With a sudden agreement that sets the start of the season just a mere few weeks from now, and some mighty big changes to go along with it, this season is set to be like none other before it. Teams will be forced to play a shortened schedule of just 56 games and face a realignment of the divisions (which was agreed upon to try and limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus). This realignment has the Flyers in the same division as some of their east coast rivals the Bruins, Sabers, Devils, Islanders, Rangers, Penguins, and Capitals. With these teams playing each other so frequently tempers are sure to flair. The question is: Are the Flyers ready for this? The answer is no! With that being said, the realization that the season is about to begin has some procrastinating players scrambling to find a spot on an NHL roster. So much so that there are some absolutely crazy signings happening of late. For example: Stanley Cup champion Corey Perry inked a deal with the Montreal Canadiens for just $750,000 for this season. The still very productive Carl Soderberg signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks for just $1 million dollars. Then the most head scratching signing of all- that was not even an official signing: The fact that the perennial thirty-goal scorer Mike Hoffman settled for a tryout offer from the St. Louis Blues is simply astonishing. With these unheard-of type deals happening all around the league right now, it leaves one to wonder whether the Flyers (who have over $2 million left in cap space) could cash in on this frenzy and add some last-minute grit for a discounted price?
If this is even a possibility, who is still available this late? Well, how about Matt Martin? At 6’3 and 220 pounds, this now 31-year-old heavy weight has been one of the league’s longest-tenured tough guys. He is completely fearless, squaring off in 91 total fights during his time in the league against some of toughest names in the business: Tom Wilson, Zdeno Chara, Austin Watson, Mark Borowiecki, and Dustin Byfuglien. Fist-to-cuffs is not the only talent this enforcer has to offer a team in need: Martin never misses the opportunity to finish a check. Matt has finished 1st in the league multiple times over the course of his career. In fact, Matt sits 4th among the “active hits” leaders, with each of the people before him playing in hundreds of games more than him. Martin made $2.5 million last season with the New York Islanders and with the season so close he may be so inclined to take a huge pay cut to just find a team to play with this season.
Another name that could bring the grit that the Flyers should be seeking is Brett Ritchie who played with the Boston Bruins last season. This 6’4 220-pound wrecking ball made just $1 million dollars last season. While his point totals may not turn many heads, his ability to bring the boom does! Ritchie, like Martin, never passes on the chance to flatten the opposition, and in doing so has had to answer the bell for devasting hits, which is something that Brett seems to have no problem doing. Richie too has quite the impressive fight card; squaring off with such names like Barclay Goodrow, Colton Parayko, and Karl Alzner in the past.
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The type of toughness that these two players bring to the table is exactly what the Flyers are lacking and currently in need of the most. With the realignment of the divisions causing the Flyers to have to repeatedly play some of their most loathed and despised rivals, tensions are sure to rise between these clubs. As a result, the incidences of cheap shots and dirty hits are sure to increase. For this reason, a policeman is going to be needed to ensure that if such a thing does happen that the instigating player will be forced to answer for his ill behavior. Without a player capable of serving retribution for these type actions on their roster, the Flyers will be forced to look to their Taxi squad for help seeing that their star players will be on the Injured Reserve list. With the signing of one of these long arms of the law, Philadelphia could ensure the safety of the others on their roster because just the mere sight of one of these two men tends to make players around the league straighten up and think twice before acting out.
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I have said for years they need more grit
Thanks for the read Ed! Let’s hope Chuck feels the same way and does something soon.
We need toughness, no question! But what if we traded for example Rubtsov for Boston”s Trent Frederic to bring us the toughness we need! Both were pretty high picks, who has not been living up to expectations, so far in their organisations! So change of scenery might do good for both players! Otherwise Matt Martin would be best option, because he can still keep up with the rest, as evidence of his league leading hit totals!