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Dale Weise

Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers Agree To Four-Player Trade

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The Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers have agreed to a rather rare trade, in which each club has sent two players that have not worked out with their team to the other, with neither really trading anyone that they considered valuable. The Canadiens have announced that veteran forward Dale Weise is returning for a second stint with Montreal and will be accompanied by defenseman Christian Folin. Heading to Philadelphia is journeyman defenseman David Schlemko and minor league forward Byron Froese.

Weise, 30, signed a four-year, $9.4MM contract with the Flyers as a free agent in 2016, but quickly fell out of favor in Philadelphia. After two and half seasons and a total of 34 points in 152 games, the Flyers waived Weise and, after he cleared, sent him to the AHL last month. Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that it was around that time that the Canadiens and Flyers began putting this trade together, as Weise was done in Philly and desperately wanted to return to Montreal. Weise previously played for the Habs for parts of three seasons from 2014 to 2016 and found his greatest success with the team, recording 59 points in 152 games. Montreal hopes he can return to that level of production, as he is signed for one more year at $2.35MM, but for now they will take advantage of his waiver status. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that Weise has been assigned to the AHL’s Laval Rocket.

Folin though could be an asset right away for the Canadiens. The impending free agent was used sparingly in Philadelphia, skating in just 26 games for the team, but just last year played in 65 games and registered 13 points for the Los Angeles Kings. The 28-year-old is a bargain depth addition, as Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that the Flyers will retain $150K of Folin’s $800K salary, bringing his cap hit down to just the $650K. The addition also gives Montreal another right-handed option on the blue line and a solid physical defender who plays well in his own zone. Karl Alzner has again been placed on waivers in an effort to bury him in the AHL to make room for Folin.

As for Philadelphia’s return, they add a veteran piece not all that different from Weise. Schlemko, 31, also cleared waivers and was sent to the AHL in January. The Canadiens initially acquired Schlemko, and his four-year, $8.4MM contract, from the Vegas Golden Knights after he was selected from the San Jose Sharks in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Hoping he could be a fixture on their blue line, injuries and simply poor play have instead limited Schlemko to just 55 games with the Habs over two years, as well as several minor league stints. While his cap hit next season, especially while buried in the AHL, is less of a burden for the Flyers, Schlemko is not even as much of an NHL option at this point in his career as Weise was. Case in point: NBC Sports’ John Boruk reports that youngster Phil Myers will be recalled to Philadelphia to fill Folin’s spot, while Schlemko will report to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Also headed to the Phantoms is Froese, who has not played in the NHL this season. Froese is a veteran of 110 NHL games and set a career high with 11 points in 48 games with Montreal last season, but has struggled to show that he is anything more than a fourth-liner at the top level. However, Froese is enjoying a strong AHL campaign and was the captain of the Laval Rocket. Lehigh Valley could use his leadership and production down the stretch and in the postseason and perhaps Froese will even get a look in Philly at some point. The 27-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and will try to show the Flyers’ brass that he is worthy of an NHL contract.

All things considered, this is a big trade in terms of the number of players and some notable names, but means very little. New Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher saved himself some cap space next season by swapping out Weise for Schlemko and strengthened his AHL roster this year by adding Froese. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin, whose team is in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, adds some needed depth in Folin and a fan-favorite who has a chance to rebound next season in Weise. Weise is a slight risk as a salary cap burden, and neither player has extraordinary upside, but it cost Montreal nothing of value to acquire them. Could the Flyers have gotten more? Probably, but at the end of the day neither team will likely end up regretting this trade as it is.

Minor Transactions: 01/27/19

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The All-Star festivities ended with Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby winning an award he’s never won before, All-Star MVP, as he scored two goal in the All-Star Game finals Saturday night and had eight points total as Team Metropolitan defeated Team Central, 10-5. Crosby has already won three Stanley Cups, two Hart Trophies, two Conn Smythe awards, three Lester B. Pearson (now Ted Lindsay) awards, two Art Ross Trophies and two Maurice “Rocket” Richard awards. Now he can add an All-Star MVP. However, with the 2019 All-Star games concluded, many teams will start making roster adjustments as several teams will be back on the ice on Monday. Check back to see continuing updates throughout the day.

  • The New Jersey Devils announced a number of roster moves today as the team started by placing defenseman Ben Lovejoy on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, retroactive to Jan. 15. That means the team can activate Lovejoy whenever they are ready. The team also recalled forward Kevin Rooney, defenseman Egor Yakovlev and goaltender Cam Johnson from Binghamton of the AHL. Both Rooney and Yakovlev were sent down a week ago to get some playing time in while the Devils were on break. The Devils play Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
  • With a game coming up Monday as well, the Winnipeg Jets announced they have recalled defenseman Sami Niku from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. Niku was sent down to get some playing time while the Jets were on their bye week and now will return. Niku has made 10 appearances for Winnipeg this season, but picked up his first two points on Jan. 17. He will fill in for the injured Dustin Byfuglien and Ben Chiarot, although both are rumored to be close to returning.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers are getting ready to return from their bye week and have announced they have recalled goaltender Carter Hart and forward Mikhail Vorobyev from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. The team also added they have assigned forward Dale Weise to Lehigh Valley to make room for both transactions. Weise cleared waivers on Jan. 16 and will now spend time with the Phantoms. Hart has been impressive in 12 games for the Flyers this year, posting a 2.66 GAA and a .918 save percentage and will continue his development in Philadelphia. Vorobyev struggled after making the team out of training camp, playing just seven games. However, the 22-year-old has been impressive in the AHL and will get another chance to prove that he belongs with the Flyers.
  • The New York Rangers announced they have recalled two players as they return from their bye week in forward Boo Nieves and goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. Both were assigned to Hartford to get extra playing time while the Rangers were off. Nieves has played 16 games for the Rangers and has two goals and seven points, while Georgiev has struggled as New York’s backup goalie with a 6-8 record, a 3.66 GAA and an .883 save percentage.
  • The Dallas Stars announced they have recalled defenseman Connor Carrick from the Texas Stars of the AHL from his conditioning loan. He played four games with Texas, putting up a goal and an assist along with 13 shots on goal. The 24-year-old came over in a trade with Toronto at the beginning of the season, but has dealt with a lower-body injury and has appeared in just 13 games this season.

Flyers Notes: Weise, Injury Updates, Fletcher’s Roster Moves

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Earlier this week, Dale Weise cleared waivers but was not immediately assigned to the AHL.  Instead, it was reported he was staying up with the Flyers for the time being.  That appears to have changed.  Head coach Scott Gordon told reporters, including Dave Isaac of the Cherry Hill Courier-Post, that the winger would not be accompanying the team on their road trip to Montreal and that he would be starting their bye week early.  Sportsnet’s Eric Engels adds (Twitter link) that Weise has been told to stay home and await a trade.

Considering he has now passed through unclaimed twice already this season, his trade value can’t be high.  It’s likely that the Flyers would need to retain close to the maximum 50% of his contract which carries a $2.35MM cap hit through next season and/or take a similar contract back as part of a return.  The 30-year-old is only three years removed from a 14-goal season but he has struggled since joining the Flyers back in 2016.  This season, he has just five goals and six assists in 42 games.

More news from Philadelphia:

  • A pair of Flyers goalies are making good progress in their respective injury recoveries. The team announced that Brian Elliott has resumed on-ice workouts but there isn’t a timeline yet for his return.  He has been out of the lineup since suffering a groin injury in mid-November.  Meanwhile, Michal Neuvirth is expected to resume on-ice activities sometime next week although, like Elliott, there remains no timetable for his return.  The team also updated defenseman Samuel Morin’s situation, indicating that he’s likely a month away from returning following offseason ACL surgery.
  • NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Boruk notes that there could be an early trend to follow when it comes to new GM Chuck Fletcher’s trades. Their movement thus far (which could also extend to Weise’s waiver placement) has been either to remove players that aren’t playing with much physicality or to bring someone in with some size that is more apt to playing that type of role.  Considering they soon have a decision to make on winger Wayne Simmonds, it will be interesting to see if Fletcher’s apparent desire to play a more physical style will have any kind of impact on their contract negotiations.

Philadelphia Flyers Place Dale Weise On Waivers

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Wednesday: Weise has cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the minor leagues.

Tuesday: The Philadelphia Flyers have started to make some changes, beginning with Dale Weise. The veteran forward has been placed on waivers and is available for claim by the entire league.

Weise, 30, is a perfect example of how the Flyers have underperformed over the last few seasons. Signed to a four-year $9.4MM deal in 2016, the defensive winger has not been able to reproduce the level of offensive production he experienced in Montreal. With just 34 points in his 152-game Flyers career so far, there just isn’t enough reason to keep him in the lineup over some of the team’s younger players if GM Chuck Fletcher is looking towards the future.

Still, Weise is an extremely well-liked teammate and could very well find himself on a new team within the next few days. It may be a stretch for a team to claim him and his entire $2.35MM cap hit—that extends through 2019-20—but should he clear the Flyers could find him a new home with the added benefit of being able to go straight to the minor leagues. We’ve seen moves like this before after a player clears waivers, though there is no guarantee that is what Fletcher has planned.

If Weise does go to the minor leagues for Philadelphia, a pro-rated $1.025MM will come off his cap hit while he is buried in the AHL. That number actually increases to $1.075MM next season, meaning he would be even less of a cap liability if the team decides to keep him there.

The Flyers are moving in a new direction after a season that has seen them go 17-23-6 through the first 46 games and it is obvious that there will be other casualties. Most eyes will be focused on Wayne Simmonds next as the trade deadline approaches, given the apparent lack of any extension interest and his status as an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.

Sam Gagner Highlights Final Preseason Waivers

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With the NHL season set to begin on Wednesday night, today was the final day to place players on waivers and have them clear in time to assign to the minor leagues before tomorrow’s roster deadline. With that, a huge list of players are on the wire and available to the rest of the league. The full list of names is as follows:

D Trevor Murphy (ARZ)
D David Warsofsky (COL)
D Mark Alt (COL)
F Alex Broadhurst (CBJ)
F Remi Elie (DAL)
F Justin Dowling (DAL)
D Joel Hanley (DAL)
D Ryan Murphy (MIN)
F Rocco Grimaldi (NSH)
F Tom Kuhnhackl (NYI)
F Dale Weise (PHI)
F Taylor Leier (PHI)
G Antoine Bibeau (SJS)
F Dmitrij Jaskin (STL)
F Chris Thorburn (STL)
G Curtis McElhinney (TOR)
G Calvin Pickard (TOR)
F Sam Gagner (VAN)
F Darren Archibald (VAN)
F Daniel Carr (VGK)
F Curtis McKenzie (VGK)
D Aaron Ness (WSH)

D Connor Carrick (TOR)*

*Despite the Toronto Maple Leafs announcing that Carrick would be placed on waivers, the team actually traded him to the Dallas Stars instead. 

Red Wings And Canadiens To Clash At The Draft

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Before the 2018-19 season even begins, there will be some conflict between divisional foes. The Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings are both coming off disappointing seasons and are looking to reinforce their franchises with their own high draft slots as well as acquired picks. Both teams are hoping to cash in on several picks in the first and second rounds to find multiple players that will grow to become regular NHLers. However, they may have to battle each other to do so.

The Athletic’s Craig Custance published an article this week about Detroit’s possible plans and potential targets for a trio of picks in the 30’s. His colleague Arpon Basu was quick to respond with his own article about Montreal’s potential marks with their two picks in the early second round. Basu also added that the two teams share similar organizational needs. Among them, both the Canadiens and Red Wings could use a top-flight center and defenseman in the pipeline.

With no suitable centers available when either team picks in the first round –  the Habs at #3 and the Wings at #6 – what those teams do early on could dictate their priorities in the early second. Many expect that Montreal cannot pass up the elite forward talent that is winger Filip Zadina. The Canadiens (or Red Wings) could reach for center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, but it is unlikely. They could also take a defenseman, as there are plenty of supremely talented names available in this draft. After Rasmus Dahlin presumably goes first overall, most consider Quinn Hughes to be the next best name. Of course, Detroit is the heavy favorite to take the University of Michigan product if he’s still on the board. If Montreal chose to steal him, it would be the first conflict between these two teams.

Things heat up even more later on though. Detroit has a second first-rounder at #30, courtesy of the Tomas Tatar trade with the Vegas Golden Knights. While this is a prime position for the Wings to trade out of, they could also simply make the pick. It is here that the Red Wings could beat the Canadiens to one of the top available centers. Both Custance and Basu list Ty Dellandrea as a prime target in the late first and early second, and Basu also offers Isac Lundestrom and Jacob Olofsson as candidates if either is still available. Then, in the second, Detroit picks again at #33, the pick they received from the Ottawa Senators through the New York Rangers in the Brendan Smith deal. So while the Habs get the first shot at selecting ahead of the Wings early in the first round, Detroit then has the next three consecutive picks ahead of Montreal. Here, it would be easy to see the Red Wings double up on defensemen, aiming for a more physical specimen. Both Custance and Basu tab K’Andre Miller as a likely target, while Basu also lists Mattias Samuelsson and, if he’s still there, Jared McIsaac. Both writers are also intrigued by the boom-or-bust talent of defenseman Ryan Merkley, another swift puck-mover like Hughes. Don’t rule out Detroit looking his way as well. Finally, Montreal gets their next shot at #35 and Detroit picks right after at #36. Montreal may again have to pick up the scraps at #38, the selection they landed from the Chicago Blackhawks along with Phillip Danault in the very favorable Tomas Fleischmann/Dale Weise trade in 2016.

Montreal also has picks #56 and #62 later in the second round, leaving open a very real opportunity that they could change this whole dynamic by packaging multiple second-rounders – in a draft that many feel is homogeneous in the #20  to #60 range – to move back into the first round and ahead of Detroit at #30. It would then be the Canadiens who could take the best available center or defenseman and put the Red Wings in a tough spot.

It’s always a good time to see two Original Six teams battle on the ice, but the war for position brewing between Detroit and Montreal in the upcoming draft could be just as fun to watch.

Flyers’ Bloated Forward Contracts Becoming Issue

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The Philadelphia Flyers haven’t seen the second round of the post-season since 2012, and in those 5 seasons since, missed the show entirely 3 times. For a team that spends as much on offense as the Flyers, their production has been incredibly mediocre. Many point to the seemingly never-ending goaltending carousel as the root cause of the team’s woes, and they wouldn’t be entirely incorrect. That said, over the last four seasons, their goals for per 60 minutes (GF60) is good for only 25th league-wide. That puts them above only the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Arizona Coyotes, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabres in that timeframe. In short, their offense has been remarkably underwhelming for years. And yet, the team is allocating $47.32 MM of its available $75 MM to its forward group in 2017-18, with most of that money tied up in only a handful of skaters. For comparison’s sake, that’s more than $5 MM more than their divisional rivals in Pittsburgh or Washington.

Leading the pack in terms of bloated contracts are the team’s captain Claude Giroux and last season’s team-points-leader Jakub Voracek. Neither player is detrimental to the cause – they both have tallied multiple 50+ point seasons with relative consistency. That said, their contracts are some of the most exorbitant in the league. Giroux’s $8.275 MM AAV for the next 5 seasons puts him in an elite group of forwards. So does Voracek’s $8.25 MM for the next 7 seasons. This places them 12th and 13th respectively among the highest paid players league-wide for the 2017-18 season. Giroux’s career PPG is .87, while Voracek’s is a measly .71. Excluding defensemen P.K. Subban and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, these stats simply don’t match up to the rest of the “elite” group. Jonathan Toews’ and Anze Kopitar both also account for around .87 PPG, but unarguably do far more on the defensive side of the puck than the simply capable Giroux. One of these bloated contracts alone would be a hindrance; two on the same roster is nearly insurmountable.

Further down the roster, you see other albatross contracts. Valtteri Filppula was acquired by the Flyers to shore up the center position and increase playmaking ability. He only scored 8 points through 20 games in Philadelphia. Thankfully for the Flyers, his $5 MM contract expires at the end of 2017-18. Jori Lehtera was acquired this off-season in a bizarre move for Brayden Schenn, who arguably saw a great deal of improvement last season. Lehtera has only two seasons remaining at $4.7 MM, but his only effective (44 points) season is two years in the past. He scored only 7 goals all last season. Then there’s Sean Couturier, who while not a total dud, has failed to progress the way the organization hoped when they drafted him with the 8th overall in 2011 acquired as part of the Jeff Carter transaction. He provides solid defensive play, but he has never broken 40 points, and seemingly regressed last season, falling out of Selke conversations. He has 5 seasons remaining at a moderate $4.33 MM AAV. Wayne Simmonds (the one true bargain on the team) and Matt Read both make over $3 MM, while Dale Weise and Michael Raffl both draw over $2 MM. For a team that truly struggles to put the puck in the net, a lot of money is being spent on marginal players.

Ultimately, the Flyers are in a difficult spot playing in the Metropolitan Division. With the high-flying, offensively-dynamic Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins competing for playoff positioning, the inclination to try and duplicate those franchises is only natural. The team did luck into a dynamic, potentially franchise, talent in Nolan Patrick, which may help alleviate some of the problems with consistent offensive production. That said, if the Flyers continue to struggle this season, look for some of the offensive big guns to find themselves on the trading block. Excluding the one year of Filppula and the incredibly valuable Simmonds, only Giroux has any sort of no-movement clause. With Ivan Provorov and Shayne Gostisbehere looking to be core pieces on the back-end for many years, the day may soon come where an offensive overhaul visits Philadelphia. GM Ron Hextall will have money moving out in the next few seasons, but he undoubtedly has decisions to make going forward, particularly if this season again falls short of a playoff appearance.

Flames To Sign Spencer Foo

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One of the biggest college free agent prizes has decided on his NHL destination, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie. Union forward Spencer Foo will sign with the Calgary Flames. The 6’0″, 180 pound right winger scored 26 goals and added 36 assists in his Junior season with the Union Dutchmen. He was known in NCAA circles for being the motor behind the highest scoring line in college hockey, alongside Mike Vecchione, who ended up in Philadelphia.

Foo was previously linked to other teams, most seriously those same Flyers. However, Foo decided to change course, as he and his agent were pursued by other teams with more glaring holes at the winger position. Although details are scarce as to the rationale, one has to imagine that he was looking to have a serious opportunity on the right side. Calgary is weak on the right side, and only two players are under contract that naturally slot there: Troy Brouwer and Michael Frolik. The Flyers, by comparison, have multiple flexible core players who can slot on that side, including mainstays Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, and Jakub Voracek, with Matt Read and Dale Weise also getting looks. In Calgary, he is almost certain to have a crack at the top-9 on the roster, with the ability to play with creative talents Johnny Gaudreau and Sam Bennett.

Foo is tough for his size and has good skating ability. He has been lauded for his exceptional work ethic and conditioning, which at 23 will provide a decent opportunity to smoothly transition. The odds are against him to make an immediate offensive impact, as many college signings still take time to develop. For the re-building Flames, however, the signing is a perfect fit. Foo will be allowed to blossom alongside the young core that is already present, without worrying too heavily about internal competition for ice time on the wing.

Terms will not be revealed until that July 1st date, when the Unrestricted Free Agency signing period starts. Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike expects the deal to be a two-year entry level contract, at somewhere near the maximum $925,000 per year.

Expansion Primer: Philadelphia Flyers

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Over the next few weeks we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, and which will likely warrant protection or may be on the block. Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4pm CDT on June 17th. The full rules on eligibility can be found here, and CapFriendly has provided a handy expansion tool to make your own lists.

The Philadelphia Flyers are coming off a disappointing season of Metropolitan struggles. Thankfully, with the #2 pick in the upcoming draft, they will receive an infusion a top level talent in Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick. There aren’t a ton of success stories from this last season for the Flyers, in which Wayne Simmonds led the way up front. Many players took a noticeable step back and the younger forwards failed to produce at an impactful clip.

The Flyers are in desperate need of embracing a full youth movement. The longer they cling to players like Andrew MacDonald, the worse off their rebuild will be. This is not a team that can compete for a Stanley Cup in the near future and with the expansion draft forcing tough decisions, now is the time to embrace that organizational mentality.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards
Claude Giroux (NMC), Valtteri Filppula (NMC), Jakub Voracek, Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier, Matt Read, Dale Weise, Michael Raffl, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Nick Cousins, Scott Laughton, Greg Carey, Colin McDonald, Taylor Leier

Defense
Andrew MacDonald, Radko Gudas, Brandon Manning, Shayne Gostisbehere, T.J. Brennan, Will O’Neill, Jesper Pettersson

Goaltender
Michal Neuvirth, Anthony Stolarz

Notable Exemptions

Ivan Provorov, Travis Konecny, Samuel Morin, Carter Hart

Key Decisions

The Flyers have to protect two players – both of whom are probably not deserving of the no movement clause they have been granted. Giroux had his second straight offensively disappointing season. At $8.275 MM a season until 2022, the Flyers have created a really difficult situation for themselves. And although previous GM Paul Holmgren was somehow able to unload Mike Richards prior to his momentous fall from grace, Giroux is already known to be an albatross. He’s still producing, with 14 goals and 58 points in his last outing, but he is struggling to be a difference maker against tough competition. Filppula only played 20 games this past season for Philadelphia, so any criticism might be premature. But the well-rounded center has only broken 20 goals twice in his career, most recently 4 seasons ago. He seems rather redundant on a team with lots of mediocre offensive talents.

Voracek might also be slightly overpaid for what he brings to the team ($8.25 MM), as his possession metrics have trended consistently downward over the course of four seasons. That said, he was Philadelphia’s leading scorer in 2016-17 and has a secure roster spot. He’s only two years removed from an All-Star appearance, but is he dominant enough to carry an offense if another key member struggles again? Simmonds is an obvious keeper for the physical edge he brings along with his consistent production.  The net-front presence and leadership skills make him a prime candidate for captain if Giroux were somehow jettisoned in the near future. Both Schenn and Couturier are promising key pieces to the future of the squad, and had solid outings last season.

From here, the decision at forward gets difficult. Weal had solid underlying metrics and showed flexibility in his game. Does GM Ron Hextall believe there is there more to his game, and if so, is he worth signing as a UFA before the expansion draft, burning a protection slot? Probably not. Some believe Cousins is worth protecting, as he is still young at 23 years old, and shown potential at the AHL level. With the other players vying for the position, however, the organization would have to be incredibly high on his ability to piece it all together next season.

The three serious remaining choices – Laughton, Raffl, and Bellemare – a group which likely contains the player to be claimed by Vegas, poses a question which will be entirely decided by organizational philosophy. Laughton is the player who has the highest upside but also the greatest potential for bust. Mike Raffl is a consistent producer whose ability would guarantee a certain amount of offense on a forward corps that can really struggles over long stretches. Bellemare is your classic heart-and-soul player – his latest perfomance in the World Championships put that on display for all onlookers. In the end, based on the praise afforded him by the coaching staff and other players, as well as his assistant captainship, Bellemare could easily find himself as the final protected player. Whether that is the correct long-term decision will be a topic of great scrutiny.

On defense, there are very few players signed. Gudas and Gostisbehere will absolutely be protected, so the third choice is the only one up for debate. Many believe that MacDonald is considered the veteran savvy anchor, but his possession stats have been poor, while his turnover frequency has been disturbing. He plays over 20 minutes a night, but hasn’t performed as consistently as a top-pairing player should. Manning still has room to improve, is four years younger, and posts a positive Corsi influence (51.3%) on a corps that truly floundered all season. Neither is going to be a game breaker for Vegas, but it would seem odd that Philadelphia wouldn’t roll the dice and expose MacDonald in hopes that his $5 MM contract for three more seasons could be removed from the books.

The goaltending decision will be an interesting one for outside watchers. With Steve Mason gone, Neuvirth is obviously their tender going forward, correct? Well, perhaps not. Neuvirth’s stats (.901 SV%) really don’t justify his protection, and especially considering the forward situation, he would almost certainly not be claimed. Stolarz is the goaltender of the immediate future for the team and will see quite a bit of duty this year. The 6’6″ former London Knight is going to be relied upon to take a step forward, and his progression in Lehigh Valley has been quite promising. Exposing him could backfire in a way that leaving Neuvirth open for taking could not. If the team is serious about a youth movement, his value as an asset needs to be shielded.

After quite a few tough determinations, and trying to be realistic about the organization’s valuation of certain players, what follows is the final projection for Philadelphia.

Projected Protection List

Scheme: 7F / 3D / 1G

Forwards
Claude Giroux (NMC)
Valtteri Filppula (NMC)
Sean Couturier
Wayne Simmonds
Brayden Schenn
Jakub Voracek
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare

Defensemen
Shayne Gostisbehere
Radko Gudas
Brandon Manning

Goaltender
Anthony Stolarz

Dalton Prout To Face Player Safety Hearing

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The NHL Department of Player Safety has scheduled a meeting with New Jersey Devils defenseman Dalton Prout. Following the physical blue liner’s big hit on Philadelphia Flyers counterpart Radko Gudas in Saturday’s game, Player Safety announced that Prout would face a hearing on Monday. The hit in question was high and came well after Gudas had moved the puck and resulted in a scrum between the teams. Prout was given a pair of major penalties for interference and fighting and a game misconduct.

This isn’t the first time that Prout has had trouble with the NHL law. The former Columbus Blue Jacket defender was suspended one game last season for a sucker punch on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov. The two incidents share a common theme: going too far to avenge or protect a teammate by injuring an unsuspecting opponent. Kucherov was the third man in on a fight and was roughing up Nick Foligno when Prout came in and blindsided him with a shot to the face. Similarly, Prout’s hit on Gudas yesterday came after the big defenseman laid a massive hit on Devils’ rookie John Quenneville. Just as Prout got a suspension in 2015-16, he will likely get yet another this year for this more recent incident.

Interestingly, Prout’s hit was not the only questionable one of the game. Following Prout’s ejection, Flyers’ enforcer Dale Weise was called for a retaliatory hit on Devils’ star Kyle Palmieri not long after. Weise was also ejected from the game, but it was announced that he would not face any further discipline. Given that Palmieri was not involved with the any of the previous aggressions, it seems strange that such blatant targeting of a talented player would not warrant the same scrutiny as Prout’s initial infraction.

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