The '25-'26 Philadelphia Flyers thread

[Austinfan]

There's maybe a half dozen NHL centers who can do that, McDavid, Crosby and who else?

There are a number of very good centers who can center top lines with top wings, but how many can make Sheary into a 20 goal scorer or Rust into an All star?

Flyers may have 3 elite wings in Michkov, Zegras and Martone, and 1st line quality guys in TK, Foerster plus a lot of 2nd line caliber forwards. So they don't necessarily need elite centers, top 2C types who play both ways and have the speed to carry play. Put Jett between Zegras and Martone for example, and he may become a PPG player

Briere is definitely looking for another top 6 center, Nesbitt is probably middle six for a few years unless he significantly upgrades his skating (has the other skills, but right now below average speed). Berglund has gotten hot (5 points last two games after promotion to 3C in SHL). Rest are 4C candidates until they prove otherwise.

[VoteForKalas]

Great win vs the Devils last night. Flyers doing well so far.

[Austinfan]

I think it's a bit "smoke and mirrors," 5-0 in the shootout.
But fun to watch.
They have a core, 9 solid forwards, 3 D-man, 2 promising players in Andrae and Grebenkin.
But they're also carrying some aging veterans on their way out.

Hopefully Briere "won't be fooled again" and think they're a contender even if they sneak into the POs.
Don't rush the kids in LHV (Bump, Barkey, Gendron, Bonk etc)
Don't trade real assets to upgrade 4C.
"Trust the Process"

[bigegypt0417]

But your process isn't a real process...your philosophy is to stink and hope every prospect becomes a contributing piece.

If you can trade an asset to become a better team...go for it.

Brier won't make trades based on a hot streak.

[Austinfan]

You should always focus on value when trading, because over time, consistently being on the losing end of deals, even if you get a short-term bump, dooms a franchise.

Fortunately, Briere has shown the patience to wait until the right deal comes along, had he jumped on Zegras a year earlier, it probably would have cost a 1st plus, instead, by waiting he got him for a 2nd, 4th and Poehling (replaced by Dvorak).

The goal shouldn't be "Make the playoffs", 16 teams qualify so the marginal PO team is basically a .500 team (given the loser points, .550 in the NHL). You want to build a team good enough and deep enough (i.e. NHL talent marinating in AHL and college) to overcome a normal string of injuries.

[bigegypt0417]

You should always focus on value when trading, because over time, consistently being on the losing end of deals, even if you get a short-term bump, dooms a franchise.

Of course you should focus on value...i think the argument on your end is that you assume everyone we draft will live up to the position they were drafted at.

If the Flyers are starting to turn a corner you wouldn't stop that progress because you have a specific timeline in your head.

[Austinfan]

The timeline has more to do with the type of player you add.

If the window opens 2027-28, you don't want to add players who are older than 26-27 (unless cheaply on a 1-2 year deal) b/c they'll be 30+ to start the window and 34+ in five years. Most of the additions Briere is making right now (Vladar, Dvorak) was to patch holes while waiting for prospects to develop.

Now if the window is open, and you have one glaring hole, well, that's a different matter.

[bigegypt0417]

Again...teams aren't built "waiting on prospects" because their odds aren't what you think they are.

The Flyers are a better team because as of right now, they are getting quality goaltending.

Your viewpoint is based on a Moneyball concept that hasn't won anything and isn't for teams with financial resources.

[phillychuck]

The right process, in my opinion, is somewhere between “moneyball” and “buy your top-line players as free agents.” As I mentioned upthread, with the growth of money coming into hockey (and the resultant increase in revenue for teams to spend on players), most good players aren’t making it to free agency now, since their current team can afford them. Zegras is an exception, and he was a trade, not a FA signing anyway. Some teams are built from good drafting and developing prospects. I’d like to see how this team matures with Martone and others feeding into what they have in the NHL now. If they can somehow trade for a 1D I think they will be OK at forward. I think they also need to find a way to reduce Coots’ minutes so he can be more effective. He looks tired to me at times.

[Austinfan]

Florida under Zito is moneyball on steroids.

[Docs]

Tyson Foerster is going to be out for several months with an upper body injury. Is he re-injuring the same thing?

[phillychuck]

Tyson Foerster is going to be out for several months with an upper body injury.

That sucks for him!!
He had an offseason battle that he won, now this....

[Austinfan]

It opens up a chance for Grebenkin to play in the top 9.
Grebenkin has top 6 talent in terms of size/hands/short area agility. Good vison, passer, good shot.
Great at passing from behind the net, and controlling the puck in the corners.
His weakness has been lack of straight line speed (off season training this summer) and defensive instincts (why he sat a lot to start the season).

[xogfog]

Great win last night, next up is the league best Avalanche on Sunday at 1:00pm, glad it doesn't conflict with an Eagles game!

[bigegypt0417]

That's a big haul...

Minnesota Wild Acquires Defenseman Quinn Hughes From the Vancouver Canucks |...

[Pat_Burrell]

That’s a very bold gamble by Guerin. My gut tells me he won’t eventually sign an extension with Minnesota. Instead I believe he will lean towards the obvious New Jersey or Detroit, with Philly being a close 3rd in consideration. Minnesota of course will try their best to convince him after the season to stay.

[Austinfan]

It's not as big of a haul as it looks

1) Minn has had years to monitor Buium, they're first rate at evaluating and developing talent, and he's been awful defensively this season and cooled off after a hot start offensively. They have to be frustrated by his inability to play defense - this isn't Drysdale being ruined by Anaheim. Was demoted to the 3rd pair and 2nd PP unit. He's not the elite prospect he's hyped to be (compare to Lane Hutson at 20). He may turn out to be a top 4 D-man down the road, but they're selling high. If they really thought he'd turn out to be elite, no way they trade him for a rental.

2) Rossi is a good scorer but is limited due to size (5'9 182) and only slightly better than average speed. At 24, not a lot of upside left. Minn demoted him to 4th line in last year's POs. He's a regular season stat padder, not because he doesn't play a team game, but in tight checking PO games, his physical limitations get exposed.

3) The first is likely to be 25+.

Minnesota has a deep prospect pool, a young team, and the ability to reload if Hughes leaves and trade to replace him if need be. They're trading from strength and were a top 8 team before the deal, so it's an educated gamble, they get two PO shots during his peak years and have enough organizational depth to move on - they didn't give up core assets.