Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers Weekly Mailbag: Will 2018 be the season to end goaltender woes?

By Posted on
USATSI_9763501_168382939_lowres

Geez how hockey is missed in the dead smack, middle of the Summer. This coming hockey season is one of the most anticipated Flyers seasons in recent memory. There are so many good storylines when the orange and black open Training Camp in the Fall. For instance, the return of a beloved player in James Van Riemsdyk, the position battles for third and fourth line Centers, and lastly which young prospects will finally make the leap from Juniors or the AHL to the big club on a full-time basis. Wooooooo…let’s get this Flyers season started already. Without further delay, here are our answers to your questions.

This is interesting. Both of these players seem to be one to two years away from at the very least the AHL (If they so choose, as both are committed to Collegiate Universities in the NCAA). Joel Farabee is a quality Winger, and the Flyers could be in need of Wingers in the near future. Jay O’Brien is a fiesty, gritty Centerman with a pair of beauties. O’Brien is being compared to by some as Jeremy Roenick.

Farabee I believe will crack the NHL first, simply based off organizational need. This kid can flat-out fly, and he never takes a shift off. Farabee appears to be a natural goal scorer, and by all means right now is making Ron Hextall look great with how he has performed at the WJSS. To ask which player would crack the NHL first is a testament to how great the Flyers scouts are, as Hextall made an off the wall selection with selecting O’Brien in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft.

Andre thanks so much for your continued support. It means a lot, and without you today our site doesn’t exist. God bless you and your family.

Mikhail Vorobyev or “Misha” is definitely a fourth line Center. He has the ceiling or goods to become a third line Center at some point. However, Vorobyev needs to become a more consistent hockey player. Yes, it did take him time to become accustomed to the North American ice, and injuries did play a factor in his rookie campaign for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. But, Vorobyev managed to tally 9 goals, and 20 assists for a total of 29 points in 58 games played. Moreover, Vorobyev tallied a goal, and an assist in 9 games played in the playoffs. Vorobyev needs to become more of a force, especially with Morgan Frost and others on the horizon in the future.

Get ready for the new NHL season with cheap, OFFICIAL Flyers gear from Fanatics right here! 

 

Vorobyev will fight for the third or fourth line Center spot in Training Camp. However, if he made the big club this coming season, it would more than likely be as a fourth line Center. Let’s see what a healthy, accustomed Vorobyev does this coming season, whether it be for the Phantoms or Flyers before we give up on him.

Ralph thanks for your continued support. This site doesn’t exist without your support. May God bless you and your family.

https://twitter.com/Flyers4Cup/status/1024743092929343488?s=19

A Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth tandem is becoming more likely, as the off-season continues to drag on. One team that could have interest in Neuvirth is the Calgary Flames. However, if Neuvirth stays with the Flyers he could become unreliable with an injury at some point. It’s bound to happen, and I hate to say it. Neuvirth is a good goalie when healthy, and he’s a great character guy in the locker room. Unfortunately, the guy is injury prone, and for this reason until he proves otherwise. I do believe there will be a collapse at some point. In the event this does happen Carter Hart or Alex Lyon will be waiting in the wings. With the goaltending we currently have, I will guarantee a first round playoff series victory.

Ken God bless you and your family. Thanks so much for your continued support. This site wouldn’t exist without your support.

https://twitter.com/vincenzo_2/status/1024745266921041920?s=19

Absolutely, no doubt 100% Ron Hextall will ink Ivan Provorov to a long-term deal of 6 years-$36-44.5 million deal, before Training Camp begins. Hextall would be wise to do so, as the price tag could jump at year’s end, assuming Provorov has a stellar 2018-19 season as expected. This will be Provorov’s first contract following his entry-level contract, so the price tag and term could be lower than some think.

Vincent thanks for your continued support. Hope all is well with you and your family. This site wouldn’t exist without your support.

https://twitter.com/babzilla_/status/1024854424898940928?s=19

I believe the Flyers will stand pat with the current roster. The only move I could see Ron Hextall making at this point in the off-season, is a trade for Michal Neuvirth. However, I do believe that Ivan Provorov and Wayne Simmonds at the very least will be re-upped. If they do resign, their new contracts wouldn’t kick in until the 2019-20 season. Moreover, Hextall will not buy out Jori Lehtera, rather they may send him to the Phantoms like the orange and black did last year with Matt Read. Unfortunately,  the Flyers are still on the hook for the compliance buyout with Ilya Bryzgalov,  so I think that leaves the organization with a sour taste in their mouth.

The Flyers currently have approximately $10.282 million in cap space. I would save the available cap space for the new contracts of Simmonds, Provorov, and Travis Konecny. Look at who the Flyers have coming off the books next season (Assuming Simmonds resigns):

Jori Lehtera- $4.7 million

Michael Raffl- $2.35 million

Jordan Weal- $1.75 million

Christian Folin- $800,000

Brian Elliott- $2.75 million

Michal Neuvirth- $2.5 million

Expiring Contracts Savings- $14.85 million

Combined cap space left over from 2018-19 (10.282)+14.85= $25.132 million

Not too shabby, and if my numbers are correct that would leave the Flyers with a combined $18.132  million in cap space for the 2019-20 season (Minus Simmonds new salary of $7 million, as I assume he resigns before Training Camp begins in 2018). Moreover, the 2019-20 salary cap number doesn’t include the new contract for Provorov, but I do believe he resigns before Training Camp begins in 2018, as well.

Pigeon I respect you very much. Your knowledge of Flyers hockey is through the roof. God bless you and your family.

Noah is absolutely amazing. He’s a miracle from God. The 2036 Flyers draft pick is doing very well, and growing like a weed. Noah currently weighs 12 lb 6 oz. He’s got to be at least 26 inches.

Tim thank you very much for your continued support. This site wouldn’t exist without you. As always let’s go Flyers.

Surprises of Training Camp will be Jordan Weal, Carter Hart, Morgan Frost, Philippe Myers, and Pascal Laberge. Laberge I believe will have a breakout year for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2018-19. He will finally turn some heads, as Laberge finally has had an injury free off-season, and a clear head to train. Laberge battled with some hardships after his step mom passed in September of 2016 from cancer, a few months after that his dad learned he had prostate cancer, and Laberge battled a nasty concussion where he was locked in a dark room for about two months. It was a never-ending cycle that weighed heavily on Laberge (As explained in an interview I conducted last year with him).

Weal, Frost, Myers, and Hart will battle for various positions throughout the lineup for the orange and black. Which ones (If they do) will grab some sports will remain to be seen, but this Training Camp in 2018 will be fun to watch. Moreover, the Flyers have invited a player from a familiar Acadie-Bathurst Titan team to attend Rookie Camp in Forward Mitchell Balmas, and barring a catastrophe he will more than likely be invited to attend Training Camp soon thereafter.

Barry your support is amazing, and without you our site doesn’t exist. God bless you and your family.

One major hold up with resigning Wayne Simmonds has to be the term of the contract. Hextall I would assume is trying for a 4 or 5 year contract, but Simmonds probably wants a 6-7 year deal. Of course, this would make sense for Simmonds, but maybe not so much for the Flyers. Moreover, Hextall has stated in prior weeks that money wouldn’t be a problem for the right player. Simmonds of course would be the right player for this young, up and coming team in the locker room.

Tommy thanks so much for your support. Your knowledge of Flyers hockey is insane. God bless you and your family.

  1. Provy-Ghost
  2. Sanheim-Gudas
  3. Amac-Hagg
  4. Folin

With this starting Defensive Corps. I will go on record saying that the Flyers will win a first round playoff series this coming season.

Shayne your support is amazing. Your knowledge of hockey is crazy good. God bless you and your family.

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.

About the Author

Related Articles

More from our Sister Sites