Flyers Fire Hextall

[dpf1971]

So Ron Hextall got fired for not making (what was said) any changes to "win now".  Another point that came out of the press conference for the firing was that the Flyers are open for business. 


If this is the case, I'd LOVE for us to take a run at seeing what they would want for Wayne Simmonds.  He's 30, a right wing (we're missing Oshie), a beast to play against - esp. in the paint, and a proven 25-30 goal scorer on the last season of his contract.  Oh, and his contract is only $3,975,000.


The Flyers are missing Raffl on left wing - so I would offer them Burakovsky and a high pick (lets face it, if we continue with our success in the regular season we'll never end up with the #1-5 pick - so they aren't worth the pick Phoenix is going to get).  We already pay Bura $3 million and since he's a RFA - it gives the Flyers flexibility as to what to do with him next year in case he flops there. 


And finally, when Oshie does come back (not being rushed with Simmonds filling in for him) we could move Wayne down to the 3rd line RW and move Conno over to LW (since he can play there also). 


Ideas ..... (other than maybe my real world problems are pushing me into a dream world)

[Maacoshark]

     I like Simmonds but I'm not sure he is a guy I would go after at this point in his career. I like the way he plays the game though. And he is tough. We already have too many guys on the wrong side of 30.

[DC_1908]

it’d be nice, but no way GMBetaMale does this.

[Mickstix]

Even if GMBM tried this, I doubt Philly is looking to move him, if they're actually trying to "win now".. That's a "lets cut bait and rebuild" move, imo..

[alta]

yea, I agree Mick on that, but, you never know. I’d offer Bura and a pick for Simmons all day every day and twice on Sunday...


I'd even consider adding a prospect to sweeten the deal. Assuming I could get Simmonds to sign a 5 year deal, it'd be well worth it

[Mickstix]

Don't get me wrong, definitely worth the phone call!! lol

[richkrt99]

How (would) you free up salary to fit Simmons?


Assuming the Flyers would take Burka 


Caps have $932K in cap space WITH ORPIK on LTR.  When he comes back, you have to add $1m to the cap.  Dumping the salary of whoever you move to fit Orpik, (assuming Siegenthaler at $569k leaves you a whopping 500k in salary cap room to work with.





Maybe Flyers will give up SImmons, take Burka and a draft pick...... AND retain $475k in Simmons Salary   


(3.975 mill SImmons minus the 3mill Burka, leaves .975mill minus the 500k (cap spaces) leaves 475k)

[DC_1908]

We can all agree that Bura is the logical piece  to move, but in reality we have enough forwards to get by without him. . .


Ideally, we'd be looking at moving him for McQuaid(R) or even Del Zotto (L), even if they are just rentals.

[richkrt99]

We can all agree that Bura is the logical piece  to move, but in reality we have enough forwards to get by without him. . .


Ideally, we'd be looking at moving him for McQuaid(R) or even Del Zotto (L), even if they are just rentals.

Agreed.  By all means it's time to move Burka.  He's a waste of a roster spot most nights and at 3 mill....
Jaskin, Dowd, Stephensen, and Boyd COMBINED salaries total 3.2mil.


Which would you rather have?  All four of them or Burka?


When Kuzy (and Oshie) comes back, I'd move Burka and keep Jaskin.  I like the play of Dowd and Boyd lately too.  Not sure what to do there.

[alta]

if it's just about freeing cap space, which given the current situation needs to be a consideration, just trade Bura for a draft pick. I seem to recall someone saying something about current contracts being a major problem for this team

[DC_1908]

if it's just about freeing cap space, which given the current situation needs to be a consideration, just trade Bura for a draft pick. I seem to recall someone saying something about current contracts being a major problem for this team

yeah, the contracts are a mess, particularly if the salary cap increase doesn’t pan out.


But regardless, the organizational depth is a bigger mess, and those two together are a royal clusterfuck that’s already started.

[PUCKNRUSH]

Agreed.  By all means it's time to move Burka.  He's a waste of a roster spot most nights and at 3 mill....
Jaskin, Dowd, Stephensen, and Boyd COMBINED salaries total 3.2mil.


Which would you rather have?  All four of them or Burka?


When Kuzy (and Oshie) comes back, I'd move Burka and keep Jaskin.  I like the play of Dowd and Boyd lately too.  Not sure what to do there.

Hey Rich!
Thanks for the informative post! Really never thought about the combined salaries of those guys by comparison!  That really puts the Bura problem in perspective!
Right now, if your Rierden, you have a “nice” dilemma, that all coaches would love to have! That is a generous selection of new guys that are “stepping up”. and making the most of their starting opportunities! This situation makes it easy to separate those out, It raises the bar for being on the good radar, and if you’re not being noticed, it’s even more obvious!


Rush

[dpf1971]

The reason why I bring up Simmonds is because of what I consider our Caps major fault(s) and that is with our young players. 

There are two basic kinds of teams: 1) a team that builds through the draft and their developmental system and fills in the holes with free-agent veterans.  2) The other is when your developmental system and draft picks suck and you have to max out your cap to build a team primarily through the free agency.  Yeah, there will be a few teams in the middle - but most teams will be one or the other. 

But to build the dynasties that we would like the Caps to become a part of, you want to be the first type because of the reality of the Cap-Era.  As of yet, we have failed in that regard.  Hershey does well year after year, but few guys make the jump for whatever reason.  And as for our top drafts; as I pointed out, because of our success during the regular season we will never see the kind of pick that is an automatic NHL player like McDavid or Matthews. Also, the remaining picks all seem to have one major flaw or another: lack of grit, lack of size, lack of speed, no scoring or set-up skill and mostly - no consistency of play.  You have guys like Wilson and Vrana who seemingly have made the turn for the better, but still have a step to take ..  have taken a while to get to where they're at even now .. and you have to wonder if their success is b/c of their linemates. Then you have the Burakovsky and Orlov's of the Caps.  Burakovsky should be cut loose now and Orlov, for all of his upside .. his inconsistency, esp. when we pay him prime defender money, means he has never put more than 1 or 2 games together that showcase what he can really do.  And don't get me started on the guys that now infest our 4th line.  The only upside was Smith-Pelley's playoff and Cup run.  Other than that... comparing our 3rd and 4th lines from just a few years ago to what we have now is depressing to the extreme. 

So, if I'm right; that our developmental system and drafting corp suck (overall) then we have to fill from the outside.  While our core should be Kuznetsov, Wilson, and a more consistent Vrana - it is still centered on Ovie, Nicky, Oshie and Carlson (I would add Holtby but it seems the one thing we can draft really well are goalies).  In a way rightly so, but the thing is Carlson is the only guy under 30 on that list.  So our time for being a dynasty is NOW (ie pick up Simmonds or a Top 3 defender) or we need to start thinking about how are we are going to get a few more Kunetzov's or Carlson's on our team ... and guess what, that will cost us Ovie, Nicky and the other guys who's jerseys make up the majority of what you see when you got see the Caps live b/c the rest of the league also knows our first-round pick sucks.  Sadly, I don't know what would be the better or less painful way to go about it ... I just hope the Caps management picks one and doesn't keep putting off the decision until its too late and any trade value for our stars are long gone.

[Mickstix]

That's it.. Snickers bars for everybody!!   

[DC_1908]

The reason why I bring up Simmonds is because of what I consider our Caps major fault(s) and that is with our young players. 

There are two basic kinds of teams: 1) a team that builds through the draft and their developmental system and fills in the holes with free-agent veterans.  2) The other is when your developmental system and draft picks suck and you have to max out your cap to build a team primarily through the free agency.  Yeah, there will be a few teams in the middle - but most teams will be one or the other. 

But to build the dynasties that we would like the Caps to become a part of, you want to be the first type because of the reality of the Cap-Era.  As of yet, we have failed in that regard.  Hershey does well year after year, but few guys make the jump for whatever reason.  And as for our top drafts; as I pointed out, because of our success during the regular season we will never see the kind of pick that is an automatic NHL player like McDavid or Matthews. Also, the remaining picks all seem to have one major flaw or another: lack of grit, lack of size, lack of speed, no scoring or set-up skill and mostly - no consistency of play.  You have guys like Wilson and Vrana who seemingly have made the turn for the better, but still have a step to take ..  have taken a while to get to where they're at even now .. and you have to wonder if their success is b/c of their linemates. Then you have the Burakovsky and Orlov's of the Caps.  Burakovsky should be cut loose now and Orlov, for all of his upside .. his inconsistency, esp. when we pay him prime defender money, means he has never put more than 1 or 2 games together that showcase what he can really do.  And don't get me started on the guys that now infest our 4th line.  The only upside was Smith-Pelley's playoff and Cup run.  Other than that... comparing our 3rd and 4th lines from just a few years ago to what we have now is depressing to the extreme. 

So, if I'm right; that our developmental system and drafting corp suck (overall) then we have to fill from the outside.  While our core should be Kuznetsov, Wilson, and a more consistent Vrana - it is still centered on Ovie, Nicky, Oshie and Carlson (I would add Holtby but it seems the one thing we can draft really well are goalies).  In a way rightly so, but the thing is Carlson is the only guy under 30 on that list.  So our time for being a dynasty is NOW (ie pick up Simmonds or a Top 3 defender) or we need to start thinking about how are we are going to get a few more Kunetzov's or Carlson's on our team ... and guess what, that will cost us Ovie, Nicky and the other guys who's jerseys make up the majority of what you see when you got see the Caps live b/c the rest of the league also knows our first-round pick sucks.  Sadly, I don't know what would be the better or less painful way to go about it ... I just hope the Caps management picks one and doesn't keep putting off the decision until its too late and any trade value for our stars are long gone.

While I agree with you, and am a huge Simmons fan,  JVR. Weise, and/or Gudas would go a longer way to fit what we need, considering we have 3 solid who only play RW.


While not to Simmons level physically, and i didn’t look up $$, JVR and Weise can play multiple positions positions, and Gudos is the real Dman we don’t have