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

[NicolasAubeKubel]

Raffl is not a center so hes not blocking other centers. Hes also not blocking kids that are not knocking on the NHL door. On your list that leaves NAK. The point was obvious.

It’s pretty obvious to see that Laughton can play the wing which would allow for a guy like Vorobyev or Rubtsov to play C.

 

[Adtar02]

If raffl is replacing lehtera and wiese in our lineup next year this isn’t bad. As he is better and cheaper than both. This is how I see it. No knight No varone. No lehtera. No Weiss. He is a steady player. That can help the kids.

 

[Adtar02]

Raffl is not a center so hes not blocking other centers. Hes also not blocking kids that are not knocking on the NHL door. On your list that leaves NAK. The point was obvious.

Raffl was use as a shut down center when coots got hurt. Good at face offs and smart. Defensively aware player. Not saying he should play there. But his defense is better than say Laughton.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

They are more lottery balls. If one of that tier hits its a win. Raffl also seems like a good press box guy if someone comes in and they want a rotation. He can play all three forward positions reasonably well (no real drop off from one to the other) so he can move to accommodate forwards breaking in.

And at the absolute worst case, if he is permanently placed in the box because vorobyev or nak or rubstov locks down a roll, he is cheap enough to stash in the box as a 13th forward. He’s a hell of a lot better than the recent backup plans we have had.

And sometimes there really *is* value in keeping a guy who’s loved in the locker room, especially when he can still play a role well & you get a short-term bargain deal. He’s certainly a superior player to Bellemare & VV & Schultz & Weise & the rest of depth slop Hextall signed.

 

[prototypical4thliner]

And sometimes there really *is* value in keeping a guy who’s loved in the locker room, especially when he can still play a role well & you get a short-term bargain deal. He’s certainly a superior player to Bellemare & VV & Schultz & Weise & the rest of depth slop Hextall signed.

The only disagreement is bellemare which is where I’d argue system and deployment is an important aspect of player value. Bellemare on a good team with an aggressive forecheck that plays to his modest skills is much more effective. Raffl is the definition of a Swiss (Austrian is close enough) army knife. He can do it all and that utility had real value.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

The only disagreement is bellemare which is where I’d argue system and deployment is an important aspect of player value. Bellemare on a good team with an aggressive forecheck that plays to his modest skills is much more effective. Raffl is the definition of a Swiss (Austrian is close enough) army knife. He can do it all and that utility had real value.

When a player averages 11 or 12 pts per season, I struggle to reconcile having him take up a roster spot unless he’s a real pest who badgers & distracts the opposition, makes them unsettled, & draws power plays. PEB was good defensively; I just prefer more speed & abrasiveness. PEB wasn’t slow, but he couldn’t fly, either.

 

[flyerslducks]

When a player averages 11 or 12 pts per season, I struggle to reconcile having him take up a roster spot unless he’s a real pest who badgers & distracts the opposition, makes them unsettled, & draws power plays. PEB was good defensively; I just prefer more speed & abrasiveness. PEB wasn’t slow, but he couldn’t fly, either.

and he wasn't great at faceoffs when he was with us

 

[Ghosts Beer]

and he wasn't great at faceoffs when he was with us

Good point.

 

[Rebels57]

It’s pretty obvious to see that Laughton can play the wing which would allow for a guy like Vorobyev or Rubtsov to play C.

Vorobyev needs to actually earn that opportunity and Rubstov, like I said, only has 14 AHL games under his belt after an injury-riddled Juniors career. Id like to see Ruby get through a full AHL season without injury before even considering him for an NHL spot.

 

[Rebels57]

If raffl is replacing lehtera and wiese in our lineup next year this isn’t bad. As he is better and cheaper than both. This is how I see it. No knight No varone. No lehtera. No Weiss. He is a steady player. That can help the kids.

Right. He is better than Weise, Lehtera, and their midseason replacements Varone and Knight. If Raffl is your 12th best forward, you have a deep offense.

 

[bennysflyers16]

Oh I am in the same boat as you. I didn't want him re-signed because I expected he would want a raise. As you know, I was expecting a signing or trade of a guy who could play up to the 3rd line if needed....was expecting a C. Instead it was Raffl. If he Oaughton and Hartman are our 4th line next year, sure beats the crap we have been trotting out.

If Laughton and a Raffl start next year on 4th line, I will be first to admit I was wrong. Doubt it happens tho, one of them will be in the top 9, it’s the Flyer way.

 

[Striiker]

Oh I am in the same boat as you. I didn't want him re-signed because I expected he would want a raise. As you know, I was expecting a signing or trade of a guy who could play up to the 3rd line if needed....was expecting a C. Instead it was Raffl. If he Oaughton and Hartman are our 4th line next year, sure beats the crap we have been trotting out.

Ignoring the possibility of kids getting blocked, I’d be very happy with the quality of a Raffl-Laughton-Hartman 4th line.

That’s easily be the best 4th line we’ve had in a long time and if they’re used properly it could be a real asset for us. No more AHL trash, no more overpaid junk like Weise, no more slugs like Lehtera... 3 legit NHL players who can skate and have some skill.

 

[gertbfrobe16]

could be worse minny is playing meat reed

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

If Hextall/Hakstol were still here I’d understand the possible fear of Raffl or really any lower lineup veteran blocking a kid from the lineup. But that isn’t in that case.

 

[prototypical4thliner]

When a player averages 11 or 12 pts per season, I struggle to reconcile having him take up a roster spot unless he’s a real pest who badgers & distracts the opposition, makes them unsettled, & draws power plays. PEB was good defensively; I just prefer more speed & abrasiveness. PEB wasn’t slow, but he couldn’t fly, either.

He could definitely be improved but I’m contending he wasn’t the obvious net negative the other players you mentioned were.

 

[NicolasAubeKubel]

I just really believe NAK can be a quality Hartman level middle 6 winger with speed that can PK and score at even strength. Raffl is coming off of the worst season of his career, wrong side of 30.

It’s not a big deal really, and who knows what happens in camp, I would’ve just preferred to see them move on with all of the bottom 6 prospects they have.

 

[prototypical4thliner]

I just really believe NAK can be a quality Hartman level middle 6 winger with speed that can PK and score at even strength. Raffl is coming off of the worst season of his career, wrong side of 30.

It’s not a big deal really, and who knows what happens in camp, I would’ve just preferred to see them move on with all of the bottom 6 prospects they have.

I’d definitely temper the expectations on your namesake. The real saving grace has been his 5x5 scoring in the A so there is a posibility but I suspect probably bottom six.

 

[freakydallas13]

Off of the top of your head, what was the last good 4th line we had?

I honestly think it goes back to Betts and Powe, who formed a great shutdown line with someone I can't remember.

 

[Tripod]

If Laughton and a Raffl start next year on 4th line, I will be first to admit I was wrong. Doubt it happens tho, one of them will be in the top 9, it’s the Flyer way.

Yeah that is my fear. We will likely know if/when they are able to add someone this offseason and then of course Frost.

 

[flyershockey]

Don't mind it. Would have preferred one year, but whatever. They can bury a good amount of his hit in the minors if a young guy takes his job at some point. I do believe this means they're at least toying with the idea of not signing NAK.

 

[phil162888]

Why? Just why?

I know Raffl is able to move up and down the lineup... I know he may be a good guy in the room... I know its really not a big deal because you can send him down and it will only cost $700k vs cap.... but after 35+ games watching this team play that's a priority move? Come on man!

We need speed... We need tenacity...We need a new culture in the locker room. We need to improve the PK. We need 2-3 new forwards added to the mix this off season. We need someone that can bring energy to these constant boring matinee games (where we play half a sleep)

Lets call a spade a spade does anyone really believe that a team would offer a 30 yr old 12/13 th forward $1.6 million AAV for 2 years. If that were true you would've had decent offers at the deadline (which if happened you should've traded him). I actually like Raffl but this team needs a change and I just don't understand how or why you'd potentially block a young kid or why you wouldn't get a 12/13th forward that can change the momentum of a game. We all have seen what Raffl brings and it hasn't helped this team from being anything but a mediocre bubble team.

I want to check who his agent is. Maybe Fletch is trying to get in the good books of a UFA with the same agent. There has to be some kind of reason for this .....right?

 

[Curufinwe]

I don’t know how you make the logical leap to NAK not even getting qualified. He’s not Jesper Pettersson.

 

[Curufinwe]

Why? Just why?

I know Raffl is able to move up and down the lineup... I know he may be a good guy in the room... I know its really not a big deal because you can send him down and it will only cost $700k vs cap.... but after 35+ games watching this team play that's a priority move? Come on man!

We need speed... We need tenacity...We need a new culture in the locker room. We need to improve the PK. We need 2-3 new forwards added to the mix this off season. We need someone that can bring energy to these constant boring matinee games (where we play half a sleep)

Lets call a spade a spade does anyone really believe that a team would offer a 30 yr old 12/13 th forward $1.6 million AAV for 2 years. If that were true you would've had decent offers at the deadline (which if happened you should've traded him). I actually like Raffl but this team needs a change and I just don't understand how or why you'd potentially block a young kid or why you wouldn't get a 12/13th forward that can change the momentum of a game. We all have seen what Raffl brings and it hasn't helped this team from being anything but a mediocre bubble team.

I want to check who his agent is. Maybe Fletch is trying to get in the good books of a UFA with the same agent. There has to be some kind of reason for this .....right?

That’s some Facebook level nonsense. Raffl has always been good on the PK, and you don’t change the culture by getting a different 4th liner who would probably cost more and struggle to perform as well as Raffl has.

 

[Curufinwe]

Raffl was use as a shut down center when coots got hurt. Good at face offs and smart. Defensively aware player. Not saying he should play there. But his defense is better than say Laughton.

Raffl has played wing 99% of the time in the NHL. He’s not a center.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Why? Just why?

I know Raffl is able to move up and down the lineup... I know he may be a good guy in the room... I know its really not a big deal because you can send him down and it will only cost $700k vs cap.... but after 35+ games watching this team play that's a priority move? Come on man!

We need speed... We need tenacity...We need a new culture in the locker room. We need to improve the PK. We need 2-3 new forwards added to the mix this off season. We need someone that can bring energy to these constant boring matinee games (where we play half a sleep)

Lets call a spade a spade does anyone really believe that a team would offer a 30 yr old 12/13 th forward $1.6 million AAV for 2 years. If that were true you would've had decent offers at the deadline (which if happened you should've traded him). I actually like Raffl but this team needs a change and I just don't understand how or why you'd potentially block a young kid or why you wouldn't get a 12/13th forward that can change the momentum of a game. We all have seen what Raffl brings and it hasn't helped this team from being anything but a mediocre bubble team.

I want to check who his agent is. Maybe Fletch is trying to get in the good books of a UFA with the same agent. There has to be some kind of reason for this .....right?

Seems pretty clear Fletcher intended to re-sign him all along. And you need to have 4th liners. Raffl on a 4th line is good depth. And one depth player isn’t what causes a team to be a bubble team or legit contender, anyway.