Will trade winds blow for Flyers?
COLUMBUS, Ohio _ The Flyers insist they are not having a hangover from last season's remarkable playoff run.
Will trade winds blow for Flyers?
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio _ The Flyers insist they are not having a hangover from last season's remarkable playoff run.
Could have fooled us.
Their power play has been alarmingly bad, and their offense has resembled Ryan Howard in the post-season - lots of chances, but little productivity.
They are 3-4-1 after Monday's listless 2-1 loss in Columbus, and they have failed to put together any winning streaks in eight games.
If not for Brian Boucher's oustanding goaltending, Monday's loss could have been 5-1.
Afterward, coach Peter Laviolette ripped his team in the media, saying they had no energy and no passion - and that they played "mindless" hockey.
The Flyers will try to ride this out for a while, but the hunch here is that if things don't improve by, say, Thanksgiving, major charges are in order.
The team is overloaded with quality centers. Claude Giroux, who is currenly playing out of position at RW to accomodate Jeff Carter, Mike Richards and Danny Briere aren't going anywhere.
So....
If things don't improve, Carter - who can become a restricted free agent after the season - could be offered in a trade for a much-needed, high-quality winger. (Thus far, Nik Zherdev has been a disappointment.)
The Flyers don't want to trade Carter, but if the puzzle pieces don't fit....
Give me your take.
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Zherdev is a huge bust....just call him Pavel Brendal from now on. Trading Gagne was a mistake....gee, what do I know?— jamarder
Briere has a NTC. How aboot the Captain taking some blame, show's up out of shape with his typical cavalier attitude its starting to rub off on the kids. Makes me physically sick since day one when people compare him to Robert Earle Clarke, kid couldn't hold his jock.— JohnnyN- Too early to contemplate changes. Carter should have been let go last year or over the summer when teams wanted him. I believe the thoughts were trade carter keep gagne. Carter had some great shots last night. Right to the chest of the goal tender.— siriusfan
- Sam- it's a little early for drastic measures, but the time will come if things don't turn around soon. I'm not big on Zherdev but since they took a chance on him, I'd give him some time to get re-acclamated to the NHL. Carter is the only name I come up with that would bring any value, other than the afore-mentioned untouchables. We'd get absolutely little or no value for anyone on this team other than the top 6 (Carter, Richards, Giroux, Briere, Leino & Hartnell). Unless we have some heavily desired Phantoms, Jeff is it offensively speaking.— frankiex13
- Carter should have been traded in the offseason and would be my first choice to go. Richards is being misused as the top line center. He is a third line center and let's not undervalue the importance of that role. Past third line centers for the Flyers include Primeau and Poulin. Their role was to cancel out the opposition's top line and create transitions that become offensive end opportunities. They both wore the "C" and did their jobs very well. Giroux and Briere are interchangeable as the top two centers and given the right talent on their wings, are very capable of getting the job done.— cbecko
- Great story Sam, Carter just does not fit into our makeup and specifically at the centre ice position. We have 4 really good centres in Richie, G, Briere, and Betts. We need scoring wingers and the way things are going with Zherdev and JVR, trading Carter could probably get a good return.— Fabulous
- Never really cared for Carter, he's such a liability in the defensive zone. Frankly, I'm suprised to see him on the ice when the Flyers are shorthanded or when it's late in the game and the Flyers are only up by a goal.— phillyboobird
- I agree with you Sam, the Flyers to me this year look like they have too many players up front that are playing out of position. Carter must be traded unfortunately since he apparently cannot play wing, and in return they can get good winger or a young Goalie like Bernier from LA. Jonathon Quick looks great for LA this year so far and Bernier has a nice 2 year deal. Also, its clear to me the Flyers do not need both Shelly and Carcillo, one of them must go, and based on what I have seen this year, Shelly should go, he is slow and does not appear to possess the skills of even Danny Carcillo. Not sure why Holmgren signed both players in the first place.— jdeang
- EVERYONE STOP TALKING ABOUT TRADING BRIERE!! He is the best player on the team right now and was in the playoffs last year as well! He is not the problem, and is really part of the solution!— jdeang
- Holmgren signed Shelley so that Carcillo could be less of an enforcer-use his skills more, and just agitate. Shelley is there only to fight in place of Cote. I could care less if we have him, but read an interview with Homer where he disclosed this info. Guess it makes sense, if Carcillo's really that skilled.— frankiex13
- richards for malkin? would either team do it?— vandy123
- Homer likes Carter because of his size but he seems to play small a lot. Isn't this where we all request a "sniper" in the mold of Reggie Leach to be traded to us. If so, Carter, and perhaps more, would have to be the bait.— Rick Wise Guy
- The Flyer's don't head man the puck. They don't play a vertical game. This leads to our quicker forwards having to stand still at the oppositions blue line to stay on-sides. There is nothing you can do in the NHL if you are not hitting the other teams blue line at top speed, it is too easy to defend and a fast players who stand still are neutralized. Everything in our breakout looks about half a second too slow. D has make a quicker first pass out of the zone and the forwards have to move there feet so they are hitting the other line with speed to dump and chase or carry it in with more ease.
— drmonday - Yeah, the Flyers need a great two way scoring threat playoff proven winger. Maybe somebody like...... Simon Gagne? What a foolish trade, for a 4rth round draft pick and an (way) overpaid injured d-man. Seriously, Tampa is going to get another cup with Simon, and the Flyers are going to gut their core players to pay for the Gagne mistake in a trade for a big-time winger. Trouble is, who is out there who can be a high scoring defensively minded winger?— NickFotiu4HOF
richards is a 3rd line center. plain and simple. he'd be perfect as the shutdown 3rd line center who can also pitch in offensively. he & carcillo could make up 2/3 of an effective 3rd line. forcing richards on the 1st line is killing them. giroux is your 1st line center. they need to move carter for someone who can make a lethal duo with giroux since carter seems unwilling to play wing. the 2nd line is fine. a 4th line with betts, powe & someone other than shelley works for the playoffs. jvr is quickly heading toward the distinction of major bust. zherdev looks lost.— kdub13
