The Philadelphia Flyers are always a team that spends to the NHL’s salary cap. They are a big market team that will not accept anything less than success. This season is expected to be no different. After missing the playoffs last year, Philly re-tooled on the fly and added a new head coach.
GM Ron Hextall improved his club, but still has work to do. As of this morning, the Flyers have only $583,334 (per generalfanger) in cap space remaining. Yes, they are under, but there is not nearly enough wiggle room to go into a season with.
Who on the Flyers roster could be of help to the Oilers? Let’s have a look.
D Luke Schenn:
I’m not Luke Schenn’s biggest fan, but he fits the mold of a Peter Chiarelli player. He’s a big guy, 6’2” and 229 pounds, and he plays a physical style of hockey. He’s also young too, only 25 years old and still in the prime of his career.
He’s a solid shut-down defender by NHL standards, not a sexy name, but a solid one who won’t kill you when he is on the ice. Like I mentioned above, he’s a physical defender and is willing to engage with the opponent. He’s also a solid shot-blocker and a guy who does solid work on the penalty kill.
His passing skills aren’t great, but his first pass is described as “solid” while his speed is decent. He won’t get burned at the NHL level because he is too slow.
Schenn averaged 18:04 per game last year in terms of ice time, while he registered 14 points in 58 games played. As for his contract situation, he has one year left at $3.6 million. Again, he’s not a sexy name, but he’s a number four defender in the NHL if you ask me.
D Andrew MacDonald:
This option is far less appealing, as it should be. MacDonald is a puck-moving defender, but he has a lot of warts to his game. I list him not because I like him as a player, but because Philly is actively shopping him and the Oilers are looking for an offensive defender.
His HERO chart is one of the uglier ones I’ve seen….
While he plays top minutes, he simply does not perform in them. He generates some chances, but defensively he is an absolute nightmare. His scouting report from The Hockey News calls him a mobile defender who can “move the puck out of the defensive zone effectively”. He’s also called a poised defender and is said to be smart.
That said, I saw him bad in both New York and Philadelphia. He makes far too many mistakes, and his offensive upside (twelve points in 58 games) just doesn’t cover for it. Add in an ugly five year deal that pays him $5 million per and yeah….stay clear.
Like I said, I don’t think Edmonton should be going anywhere near him, but he’s a player that is likely on the block and, in theory, fits a need. To me, he’s just another overpaid number five or six defender.
D Mark Streit:
If Edmonton wants to add a power-play quarterback, then the 37 year old may be a decent short-term option. Streit possesses a terrific slapshot from the point and can run a power-play, something the Oilers badly need help with.
He moves the puck quite well, able to effectively get it out of the defensive zone while also dishing it out in the offensive zone to set-up scoring chances.
The Hockey News describes him as “owning plenty of savvy in all three zones” which is key. Age is an issue, however he showed zero signs of slowing down last season for the Flyers. He has two more years left on his deal, and will earn $5.25 million per season, a big contract.
Final Thoughts:
If Edmonton is looking for a second-pairing defender to pair up with Oscar Klefbom, then Luke Schenn may be a decent option who could be acquired on the cheap. He’s not a sexy name, but he’s a decent shut-down defender at the NHL level.
If Edmonton wants to really strike it big, acquiring the veteran Streit would give the Oilers another top-pairing option to play with Andrej Sekera this season. Sure, it would be a short-term option, but it would help the team immensely in the next two seasons. It would also allow other defenders to develop properly.
If the Flyers feel the need to open up a little more space, and they very well could, then Edmonton would be smart to call on one of those two players. If Hextall calls about Andrew MacDonald? Just hang up the phone and go to lunch.
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