I'm honestly shocked they waived Walker. The Flyers don't have to send him to the Phantoms if he clears and it's unlikely anyone will claim him, given he's only played a handful of games in the last year.
Hopefully this a a pre-cursor for a move to acquire a 7th defenseman, since I'm not comfortable with Bartulis being the first guy in for an injury replacement this season. All rumours point to a move for a forward, though.
I wouldn't mind seeing Bartulis get some time this season. Playing with a team that is having the success that they have had this far can only help his confidence, on top of it being as simple as getting NHL game experience. I am a Bart fan though so...
I wouldn't mind seeing Bartulis get some time this season. Playing with a team that is having the success that they have had this far can only help his confidence, on top of it being as simple as getting NHL game experience. I am a Bart fan though so...
I want him to succeed here, but things haven't worked out in his favour to be a serious part if the team this season. Inevitably another defenseman will get injured, and that's the only way he'll crack the line-up, but he won't get enough games to be effective come playoff time.
If he has to step in during the playoffs, he'll be used as sparingly as he was last year... and that's not a positive for the Flyers.
Shelley, of late, has been playing pretty well. Is he worth 1.1 mil? Probably not, but he does a lot more than Walker does at 1.7 mil.
Well said. Actually being on the ice is more worth it, but regardless, that's better than someone being paid more to not play at all.
Bartulis did just fine when called upon as the 7th defenseman, and still can.
If the Flyers see fit, like I said, there's other Matt Walker's in the league who aren't a cap-killer, and someone of them will be available on waivers themselves.
I want him to succeed here, but things haven't worked out in his favour to be a serious part if the team this season. Inevitably another defenseman will get injured, and that's the only way he'll crack the line-up, but he won't get enough games to be effective come playoff time.
If he has to step in during the playoffs, he'll be used as sparingly as he was last year... and that's not a positive for the Flyers.
The difference is, unless someone else gets hurt, that's only one guy who will be playing 6 minutes a game and not two, which is a whole different ball game. One of them you can live with, two burns you.
Laviolette has also played 7 defenseman in the past, I'm still not putting it past him to go that route eventually. Your 4th line plays sparingly as it is, and Bartulis has played 4th line forward for this team before and not looked completely clueless doing so.
people need to stop with this garbage. He is not going anywhere, he has played in eevry game < suspension +1. Get over it as he isnt being waived this year.
Further evidence of how completely indefensible some of Homer's moves last summer were.
Not sure if you noticed, but we are first in the NHL.
Sure there were some terrible moves but Gagne is a shadow of his former self down in Tampa and Walker was kinda just a throw in with the 4th. While that wasn't the greatest move, no one should be complaining about being tops in the league.
Not sure if you noticed, but we are first in the NHL.
Sure there were some terrible moves but Gagne is a shadow of his former self down in Tampa and Walker was kinda just a throw in with the 4th. While that wasn't the greatest move, no one should be complaining about being tops in the league.
Not sure if you noticed, but (outside of Meszaros) nothing Homer did around July 1st has any bearing on what we've accomplished thus far this season.
The difference is, unless someone else gets hurt, that's only one guy who will be playing 6 minutes a game and not two, which is a whole different ball game. One of them you can live with, two burns you.
True. It's not ideal, but the Flyers would certainly be better off than they were last season.
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Laviolette has also played 7 defenseman in the past, I'm still not putting it past him to go that route eventually. Your 4th line plays sparingly as it is, and Bartulis has played 4th line forward for this team before and not looked completely clueless doing so.
That would be a good way to get Bart some minutes. I don't see it happening, unless there's a couple injuries up front, though.
Further evidence of how completely indefensible some of Homer's moves last summer were.
1.5 + 1.7 + 1.1 = 4.3M.
Less than a million to Gagne's expiring contract.
Leighton and Shelley weren't good moves, but I don't see how the Walker move you can say was indefensible. Nobody was going to take 5.25 without sending some salary back, and I'm sure his NTC played into it being a one horse race with Tampa.
