Bryan Berard gets tryout with the Flyers

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16555

Son of a ****. Like this guy wouldn't have helped out PP.

504Heater wrote:Son of a ****. Like this guy wouldn't have helped out PP.

Makes no sense really? Is there a spot on there for him? Unless he plans to play for the Phantoms.

jamvan wrote:

Makes no sense really? Is there a spot on there for him? Unless he plans to play for the Phantoms.

Yeah, I don't get it either. There's not a lot of room on that blueline, they've already got Timonen and Coburn to produce offence/move the pcuk, and they're already over the cap and need to make space.

Remember, just because he's got a tryout with one team doesn't mean he won't end up somewhere else. Sopel had a tryout last year with one team (the Wings I think?) and then signed with the Hawks mid pre-season.

rooneypoo wrote:

jamvan wrote:

Makes no sense really? Is there a spot on there for him? Unless he plans to play for the Phantoms.

Yeah, I don't get it either. There's not a lot of room on that blueline, they've already got Timonen and Coburn to produce offence/move the pcuk, and they're already over the cap and need to make space.

Remember, just because he's got a tryout with one team doesn't mean he won't end up somewhere else. Sopel had a tryout last year with one team (the Wings I think?) and then signed with the Hawks mid pre-season.

Good point; maybe Holmgren is doing it as a favor for him to spark some interest in him.

jamvan wrote:

504Heater wrote:Son of a ****. Like this guy wouldn't have helped out PP.

Makes no sense really? Is there a spot on there for him? Unless he plans to play for the Phantoms.

They were looking to add Schneider though. I guess they want some PP insurance for nothing (600K-800k).

504Heater wrote:

They were looking to add Schneider though. I guess they want some PP insurance for nothing (600K-800k).

Man, if we're to believe the rumours, the Flyers -- along with the Rangers -- are looking at acquiring EVERYbody, including Sundin, which seems like pure madness to me.

I can't see them acquiring any more players. My guess in fact is that, as it stands, they'll already have to trade off Knuble ($2.8 mil / 1 yr) for a pick/prospect just to get their cap in line. Trading Hatcher ($3.5 mil / 1 yr) would do it too, but I'm pretty sure they're stuck with him until his contract expires.

The Flyers are $1.031 mil over the cap at the moment -- that includes taking Rathje's salary off the books, as he is now on the LTIR -- and they can only expect to clear up about $1.5 mil in space through sending guys to the minors. If Holmgren is like every other GM in the league, then he's going to want a buffer closer to $2 mil in cap space: trade off Knuble and send 2 guys to the minors (about $1.5 mil) and, voila, they're breathing easy again.

If the Sens are looking for a top 6 forward, incidentally, they could do worse than to look Knuble up. If Mesz signs for the expected $3 mil or so, we could accommodate Knuble's $2.8 mil and -- after our team has been paired down to 12 F, 6 D, and 2 G -- should still have about $1.5 in space. Just a thought...

rooneypoo wrote:
Man, if we're to believe the rumours, the Flyers -- along with the Rangers -- are looking at acquiring EVERYbody, including Sundin, which seems like pure madness to me.

I can't see them acquiring any more players. My guess in fact is that, as it stands, they'll already have to trade off Knuble ($2.8 mil / 1 yr) for a pick/prospect just to get their cap in line. Trading Hatcher ($3.5 mil / 1 yr) would do it too, but I'm pretty sure they're stuck with him until his contract expires.

The Flyers are $1.031 mil over the cap at the moment -- that includes taking Rathje's salary off the books, as he is now on the LTIR -- and they can only expect to clear up about $1.5 mil in space through sending guys to the minors. If Holmgren is like every other GM in the league, then he's going to want a buffer closer to $2 mil in cap space: trade off Knuble and send 2 guys to the minors (about $1.5 mil) and, voila, they're breathing easy again.

If the Sens are looking for a top 6 forward, incidentally, they could do worse than to look Knuble up. If Mesz signs for the expected $3 mil or so, we could accommodate Knuble's $2.8 mil and -- after our team has been paired down to 12 F, 6 D, and 2 G -- should still have about $1.5 in space. Just a thought...

I know...it's strange. But this is what happens when the East is up for grabs (again). With no powerhouse in there, it could literally be anyone setting up for a run at the Cup. I like the Flyers' team dynamics. Young studs on D and F with an above average goalie. I could see them potentially being in line to shed some of the BS off their roster and going for someone else. What's the deal with Hatcher BTW? Is he coming off the cap and going on long term IR? That was what I had heard would happen.

If they acquired Schneider, my guess would be they would trade Knuble for a pick and roll with what they have (plus Schneider). Can you imagine their team if they did that? Sickness.

I've been a fan of acquiring Knuble since basically the end of the year. It's so doable from our standpoint and he's friggin good. Problem is the wheels are rusting on him and he's slow as crap now. Still...you put him on the top line and you can rejuvinate him just long enough to become a UFA at the end of the year and not have to worry about the cap hit hurting.

That's the thinking behind Schneider for a team like the Flyers and Sens. We both have too many big ticket players, the only way we could add someone good like that is if his contract was to expire next summer.

Get Knuble - or switch Fisher to a winger full time. One or the other would be most pleasing.

504Heater wrote:

I know...it's strange. But this is what happens when the East is up for grabs (again). With no powerhouse in there, it could literally be anyone setting up for a run at the Cup. I like the Flyers' team dynamics. Young studs on D and F with an above average goalie. I could see them potentially being in line to shed some of the BS off their roster and going for someone else. What's the deal with Hatcher BTW? Is he coming off the cap and going on long term IR? That was what I had heard would happen.

If they acquired Schneider, my guess would be they would trade Knuble for a pick and roll with what they have (plus Schneider). Can you imagine their team if they did that? Sickness.

I've been a fan of acquiring Knuble since basically the end of the year. It's so doable from our standpoint and he's friggin good. Problem is the wheels are rusting on him and he's slow as crap now. Still...you put him on the top line and you can rejuvinate him just long enough to become a UFA at the end of the year and not have to worry about the cap hit hurting.

That's the thinking behind Schneider for a team like the Flyers and Sens. We both have too many big ticket players, the only way we could add someone good like that is if his contract was to expire next summer.

Get Knuble - or switch Fisher to a winger full time. One or the other would be most pleasing.

Ah, poop, yea, I forgot about that. Hatcher broke his leg during the playoffs and the buzz is that, one way or another, he will be on LTIR. Which means that Knuble isn't necessarily going anywhere. Crap.

I think the math would work for them, re: getting Schneider, if they kept Hatcher on LTIR all year and moved Knuble. They'd be in tight -- say, about a $1 mil in space -- but I have to say that, with their surplus of good forwards, it would probably be a smart move on their part. You can't have too many good Dmen.

rooneypoo wrote:
Ah, poop, yea, I forgot about that. Hatcher broke his leg during the playoffs and the buzz is that, one way or another, he will be on LTIR. Which means that Knuble isn't necessarily going anywhere. Crap.

I think the math would work for them, re: getting Schneider, if they kept Hatcher on LTIR all year and moved Knuble. They'd be in tight -- say, about a $1 mil in space -- but I have to say that, with their surplus of good forwards, it would probably be a smart move on their part. You can't have too many good Dmen.

Would Philly help us by trading with us? And realistically what would they want for an older, but cap friendly 30+ goal man? Something we're probably not willing to give I imagine.

504Heater wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
Ah, poop, yea, I forgot about that. Hatcher broke his leg during the playoffs and the buzz is that, one way or another, he will be on LTIR. Which means that Knuble isn't necessarily going anywhere. Crap.

I think the math would work for them, re: getting Schneider, if they kept Hatcher on LTIR all year and moved Knuble. They'd be in tight -- say, about a $1 mil in space -- but I have to say that, with their surplus of good forwards, it would probably be a smart move on their part. You can't have too many good Dmen.

Would Philly help us by trading with us? And realistically what would they want for an older, but cap friendly 30+ goal man? Something we're probably not willing to give I imagine.

Good questions. I don't know the answer to the first at all. As for the second, I would have to imagine that they would want to avoid acquiring salary in return at all costs, and so would want picks/prospects. Could cost us something like a 2nd, or someone like Hennessy or Nikulin with maybe a lower pick tacked on. I'm just guessing, tho'.