Holmgren: 'We have to move forward'
In a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said he doesn't plan to pursue another RFA from an opponent this summer, added he was close to resigning Jakub Voracek, and claimed his pursuit of RFA Shea Weber was only because of his stature _ and not because he is unhappy with his defense.
Holmgren: 'We have to move forward'
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
In a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said he doesn't plan to pursue another RFA from an opponent this summer, added he was close to resigning Jakub Voracek, and claimed his pursuit of RFA Shea Weber was only because of his stature _ and not because he is unhappy with his defense.
"We have to move forward," he said.
Holmgren hinted that the Bobby Ryan trade talks are not dead.
"You are asking me to comment on a player on another team. I don't think I can do that,” he said. “We look always to make our team better. We like our team. We are trying to add to our team without subtracting if at all possible, and make it better yet. We will see what the rest of the summer brings."
Holmgren may go back to Anaheim and try to acquire Ryan _ and perhaps attempt to deal some of the draft picks he would have lost to Nashville if the Predators didn’t match the 14-year, $110 million offer sheet for Weber.
Anaheim reportedly asked for Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn in earlier trade talks with the Flyers, who do not want to deal the promising forwards
Holmgren said veteran winger Shane Doan wants to remain in Phoenix, but that if he has a change of heart, the Flyers have interest.
The GM said he envisions Voracek on a line with Claude Giroux.
If the season started today, these could be the lines:
Hartnell-Giroux-Voracek.
B. Schenn-Briere-Simmonds.
Fedotenko-Couturier-Read
Rinaldo-Talbot-Wellwood.
And, yes, the 6-foot-2, 209-pound Ryan would bolster that speedy-but-smallish lineup. Ryan, 25, a Cherry Hill native who has scored more than 30 goals in each of the last four seasons, has said he wants to play for the Flyers.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
Comments (37)
Meanwhile, the Rangers added Nash to the team the Flyers have to catch.— farley- The Rangers? LOL. Queen Henrietta always folds in the playoffs— Flyers1975
- Keep up the good work Homer. Don't trade Schenn or Couturier. If we can get Ryan without giving either of those guys, then jump on it. Otherwise, let's stay pat for now and focus on resigning Voracek, Bourdon, etc— phillyfan880123
- I don't understand the continued negativity of Flyers fans reading various forums. Holmgren has done everything in his power to improve the team this offseason. They are smart for not resigning Matt Carle. The only move that has backfired is the Illya signing, but who knew he was going to be a headcase. The Kings won the Cup because of Quick.....not Richards and Carter (they were 5th and 6th on the team in postseason scoring....hello?). I'd take Brayden Schenn, Jacob Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, #8 pick (Couturier) for Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and dump their pricey contracts in a heartbeat again— phillyfan880123
- Amen, brother. — 3-hit shutout
- In Homer We Trust.— sla6yer
- I could not be anymore happier for the Flyers. Every year they try and put the pieces together to put a winning team on the ice. The Flyers IMO are like the Yankees. They are not afraid to spend and are always in the conversation of Stanley Cup. How nice would it be for Nashville to pay Weber while they are locked out. Good luck with that Nashville and as Homer says, we just need to move on. Next year crop of FA are going to be sick, and with the money we will have it will be AWESOME to be a Flyers fan! Go Orange and Black!— gbreen88
- agreed with PF880123. I think Homer has tried to do everything he can. Imagine the posts, if Homer did not offer sheets to Parisie, Suter and Weber. If Bryz steps up especially in the playoffs, no one will care what the offseason look like. Only disappointment with nashville matching, is that Weber just seems like he was born to be a flyer and would have been great in the locker room.— PhillyinBmore
- The Rangers? Gaborik is oat until mid season and Richards is one hit away from nother concussion. Losing Rupp and Dubinsky hurts them, the Flyers "should" be fantastic this year.— Clarkeisgod
- Hartnell, Rinaldo, and Lilya for Ryan then stand pat until mid season deadline and pick up another D then.
LINES
Ryan, CG, Vorachek
Read, Brierre, Simmonds
Couts, Shenn, Wellwood
Fedetanko, Talbott, (who am I missing) Sestito? Cousins? Laughton?— connorjr - connorjr....what! Lilya (or Lilja)..no way. Our best defenseman in the playoffs for a forward! — Romus
- hartnell, rinaldo & lilya for bobby ryan? you're kidding right? no way anaheim does that. i don't think you're going to get a call for a GM job any time soon. how about bryz & a bag of pucks for quick?
- Not sure what's terrible about the current team any ways. Will they preseason Cup favorite? Nope, but we're still a playoff team with very high upside on current roster. They lose JVR, Carle, Jagr and add Luke Schenn, Fedotenko and Gervais.....you now have very young talented guys like Bryaden Schenn, Sean Couturier, Eric Wellwood, Gustafson, Bourdon, etc really to step into bigger roles. I don't see how this team is any worse than last season.— phillyfan880123
- So disappointed to not get Weber when it seemed soo close. I applaud the effort though. I just hope Schenn and Couturier turn out as good as expected long term to miss out on prob the best d-man in the game in his prime. Not saying I would have traded both but I think had we not traded for Luke Schenn they may have considered him going for weber. But once his bro was here that wasn't gonna happen— FlyerAdam30
- connorjr - I don't think trading Hartnell, etc for Ryan would make sense for either team. Granted I think Hartnell is overrated, but you can't break up the line of Giroux and Hartnell. Although trading Hartnell would mean that I wouldn't have to see him plow over a goalie and have a puzzled look on this face when he gets called for interference— phillyfan880123
- Connor, Only Columbus makes trades that dumb...— philly thug
- rangers didnt lose rupp they lost prust, dubinsky anisemov,and "tank "to us still trying to figure that one out. but anyway they not gonna be as good as they were last year. we will be ready for them and whoever else no question
- @connorjr
uhhh...hartnell (no trade clause) rinaldo (no trade value) and lilja (negative trade value) for bobby ryan would have Anaheim's GM dying from laughter.
If we want Ryan we have to pony up some core players.....which is why Homer has not done that deal.— oystercracker - Kudos to Holmgren for doing everything wihtin his power to improve the team. Even though they weren't able to make a huge splash this off season (at least yet), I still really like this team and expect them to be better than they were last year. GO FLYERS!— CTL
- At least Homer has tried every way possible to improve the team EACH year. Meanwhile the GM in Toronto sits on his hands and doesn't even try. And they last made the playoffs pre-lockout (2004). Hope the Flyers can acquire Bobby Ryan to play on top line.....— BobbyD
- Sign Voracek, stay pat and wait how the season unfolds. The Flyers should play a more defense-oriented style next year. Then, fill up the holes with real goodies from the large FA pool this coming summer. Don't go for worn-out old vets like Doan (unless he is willing to accept a contract of no more than 2 years in length at his age). Bobby Ryan? Is he any better than Hartsie? Let these guys grow together, no need for the Flyers to be overhauling the whole team every year, it's expensive, risky, and detrimental to building an identity.— flyerdommo
- The proposed Ryan trade was wishful thinking on my part I know as listed players I am tired of seeing! Hartnell has value based on last season but ready to move in another direction there (did not consider he had a no trade though…which sucks!), and Rinaldo is an idiot on the ice taking way too many stupid penelties. We have enough D now that someone like Lilya is easily expendable. Point is I wouldn't give up any of our young guns but Ryan wants out and maybe we add a 1st and 2nd rounder if and give Hartnell a bonus for waiving his no trade.— connorjr
- I too would sign Ryan for the right deal, as he would really make the Giroux line fantastic.— matthew76
- It is rumored that Ducks wanted/want Couturier AND B.Schenn for Ryan.— Nitroglycerin
- I'd like to see them resign Voracek and Bourdon and then make a push for Doan. I really think they should wait till the deadline to deal for a D-man, if necessary, and wait until next offseason to add a winger or two. Would really love to see them add Corey Perry or Jerome Iginla if they can get him on the cheap.— flyordie
- Iginla is great but too old.— flyerdommo
- connorjr - are you outside of your mind?— NYFlyersFan
- Rangers leaders in 'blocked shots'...the trade-off, injuries mount over time.— Romus
- Give the Ducks, "Danny-Boy"— olneyboy
- Why do people keep throwing Hartnell's name in for trades? He hasn't waived him NTC in the past and I'm assuming he doesn't do it with a year left on his contract. If anything I see him signing for a hometown discount when his current contract is up. On another note, i'm glad that Homer is still in discussions for Ryan. He needs to get a deal done ASAP the way this offseason has backfired. I'm pretty sure if you offer some of those first round draft picks with NHL calibre prospects the Ducks may bite. See if 2 first Rounders, Wellwood and Gus will get it done. As long as the nucleus is not affected, all other players should be available.
— the sichee-ation - The Flyers have a great team, why are we always afraid of what the other teams have done in the off season. Let them all fear the flyers!— mrh1955
- There's nothing to fear as long as Bryz is in net. Quite the opposite as a matter of fact, the other tams laugh every time he looks behind him for the puck...
— 7xChamp - Homer gets A+ for trying and A++++ for not trading away our young guys.....have faith....Homer is always trying to make flyers better— balboa2151
- Has anyone confirmed that Nashville paid Weber the new 13 million signing bonus? It was due this week by rules of the current CBA.
One of two checks for 26 million due to be paid Weber in the next 325 days.
why ask?
Because if Nashville is trying to stash this money and pay it after the new CBA is in place in December, the Flyers might be able to ask for "arbitration" immediately to get a mediator to see if the Predators were in breach or perhaps force a trade down their financially parched throats?
Could thre Flyers still get Weber this way?
I have a feeling Nashville is dragging their feet with that 13 million dollar killer check and it may be a loophole for the Flyers to exploit.— sdeens - broadst.17...how can you say the Rangers are not better then last year....They lost Prust and Rusty and replaced them with similar players ..those type players are a dime a dozen....they trade 2 players Dubinsky and Anisimov from their roster for a 40goal power forward...They have 4 young All Star defensemen who are better then any defensemen we have...they have Lundqvist vs our Bryzaster....talk about young forwards they have Kreider who will be a 30goal scorer this year..Hagelin...Stephan...Callahan to go along with Nash, Richards and Gaborik....they have beaten us 8 straight..keep drinking the kool aid we arent close to them— flyers1000
- You could do me a huge favor by cutting back on Flyers coverage. There are plenty of good teams in town. The Eagles have built a team to be respected, having emerged from the McNabb era. The Sixers are as strong as they've been since 2000. The Phils are trying to maintain their stature as the premiere team in town. The Flyers just traded the farm and the farm just won the Cup. They can say it, b/c they're the bullies, but they have no remaining sense of dedication or sacrifice. They get events they do not deserve like the Winter Classics and video game front covers... but have done nothing since June 2011 to deserve it. For the most part, the fans do not know any better. They see the here and now and what's on paper. But the ones that have spent countless games and years and dollars deserve better and it starts with new management. No GM should be comfortable to make the moves Holmgren has these past 2 years and not fear losing his job. So, when things turn bad, call them on it and do what they have done to players who are about to leave. Cut them out of the circus. It's a wake-up call we all need.— 2rowsfromtheice
- If the Flyers think they can trade for a valuable defensive or forward piece in a salary dump mid-season, then I foresee them not doing anything drastic the rest of the offseason--unless Doan suddenly becomes available. They will keep the 8 million or so in cap space.— feudal_nobility09
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Broad Street Bull is the Inquirer's blog covering the Philadelphia Flyers and the National Hockey League.
Reach Sam at scarchidi@phillynews.com.
Sam Carchidi
Inquirer Staff Writer
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