my grandma is a much better skater than hatcher

At what point does this rumor get put to rest, has anyone heard anything else solidfying that this is a possiblity? The link doesn't seem to be too convincing to me.

This trade doesn't make sense. Mike Knuble is almost a carbon copy of Fredrik Modin(except Fredrik Modin can skate) and Jan Hejda was amazing in the shutdown role for columbus last year. Columbus would be taking a step back if they did this deal. Not only that but they would be giving up a pick in a very deep draft.

Scott Howson is a smart hockey guy and he wouldn't do this deal. It would be taking ice time away from younger players like brassard and legein adn Alexandre Picard(no relation to tampas alex picard). Not only that but their defence would become even weaker than it was before.

I don't mean to take the wind out of your sails, but Modin is nowhere near Knuble's level or consistency offensively. Not to mention that Columbus was 26 out of 30 on the power play last season. I'm not giving more credence to this trade rumor, just my opinion about Columbus' needs.

Look at his career hes a 30 goal scorer. Look at their Point totals the past 4 years(not including this year) almost identical. Would it really be worth it for columbus to make this trade and give up their number 1 shutdown Dman?

And they adressed their powerplay needs already by adding Huselius umberger and Torres(the guy was a bum for the oilers but I think he just needed a change of scenery) How much of a difference would he really make on the second powerplay that a torres-Brassard-Modin/Picard unit wouldn't? I'm sure that Scott Howson would take these things into consideration before he pulls the trigger.

Previously discussed in the thread. Here's my thoughts from Page 1:



Also, as I said on the first page of the thread, I believe if this deal is done, it's a strong indication that Holmgren and his staff know more about Hatcher than they're willing to publically release. Meaning, they know he won't be able to return this season, and will be on LTIR for the full season.


He's already failed his physical. And to my knowledge, still hasn't had the surgery that they were mentioning when it was released that he failed that physical. Failing a physical is enough for a player to be placed on LTIR.

Well, in Umberger and Torres, I think you have two guys who have underproduced a bit offensively during the regular season but light the lamp like crazy in the playoffs. That being said, Umberger had a good offensive year last year (he was a Penguins killer) and he will probably excel a bit more on the BJs since he'll be on a top line.

Hatcher failed a physical? Really. Well there you go, I did not know that.

Its interesting you see Parent as the odd man out considering how many see him as a guarantee to make the club. With all these so-so, eh, not proven guys on D I honestly don't know what to make of them and which one will be left out.

I really don't think we need Hejda. Unless Parent has a god awful camp, or gets injures, I can't see them keeping him off this team. Watching him last year, minus the rookie mistakes he was bound to make, that guy is exactly the type of defender we need in Philadelphia.

As I said, the only reason I see him as the "odd man out" is because he's the only one of the core of defensemen with a 2-way contract. And I don't believe Eminger, Vaananen, or even Kukkonen for that matter, would clear waivers if they were the ones that were sent down, which they would need to do in order for that to happen. So they would be lost for nothing in return. I like Parent. But I feel he still has a lot of room to develop. And if this deal were done(yes, still complete speculation and rumor), Parent is the only logical choice to be sent down. Again, barring any further trade done. And this allows him to continue to develop by playing much more often with the Phantoms than platooning on a 3rd line defensive pairing with the Flyers. And he's a capable defenseman available in the case of injury, and can be brought back up to the Phantoms without having to clear waivers.

Knuble is not going anywhere. Stop with these non-sense rumors. He may even challenge Timonen and Richie for the captaincy.

According to Ek (I know), the Flyers said there is nothing to the Knuble to CBJ's rumor.

Eklund is God, he now what he`s talking about...:S

Or at least, in this case.

The Flyers have had too many changes of captains. I don't see them giving the C to Knuble who may very well be gone by the trade deadline or at the end of the year when his contract's up.

I agree he wouldn`t be the obvious choice. But he has done a lot for this team and he deserves a better fate than going to Colombus.

Plus he still has a lot of hockey left to play.

Not now. But we'll see by the trade deadline. Or after this season when the Flyers dont re-sign him.

You could just ignore threads like these if you don't like them. I believe everyone here(in this thread) realizes this is just a rumor at this point, as has been stated MANY times already. And I believe we all have the right to discuss whatever we'd like to discuss. So, instead of barking out orders to others, why not just ignore these threads if they upset you this much?

And, as was said by propp16, Knuble's not going to get the captaincy with only a year left on his contract. Maybe that would be a possibility if he were a captain before in his career. An example being Smith getting the C with only having a one year contract. And that was because he's known as being a very good captain before in his career. But there are better candidates on this current roster than Knuble for captain.


Lol. So, I guess that means this trade will happen sometime next week.

I believe he was discussing the subject by telling people to drop it. I don't think he literally meant for everyone to leave the thread and stop all talking. No need to take his words so personally, he has a right to say whatever he wants, too (as long as its respectable).

Personally, I don't want this trade to happen. I also think it's a stupid rumor that benefits NEITHER team. Let's just drop it all

Stating to "stop with these nonsense rumors" is "barking orders", not suggesting anything.


I haven't taken his words personally at all, and haven't said anything to make you assume that I have. I also didn't say he doesn't have the right to say whatever he wants. Notice I was making suggestions, not "barking orders" to him. I stated he "could" just ignore these threads, and instead of "barking out orders" why not just ignore these if they upset him this much. Those are suggestions. I'm not telling him to do anything. Just suggesting.

Maybe this thread should be merged in the "Is Knuble on the Block" one that already exists in current roster since it seems there is really no evidence behind this rumor.

I wasn`t barking out orders. I wasn`t meant to upset you. I was like Stop with theses non sense rumors. *sigh*

Anyway, you took it a lil` too personal.

+1

The Flyers cap situation is not nonsense. They are over the cap. Fact. Which is why guys who we don't necessarily want to trade may be forced to leave.

Stop being a brat telling people to "stop with the rumors" because you don't want it to happen. The cap situation (which brought the rumor about) is very real.

+1

I believe Jan Hejda is sthe same cap hit as mike knuble. He would finally bring the flyers a legitemate shutdown D but it wouldn't solve the cap situation.

You can check it out at nhlnumbers.com. It's not all official and there are some mistakes. But it looks like theres only a .8 million difference in salary and you guys are about 1 million over if hatcher comes back if not then you are only slightly up against in and if Simon Gagne is not ready Holmgren will have about 7 million in space if i'm not mistake. . So I believe in the next 2 seasons there actually will be room to sign both coburn or eminger(I don't know why the caps traded this guy for a pick they couldn't send him out west?) without much problem. However Briere will likely have to be traded away.

Alright Knuble might be going to Colombus and it is in fact a real rumour caused by a real salary cap issue.

Happy? Now stop the hating. I didn't know I was going to hurt a lot of you by saying that there are a lot of rumours

and only a few of them that made sense. Just look at Eklund.

Eh, don't rescind your comment. Just because some people take your words to heart doesn't mean you have to tiptoe around. I understood that you weren't in fact "barking orders" or actually telling people to stop talking about it.

Hejda might not be much more of a savings, but he will be at his current price through the next couple of years. Knuble will be an UFA, and WILL be getting more from another team or the Flyers next year. Where as Hejda contract will be the same.

I wouldn't be shocked if they traded Knuble for nothing more than the sake of making cap space.

Maybe for that highly skilled individual named "Future Considerations"

I still can't believe this is still open, it is all just speculation and there is nothing to this rumor.

There's nothing to most of the rumors on here.

Is there a vast difference between speculation and rumor?

One usually leads to the other

Oh come on, we just need something to discuss. This is, by far, the worst stretch of the year....sports-wise. Baseball sucks...Eagle Training Camp = yawn (get back to me when they are ready to play the regular season).

We are all eagerly waiting the return of Hockey season, and due to the amount of moves made this year....speculating on certain rumors is kinda fun.

The whole Mats Sundin thing is an entirely different issue though. I'm sick and tired of seeing this dinosaur's name in the headlines. The POS is simply milking more attention to himself.

I think Eklund wants have Sundins babies.

+1 for the most part.

I'm kinda stunned at some of the comments here...

If this trade were to happen (unlikely from a Columbus standpoint), it wouldn't be a salary dump for the Flyers. It would be about adding a legitimate top-4 defenseman. I can't believe some on here have referred to him as a "career minor-leaguer". Hejda is hardly that, and at $2M, is an absolute bargain for what he brings, which is why this rumor is likely totally bogus. Hejda would have a useful future with the Flyers, while Knuble at 36 and in his final season, would not. We need a guy like Hedja far more than we need Knuble, now and in the future.

In addition, the Flyers free up approx $800K off the cap, which would come in handy at trade-deadline time. AND they add a draft pick, which could be packaged in another potential deal.

And I keep hearing about how the Flyers have this cap problem. You don't have a cap problem when Comcast is more than willing to throw guys back on the "small club" and eat their contracts. If Hatcher insists on playing, that is where he will end up, whether people agree with it or not. Its just business, and you do what you have to do in the cap era.

Hedja AND a pick for Knuble would be a steal for the Flyers, and those who suggest otherwise really need to watch Hejda play.

you're crazy if you think the flyers would send hatcher down. i know they did it w/ goat, but this is a completely different situation, especially coming off of what he did for the team in the playoffs

No offense, but you're crazy if you think it wouldn't happen.

If its between sending Hatcher down, or trading away a vital roster component to squeeze under the cap, which would you bet on?

Like it or not, the salary cap has ushered in a whole new era. Things that were once unthinkable are suddenly very real possibilities.

If Hatcher plays hardball, then so will the Flyers.

Normally that cr@p bothers me. I wouldn't want to lose Knuble for nothing, but this is a rare case I can live with it. The team needs the cap space.

im willing to bet they trade knuble before they send hatcher to the phantoms. the flyers are loyal to a fault, remember they let rathje attempt a come back last year. not to mention, wouldnt hatcher have to clear waivers to get sent down? do you think he'd clear waivers if he's healthy enough to play?

At $3.5 million, who would take him off waivers?

the kings

dont we have to pay 1/2 of it if he gets claimed? or is that only on re-entry?

I thought it was re-entry, but I'm not a waivers expert. Can he be sent down for rehab, or is that only for the LTIR?

Hatcher would not clear waivers, especially because whoever claimed him would get him at half price. This is the main reason the Flyers would not do that, he would still be a big cap hit playing for someone else.

Sending Hatcher to the Phantoms will never happen .

I'm pretty sure its either way, but I'm no expert either.

I'm willing to bet they try to CONVINCE Hatcher that playing is not in his, or the teams' best interest, before they do anything else. That would be the first priority. Placing Hatcher on the LTIR would be ideal.

You could be correct, and maybe they would trade Knuble to clear cap space before they send Hatcher down. Another very real possibility, and one that would be a mistake. Knuble can bring something back in value, certainly more valuable than the cap space his contract would free up.

If you're Holmgren, and your main job is to look out for the best interests of the Flyers, you would let loyalty get in the way of sound judgment? The best interests of the Flyers is to have Hatcher on LTIR. If Hatcher doesn't agree, then you send him down.

Not everything a GM has to do is always pretty or fun. But Homers' first loyalty is to the Flyers organization, not Derian Hatcher. That's just the way it is.

I think you and Philly Fan 27 might be right about it being either way. It would be better to just buy him out then (which is a viable option, in my opinion, if he doesn't make LTIR).

Half price for what? A broken-down defenseman with ruined knees?

Just because Hatcher WANTS to play, doesn't mean that he can do so effectively.

Sure its a chance that someone would claim him off waivers, and a chance that must be taken if Hatcher insists on playing.