The problem with that is you already have guys like him signed that you've hitched your wagon too....if you could move two of Grossmann, Coburn, Schenn or Macdonald then I think you offer a two year deal....three makes him unmovable if he struggles again....and the fFlyers have enough of them.
- landros 2

That I agree with. IMO I would keep MDZ and Carliacovo for next year. If you can deal 2 of those guys and get assets in return and bring along an Alt/Manning, etc for next year I am good. Lets face it...they are 2 to 3 years away from being good.

I really wish the Flyers had had the ammo to go after Nick Leddy when the Hawks had to trade him for Salary cap reasons. He's getting virtually the same amount of ice time as Andrew MacDonald and doing a better job with those minutes. A little more PP time and a little less PK time.

I know several people here don't think the Flyers need him but I, for one, wish they had him as a building block going forward.

Most importantly he is 21 on an entry level deal. No, you don't know about these opportunities ahead of time but the Flyers are always paying the minimum on a maxed out credit card bill.
- Flyers_01

thats why i was pissed about them signing, streit, then vinny now amac.... they ate up valuable cap space as if no player would ever be moved again... its like they go into free agency and at the trade deadline thinking they have to gorge themselfon something otherwise all is forsaken... forsaken indeed

Asking too much of these guys would be a mistake, and the "tanking" crap is non existent. Imagine 2 more full seasons of watching the last 2 games every night?
- puckhead17

I'd rather watch it with developing kids than overpaid vets. Duct tape and gluing your way to a first round exit is not something I'm interested in seeing anymore. Its time to develop the team the right way.

Because a fire sale would make things worse, and for much longer, this isn't Edmonton.
- puckhead17

short term yes longterm no.

Why he was scratched for so long is a question I want answered,
- puckhead17

Mainly because of his contract....a one year try out deal....same with colioacavo...to me he outplayed a bunch of guys, yet he sits.....

No you aren't. Ghost is the most likely candidate. He is about as NHL as he can be. If your waiting for a good Flyers team to exiat before these guys come in then these guys will be stuck in Lehigh for a very long time.
- hereticpride

If he was ready to make a difference, he would have been here.
I get it, we stink now, we should dump the garbage, & still stink with cap room.
But again, teams that are used to losing do that, (Edmonton). If they did this, and continued to stink for 2-3 years, the female doging would still continue, only in a different tune.

Mainly because of his contract....a one year try out deal....same with colioacavo...to me he outplayed a bunch of guys, yet he sits.....
- landros 2

And its not as though he's like Streit, old, worn out, etc.
It couldn't have been the turnovers that everyone else was guilty of.

Stuart Scott, dead at 49. Wow.
He was in bad shape for a whole with cancer, but still

Holy hell.

Capgeek has seized all operations
- Just5

Ceased

I'd rather watch it with developing kids than overpaid vets. Duct tape and gluing your way to a first round exit is not something I'm interested in seeing anymore. Its time to develop the team the right way.
- hereticpride

I understand, but, then we'd be like:

"Jesus, I thought "ghost" was better than this"?
"Where was Morin on that play"?
"Where is Sanheim to save us from this", (at 20 years old).

etc.

And its not as though he's like Streit, old, worn out, etc.
It couldn't have been the turnovers that everyone else was guilty of.
- puckhead17

I though he played a steady unspectacular role...a couple of gaffs here and there, but it probably wasn't that much better then the "core"... So he's an easy guy to send back to the press box....the politics of the NHL.

Lost to Arizona, Carolina, NJ in the last 6 days. Flyers getting smoked by NHL doormats, but then again they are a doormat as well. The pathetic thing is the Flyers have spent the most money in the NHL to build this steaming pile of poop.
- PLindbergh31

I guess we are also doormats. I have come to accept this. Therefore something should be done. I would start with coaching.. Put new guy in place and let him work with Hextall to discuss how they want to work next year.

If he was ready to make a difference, he would have been here.
I get it, we stink now, we should dump the garbage, & still stink with cap room.
But again, teams that are used to losing do that, (Edmonton). If they did this, and continued to stink for 2-3 years, the female doging would still continue, only in a different tune.
- puckhead17

Not really. You're ignoring the fact that Edmonton can't draft to save their lives. And no one is saying this team should go into an unprecedented tank job like Edmonton has. You're just digging up what is literally the most extreme tank job in NHL history. No one here that takes 10 seconds to make an honest post wants that. They want the current fat trimmed for assets that can help this team over the next five years.

Hexy said it may take a few steps back to go forward. If that is tanking then there are 29 other teams to be found guilty of that logic at some course of their development as well.

If he was ready to make a difference, he would have been here.
I get it, we stink now, we should dump the garbage, & still stink with cap room.
But again, teams that are used to losing do that, (Edmonton). If they did this, and continued to stink for 2-3 years, the female doging would still continue, only in a different tune.
- puckhead17

the problem with edmonton always seemed to be that they overvalued their guys

Asking too much of these guys would be a mistake, and the "tanking" crap is non existent. Imagine 2 more full seasons of watching the last 2 games every night?
- puckhead17

The Flyers have spent 2 out of the last 3 years watching this exact same crap, so yes, I can imagine it because the Flyers have lived it. I consider last year a miracle with this roster. Instead of acknowledging it though, management and fans have doubled down on this roster to this point.

The Flyers were very lucky to squeak into the playoffs last year with the absolute worst GAA of any team that made the playoffs.

This put the Flyers in the position of having to talk a 39 year old severely declining defenseman out of retiring just to keep the defense out of being the worst in the league.

This myth where the Flyers have had a good defense in recent years is really just that, a myth. Flyers have had to focus on scoring goals almost exclusively because of their island of misfit toys on defense and rely on timely goaltending.

I though he played a steady unspectacular role...a couple of gaffs here and there, but it probably wasn't that much better then the "core"... So he's an easy guy to send back to the press box....the politics of the NHL.
- landros 2

you called that one.

Ceased
- Giroux_Is_God

Haha. Wow that was bad on my part. Thanks

The Flyers have spent 2 out of the last 3 years watching this exact same crap, so yes, I can imagine it because the Flyers have lived it. I consider last year a miracle with this roster. Instead of acknowledging it though, management and fans have doubled down on this roster to this point.

The Flyers were very lucky to squeak into the playoffs last year with the absolute worst GAA of any team that made the playoffs.

This put the Flyers in the position of having to talk a 39 year old severely declining defenseman out of retiring just to keep the defense out of being the worst in the league.

This myth where the Flyers have had a good defense in recent years is really just that, a myth. Flyers have had to focus on scoring goals almost exclusively because of their island of misfit toys on defense and rely on timely goaltending.
- Flyers_01

There is the point, Homer thought he would live forever.

It is part of the issue for sure. But, sadly, they don't yet have the NHL-ready young guys to fill spots as they undergo their learning curve nor is there a top end first-pairing worthy guy to anchor the club.

I don't think the trade market is very promising right now to upgrade. Meanwhile, the upcoming UFA market means massively overpaying for minor upgrades or shopping for reclamation projects and hoping they work out.
- bmeltzer

They don't, but there are similar guys to what they have in UFA this summer. Get picks for the guys on the roster now, replace them with similar free agents in summer. The short term cap implications are not an issue so much as maximizing an asset.

I'm not saying to trade everyone, but be open to moving anyone. It's not as if there's a Bobby Orr or Ray Bourque on this blue line, and if they suck next season, at least it will be a different cast.

They don't, but there are similar guys in UFA this summer. Get picks for the guys on the roster now, replace them with similar free agents in summer. The short term cap implications are not an issue so much as maximizing an asset.
- Jsaquella

That's just smart asset management. It's the reason why some teams like Chicago, Boston, etc seem to have an inexhaustible supply of turnkey youngsters to prop up their high-dollar keepers.

And replace them with whom and at what cost? Therein lies Hextall's problem.
- bmeltzer

Well the Flyers aren't getting better by doing nothing or keeping them. I'd say you trade them for assets and bring up Laurisden and Manning for the rest of the season. When FA comes around, you pick up some Cheap FAs on a one year deal rinse and repeat until the prospects are ready.

Not really. You're ignoring the fact that Edmonton can't draft to save their lives. And no one is saying this team should go into an unprecedented tank job like Edmonton has. You're just digging up what is literally the most extreme tank job in NHL history. No one here that takes 10 seconds to make an honest post wants that. They want the current fat trimmed for assets that can help this team over the next five years.

Hexy said it may take a few steps back to go forward. If that is tanking then there are 29 other teams to be found guilty of that logic at some course of their development as well.
- hereticpride

I do see your points, either way we stink, but I guess what path they decide to take would be the one where they stink for the shortest duration.
Man, the last 2 games were terrible to watch.

That's just smart asset management. It's the reason why some teams like Chicago, Boston, etc seem to have an inexhaustible supply of turnkey youngsters to prop up their high-dollar keepers.
- Tomahawk

The other issue is, if the season ended today, the Flyers would pick 6th overall, and then have nothing to do until the 75th pick.

So right now, a team that is almost bottom 5, with a farm system regarded as maybe bottom ten in the league, has 1 pick in the top 74 of a good, deep draft. That's not a good thing for the Flyers. They need to start getting picks.

Not really. You're ignoring the fact that Edmonton can't draft to save their lives. And no one is saying this team should go into an unprecedented tank job like Edmonton has. You're just digging up what is literally the most extreme tank job in NHL history. No one here that takes 10 seconds to make an honest post wants that. They want the current fat trimmed for assets that can help this team over the next five years.

Hexy said it may take a few steps back to go forward. If that is tanking then there are 29 other teams to be found guilty of that logic at some course of their development as well.
- hereticpride

Agreed. You mention the word TANK and some people just lose their minds but in reality all teams do it to some degree.

Well the Flyers aren't getting better by doing nothing or keeping them. I'd say you trade them for assets and bring up Laurisden and Manning for the rest of the season. When FA comes around, you pick up some Cheap FAs on a one year deal rinse and repeat until the prospects are ready.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

No need to bring up Lauridesen(who is not even playing especially well in the AHL). Slide Colaiacovo, Del Zotto & Luke Schenn into regular roles. They really can hurt the team much worse.