Below is a list I put together of some young promising goalies that are currently blocked at the NHL level by established net minders. I placed them in order of preferrence.
1) Jonathan Bernier LA 21yo (AHL) 30-21-6 2.03 .936 9so blocked by (Johnathan Quick) LA may choose to instead deal Quick given Bernier's elite prospect status. Plus he went 3-0 with 1.00 in the NHL after call up.
2) Jonas Enroth BUF 21yo (AHL) 28-18-1 2.37 .919 5 so blocked by (Ryan Miller) great numbers across the board and has zero shot to unseat Ryan Miller. Plus Buffalo has always been great at developing goalies.
3) Corey Schneider VAN 24yo (AHL) 35-23-2 2.51 .919 4so blocked by (Roberto Luongo) once again, zeroshot this guy gets a chance. has been a top goalie in the AHL for 3 seasons. Canucks need to be fair and move him somewhere he can play. was a horse logging 60 gms this year plus small NHL stint.
4) Michal Neuvirth WAS 22yo (NHL) 9-4-0 2.75 .914 0 so blocked by (Varlamov and Theodore) though
he could be backup to Varlamov in 2010-11
5) Justin Peters CAR 23yo (AHL) 26-18-2 2.54 .917 1 so Cam Ward is only 26 and still has a cup on his resume'. If CAR decides to go with Peters I am sure Laviolette wouldnt mind a reunion.
6) Dustin Tokarski TAM 20yo (AHL) 27-25-3 2.51 .915 4 so (Nitty and Smith) Niitymaaki is a FA and Mike Smith is mediocre at best so this kid in my opinion is the least likely of this group to be moved since he stands a good chance of getting major playing time at the NHL level this season.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
My Flyers offseason plan of attack
So here it goes. The Flyers enter this offseason with roughly 8.8 million dolars of available cap space.
1) Trade Jeff Carter (5.5mill) to LA for RW Wayne Simmonds (525,000) and G-Jonathan Bernier (765,000). Creates 4.2 million. LA already needs offense and may yet lose Alexander Frolov in free agency to make matters worse. Carter gives them another offensive force to go with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. Bernier is potentially a stud goaltender in the near future but is blocked at the NHL level by Jonathan Quick who is only 24 and had an impressive 39 wins in 2009-10. Simmonds is only 21 and posted 16 goals and 40pts while registering an outstanding +22 in 14 minutes a game.
That leaves about 13.0 million now in cap space
2) Trade Braydon Coburn, preferrably at the draft, for a package including a pick and a Player. His play is too inconsistent for my blood. He has tremendous skill but I am not sure he will ever develop the proper insticts to warrant the dollars he will seek this offseason as a restricted free agent(RFA).
3) Sign either D-Anton Volchenkov or Dan Hamhuis for around 4million. Volchenkov made 3.2 million in 2009-10 and could cost closer to 5mill per so I prefer Hamhuis who made 2.5 and could be had for around the 4.2 you cleared in the Kings deal.
So now we are down to roughly 9.0 million or so left in cap space.
4) Sign D-Carlo Colaiacovo or Jordan Leopold for 2.5-3.0 million. Colaiaocovo had 32pts and was a +8 while earning a modest 1.4 million this past season in St. Louis. Leoplold had an impressive 11 goals from the point while spending the year with both the Panthers and Penguins. He made 1.75 million.
Now we should be near 6.0 million left in cap space
5) Sign RW-Bill Guerin for 1yr-2mill. I have long wanted to see Guerin in the orange and black. He is 39 and can add toughness and skill to any of the teams top 3 lines. He posted 21 goals with 11 being on the powerplay and had 45 pts while earning every penny of his 2 million dollar salary. My guess is we might have to up the ante to get him out of Pittsburgh. Thats assuming the Pens plan to retain him.
This should leave Flyers with 3.5-4.0 million left to re-sign their own restricted free agents
D-Ryan Parent (765k in 2009-10) 900k?
LW-Dan Carcillo (938k in 2009-10) 1.2?
C-Darroll Powe (532k in 2009-10) 700k?
The above moves dictate no need to re-sign any of our own UFA's so let them all leave.
RW Aaron Asham : Good contributor but Simmonds and Guerin render him expendable.
D Lukas Krajicek : Did a nice job but my above mentioned free agent plan is a definite upgrade.
G Michael Leighton : In an Ideal world I would bring him back at a modest number and have him split time with my newly aquired Bernier while we figure out which one is the real deal.
G Ray Emery : His career threatening degenerative hip condition make this decision an easy one. Its a shame we never got to see what he could have accomplished with this team for a full season and postseason.
So, there you have it. A blend of youth, ascending mid twenties defensemen, and a grizzled veteran leader with cup titles on his resume. Its not my dream scenario but it is a scenario that in my opinion is possible given the nature of the salary cap. It is also a scenario that I believe would put this team in great position to make another run at Lord Stanley's cup.
1) Trade Jeff Carter (5.5mill) to LA for RW Wayne Simmonds (525,000) and G-Jonathan Bernier (765,000). Creates 4.2 million. LA already needs offense and may yet lose Alexander Frolov in free agency to make matters worse. Carter gives them another offensive force to go with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. Bernier is potentially a stud goaltender in the near future but is blocked at the NHL level by Jonathan Quick who is only 24 and had an impressive 39 wins in 2009-10. Simmonds is only 21 and posted 16 goals and 40pts while registering an outstanding +22 in 14 minutes a game.
That leaves about 13.0 million now in cap space
2) Trade Braydon Coburn, preferrably at the draft, for a package including a pick and a Player. His play is too inconsistent for my blood. He has tremendous skill but I am not sure he will ever develop the proper insticts to warrant the dollars he will seek this offseason as a restricted free agent(RFA).
3) Sign either D-Anton Volchenkov or Dan Hamhuis for around 4million. Volchenkov made 3.2 million in 2009-10 and could cost closer to 5mill per so I prefer Hamhuis who made 2.5 and could be had for around the 4.2 you cleared in the Kings deal.
So now we are down to roughly 9.0 million or so left in cap space.
4) Sign D-Carlo Colaiacovo or Jordan Leopold for 2.5-3.0 million. Colaiaocovo had 32pts and was a +8 while earning a modest 1.4 million this past season in St. Louis. Leoplold had an impressive 11 goals from the point while spending the year with both the Panthers and Penguins. He made 1.75 million.
Now we should be near 6.0 million left in cap space
5) Sign RW-Bill Guerin for 1yr-2mill. I have long wanted to see Guerin in the orange and black. He is 39 and can add toughness and skill to any of the teams top 3 lines. He posted 21 goals with 11 being on the powerplay and had 45 pts while earning every penny of his 2 million dollar salary. My guess is we might have to up the ante to get him out of Pittsburgh. Thats assuming the Pens plan to retain him.
This should leave Flyers with 3.5-4.0 million left to re-sign their own restricted free agents
D-Ryan Parent (765k in 2009-10) 900k?
LW-Dan Carcillo (938k in 2009-10) 1.2?
C-Darroll Powe (532k in 2009-10) 700k?
The above moves dictate no need to re-sign any of our own UFA's so let them all leave.
RW Aaron Asham : Good contributor but Simmonds and Guerin render him expendable.
D Lukas Krajicek : Did a nice job but my above mentioned free agent plan is a definite upgrade.
G Michael Leighton : In an Ideal world I would bring him back at a modest number and have him split time with my newly aquired Bernier while we figure out which one is the real deal.
G Ray Emery : His career threatening degenerative hip condition make this decision an easy one. Its a shame we never got to see what he could have accomplished with this team for a full season and postseason.
So, there you have it. A blend of youth, ascending mid twenties defensemen, and a grizzled veteran leader with cup titles on his resume. Its not my dream scenario but it is a scenario that in my opinion is possible given the nature of the salary cap. It is also a scenario that I believe would put this team in great position to make another run at Lord Stanley's cup.
Friday, April 23, 2010
NFL Draftscout's best available
CBS sports' NFL draft scout page has posted thier best remaining available players as we enter rounds 2 and 3 of the draft this evening.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/13276994?tag=coverlist_active;coverlist_footer
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/13276994?tag=coverlist_active;coverlist_footer
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Eagles move up, draft Michigan's Graham
For weeks, fans have been hearing speculation about the Eagles moving up in the draft. I mean, why not, the Birds came into round 1 loaded with all the ammunition necessary to do just that. Lions at 10, Broncos at 11, Miami at 12 were all potential trading spots for the Eagles. Denver traded out of 11 and slid back to pick 13. Automatically, I got worried. The player I wanted, that most Eagles fans wanted, Texas safety Earl Thomas was still on the board. Lo and behold, it happens, all of the sudden the Eagles have struck a deal with Denver for the 13th pick. We got him! Mr Commisioner, "with the 13th pick in the 2010 NFL draft the Philadelphia Eagles select...DE from the university of Michigan, Brandon Graham.
To be honest, since I was feverishly tracking rumors via twitter and other media outlets, before Roger Goodell even opened his mouth I knew the Eagles were taking Graham. That might explain why reality and logic set in so quick for me on this one. I like the pick. The birds didnt take the guy I wanted, but I am ok with that and here is why...
The biggest deficency on this team was its pass rush. The front four were unable to get to the QB consistently enough without Defensive coordinator Sean Mcdermott dialing up a blitz. Football has always started with the offensive and defensive lines so we should not be surprised that Graham was the pick. The guy is a disruptive force having recorded 26 tackles behind the line of scrimmage as a senior in the big ten. Whether his skill set translates to success in the NFL remains to be seen but then again so is the case with everyone else drafted this evening.
A great pass rush will help make your secondary better. The less time your DBs have to cover the more aggressive they can be. The Eagles still have 6 picks left in this draft to address other needs including 2 2nd rd picks at #37 and #55.
A few names to consider on day 2
1) Nate Allen, safety from south Florida
2) Dexter McCluster, RB/WR from Ole' Miss
3) Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, CB from Indiana(pa)
4) Morgan Burnett, Safety from Georgia Tech
5) Darryl Washington, OLB from TCU
6) Taylor Mays, Safety from USC
To be honest, since I was feverishly tracking rumors via twitter and other media outlets, before Roger Goodell even opened his mouth I knew the Eagles were taking Graham. That might explain why reality and logic set in so quick for me on this one. I like the pick. The birds didnt take the guy I wanted, but I am ok with that and here is why...
The biggest deficency on this team was its pass rush. The front four were unable to get to the QB consistently enough without Defensive coordinator Sean Mcdermott dialing up a blitz. Football has always started with the offensive and defensive lines so we should not be surprised that Graham was the pick. The guy is a disruptive force having recorded 26 tackles behind the line of scrimmage as a senior in the big ten. Whether his skill set translates to success in the NFL remains to be seen but then again so is the case with everyone else drafted this evening.
A great pass rush will help make your secondary better. The less time your DBs have to cover the more aggressive they can be. The Eagles still have 6 picks left in this draft to address other needs including 2 2nd rd picks at #37 and #55.
A few names to consider on day 2
1) Nate Allen, safety from south Florida
2) Dexter McCluster, RB/WR from Ole' Miss
3) Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, CB from Indiana(pa)
4) Morgan Burnett, Safety from Georgia Tech
5) Darryl Washington, OLB from TCU
6) Taylor Mays, Safety from USC
Happ to the 15 day dl
Today J.A. Happ's bullpen session was cut short to 20 minutes. Obviously that was not what he or the Phillies had hoped for so Happ was subsequently placed on the 15 day DL. Nelson Figueroa will take Happ's place in the rotation and start saturday. With a roster spot open, the Phils activated LH reliever J.C. Romero.
Tonight's Flyers' line combos
Carcillo-Richards-Laliberte,
Hartnell-Briere-Leino,
JVR-Giroux-Asham,
Powe-Betts-Laperriere.
Only surprise here is that Laliberte and not Leino is on the top line. Of course that might change during the course of the game. Also, not real shocked that Giroux and/or JVR were not moved up. The 3rd and 4th lines have played so well that there is no reason to disrupt their chemistry. It will be interesting however to see who is out there on the power play units. Of course if this game plays out the way the last 2 have then we will most likely see the Flyers' penalty killers 3 or 4 times before the power play gets a crack at it.
Hartnell-Briere-Leino,
JVR-Giroux-Asham,
Powe-Betts-Laperriere.
Only surprise here is that Laliberte and not Leino is on the top line. Of course that might change during the course of the game. Also, not real shocked that Giroux and/or JVR were not moved up. The 3rd and 4th lines have played so well that there is no reason to disrupt their chemistry. It will be interesting however to see who is out there on the power play units. Of course if this game plays out the way the last 2 have then we will most likely see the Flyers' penalty killers 3 or 4 times before the power play gets a crack at it.
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