Flyers 2006 Offseason Thread

[ice grillin you]

you mean youre not buying a story from someone on orange and black who said he has a buddy who has a sister who has friend that is dating an nhlpa rep in toronto?


hitch also said he was most disappointed for "clarkie" after the game

snyder also said today that hitch is here to the end of contract (one more year) and maybe longer

[MDS]

wheres pg been? duckin the ol flyers threads again 

[ice grillin you]

theres nothing more in life she hates than when igy is right

[MDS]

i dont think thats true, but if it is, my oh my do we have a case for someone to pass me for biggest loser on this board

[ice grillin you]

i done passed you a looooong time ago son

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

do we have a case for someone to pass me for biggest loser on this board

No.  Although the skins fans are in close competition with you.  You'll have to stay on your game to stay on top.

[MDS]

speak english, jamal

[dis12]

Clarkie announced that Brashear and Savage will not be part of the organ-I-zation next season...maybe Nedved/Stevenson are next?

now we just need to fin someone who will take 4 of our slooooooooooow d-men (Hatch, Rath, Bundy, Rico).

[BigEd76]

Sielski wants Hitch's contract extended, says the young players need to deal with it

[SD_Eagle5]

"I like Hitch," Peter Forsberg said. "I have no problem with him."

[/i]

Looks like we can put that rumor to rest.

[MDS]

yea cause no ones ever lied before

[SD_Eagle5]

yea cause no ones ever lied before

I believe a direct quote from a somewhat reputable journalists over some rumor cited by some random poster on OrangeandBlack.com

[MDS]

when exactly has a message board source been wrong sdeagle

[SD_Eagle5]

Link

• Ken Hitchcock stays. Without committing to a promise that the Flyers would offer Hitchcock a contract extension, Clarke said, "We'll sit down with [Hitchcock]. It may not be for a while. We've got players to sign. He is under contract so it's not like it's urgent, but he'll be OK."

• Defense. The Flyers need more speed on defense. And here is where the most changes will have to be made. Of the top seven this season, four are under contract - Pitkanen, Rathje, Freddy Meyer and Derian Hatcher. Eric Desjardins, Kim Johnsson and Chris Therien are unrestricted free agents. Clarke said he will speak to Desjardins but is unsure about re-signing Johnsson, who missed the last quarter of the season and the playoffs with a concussion and was inconsistent even when he was healthy. Therien did not come up in yesterday's session but he is unlikely to be back.

Hatcher has 4 more years and Rathje has 3. Rathje is having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip that left him hobbled since January. Clarke indicated the Flyers were happy with Rathje and that he would stay.

Clarke was noncommittal about Hatcher and avoided bringing him up until he was asked directly. "He was pretty good in the playoffs, pretty good in the first half of the year, second half of the year, not very good," Clarke said. "We'll sit and talk with [Hatcher] and see. He can still play in the league. He's got to change his game, obviously. The game he was so good at has pretty much been taken out of hockey."

• Free agents. Of the Flyers' five unrestricted free agents, Donald Brashear and Brian Savage will not be back. There is a chance the Flyers will look to see what free agents are available before committing to the possibility of signing one.

• Keith Primeau. The injured captain was out nearly all season with persistent concussion symptoms. How long do the Flyers hold a spot for him - and for Johnsson, who also has serious concussion issues? Clarke indicated that the Flyers might not be able to wait until the beginning of next season. "The problem of course is if Keith Primeau isn't healthy and we don't find out till the start of the year, it doesn't go against you [on the salary cap], you've got the money," Clarke said. "But where are you going to get the players [to replace him]."

• Goalies. The Flyers have two goalies. Robert Esche is a No. 1 goalie and Antero Niittymaki should be. Niittymaki is a restricted free agent but he will be re-signed. The questions are: Can the Flyers keep both? And, is it a healthy situation considering one or both might be unhappy with next season?

Clarke said the Flyers likely will start the season with both Esche and Niittymaki but hinted they could make a move. "I don't think that we can expect both of them to be happy if nobody is No. 1," Clarke said. "They both want to be No. 1 goalies and I think they're both good enough to deserve to be. I don't think we'll address it this summer; we might, but it's not on our list right now."

These are the biggest issues facing the Flyers. They are out in the open and now Clarke has to deal with them. One overriding question is, given the restriction that a salary cap places on a team with so many signed players, can this be fixed this summer, or is it a 2-year project?

"I don't like 2-year projects," Clarke said. "If you're the guy in the locker room, how would you like to be sitting there knowing the team doesn't want to be good for 2 or 3 years?

"We'll be good next year. We've got good goaltending, we have lots of good players. We have to stay healthy, or at least healthier than this year. We're strong down the middle, we've got lots of centermen, that's a priority, and if we decide to move one, we'll do that.

"We have to make some adjustments this summer and we will."

I'm slightly encouraged by this. Especially since Clarke mentioned Hatcher as being a disappointment, which he clearly was.

[SD_Eagle5]

Link

Flyers general manager Bob Clarke would not say he miscalculated the direction of the "new" NHL, but he conceded yesterday that his team needs more quickness on defense.

"Yeah, I think we do," Clarke said at the team's practice facility in Voorhees. "Sure, because the defensive defenseman is becoming almost an obsolete player now... . He can't touch the forward who throws the puck in.

"If you are not quick on defense, you can't get back to get the puck. The forward throws it in... and you can't touch him. You have to rely on quickness and positioning more so now."

Clarke likely will look toward free agency to upgrade at the position. Ottawa's Wade Redden likely will be the best available player because the Senators also have to re-sign Zdeno Chara, who is expected to earn the maximum of $9 million under the collective-bargaining agreement.

Redden would be nice. And I'm so glad to see Clarke has finally come to the realization that defensive speed is as important as ever.

Loose pucks. With or without Primeau, look for the Flyers to try to sign another forward. Patrik Elias, Michael Peca, Michael Grier, Sergei Samsonov, Martin Straka, Joe Sakic, and Doug Weight could be available, though most of those players likely will re-sign with their current teams...