Will the Flyer's be as good as ever next season?
Yes, they will be. Most of there overpaid bum’s who have been bust’s are not coming back next year (Rathje, Calder, York, Zhitnik, Esche, and MAYBE not Hatcher).
In my opinion one of the best trades ever since the lockout was getting Coburn for Zhitnik (I meant Philly won it by the way). Zhitnik is overpaid, old, and has another year on his contract, and Coburn is a good, young player with ton’s of potential.
Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, R.J. Umberger (not really Umberger), Simon Gagne, Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent, and Joni Pitkanen, and whoever the 1st round draft pick is (I say Patrick Kane) will be great players, and no other team in the NHL has the many promising prospects (Pittsburgh has less, but most of them are better then any of Philly’s). I honestly think that having a bad year was a good thing, even if they didn’t try to. They can only go up, they have a chance to deal older players, and get young future stars. Also they get the high draft pick.
Philly will still have to make some moves though. First of all you gotta find somethnig to do with Hatcher. I think they could buy him out, because they’ll have A TON of Cap room at the end of the season anyways, so they would have more Cap room (but if they traded him that would be alot better for the team, and so Philly can dump all of his contract, instead of just a bit), and they would be able to get a d man who can skate (i’m not saying the other can’t though). Next, you gotta trade York, and Calder. Two steals in 9 days for Holmgren, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he got Sidney Crosby for York, or Calder. I think maybe a 2nd rounder, and a prospect (but like someone who will only ever be a 4th liner) for Calder, and the same for York except change that 2nd rounder to a 3rd. Okay that’s leaves Philly with a ton of money, so they can resign some people.
Resignings: Joni Pitkanen signs a 4 year 14 million doller contract (3.5 pre season).
Scottie Upshall signs a 2 year 2.2 million doller contract (1.1 pre season).
Ben Eager signs a 1.950 million doller contract (0.650 pre season).
Todd Fedoruk signs a two way 0.5 million doller contract for 1 season.
Dmitri Afansenkov signs a 2 year 1.2 million doller contract (0.6 pre season).
Antero Nittymaki signs 4.5 million doller contract that will last 3 seasons (1.5 million pre season).
Sign Ryan Parent to a 1 year 0.850 million doller contract.
Sign Patrick Kane to a 1 year 0.850 million doller contract.
Okay one player who I just have a feeling want get traded (who the hell trades for a backup goalie if your goalie will play every playoff game, and if goes down Esche can’t win games for you anyways). So Philly will not resign Esche.
Now we need to make some moves on July 1st. These are unlikely, but some one always makes a big splash.
UFA signings: J.S. Gigure will sign for 4 years, and will make 18 million (4.5 million pre season).
Scott Hannan will get a 3 year contract worth 13.5 million (4.5 pre season).
This what the lineup would look like.
Gagne-Carter-Knuble
Upshall-Richards-Kane
Sanderson-Umberger-Kapenan
Eager-Potulny-Afanasenkov
extras: Todd Fedoruk
Pitkanen-Hannan
Parent-Coburn
Gautier-Picard
extras: Randy Jones
Gigure
Nittymaki
Total: ABOUT 37.962 million (assuming Parent, Kane, and Coburn will make 0.850 million, my signing prices are right, and that Hatcher get’s traded, and not bought out by Philly).
It’s not unrealistic (only three of those player;s they don’t have know, and they’ll likely get Kane), and it’s still a top team.