Is it time for the Flyers to start going into full Sixers mode?
This is essentially the calm before the storm as we near the NHL trade deadline coming up on March 5th. With the Flyers playing an incredibly inconsistent brand of hockey this season we can expect many pieces to this awful roster to be sold off by General Manager Ron Hextall to contending teams. It's a shame to be wasting the prime years of Voracek and Giroux right now but without Kimmo Timonen's presence on the back end the defense simply looks lost. Just who might some of these players be that the Flyers could give away to some contenders? The picking is obviously very slim but if a team is out there looking for puck movers they could take Del Zotto off the Flyers hands without having to give up much in return. Nick Schultz is a guy who has played surprisingly well after being signed as the 7th defensemen in the off-season and could garner something in return if the Flyers decide not to extend his contract before the deadline. Luke Schenn may be another possibility since he only has only one year left on his deal after this season but there's probably not too many teams that even want him as their 7th defenseman (thanks Homlgren, how's JVR's career track going up in Toronto?). An interesting option for teams could be veteran dman Mark Streit. He has only two years left on his contract after this season, however its at an insane 5.25 million cap hit, but not too unreasonable for a contending team in need of a top flight point producing dman. Streit is 4th in the league in scoring for defensemen and brings veteran leadership to perhaps a young contending team looking for a little boost to push them over the top. If Hextall could strike a good deal for Streit it would help the Flyers out tremendously for their cap situation over the next few years. Yes they would lose their best puck moving dman and the only guy on the blue line that has any awareness and hockey smarts with the puck but all in all it would open up doors for the young crop of blueliners coming up in the system for next season. Let alone free 5.25 million in cap space along with the projected cap ceiling to rise around 73-74 million next year. That would give the Flyers roughly 10 million in extra cap space and allow Hextall to finally have some breathing room as his digs himself out of the mess Paul Holmgren left him.
As for the beautiful story that is now questionably the starting goalie till Steve Mason gets back (my opinion you might as well shut him down before he blows out his back and he's done for his career) is Rob Zepp's emergence as pretty reliable NHL caliber goaltender. He reminds me of Steve Mason the way he athletically and fluidly moves side to side in the crease. The only thing he lacks is Mason's size but what Zepp lacks in size he makes up for in his smarts, positioning, and quickness. Right now Zepp is auditioning to possibly be the future Flyers back up goaltender behind Steve Mason. He's looking to be a guy that Berube can trust and give Mase a night off here in there without a huge drop off in talent & play. Don't get me wrong I love Emery and how he's battled back in his career after it was almost over years back due to his hip issue. But that's the problem, Emery used to be a Steve Mason type goalie where he relied on his quickness and athletic ability. With his hip issues he's simply not that goalie anymore and we see time after time when he's in net the other teams exploiting his lateral mobility. Is it possible the time of Zepp is upon us? I sure hope so. Let the Chronicles continue.
Flyers at Sabres @ 7:00pm (if anyone cares anymore):
Flyers travel up to Buffalo in a Saturday night match up looking to be the battle of the Eastern Conference cellar dwellers. Flyers have recalled Jason Akeson for tonight which means Scott Laughton most likely sits out again after being bulldozed in Wednesday nights game against Washington. Please for the love of god Berube if you start Akeson (over Rinaldo, should be no-brainer) please please please put him on a scoring line where he can thrive and prove you wrong. He fit so well on the Coots and Read line in the playoffs last year and was arguably their best offensive forward in the series against the Rangers. Give the kid a chance to play his game and put him in a position to succeed like a good coach would do. Anyways. Go Flyers. |