Jsaquella

Bringing Hexy Back • 42 Years Old • Male

Flyers Jump The Gun. Was It Worth It?

In my analysis, yes it was.

The Flyers want to be competitive as quickly as possible. Making this trade and signing these two guys, both of whom fill vital needs, sends a message that this team is going to do what it takes to ice a winner. Philadelphia is suddenly a much better team on paper, and still has $9mm or so in cap space and only one restricted free agent of any consequence to re-sign(Joni Pitkanen, who might be traded this weekend anyhow).

Kimmo Timonen provides the steady veteran presence and smart decision making that Eric Desjardins did for so many years. He can handle any role-except crease clearing beast-and will also bring the experience of being a team captain. He'll definitely will help the team's moribund power play and will be an excellent tutor to young Finns like Lasse Kukkonen, Pitkanen(if he stays) and Jussi Timonen(Kimmo's kid brother).

I hear arguments about the length and amount, but pretty much every expert analysis I read had Timonen getting between $6 million and $7 million this summer had he hit the open market. If that is the case, how is $6.3 million overpaying?

People also point out the length, but this is a front loaded contract that is built to dump towards the end. In other words, it's a four or five year deal in a six year deal wrapper. If Timonen retires after say, year four, he's off the cap immediately. If he's traded, the new team inherits a smaller cap hit.

EDIT: Sorry, my fault here. I was incorrect. The cap hit remains the same if he's traded. Thanks to Dan Tolensky for catching this. I blame Antero Niittymaki and my 11 month old, who is enjoying four teeth coming in at once, for waking me from a deep slumber. Yes, I was having a nightmare about Niittymaki when the crying woke me up. I wish I was certain it was the kid's.

Under the current CBA, only players ho sign a multi-year contract after their 35th birthday count on a team's cap after they retire.

As for Scott Hartnell, he's a physical player with 25 goal ability who is all of 25 years old. He is only now scratching the surface of his prime. He should be an instant fan favorite in Philadelphia with his skill and snarl.

I think he got overpaid, but at most by only a couple of hundred thousand, or peanuts in todays sports world. If Sergei Samsonov was worth $3.5mm last summer, I am pretty sure that Hartnell was worth more this summer, especially with a higher cap and a weaker crop of wingers.

I am not crazy about giving him six years. I personally wouldn't give anyone more than a four or five year deal, unless his name was Crosby or something similar, or it was a case like Timonen's above.

But, Hartnell should fill a big role for the team, and if he progresses as Paul Holmgren thinks he will, $4.2mm will be a bargain in four years.

The bottom line is the Flyers plan was to build massive cap space this summer and be aggressive in free agency. This is a good start. Now get a playmaking center...

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