Flyers Weekly Mailbag: Head Coaching Candidates

This off-season for Flyers hockey is one of the most critical offseason's in recent memory. Chuck Fletcher has to get this one right...no pressure right. After the NHL Draft lottery saw two teams in the Metropolitan Division get the first and second overall picks. This off-season even got more critical for Fletcher.

One wrong move and this could set the orange and black behind the New York Rangers, and New Jersey Devils for a few years. Both the Rangers and Devils will select 1 and 2 at this year's NHL Draft. However, the good thing is Fletcher has some cap flexibility with close to $32 Million in cap space, and a ton of assets to use via trade if need be. Without further delay, here are our answers to your questions.

First and foremost Chuck Fletcher wants to add a Coach immediately and take care of some household cleaning with RFA's, such as Ryan Hartman, Travis Sanheim, Travis Konecny, Ivan Provorov, and Scott Laughton.

Fletcher indicated in his closing presser that they "will be very active," and that included possibly making trades. He also stated they could possibly extend offer sheets to other notable RFA's. I can say with certainty with approximately $32 million in cap space, the Flyers will make some moves. Who that will be is anyone's guess. However, Fletcher did say he would like to add a 2C, a Top 4 Veteran Defenseman, and a backup Goalie for Carter Hart. I can see the Flyers trading for a top 4 Defenseman at the Draft. There are really only a handful of Defencemen on the market I could see coming here via free agency, and that is Erik Karlsson, Anton Stralman, or Marc Methot.

Some 2C possibilities are Kevin Hayes, Brock Nelson, and Matt Duchene. Duchene will want the house, and I think Hayes or Nelson could help the Flyers win board battles anyways. Moreover, I think the backup Goalie will be either Cam Talbot or Brian Elliott, and either of these Goalies could be had for fairly cheap.

The Flyers will make moves for sure. Who they will be is anyone's guess, but I will tell you that a culture change is in store for this club. Fletcher did not like how the Flyers finished the season, nor should he.

Fletcher said this past Monday in his closing presser that Wade Allison has decided to return for his Senior season at WMU. I think this could be a situation where Fletcher uses his asset for a trade...absolutely. It's a risk to lose him for nothing if he doesn't decide to sign next June. This could end up being a Cooper Marody situation. If you remember Ron Hextall traded Marody to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a third-round pick. I'm not saying Fletcher will do this with Allison, but I won't throw it past him to possibly use Allison in a trade.

I hope Allison stays and signs next June. He could really be a huge boost for a team that has to get better with board battles, and Allison has a really good pair of hands to boot. Allison is a smart hockey player that knows how to get to the greasy areas to score a dirty goal or two. Let's pray Allison signs next year.

He has elected not to talk to any media members, so take that FWIW.

Part two continued on the pages below:

Let's start with the big club:

Jakub Voracek- It would free up cap space

Scott Laughton (When he resigns he's an RFA)

Travis Konecny- It would have to be for a huge haul. I love TK, love his energy. I would like him to be a Flyer for life.

Michael Raffl- Low cap hit, and versatile

Prospects:

Wade Allison

Isaac Ratcliffe

Matthew Strome

German Rubtsov

Mikhail Vorobyev

Tanner Laczynski- ?...Only because we don't know if he will sign his ELC or not. I have an interview next week with him, so I will shed some light on this situation.

Now I want to make this clear. I'm not saying they will, or they should be traded. But, if Fletcher makes a deal for an impact player, you have to give in order to receive, especially if he's an already established NHL player. I love all these prospects, and at some point, the majority of them will pan out in the NHL I believe.

I think it's a high probability that Fletcher flips the 11th pick for an upgrade on Defense. In this league, you have to give in order to receive. This would be one good way to upgrade the Defense. The Flyers need a Veteran top 4 Defenseman and one that can play with Ivan Provorov.

One player that may be traded is Shayne Gostisbehere. I love Ghost, and I want him to stay as I think he will right the ship. However, his contract coupled with his age makes him very appealing to other teams. The Flyers may not be able to obtain all they need to obtain via free agency and may have to go down this route. Fletcher did state on Monday everyone is "Tradeable."

I believe one of Joel Farabee or Morgan Frost will make the big club in the Fall. Farabee knows what he has to do, and that is build muscle (Fill out). He could really do that by the time Training Camp begins. Frost needs to show he can push play more, and play at the pace of the game. These are some things he didn't have to do much in the OHL, as Frost was far more superior than his competition.

The Flyers will sign Kevin Hayes to be a 2C, and this way they can slot the young Nolan Patrick into the 3C role. Patrick will eventually be a 2C, but he is just not there yet. This way it can reduce the amount of pressure on Patrick to succeed, thus growing him into the player everyone thought he would be when he was drafted.

I bet the Flyers would be interested in bringing Peter Laviolette as a Head Coach if Fletcher doesn't fill the void before then. To be honest, I would steer clear of Laviolette. The Flyers already had his services, let's start fresh on a clean slate. I like Laviolette as a person and Coach, but I wouldn't open up those can of worms again. One interesting name that may hit the market according to TSN, is Mike Babcock. If the Toronto Maple Leafs lose in the first round of the playoffs again, rumor has it that Kyle Dubas may part ways with Babcock.

I love Ghost. He will right the ship next season, I believe it. His cap hit is low, and Ghost is young. However, I think Fletcher will move Ghost for a Top 4 Defenseman at the Draft. I think he fell out of good graces with the club late in the season, and it may be too late for him to prove his worth to this new regime. Sad to say, I love the kid. I hope I'm wrong on this one.

When talking about the next Flyers Coach Scott Gordon has to figure in somewhere. He would be the safe pick for sure, but I think they move on from him. They may place him back with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, as Gordon did say he would be willing to do that if the Flyers wanted to do that. It looks as though Fletcher wants a Defensive minded Coach, but one that is familiar with winning. Here is my list of potential candidates for the Head Coaching vacancy:

Todd Nelson

Sheldon Keefe

Darryl Sutter (If they can pry him out of retirement)

Dan Bylsma

Dave Tippett

Alain Vigenault

Scott Gordon

I think the Flyers want a Defensive minded Coach. After this season one cannot blame them for that. Hopefully, the next Coach has success with breakouts and transitioning out of our Defensive Zone more smoothly.

I think all of the players you mention have top 6 to bottom 12 potential. Pascal Laberge, unfortunately, is hurt again, and one can hope he can play sometime this weekend. The kid when healthy has been lighting it up.

Carsen Twarynski- Solid year, fast mobile skater, with bottom 9-bottom 12 potential.

German Rubtsov- 2nd Line to bottom 9 potential. I believe in this kid. When he is healthy for the Phantoms, he sure did place the biscuit in the basket for sure.

Pascal Laberge- The jury is still out on him. It's not about his overall talent, it's whether or not he can stay healthy. Right now I'd say Bottom 12 potential, solely because of injuries. However, I will not give up on him because he could be a solid NHL player in the future.

Connor Bunnaman- The kid has potted 19 goals thus far in his first Professional season. He couldn't have asked for a better year. Bottom 9-Bottom 12 potential. However, if need be I believe he would eventually be able to slide onto the 2nd line if an injury occurred.

The cupboard is stacking up quite nicely for the 3rd and 4th lines in the future for the orange and black. These young prospects will continue to chomp at the bit to get a taste of the NHL.

Continued on the pages below.

Todd Nelson

Sheldon Keefe

Darryl Sutter (If they can pry him out of retirement)

Dan Bylsma

Dave Tippett

Alain Vigenault

Scott Gordon

I believe the Flyers want a Defensive minded Coach, but a Coach that is familiar with winning. Bylsma of course won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. Sutter won 2 Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014 as Head Coach of the Los Angeles Kings. Both coaches had a taste of winning, and wouldn't it be great if they can coerce Sutter out of retirement. Vigneault needs no introduction.

Fletcher wants to first off hire the right Head Coach to groom all this young talent. All this young talent that currently sits on their roster, but with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Fletcher wants a Head Coach that is familiar with winning, to bring that winning culture back into the locker room.

This Flyers team lacked an identity, and as a matter of fact, they have lacked an identity for the past 4-5 years. This is what the new Head Coach has to do. They have to get off to faster starts, have toughness again, grit, bring effort night in and night out. Too many times within the past 4-5 seasons some Flyers players lacked effort. In the past, if you lack effort, then you lose ice time. This is the culture that Fletcher speaks of, passion.

The Flyers lacked that voice in the locker room following the Wayne Simmonds trade. That was evident in the exit interviews this past weekend. As a matter of fact, Jakub Voracek touched a little bit on that. Fletcher needs to find a player(s) that can bring this locker room together. Claude Giroux stated this past weekend that he doesn't take losing easy, and they weren't "Consistent enough." The Flyers need that Chris Pronger in the locker room, and right now it appears they don't have that.

They will add this season for sure, but one thing Fletcher will do is bring this winning formula back to the orange and black. Go out hard every shift, show that passion, donning that Flyers sweater is an honor, this is what Fletcher will try to do this off-season.

Todd Nelson

Sheldon Keefe

Darryl Sutter (If they can pry him out of retirement)

Dan Bylsma

Dave Tippett

Alain Vigenault

Scott Gordon

2C:

Brock Nelson

Matt Duchene

Kevin Hayes

Joe Pavelski

Defencemen:

Tyler Myers

Erik Karlsson

Marc Methot

Jacob Trouba- Make an offer sheet as he's an RFA

Jared Spurgeon- To acquire via trade

Hart's backup Goaltender will be either Brian Elliott or Cam Talbot. Your exact questions are the blueprint for the Flyers off-season, as set forth by Fletcher in his closing presser. The Flyers will acquire some pieces for sure, but these 3 needs are the biggest ones to get right this off-season. Fletcher could snag a sniper at the trade deadline next season if need be.

The biggest need, in my opinion, is acquiring a Veteran Top 4 Defenseman, and one that hopefully is vocal on and off the ice. The locker room needs that voice, and this could go a long way in making this team a consistent hockey team again. The orange and black haven't had that since the Chris Pronger days.

The most important part of the off-season is nailing the right coach. They need a coach that is a no non-sense coach that is a good communicator and gets along with their players. This is to include holding players accountable when need be. Hopefully, the new coach will implement a system of faster starts, better breakouts at even strength, and allows their Defencemen to join the rush.

There are two coaches I could see the Flyers grab and that is Alain Vigneault or Darryl Sutter. A free agent I would like is Kevin Hayes, and I personally would like Fletcher to go after an RFA in Jacob Trouba for a Top 4 Defenseman.

There are lots of options at pick 11. I would like to see Peyton Krebs fall to them, but Victor Soderstrom, Cole Caulfield, Arthur Kaliyev, Cam York, or Ryan Suzuki would be nice too. To me, the Wing position is of need, and I say the Flyers draft Caulfield at #11. Soderstrom and York are right behind that pick, as the Flyers have to restock the D pool. The Flyers will keep the pick, but make a trade at the draft.

I have not heard about any issues involving Catsen Twarynski. As a matter of fact he netted a goal in the Phantoms last game.

There are two coaches I could see the Flyers grab and that is Alain Vigneault or Darryl Sutter. I think Sutter is the next Head Coach of the Flyers. Sutter is a proven winner.

Top 4 Defencemen:

Tyler Myers

Erik Karlsson

Marc Methot

Anton Stralman

RFA: Jacob Trouba

2C:

Kevin Hayes

Brock Nelson

Matt Duchene

Joe Pavelski

Some possible draft targets at #11 are Victor Soderstrom, Ryan Suzuki, Cole Caulfield, Peyton Krebs, Arthur Kaliyev, or Cam York.

There is one player that comes to mind to be moved on the current roster, and that is no other than Shayne Gostisbehere. He could be moved to add a Top 4 Dman. To me, there are not many free agent Defencemen that scream "Get me." Karlsson will want a ton of money, and he's been injury prone the past few years, that is too much of a risk to take for me anyways.

Fletcher wants to first off hire the right Head Coach to groom all this young talent. All this young talent that currently sits on their roster, but with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Fletcher wants a Head Coach that is familiar with winning, to bring that winning culture back into the locker room.

This Flyers team lacked an identity, and as a matter of fact, they have lacked an identity for the past 4-5 years. This is what the new Head Coach has to do. They have to get off to faster starts, have toughness again, grit, bring effort night in and night out. Too many times within the past 4-5 seasons some Flyers players lacked effort. In the past, if you lack effort, then you lose ice time. This is the culture that Fletcher speaks of, passion.

The Flyers need a no non-sense Coach, that can communicate effectively, but get along with the players, as well. They need a Coach that has control of the room, a Defensive minded Coach. Communication is the key here.

If you would like to see your questions submitted in our weekly mailbag. Just submit your question on our Facebook page or on Twitter using #Flyersmail. Thanks to all the fans for another great mailbag, and Let’s go Flyers. Without your support, we wouldn’t be here today.