07-08 Philadelphia Flyers Off-Season Thread

[SD_Eagle5]

Flyers pick a goalie:

#84 Jacob Deserres, G, Seattle (WHL)
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Scouting Report: After appearing in 20 WHL games as a rookie in 2006-07, he saw action in 34 contests with the Thunderbirds as the backup to Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Riku Helenius. He actually enjoyed a better campaign than Helenius during the regular season, sporting a better goals-against average and save percentage to go along with just two fewer victories in seven less games than the Finnish netminder... he has starting potential at 6-2, 195 pounds, but must first prove capable of handling a heavier workload as he climbs the developmental ladder...

[SD_Eagle5]

http://flyers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=366860

Flyers Acquire Niskala from Nashville  Philadelphia Flyers Jun 24, 2008, 12:02 PM EDT 
Janne Niskala led Milwaukee (AHL) defensemen with 44 points this past season. (Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Flyers announced that they have acquired 6'0", 200-pound defenseman Janne Niskala (YAH-nee NIHS-kah-lah) from the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Triston Grant and their seventh round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, according to club General Manager Paul Holmgren.

Niskala, 26, recorded 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points and 81 penalty minutes in 80 regular season games for the Predators' American Hockey League affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, this past season. He led Admirals defensemen in goals (19, second among AHL defensemen) and points (44, tied for 11th among AHL defensemen). He was also a member of the bronze medal-winning Team Finland at the 2008 IIHF World Championships in Halifax and Quebec City.

Prior to joining the Predators organization for the 2007-08 season, Niskala played parts of the previous seven seasons with teams in top European Leagues, including Lukko Rauma (Finland - 2000-01 through 2004-05), EV Zug (Swiss - 2005-06) and Farjestad (Sweden - 2006-07). He registered 72 goals and 92 assists for 164 points and 369 penalty minutes in 296 regular season games over his final six seasons in Europe (2001-02 through 2006-07). He has led his team's defensemen in goals in each of his last five seasons. He led Swedish Elite League defensemen in points with 49 (19G,30A) during the 2006-07 season.

Niskala was drafted by Nashville in the fifth round (147th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

[rjs246]

Jesus christ. They weren't kidding when they said they were going to focus on the defense this offseason were they?

[ice grillin you]

the part they were kidding about was focusing on the flyers defense

[SD_Eagle5]

They've done a good job adding pieces to the Phantoms, which is where this guy will play.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

They've done a good job adding pieces to the Phantoms, which is where this guy will play.

I smell a Calder Cup.

[Rome]

I smell Jessica Alba's child's afterbirth.  I paid $10K for it on Ebay.

FTW!

[BigEd76]

should've held out for Jolie's buy-one-get-one-free deal

[Rome]

should've held out for Jolie's buy-one-get-one-free deal

C-

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I'll give him a solid C+, simply because he actually typed "should've" instead of "should of," which has become the pyrite standard of excellence in grammar on .

[Seabiscuit36]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10QevfC8Wgc

Janne fights...

I like the moves for the Phantoms, and hope that one of these guys works his way up.  Really have to wonder if Smith or Hatch are coming back.  Smith could have just been a victim of injuries all year from how it sounds, and Hatcher has no knees left.  They need someone that can create some fear on the ice from the backline, i just dont see who's out there on the cheap. 

[ice grillin you]

I'll give him a solid C+, simply because he actually typed "should've" instead of "should of," which has become the pyrite standard of excellence in grammar on .

i go with shoulda

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

what the field of concreet need is to learn some of the member-folk spellings for the people of the world. then communiminucation wuld improv for they're situation with all those items of concernings

[rjs246]

So the salary cap is at $56mil and change. Where does that leave the Flyers?

[SD_Eagle5]

So the salary cap is at $56mil and change. Where does that leave the Flyers?

They're a little over $48 million right now. Factoring in Carter at $5 mill, Cote at $600,000, and Jones at $1.3 mill (what's being reported) that brings them to roughly $55 million. They're still going to have to sign Eminger to a deal too...my guess is he'll get a little over $1 million, so they're right at the limit.
They might be able to clear some room up if they can either convince Hatcher to retire or go on LTI. Love what he brings but he's due $3.5 million this season, is slow as shtein, and has almost no cartilidge left in his knee. If they see a guy they really like Knuble ($2.5 million) could  be moved for draft picks. I'd rather they kept Knuble because he's good in front of the net but if they need to move him to upgrade the D then he needs to go. If Gagne can stay concussion free and Giroux plays as expected losing Umberger and possibly Knuble won't really matter.