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Friday, July 3, 2009
Flyers thin at RW; Snider explains Pronger deal

    Free-agent winger Chad LaRose re-signed with Carolina Thursday _ and that wasn’t good news for the Flyers.
    LaRose scored 19 goals last season and had looked like he would be a nice fit for the Flyers. He was relatively inexpensive and would have given the Flyers some needed scoring punch at right wing, a position that has been decimated by the departure of Mike Knuble (27 goals last year) and Joffrey Lupul (25).
     GM Paul Holmgren is still investigating the thinning free-agent market.
     As it stands, some of  the Flyers’ lines have been weakened because their projected right wingers scored a combined 27 goals last year _ the same total as Knuble, who signed with Washington.
     Though it could change, it’s possible the right wingers will be Ian Laperriere (7 goals last year), converted center Danny Briere (11 in an injury-plagued season) Arron Asham (8) Andreas Nodl (1).
     LaRose signed a two-year deal for $1.7 million per season; the Flyers have about $2.3 million in cap space, so they would have been able to sign LaRose.
    Without Knuble and Lupul, the Flyers’ lines will look drastically different. Coach John Stevens has lots of options and will probably try numerous combinations. Here is how they might look:
1. Gagne-Giroux-Briere _ The Flyers’ version of the French Connection. Could be sensational.
2. Hartnell-Carter-Laperriere _ Lappy replaces Lupul.
3. Carcillo-Richards-Asham _ The CAR Line is loaded with scrappy, hard-working players. But would Carcillo and Asham be good enough finishers to work with Richards?
4. Cote/van Riemsdyk-Powe-Nodl/Kalinski _ Cote’s roster spot could be in jeopardy. Jared Ross could also fit into the mix.
      The defensive pairings could look like this:
Timonen-Coburn _ Will they be reunited?
Pronger-Carle _ Carle supplies the speed, Pronger the physicality.
Parent-Jones _ Would be a good duo if Jones has recovered from hip problems.
     Send me the lines and pairings you think would be the most effective.
* * * * *
    In Friday’s Inquirer, Flyers chairman Ed Snider tells why the Flyers mortgaged the future to acquire Pronger, who is expected to help give the Flyers one of the league's top defenses.
 

Posted by Sam Carchidi @ 3:17 AM  Permalink | 45 comments
45
Comments   
Comment removed.
Posted 09:04 AM, 07/03/2009
gpicaro
Trade Jones for a draft pick (and cap space) and then resign Alberts and sign Malhotra. Malhotra gives some scoring, plays excellent defense, and is great at faceoffs. That would give: 1. Gagne-Richards-Briere 2. Hartnell-Carter-Giroux 3. Carcillo-Malhotra-Laperriere 4. Cote-Powe-Asham Timonen-Coburn Pronger-Carle Parent-Alberts Much better and way more balanced. Also van Riemsdyk will not make this team without a big trade as his cap hit with bonuses factored in will be around 3.2 million.
Posted 09:44 AM, 07/03/2009
OMIGODEAGLES
Trade Briere for cap space at the deadline. I wouldn't be surprised if they add a cheap replacement and then deal Briere at the deadline unless he is tearing the league up, even then they might think about it.
Posted 10:12 AM, 07/03/2009
gpicaro
The only way Briere goes anywhere is if he says it's ok... which I don't think he will do. Hopefully Homer has learned not to include no trade clauses in any contract from this point forward because, in the cap era, it kills the team. It would have been Briere in Montreal and the Flyers with the cap space instead of Gomez and the Rangers had there been not been a no trade clause in Briere's contract.
Posted 10:30 AM, 07/03/2009
briere48burrell5westbrook36
Lets not give up on Briere, we all saw what he can do when healthy. Wouldnt wanna seem him go back to a team like Buffalo or somewhere in the East and haunt us at a later time..
Posted 10:34 AM, 07/03/2009
mep29
w/ team as it is now: Gagne-Richards/giroux-Ricards/giroux Hartnell-Carter-Briere Carcillo-Lappy-Kalinski/nodl KAlinski/nodl-Powe-Asham
Posted 10:59 AM, 07/03/2009
rockinrob
Why not give Patrick Maroon a shot.....when I watched a Phantoms game last year I left saying "What a maroon." And it was a good thing.
Posted 12:53 PM, 07/03/2009
Exhibit
This is what they should do: 1.Gagne-Giroux-Briere 2.JVR-Carter-Hartnell 3.Powe-Richards-Nodl/Dingle/Maroon 4.Carcillo-Lappy-Asham
Posted 12:54 PM, 07/03/2009
CupOrBust
This is inherent problem left behind with the Pronger trade...the line combinations don't make much sense. For the 3rd line you either go with the traditional checking/defensive line or try to roll 3 scoring lines, a la Detroit or Pittsburgh. If you use Giroux, Carter and Richards (or Briere for that matter) as centers, then someone is out on a 3rd line with no one who can finish. You'd be wasting talent. Yet, other than Lappy they don't have the components of a great checking line either. Basically, they have two first lines and two fourth lines. With their current roster I'd go with Gagne-Richards-Briere, Hartnell-Carter-Giroux, Carcillo-Powe-Laperriere, Cote-Kalinksi-Asham. But I'd rather see the 3rd and 4th lines as Powe-Checking Center FA-Laperriere; Carcillo-Kalinski-Asham (sorry Riley!)
Posted 12:59 PM, 07/03/2009
element_104
I think Carcillo has the potential to be a 20 goal scorer. Late in the season, and in the playoffs, he showed some surprising skill with the puck. If the coaching staff would encourage to him in that direction, instead of just expecting him to take penalties, he might actually contribute.
Posted 01:03 PM, 07/03/2009
CupOrBust
Exhibit-I'm ok with your lines if they keep Giroux,Carter and Richards as centers (which they probably would do). But JVR and Scottie are both left wings and JVR needs to step it up a bit to make the team. How about - Gagne-Giroux-Briere, Hartnell-Carter-Powe, JVR/Maroon-Richards-Nodl/FA RW; Carcillo-Laperriere-Asham?
Posted 01:22 PM, 07/03/2009
Shaggy
Interesting blog topic, thanks. I might not put all three relatively 'soft' Frenchmen on the same line. Giroux and Briere worked well together, so maybe team Carcillo or another scrappier type with them. That would also leave Richards a better finisher to work with in Gagne.
Posted 01:29 PM, 07/03/2009
mikerainey82
Bottom line is that they need another right wing. A trade is necessary. We're stuck with Briere for the next decade or whatever the hell he is here for. See what you can get for Carter. Richards is too good to be relegated to a third line. Doesn't make sense to have three all star caliber centers when you obviously need help on the right wing desperately.
Posted 01:41 PM, 07/03/2009
MichaelZoe
no, you can not use Richards, a 30+goal scorer and #1 - #2 center with guys like Asham or Carcillo. good lord, you know nothing about hockey. Richards has to play with a Giroux on the wing, or other talented players who can play a 2-way game. possess the puck, create turnovers, convert scoring. giroux-richards-X, hartnell-carter-briere, then gags-ross-lapierre, 4th line is for tryouts.
Posted 01:49 PM, 07/03/2009
MichaelZoe
Alex Tanguay still hasn't signed with Montreal. Cup winner and great 2 way guy to play with Richards and shut down any top line and score. Manny Mahotra would be great, but there is a long list of guys the Flyers cannot afford right now who are Unrestricted, but still negotiating.
About Sam Carchidi
Sam Carchidi, who has covered primarily South Jersey high school sports and the Phillies for three decades, is in his second year as the Flyers’ beat writer. He has followed the Flyers since their inception in 1967-68, and remembers when only the third periods of their games were broadcast on the radio - just seven years before they became the city's most popular franchise.

Carchidi has written three books _ the nationally acclaimed Miracle in the Making: The Adam Taliaferro Story, which he co-authored with Scott Brown; Bill Campbell: The Voice of Philadelphia Sports; and Standing Tall: The Kevin Everett Story, which was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

A lifelong South Jersey resident, Carchidi lives in Wenonah, N.J., with his wife, JoAnn, and he is a passionate sports fan of the colleges attended by his daughter, Sara (tiny Mount St. Mary’s in Maryland, which qualified for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament last season and is unbeaten in football since 1951) and his son, Sammy (West Virginia, an annual challenger for the nation’s No. 1 ranking in football and men’s basketball).
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