Flyers' (and others') wish list
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Flyers' (and others') wish list
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter and New Jersey winger Zach Parise - expected to be the top unrestricted free agents on July 1 - are at the top of a lot of teams’ wish lists.
The Flyers are believed to be among those teams.
That said, the team’s defense, if healthy, isn’t in bad shape - even if Chris Pronger cannot return from concussion symptoms.
The defensive pairings could look like this: Braydon Coburn and Nick Grossmann; Kimmo Timonen and Andrej Meszaros; and Marc-Andre Bourdon and Matt Carle (if re-signed) or Erik Gustafsson.
"I think we have a very strong defensive corps," said Peter Luukko, president of the Flyers’ parent company, Comcast Specactor, "and if Paul (Holmgren, the GM) thinks he can make us even better, great."
Luukko said the team is in the process of putting together its off-season plans. Unlike last year, the Flyers are only expected to make a few moves.
Ed Snider, the Flyers’ chairman, thinks improving the team’s defense should be the top off-season priority.
Me?
I’m still in favor of signing Parise over Suter.
Then again, Parise may decide to stay with the Devils because of their Stanley Cup run. New Jersey opens the Finals on Wednesday by hosting the Kings.
Stop the presses! Claude Giroux and Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne have advanced to the championship matchup to determine who is on the next EA Sports NHL 13 Cover.
Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, and fans can vote at NHL.com/covervote.
Cote promoting music festival. The Hemp Heals Music Festival, featuring Sublime with Rome, Cypress Hill, and Pepper, will be held at the Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing on Aug. 25. The festival is being presented by former Flyers enforcer Riley Cote and Live Nation.
The Hemp Heals Music Festival is dedicated to promoting healthy living through the use of hemp products and other natural and organic goods. All funds raised for the festival will benefit MANNA (Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance), promoting wellness by healthy living.
Tickets are available at LiveNation.com, Ticketmaster.com, or at 800-745-3000.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
The Flyers problems aren't a simple fix. It isn't like adding a player will suddenly fix all of the defensive deficiencies that bely the organization. Briere is not a top 6 forward. At least not on a winning team. Schenn needs to grow defensively, and needs to be held accountable when is soft on the puck. If Schenn was held to the same standard as JVR, he never would have seen the ice. Hartnell and Simmonds need to work harder in their own end. Jagr needs to retire....again. His neutral zone giveaways were acceptable when he was a 100+ point player, but he is far from that now. This team needs someone to give them structure without the puck, and then allow them to create when they have it. That is winning hockey. Goaltending isn't what lacks on the Philadelphia Flyers, it is structure, and accountability.— Hexy4GM- The Flyers already have too many undersized players. Time to move out seniors. A new coach to work with the young guys.The "Pie in the Sky Types" Suter,Webber,Hamhuis,Nash,etc.just don't deliver.Grossmann is an example of the type of "D" man the Flyers need and the price is right!— quigly46
- Sam, look at their stats. They do not need to add another offensive player. The roster is jammed with young talent who will get better and tougher. Even if they signed Jags to play 1/2 season, they're fine. Defense, face-offs, and GAA need work.— MichaelZoe
- — Hexy4GM: you know very little about hockey, given that you learned it on an abandoned tennis court in the northeast.— MichaelZoe
- — Hexy4GM: you know very little about hockey, given that you learned it on an abandoned tennis court in the northeast.— MichaelZoe
- Adding a #1 Defenseman to this team should be what is done as soon as possible as much as I would love to her Captain Chris Pronger is 100% healthy I do not believe he is and I do not believe he will be come October. Adding Suter or Weber would give thisteam a true # 1 guy on the back end. I am taking away from Kimmo and the rest of the guys but at Kimmo's age and the fact out other Defensemen are truly not a #1 guy (pronger not included)Adding either of those guys would make our team very good on the blue line and that would help very much come the playoffs. We do not need scorer but we do need a good faceoff man. So here is what we need: #1 Blue liner, resign Jake, top faceoff guy, say bye bye to Carle everything else will fall into place Hommer you need to get it down ASAP!!!— srcdaddy1216
- I drove by Prongers house yesterday, there was a giant moving van parked in front of his house and someone was taking apart the swingset— largato
- No way Parise leaves the Devils— largato
- I'm beginning to think this team is cursed. Kane (by all rights our draft pick) wins a cup, Brind'amour and Barber win a cup, and now maybe Carter and Richardson will win a cup.— meteo30
- Sam went from silly writer looking for an angle LAST week with his piece on Parise to flat out BONEHEAD with this one. Adding Shea Weber may not right all the wrongs on this team, but it would at least ADDRESS ONE. Adding Parise is meaningless on a team this deep offensively. 3rd in the league in scoring, in the bottom ten in GAA. I believe Bryz can improve, but we'd still need another top level D-man. Parise is Jeff Carter only a foot shorter. Suter is great, but Weber would be my target if you have to give up a ton anyway. Bigger, stronger, meaner while still bringing defensive responsibility, solid first pass skills and offense. AND he's RIGHT handed. Does NOBODY look at that anymore???— GNIKGNARLY
- GNIKGNARLY- Calling Parise "Jeff Carter only a foot slower" may be the worst comparison i've ever heard. I'm certainly no Devils fan, but Jeff Carter couldnt hold Parise's jock strap. My friend is a Devils fan so I've watched most of their playoff games (unfortunately), and have realized what an absolute gamer Parise is.— FlyerAdam30
- Sorry I misquoted there. I meant "Jeff Carter only a foot Shorter" Either way though its a ridiculous comment.— FlyerAdam30
- Flyers need a new heavywheight if Jody Shelley isn't coming back. Pens have Steve MacIntyre and the Rangers have John Scott. We need a heavywheight.— Ferrell31
Comment removed.- #1 Priority, top 2 d-men Suter and maybe even top 6 d-men. (Personally, I do not want to bring Carle back). #2 Get 4th line center with size, faceoffs on average 150 hits a season. I would look at Biron as a backup and locker room presence. Lavi needs to change the style a little.. Go go go style is not going to cut it. Must play decent positional hockey.
Move Bobrovsky at the draft if there is interest. Got to get this kid Maata. He is too good to miss.
— Nitroglycerin
