the test of time well.

 

[Garbage Goal]

Stastny I'd be okay'ish overpaying just because we should have some cap space with the cap going up and Kimmo technically off the books for now and we can't really fill the 2C/scoring center need from in-house. Nobody in the system that seems like they could fill that well, especially if they won't try Couturier in an offensive role.

Niskanen would be a stupid signing though. Free agency is ver thin at D and there's only a two or so forwards worth taking before Stastny. So they'll both be paid out the ass, but we can fill our D needs in-house and there's no immediate fix to it anyhow.

 

[FlyersFan61290]

I don't think Stastny would be a good sign here. He's avg'd 19 minutes a game the past few years, more if you go back further. I don't see how he could get those kinds of minutes here to be as effective. He also hasn't played a full season since his first year in the league. For one reason or another, he can't stay in the lineup. It hasn't been a huge issue for him but at 28, I'd imagine it only gets worse from here.

 

[Akanon]

He just said his source. But this source of his has been pretty good in breaking Flyers rumours

It isn't Eklund, so no need to worry

And what those rumours have been?

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

No way Stastny is coming here unless Schenn and/or Vinny is traded. There just isn't room (cap-wise or roster-wise). If another center is brought in, that would make G, Schenn, Vinny, Stastny, Couturier (and potentially Laughton and Hall). That is five, six, or seven centers to fill four holes depending on how things shake out. Not to mention Stastny will be making more than all of them not named Giroux. VL would almost certainly have to be traded for picks. Schenn would likely have to be dealt as well, and not for anyone of value because of the cap considerations (even with Kimmo retiring, which hasn't happened yet). And if Schenn is traded for a defenseman...someone else needs to go on the blueline. It just ain't happening.

 

[RJ8812*]

And what those rumours have been?

off the top of my head, he was the first to say that the Flyers would be sending Weber an offersheet

 

[FlyersFan61290]

No way Stastny is coming here unless Schenn and/or Vinny is traded. There just isn't room (cap-wise or roster-wise). If another center is brought in, that would make G, Schenn, Vinny, Stastny, Couturier (and potentially Laughton and Hall). That is five, six, or seven centers to fill four holes depending on how things shake out. Not to mention Stastny will be making more than all of them not named Giroux. VL would almost certainly have to be traded for picks. Schenn would likely have to be dealt as well, and not for anyone of value because of the cap considerations (even with Kimmo retiring, which hasn't happened yet). And if Schenn is traded for a defenseman...someone else needs to go on the blueline. It just ain't happening.

Yeah I'd have to imagine Vinny at least would be moved. I still don't think it's a good move.

 

[FlyersFanz]

What kind of contract is Camalleri looking at this offseason? I wouldn't mind bringing him aboard but I wouldn't want to overpay in cap or years. I would rather have someone who is younger and can be signed long term to play with Giroux

Like Hemsky, Callahan or Setoguchi? Love to have Iginla here in Philly but he's 36yrs old and making 6mil a year

 

[Flyotes]

Iginla wants to win the Cup. Why would he come here right now?

 

[FlyersFanz]

Iginla wants to win the Cup. Why would he come here right now?

Offseason??????
Said I would love to see him here in Philly...doesn't necessarily mean he would go to the Flyers

 

[Flyotes]

Offseason??????

I'm speaking about the offseason. Unless the Flyers make some positive changes (not necessarily big ones, just the right ones) -- they're pretenders again next year (and wasting G's prime-- think about that for a moment). I had Rangers in 6. If not for Mason, it would have been less then that.

If I were a 36 year old guy trying to win the cup, even though the Flyers organization is a good one (to the players), I would be looking to break into an elite team or simply stick with Boston.

Edit: I know you're just voicing your opinion about liking Iginla. Just throwing some statements out there, that's all.