Helllllllllo Philadelphia!!!!! Helllllllllo Flyers fans!!!!! Can’t wait for the Draft, so let’s get this party started. June 22, 2018 can’t come soon enough. The proud orange clad fans will be there sporting their orange clad Flyers gear, waiting for General Manager Ron Hextall to announce the orange and black’s first pick at number 14.
Just who will be on the Flyers radar at 14? Well, it can be any player ranging from a Forward to a Right-handed Defenseman. Some players on the Flyers radar are Ty Smith, Barrett Hayton, Joel Farabee, Bode Wilde, Jett Woo, Joe Veleno, and Rasmus Kupari. Without further delay, here are our answers to your questions.
#Flyersmail 2 questions for you. 1) Do you think the Flyers will be active in free agency or is this going to be another sign a Dale Wiese & call it done type of year? 2) Do you see trades on the horizon, if they don't make free agency a thing, or to compliment free agency?
— Barry (@TheRealCrowhuck) May 16, 2018
Barry you’re an amazing person, and one that knows Flyers hockey. Your support is amazing, simply put you’re the man. I do believe the Flyers will be active in free agency. Their number one priority should be inking John Carlson to a five-year 40 million-dollar contract. If the Flyers want to take the next step in the rebuild this is the best way to do it.
The signing of Carlson would show the hockey world that we mean business. Of course, this is the first time Ron Hextall has been afforded cap space, so do the right thing and use some of it. They are in dire need of not only a Right-Handed Defenseman, but a Defenseman to pair with Ivan Provorov. Can Travis Sanheim, Shayne Gostisbehere, or Philippe Myers be one of those guys? Who knows…possibly, but at least this gives the young prospects time to ease into that role, as opposed to just throwing them into that role. Rushing these young prospects into that role can add a little more pressure on them to succeed. Hextall should focus a little more on Defense this off-season given the news to Samuel Morin, who may not be healthy for the start of the 2018-19 season.
Trades are difficult to predict, but to answer the second part of your question it’s definitely a possibility. One trade that would be logical for the Flyers is one involving Dougie Hamilton. Of course, this is in the event they don’t sign Carlson. I can honestly tell you, I’ve heard no rumblings of any trade or trades at this time, but that doesn’t mean its not going to happen.
https://twitter.com/NAARobertWilson/status/996886494424875008?s=19
Robert I can’t say thank you enough for your support. Your knowledge of Flyers hockey is through the roof. You’re the man. Let’s start with the PK. The Flyers should be more aggressive while they are on the penalty kill. This can make it harder for teams to enter our zone, and this would allow our opponents to think on the fly, and not giving them time to make decisions.
The power play is too predictable. I would still use Nolan Patrick on the top unit. Why not experiment with moving Jakub Voracek off the first unit for Wayne Simmonds? Simmonds is gritty and can get to the front of the net to score a dirty goal, while Voracek looks pass first. Just a thought.
To answer the third part of your question. At this point it’s tough to give solutions with the 5on5 play. We just don’t know who will return, or who Hextall will add. The bottom 6 is in dire need of stepping up. Hopefully, by adding a light’s out Defenseman and possibly a third line Center (If the Flyers don’t think Mike Vecchione or Mikhail Vorobyev fit the bill), this makes us a more consistent hockey team next year. Moreover, this includes both of our goaltenders staying healthy next season with the likes of Brian Elliott and Alex Lyon.
https://twitter.com/archangels1111/status/996854815572377600?s=19
Michael your support is amazing, and you bleed the orange and black. Each week your questions are flat-out great, and you’re simply the man. I would love nothing more but to add Erik Karlsson. Unfortunately, he will cost a ton and rightfully so. Karlsson would be a fantastic person to mentor the young Defense, but it’s unlikely Hextall would sacrifice the farm and future picks for Karlsson, not to mention the current young players on the big club. However, I do love your thought process here.
Jody Boyer- Could you see Hextall trusting Lyon as back up for next season? Neuvirth traded this summer? I feel Hexy is done with him.
Jody you’re a die-hard Flyers fan. Your support speaks volumes to me, and you’re the man there’s no other way to put it. In a phone conference with the media before the season began last year. Hextall referenced Alex Lyon in a sentence, with a question that just pertained to young netminder Anthony Stolarz. That conference call showed me he was very high on Alex Lyon, and now we know why. Lyon filled in nicely for the Flyers when he was called upon this past season. Lyon left us little doubt that he could be at the very least a quality backup in this league, so I think Hextall has all the trust in Lyon. Especially, with how well Lyon has performed in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
The Flyers will definitely try to move on from Michal Neuvirth this summer. However, he may be difficult to move. Neuvirth’s track history with injuries doesn’t do him justice. He recently just had surgery, and is recovering nicely from such. When healthy Neuvirth is a solid goaltender, so I’m hoping that there is a desperate team in search of a backup goaltender.
If you would like to see your questions submitted in our weekly mailbag. Just submit your question on our Facebook page or on Twitter using #Flyersmail. This mailbag will continue throughout the off-season. Just because the season is over, we don’t stop here at this site. Thanks to all the fans for another great mailbag, and Let’s go Flyers. Without your support we wouldn’t be here today.
