Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated gives the Atlantic Division report card for teams offseason moves.
Here is what they said about the Flyers.
On the spot: GM Bob Clarke
Greatest needs: Speed on the blue line, resolving the Keith Primeau situation, getting Simon Gagne signed, and staying under the cap.
Did he fill them? Outside of the draft, where Clarke used his first-rounder to pick up the anti-Flyer — small, speedy forward Claude Giroux — it hasn’t been a banner summer for the GM, primarily because he failed to upgrade the defense in any meaningful way. If anything, it got worse with the loss of UFA Kim Johnsson (who apparently was too good a skater to interest Clarke) and the addition of Nolan Baumgartner. It’s hard to believe that Clarke watched his blue line turned into pylons by Buffalo’s swift forwards and is satisfied to take an even lesser group into 2006-07.
Granted, the Flyers will go into the season with perhaps the deepest corps of forwards in the East, which should take some pressure off the back line, but Primeau’s availability remains in question and Clarke has yet to get first-liner Gagne under contract. Gagne’s demands — around $5 million per — are reasonable but still put the Flyers in cap peril. It would be crazy to trade a talent like Gagne at this point in his career, but with so many good young players in the system and so little cap wiggle room, it’s a very real possibility.
On the plus side of the ledger, Clarke sent excess center Michal Handzus to Chicago for Kyle Calder and inked UFA Geoff Sanderson. Both are fleet of feet and provide left-wing insurance in case the Gagne situation implodes. Clarke’s best move, however, may have been promoting head coach John Stevens of the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms to replace assistant coach Wayne Flemming. With so many young players assuming key roles, Stevens’ touch will be critical in their development.
Sure its easy to bash Clarke on not resigning Johnsson. Actually its not if one is paying attention. Ok, lets say Clarke does resign Johnsson at 4.85 Mil, which is what Minnesota gave him. Minus Nolan Baumgartner’s salary assuming if Johnsson is signed Baumgartner wouldn’t be signed that would bring the Flyers salary up to 40.3 Mil. No cap room to sign Gagne since he wants 5 Mil plus. Ok, lets assume Primeau would be retiring even though right now it looks that he will be playing, minus Primeau plus Gagne at 5 Mil and Johnsson still puts the Flyers over the cap. How do you fix that Allan? Buyouts would seem to be the only way and the only 2 players I see worth it would be Rathje and Hatcher, but I don’t see Clarke wanting to carry 3 and 4 seasons of salary baggage from them. Sorry I don’t see trading Gagne as a possibility.
I disagree that this defensive group is lesser than what the Sabres faced. First off they never saw Johnsson, he was out with concussion symptoms and missed almost half the season. Hatcher had bad knees, Desjardins, Knuble bad hips. Do you give a player not proven to be worth 5 Mil that much when he missed 4 months with a hit to the head? Keith Primeau anyone? The defense will at least start out healthy, have heard Hatcher dropped some weight and will be quicker than he was. Meyer should improve in his second season. Rathje should be better with his hip healed. Pitkanen is expected to have a break out year. Baumgartner and Jonsson I think are question marks. Sami Kapanen might also see time on defense. I don’t think the problem is going to be skating speed.
One thing Allan forgot is getting Hitchcock resigned to a long term deal. But apparently that wont come until after Gagne signs, which I was expecting to happen after Primeau retires, but he seems healthy again, so…