Flyers Free Agency Targets Part I: Forwards
By Scott Cole
The salary cap is expected to be around $82.5 million dollars. Barring a trade, the Flyers appear to have about $7 million to play around with. So, therein lies the problem.
The Flyers can’t spend willy-nilly on every free agent. They are going to have to use their funds wisely and maybe do some Howie Roseman-type finagling of the salary cap. If not, they may have to jettison some of their higher-priced talents in order to grab a few players. If not, they may only be able to get one or two “good signings” and have to rely afterward on depth talent.
Here, we will examine some of the players that the Flyers should try to snag if they can.
Centers
Claude Giroux
Bon Jovi is right…”Who says you can’t go home?” He’s a free agent. Will he come back? There is no doubt the fans would love it. But does he want to return? Maybe after a deep run on a winning team, maybe he wants to stay. OR maybe he wants to return and do it here. Maybe he’d even take a “home town” discount. It’s hard to say. Either way, the Flyers should definitely be getting his agent on the line.
Vincent Trocheck
Trocheck is a lot like his head coach, Rod Brind’amour. He’s never the best player on the team, but he does all of the little things that you want to be done: winning faceoffs, forechecking, chasing a dump in, setting up the plays, etc. He’d be a great center to add to this team with the likes of Couturier (and maybe Giroux).
He’s got the sort of grit that Flyers fans come to love and appreciate. He has stated he wants to stay in Carolina, but the Canes have several good free agents looking for a payday. If the Flyers can snag him, they should do it.
Nazem Kadri
Kadri is definitely one of the sexier names on the market this year. He’s posted career highs in points and goals. He’s looking for a payday and Colorado may not have the funds to match what others can throw at him as they have other players they need to decide on.
The downside is he is going to be 32. Is this a fluke or has he finally found his stride? Is he worth the gamble? If he can perform as he has, he just might be.
Ryan Strome
It’s always nice when you can steal a player from a rival. Strome has played on both NY teams and may want to stay in the Metro Division. He’s posted career highs in goals this season. He’ll be 29 this year and maybe cheaper than some of the others in this list. Plus, his brother, Matthew, is playing for Lehigh Valley. That might attract him.
Paul Stastny
Yes, Stastny is another older player that may be past his prime. But he’s got a solid work ethic behind him. He’ll be 37, but he did post more than 20 goals this season. If he comes cheap, he’d be a great third liner and stable veteran presence on this team. If the Flyers lose out on the big names and redirect other assets to defense, this might not be a bad signing.
Nicholas Paul
The Lightning have a problem. They are tapped out on the salary cap and can’t keep everyone. Like Scott Laughton, Paul is a solid defensive forward who can score from time to time. He could be a great third or fourth-line center in the mold of Joel Otto.
There are also restricted free agents in the center pool that the Flyers could look at. However, this is always a tough call because is it worth the trouble to get them? (Just ask the Canadiens-Hurricanes). The Flyers have been unlucky at this in the past (for those of you who remember Shea Weber). But if you can sign the right player, it may be worth a shot.
Of these players, Dylan Strome (another Strome!) is probably the best of the lot. Martin Necas might be a good sleeper pick; but again, you don’t want to incur the wrath of the Canes. Kailer Yamamoto might be another one to take a shot at too.