Flyers Season thread

[Seabiscuit36]

Flyers looking to Foote to strengthen defense

By ED BARKOWITZ
barkowe@phillynews.com

Way back in the old days of the NHL, circa 2003-04, when the Flyers needed to fill a hole, they simply marked a guy and opened the checkbook.

But just like grandpop's stories of walking to school uphill in the snow (both ways), those days are long gone. The ability to spend freely and ask questions afterward has given way to the $39 million salary cap constraints of the present.

That's why, when the NHL free-agent market opened yesterday, the Flyers could not simply sign the premier available defenseman - New Jersey's Scott Niedermayer. Instead, like the 29 other teams, they went fishing.

Flyers general manager Bob Clarke has said he would like to add a quality defenseman, but with about $8.4 million of cap room, he just can't simply ink Niedermayer, who could command somewhere in the $7 million range. The most a player can earn is 20 percent of the cap or $7.8 million.

"Well, we've got a lot of lines in the water and we'll just have to see how it goes," said Clarke, who refused to specify which players the Flyers are targeting.

But one guy the Flyers have contacted is Adam Foote, the 34-year-old linchpin to two Stanley Cup championships in Colorado. Foote, 6-2, 215 pounds, is among the more physical defensemen in the league and his ability to clear traffic in front of the net has helped Avalanche goal-tenders stop many a shot. But that physical style also has led to numerous injuries.

It's unclear what kind of salary Foote is looking for, but the Rangers recently re-signed Darius Kasparaitis for $3.334 million per year.

"Well," Clarke said, "the market is really how much money [teams] have."

It sure ain't like the good ol' days.

There was a little activity yesterday, but nothing resembling a flurry; notably veteran forwards Joe Nieuwendyk and Gary Roberts left Toronto and signed 2-year deals with Florida for $4.5 million each. Mostly, the league's general managers burned up the phone lines and tried to figure out life in the new salary-cap era. The Flyers are going to do something, but nobody really knows when.

"It was much busier than usual," Clarke said. "This is the first time any of us have gone through anything like this. I wish there were a time frame."

[PhillyGirl]

Um, Foote was signed by the Blue Jackets yesterday.

[Seabiscuit36]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp;jsessionid=FBGHKOIKJKFH?content=20050802_081921_6440

Hows that PG

[PhillyGirl]

Good farging Lord...they resigned THERIEN?

[Seabiscuit36]

I cant believe they're bringing back Therien

[PhillyGirl]

Our dmen:

Johnsson
Markov
Pitkanen
Desjardins
Seidenberg
Hatcher
Rathje
Therien

Thats too many. Why Therien? Hitch hated him!

[PhillyGirl]

PS...I LOVE getting both Hatcher and Rathje. Seidenberg could be used in a deal to bring someone else in, I have to think.

And this makes the Ilkka and Eklund guys out to be complete jackasses since all they said was Neidermeyer was a done deal. 

[rjs246]

I have always really liked Therien. He's big and slow and was almost always +10 or more. Defensive defensemen aren't sexy, but they're damn necessary. He and Hatcher should be able to knock some skulls.

[PhillyGirl]

I have always really liked Therien. He's big and slow and was almost always +10 or more. Defensive defensemen aren't sexy, but they're damn necessary. He and Hatcher should be able to knock some skulls.

You must be forgetting his last season here....do you not remember how many times Bundy gave the puck up right in front of his own net his last year here? It was an every game problem and cost them games...way too many of them.

I love getting Hatcher and Rathje, but Therien just makes ZERO sense.

[Seabiscuit36]

Our defense is really deep now im guessing maybe signing Therien to the lowest tender and possibly letting him finish his career out as a filler type of D man. Possibly splitting time w/ the Phantoms?  I did also read a while back that the flyers werent that pleased with Joni's progression so far.

[PhillyGirl]

I did also read a while back that the flyers werent that pleased with Joni's progression so far.

That's way off. He was FANTASTIC in the Phantoms season and they are EXTREMELY pleased with him. Hitch was on DNL last week gushing over him and how incredible he played for the Phantoms. Said he's a huge part to the future of the team.

[Seabiscuit36]

well it was the News Journal article here in Delaware and im not taking the article over Hitch's words. 

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I guess the "source" that saw Hatcher in town might have been correct.

[mikey418]

WIP is reporting that the Flyers are having a 1pm PC to announce the signing of Hatcher

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

WIP is reporting that the Flyers are having a 1pm PC to announce the signing of Hatcher

Yes, the article already posted mentioned that.  They will also announce the signings of Rathje and Therien, and also forward Jon Sim... whoever the hell he is.