Flyers Should Find Inspiration From Divisional Rival
By Scott Cole
Everyone wants to see a team make a big splash in free agency. The Canes not only have bucked that trend, but they have made moves that seemed to be head scratchers that paid off. They let Dougie Hamilton walk in free agency, which few people expected they would do. Hamilton went to the Devils and had a decent year, but wasn’t an all-star or Norris Trophy finalist like he was in Raleigh.
Likewise, the Hurricanes had a young rookie goaltender in Alex Nedeljkovic. He posted a .932 SV% with a GAA 1.90; both of which led the league. Nedeljkovic would finish third in the Calder Trophy voting. Still, the Canes traded him to Detroit for goalie Jonathan Bernier. They were unable to come to terms with Bernier, who became a free agent. Bernier would play in 10 games for the Devils and Nedeljkovic would have a decent year for a bad Detroit team.
Instead, the Canes signed former Maple Leaf goalie Frederik Andersen to a two-year deal. A goalie that was called washed has led the way for them. As a backup, they signed Antti Raanta who has posted great numbers for Carolina down the stretch.
They signed Tony DeAngelo when nobody else would take a chance of him because of some of the things he said/did while a Ranger. The DeAngelo signing has paid off well. They also got in a tit-for-tat with the Montreal Canadiens over Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who has turned in his best season since his rookie season.
For the Flyers, they may have to make some tough trades and let some players go. Trading away Claude Giroux may have been the first part of this. Could other Flyers be on the block? Could JVR or Travis Konecny be flipped for something this team needs? Would it be worth it?
Chuck Fletcher needs to take chances. Maybe the best moves are not the sexiest moves. Finding good, reliable role players (like Justin Braun) can pay off as well, if not more, than the big name free agent. Many times, it’s these quiet moves that turn teams into champions. But you have to be brave and weather the storms of fan opinions.
Gritty Vets
The heart and soul of the Hurricanes is captain Jordan Staal; whose brother Eric was the previous captain. Staal teamed up the last two seasons with former Flyer Justin Williams. Williams won a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes, the Kings, and the Capitals. As the Canes went on their Eastern Conference Finals run in 2019, the leadership that Williams and Staal gave the younger players could not have been overstated.
I know JVR has been a hot topic the last few years as a trade candidate. However, he could be a great elder statesman for a lot of the younger players the Flyers are trying to build around. Sean Couturier is a very similar player, in style, to Staal. A good leader is what the Flyers need.
Maybe they could find someone as a free agent. Maybe they already have their team leader. However, finding someone who has a Stanley Cup ring might be a good stabilizing force for a team that is looking for direction.