I can’t really see Fletcher submitting offers for Brayden Point, Mitchell Marner, or Patrick Laine, even though he did state submitting offers for RFA’s were a possibility. However, I could see him trading for the rights of Jacob Trouba, or possibly even trading for Jared Spurgeon. Trouba or Spurgeon would be able to play top minutes with Ivan Provorov. Fletcher, in my opinion, will snag either or, and that will be bold. Lettttttttttts go Flyerssssssss
Jacob Trouba has, and will remain my primary acquisition for the Flyers this off-season. Trouba would eat a ton of minutes, and he could figure onto the top pairing with Ivan Provorov. Erik Karlsson like you said will command term and money. I would really like the Flyers to steer clear of a bad cap contract in the future.
Fletcher is more likely to trade for a top 4 Defenseman at the draft, then to move up within a top 5 pick at the draft. It will take a ton to move up, and I don’t think Fletcher is ready to move on from those assets for an unknown player. What I mean is every prospect is different, and although I think each one of those picks would do well in the NHL. It is still a risk for an unknown prospect. In my opinion, I just don’t think Fletcher would make that type of trade this off-season. However, I have been wrong before, and with that, anything is possible at the draft.
I agree with you on Nolan Patrick. Patrick will come out firing on all cylinders from start to finish next season. He has the tendency as you are aware to start off slow, and pull it together for the second half. Next season, I envision Patrick finishing with a career-high 57 points (22g,35a). The kid is just too talented, and too speedy to not pull it all together next season. I will go out on a limb here and say Patrick will win the Pelle Lindbergh Trophy, as the Flyers Most Improved Player next season.
Matt Duchene would be an awesome fit as a 2C for the orange and black. Unfortunately, he will cost a pretty penny, as well as, seek some term. Duchene would help this team in many ways, but the Flyers could be handcuffed eventually with this cap hit.
Kevin Hayes is a main target for the Flyers. Hayes, of course, played for Alain Vigneault with the New York Rangers, so there is familiarity there. The 2C market might be very thin come July 1 that I could see teams overpaying out of the Ying-yang for talent. However, this is a position of need for the orange and black, so to me, Hayes seems like the best fit via free agency, as I expect Joe Pavelski and Brock Nelson to resign with their respective clubs.
Tyler Johnson like you have stated for a few weeks now seems like a very logical fit as a 2C, via the trade route. The Tampa Bay Lightning will try to resign players like Anton Stralman, Brayden Point, Braydon Coburn, Danick Martel, and Dan Girardi. Currently, the Lightning only have approximately $1.4 million of cap space, which would leave them with approximately $7.9 million of cap space, by the time the cap goes up by $6.5 million at the end of the season. All in all the Lightning can’t sign everyone.
Jacob Trouba has, and will remain my primary acquisition for the Flyers this off-season. Trouba would eat a ton of minutes, and he could figure onto the top pairing with Ivan Provorov. Erik Karlsson like you said will command term and money. I would really like the Flyers to steer clear of a bad cap contract in the future. To me, the top 4 Defencemen role is between Trouba and Jared Spurgeon.
Michael Ferland is a player that Fletcher could very well target. I think Ferland can help the Flyers in the “Gritty” area of the game, as well as, pot some big goals. He potted 17 goals this past season for the Carolina Hurricanes, and Ferland would provide a bit of toughness for the club, as well. Let’s not forget Ferland potted 21 goals the prior year as a member of the Calgary Flames. The Flyers will also be interested in Artemi Panarin for sure, but I think he is destined to sign with the Florida Panthers.
Kasperi Kapanen is also a strong possibility. He’s an RFA for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and they cannot resign everybody much like Tampa Bay. The Leafs will be handcuffed with the Mitchell Marner contract oh, that it may free up Kapanen. Fletcher may be inclined to trade for his rights beings the Marner talks haven’t gone that well.
Between Ferland and Kapanen I say Fletcher makes a trade for Kapanen’s rights. It just makes more sense to add this type of playmaker, that is of course if Fletcher does indeed add a Winger.
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