Sorry, Lou. This team is a few years away. I see them battling for one of the final playoff spots, but that's about it. That said, the farm system is making great strides.

Thanks for the kind words, Pat. They have been unsuccessful trying to deal Lecavalier and Luke Schenn, but something could develop in the next few days. I think someone will have interest in Schenn as a third-pairing guy. As for the preseason, tough to get a handle since they have played so many "B" teams. I see them as a middle-of-the-pack team, at best.

Probably around 90, 92 points. They had 84 last year.

I think Hextall was an excellent choice. I like what he's done so far with limited cap space...which will get better down the road. He has greatly improved the farm system, and I also like his thinking-outside-the-box coaching hire.

Demanding guy with a touch of Keenan in him. I like the team's aggressive style of play, which will improve when some of the young guys (Konecny, Ghost, Provorov. etc.) develop and are here down the road.

I know L. Schenn gets a bad rap here, but he does some good things and is fine as a third-pairing guy. I see him getting dealt when a team suffers a D injury. Whether it's now or at the deadline, who knows?

I think the only way they keep Laughton is if he is the third-line C. Right now, it looks like they are deciding between him and Vinny.

Yeah, the upper-body, lower-body think is a disservice to the fans. Teams think opponents will target the injury if they know what it is. The thing is, with social media and a gazillion replays, most of the injuries ARE known from watching the video.

That's the hope. He has played like a third-pairing guy and they rushed the big contract. Adding Medvedev has helped because it knocks Mac down to the third pair. He's fine there, but they are obviously not paying him $5M a year for that role.

Getting better, Hextall said. In fact, he may play in Friday's final preseason game in NJ.

Perhaps. But as I said, the guy blocks shots and clears the crease. He's not a top-tier D-man and he certainly wasn't worth JVR, but he is a dependable third-pairing player.

It will probably be one or the other, unless there is an injury or a trade. My guess is that Laughton stays. It will be an interesting call.

I agree that they are not a Cup contender, but I wouldn't call them awful. The D has improved because of Medvedev, and Neuvirth makes the backup goaltending behind Mason even stronger. I think they will be a competitive team, one that will get a jolt of energy if Ghost is recalled (as I think he will) at some point during the season.

That's certainly a possibility, though they could sometimes scratch White and put Vinny back as the 4th RW.

No explanation was given by the ref but, after looking at the replay, I think he would say he blew the call.

Runs a fast-paced, intense camp. Seems like a good leader with solid communication skills with his players. They know where they stand with him.

Umberger and Read MUST have bounce-back seasons if the Flyers are going to make the playoffs.

The system isn't that different than Chief's, though there have been some minor changes in the neutral zone. The biggest difference I see is that Hakstol wants his D-men to be more offensive-minded. If they struggle with consistency, I think it will be because of their mediocre talent, not because of their system.

He's been keeping a low profile. Letting Hexy run the show.

I hear you, but I will say this: They have a better chance of winning a 3-on-3 than they do a shootout.

I guess best-case is a sixth-seed if everything falls into place _ and other teams stumble. I'm going to pick them around ninth, just out of the playoffs.

I think the best they can get for L. Schenn is a third-rounder. That's just a guess, but based on conversations with some NHL execs. I'm still shocked they got a third-rounder for Rinaldo!