Flyers Weekly Mailbag: The calm before there storm

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With the NHL Draft less than three short weeks away. Will the real Ron Hextall please stand up!!! Yes, “I’m the real Shady will he please stand up.” During his short tenure as General Manager of the Flyers. Hextall has transformed this organization into a prospect juggernaut.

There are many questions facing the Flyers this off-season. For instance, will they keep their two first round picks? Will the Flyers make a big splash in free agency for the first time under Hextall’s regime, or will he remain conservative? These are valid questions, to which we can give potential targets. Without further delay, here are our answers to your questions.

I can see the Flyers scooping up Joe Veleno if he’s still on the board at 14, if targets like Bode Wilde, Joel Farabee, Barrett Hayton, and Vitali Kravtsov are off the board.

If Noah Dobson falls to at least the 10th spot as Edmonton selects. I wouldn’t throw it by Ron Hextall to move up and snag him. Dobson will be a very good player for sure. That would be the guy Hextall would move up to snag. It wouldn’t cost as much, as moving up within the top 5 for an NHL ready player would. Thanks for your support, and the congratulations on the baby. It means a lot. According to Zack Hill, Noah Joseph Baskow should become a Defenseman because he will get more playing time in 2036.

https://twitter.com/NAARobertWilson/status/1004357260360015872?s=19

1. Goalies that stay:

Brian Elliott

Alex Lyon

Carter Hart

Anthony Stolarz

John Muse

Goalies that leave for any reason:

Michal Neuvirth

Dustin Tokarski

2. If the Flyers traded up its for Noah Dobson, as he will most likely fall between the 8th-10th picks. One main reason is the Flyers wouldn’t have to give up the house, in order to snag him. Moreover, if the Flyers moved within the top 5 they would have to give up a King’s ransom in order to do such. Only Hextall knows.

If the Flyers stay put at 14, I would love Joel Farabee if he slides. However, if Farabee Barrett Hayton, and Joe Veleno are all off the board at 14. I can see the Flyers snagging Bode Wilde at 14, and Dominik Bokk at 19.

3. Why does Lappy still have a job? To tell you the truth, I have no idea how he does. One coaching change I thought the Flyers would make this off-season, would have been to move Lappy into another job within the organization. The penalty killing situation needs to improve, and one way of doing that is by developing the attack style. Can Lappy teach this? Only time will tell in training camp.

Thanks for your support, and your support of Noah Joseph means a lot.

There is currently no focus on improving our goaltending situation for next year. Their main focus for now would be how to move Michal Neuvirth, in favor of Alex Lyon as a backup. The Flyers would be confident in a Brian Elliott, and Alex Lyon tandem to start next season.

Carter Hart is our future. He will start for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms next season. Hart may very well get a shot with the big club if an injury arises. However, I think the Flyers intend to stay pat in this area until Hart is ready. Thanks for the support, it sure does mean a lot.

I personally don’t foresee Wayne Simmonds being traded this off-season. It’s just too hard to gauge his value right now within the league, following some off-season surgeries. At 100% he would have many teams interested in him. Honestly, I have heard no credible rumors involving the “Wayne Train.”

With that being said, I believe he has a rebound year, and pots 30-35 goals. Moreover, this doesn’t close the door on Simmonds getting traded at the trade deadline. It just depends on how the team is performing at that point. Joe Paw thanks for your support, and your blessings of Noah Joseph means a lot.

The Breakdown:

John Tavares- 5 or 6 yrs. $55-66 million

John Carlson- 5 yrs. $55 million

James Van Riemsdyk- 2 yrs. $10 milllion

Paul Statsny- 3 yrs. $15 million or 4 yrs. $22.5 million

Ilya Kovalchuk- 1 yr. $2.5 million or 2 yrs. $5 million

James Neal- 3 yrs. $18 million

Joe Thornton- 2 yrs. $10 million

David Perron- 2 yrs. $9 million

Rick Nash- 2 yrs. $12 million

Patrick Maroon- 3 yrs. $12 million

Riley Nash- 2 yrs. $8-9 million

Tyler Bozak- 3 yrs. $15.5 million

Calvin De Haan- 2 yrs. $8-10 million

Ian Cole- 2 yrs. $6.5-7 million

Michael Grabner- 2 or 3 yrs $11-18 million (Depends on years $5.5-6 million per yr)

Derek Ryan- 2 yrs. $4-4.5 million

Jay Beagle- 3 yrs. $9-10 million

Luca Sbisa- 3 yrs. $11 million

Thanks for the support Flyers. Means a lot

This is the million dollar question. I don’t know how Lappy has survived yet another off-season to tell you the truth. I will always love Lappy for all he did as a player for this organization. But, he should be moved into another part within the organization, thus not coaching the PK anymore. This is a business, and the penalty kill has been horrendous for the past 3-4 years. That’s putting it nicely.

Sam you make some very good points in your question. For instance, if teams within our division continue to improve their PK, shouldn’t the Flyers be trying to adopt a new style to their PK? Adopt the attack style already gosh darn it. When the Flyers go on the PK they become hard to watch. It makes it seem like they are sitting back eating bon-bons, while teams are creating opportunities in front of us. Simply put, this isn’t getting it done. Developing the attack style would make players have to think on the fly, thus  creating more mistakes.

Sam thanks for all your support, and blessings of Noah Joseph. It means a lot.

 

 

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports