JackStraw Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 I'm not knocking the MacDonald trade...depending on what Homer pays him. The Timonen/Hartnell trade and Coburn deals were great. I thought Holmgren actually had a plan back then. Then he went all Briere/Pronger/Kubina/Bryz/Modry/Prospal/Streit/VLC on us. Behn Wilson? And that other guy who played 2 NHL games. Yeah, Behn Wilson was ok. And Tom Bladon I guess. Pretty illustrious group huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 @JackStraw Has pathetically pathetic been used yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackStraw Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 @JackStraw Has pathetically pathetic been used yet? Could be a first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackStraw Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 My biggest problem with the Flyers and their defense is not that they don't give their young guys a chance. It's that their young guys are Alt/Manning/Lauridsen and so on. And that's because of the organization's draft philosophy, which has generally been, "we draft for BPA" (a.k.a. "best center available"). Laughton may be a good NHL'er, but I'd say the odds are 50-50 that whatever he turns into, he does it for someone else. If not him, then Schenn (hopefully not Couturier). But we could have Maata right now. The acquisitions of guys like Gill, Kubina, and so on, while mostly useless don't really hurt the team's future much. They're the kind of moves that almost every team makes from time to time. But the reluctance to draft defensemen is what, at least in my opinion, has really put the team in the bind that it's in now. I'm hoping that last year's draft is a sign that management is learning from its mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 @JackStraw The reluctance to draft defenceman, and the penchant to trade way too many draft picks away. That has to stop. I'm not saying don't trade any, but trading every other 1st and 90% of your 2nds, 3rds and 4ths is not helping your prospect pool out...as we can see by our 30th ranking in that dept. out of 30 teams. Even if you draft well and only draft forwards, you can always deal them to teams who only draft defence successfully. Well, as long as you don't try and poach their captain that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackStraw Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 @JackStraw The reluctance to draft defenceman, and the penchant to trade way too many draft picks away. That has to stop. I'm not saying don't trade any, but trading every other 1st and 90% of your 2nds, 3rds and 4ths is not helping your prospect pool out...as we can see by our 30th ranking in that dept. out of 30 teams. Even if you draft well and only draft forwards, you can always deal them to teams who only draft defence successfully. Well, as long as you don't try and poach their captain that is. Mostly agree. But if all you can do is try to trade for defensemen that other teams have drafted then your available pool is guys other teams are willing to give up. I'd rather have the guys the other teams aren't willing to give up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 @JackStraw They may feel the same way about our centers. My example was Nashville because they are every bit as terrible at drafting forwards as we are at defence. Ok, maybe not that bad, but close. Have you looked at their forwards over the last few years? Can you name one that you'd want on Philly? The one difference is there are fewer defencemen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackStraw Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 @JackStraw They may feel the same way about our centers. My example was Nashville because they are every bit as terrible at drafting forwards as we are at defence. Ok, maybe not that bad, but close. Have you looked at their forwards over the last few years? Can you name one that you'd want on Philly? The one difference is there are fewer defencemen. Yeah, and I think that's the key thing. It's generally easier to draft good forwards. There are more of them, they're easier to predict, and they usually don't take as long to develop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 @JackStraw But there are many teams who could use good centers. And we have almost too many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackStraw Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 And we have almost too many. So then, we trade for Briere in the offseason? Yes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 @JackStraw No doubt....he can be the 2nd line center along with Schenn, VLC and Couturier AND the assistant gm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I missed the Debbies game, but has MacDonald not hit the tape of his teammate's stick on any pass as a Flyer yet? Just real calm and good passing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doom88 Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I missed the Debbies game, but has MacDonald not hit the tape of his teammate's stick on any pass as a Flyer yet? Just real calm and good passing.In all fairness, the comparative bar was REALLY low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 @doom88 LMAO! Sad, but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 @doom88 LMAO! Sad, but true.I was stuck at work and missed the game anyone have a scouting report on MacD verse the Pens?? Anyone? Thanks....stuck at work again today too. Be I recorded and will watch when I get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJgoal Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 OR, looked pretty confident, skating out of trouble. Was my first look at him since the trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanflyer Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 I was stuck at work and missed the game anyone have a scouting report on MacD verse the Pens?? Anyone? Thanks....stuck at work again today too. Be I recorded and will watch when I get home. I actually like this trade. Most of time I don't notice him- and that is exactly what I want. He is chewing up 20 minutes a night without being noticed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 I actually like this trade. Most of time I don't notice him- and that is exactly what I want. He is chewing up 20 minutes a night without being noticed.Good to hear. I hope he keeps it up.Sure hope Emery is ready to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Yeah, and I think that's the key thing. It's generally easier to draft good forwards. There are more of them, they're easier to predict, and they usually don't take as long to develop. This is a good point - because it's not the trading for defensemen that has been the problem, it's been the defensemen that have been traded for. I can, have and will bring up Maata over Laughton until I'm blue in the face (or Laughton emerges as a solid NHL player), but it's not necessarily a "bad thing" to give up 2nds and 3rds to acquire solid defensive talent - assuming you are acquiring solid defensive talent. The track record - as flyercanuck noted - has not been encouraging. There are exceptions to the rule - Zhitnik wasn't fabulous, but he did bring the Flyers Coburn. That was certainly an upgrade. And it's looking like MacDonald is going to be a solid pickup, especially after the two Pens games. Sure, the Pens were shorthanded a bit and - 15 points up in the Metro - may not have the drive to overcome them in the short term, but the Flyers took care of business and took four points, giving up none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 (edited) The track record - as flyercanuck noted - has not been encouraging. Be he has been pretty decent at the undrafted free agents...... so what about the top free agent out there....a right handed Swedish defenseman....they could use this...with good size too. 6' 3" 209 so sounds like he has the body size to handle it. http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=9799 A defenseman of decent size. Has good potential to become a skilled defenseman in the future. Keeps his game fairly simple and uses his body at good opportunities. Has decent offensive qualities, such as his shot, but is at his best in the defensive zone. Homer has a good track record signing these types. Scoop him up and offer him the max contract. Which is 2 year deal i think. signed at 23: exempt for 3 years or 60 NHL games waiver exempt. Edited March 18, 2014 by OccamsRazor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackStraw Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 Hmm. He plays for UMass Lowell, right in my neck of the woods. They're in the Hockey East Tourney coming up in Boston in a few days. Don't think I'll get to any games but I wouldn't be surprised if some games are on TV here, I'll keep an eye out. http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/hockey/opinion/2014/03/christian-folin-is-at-the-head-of-us-college-free-agent-class.html http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/showthread.php?p=63932281 Sounds like he projects as a defensive d-man type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackStraw Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 FYI: UMass Lowell is playing Notre Dame this Friday at 5PM. Appears that it will be on the NBC Sports Network. http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/tourney/index.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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