After a 1-7-1 slide and constant and consistent questions about the future of head coach Craig Berube in November, the Philadelphia Flyers have managed to stem the bleeding and actually turn things around to some extent in recent days.
They've gotten points in each of their last five games. They're 3-1-2 so far in the month of December.
Now sitting at fifth in the Metropolitan division, the Flyers and general manager Ron Hextall are feeling much better about their possible postseason chances, but that doesn't mean they're not interested in making a potential deal or two aimed at improving their outlook for this season and for the future.
"Everybody is waiting for the other shoe to drop in Philadelphia," writes Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. "You're going to have to think GM Ron Hextall will make a move at some juncture. The Flyers can't seriously think they'll be able to find someone who will take center Vinny Lecavalier's $4.5 million buyout through 2017-18. There's talk defensemen Luke Schenn, Braydon Coburn and Nicklas Grossman could be among those on the move."
Lecavalier has been a healthy scratch recently and, despite his big cap hit, doesn't seem to be reentering the lineup anytime soon.
Schenn, Coburn and Grossman have major cap hits as well - probably a large part of the reason Hextall would like to see some of them gone.
Schenn is still only 25 and a former first-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was brought over to Philly in a trade for James van Riemsdyk - a trade the Flyers likely still regret. He's got a cap hit of $3.6 million this season on a contract that lasts through the 2015-16 season.
Coburn's current cap hit is $4.5 million, Grossman's is $3.5 million and each carry them through the 2015-16 season as well.
For Hextall, in his first year on the job in Philly, before he can even really think about improving the squad for the long-term, he'll have to fix the salary cap issues left by Paul Holmgren that have plagued the Flyers and will continue to do so in the future.
