If Richards is bought out, Flyers should fly

Posted in Editorial with tags , , , , , , on May 24, 2013 by Tom Dougherty

By Tom Dougherty (@todougherty)

(Photo courtesy of Robert Kowal)

(Photo courtesy of Robert Kowal)

In the most important game of their season, the New York Rangers scratched 33-year-old Brad Richards, who has $36 million due to him through 2020, for Game 4 against the Boston Bruins, which the Rangers won 4-3 in overtime and lived to see another day.

Richards had previously been relegated to fourth-line duties in the playoffs, and skated only 8:10 in Game 3 for the Rangers while being benched for the entire third period. The former Conn Smythe winner has just one goal in 10 games.

While New York continues to fight to stay alive in the postseason, Richards’ days in the Big Apple appear to be numbered. Chatter circulated that the Rangers could use their final amnesty clause on Richards — New York bought out Wade Redden prior to the season.

In February, the New York Post had a story indicating that Richards could be the victim of the compliance buyout. The Post has since deleted the article, but it can be found in cached. Now, the speculation appears to be on the horizon.

But should the Rangers cut Richards loose, could he help the Philadelphia Flyers? When Richards was a free agent two summers ago, the Flyers were courting the highly targeted free agent.

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The Fourth Period: Flyers to buy out Briere

Posted in News with tags , , , on May 23, 2013 by Tom Dougherty

By Tom Dougherty (@todougherty)

(Photo courtesy of Andrea Shives)

(Photo courtesy of Andrea Shives)

It appears Danny Briere has played his final game with the Flyers.

According to The Fourth Period, the Flyers are planning on using one of their two amnesty clauses on the 35-year-old Briere this summer. The Flyers will owe $3.333 million over the next four years, TFP reported.

Briere has two more years left on his contract with the Flyers at a $6.5 million cap hit. After a season in which Briere looked out of place on the roster, Briere will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Flyers will have $3,230,238 million in cap space (see story).

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Flyers should take a run at Rob Scuderi

Posted in Editorial with tags , , , , , , , on May 22, 2013 by Tom Dougherty

By Tom Dougherty (@todougherty)

(Photo courtesy of Michael Miller)

(Photo courtesy of Michael Miller)

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi doesn’t play the prettiest brand of hockey. He isn’t going to dazzle you with nifty dekes or by putting up huge numbers. Instead, Scuderi gives the Kings something far more valuable.

Scuderi logs huge minutes, playing alongside Drew Doughty, and blocks a ton of shots. He’s an unsung leader on the Kings’ roster, and an important piece to the puzzle. And he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

For the Flyers, targeting Scuderi would be an enormous step in shoring up the defense. While he wouldn’t be a long-term fix on the blue line or the only acquisition needed, Scuderi would bring a ton of assets to the Flyers.

The 34-year-old defenseman is a proven winner. He has two Stanley Cups — 2009 with the Penguins and 2012 with the Kings — and was a key contributor on both teams. Scuderi was arguably the Pens’ best defender that playoffs and last year, Scuderi averaged 30.1 shifts for L.A.

In the playoffs this season, Scuderi is averaging 32.6 shifts for the Kings and 22:20 of ice time — 2:44 on the penalty kill. Only his partner, Doughty, is averaging more minutes for Los Angeles.

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Examining the Flyers’ buyout options

Posted in Editorial with tags , , , , , , , on May 19, 2013 by Tom Dougherty

By Tom Dougherty (@todougherty)

(Photo courtesy of Andrea Shives)

(Photo courtesy of Andrea Shives)

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren has a difficult task ahead of him. With the salary cap trimming down to $64.3 million next season, the Flyers have to shed about $3 million while also stitching up the defense and getting bigger up front.

According to CapGeek.com, as of today, the Flyers are $3,269,762 million over the cap without re-signing any of their free agents — unrestricted or restricted. Philadelphia will have more wiggle room once Chris Pronger is placed on long-term injured reserve.

By placing Pronger on LTIR, the Flyers are able to add salary but they do not necessarily have more cap space. A team has to spend to the Upper Limit before utilizing the benefits LTIR allows (for more of an understanding of how LTIR works, click here.)

Holmgren has the luxury of two compliance buyouts, which will make the transition easier. But who does “Homer” buyout and does he use both this offseason? Under the new CBA, teams can buyout players without the cap hit counting against the cap either this offseason or next.

Many believe that that Danny Briere has played his last game in the orange and black, which may be true. The 35-year-old veteran has two more years left on his contract at a $6.5 million cap hit.

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Should the Flyers bring back Simon Gagne?

Posted in Editorial with tags , , , , , , , on May 17, 2013 by Tom Dougherty

By Tom Dougherty (@todougherty)

(Photo courtesy of AP/Yahoo!)

(Photo courtesy of AP/Yahoo!)

After two seasons away from Philadelphia, Simon Gagne returned to the Flyers in 2013 when he was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings for a fourth-round pick in February.

Gagne, 33, wasn’t playing regularly for the Kings and when he did, he was getting fourth line minutes. He didn’t request a trade, but it’s believed he would have asked for one eventually. Los Angeles decided not to have it come to that point, and shipped him to the place where he spent 10 seasons.

And you couldn’t write his return to Philadelphia any better. Gagne snapped a 28 game scoreless drought in his first game back and added an assist, helping the Flyers to a 4-1 victory over the Capitals.

“It felt almost like I never left,” Gagne said, via ESPN.com, “just walking in the building before the game, knowing everyone. The nice welcome I got during the warm-up and after the first five minutes of the period. It’s almost like coming back home.”

Now, the Flyers are facing another decision on Gagne, who will be an unrestricted free agent in July. The Flyers made a difficult call on Gagne two years ago, trading him to Tampa Bay, which Gagne obliged to by waiving his no-trade clause, to clear cap space.

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Flyers draft watch: Zadorov, Hagg

Posted in NHL Draft with tags , , , , , , on May 17, 2013 by Tom Dougherty

By Tom Dougherty (@todougherty)

(Photo courtesy: futureconsiderations.ca/hockeyfutures

Credit: futureconsiderations.ca/hockeysfuture.com

The Flyers haven’t been very successful drafting defensemen with Paul Holmgren as general manager, but as CSNPhilly.com’s Tim Panaccio pointed out Thursday, Philadelphia has a long history of not picking defensemen and has acquired most of its impact defenders via trade.

That needs to change if the orange and black want to be considered Stanley Cup contenders, and next month’s NHL draft in New Jersey is the perfect time to start. With the 11th overall pick, the Flyers should have a handful of solid defensive prospects to choose from.

Last Sunday, Flyers Focus looked at Rasmus Ristolainen and Darnell Nurse (see story) in the first part of a series looking at potential draft picks for Philadelphia, and on Monday, we looked at another defender, Ryan Pulock, that could be available at 11 (see story).

We continue that theme by looking at a pair of European blue liners: Nikita Zadorov, from Russia but plays for the London Knights of the OHL, and Robert Hagg, who plays for MODO of the Swedish Elitserien league.

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Flyers draft watch: Pulock, Shinkaruk

Posted in NHL Draft with tags , , , , , , , , , , on May 13, 2013 by Tom Dougherty

By Tom Dougherty (@todougherty)

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images/futureconsiderations.ca)

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images/futureconsiderations.ca)

On Sunday, we looked at Rasmus Ristolainen and Darnell Nurse, two of the top defensive prospects who could fall to the Flyers at No. 11 in next month’s NHL draft (see story).

Today, we’re going to look at two more prospects that might spark the Flyers’ interest on June 30 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

The Flyers have an egregious need to upgrade their defense this offseason, and while they’ll look for an immediate fix, the draft is a good place to glue together the blue line for the future. If either Ristolainen or Nurse isn’t available at 11, Ryan Pulock might be the next best thing.

Pulock is an inviting prospect because he’s a defensively sound offensive-minded defenseman with a Tsar Cannon as a shot. His slapper has been clocked at 100 mph, which would look beautiful unleashing itself on the Flyers’ point.

The 18-year-old Pulock missed the World Junior Championship and the Top Prospects Game with a broken wrist, which factored into him falling in the Central Scouting’s final rankings. He was the sixth best North American skater at midseason, but enters the draft as the 12th best.

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