Remaining free agents

[GonnaFlyNow]

ABRO, you love Talbot. Ace, brings up a good point in Ian being signed for a similar role. I would again like to bring up Jody, who was signed to a similar contract ( a little less in value) and he just rides pine. I think that cap space would be nice to sign a Drury or a Mike Grier....or a better D-man. Either way IMO I don't see Talbot on the 3rd line all year.

[TimCirino]

I was under the impression that Powe wanted 1.5... any idea why we shipped him and his better offensive abilities out for a more expensive Talbot?

[Dark Donnie]

They got a 3rd round pick for a 4th line player...pretty easy to see why really. Not sure his abilites are better then Talbot...they appear to be similar in every aspect.

[TimCirino]

I suppose so...

[ABRO]

I was under the impression that Powe wanted 1.5... any idea why we shipped him and his better offensive abilities out for a more expensive Talbot?

They are not connected. Two different scenarios.

Two entirely different roles and places.

For the 4th line, playing with Betts, in the penalty killing role and defensive role (with some scoring up-side), GM Holmgren chose Nodl over Powe. A needed low Cap Hit also played into this.

Nodl skates and forechecks well, is very responsible defensively, and is still on his up-side curve. Nodl will score more than Powe.

We really liked Powe, but he has plateau'd. Nodl has a greater up-side as a 4th line player. Nodl's agent was smart. He had Nodl take a salary and Cap Hit cut in order to stay with the Flyers.

The final 4th line spot (in addition to Betts and Nodl) is for 1) the important "tough-guy" role for someone who will aggitate and fight, 2) who also can contribute in other ways, and 3) who has a low Cap Hit.

Fourth line even-strength minutes are limited. Hence - Rinaldo or Sestito. Not the traditional heavy-weight enforcer role that is being phased-out in the NHL.

Having Talbot play in that last 4th line spot, with 4th line limited even-strength minutes, is a waste of his talents, a waste of valuable Cap Space, and causes the loss of having a tough-guy on the team every game.

Talbot will play on the 3rd line. And, Talbot will be on one of the penalty killing forward pairs - probably with Giroux in addition to the other pair - Betts and Nodl. IMO.

The Cap Hit issue can not be ignored. If its necessary, the Cap Hit chart can be posted.

Holmgren has stated that he signed Talbot for a regular shift role and paid him a 1.8 M Cap Hit. I will find the quotes.

Here is one article from the Flyers' web site:


Free agency sees overhaul of Flyers continue

Sunday, 07.03.2011 / 8:51 AM
By Adam Kimelman - NHL.com

>> The Flyers signed another former Penguin in Talbot to a five-year contract reportedly valued at $9 million. He had just 8 goals and 21 points in 82 games, but his energy and feistiness will add strength to the Flyers' forecheck, and he was a major piece of the Penguins' League-best penalty-killing unit. He averaged 2:55 per game on the penalty kill last season for the Penguins, second among the team's forwards.

Holmgren said Talbot was at the top of his list when the free agency market opened at noon ET on Friday.

"He's a guy that we identified right away," Holmgren said. "We identified Max as one of the first calls that we made. … He's got a lot of qualities that Ian Laperriere has."

Talbot said Holmgren mentioned the possibility of him centering the Flyers' third line, but Talbot said he's versatile enough to play anywhere on the team's top three lines.

"In Pittsburgh I played a little bit of everywhere the last three years," Talbot said. "When I played my best hockey, when we won the (Stanley) Cup, I was right wing on the second line. But I was center of the fourth line, the third line, I was left wing on the third line, but I don’t want to glue myself anywhere. I want to have a great role, do what I can to win, work every time I get on the ice. It's about work ethic and to do my best to bring what I can to help win a championship." <<

>> "I decided to go there because I believe in the team, I believe in the players they went and got," Talbot said in an interview with TSN. "I think you look at the defense, the goalie, a couple forwards -- they've always been good, always been really dangerous. Two years ago they gained the experience of going to the Stanley Cup Final, which is huge. It's going to be really fun and really exciting." <<


http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?...id=DL|PHI|home


And, TC, you owe me a post in your "Overrated" thread.



`

[TimCirino]

Good article. I still don't understand why I owe you a post ha. I edited what I had orgionally said for a reason...because I didn't agree with what I had initially said.

[TimCirino]

And I had deleted it yesterday right after I posted it...before you read it. (because I noticed all your other quality threads)

But again good article, it clarified the moves.

[ABRO]

`
I accept your apology.

`

[ABRO]

`
From the Talbot thread:

And who is the third line center for the Flyers? Don't even say Talbot...he doesn't belong on a third line...

Actually he does. Love this signing because he is extremely versatile. Pitt had the number one PK last year with him. He played 4th, 3rd and even a little 2nd line. He does the little things that don't show up on a score sheet. If you think he is playing 4th line all year then you are wrong.

Ace is a top poster.

At this later point in time, now that the team is probably set with no other additions, interested if Ace has an adjusted view of this Talbot subject.

`

[TimCirino]

Haha okay good.

[Draven]

I was under the impression that Powe wanted 1.5... any idea why we shipped him and his better offensive abilities out for a more expensive Talbot?

Because Max Talbot is a signifcantly better hockey player than Powe, because Nodl can easily replace Powe and the role he provided for the team, AND because they got a third round pick for him which was incredible value.

[ABRO]

They are not connected. Two different scenarios.

Two entirely different roles and places.

For the 4th line, playing with Betts, in the penalty killing role and defensive role (with some scoring up-side), GM Holmgren chose Nodl over Powe. A needed low Cap Hit also played into this.

Nodl skates and forechecks well, is very responsible defensively, and is still on his up-side curve. Nodl will score more than Powe.

We really liked Powe, but he has plateau'd. Nodl has a greater up-side as a 4th line player. Nodl's agent was smart. He had Nodl take a salary and Cap Hit cut in order to stay with the Flyers.

The final 4th line spot (in addition to Betts and Nodl) is for 1) the important "tough-guy" role for someone who will aggitate and fight, 2) who also can contribute in other ways, and 3) who has a low Cap Hit.

Fourth line even-strength minutes are limited. Hence - Rinaldo or Sestito. Not the traditional heavy-weight enforcer role that is being phased-out in the NHL.

Having Talbot play in that last 4th line spot, with 4th line limited even-strength minutes, is a waste of his talents, a waste of valuable Cap Space, and causes the loss of having a tough-guy on the team every game.

Talbot will play on the 3rd line. And, Talbot will be on one of the penalty killing forward pairs - probably with Giroux in addition to the other pair - Betts and Nodl. IMO.

The Cap Hit issue can not be ignored. If its necessary, the Cap Hit chart can be posted.

Holmgren has stated that he signed Talbot for a regular shift role and paid him a 1.8 M Cap Hit. I will find the quotes.

Here is one article from the Flyers' web site:


Free agency sees overhaul of Flyers continue

Sunday, 07.03.2011 / 8:51 AM
By Adam Kimelman - NHL.com

>> The Flyers signed another former Penguin in Talbot to a five-year contract reportedly valued at $9 million. He had just 8 goals and 21 points in 82 games, but his energy and feistiness will add strength to the Flyers' forecheck, and he was a major piece of the Penguins' League-best penalty-killing unit. He averaged 2:55 per game on the penalty kill last season for the Penguins, second among the team's forwards.

Holmgren said Talbot was at the top of his list when the free agency market opened at noon ET on Friday.

"He's a guy that we identified right away," Holmgren said. "We identified Max as one of the first calls that we made. … He's got a lot of qualities that Ian Laperriere has."

Talbot said Holmgren mentioned the possibility of him centering the Flyers' third line, but Talbot said he's versatile enough to play anywhere on the team's top three lines.

"In Pittsburgh I played a little bit of everywhere the last three years," Talbot said. "When I played my best hockey, when we won the (Stanley) Cup, I was right wing on the second line. But I was center of the fourth line, the third line, I was left wing on the third line, but I don’t want to glue myself anywhere. I want to have a great role, do what I can to win, work every time I get on the ice. It's about work ethic and to do my best to bring what I can to help win a championship." <<

>> "I decided to go there because I believe in the team, I believe in the players they went and got," Talbot said in an interview with TSN. "I think you look at the defense, the goalie, a couple forwards -- they've always been good, always been really dangerous. Two years ago they gained the experience of going to the Stanley Cup Final, which is huge. It's going to be really fun and really exciting." <<


http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?...id=DL|PHI|home


`

A follow-up on the 4th line "tough-guy" spot - Rinaldo or Sestito -

Meltzer's blog today on Rinaldo -


July 14, 2011, 11:16 AM ET

Bill Meltzer
HockeyBuzz


Last season, Phantoms rookie Zac Rinaldo earned the dubious distinction of logging more suspensions (four times) than goals (three) during the season. He also logged a whopping 331 penalty minutes, the second most in the league. Rinaldo also acquired quite a rap sheet of suspensions during his junior hockey career, including a 12-gamer.

Rinaldo can be an effective player when he sets his mind to it. He skates well, forechecks effectively and actually has some puck skills to go along with ability to get under opponents' skin.

However, I think it's legitimate to wonder if Rinaldo is even capable of playing under control. In the split-squad scrimmage at the Flyers' summer prospect camp, Rinaldo left his feet to deliver a dangerous hit to Sean Couturier. That was extremely stupid. Rinaldo easily could have caused a concussion to the organization's top prospect.

Rinaldo is an extremely brash and self-confident young man, to the point of projecting an air of outright cockiness. That much was clear in his first NHL camp last September, when the faux-hawk sporting forward boldly proclaimed himself "a playoff player" who finds the regular season a bit "boring" (the Flyers later took him up on it and dressed him in two Stanley Cup playoff games after he had spent the entire regular season in the minors).

When running down the players whom he felt had impressed at the prospect camp, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren mentioned Rinaldo as one of them. Rinaldo's hit on Couturier apparently did not bother the team brass that much.

Despite his lack of size (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) to perform an agitator/fighter role, Rinaldo does not back down from much larger foes. Here he is doing battle last season with now-teammate Tom Sestito :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQdsM...layer_embedded


`

[Hatch]

A follow-up on the 4th line "tough-guy" spot - Rinaldo or Sestito -

Meltzer's blog today on Rinaldo -


July 14, 2011, 11:16 AM ET

Bill Meltzer
HockeyBuzz


Last season, Phantoms rookie Zac Rinaldo earned the dubious distinction of logging more suspensions (four times) than goals (three) during the season. He also logged a whopping 331 penalty minutes, the second most in the league. Rinaldo also acquired quite a rap sheet of suspensions during his junior hockey career, including a 12-gamer.

Rinaldo can be an effective player when he sets his mind to it. He skates well, forechecks effectively and actually has some puck skills to go along with ability to get under opponents' skin.

However, I think it's legitimate to wonder if Rinaldo is even capable of playing under control. In the split-squad scrimmage at the Flyers' summer prospect camp, Rinaldo left his feet to deliver a dangerous hit to Sean Couturier. That was extremely stupid. Rinaldo easily could have caused a concussion to the organization's top prospect.

Rinaldo is an extremely brash and self-confident young man, to the point of projecting an air of outright cockiness. That much was clear in his first NHL camp last September, when the faux-hawk sporting forward boldly proclaimed himself "a playoff player" who finds the regular season a bit "boring" (the Flyers later took him up on it and dressed him in two Stanley Cup playoff games after he had spent the entire regular season in the minors).

When running down the players whom he felt had impressed at the prospect camp, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren mentioned Rinaldo as one of them. Rinaldo's hit on Couturier apparently did not bother the team brass that much.

Despite his lack of size (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) to perform an agitator/fighter role, Rinaldo does not back down from much larger foes. Here he is doing battle last season with now-teammate Tom Sestito :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQdsM...layer_embedded


`

So he's a second cousin of Billy Tibbetts then...................cool

[TimCirino]

How many games do you all suspect Rinaldo to play in? I'd love to see him play 60+

This is hoping that he can stay clear of A) taking stupid penalties B) letting emotions take over and C) suspensions

[johnnyonthespot]

this might be off topic but how about trading for or sending an offersheet to ted purcell or dubinsky....i know both will be getting in the 3mill range but with the teams that need to hit cap minimum we could easily make moves

both tampa and NY are going to struggle to sign them