Flyers Season Preview: Mixed bag of elite talent, bright prospects, bad contracts
Ron Hextall certainly has his hands full.
Entering his second season as the general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers, Hextall is tasked with balancing a mixed roster of elite-level talent and salary-cap anchors, while also trying to develop a talented group of prospects.
On the plus side, Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek have emerged as one of the NHL's most talented forward duos, and goaltender Steve Mason led the field in even-strength save percentage among goalies with at least 1,000 minutes played. When healthy, he's proven he can be the kind of high-end goalie the club has been searching for in perpetuity.
On the other end of the spectrum, however, the Flyers have almost $20 million committed to the likes of Vincent Lecavalier, R.J. Umberger, Andrew MacDonald, Nick Schultz, and Luke Schenn - an unfortunate cap situation Hextall's likely eager to clean up.
Younger, cheaper, and probably better options - namely Shayne Gostisbehere and Scott Laughton - are relegated to honing their craft in the minors, while an impressive crop of recent draft picks develop in junior, with a view to complementing the stars in the next few years.
The Flyers' success this season will depend on star performances from Giroux and Voracek, a healthy Mason, and solid contributions from the likes of Wayne Simmonds, Sam Gagner, Brayden Schenn, Michael Del Zotto, and newcomer Yevgeni Medvedev.
And even then, Philadelphia will be hard-pressed to clinch a playoff spot.
Projected Depth Chart
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Raffl | Claude Giroux | Jakub Voracek |
| Wayne Simmonds | Sean Couturier | Matt Read |
| Sam Gagner | Brayden Schenn | R.J. Umberger |
| Pierre-Edouard Bellemare | Vincent Lecavalier | Ryan White |
| Chris VandeVelde |
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Mark Streit | Nick Schultz |
| Michael Del Zotto | Yevgeni Medvedev |
| Andrew MacDonald | Luke Schenn |
| Brandon Manning | Radko Gudas |
| G |
|---|
| Steve Mason |
| Michal Neuvirth |
- With h/t to @collin for forward depth chart
X-Factor
The Flyers demonstrated a healthy level of confidence in Sean Couturier by signing him to a six-year, $26-million contract extension in the summer, good for an average annual valuation of $4.33 million beginning next season.
The 22-year-old already has the look of a bona-fide, high-end, two-way player, but the Flyers could certainly benefit from an offensive breakout by the defensively responsible center.
Drafted eighth overall in 2011 (with a pick acquired in the Jeff Carter trade), Couturier scored a career-high 15 goals in 2014-15, but his point and shot totals were both down from the previous season. Depressing those numbers, however, was a third-line assignment and heavy deployment in the defensive zone.
Couturier posted back-to-back 96-point seasons during his final two years of junior hockey. If new coach Dave Hakstol allows that side of his game to flourish, Couturier could be a difference-maker in 2015-16.
Player to Watch
Jakub Voracek signed a long-term extension over the summer as well, putting pen to paper on an eight-year, $66-million deal that also kicks in next season.
The pact comes on the heels of a true breakout season for the 26-year-old winger. He scored 22 goals and added 59 assists - many thanks to Claude Giroux - for a career-high 81 points in 2014-15, tying Alex Ovechkin for the fourth-highest point total among all players.
Prior to that performance, Voracek - who was drafted seventh overall by the Blue Jackets in 2007 and was also part of the Carter deal - had topped 50 points only twice, setting a previous high of 62 in 2013-14.
Based on this pact, however, the Flyers appear convinced that Voracek's near point-per-game production is the new norm, and that will have to prove true in order for Philadelphia to make a push for a playoff spot.
Voracek will donate $1,000 to fight multiple sclerosis for every point he records this season, so it won't just be Flyers fans hoping for big numbers.