Team: 2016-17 Philadelphia Flyers

Initial Creation Date: Feb. 19, 2017

Published: Feb. 19, 2017

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Low key common sense trades to reshape the roster.

COL Trade: Colborne is having a terrible year and Weise is a bit of a lightning rod in Philadelphia. The draft pick exchange is for the extra two years on the Weise contract.

BUF Trade - The Sabers need a puck moving LHD which Del Zotto fits the bill for. Franson is a solid RHD the Flyers desperately need. Both teams get a need without breaking the bank. And since they are both rentals it is up to each team to resign the player if they like what they see during the test drive.

CHI Trade - This is simply a dump of an expiring contract. To be honest I don't know Streit's value and just kind of threw this out to get another RHD and some picks. The picks are negotiable but the Hawks seem like the most likely to be willing to overpay for a rental due to past history. If Van Riemsdyk isn't for sale trade Streit for whatever he is worth in picks and call Arizona about Luke Schenn.

The first line is a bit of an experiment for when Konecny returns from LTIR. Giroux needs a change to get kick started so a move to the wing to free him up from the defensive responsibilities a center has under Hackstol's system could help to let him just go nuts as a playmaker. Couturier is the defensively responsible center who doesn't score as much as his ability indicates he should but still has excellent puck possession and play driving advanced stats. And Konecny is the lines spark plug energy guy. The only problem with this line is that someone needs to step up and shoot the puck once in a while...cough...Konecny...cough.

Second line is built around Schenn who I honestly don't like at center but they need to give him a legitimate shot to stick there or make him a left winger permanently and be done with it. He is a scorer with a little bit of power forward in him but not much else. I don't think he has the hockey IQ to play center in Hacks system but they need to give him the shot so they know once and for all before next year. Voracek is an elite playmaker who should be able to feed Schenn. Raffl is an elite puck possession play driver who just doesn't score as much as his advanced stats would indicate. He also covers some of the defensive responsibilities for this line so the others can focus on offense.

The third line is a total experiment. Simmonds is a slightly undersized but highly skilled power forward with scoring touch. Weal is an undersized playmaker with scoring touch. And Colborne is a big bodied center who has a 40 point season under his belt and could potentially be a perfect fit in Hackstol's system if this years hiccup is a one off. Otherwise he is on a short contract and won't hurt the team to much if he doesn't pan out.

The fourth line is a defensively responsible unit that can play a strong defensive game while chipping in some points. Bellemare is a defensive specialist. Read has speed, some scoring touch, and is defensively responsible. And Cousins is a solid two way player who can agitate with the best of them. He can annoy other players into taking bad penalties with ease which is a useful skill for a bottom six forward.

The defense is a work in progress. Most likely the rights to Franson would get traded for something in the off-season. Then two of the Defense prospects could come up next year. Probably something like Provorov/Gudas, Morin/Ghost (they played together a little in LHV), and Sanheim/Van Riemsdyk. Or Provorov/Ghost, Sanheim/Gudas, Morin/Van Riemsdyk. With MacDonald and Manning on the outside looking in. No matter what they do with all the youth coming up the defense is in flux for the next two years at least.

In goal pick which ever goalie plays the best for the rest of the season and ink them to a two to three year deal. If they want more term or to much money sign a second tier UFA for two to three years and give Stolarz a legitimate opportunity to steal the job next year.

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