Ranking Mason ahead of Lehtonen is crazy. Kari has been solid since 06-07. His SV% has never dropped below .911 and he's been on some defensively suspect teams in Atlanta and Dallas.

How you have bob behind mason when bob has won a vezina and mason hasnt done poop in the playoffs either is mindboggling. Bishop and schneider are ahead of mason too. Never a starter and not enough sample size? Mason had 1 decent rookie season and then was ass for half a decade before another decent season.

I would also take lehtonen and smith and luongo and halak over mason because of their consistency. A healthy cam ward and regular season fleury too.
- rangerdanger94

Mason played on one of the worst if not the worst teams all those years in CBJ. Bob is good but lets get real.... Did he really deserve that Vezina?? In a 48 game season

Its like saying Subban is better than McDonagh because he won the Norris. We all know thats a stretch.

I honestly don't get the feeling that Hexy gives a (frank) about the upcoming season.

If you were hoping for a bold reload, you're probably going to continue to be disappointed. Buckle yourself in for some systematic, methodical team-building -- supplemental UFA's on low-risk 1-year contracts, very few draft picks going out the door, and a lot of developing/drafting.

When the time is right, he'll make his big Richards/Carter type of deal to get the team over the top... until then, Splash City is a thing of the past.
- Tomahawk

Well he clearly stated that they may need to take a step back this season to better move forward in the future.

New Meltzer

Well he clearly stated that they may need to take a step back this season to better move forward in the future.
- BiggE

I was gonna mention this, but I knew you'd be using it at some point.

Bingo.
- tangent_man

That may also be a luxury afforded to Hextall that wasn't afforded to Holmgren the last few years. Hextall has a clean slate, Holmgren had built the team, if it failed, it was his team that came up short.

These people think the team sucks. Sometimes the best move is to do nothing at all and let Couts, Schenn and some of the other young ones mature a little more. Schenn, Couts and Voracek are due for a breakout season. Voracek has already been good but I expect him to reach 30 goals 80+ pts here soon.
- GOA88

Patience is easy to say, but hard to experience. After getting physically manhandled by the Blues in the 69 playoffs, Snider and Allen were determined to make the Flyers harder to play against. Five years later, that philosophy paid off with 2 consecutive Stanley Cups.

If they miss the playoffs in 2015, but go on to win a cup in 2018 or 19, is anyone going to say, but damn, we missed the playoffs 4 years ago?? Yeah, I didn't think so.

I, for one, am happy with offseason. I'd rather that they stay the course than overpay for a free agent or give up multiple young players and picks for a dman.

Patience

New Meltzer
- tangent_man

THANK GOD!

Agreed. I think the context is overstated. I think that Hextall realizes that the team is a second tier contender, at best, and he's not going to follow the Holmgren thought process of adding pieces to the mix at the expense of draft picks to give them slightly better short term odds.

Doesn't mean he's giving up on the season, but he may well decide that dealing 2nd rounders for guys like MacDonald, Grossmann or especially lesser guys like Kubina, is not for him and in that regard, is not dealing the future in an effort to win 3 playoff games instead of 2.
- Jsaquella

This!

A one year FA deal was the way to go, especially with a guy like MDZ who has something to prove.

I want to see Hexy stay patient and bring the team along at their natural pace. And to those that see this plan as wasting G's prime years, all I can say is (and I absolutely hate the phrase), "it is what it is."
- tangent_man

THANK GOD!
- Pecafan Fan

It'll be good for about a half dozen posts, then it'll go back to the same ol' horsepoop.

How you been, bud?

Ranking Mason ahead of Lehtonen is crazy. Kari has been solid since 06-07. His SV% has never dropped below .911 and he's been on some defensively suspect teams in Atlanta and Dallas.
- Feanor

I am basing this off of pure talent. What I have seen with my own two eyes. Its an opinion.

It'll be good for about a half dozen posts, then it'll go back to the same ol' horsepoop.

How you been, bud?
- tangent_man

I'm good.

Going on vacation today at 5. FINALLY.

I'm good.

Going on vacation today at 5. FINALLY.
- Pecafan Fan

Enjoy!

I think this belief that Hextall would not make a big deal involving draft picks or prospects is false. If he right move for the right price would present itself, for a player or players that he feels would elevate the team now and in the future, I feel he would definitely make it. A team like the Flyers with the base they have, could move from a secondary contender, to a top contender real quick. I think it's a poor assumption to think that Hextall would rule any of that out because he thinks the team will be ready a number of years down the road.