I’m sure it’s all leagal in NHL terms but somehow this just feels like “dirty pool”.

Posted by Moocat on 06/18/07 at 01:57 PM ET

My first thought too was ‘is that legal’?  Of course it must be… Strange dealings there, with Nas getting that pick back…

Posted by WingMan from Canada on 06/18/07 at 02:01 PM ET

Sweet deal.

Pitkanen is gone. i heard two rumors floating around

Edmonton:
Pitkanen and the #2, for Nillson, Torres and the #6

Calgary:
Pitkanen, prospect, and the #23 for Robyn Regehr and Dustin Boyd.

Posted by FlyersFan on 06/18/07 at 02:02 PM ET

This is just strange to me…

Posted by Bethany on 06/18/07 at 02:13 PM ET

Perfectly legitimate. Nashville traded Timmonen and Hartnell (who were still under contract to Nashville until July 1st) to Philadelphia for a first round pick (which happened to be the pick that Nashville gave up in the Forsberg trade).

Posted by PRStoetzer on 06/18/07 at 02:16 PM ET

I think this has happened before when NY sent Messier to San Jose, but Messier didn’t sign, he ended up going to Vancouver instead.

Seems unfair to me, but glad to see a good philly bulking up, doesn’t seem right to not have them in the playoffs.

Posted by Jdunc from Flint, MI on 06/18/07 at 02:16 PM ET

Flyers have been using the Eagles(NFL) as an consultant on manging the cap and the hartnell move was a textbook move the eagles would of made in nfl free agency....

its also called taking advantage of a team that is about to relocated.

Posted by FlyersFan on 06/18/07 at 02:16 PM ET

this isnt like the mark messier situation. These players arent going nowhere

Posted by FlyersFan on 06/18/07 at 02:19 PM ET

I for one am going to miss Hartnell.  Those 5 and a game penalties always helped the Wings out.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 06/18/07 at 02:24 PM ET

Flyers Strike First!

Hartnell, who was scheduled to become a free agent on July 1, signed with Flyers on a 6-year, $25.2 million deal for a cap hit of $4.2 million per year.

The Flyers also agreed to terms with Timonen on a 6-year, $37.8 million contract for an annual cap hit of $6.3 million.

Posted by FlyersFan on 06/18/07 at 02:25 PM ET

Part of the modern salary-cap reality is that you have trades taking place that make no sense from a pure talent perspective.  David Poile assuredly has very little budget for the upcoming season, and knew he wouldn’t be able to keep Hartnell and Timonen at those prices.  At least he gets a first-rounder back.

Posted by The Forechecker from Nashville on 06/18/07 at 02:32 PM ET

As a Wings fan, this is kind of disappointing because it looks like the Wings are once again going to be stuck in a division with four substantially inferior teams.  If this trade isn’t a white flag on behalf of the Preds, I don’t know what is.

And I don’t understand why Philly traded for these guys so early.  They obviously didn’t have any trouble coaxing them into generous contracts...why didn’t they just wait until free agency and then make sure they were the first ones to send offer sheets?  They could have held onto the 1st round pick that way.  The only benefit is that they get two weeks of exclusive negotiating rights, but then again I say that if they were able to sign these guys almost immediately after they traded for them they probably would have had a good shot at signing them once free agency began anyway.

This trade stinks because the Flyers gave up too much with the first round pick.  It stinks for the Preds too because although they clearly got the better end of the deal by dealing away players they weren’t going to sign anyway and getting their first round pick back, its a bittersweet deal because it is a signal that they are slashing payroll.  Boo hiss.

Posted by John the Red Wings Fan from East Lansing, MI on 06/18/07 at 02:37 PM ET

In Timonen’s case, the flyers felt they had to pull the tigger because they felt a they would be bidding against 4 teams for him and thye didnt feel like getting into a ricdious biding war. the pick gaved up is 23 pick that belonged to preds.

In Hartnell’s case, they think he’s going to be a replacement for knuble when his contract runs out.

Flyers arent looking at the cap from year to year anymore. you cant look at a salary cap year to year anymore.

they got these players for the amount of years because they instuited a plan inwhich they indentify players to play with a core group of players for a period of time and down the line you add pieces and develop talent.

THe Flyers are doing there homework plus i think hartnell was gift from forsberg deal.

Posted by FlyersFan on 06/18/07 at 02:52 PM ET

Why are the Flyers giving up too much with the first round pick.  They have many young players coming up and they also can still sign Briere and/or Gomez (I want Briere.) They still have the 2nd overall pick and Timonen is a perfect defenseman for the Flyers D.  Hartnell is a solid player who will fit in well on their 2nd or 3rd line.  I also heard a rumor that the Flyers are looking to sign Thomas Vanek. 

Does anyone else think it’s weird that the Flyers think that Martin Biron is a solid #1 goalie when people like Giguere and Martin Gerber are hanging around?

Posted by Jrc Flyers from Philadelphia, PA on 06/18/07 at 02:58 PM ET

Stop it with the First rd pick crap. it’s a deep draft. the flyers were looking to shop 23 pick away.

No to Briere. He wouldnt survive in philly. he’s too soft and he would have to get cut and score 50 goals just to keep flyers fans off his back.

Flyers are targeting Gomez and McGratton. Rathje is going to retire and hatcher is being shop but willing to take a paycut to stay in philly

Posted by FlyersFan on 06/18/07 at 03:12 PM ET

here is a jaw droper

From the Forsberg Trade, Flyers got

Upshall
Timonen
Hartnell
Parent

Posted by FlyersFan on 06/18/07 at 03:33 PM ET

FlyersFan, I think you meant this is a weak draft, not a deep one.
And Jrc Flyers, Biron is way more of a #1 goalie than Gerber is.

Posted by K24 from NYC on 06/18/07 at 03:44 PM ET

I stand corrected it is a weak one.

Gerber is one the biggest bust ever. Biron and Gerber dont line on same planet.

Posted by FlyersFan on 06/18/07 at 04:44 PM ET

There are some sign-and-trades that make you spit pop all over the monitor, and this one was one of those “get the Windex!” moments. 

Mr. Goaltender interference/kneeing penalty himself gets SIX years at $4.2 million a year?  Is this the “beat Kyle Calder’s contract in stupid money” deal?  Hartnell is a tremendously physical player who has the hands of a goal-scorer and the elbows, knees, tendencies to cross-check, slash, and hit from behind of Bryan Marchment.  I guess that makes him a prototypical Flyer…

Timonen, I can see offering up big bucks to, though not for such a long period of time.  That’s a lot of cap space to invest in a 32-year-old who put up career-best numbers in the $4-4.5 million range.  This has to add up to Timonen mentoring Pitkanen and providing rock-solid play (he’s a helluva defenceman, just not $6.3 million per year for six years’ worth) for the next six years, or Holmgren’s just graduated to Bobby Clarke territory in terms of tossing around mad money.

If B. Thomas Golisano and the rest of the NHL’s Board of Governors emerge from their mid-week meetings grumbling about the cap rising, it’s egg on their own faces. 

And, for once, I agree with FlyersFan...Once again, “trading Forsberg” and the term “lopsided deal” have reinforced their status as similies.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 06/19/07 at 04:53 AM ET