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10 Comments (6 conversations)
Jason
This is just about exactly what I was hoping Briere would do. Sign some stop-gap guys that will serve as warm bodies/cannon fodder until the prospects at key positions — center, goalie, defense — are ready for prime time. No long-term deals, no grasping for immediate relevance at the expense of long-term sustainability. The Vladar signing, in particular, is a stroke of genius; Briere can say he’s made a good-faith effort to shore up the goalie situation for the time being while simultaneously bringing in a guy who will all but guarantee the Flyers remain a lottery team next year.
Chef’s kiss, DB.
guadzilla
I was just thinking the same thing – Vladar is basically a NHL-threshold barrier for Fedorov and Kolosov to aspire to. It reminds me of Roseman’s FA strategy – get in cromulent (or kinda-cromulent) bodies at each position and force your real prospects to try to match or better them in order to get playing time.
Same holds for Luchanko. If he cannot beat out a 35-40 point veteran, he doesnt deserve a spot on the team yet and needs to go back to the minors.
It would have been nicer for a 1 year term but next year, Fedotov is off the books as well and Vladar can be sent to the minors as well (or kept as a backup). The fact there are no Fletcher or Holmgren style signings (Hayes or MacDonald) is actually huge win.
Jeff Skinner
Why is there a hesitancy to use LTIR as it relates to Ryan Ellis in particular?
guadzilla
If you use it before the season starts, you only get cap relief for the excess
Eg, if the cap is at 90MM, Ellis’s cap number is 6MM and the Flyers are at 92MM, using Ellis will only get them 2 MM of relief.
If they roster him and use the cap space for relief after the season starts, they get the full 6MM of cap relief.
So it is better to do it once the season starts.
Evan Mantel
thanks for the explanation. Was gonna ask the same question as JS.
Michael Curran
I have to put myself under the group of people who were skeptical about Briere becoming the GM. Flyer nepotism and all that but I have to say I like what Briere has done. He has kept to his plan to the chagrin of some Flyers fans. He has not rushed the process that he has stated from the very beginning.He has not accepted the pressure from fans and media like his predecessors. He has been very open to the fan base and kept them informed. Kudos to that.
He has answered questions with what his plans are and not given to standard gobbledy gook nonsense answers.
I saw some fans commented about Dvorak’s salary but who cares it is one year. Once the books clear for the 26-27 season I am excited to see what he does.
Kudos Danny I was wrong about you.
guadzilla
It’s also interesting that he said he wants the Flyers to be better this year – but hasn’t made any Fletcherian moves to do so.
It’s no longer “remove pieces” – but it isn’t “try for the playoffs” either. Now we are in the “wait till the talent pool makes it to the NHL” phase.
And that gives them another crack at the lottery next year.
Matt Stegall
I echo the other two posters (at this time). No need to do anything stupid. Build up and look for trades to get better. Use FA as a means to “top off the tank”.
bjm0822
Not as high on this FO as the other posters (hope they’re right tho) but a really fair and informative article from Charlie. Great job.
David LaVeck
This seems like the season of options and opportunities as you have laid out, Charlie, well done and informative as usual! Regarding Luckanko sticking at center, the most obvious course of action would be moving Zegras back to wing to fill the Foerster spot but I think they are leaning towards keeping him at center and having Luchanko develop for another year.