PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 15: An overall view of the arena is shown prior to the start of this afternoon's game featuring the Philadelphia Flyers against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Wells Fargo Center on April 15, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Finally, Flyers hockey is back. Flyers fans across the region and throughout the World heard the same things in their heads, before Friday nights showdown with the Pittsburgh Penguins, from a great PA Announcer Lou Nolan, “Are you ready for some Flyers hockey.” Well, the Flyers are, and they are ready to play in front of their hometown fans again. Without further delay, here are our answers to your questions.
The Flyers really won’t be buyers or sellers. Chuck Fletcher stated a few weeks ago to the Press that he did not want to tinker with this team, and he believes Nolan Patrick is coming back. With that being said, the Flyers will be on the market for a minor move or two, and that really doesn’t classify as being buyers or sellers. Fletcher won’t stand pat either, look for Fletcher to go after Conor Sheary, Jimmy Vesey, Nick Bonino, or Craig Smith for depth purposes for the bottom 9 or 12. Small minor moves will be of interest to Fletcher and the Flyers, not a blockbuster type deal that some fans are hoping for.
Fortunately, Chuck Fletcher and the Flyers are trying to get ahead of this for next season. They had a meeting with the NHL this past Wednesday just to give them their thoughts on the schedule, and to make them aware of how difficult it was this season.
It feels like the Flyers have a back-to-back every week, and to me with playing overseas to start the season that really just isn’t fair. Not only that, after playing overseas in the Czech Republic they had a Western Canadian road trip right thereafter. They played in many different time zones throughout the World in the first five games of the season, I mean wow.
Believe it or not the Flyers did the NHL a favor, by putting this great game on a grand stage early in the season with playing in the Czech Republic, and in doing so the Flyers should have been given some lead way in terms of back-to-backs throughout the course of the season. I applaud Fletcher and the Flyers for giving the NHL their thoughts on the schedule, even though, there is nothing the NHL can do to rectify this situation this season. In the end, hopefully, this will give the Flyers lead way next season in terms of scheduling.
For some odd reason, I believe the Flyers will lose a defenseman at the expansion draft. Even if Shayne Gostisbehere is indeed moved prior to the draft. They could lose either Robert Hagg (RFA at year’s end), or possibly even Mark Friedman (RFA at year’s end). In my opinion, that’s one reason why Chuck Fletcher drafted Cam York this past draft.
Most likely the Flyers will use the 7-3-1 draft method. With that being said, some Forwards that could be exposed are two hefty contracts in Jake Voracek and JVR. Fletcher could use the expansion draft as a salary dump possibly. Scott Laughton does not need protection, as he is not under contract for the 2021-22 season. Kevin Hayes, and Claude Giroux have a NTC, so they are both automatically protected.
Of course, this does not include a player(s) that the Flyers pick up at the trade deadline, or some off-season moves, as well. It’s just my gut feeling that the Flyers lose a quality defenseman to the draft.
It feels like forever ago that the Flyers played. They roared back for much needed point against the Penguins. The lines and defensive pairings were as follows:
JVR, Giroux, Konecny
Raffl, Couturier, Voracek
Laughton, Hayes, Farabee
Pitlick, Bunnaman, NAK
Provorov, Niskanen
Sanheim, Myers
Hagg, Braun
Elliott
(Lyon)
Let’s go Flyers, Let’s go Flyers beat the Avs. Lyon gets the nod tonight, and Ghost most likely will be out of the lineup tonight.
If you would like to see your questions submitted in our weekly mailbag. Just submit your question on our Twitter page @flyersknitty using #Flyersmail, or @JameyBaskow. Thanks to all the fans for another great mailbag, and Let’s go Flyers.
Ghost to Montreal for kovalchuck and Romanov
Braun back to assets and cap space, and Ghost to Columbus for Josh Andersson!