The '25-'26 Philadelphia Flyers thread

[zambonir]

It's neither expensive nor cheap. Unless you have a stud goalie on his second pro contract you might be spending $8M on a starter and $2M on a back-up, or $5M twice for a tandem (though ideally one of your tandems is younger and cheaper). It'll also be quite cheap for one season, and then Woll will be gone after the second.

We might have been paying Carter Hart that $8 million right now, though I assume he would have been traded.

It's true everybody loves Sam but everybody loved Brink and Deslauriers too.

[flyers19rw]

With the way these goalies' contracts are staggered, the Flyers should be set in goal for a while- Vladar, Woll, Zavragin. When was the last time that that could be said with a straight face?
I was pulling for Ersson to make the grade. He had enough chances but he just couldn't do it. The same with Andrae. He's just too small to play in the rough areas of NHL rinks and physically survive. Hoped that he could be a Timmonen but he's not quite that.

[Austinfan]

Andrae's problem wasn't so much that he was small, he's feisty, smart, has some grit and skill.
But when you're 5'9, when you're tied, you're losing b/c of lack of reach and mass.
And he also has below average speed, and isn't a PP QB. So limited to 3LHD with a big partner.

Benoit is a wild card, think Sanheim's body and speed with pre-Flyer Risto head.
Had a good first year in Toronto but has really struggled the last two.
I think this is a reclamation project gamble at little cost b/c Andrae had no future here.
With Benoit (28) and Murchison (23), Seeler might be on the trade block.
Briere seems to like big, mobile defense first D-men (Amico also fits the bill), Bonk is two way defender, Gill more a big, offense first D-man.
Basic idea is only one puck, so you would like to pair a puck handler with a mobile CYA partner who skates well enough to carry the puck against an aggressive forecheck instead of just chucking it up the boards.

Woll has been around league average or slightly above in goals saved v expected the last three years.
Marginal starter but a good choice for a 1B, allowing them to limit Vladar to 50 or so starts.
Certainly worth a 3rd plus.
Won't surprise me if he takes his game up a notch in Tocchet's goalie friendly scheme v the mess in Toronto.

[Austinfan]

I'm not against bringing in a top 6 center, or one with that potential.
But the core of this team is 19-25.
So I'd want a player in that age group.
In fact, I think Briere is at the point where he'd trade both 1st rd picks (2026 and 2027) for the right young center.
Not the Toronto pick,that could be top ten if things break right.

However, I think it would have to be an "offer he can't refuse."
The reason is Briere doesn't really know what he has at center:
Zegras - looked better at center down the stretch, could be top 6 playmaker with right wings
Cates - Selke level defender who has improved offensively, especially his shot, is there more?
Barkey - we just saw Stankoven at 22 dominate in the POs, Barkey is a clone, undersized, quick, agile, smart as a whip, born leader (captain of Memorial Cup London team with (4) 1st rd picks), fearless, good defender and forechecker.
Like to see Bump (23) - Barkey (21) - Martone (20) get an extended look this season, maybe grow up together.

And I'm sure he wants to watch Jett at LHV, Nesbitt and Ruohonen in college, Berglund in the SHL.
They'll be playing at a high enough level to have a good read on them by spring.

Summer of 2027 Briere will both know what he needs at forward and who doesn't look like a long-term fit (trade bait).
Same on defense with Bonk, Murchison, Jiricek and McDonald, with GIll in AHL and Amico in college.

[xogfog]

I think Berglund signed his US deal is is slated to play with the Phantoms next year, I'm sure with a camp invite to see if he has a chance to make the Flyers. Reports on him are glowing, he might just do just that.

[Austinfan]

He signed his ELC, but I thought I read that if he doesn't make the team he'd be loaned back to the SHL.
He is slated to come to TC, so we'll get to see him in some exhibition games.
I'm sure the Flyers would like him at LHV.

[zambonir]

Yeah he still has one year left on his Swedish deal if he doesn't make the NHL or they don't work something out.

[LegoDoom]

I'm not against bringing in a top 6 center, or one with that potential.
But the core of this team is 19-25.
So I'd want a player in that age group..

Why? You can't have a team in that age group and needing to pay players good money long term.

You have even brought the gritty term in.

Here's a fun fact, Briere didn't win ■■■■.

[zambonir]

Here's a fun fact, Briere didn't win ■■■■.

If that really mattered Clarke would have delivered a few Cups. The current Cup was just won by a former Flyers blogger.

[Phanatical]

Saw Berglund play at LHV. He got into 5 games, scoring 1 goal. No particular comments about his play as there were limited minutes. He looked great in all the international tournaments.

[bigegypt0417]

However, I think it would have to be an "offer he can't refuse."
The reason is Briere doesn't really know what he has at center:

He absolutely knows what he has at center...Even if those players are slightly better than we thought it still doesn't change the fact the team needs centers and waiting to draft them is not really a smart way to build a team.

Also...before you say it...NO ONE is asking for them to overpay or get fleeced for a center.

[Austinfan]

No he doesn't.
When you're talking 19-20 years old, you are guessing.
Some players steadily improve, others plateau.

Even someone like Michkov, who is an uber talent, hasn't become an instant star.

Briere is not going to land a top center, young ones almost never hit the market.
It's too early to go for an expensive 30 year old "name," and guys who struggled or are buried on someone else's depth chart are as hard to predict as their own young prospects.

Cates and Bump are good examples, both 5th rd picks.
Cates was defense first LW in college, then defense first center, then had to integrate offense into his game.
Last season, 37 ES points and Selke level play at center - that's a 2C on most teams.
Bump was an afterthought who kept improving in college, and continued his upward trajectory in the AHL and now the NHL.

I don't want a McTavish, who can score at a decent rate but is a black hole defensively and has below average speed. He's not an upgrade over what they already have and is approaching the age where there probably isn't a lot of upside left.

I'd much rather gamble on someone like Shane Wright who is fundamentally sound and might be primed for a break out at 23 on a better team.

[zambonir]

He knows what he has in that he knows what he doesn't have. A surefire offensive 2C who makes the team better in the next year or two. What he does or doesn't do about that is the question.

[bigegypt0417]

Exactly.

Briere has centers...none of them look like they are the type of center that goes on your top lines.

No one is advocating that the flyers trade every pick for centers but hoping that these guys turn out to be something they've never shown themselves to be is a bad way to build.

I've seen Shane Wright mentioned a few times...he won't be cheap...he'll require a first and probably a second or third round pick.

[Austinfan]

Wright won't require that much, he's yet to break out at 22, there's no guarantee he'll ever be more than a 3C.
Zegras cost a 2nd and Poehling (3C/4C).

[bigegypt0417]

Wright is 22 and hasn't had horrible seasons...he's just not lived up to the position he was drafted.

He will require a first and probably a player or a pick.

Would I make that trade? Yep.

It just doesn't exactly fit your narrative. The cost will still be more than Zegras.

[zambonir]

Well, this is certainly not the action of a team that wants to trade Matthews or have a pick in the Top 10. Though it's definitely Leafs-like! He would have made sense for the Flyers positionally but not at 30 years old, eight years, $8.5 million

Maple Leafs acquire defenseman Darren Raddysh in blockbuster sign-and-trade

[Austinfan]

Even with a rising cap, that's crazy money for a one year wonder at 29.
This reeks of desperation.

[bigegypt0417]

Yeah...it's a really terrible looking deal and the rest of the D-men in the NHL are loving it.

The highest paid in the NHL? Yeesh.

[zambonir]

Agreed, especially when they are also going to trade Rielly. Which will mostly balance out the $, but it lessens the extent to which it upgrades the entire roster. They'll be needing Andrae to replace that production.

Risto may not be that type of d-man - if he was the Flyers would be set! - but once again he looks like a bargain.