So much hope in terms of what Gratton could and should have been. Gives me a case of the summertime sadness.

I've got that summertime, summertime sadness
S-s-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh oh

Let the troll games continue
- Daman

Nobody is trolling.

And if they are you can click "!" and let me and other mods worry about it.

august is brutal

august is brutal
- Just5

It's boring me out of my mind NHL 13 needs to come out sooner

I remember that trade and the blurry fax; got to hand it to phil, he lied, stole and did every under handed thing to bring the bolts to tampa; god i love that man!!!!!

Seriously i heard the only reason they sent dyke and renny back was the bolts pretty much be forced to closed up shop.

My best hockey memory is sitting 2 seats up from the glass on game 7 in 2004 and watching the big bad flyers crying like b*tches after the bolts slapped the stank off them, oh of course the lifting of the cup that same year!!!!!
- vinnybolt4life

I actually remember the Flyers, who were DECIMATED with injuries that offseason, taking the Lightning, who had what? ZERO injuries, to game 7....just imagine if we had been healthy like you...probably wouldnt have gone 5

august is brutal
- Just5

read another article about how Shane Doan's decision is coming soon..........

read another article about how Shane Doan's decision is coming soon..........
- Pyzik

You enjoy torturing yourself?

I had no idea Keith Primeau's 5th overtime goal was his first career playoff goal.

Wow.

I actually remember the Flyers, who were DECIMATED with injuries that offseason, taking the Lightning, who had what? ZERO injuries, to game 7....just imagine if we had been healthy like you...probably wouldnt have gone 5
- Pyzik

Dejardins missed the entire playoffs that season.

thanks for the diligence in a horrible time of year for Hockey news, Bill.

Ugh the Gratton fiasco, seems like the organization has learned its mistakes from those days, I hope.

thanks for the diligence in a horrible time of year for Hockey news, Bill.

Ugh the Gratton fiasco, seems like the organization has learned its mistakes from those days, I hope.
- JoeRussomanno

I hope so, that surely seems like a pure and udder shiz show. And don't call me shirley!

I remember the drama form those days. I have a much better feeling with Homer then Clarke. He was a great player but....

Hey Bill, you have a top 5 list for Flyers GMs? That would be interesting!

I hope so, that surely seems like a pure and udder shiz show. And don't call me shirley!

I remember the drama form those days. I have a much better feeling with Homer then Clarke. He was a great player but....

Hey Bill, you have a top 5 list for Flyers GMs? That would be interesting!
- coffee junkie

There have only been 6 GM's in team history.

Bud Poile(David's dad) Keith "The Thief" Allen, Bob McCammon, Bob Clarke, Russ Farwell & Paul Holmgren.

There have only been 6 GM's in team history.

Bud Poile(David's dad) Keith "The Thief" Allen, Bob McCammon, Bob Clarke, Russ Farwell & Paul Holmgren.
- Jsaquella

Thank you for the beta, I knew it was a low number. So that should be easy to compare, eh? Your thoughts?

thanks for the diligence in a horrible time of year for Hockey news, Bill.

Ugh the Gratton fiasco, seems like the organization has learned its mistakes from those days, I hope.
- JoeRussomanno

Gratton was a high pick that was coming off a 30 goal year, was big and physical and had a nasty streak. He was also incapable of playing wing at anything approaching a high level and had the maturity of a 7 year old.

After he struggled to start his second season, he lost all his confidence and really battled everything.

Thank you for the beta, I knew it was a low number. So that should be easy to compare, eh? Your thoughts?
- coffee junkie

Allen's a no brainer at the top spot. I'd put Clarke ahead of Homer right now, McCammon and Farwell were very solid at drafting, but their trades usually fell flat.

The first Clarke era, he benefited from guys that Allen and McCammon had drafted and found. Guys like Kerr and Poulin who were undrafted gems. Guys like Propp who had been performing at high levels taking the next step and kids like Zezel, Tocchet and Derrick Smith who stepped into fill big roles.

Astute trades brought in guys like Mark Howe, Brad McCrimmon and Doug Crossman(the last one being a McCammon trade). But Clarke made some shrewd moves, too-dealing prospective team captain Darryl Sittler for Murray Craven.

Hey Bill, you have a top 5 list for Flyers GMs? That would be interesting!
- coffee junkie

The Flyers have only had six GMs; 7 if you consider Clarke's two tenures separately. If I had to rank them, I'd go:

1. Keith Allen: Architect of the Broad Street Bully teams. Hired good scouts, drafted well, and wasn't called "Keith the Thief" for nothing when it came to trades. Over Ed Snider's initial resistance, he recommended maverick longtime minor league coach Fred Shero to replace Vic Stasiuk as coach. In negotiations, players trusted Allen as a man of his word. He's very worthy of his spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. A truly great GM.

2. Clarke II: When he first returned as GM, he could hardly do any wrong. From the LeClair/Desjardins acquisition to the Hextall-for-Soderstrom trade, Clarke rapidly built the team into a Stanley Cup contender. There were a lot of ups and downs after 1997 and things were a mess in 2006-07 when he resigned, but the Flyers were a perennial contender for most of his tenure. On the whole, he had more hits than misses the second time around.

3. Holmgren: Unlike Clarke pre-2005, Holmgren's had to deal with the limits imposed by the salary cap. Like Clarke, he's not afraid to make bold -- and sometimes controversial -- moves. He's had his share of hits and misses, too, but think about the mess he came into during the 2006-07 dis

4. Poile: Put together a defensively solid team in the earliest years of the Flyers franchise. Made some astute pickups in the expansion draft, including Bernie Parent, Gary Dornhoefer, Joe Watson and Ed van Impe.

5. Farwell: Inherited a strip-mined team bereft of prospects and thin on NHL talent. The former Seattle Thunderbirds GM had a couple strong drafts (1990, 1991, 1993) and a pair of poor ones (1992, 1994 -- the latter of which technically a Clarke draft, but Farwell stayed on through the draft). The trades for Eric Lindros and Mark Recchi set the team back in the short-term depth wise, but also provided a crucial pair of building blocks. Also acquired Rod Brind'Amour. Farwell's biggest failures were in his utter inability to build a serviceable blueline and his choice of Terry Simpson as coach in 1993-94. He also accomplished little in the free agent market.

6. McCammon: Was only in the dual coach/GM post with the Flyers for one year. He was considered a good judge of talent -- actually better at that than at coaching at the NHL level.

7. Clarke I: The Flyers reached a pair of Cup Finals under Clarke's tenure, and also had to deal with the death of Pelle Lindbergh. However, almost all of the talent that formed the nucleus Keenan-era Flyers -- with the notable exception of Murray Craven -- were drafted/acquired by Allen or McCammon. The Flyers' drafts and trades during the first Clarke era were atrocious, especially in the later years when he was desperate to try things to get into the playoffs.

Yet another scintillating move from Bobby Clarke!
Dear God what a trainwreck
- Giroux_Is_God

Gratton .... 6ft4 & Canadian ..the two qualities Clarkie valued most in hockey players!


the day he "resigned" was wonderful

Bill Meltzer: Today in Flyers' History: The Gratton Affair Begins
- bmeltzer

basically, a total mess.

What a goat-rope
- wilsonecho91

is this an alaskan term?

is this an alaskan term?
- hammarby31

More or less it means "a very chaotic situation" (according to Marines)

based on a quick search.

I actually remember the Flyers, who were DECIMATED with injuries that offseason, taking the Lightning, who had what? ZERO injuries, to game 7....just imagine if we had been healthy like you...probably wouldnt have gone 5
- Pyzik

no desjardin, no ragnarrson, malakhov with a concussion, johnsson with a broken hand. sami kapanen was on d for (frank)'s sake, and they lost by 1 goal in game 7 on the road. had they been healthy they would have beaten them. and calgary was robbed of the cup in game 6. good for tampa. they were a talented group, and had the benefit of being healthy all season.

The Flyers have only had six GMs; 7 if you consider Clarke's two tenures separately. If I had to rank them, I'd go:

1. Keith Allen: Architect of the Broad Street Bully teams. Hired good scouts, drafted well, and wasn't called "Keith the Thief" for nothing when it came to trades. Over Ed Snider's initial resistance, he recommended maverick longtime minor league coach Fred Shero to replace Vic Stasiuk as coach. In negotiations, players trusted Allen as a man of his word. He's very worthy of his spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. A truly great GM.

2. Clarke II: When he first returned as GM, he could hardly do any wrong. From the LeClair/Desjardins acquisition to the Hextall-for-Soderstrom trade, Clarke rapidly built the team into a Stanley Cup contender. There were a lot of ups and downs after 1997 and things were a mess in 2006-07 when he resigned, but the Flyers were a perennial contender for most of his tenure. On the whole, he had more hits than misses the second time around.

3. Holmgren: Unlike Clarke pre-2005, Holmgren's had to deal with the limits imposed by the salary cap. Like Clarke, he's not afraid to make bold -- and sometimes controversial -- moves. He's had his share of hits and misses, too, but think about the mess he came into during the 2006-07 dis

4. Poile: Put together a defensively solid team in the earliest years of the Flyers franchise. Made some astute pickups in the expansion draft, including Bernie Parent, Gary Dornhoefer, Joe Watson and Ed van Impe.

5. Farwell: Inherited a strip-mined team bereft of prospects and thin on NHL talent. The former Seattle Thunderbirds GM had a couple strong drafts (1990, 1991, 1993) and a pair of poor ones (1992, 1994 -- the latter of which technically a Clarke draft, but Farwell stayed on through the draft). The trades for Eric Lindros and Mark Recchi set the team back in the short-term depth wise, but also provided a crucial pair of building blocks. Also acquired Rod Brind'Amour. Farwell's biggest failures were in his utter inability to build a serviceable blueline and his choice of Terry Simpson as coach in 1993-94. He also accomplished little in the free agent market.

6. McCammon: Was only in the dual coach/GM post with the Flyers for one year. He was considered a good judge of talent -- actually better at that than at coaching at the NHL level.

7. Clarke I: The Flyers reached a pair of Cup Finals under Clarke's tenure, and also had to deal with the death of Pelle Lindbergh. However, almost all of the talent that formed the nucleus Keenan-era Flyers -- with the notable exception of Murray Craven -- were drafted/acquired by Allen or McCammon. The Flyers' drafts and trades during the first Clarke era were atrocious, especially in the later years when he was desperate to try things to get into the playoffs.
- bmeltzer

Thank you Bill and Jsaquella, good stuff! If you had to combine all of Clark I and II would you place him below or above Holmgren? I agree Clarke left on a bad foot and that has to be what most fans remember. Too bad.

As for Holmgren I am interested in hearing why, other then inheriting a stinker (which was bound to rebound) and making it better, is consider so high on your list? Seems like it may be too premature IMHO, since Bryz and the Richard/Carter deals will be his legacy thus far and we haven't really seen the results. No?

I had no idea Keith Primeau's 5th overtime goal was his first career playoff goal.

Wow.
- KGBflyers10

Yeah - wow me neither. Helluva way to break your SCP cherry.

The Flyers have only had six GMs; 7 if you consider Clarke's two tenures separately. If I had to rank them, I'd go:

1. Keith Allen: Architect of the Broad Street Bully teams. Hired good scouts, drafted well, and wasn't called "Keith the Thief" for nothing when it came to trades. Over Ed Snider's initial resistance, he recommended maverick longtime minor league coach Fred Shero to replace Vic Stasiuk as coach. In negotiations, players trusted Allen as a man of his word. He's very worthy of his spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. A truly great GM.

2. Clarke II: When he first returned as GM, he could hardly do any wrong. From the LeClair/Desjardins acquisition to the Hextall-for-Soderstrom trade, Clarke rapidly built the team into a Stanley Cup contender. There were a lot of ups and downs after 1997 and things were a mess in 2006-07 when he resigned, but the Flyers were a perennial contender for most of his tenure. On the whole, he had more hits than misses the second time around.

3. Holmgren: Unlike Clarke pre-2005, Holmgren's had to deal with the limits imposed by the salary cap. Like Clarke, he's not afraid to make bold -- and sometimes controversial -- moves. He's had his share of hits and misses, too, but think about the mess he came into during the 2006-07 dis

4. Poile: Put together a defensively solid team in the earliest years of the Flyers franchise. Made some astute pickups in the expansion draft, including Bernie Parent, Gary Dornhoefer, Joe Watson and Ed van Impe.

5. Farwell: Inherited a strip-mined team bereft of prospects and thin on NHL talent. The former Seattle Thunderbirds GM had a couple strong drafts (1990, 1991, 1993) and a pair of poor ones (1992, 1994 -- the latter of which technically a Clarke draft, but Farwell stayed on through the draft). The trades for Eric Lindros and Mark Recchi set the team back in the short-term depth wise, but also provided a crucial pair of building blocks. Also acquired Rod Brind'Amour. Farwell's biggest failures were in his utter inability to build a serviceable blueline and his choice of Terry Simpson as coach in 1993-94. He also accomplished little in the free agent market.

6. McCammon: Was only in the dual coach/GM post with the Flyers for one year. He was considered a good judge of talent -- actually better at that than at coaching at the NHL level.

7. Clarke I: The Flyers reached a pair of Cup Finals under Clarke's tenure, and also had to deal with the death of Pelle Lindbergh. However, almost all of the talent that formed the nucleus Keenan-era Flyers -- with the notable exception of Murray Craven -- were drafted/acquired by Allen or McCammon. The Flyers' drafts and trades during the first Clarke era were atrocious, especially in the later years when he was desperate to try things to get into the playoffs.
- bmeltzer

Fantastic! God we're super spoiled and blessed having you as a constant source of everything Flyers. Eklund better be providing health insurance for you.

Sorry quick pivot but this was something I wrote in Bill's Dallas Stars/Jagr blob (which was amazing).

Like MJL I too had my prejudices concerning Jagr signing with Philadelphia last season but he really showed me something this past year. It's a shame he couldn't stay with the Flyers but money aside, his role/ice time in Philly just wouldn't be guaranteed with the 1st unit even strength as well as the PP.

Anyone who is a serious hockey fan - regardless of their team loyalty - could see that Claude Giroux was going to become something special in this league. That being said, I honestly believe Jagr's professionalism, work ethic and locker room dynamic helped take Giroux to the next step in his career. He also helped the rookies and even some of the established veterans just by witnessing his work ethic and dedication. Through it all, though, I believe the most profound and lasting effect Jagr has left with the team resonates with his fellow countryman, Jakob Voracek. Not only is Voracek from the same town in the Czech Republic as Jaromir but Jagr was Voracek's childhood hero. With Voracek beginning his career out in the small market of Columbus Ohio and being a high draft pick, blessed with all of the coveted attributes of any hockey player - speed, size, skill - he had never been able to really come into his own. With the Flyers this past season you could actually see him mature and develop as the season progressed in Philadelphia. Thank you Jaromir for all you contributed last season with the Flyers.

I hope the best for him in Dallas.