Alright Flyers fans here we go. It’s post trade deadline. How’s everyone doing out there?
The majority of people throughout the tri-state area expected the Flyers to make multiple trades before the trade deadline ended this past Monday at 3pm. However, Chuck Fletcher only made one move with trading Wayne Simmonds to the Nashville Predators. Michael Raffl, and Brian Elliott are still here, so there’s a surplus of Goaltending throughout the Flyers system the rest of the season. What should Flyers fans expect the rest of the season? Can the Flyers make the playoffs? These are questions we will soon have answer to in the future. Without further delay, here are our answers to your questions.
I know a lot of Flyers fans were upset with the return the Flyers received for Wayne Simmonds. However, I wrote for weeks and weeks not to expect a first round pick. The highest pick I thought the Flyers would receive was a 2nd for Simmonds services. With that being said Ryan Hartman is a former first round pick, and the 4th round pick could turn into a third round pick if Nashville wins a playoff round this year. I don’t think it was a bad trade by any means.
Hartman is 24 years old, and when Simmonds came to the Flyers from LA he was 23. Hartman can skate, be physical, and draw penalties. He gets to the dirty areas for goals, and Hartman makes his teammates better. Essentially he’s a younger Simmonds right now, but just lacks that Offensive proweress Simmonds had. Let’s see what this young man can do before we say we lost the deadline.
I was shocked that Brian Elliott wasn’t traded, along with Michael Raffl. Raffl is inconsistent this year, and I think that may have scared some teams. Elliott has been hurt for an extended period of the season, and that may have scared some teams, as well. I guess we can make the case there was only 1 trade involving a Goaltender with that being the Keith Kinkaid deal. All in all right now I give Fletcher the Grade of a C+ for the deadline.
Fletcher did not address acquiring a top 4 Defenseman, nor obtain a sniper. Some teams did inquire about Radko Gudas, and Fletcher wanted to keep him. Gudas has been our best Defenseman for sure, but what do we do in the off-season? Yes, we buy Andrew MacDonald out, but we will still have a logjam at the Defensive position. Some assets are still with the team following the deadline with the likes of Elliott, Hagg, Gudas, and Raffl. I thought the Flyers would be both buyers and sellers, and they were that to a certain extent. Just with all these assets I thought Fletcher would be busier. For these reasons mentioned that is my main reason for the low deadline Grade.
I will say it will be a very busy off-season for the Flyers. Fletcher will have his hands full with possibly re-upping Travis Sanheim, Travis Konecny, and Ivan Provorov. However, Fletcher will give the Flyers roster a face lift, as well. The Flyers are headed in the right direction with cap space to add and extend, so it is with that the future is bright in Flyer land. Believe me Brandon better days are ahead.
Brandon thanks for your support. Without you this site doesn’t exist.
Chuck Fletcher met with Simmonds agent a month before the trade deadline, and he also met with Simmonds this past Sunday one day before the trade deadline. Fletcher never ruled out the possibility of resigning him. However, since Simmonds was traded it’s highly unlikely Simmonds comes back to the Flyers next season.
I think Fletcher will be in touch with Simmonds agent for sure in the off-season, as Simmonds loves Philly. However, I don’t think there will be enough traction for Simmonds and Philadelphia to reunite. Simmonds is looking for a long-term contract. It has never been about the AAV with the Flyers, it’s the term that has held up the possibility of resigning Simmonds. Simmonds is looking for a 5-6 year deal, and right now the Flyers cannot offer him that. I believe there is a 25% shot that Simmonds resigns with the Flyers in the off-season. I know it hurts as Simmonds has done everything and then some with his tenure as a Flyer, but it’s time to move on.
Fletcher has publicly stated multiple times that he was looking to add a top 4 Defenseman, whether it was by the trade deadline or in the off-season. It will be interesting to see how Fletcher handles the back end in the off-season. Will he add or not? I believe Andrew MacDonald will be benched in favor of Philippe Myers, and I also believe MacDonald will be bought out in the off-season. Like you said there is a log jam of Defencemen with the big club right now, so something has to give.
Samuel Morin although he is activated, is still about a week or more away from seeing game action. Morin at the moment will be the 8th Defenseman. Do not rule out the possibility of using 7 Defencemen when Morin is able to play (MacDonald would be benched, and Morin would play).
Fletcher wanted to keep Radko Gudas, as there were teams that were interested in his services. I do not know what Fletcher was asking for in return, but I can confirm there was definitely some interest for Gudas. It will be a busy off-season, and the Defense will look different to start the season next year.
Flyers thanks for the support. Without you this site doesn’t exist.
Wade Allison in my opinion will return to Western Michigan for his Senior season. He loves it there, and with his injury plagued Junior season. I can almost guarantee he wants to right the ship as Assistant Captain. In an interview with me last year Allison said he loved his team, and everything about being a Bronco.
You are correct Ron Hextall did want to sign Allison to an ELC this past Summer, but Allison wanted to right the ship following his ACL injury. It will be interesting to see what Allison does, but I’m confident he will sign an ELC with the Flyers following his Senior season.
I love the humor with calling me a Wizard. Honestly, I’m like most people. I love the Flyers, and like most fans I know them well (At least I think I do haha). Moreover, I love covering them, sometimes it’s luck. But, other times it’s sources. Thanks for noticing, as I only provide the truth.
Austin thanks a lot for your support. Without you this site doesn’t exist.
First things first with these awesome questions. Fletcher will resign at the very least Ivan Provorov. He will be the toughest, but I’m confident that he will be resigned this off-season. Fletcher will also re-up Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton. Laughton has been really good this year, and at this point he’s an asset with how well he is on the penalty kill. Moreover, I do believe Travis Sanheim and Ryan Hartman will also get new deals. Hartman will be a low $850,000-900,000 per. Fletcher will be busy as soon as the season ends for sure with some household cleaning before the Draft begins. Here are the RFA’s for the Flyers next season: Konecny, Laughton, Sanheim, Provorov, and NAK.
Here’s my top 9 next season, and yes I do believe Morgan Frost will impress enough throughout Training Camp to make the Flyers roster at the start of the season:
G, Patrick, Konecny
Lindblom, Coots, Voracek
JVR, Frost/Laughton, Laughton/Hartman/Frost
With Mark Stone signing a massive deal. This leaves a highly coveted player in Artemi Panarin available in free agency. Panarin will definitely be on the eyes for Fletcher. Whether or not the Flyers win the sweepstakes that could be saved for another day. Fletcher will more than likely be interested in Panarin.
Fletcher has made it publicly known that he intends on adding a top 4 Defenseman. I believe he will grab one via trade or free agency in the off-season. I can also see the Flyers buying out Andrew MacDonald to free up a spot on the backend.
The busy General Manager in Fletcher might add a quality backup Goaltender for Carter Hart, as well. This Cam Talbot situation is weird, and I can see Fletcher adding another Veteran netminder to help Hart mature into the NHL. Simply put, Fletcher will have his hands full this off-season.
Connor thanks for your support. Without you this site doesn’t exist today.
I believe Andrew MacDonald will be bought out this Summer. The Flyers have a logjam at the Defensive position right now. Buying out Amac will free open a much needed spot.
One prospect that could be moved is a Goaltender in Matej Tomek. He currently is in his Junior season for the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and his numbers are just not very good. One other prospect that could be on the move is Mike Vecchione. He’s an RFA at year’s end, but Vecchione is on the outside looking in at this point as a member of the Flyers. I like Vecchione, but I just don’t see no wiggle room in terms of Flyers ready Forwards. I mean you have Frost, Vorobyev, and Rubtsov all ahead of him in terms of prospects that could play right away in the NHL next season.
Michael thanks for your support. Without you this site doesn’t exist today.
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. Thanks to all the fans for another great mailbag, and Let’s go Flyers. Without your support, we wouldn’t be here today.
