Prospect Info: Signed ELC Mar. 21, 2017: Mark Friedman, D , 5'11", 185 lbs., 2014 3rd round pick

[Hiesenberg]

Myers probably is, but I haven't seen him enough. I've physically seen the other 3 skate circles around players.

If Myers is in the same stratosphere as the other 3 in skating ability, that would give the Flyers 4 potential elite skating dmen. I can't imagine how rare that would be.

 

[Larry44]

Bowling Green hockey writer confirms he's signed pro contract. Well done, Hexy! Welcome aboard, Mark!



Here's a pic of him signing...

 

[Hiesenberg]

Well, at least we are getting more and more reasons to watch the Phantoms.

Any thought on if Myers or Rubtsov join after their Q seasons finish? They play each other, so one of them is going home.

 

[BringBackHakstol]

Well, at least we are getting more and more reasons to watch the Phantoms.

Any thought on if Myers or Rubtsov join after their Q seasons finish? They play each other, so one of them is going home.

Since the Phantoms have a good team and are likely to make the playoffs, i'd be pretty surprised if they disrupted their roster so heavily by incorporating both Friedman and Myers. O'Neill, Brennan, Sanheim, Morin, and Hagg are locks so theres really only one spot i can see new guys rotating in.

Not sure about Rubstov

 

[Curufinwe]

Nice to have it finally confirmed after all the time we've spent talking about it on here in the past couple of years.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Since the Phantoms have a good team and are likely to make the playoffs, i'd be pretty surprised if they disrupted their roster so heavily by incorporating both Friedman and Myers. O'Neill, Brennan, Sanheim, Morin, and Hagg are locks so theres really only one spot i can see new guys rotating in.

Not sure about Rubstov

Valid, but kind of dumb. Myers/Rubtsov are significant upgrades over a lot of players.

Friedman probably is as well. You play the better players in my opinion.

 

[BringBackHakstol]

Valid, but kind of dumb. Myers/Rubtsov are significant upgrades over a lot of players.

Friedman probably is as well. You play the better players in my opinion.

You could probably find a spot for Rubtsov in there on the bottom 6 wing. But who from that 5 can you realsitically bounce from the top 6 D for Myers\Friedman?

 

[Hiesenberg]

You could probably find a spot for Rubtsov in there on the bottom 6 wing. But who from that 5 can you realsitically bounce from the top 6 D for Myers\Friedman?

Brennan & O'Neill.

I, personally, don't care about vet status. lol

 

[Cootsfanclub]

I really like Friedman's game in a few televised games I saw him in last season. Could see him being a second pairing guy with someone that could lead a pair, being a righty certainly helps.

Brennan & O'Neill.

I, personally, don't care about vet status. lol

But he's the boxscoreGretzky of the AHL?

 

[Stizzle]

Brennan & O'Neill.

I, personally, don't care about vet status. lol

O'Neil is hurt, and it's reportedly not short term. As of last weekend, there D was...

Sanheim- Lamarche
Morin - Alt
Brennan - Willcox

... Hagg should be back very soon. He recently practiced without the non-contact jersey on. Lamarche would obviously come out for Hagg. After that, Friedman would just need to play over Willcox, which is doable.

I expect Myers will have a long playoff run in the Q, and won't be available for a while. When the time comes, he will play somewhere. He's Phil Myers for christ sake.

 

[Hiesenberg]

O'Neil is hurt, and it's reportedly not short term. As of last weekend, there D was...

Sanheim- Lamarche
Morin - Alt
Brennan - Willcox

... Hagg should be back very soon. He recently practiced without the non-contact jersey on. Lamarche would obviously come out for Hagg. After that, Friedman would just need to play over Willcox, which is doable.

I expect Myers will have a long playoff run in the Q, and won't be available for a while. When the time comes, he will play somewhere. He's Phil Myers for christ sake.

Friedman could be in over Lamarch & Willcox.

 

[tymed]

I wasn't overly worried that Friedman wouldn't sign, but its satisfying to get the deal done. He's a real wildcard for me as I've never seen him play but he's managed to remain with plenty of intrigue. How quickly is he slated to suite up for the Phantoms?

 

[Hiesenberg]

 

[Chinatown88]

Yay!

 

[Phillyfan28]

Preface: I understand the typical WIP/Fanatic caller is a casual hockey fan at best.

But it still drives me nuts when people call in complaining the team has no direction and/or Hextall doesn't know what he's doing. Hakstol? Current under-performing roster? Whole 'nother story.

But I don't think there's a GM in recent years in any of the 4 franchises that instills the same confidence in me that Hexy does. My only fear is something in ownership affecting our direction (as it did with Hinkie, but I digress) because outside of that, and barring any string of serious bad luck, I see this team in the process of developing a core that will contend for years. Some combination of Prov/Ghost/Sanheim/Morin/Myers/TK/Coots will be the foundation of the team with some other combination of Giroux/Schenn/Simmonds/Jake being the veterans at that point but still contributing. Whenever those young guns take their "step forward" there will be a point where Hexy looks to make a trade or two to solidify a need and make a real run. it's a matter of when, not if, in my mind as things stand now.. which I feel like is about as confident as you can get in the world of professional sports.

 

[Alex91]

Very happy to see this. I had doubts he'd sign with us.

Once he and Hagg start playing I may pay some money to watch them on AHL TV. Any one know the cost of a month? And would playoff games be on it

 

[Hiesenberg]

A couple of guys I follow on Twitter had an interesting thought. With Hextall grabbing him for next year in the AHL, does this mean Hextall has plans to put 2 Dmen in the NHL?

 

[BringBackHakstol]

Friedman could be in over Lamarch & Willcox.

I wasn't aware of O'Neill's injury, so that makes things a bit easier.

 

[Curufinwe]

http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2017/2/7/14543784/notes-from-flyers-town-hall-meeting

Hak:
- Acknowledged they have several pending UFA defensemen and that he expects several young defensemen on the team next year. Said they have several players in the system who are just about ready. Did not names names, but the expectation is that young players in the system will fill out the defense next season. Did not seem concerned they may be injecting multiple D rookies into team at one time; acknowledged the rookies will have ups and downs and that's part of the process.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Really hope that this kid shows some great stability and some flashes of offense in the AHL .

 

[Alex91]

A couple of guys I follow on Twitter had an interesting thought. With Hextall grabbing him for next year in the AHL, does this mean Hextall has plans to put 2 Dmen in the NHL?

I'd say 90% chance 2 start.

Morin for sure, then Hagg or Sanhiem.

My guess Hagg till thanksgiving/Xmas until either AMac or Hagg plays them self off the team. I'm hoping it's AMac, and Hagg is given his role this year as sheltered D first pairing for Provy. Sanhiem is ready skill wise but I think they give him a little more seasoning (Hexy logic).

 

[BringBackHakstol]

I actually think Sanheim is #1 on the depth chart right now

 

[Rebels57]

I fully expect Sanheim and Morin starting the season on the Flyers and Hagg getting into action when injuries inevitably occur. I still think he could be the odd man out in a trade one day though.

 

[Curufinwe]

I actually think Sanheim is #1 on the depth chart right now

That would be my guess, also, but we won't know for sure unless there's an injury.

If Schultz or Manning got hurt, maybe they would prefer to have Morin partner Ghost on the 3rd pairing for the final 10 games.

 

[Hiesenberg]

http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2017/2/7/14543784/notes-from-flyers-town-hall-meeting

This is music to my ears. Can't scratch a bunch of kids if most of the team is made up of them. In your face Hakstol.