deadhead
Registered User
- Feb 26, 2014
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- 22,214
Who is they? Briere took over in basically the summer of 2023.Frank had a pretty good layout in discussing his trade target board, as someone who has been just as skeptical as we have about this supposed rebuild. His top targets on the Flyers are Farabee, Frost, and Brink. In short, all the forwards they were counting on to take the steps needed in lieu of a burning down, and they’re not going to get value (he sees Farabee as a potential 35-goal guy). Now they’re gonna have a bigger gap between declining veterans and young players at a time they were expecting to push forward.
He made his initial moves, now he's probably in evaluation mode
"should they stay or should they go, if they go it will be trouble, if they stay it will be double"
I think he's happy with how Tippett - Couts - TK look, SSS, but Tippett - Frost - TK were solid last season. Two fast risk taking wings with a smart defensive center between them.
Jett - Michkov is probably in the cards next season, but who is the LW?
After that, up in the air.
Farabee - he's a proven scorer, but his frame never filled out, so he's more finesse than the guy who can go into corners and win board battles, nor is he a speed merchant - so who does he fit with?
Frost - not talented enough to dominate play, doesn't use his speed consistently to drive play, skilled enough to be an opportunistic play maker and scorer but won't carry a line
Brink - has gotten stronger and faster, but struggles in traffic, can be bumped off the puck, is quick and agile but not at an elite level, middle six scoring forward but not sure much more
Foerster - he's a little slower than last season, maybe have bulked up too quickly. PF with a plus shot, but with below average speed has to improve, not regress, in that regard. Playing out of position on the left side. Still has upside left.
Cates - top speed went from average to well above average this season, but he hasn't been able to utilize it effectively so far. Was a top defensive center two years ago, really impactful forechecking LW when he returned healthy the second half of last season. Valuable on the PK, but what is his role going forward?
The two needs up front are another young top 6 caliber center and LW that would be a good fit for a Jett - Michkov line to grow with them. Given Michkov is an elite play maker, and Jett perfect to be his CYA partner (allowing Michkov to take more risks), the ideal LW would be a skillful mucker, who can win board battles, retrieve pucks but also pot his share of goals. The player Lindblom might have become if cancer didn't ruin his career.