He's a fine player, but yeah. If Marner, Werenski, Kylington, Rantanen, Strome are on the board, I'd go with one of them before him.
- Jsaquella

How about this McDavid kid?

Making Homer coach his signings...like rubbing a dog's nose in its own mess, right?
- wolfhounds

Great analogy, lol.

How about this McDavid kid?
- jmatchett383

He sucks

Rags, Devils, Isles, Pens....they can all (frank)ing burn, especially when the Flyers are down

Just the way it is. Might respect certain aspects of how they do things from time to time, but ultimately, they can all burn

He sucks
- Jsaquella

Alex Daigle 2.0, amirite??

How about this McDavid kid?
- jmatchett383

Bust. Flipping burgers in two years.

Hypothetically say the Flyers won the draft lottery, and didn't take McDavid. What would the reaction be?

Nobody cares that Laurisden can't step in and handle a job like that. The season is lost, if we continue to lose there is no loss there. Just live with it until the off season. I am not saying sell everyone to the point he's a top 4 guy but you can sell enough where Manning and Laurisden become temp 3 pair guys. Worst case scenerio is that they suck, which the D and the team already does and we drop closer to mcdavid.

Hypothetically say the Flyers won the draft lottery, and didn't take McDavid. What would the reaction be?
- PLindbergh31

Depends. Do they trade the pick for Shea Weber or Steven Stamkos?

Keep the flip side in mind there have also been high scoring players taken high and done nothing, its a roll of the dice
- ob18

I completely agree. I guess my general problem, and I've been saying this for two years now so it's getting frustrating with this team, is the MIX of players. Too many guys who are variations of the same theme. Not enough general skill, or skilled players that can bring that out in their linemates. I think Crouse presents the same problem. Now, if you unload Schenn and get a high-skilled guy, then great.

Nobody cares that Laurisden can't step in and handle a job like that. The season is lost, if we continue to lose there is no loss there. Just live with it until the off season. I am not saying sell everyone to the point he's a top 4 guy but you can sell enough where Manning and Laurisden become temp 3 pair guys. Worst case scenerio is that they suck, which the D and the team already does and we drop closer to mcdavid.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

I'd like Manning back in the AHL so they Phantoms can make a playoff run.

I completely agree. I guess my general problem, and I've been saying this for two years now so it's getting frustrating with this team, is the MIX of players. Too many guys who are variations of the same theme. Not enough general skill, or skilled players that can bring that out in their linemates. I think Crouse presents the same problem. Now, if you unload Schenn and get a high-skilled guy, then great.
- TheGreat28

McDavid 100% guaranteed 100-point player for 12 consecutive seasons.

McDavid 100% guaranteed 100-point player for 12 consecutive seasons.
- jmatchett383

Nah, he fights too much

Depends. Do they trade the pick for Shea Weber or Steven Stamkos?
- jmatchett383

Depends on what else they get in ADDITION to Weber.

Depends. Do they trade the pick for Shea Weber or Steven Stamkos?
- jmatchett383

No. They select another player.

No. They select another player.
- PLindbergh31

Then yes, I'd be upset.

Depends on what else they get in ADDITION to Weber.
- TheGreat28

Shea Weber is a better proven elite NHL player than Connor McDavid, who has yet to prove he can succeed at the pro level.

No. They select another player.
- PLindbergh31

Depends on the player. It might be defensible depending on who you're talking about.

No, he doesn't need to be sheltered to that extent. Doesn't mean he's a guy that should have an extensive contract term and money he's getting. He can't be a top pair guy, but he's not a 7th defenseman.

IMO, he's fine if you have a strong number 3 guy to pair with him on a second pair, or more ideally to anchor the third pair. That's not just a good thing to have, it's a need. But to take that guy, even if it's a UFA situation, and make him your 2nd highest paid defenseman says you're expecting more.
- Jsaquella

What it says is that is what the market was for a player of MacDonald's caliber, not that they were expecting more. I think there is still room for growth im MacDonald's game. I think he has some offensive upside. He's been miscast for so long in a defensive shutdown role, that part of his game has been suppressed. The Flyers have been pushing him to be more aggressive offensively, and he's shown some signs of improvement in that area.

Hypothetically say the Flyers won the draft lottery, and didn't take McDavid. What would the reaction be?
- PLindbergh31

No. They select another player.
- PLindbergh31

I don't even think that's a real possibility though. Eichel and Hanifin are fine consolation prizes, but the only way you trade McDavid is for a package, a la Lindros.

The bigger question would be: what package would you actually consider (and could realistically get) that would make it feasible to trade McDavid?

- Tomahawk

You would think it's a no brainer.

I understand everything with MacDonald. But fair or not when your making the money he is you expect more from him. Look at Staals deal. They expect certain things from him. MacDonalds seems to be muscled off the puck alot and even, from my persecptive, timid in taking the body most nights. I know you will tell me he isn't a physical defensman and his stick positioning is great but at what he is getting paid i expect more.
- J35Bacher

He isn't a phyical defenseman, but I don't see him routinely muscled off of the puck. He routinely wins his share of the battles with a good stick, and moves the puck well in traffic, like that sweet pass he made the last game between his legs to break the puck out when he has outnumbered on the puck. What I want more from MacDonald is offensive output. That's the area of his game where I think he needs to improve.

This is what it boils down to for me and it really doesn't matter if people agree.

The most major move made this Hextall has been here in the Umberger deal. It was a bad deal for what we had to give up. One serious thing to note isn't we lack toughness, especially since moving Hartnell. We also had a chance to sign Steve Ott, most of you didn't want him but I did. We also lost scoring and a guy who had chemistry on the top line.

With the said, when you look at the draft Hextall did well but it's not like we haven't drafted well prior. One season before having Travis Sanheim and Nicolas Aube-Kubel, we already had Samuel Morin, Scott Laughton, Shayne Gostisbehere and Robert Hagg. So excuse me if I don't go all nutty and feel we couldn't have drafted with without Hextall.

As for our signing, they were all safe signing. My honest opinion of Nick Schultz, I don't he's been OK. However, he was signed here as a 7th defenseman because he was playing as a 7th defenseman last season. He isn't the miracle signing. As for Bellemare, Del Zotto and Colaiacovo to go along with Schultz, they're just a bunch of guys filling space. I like them but I don't think they're incredible finds.

I'm not asking for Hextall to be fired, I never was. However, I do think it's silly to assume that if he made a deal now rather then the deadline that he's pushing to make a rash decision. How does one move to improve us hurt us anymore then we already are? It's not just Vinny and Umberger who are going to be moved out. It might have to be Grossmann, Coburn, I would try to find takers for MacDonald, maybe Streit. Maybe he can do it, maybe he can't. Berube might be up for being fired. What kind of value does Raffl or Read have? He very well might have to wait but I think one move (if there was one) could have made our season more enjoyable.

Now if I'm a jack ass, then I'm a jack ass but it doesn't make scene to me cry daily while putting all our hopes into the future. Sheesh, sounds like a black slaves movie, especially when this is far from a slaves situation!
- SuperSchennBros

can't really disagree with any of your points. It will be interesting to see how Hextall maneuvers out of this. Beyond one or two delusional people around here most see a flawed team that really needs an infusion of "talent".

Shea Weber is a better proven elite NHL player than Connor McDavid, who has yet to prove he can succeed at the pro level.
- jmatchett383

That will not matter at all. McDavid is generally considered THAT good. You could get Weber plus for him.