As Expected, Flyers Get Defensive

NHLHS Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent David Strehle takes a look at a busy first day of free agency for Paul Holmgren and the Flyers.

As the National Hockey League’s free agency period officially opened up today, there was no mystery as to what Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren was hoping to acquire.

Defensemen, and possibly a goaltender.

And right at the strike of noon, TSN’s Bob McKenzie broke the news that Holmgren had made his first acquisition of the day, defenseman Andrej Meszaros of the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2012 second round draft pick.

The 24-year-old, 6′ 2″, 223 pound Slovak gives the Flyers another physical presence other than Chris Pronger.  Having played the last two seasons for a bad team in Tampa, the 2004 first round pick of the Ottawa Senators will welcome the chance to win immediately.

Meszaros has four seasons left at $4 million annually.

Next up, Philadelphia announced that 25-year-old, 6′ 5″, 220 pound restricted free agent Braydon Coburn had been re-signed to a two-year, $6.4 million deal.

Holmgren obviously rewarded Coburn for his play in the postseason as compared to his performance during the regular season, and is expecting that kind of play to continue over the next two years.

Then came word of another defenseman signing, this time former Los Angeles King Sean O’ Donnell.  Another large body at 6′ 2″, 237 pounds, it became quite clear that Holmgren feels that a big, punishing defense is key in a seven-game playoff series.

Though he will be 39 years old at the beginning of the 2010-11 regular season, O’ Donnell is nothing if not durable.  Over the course of the past four campaigns, the member of the 2007 Stanley Cup-winning Anaheim Ducks has missed just seven games, while playing a hard-nosed style.

Holmgren actually did sign a forward, as Jody Shelley was signed to a three-year, $3.3 million contract.  The 34-year-old, 6′ 3″, 225 pounder will fill a third / fourth line wing spot, which spelled the end of the line for UFA Arron Asham in Philly.

Weeks ago when it was speculated that Asham may be allowed to walk and sign elsewhere, it was thought that the Flyers would be looking for a fourth-liner that could chip in with more offense than “Ash”.  While Shelley is plenty tough, he will fill the penalty box much more than the net, as he has managed just five goals over the past three seasons.  Asham scored 24 in the same time frame.

There was talk that UFA netminders Chris Mason or Dan Ellis could be headed to Philadelphia, but Ellis was inked to a two-year pact by Tampa Bay, and Mason was later signed to a two-year deal to man the crease for the Atlanta Thrashers.

With the Michael Leighton signing yesterday it appears that he will be battling Brian Boucher and Johan Backlund for the starting job in training camp.

That is barring a trade of a roster player for a number one goaltender, or at least moving a current high salaried roster player to clear cap space with which to sign a starter.  The most mentioned names in this scenario are that of Evgeni Nabokov and Marty Turco.

The most likely candidates to be moved if Holmgren opts to go this route are forwards Scott Hartnell ($4.25 million annually for three more years), Simon Gagne ($5 million per year for one more season), or the outside possibility of Danny Briere ($6.5 million per year for the next five seasons).  Any deal involving Hartnell or Gagne would require the waiving of a no-trade clause, and the same would apply to Briere and his no-movement clause.

But if the team has made the decision to make the attempt to move either Hartnell or Briere, this may just be the best time to do so.  Hartnell was arguably the best Flyers forward in the Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks, and Briere led the entire NHL in postseason scoring.  The performances of both erased forgettable, and even dreadful regular seasons.

With 21 players under contract, Philly has less than $578,000 left under the cap, and this with wingers Daniel Carcillo and Darroll Powe yet to be signed.

After a busy opening day of shopping on the free agent for Holmgren, one gets the feeling that he is far from done with the retooling of his club.

David Strehle
NHLHS Flyers Correspondent / NHL Writer
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

*Contract figures were obtained via CapGeek.com, as usual the most-reliable source for NHL contract numbers.*