Can we compete in 17-18 w/o sacrificing the future?

[briererocks]

I am going to argue we can compete in 17-18 wo sacirificing the future. Appleyard has us w a 68 m cap hit next w dz, macdonald, and mason on our roster and wo read.

1. Cap in 17-18
The cap will likely be 75 m meaning the flyers will have 7 m in space even if dz and macdonald are resigned.

2. Macdonald buy out
I don't agree with the macdonald apologists. He sucks. I think he gets bought out saving us 3 m in cap space. So we actually have 10m in cap space.

3. Expansion / cap trades / free agency
Washington defenseman Orlov may very well be available during the season or in the offseason since they can't protect all their defensman. He may get traded for a read Laughton or similar asset. Similarly Tampa will probably trade a quality forward rather than lose one for nothing in the expansion draft or due to cap constraints.

I can see the flyers adding a good d like Orlov and either a good forward that is a cap casualty or signing a free agent like Marchand. The cost to do both is likely about 9 m.

[Marchand]-giroux- voracek
Raffl- couturier-simmonds
Laughton-schenn-konency
Cousins-gordon-weise

dz-gudas
Provorov-ghost
Hagg/morin-[Orlov]
Morin/Hagg

Mason
Stolarz


That is a damn good team.

Click to read more...

 

[Appleyard]

It completely depends on the D prospects tbh...

if Provorov can have a similar impact as someone like say Doughty/Pietrangelo in their 2nd season at a similar age... I.E. be a bonafide #1 level D at that point then for sure they could be very legitimate contenders.

But that is not too common... it is usually the 3rd season that young D men with that kind of ability get to that level, having been a top 4 Dman in first 2 years.


Also I think the Flyers wait the extra year to buyout AMac... as there will be no pressing need and the 2018 numbers are very agreeable, more-so than 2019 and the salary coming off in 2022 instead of 2023 could be useful when re-signing our D as UFA's & RFA's.


That being said I know 2017-18 was the season a lot of us had in our minds as possibly the earliest start of the Flyers 'window' a few years back... and I would expect them to be a good playoff team with the expectation of winning ~2 rounds at least then really.

 

[Tripod]

I do think Hextall makes the moves next year to try and push up to a contender.

That would give us 2 years while still having Simmonds and 3 with Schenn. But to do so, we do need things to fall into place. That year is likely our 1st year as a buyer and I think we take a jump, but come up short. Then in Simmonds last year, I see us really going for it.

 

[Rebels57]

We will be a contender in 17-18

 

[lancer247]

I went with yes only because f-ck yeah wasn't an option.

 

[deadhead]

I think 2017-18 is when we get a taste of competing, it usually takes a young team a couple visits to the pressure chamber before they're ready to play with the big boys. But sometimes you get lucky, a goalie gets hot, a rookie plays over his head.

I don't see Hextall ever spending big money in free agency, it's just so overpriced for declining over 30 players that FA is not going to put you over the top.

I could see, but only when he has a surplus of talent in the organization (i.e. 2-3 years from now) packaging a starter and a couple prospects for a significant upgrade. Right now too much of their talent is 2-3 years from being on the verge of the NHL, which means their trade value is too low, that is, it's a lot easier to get value for a young player who tears up the AHL and shines in a NHL cameo than one who just has a nice post-draft season in juniors.

 

[Striiker]

Can they? Yes.

Will they? Probably not.

There's no reason they can't compete, nothing's definite is stopping them since it all depends on how well the young guys play and adapt, but it's probably too early to hope for that.

 

[Rebels57]

The Flyers are going to win the Cup in either 2018 or 2018. Request off now.

 

[Rebels57]

Can they? Yes.

Will they? Probably not.

There's no reason they can't compete, nothing's definite is stopping them since it all depends on how well the young guys play and adapt, but it's probably too early to hope for that.

Why is 2017-2018 too early?

The Flyers went from dead last in 2007 to OT in Game 6 of the Cup in 2010.

No reason to think that in 2 seasons we cant be contenders based on current trajectory.

 

[CoutseysCorner92]

flyers are going to compete in 2016-2017. the east just isn't that scary

 

[BillDineen]

Voted no. Bit too early. I am a bit older and have seen legit contenders fall flat. Can they make a 2010 type run, sure, but they still wouldn't be legit contenders. They need the d prospects developed first IMO.

 

[Striiker]

Why is 2017-2018 too early?

The Flyers went from dead last in 2007 to OT in Game 6 of the Cup in 2010.

No reason to think that in 2 seasons we cant be contenders based on current trajectory.

Well they're not going to have vets like Pronger or Timonen or even Coburn in 17-18.

Our playoff chances are tied to our defensive prospects and I think expecting them to perform at that high of a level in the playoffs is a bit ambitious for only 2 years from now. Ghost in his 3rd year, Provorov likely in his 2nd, Morin and Sanheim either in their first or second... I just don't see it happening that fast.

 

[CoutseysCorner92]

do we forget that the flyers took the #1 seeded capitals to 6 games under a 1st year head coach and without their best defensive forward and arguably their best defenseman?

 

[Cyborg LeClair]

Depending on the impact of our d prospects and any incoming forward prospects, plus growth in the current young players on our team...we could compete THIS season. Next season i think so as well. Id put our odds at 50/50

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Maybe, maybe not. Too many years to make a prediction with good feeling either way.

 

[Striiker]

do we forget that the flyers took the #1 seeded capitals to 6 games under a 1st year head coach and without their best defensive forward and arguably their best defenseman?

There's a big gap between almost being able to beat a team who wasn't good enough to beat the eventual champs and being a team who wins it all.

We're making progress and I don't doubt we'll be a contender soon, but 2 years is too soon.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

We can compete this year. We have excellent goaltending, our offense should be improved if nothing more than Voracek and Giroux having better years, and our defense should be improved (along with our bottom six defense). We won't be favorites but we'll be a playoff team with a good shot to take a deep run.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Neuvrith had to have like a 50 something save shutout to avoid a sweep. I wouldn't use that as proof of almost being there.

They only way we'll get there is on the unknowns within the organization.

 

[Cootsfanclub]

I'm in the camp that we can compete this season. Ghost is going to force Hak to give him 25 minutes a night. Giroux and Couturier won't have the world on their shoulders anymore. Hak isn't in his first season anymore. He's a smart guy and will learn a lot from last season.

They'll make a good push this season.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

I'm in the camp that we can compete this season. Ghost is going to force Hak to give him 25 minutes a night. Giroux and Couturier won't have the world on their shoulders anymore. Hak isn't in his first season anymore. He's a smart guy and will learn a lot from last season.

They'll make a good push this season.

As it stands today, our D is still very very average.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

Totally depends on D prospects

 

[Ruck Over]

The Flyers will need the prospects to be awesome bonkers and then realistically, a few of the top teams to fall a few wrungs. Plus, to be contender status, the other middling teams need to remain stagnant.

The Flyers might be able to pull off a 2007 Phillies season, or maybe 09-10 Flyers that beat odds, but to expect them to be in the top 8 teams (semi-final conference) is a far bridge to cross.

This team will be ready to compete when the kids can contribute at solid underpriced NHL levels, about 4 of them, ghost included. The core forwards, maybe minus Simmonds, are still above average, and our goalie situation performs the same and stays healthy. And Vandevelde/Manning level players are in the AHL as emergency call-ups.

Voted no because the top teams don't seem poised to implode. If Chicago, Pitt, Wash, LA, TB, and a few others fall from grace, then sure, it's possible.

 

[dats81]

Thread title is misleading, of course we can compete.

Can they go deep in the playoffs and contend? That's the question and it depends on how the prospects progress, who gets hurt, and also a portion of luck and how matchups are falling to them.

 

[tade]

We can compete even this year.

 

[PALE PWNR]

Thread title is misleading, of course we can compete.

Can they go deep in the playoffs and contend? That's the question and it depends on how the prospects progress, who gets hurt, and also a portion of luck and how matchups are falling to them.

Yea the thread title and the premise of the OP is a yes for sure. I think we can compete and be good enough to win a round maybe two. Are we a cup contender in 2 years? I don't think so. You're talking about being a contender in what will likely be Morin's and Sanheim's rookie years. They would have to be super advanced in their development process for that to happen.