An Offseason with Minor Tweaks: Proposed Changes for the Philadelphia Flyers

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers' 2008-09 season was equally exciting as the previous season, in which the Flyers returned to the playoffs, except this year the Flyers went out in the playoffs two rounds earlier.

Some fans want to blame it on goaltending. Others want to blame it on the coach. Some are convinced our top players were just too gassed and had too many injuries to go the distance.

I don't think any of these are the main reason.

This team is not yet balanced. This team lacks what Derian Hatcher and Jason Smith brought to this team in 2007-08. We need a physical, shot-blocking, defensive defenseman on our blue line.

The Flyers also lack a defensive centerman, someone who can win key faceoffs. Faceoffs were a huge problem, not just in the playoffs, but throughout the entire season for the Flyers. Finally, we need to refresh our options in goal. Its time to let go of Marty Biron and Antero Nittymaki and look for other options in net.

This all must be accomplished by still staying under the cap, which the Flyers are already dangerously close to. Salary will need to be shed to make all of this happen, but it can be done.

Many fans look for a quick fix and just want to trade Danny Briere. Although that would give the Flyers a lot of cap flexibility, trading a contract like Briere's is no easy task. With a cap hit of over $6 million and many years left on Briere's current deal, moving Briere is much easier said then done. Not to mention he has a no-movement clause and is coming of an injury-plagued season. Danny Briere will be a Flyer next season.

As far as moving salary goes, it comes down to three players who could potentially be moved. Ideally, two out of the three would have to be moved for the Flyers to have a fresh look for next season. Those three players are Joffrey Lupul, Matt Carle, and Randy Jones. Mike Knuble is assumed gone, not just for cap reasons but to create roster space for emerging youngsters.

Joffrey Lupul is a player with tons of offensive instincts and great skill. However, he lacks consistency and ice time here on a Philadelphia team loaded with scoring talent. If Lupul was scoring 60-plus points a year, it would be much harder to let him go. We can afford to lose Lupul and his $4 million contract, especially with the emergence of Claude Giroux as a versatile scoring forward.

Carle is a very talented, young puck-moving defenseman who I would love to see the Flyers keep. However, with a salary at over $3 million, the idea of keeping Carle is looking less and less likely. By trading Carle, we open up a roster spot for a big, physical d-man.

I'd like to see the Flyers keep Jones. His contract isn't nearly as bad as most people make it out to be, and he's a solid two-way contributor on the blue line.

So, lets say hypothetically we trade away Carle and Lupul.

We could send Lupul to the Montreal Canadians, a team with some salary space and a team looking for some new options as far as scoring goes up front.

Then, we send Carle to the Buffalo Sabres, a team looking for some youth and puck movement on there blue line.

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