Confirmed with Link: Raffl 2 year contract extension, 1.6AAV

[Foggy14]

I've always liked Raffl, and $1.6m for the next two years could work out to be good value.

My biggest concern is he seems to have slowed down a bit this past season, and at 30 he isn't going to get any faster.

Our top centers are smart and skilled, but not burners. That's ok, as long as they can be hubs of a wheel with a lot of speed around them.

Our D has the makings of being a fast group.

I'd just like to see a full-on commitment to icing fast, skilled wings (with a head coach who knows how to use them). We've got a number of guys who fit the bill, with more on the way, but I'm not too sure how Raffl fits with that philosophy, or if Fletch even agrees with it. It'll be an interesting off-season, for sure.

 

[Lotusflower]

I was so confused. A 10 page thread for RAFFL? Are we this irrelevant as a franchise?

 

[Toonces]

I'm satisfied, like I ate a Snickers.

Hard to say no to a good fourth liner that cheap.

 

[dats81]

Personally, like so many others, I was prepared to move on from Raffl and give someone else a chance.

It's not the end of the world though. Good even strength player, good defensive player, good wheels and last but not least good teammate. That contract can easily be buried in year 2.

And let's face it: as a prospect if you can't get by Raffl you are probably just cannon fodder.

 

[baudib1]

It's not the end of the world but it's honestly hard to believe none of the kids in LHV can do what Raffl does. I think a lot of the reason why people were frustrated that NAK wasn't getting a look is because we wanted a younger Raffl with some upside out of him and now we don't know. If it were me I'd have rotate them in one after another. Rubtsov gets a month, Bunnaman gets a month, Twar gets a month, etc., unless one is really good and wins it outright.

It's easy to say that the kids will earn their way onto the team but that hasn't been self-evident in the past. Like it's no big deal and they weren't great prospects and no one will ever really care, but guys like Martel and Bardreau definitely deserved a shot at playing over Weise/VdV/Lehtera whoever.

Anyway, Fletcher still hasn't done anything remarkably dumb yet, he just seems to induce a lot of sighing and shrugging.

 

[Appleyard]

It's not the end of the world but it's honestly hard to believe none of the kids in LHV can do what Raffl does. I think a lot of the reason why people were frustrated that NAK wasn't getting a look is because we wanted a younger Raffl with some upside out of him and now we don't know. If it were me I'd have rotate them in one after another. Rubtsov gets a month, Bunnaman gets a month, Twar gets a month, etc., unless one is really good and wins it outright.

It's easy to say that the kids will earn their way onto the team but that hasn't been self-evident in the past. Like it's no big deal and they weren't great prospects and no one will ever really care, but guys like Martel and Bardreau definitely deserved a shot at playing over Weise/VdV/Lehtera whoever.

Anyway, Fletcher still hasn't done anything remarkably dumb yet, he just seems to induce a lot of sighing and shrugging.

The thing is though that while I like NAK if he ends up as good a player as Raffl is that is great, but that is not guaranteed, especially not next season... and I think it is better to have Raffl there than end up in a situation like this year where:

Vorobyev looked good to start, then in over his head.
End up playing Lehtera, Weise, Bailey, Varone, Knight and Goulbourne for a combined 141 games... basically 2 roster spots a night taken up by guys who are not NHL level.

That is what has been slightly frustrating with this year though. Those 141 games could have gone to guys like NAK, Kase even... though extenuating circumstances have came into play, as Rubtsov's injury meant he was never an option, and Kase was injured half the year, and NAK injured when they were really short on Fwds.


Especially as I doubt there will be a better forward on the UFA market for $1.6m. Worst comes to worst and he is the #13 forward or traded. But that would likely require as many as 3 prospects jumping over him... 2 if they sign a UFA for the top 9.

 

[baudib1]

Those games he was up and playing 5 minutes a game ...he looked good in those 5 minutes. Hakstol really acted like he was terrified of him looking too good.

 

[Domino666]

Is it out of the realm to think G asked management to keep Raffl? Obviously G and Simmer were close and he got dealt, maybe I’m hoping this is true rather than Gordonk remaining the coach which is a shitty move and setting the bar low again for this franchise, again maybe G and Raffl are boys and didn’t want him gone

 

[dragonoffrost]

Is it out of the realm to think G asked management to keep Raffl? Obviously G and Simmer were close and he got dealt, maybe I’m hoping this is true rather than Gordonk remaining the coach which is a ****ty move and setting the bar low again for this franchise, again maybe G and Raffl are boys and didn’t want him gone

This is not how a professional team is to be run. Friends are great but professional sports is a business and if you run it as to not improve the business so as to not piss off employees by moving on from someone you can do better than you are setting yourself up to fail.

Raffl is fine as a 12-14th forward. That will be his role or he will get waived or traded. He is protection from having another issue like they had this year where kids that were counted on being NHL players failed to do so.

 

[VladDrag]

I can live with Raffl being the 12th/13th forward and playing 40 games. I just think the logjam is getting really serious. 12th/13th forward would be a perfect spot for NAK.

12/13 forward would have been good for NAK this season.

 

[Appleyard]

This is not how a professional team is to be run. Friends are great but professional sports is a business and if you run it as to not improve the business so as to not piss off employees by moving on from someone you can do better than you are setting yourself up to fail.

Raffl is fine as a 12-14th forward. That will be his role or he will get waived or traded. He is protection from having another issue like they had this year where kids that were counted on being NHL players failed to do so.

Tbf I think a bigger mistake than expecting maybe another prospect to step in this season was having Weise and Lehtera on the roster and one basically being required to play every night... (though tbf Weise was "ok" this year after being very poor last year)

Thankfully next season should be the first time in years that they start the season with 12 NHL quality fwds.

 

[dragonoffrost]

Some of us had hopes of upgrading the 4th line, not gifting spots to current players.

Some of us don't think this contract gifts Raffl a spot. Fletch has waived Weise and Lehtera on bigger deals. This will be a minor impact if Raffl loses a competition in camp with a prospect.

 

[YEM]

I was so confused. A 10 page thread for RAFFL? Are we this irrelevant as a franchise?

I envy you a little bit if you've just realized this...

 

[Curufinwe]

Lehtera got demoted on Feb 7th, and has been a regular veteran healthy veteran scratch, only playing five games. So he hasn't been in the way of the younger forwards.

TheAHL.com

 

[Strawberry Fields]

I dislike this less than I did 17 hours ago.

Downgraded from "why" to "okay"

 

[flyersjim73]

This is a fantastic deal. Thrilled to get him back, especially at $1.6.

As someone said earlier, people seem to vastly underrate Raffl.

 

[Domino666]

This is not how a professional team is to be run. Friends are great but professional sports is a business and if you run it as to not improve the business so as to not piss off employees by moving on from someone you can do better than you are setting yourself up to fail.

Raffl is fine as a 12-14th forward. That will be his role or he will get waived or traded. He is protection from having another issue like they had this year where kids that were counted on being NHL players failed to do so.

Hey I’m with you I was just suggesting now do I believe G has that pull? Obviously not or Simmer would still be here, just playing somewhat if the Devil’s advocate

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

No complaints here. Raffl is fine for the bottom six. I know he isn't 19 years old or on a league minimum contract and this means that David Kase maybe won't make the team next year and his career and development will be stunted because he will have to play in the AHL, but I like it.

 

[Rebels57]

No complaints here. Raffl is fine for the bottom six. I know he isn't 19 years old or on a league minimum contract and this means that David Kase maybe won't make the team next year and his career and development will be stunted because he will have to play in the AHL, but I like it.

Not to nitpick, I think he's fine for the bottom 3. If he is on the 3rd line next season, I won't be happy.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Not to nitpick, I think he's fine for the bottom 3. If he is on the 3rd line next season, I won't be happy.

That is a more accurate statement. I do think he will see time on the third line but probably just to fill in if there's an injury or someone is slumping or something like that. But yeah 4th line is where he belongs.

 

[wasup]

All i will say is i'm not a Raffl fan , but oh well i've seen worse on the Flyers getting payed a hell of a lot more .

 

[renberg]

Seems pretty clear Fletcher intended to re-sign him all along.

It looks that way. Raffl took a good cut in pay to stay here. He probably had to think that over. The two years at $1.6 each is a fair price for a decent bottom six player. IDK if he could have got more than that in the FA market so this deal is a fair one for both parties.

 

[deadhead]

You have 23 roster spots, usually 14 forwards, 7 D-men, 2 goalie.
You don't use prospects for #13/#14, #7 D-man because they're better off playing in the AHL than sitting in Philly.

Raffl starts on the 4th line, if those prospects are better than him, he ends in the press box as insurance against injury, if the prospects aren't ready, then you have a NHL caliber player on the 4th line.

The reason we've see so many marginal players on the 4th line the last few years is the prospects weren't good enough to push them to the press box, and players like Cousins, Weal, Leier, Luby, etc. have new addresses. People want to blame the HC for playing VdV, the real blame was Holmgren for stripping the pipeline and leaving no cash in the bank (cap room) to find someone better.

At least if Raffl isn't pushed down, he's a real NHL player.

 

[dragonoffrost]

It looks that way. Raffl took a good cut in pay to stay here. He probably had to think that over. The two years at $1.6 each is a fair price for a decent bottom six player. IDK if he could have got more than that in the FA market so this deal is a fair one for both parties.

With his quote

"I really like it here," Raffl said in a press release. "This is the place I want to be and this has been my home, so I'm excited about the next two years. We have a young, exciting team and I'm happy to continue to be a part of it going forward."
​

I think he did the hometown discount route.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

Is it out of the realm to think G asked management to keep Raffl? Obviously G and Simmer were close and he got dealt, maybe I’m hoping this is true rather than Gordonk remaining the coach which is a ****ty move and setting the bar low again for this franchise, again maybe G and Raffl are boys and didn’t want him gone

It's not out of the realm, but this doesn't indicate it happened. It's a great contract for a good bottom 6 player. There's no back-bending by Fletch in these numbers to suggest he was strong-armed by G.