Schenn: Pure Money Move
Daily News Flyers blog
Schenn: Pure Money Move
General manager Paul Holmgren said he was not trying to be “cryptic,” but the messages sent from the Flyers to the rest of the NHL on Tuesday were muddled.
Curiously, on the day that Brayden Schenn had his locker moved from the Phantoms’ locker room down the hall to the Flyers’ big boy room, the Flyers “loaned” their prized prospect to the AHL.
We say “loaned” in quotations because he may not actually be traveling far.
In fact, Schenn may still end up flying to Boston with the Flyers.
It all has to do with the cap. By not skating in Thursday’s opener against the Bruins, the Flyers will save themselves a ton of money on the cap - and make Schenn’s seemingly large $3.11 million cap hit turn into a much more manageable $1.75 million cap hit, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.
Schenn would have qualified for a $1.405 million bonus payout - which counts against the salary cap - if he played in all 82 games with the Flyers this season.
Thus, by spending Thursday on the the AHL roster, Schenn would immediately save the Flyers that money off the top of the cap. That bonus clause reportedly only applies to the 2011-12 season on his contract.
Even though Schenn played just 4 preseason games with the Flyers because of a shoulder injury, Holmgren said they had enough of a look at him to know where he stands in the lineup.
“He’s healthy now, he’s ready to play and take part in things,” Holmgren said. “I think we all have a good handle on what he can do. I don’t know if this is going to be short-term or long-term with Brayden.”
OTHER MOVES: In addition to loaning Schenn, the Flyers also loaned defenseman Erik Gustafsson and rookie forward Harry Zolnierczyk to the Phantoms. Neither move was a surprise.
The Flyers did also place Blair Betts, Oskars Bartulis and Matt Walker on waivers at noon, opening them up to a claim from any of the other 29 teams before noon tomorrow.
Still, Holmgren said the waivers could actually have little impact on the Flyers’ opening day roster. Players who have cleared waivers are eligible to remain with the team and play in games.
“I wouldn’t read into who’s on waivers,” Holmgren said. “We need to make decisions tomorrow.”
Betts, 31, would be an attractive options for teams in need of an ace penalty killer and a perfect fourth line center. Holmgren said it was a “tough conversation” to let Betts know he would be susceptible to waivers.
Walker, 31, is less attractive because of his $1.7 million cap hit. For a depth defenseman, that’s normally more than most teams would spend, though he could fit for a team that still needs to add salary. Walker received high praise from the Flyers for a solid preseason in which he did almost everything he could to make the team - including dropping the gloves and bringing a physical presence to the ice every night.
One of Bartulis or Walker would likely need to be in Boston with the team as the seventh defenseman. Bartulis, 24, did not have a solid camp but has a cheap salary cap number.
Perhaps the waivers are a way of posturing for the Flyers, hoping that one team will bite - at full salary - to place a claim and open up a contract spot against the 50 contract limit to allow Sean Couturier to remain with the team throughout the season.
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I believe that was a bad mistake for the Flyers. Going up against a tougher Devils and Bruins is going to hurt us. I would have liked seeing Walker on defense. Especially when he looked better the Lilja— Flyers_70- Betts and Walker are bad mistakes - they should have waved Lilja and Nodel— Toeka
- Walker is clearly a salary cap constraint ($1.7 Mil cap hit). That's way to much for a #6 or, more likely, a #7 defenseman. Betts will get picked up by some team and we'll need to take half of his cap hit (approximately $350K). We will miss his PK prowess. I believe that Bartulis can be sent down without needing to clear waivers so, he remains a nice insurance policy.— Gord Grimmier
- We wouldn't take any of the cap hit because when they are waived, it is a clear waiver. The half cap hit occurs if we call up someone from the AHL and they are claimed by another team. But someone claimed on the way down or just waived in general and sticking with the Flyers would result in a complete clearing of the cap hit and salary. — logicandreason
- I guess they couldn't trade anyone to get cap space— farley
- Good moves....other young guys are more talented and cheaper too! Betts is ok but limited upside and Walker is older and expensive for back of the order defensemen. I hope they can keep Bartulis on the Phantoms and bring him up later if needed but not a huge loss there either. I hope they keep Scheen or bring him back up soon too!— connorjr
- That's not correct that we'd have to pick up 1/2 of Betts salary if he's claimed. The only time that would happen is if he clears waivers and is sent down and then we try and recall him on recall waivers. Then if another team claims him we would be responsible for half.
Personally Talbot offers us exactly what Betts does and is younger and probably has more offensive skill than Betts. I agree for a 6th or 7th defensmen Walker is not worth it. I like what he did this offseason but his cap hit sucks.
I would much prefer to see this team go with some youth and have them gain experience while our veteran players are still in their prime. And any experience they get having Jagr on the team with them will only help in the longterm. We still have a solid group of 9 forwards and our top 4 de-men are very solid.— bathead - Your right. — flyerdup
- Bartulis signed a 1 way deal and thus must go through waivers before he can be sent to Phantoms— robm0202
- And if Betts clears waivers I can see the Flyers coming to an agreement to let him walk so he can find another NHL team. If he's claimed then the claiming team is responsible for 100% of his contract. That's why Leighton keeps clearing waivers. No one wants to pay that type of salary for a guy who is probably a NHL backup goalie.
Youth is good when you can blend it in with the vets. The Flyers got very lucky when they were able to draft a guy like Courtier, who will be a regular in the lineup if not this year definitely next. Unlike the Phillies who will be very old before we know it.— bathead - Your right again. — flyerdup
they dumped salary to keep the new rookies on the squad. no shocker here. betts splitting kinda sucks, but the future is apparently now.— Evilvet- So I guess this means Shenn stays :) Good, he will play good PK and will be a better offensive player for sure. He is going to need 2-3 months to adjust, but then we will be happy he took Betts' place. Would rather have Walker than Lilia but who knows hows...
Bartulis... I didn't see anything from him, never. There's thousands of players like him. Just hoping Nodl gets waived, too. What the hell is so good about this guy? anybody tell me ? 10 goals last year was a fluke, and he did score them in the beginning of the season and then what? get rid of this kid, Read is much better. Kessel still on the team or what ? did not hear about him.— mvandei - I like Walker. Maybe he clears because of his cap hit. I believe he cleared last year too, on re-entry waivers but I could be wrong— gob1234
- Lines:
JVR - Giroux - Jagr
Simmonds - Briere - Voracek
Hartnell - Couturier - Read
Rinaldo - Talbot - Nodl
Pronger-Carle, Timonen-Coburn, Meszaros-Lilja
Bryz-Bob— dsh129
