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I did not move anything. All of those teams had a #1 C and D. My point is the cost of acquiring one or both of those pieces is far less when drafting in the top five. You can get them outside of the top 5 but the percentages are against that.
Here’s what you initially wrote. You’re seriously backpedaling:
“The real issue is that they picked in the top 5 once in the last seven drafts. Picking once in the top five in 7 drafts is not going to get you the players you need to win a Stanley Cup. Even when you factor in the gift that Michkov turned out to be. Having a deep team is a good thing. I think they will get there on that front. If you are fine with that then so be it. I am a firm believer that you need top level talent at C and D to win in this league.”
The draft is not the only way to get a top #1 Dman or #1 center. FLA did get that through the draft but they built most of the rest of the team through trades and free agency.
Getting top level players via UFA requires those players to be available first and foremost. That is pretty rare. You also need to have cap space which the Flyers never seem to have. That situation looks better going into next year but let’s see what they do with it and if any of those types of players are available. Again low probability of that.
The Flyers had some cap space this off season and will have more next season. Top players do move through UFA.
Getting top level players via trade requires that you have top assets to move. The Flyers really do not have any top level assets they can afford to move at this point.
We agree on that. Trade talk and the Flyers is a fool’s errand. Briere did pull a rabbit out of a hat with Zegras. Trades remain tricky.
The Flyers rarely pick in the top five. So the chances of landing top level players is lower. They also are not acquiring desirable assets to include in trade for top level players. They never have cap space to get top level players via UFA and when/if they do those players are rarely available. The Flyers have not utilized RFA recently either. So how are they getting top level players? Not good (TK, Sanheim) players. Top level (MacKinnon, Makar) players. Having a bunch of middle six players is great if you have legitimate top line players. Having a bunch of middle six players and forcing five of them to play above their capabilities is not.
Konecny and Sanheim are both excellent players. You don’t get chosen to the Canadian national team by being not good. The issue the Flyers have is building around the spotty good they do have.
Top 20 drafted NHL goalie prospects ranking: Askarov, Fowler lead Wheeler’s summer 2025 list
Zavragin ranked #17
- Top-10
1. Askarov
2. Fowler
3. Augustine
4. Yegorov
5. Ravensbergen
6. Andreyanov
7. Levi
8. Cossa
9. Hrabal
10. IvankovicTop 20 drafted NHL goalie prospects ranking: Askarov, Fowler lead Wheeler’s summer 2025 list
Zavragin ranked #17
- Top-10
1. Askarov
2. Fowler
3. Augustine
4. Yegorov
5. Ravensbergen
6. Andreyanov
7. Levi
8. Cossa
9. Hrabal
10. IvankovicI have been banging the Fowler drum for years
Konecny and Sanheim are both excellent players. You don’t get chosen to the Canadian national team by being not good. The issue the Flyers have is building around the spotty good they do have.[/quote]
Are those 2, guys you can currently build around to become cup contenders?
Are those 2, guys you can currently build around to become cup contenders?
Neither are what anyone would call superstars but yes. You can continue to build a cup contending team around those guys. As an example, the last time the Flyers went to the finals, Richards was their 1C and his scoring numbers were never elite. A couple seasons he did hit 1 PPG. Up to that season, Kimmo had been their #1 Dman. A fine Dman but they went out and added Pronger and got to the finals that year. I’m not a big fan of “the core isn’t good enough” argument. The core is what you’ve got and the Flyers have plenty of holes and question marks before even worrying about if the 1C and 1D are good enough.
Are those 2, guys you can currently build around to become cup contenders?
Neither are what anyone would call superstars but yes. You can continue to build a cup contending team around those guys. As an example, the last time the Flyers went to the finals, Richards was their 1C and his scoring numbers were never elite. A couple seasons he did hit 1 PPG. Up to that season, Kimmo had been their #1 Dman. A fine Dman but they went out and added Pronger and got to the finals that year. I’m not a big fan of “the core isn’t good enough” argument. The core is what you’ve got and the Flyers have plenty of holes and question marks before even worrying about if the 1C and 1D are good enough.
Then why aren’t the flyers building around those 2?
Then why aren’t the flyers building around those 2?
Of course they are. The guys with the longer term contracts are the guys they’re looking to build around. Money, and term, talks.
I did not move anything. All of those teams had a #1 C and D. My point is the cost of acquiring one or both of those pieces is far less when drafting in the top five. You can get them outside of the top 5 but the percentages are against that.
Here’s what you initially wrote. You’re seriously backpedaling:
“The real issue is that they picked in the top 5 once in the last seven drafts. Picking once in the top five in 7 drafts is not going to get you the players you need to win a Stanley Cup. Even when you factor in the gift that Michkov turned out to be. Having a deep team is a good thing. I think they will get there on that front. If you are fine with that then so be it. I am a firm believer that you need top level talent at C and D to win in this league.”
The draft is not the only way to get a top #1 Dman or #1 center. FLA did get that through the draft but they built most of the rest of the team through trades and free agency.
Getting top level players via UFA requires those players to be available first and foremost. That is pretty rare. You also need to have cap space which the Flyers never seem to have. That situation looks better going into next year but let’s see what they do with it and if any of those types of players are available. Again low probability of that.
The Flyers had some cap space this off season and will have more next season. Top players do move through UFA.
Getting top level players via trade requires that you have top assets to move. The Flyers really do not have any top level assets they can afford to move at this point.
We agree on that. Trade talk and the Flyers is a fool’s errand. Briere did pull a rabbit out of a hat with Zegras. Trades remain tricky.
The Flyers rarely pick in the top five. So the chances of landing top level players is lower. They also are not acquiring desirable assets to include in trade for top level players. They never have cap space to get top level players via UFA and when/if they do those players are rarely available. The Flyers have not utilized RFA recently either. So how are they getting top level players? Not good (TK, Sanheim) players. Top level (MacKinnon, Makar) players. Having a bunch of middle six players is great if you have legitimate top line players. Having a bunch of middle six players and forcing five of them to play above their capabilities is not.
Konecny and Sanheim are both excellent players. You don’t get chosen to the Canadian national team by being not good. The issue the Flyers have is building around the spotty good they do have.
I truly hope you are right. I do not believe the path the Flyers have chosen will yield real success.
I truly hope you are right. I do not believe the path the Flyers have chosen will yield real success.
Briere is making the calls, so I hope he’s right. As an outside observer, the moves make sense to me and I think they’ll work out. We’re not even talking about injuries and other mishaps that can derail any plan. My bar is pretty low for this year. I want to be entertained. That’s it. I have little concern for the future, although again, I think the moves for the future make sense to me.
Bill, I haven’t been paying close attention lately but I see there is a new CBA agreement. I heard in passing that there is a cap in the play-offs now?? Is there indeed one?
Any other highlights to mention? Anything new with players going to college (i.e. Cutter)?Bill, I haven’t been paying close attention lately but I see there is a new CBA agreement. I heard in passing that there is a cap in the play-offs now?? Is there indeed one?
Any other highlights to mention? Anything new with players going to college (i.e. Cutter)?Here’s Bill’s rundown on the new CBA: https://hockeyhotstove.com/forums/topic/new-cba/
they are doing a poor job of building around sanheim and tk.
in 4 years if/when they are a “contending” team sanheim will be 32/33 on the downside. tk 32 on the downside. in other words they have wasted their prime years in philly. like many others over the last decade plus.
nothing has changed. they refuse to pick a real lane.
knowing nashville wanted to draft him doesn’t install a lot of confidence. seeing how poorly they ae run.
flyers love drafting the low ceiling players.
What do you think martone should do? is Europe really an option martone would consider?
With NIL money being a thing, at first I thought the issue with Martone not being able to attend camp if he chooses college was one of those (now) archaic college financial rules. Makes more sense if it has to do with classes being in session. You don’t want players missing too many classes for non school sanctioned events.
I hope he chooses to go to Michigan State. I would rather be patient, and get him on the Flyers when there is no way he can be kept off the team.
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