Flyers deny JVR rumors; Gus ready to return
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Flyers deny JVR rumors; Gus ready to return
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Rumors were circulating that the Flyers were looking to trade James van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs. (Tony Ding/AP)
NASHVILLE _ Flyers left winger James van Riemsdyk isn’t going anywhere _ at least for now.
A Flyers official denied a report that JVR was headed to Toronto for defenseman Luke Schenn.
“Not happening,” he said.
Schenn is the older brother of Brayden, the Flyers’ rookie center.
Van Riemsdyk, 22, has limitless potential (see last year’s playoff outburst), but has had a mediocre season (11 goals, 11 assists), one that has been slowed by injuries. Still, he has drawn interest from numerous general managers who are trying to persuade Flyers GM Paul Holmgren to move him.
If the Flyers make a deal, they aren’t expected to do so until much closer to the Feb. 27 trade deadline.
The Flyers have lots of interest in Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter, a potential unrestricted free agent after the season whom the Predators are trying to resign. He earns $3.5 million this season.
The Flyers, after sending defenseman Matt Walker to the Phantoms and recalling defenseman Erik Gustafsson a few days ago, have about $4.2 million in cap room.
Suter, who will turn 27 on Jan. 21, recently was selected to the all-star team for the first time in his career. He has five goals and 20 assists this season and is plus-7.
The Flyers do not want Suter as a rent-a-player, which means they would want to have a long-term agreement in place if they acquired him.
In the meantime, the Flyers are eager to give the promising 23-year-old Gustafsson a long look before deciding if they have to make a deal. Gustafsson is expected to replace Andrej Lilja in the starting lineup Saturday night in Nashville.
Gustafsson hasn’t played since injuring his wrist in a 9-2 win over Columbus on Nov. 5. In that game, the defenseman was plus-6.
The player they call “Gus” played five games with the AHL Phantoms, and he said on Friday he was 100 percent recovered from wrist surgery _ and itching to return to the lineup.
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Carolina defensemen Bryan Allen and Tim Gleason are on the Flyers' radar, sources said. They are not at the top of their wish list, but they are on it.
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Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
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Buy Flyers tickets Comments (37)
Im not 100% OPPOSED to trading JVR, but they better get a kings ransom for him! The kid is young, has a lot of potential, and is signed for a very reasonable amount for the next few years. If you DO decide to dump him, think in blockbuster terms! Don't underestimate the kids value in a panic to bolster the defense. That would be a HUGE mistake!
— Neebo- Unfortunately, JVR is NOT worth a kings ransome, so don't expect that. — penfly
I do believe JVR has a lot more upside than Luke Schenn. Schenn isn't a bad player, but he is a stay-at-home, hard-hitting defenseman who only plays about 16 mins per game lately. He has almost no playoff experience and won't help the PP. If the Flyers really are prepared to trade JVR (which I hope they are not since he is affordable right now with his salary and a proven playoff hero), they should go for a real replacement of Pronger, not a depth D man.- As much as Flyer management wants to convince themselves that they got the second best player in that draft, JVR is a bust. He's now Brendl or Daigle but he'll never be much more than an average winger. The Flyers picked the wrong year to have the second pick in the draft. Let's hope it never happens again and move on.— schnitzelboy
- schnit.....why do you post? Brendl had ONE goal as a Flyer and you compare JVR to him! Laay off the drugs. — Romus
- schnitzelboy - you're an imbecile. it's obvious JVR is playing hurt. homer should sit him down for a few weeks to rest up. you can't fake what JVR did in the playoffs last year...he'll be fine.— prominal88
- Well you know if the Flyers are denying it then JVR better start packing since he's getting the Jeff Carter treatment.— Kanayd
- trading JVR would be a huge mistake.— jamarder
- JVR is average at best. Now is the time to move him IF they can get the right piece(s) in exchange. He will never make or break this team. — penfly
- Agreed. I was excited when JVR came on board in the beginning, which he was even hyped then. Big body, big shot...however he has done very little to help this team over the years. He doesn't hit and he can't finish. Just because he has one big game every 4 weeks people think he's something special. Carter never hit anyone either but he finished. Guys like Simmons and even Giroux hit guys hard and play hard. I would rather have Harry Z, Voracheck, Read out there; these guys are hungry, not so much with JVR. He has been getting a pass from managment from day one. Time to move on. — girouxoovy
- Sometimes you are forced to make moves that were never foreseen. Clearly, if Pronger was healthy this wouldn't be even a blip on a radar screen. The defense could use a boost. The offense is solid - and last years's notion of a good defense is a better offense (see: Versteeg) was proved inaccurate. I love JVR, love his game, his potential. He is not as healthy/ fit as he was last season. That point machine that he was last Spring could and should reemerge. I don't know what happens, but it would be a shame to say goodbye to JVR. Although, I never thought Sibisa would have been dealt years ago, either.— mebphila
- Deny trade, deny trade, deny trade again and then poof ... gone.— shawnmac
- "In the meantime, the Flyers are eager to give the promising 23-year-old Gustafsson a long look before deciding if they have to make a deal" Really? Shouldnt they have taken the same approach with Bobrovsky before giving a foolishly generous contract to a suspect goalie?!
— zwarte piet - I think the Flyers will acquire a solid rental #3-4 D man at the deadline and a decision on further action will depend on Chris Pronger's health status in the coming spring. If Pronger's symptoms haven't cleared by then, they will try to deal for a #1 defenseman and then be forced to throw in JVR.
- I would not trade JVR for schenn straight up either, alot of young players drop off a bit in their second or third years then bounce back. Pluss it's a fact that JVR has had some nagging injuries that makes his type of power game difficult. But we are seeing signs of improvement in the last few games he doesn't seem to be skating in mud anymore, although I'd like to see him carry the puck more like the way he did in the playoffs last year. He looks really good on that line with shenn & simmonds & if he started carrying the puck into the zone with the effectiveness he showed last year that line would be deadly. I would like to see schenn here he is the type of d man the team needs right now but I would not put JVR in that move unless it was an offer you just couldn't refuse.— mos19delta
- I still think Pronger will return for the play-off's. How come no (almost) daily updates like we hear from Crosby?— NFLD Flyer
- BIG mistake to lose JVR. I realize they have some problems in defense but he is a big plus.— leenyg
- They should not always try to build the team via trade, but instead let their own draft picks mature, which comes a lot cheaper. Don't pull off a deal unless you know for sure about the future of Pronger.
- When playing at 100%, James is a dynamo as evidenced in last year's playoff! He will be a force to be reckoned with when he gets healthy. Pronger needs to come out of hiding and be a spokesman for the team...love his interviews!— dogman5
- dommo and NFLD- Pronger's done. To already count him out of the regular season and playoffs (and this was back in December), this injury is waaaay too serious to even consider a comeback. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't have a good feeling on this- see Keith Primeau.— mrjarn
- Bob for President.— rockinrob
- Keep JVR unless you get a great return for him. Remember the Patrick Sharp trade? Flyers got a guy who played 3 or 4 games for them and was never heard from again.— zeke128
- Holmgren denying any trade of JVR is the "KISS OF DEATH"! The Man is like Reid and can't complete a sentence without lying!— younged
- How about trading Brayden Schenn for Luke Schenn. Have brothers ever been traded for one another? LOL— Firebird7478
- Hey great comments from all however you are all nuts if you think Pronger the fraud is coming back. I don't want him back to slow and now just one bump on the head away from being hurt again Lindros and now Criosby all over again. Don't need that, as far as trading JVR well I think the kid is still a puppy and will mature into a real solid player. He has size, speed and can fire the puck and if he dedicates himself to working out all the time he will build bulk-muscle the sad part is you have to give to get so hopefully Homer can find someone with-out giving up our core of very good young players as far as Pronger goes, he has done nothing only had one nice year here then his next two he either has been hurt or now out for the season way to much money in the world of salary cap Homer can't afford to do that thats my opinion on the trade of JVR and Pronger the Fraud— william20
- Gustafsson coming back will help. He is easily better then Lilja and Bourdon.— Sidewinder7
- will JVR ever pan out? Who knows but Pronger's career is probably over, unfortunately. So you have to give something to get something-JVR could land Pronger's replacement which is badly needed. GM's aren't just going to hand over a Pronger calibre defenseman to the Flyers for Gus or Vorachek, Simmonds etc.— debbyt
I think we'd regret trading him at this stage of the game. Yeah he's had an underwhelming season but he will bounce back.- Boy, Sam, you're a regular Bob Woodward. You dream up this ridiculous rumor to explain JVR's status, and minutes later, the Flyers announce he is out indefinitely with a concussion. By the way, this site still isn't reporting the concussion.— MEH8008
- Pronger=done. Some G.M. might give you a d man that they will lose anyway for JVR. Homer would have to be sure the guy would sign with Flyers for reasonable price next season or risk losing a good player (when healthy) for a bag of pucks. I do not think anyone can even promise Homer that (within the guidelines, wink, wink, nod).— NYPHILLYPHAN
- NFLD Flyer - because the Flyers already announced publicly that Pronger has been shut down for the season, no updates are necessary.— Danno
- I would not tread James van Riemsdyk for nobody i like him and i want him to sings with the flyers for 3year in his carncat and i think the flyers will keep him. matthew new— mnewguy
- "I would not tread James van Riemsdyk for nobody i like him and i want him to sings with the flyers for 3year in his carncat and i think the flyers will keep him."
Yeah, when you sober up, can you translate that for us?
On second thought. Who cares...
— 7xChamp - "I would not tread James van Riemsdyk for nobody i like him and i want him to sings with the flyers for 3year in his carncat and i think the flyers will keep him."Yeah, when you sober up, can you translate that for us?On second thought. Who cares... (HTML deleted)— 7xChamp
Umm..Homer isn't an idiot and there's zero chance he'd ever trade JVR for Shenn straight up even if he was dismembered. Never happening, and both Schenn's appear to be below average role players. JVR appeared to be a star on the rise that has been suffering a slump or injury set back. If that doesn't convince you, he is concussed and they can't trade an injured player. This team need to add toughness, someone that would not have whimpered and run away from Ruff in the Winter Classic with their tails between their legs looking around and waiting for someone else to do their bidding after his Jagr salute. Not one player on the Flyers answered that bell and to me that defines this team and season. No chance at a cup without a major trade, the y lack toughness which is what the playoffs are all about.- Just think, with the right ping pong ball we could have had Patrick Kane and Chicago would have had JVR, boy that has work out well...— barry1757
- JVR is on the same pace as Joe Thorton was in his first three seasons. Trading him would be dumb. Power forwards take longer to develop in the NHL as they have to adjust to using their body more than what they were used to doing against inferior competition.— flyers2thecup
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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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