Stamkos still unsigned; Flyers watching closely
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Stamkos still unsigned; Flyers watching closely
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
(UPDATED at 11 p.m. on July 5)
Could Steven Stamkos become a member of the Flyers?
Well, it's still HIGHLY doubtful, but an NHL source told The Inquirer that the Flyers will put a trade offer together for the Tampa Bay superstar if the Lightning feel they cannot sign him.
Stamkos, who has scored a league-best 96 goals over the last two years, still had not signed as of late Tuesday night.
Stamkos' agent, Mark Guy, talked Tuesday with Tampa GM Steve Yzerman.
"A work in progress," Yzerman told the St. Pete Times.
Tampa has reportedly offered Stamkos a five-year deal for $37.5 million, a cap hit of $7.5 million per season.
Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said he fully expects Stamkos to resign with the Lightning.
That said, the Flyers are prepared to make a trade proposal in the unlikely event he couldn't come to terms.
It's likely Tampa would be interested in Brayden Schenn and Sergei Bobrovsky -- among others -- and high draft picks.
Last week, the Flyers contemplated giving an offer sheet to Stamkos, but they never got serious because Tampa has the right to match any offer made to the restricted free agent.
I'd say the odds are 95-5 against the Flyers getting Stamkos. Then again, what were the odds of the Flyers dealing Mike Richards AND Jeff Carter this summer?
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Highly touted center Brayden Schenn, one of the players the Flyers acquired from Los Angeles in the Mike Richards trade, and promising Sean Couturier will be among the prospects at the team’s developmental camp at the Skate Zone in Voorhees.
The camp starts Wednesday and runs to Monday.
Schenn, who turns 20 on Aug. 22, was the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft. He dominated the Western Hockey League _ in his four-year career, he had 116 goals and 315 points in 224 career games _ and will be given a chance to crack the Flyers’ lineup this season. He led Team Canada to a silver medal in the 2011 World Junior Championships, and he appeared in a total of nine games for the Kings over the last two seasons.
Couturier, 18, was selected with the draft pick (eighth overall) the Flyers received as part of the Jeff Carter trade with Columbus. The 6-foot-4, 197-pound center was named the MVP of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season, scoring 96 points on 36 goals and 60 assists for Drummondville.
Many of the Flyers’ top prospects will be at the camp, which 1s open to the public. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. next Monday.
On Thursday, there will be a public skating session from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Selected players will be on the ice with fans at various times during the session.
On Friday, the camp shifts to Stone Harbor for the annual Trial on the Isle. The day-long event includes a 9 a.m. mini-triathlon competition, followed by a youth hockey clinic, an autograph session and a charity softball game.
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Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter at BroadStBull.
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Do it. And include Jagr in the trade— 5LokoNYC- what he said. — coloradoeagle
- Schenn, BOB, Voracek a 1 and a 2. Hell- 2 #1s. Make it happen!— GNIKGNARLY
- Just give draft picks.... Schenn is a big key part to flyers...— hunglow
- Unfortunately the Flyers cant do this for picks alone. They simply dont have the space to sign Stamkos without including players. I love Stammer, dont get me wrong. I live in Florida and get to see him play alot...he is amazing. The price is too high though. I would rather have 2 30 goal guys than 1 50 goal guy. Schenn and Corturier will both be 30 goal (if not more) guys within 3 years. Giroux and JVR will both hit 30+ this year. i would stay the course.
You have to think that if Stamkos wanted to sign in Tampa he would have done so by now. If he won't take Tampa's 7.5 million, he will probably be asking at least 10 million a year. I don't see how the Flyers could do it, especially with megabucks already going to Bryz. Maybe we could get Jason Arnott as a consolation prize.- I like this idea Spence. I saw Arnott's name left on the board yesterday and had the same thought. Also, as much as the initial shock of Jagr and Talbot had me saying "WTF"? I like both signings now. Go check out some video of Jagr the last few years....He hasn't lost much Ill tell you that. Healthy, he's good for 60 points this year.
- if your source is eklund from hockeybuzz.com, please delete this article. if not, you cant give up schenn. the lightning will want giroux or jvr... are you willing to give one of them up for stamkos? if homer can get it done with anyone else, coturier and whatever picks we have, he is the effin man.— ChampAnderson
- If they go for The Bob, JVR & 2-#1's for Stamkos, pull the trigger!— yobill626
- not enough cap room for that #1 and "B",, Tampa would never go for that.
This kid is going to want 10 MILLION DOLLARS for 5+ years. There is no way!!!! One hit to the head is all it takes. Keep the young guys. - Send Jagr too, and see if Hartnell will waive his NTC considering how far Tampa went last year. Maybe that will be enough to entice him to leave.— Kanayd
- ...but Hartnells your best player — petemagoop
- Seems like they went after so much youth to replenish the team (and get rid of the party boys), and I know Stamkos is only 21 or whatever, but don't give all that back up for one great player see'ing how you just got rid of two. Maybe the team's focus should have been maturing the in-town talent instead of taking the easy way out and just shipping them elsewhere. Really hope this all plays out well...as I'm sure most of you are too.— Bleue
- Not sure how Tampa would be caught in a position where they sell short, and swapping the things you received for R/C for a different player is like swapping R/C for Stamkos. Anywho, I don't see how, in any way, shape or form this off-season could be considered "the easy way out." It's probably the least "easy way" a team has ever worked its off-season, and that doesn't include anything else they might do. — sklandog
- And JVR and Giroux should absolutely be untouchable at this point, they are the only offense the team has left. Unless you consider the great skating of Hartnell and the age-less wonder of Jagr as an offensive infusion of talent.— Bleue
