You had to sense something like this was coming. The unexpected. It’s the Flyers; you just never know what they’re going to do. What they wanted to do, they accomplished and they didn’t even wait until the official fireworks got underway.
The Flyers didn’t even wait until they were allowed to talk to free agents on Wednesday, July 3. They just couldn’t behave themselves. And when they were dead quiet at the NHL draft on the trade front, the clock was ticking.
It struck big on July 2. Vinny Lecavalier became a Flyer. Lecavalier signed for five years, $22.5 million with a full no-movement clause. His cap hit carries a $4.5 million cap hit.
The signing caught many off guard. The Lightning bought Lecavalier out -- he immediately became an unrestricted free agent -- and as many as nine teams met with him and 15 total teams were reportedly interested.
Many suspected the 33-year-old to end up with the Stars or the Red Wings. Or the Maple Leafs. Or the Canadiens. But not many expected Lecavalier to land in Philadelphia.
Yet, there the Flyers stood, camouflaged in the background, just waiting to poach the former Rocket Richard winner from the others’ hands. And that’s exactly what they did with Lecavalier’s deal.
Lecavalier’s signing was met with mixed reaction. Tampa Bay’s captain since 2009, Lecavalier has been around for a long time. The 14-year veteran has witnessed two work stoppages in his career and won a Stanley Cup in 2004.
Adding Lecavalier didn’t commute to some. The Flyers’ need up front was much more glaring on the wing, but a second-line center could also been upgraded, which it was with Lecavalier.
Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said that the team put too much expectation on their young players -- notably Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier, both centers -- last season. Bringing Lecavalier in guarantees production on the second line
The problem it creates is what happens with Schenn. Does Lecavalier mean that Schenn moves permanently? Or does it mean that Schenn becomes expendable or even Couturier? Will Couturier still get a chance to contribute more?
As the roster stands today, the Flyers top two lines matchup as follows: Scott Hartnell-Claude Giroux-Jakub Voracek and Schenn-Lecavalier-Wayne Simmonds. On paper, that’s not a formidable top-nine.
Lecavalier adds much needed size to the Flyers’ forward group. At 6-foot-4, 208 pounds, Lecavalier offers a big body that has only improved in the faceoff circle -- another weakness among Flyers forwards last year.
Last season, Lecavalier won 54.4 percent of his faceoffs, up from 47.8 percent the year before. He’s been on average over 50 percent the last four years. Only Claude Giroux (57.1%) had a faceoff percentage about 50 percent for the Flyers last year.
That’s an added bonus. Faceoffs are an important part of the game, especially defensive zone draws, and when Giroux and Lecavalier -- both over 50 percent -- as your first- and second line centers, you’re in good position.
Also take into account that the Flyers bought out Danny Briere, whose contract had a $6.5 million cap hit, and replace the 36-year-old forward with a player with a cap hit of $2 million less and a player produced more last year.
Ultimately, the Flyers went from Briere -- a player who didn’t really fit with anyone on the roster -- to Lecavalier, who instantly upgrades the second line.
Lecavalier is no longer the 50-goal scorer he was in 2006, but he still produces at nearly a point per game. In his last three years, Lecavalier has played 168 games and registered 135 points, scoring at a 0.8 point per game pace.
In the lockout-shortened season on a bad team, Lecavalier potted 10 goals and 32 points -- a .82 point per game pace, right in line with his last three years.
Comparing Lecavalier’s last three seasons to Briere’s last three, the numbers point toward Lecavalier’s favor. Briere averaged .73 points per game in 181 games for the Flyers in the last three regular seasons.
While the length of the contract has concerned some, replacing Danny Briere with Lecavalier is a good hockey decision -- both from a production and financial point
of view.
So with Lecavalier in the fold, what happens now? That question, no one knows.
According to CapGeek.com, as of July 2, the signing puts the Flyers $318,522 over the Upper Limit. But the Flyers -- and any other team -- can spend up to 10 percent over the cap during the offseason.
Cap space isn’t really an issue because once the season begins, Chris Pronger will go on LTIR and the Flyers will be able to carry more money -- technically not cap space.
The Flyers have roughly $33 million committed to nine defensemen next season, counting Pronger. While the defense is still an area that needs improvement, the Flyers have a ton of money tied up to many players.
They can’t add without subtracting. As a result, one of Braydon Coburn ($4.5M), Andrej Meszaros ($4M) or Nicklas Grossmann ($3.5M) will be likely moved.
Coburn has reportedly drawn the most interest. At the draft, the Flyers were talking with the Oilers, Flames and Hurricanes about a Coburn trade, although nothing came to fruition.
The Flyers also have been said to rather trade Meszaros, but he’s harder to move because of the many injuries he has suffered the last couple of years. Coburn appears the most likely to be traded.
Working on the theory that Coburn gets moved, that will clear $4.5 million, which puts them back where they were before signing Lecavalier assuming they don’t take salary back.
It’s hard to see the Flyers shopping for defensemen in free agency.
If they are going to upgrade the blue line, it’s going to come via the trade route. They’ve been linked to the Coyotes’ Keith Yandle for the past year, and there’s always that sweet pipe dream the Predators trade Shea Weber (just kidding).
By buying out Ilya Bryzgalov, the Flyers created a hole in net.
The Flyers have 25-year-old goalie Steve Mason under contract for next season after acquiring him at the trade deadline. He played extremely well in seven games with the orange and black.
Mason was 4-2-0 with 1.90 goals against average and a .944 save percentage. He looked like a completely different goaltender in Philadelphia than he did in Columbus. He still has upside, and the Flyers believe in him.
But they aren’t ready to give him the keys to the car just yet, at least not full control over the vehicle. The Flyers were hard after Jonathan Bernier before he was traded to the Maple Leafs, and now will focus on a veteran via free agency.
The Flyers appear to want to go forward with a platoon situation in net. Something similar to what Chicago used this year with Corey Crawford and Ray Emery.
Emery was scheduled to become a free agent, but he’s expected to re-sign with the Blackhawks. He was definitely an option for the Flyers, but with him off the board, where do the Flyers go?
The Flyers view Mason as the future in net, but they’re not comfortable yet giving him the majority of the starts. They want something along the lines
of a 60/40 or 50/50 situation with Mason and his goalie partner.
That guy might be former two-time Vezina winner Tim Thomas, who took the last year off, was traded from the Bruins to the Islanders, suspended by New York for not reporting, and wants to play next season.
At 39, Thomas has questions of how much money he’ll demand and if he can still play the puck. Another question is how good of shape is he in because no one knows what he’s been up to in the hiatus. He’s been camped out in Colorado.
One worrisome nugget with Thomas is he’s controversial off the ice with his right wing political views, and he spurned the White House in 2011 because he doesn’t agree with President Barack Obama.
To go from one giant space-loving distraction to another would be a risk. But as long as Thomas can stop the puck, players won’t care about what he says off the ice.
Thomas told CSNPhilly.com that he’s “intrigued” by the Flyers situation, and Philly has been linked to him as a possible destination.
The Flyers could also look to add a goalie in the trade market as they’ve been linked to St. Louis Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak, who has one year left on his deal.
If there’s something we do know about the Flyers, it’s that the next couple of days and weeks should be one wild ride.
Tom Dougherty , web producer/writer for CSNPhilly.com
TEAM FEATURES
WILD RIDE OF THE FLYERS
BY
TOM DOUGHERTY