Actually, I've been worried about the mix of forwards for three years now, well before it was fashionable here. The Flyers have had good pieces, just a bad mix. A big part of that was acquiring centers and expecting them to easily move to wing.
- TheGreat28

Lots of teams have that philosophy though. Usually teams play their best players at center growing up. Also you can never have too many centers. It's just not a Flyers thinking.

Meh, Murray. I could take or leave him.

He can teach systems and positioning but does he get the most out of his players and teams? Doubtful at best.
- mayorofangrytown

Also, who are we kidding with that hair style, Terry?

Meh, Murray. I could take or leave him.

He can teach systems and positioning but does he get the most out of his players and teams? Doubtful at best.
- mayorofangrytown

But this isn't his team. He will be teaching the system and philosophies installed by Hakstol.

Also, who are we kidding with that hair style, Terry?
- mcefalu

I like the guy. He's been in and out of the Flyers organization for decades. He's a good coach but an old voice to these guys.

Those are both definitely fairly deep top 6's. I'm having trouble believing Nashville ships fiala out for only laughton though. Fiala is one of their more prized forward prospects.
- benjichronic

You're right, they wouldn't trade Fiala for Laughton. Even Schenn is unlikely. But Fiala is just an example. Nashville has 4 or 5 top 6 LW prospects so they'd be an obvious partner. I like Perlini from AZ as well.

The point is, if you draft BPA because they're an asset, at some point you may need to trade that asset. To me, Laughton is a prime trade chip especially if they get a high-end C like Barzal.

But this isn't his team. He will be teaching the system and philosophies installed by Hakstol.
- J35Bacher

And? He's going to be responsible for dealing with the players. It's how they respond to him that seems old tread. It doesn't matter what system he's teaching. I'm talking getting these guys to perform in that system. His ceiling is set.

Lots of teams have that philosophy though. Usually teams play their best players at center growing up. Also you can never have too many centers. It's just not a Flyers thinking.
- J35Bacher

I realize some teams like the Flyers follow that philosophy. It's faulty IMO, and has been a contributing factor to the team's problems. So has not drafting D, another bandwagon I jumped on early

Schenn, no
Couts, yes
V, yes
Read, no
Raffl, maybe
- johndewar

The only one for sure is Read. I can see Schenn sticking in the right circumstance.

Looks like 42 right now not counting UFA/RFA players. Assuming they resign Zepp, bring a vet backup, and resign MDZ, that brings them to 45.
- jmatchett383

By the time they sign MDZ I think they will have moved LSchenn or Grossmann.

By the time they sign MDZ I think they will have moved LSchenn or Grossmann.
- Feanor

Hell Vinny could be gone after the July first bonus payout if he would mutually terminate. I am probably in the minority but I have a feeling the Flyers will be making a a lot of moves this offseason in trying to reshape the roster.

I realize some teams like the Flyers follow that philosophy. It's faulty IMO, and has been a contributing factor to the team's problems. So has not drafting D, another bandwagon I jumped on early
- TheGreat28

They've drafted more than 10 D in the third round or higher since 2000 including two with their first pick before their current crop of D that started in 2012 with Gostisbehere. They've drafted D, just not successfully. Ad in the years they didn't even have a pick until round three and you have the mess we have.

Edit: to your point on centers, you know they've drafted just 8 centers in the last 10 seasons?

Meh, Murray. I could take or leave him.

He can teach systems and positioning but does he get the most out of his players and teams? Doubtful at best.
- mayorofangrytown

I disagree that it's douftful at best. Secondly, worrying about getting the most out of players and a team is a worry for the head coach, not an assistant.

And? He's going to be responsible for dealing with the players. It's how they respond to him that seems old tread. It doesn't matter what system he's teaching. I'm talking getting these guys to perform in that system. His ceiling is set.
- mayorofangrytown

According to Bill's write up, doesn't seem like old tread at all. Seems like the perfect coach for the situaiton.

I disagree that it's douftful at best. Secondly, worrying about getting the most out of players and a team is a worry for the head coach, not an assistant.
- MJL

I find it difficult to believe you would disagree.

Getting the most out of players and a team is an organization wide worry so that's just a stupid comment.

Thanks for your input.

According to Bill's write up, doesn't seem like old tread at all. Seems like the perfect coach for the situaiton.
- MJL

Didn't read where Bill endorsed him. I thought he was very even handed in accessing the rumour but we all read into it as we see fit.

They've drafted more than 10 D in the third round or higher since 2000 including two with their first pick before their current crop of D that started in 2012 with Gostisbehere. They've drafted D, just not successfully. Ad in the years they didn't even have a pick until round three and you have the mess we have.
- mayorofangrytown

OK to clarify, I think they finally realized, circa 2012 or so, that you have to draft a franchise defenseman because you can't buy or trade for one. That's much later than other teams. So I'm specifically speaking of the 5,6,7 years before that.

In that timeframe, the only real high-end prospect that drafted at D was Sbisa. Marshall and Bourdon were ok picks, but there was no real organizational commitment to drafting and developing D. The lack of picks, as you say, didn't help. But there was a clear tendency to go forward early.

I find it difficult to believe you would disagree.

Getting the most out of players and a team is an organization wide worry so that's just a stupid comment.

Thanks for your input.
- mayorofangrytown

It's not a stupid comment at all. An assistant wouldn't be tasked with that worry. He would be delegated specific responsibilities. What's stupid is ignoring and disregarding exactly what Bill wrote in his blog, which is that Murray is regarded in hockey circles as a PREMIER teaching coach, which is exactly what would make him a quality assistant coach, along with his extensive experience both as a head coach and an assistant coach.

Didn't read where Bill endorsed him. I thought he was very even handed in accessing the rumour but we all read into it as we see fit.
- mayorofangrytown

I didn't state that Bill specifically endorsed Murray. What Bill wrote about in his blog is the qualities that make Murray a strong candidate and a good assistant coach.

It's not a stupid comment at all. An assistant wouldn't be tasked with that worry. He would be delegated specific responsibilities. What's stupid is ignoring and disregarding exactly what Bill wrote in his blog, which is that Murray is regarded in hockey circles as a PREMIER teaching coach, which is exactly what would make him a quality assistant coach, along with his extensive experience both as a head coach and an assistant coach.
- MJL

It's a completely stupid comment.

It's a completely stupid comment.
- mayorofangrytown

You're entitled to your opinion.

OK to clarify, I think they finally realized, circa 2012 or so, that you have to draft a franchise defenseman because you can't buy or trade for one. That's much later than other teams. So I'm specifically speaking of the 5,6,7 years before that.

In that timeframe, the only real high-end prospect that drafted at D was Sbisa. Marshall and Bourdon were ok picks, but there was no real organizational commitment to drafting and developing D. The lack of picks, as you say, didn't help. But there was a clear tendency to go forward early.
- TheGreat28

The Flyers failure to draft and develop quality defenseman in the past, is the single biggest issue facing this team today in my opinion.

I didn't state that Bill specifically endorsed Murray. What Bill wrote about in his blog is the qualities that make Murray a strong candidate and a good assistant coach.
- MJL

Which can be found in a variety of candidates. Murray is a strong candidate otherwise they wouldn't be considering him. I just don't like the idea. That's all. Disagree all you want.

Hell Vinny could be gone after the July first bonus payout if he would mutually terminate. I am probably in the minority but I have a feeling the Flyers will be making a a lot of moves this offseason in trying to reshape the roster.
- J35Bacher

I took July 2nd off to do a Vinny termination day of chanting and whatever other
spirits, curses or changes in the universe to make that happen.
Perhaps a spatial anomaly or a rift in the time space continuum.
At the very least the threat of alien probing to make him leave.. with his bag of loot.

Which can be found in a variety of candidates. Murray is a strong candidate otherwise they wouldn't be considering him. I just don't like the idea. That's all. Disagree all you want.
- mayorofangrytown

That's fine, but in my opinion, other than just not liking the idea, I haven't read in my opinion one single legitimate reason why it's not a good idea, in your posts on the subject.

OK to clarify, I think they finally realized, circa 2012 or so, that you have to draft a franchise defenseman because you can't buy or trade for one. That's much later than other teams. So I'm specifically speaking of the 5,6,7 years before that.

In that timeframe, the only real high-end prospect that drafted at D was Sbisa. Marshall and Bourdon were ok picks, but there was no real organizational commitment to drafting and developing D. The lack of picks, as you say, didn't help. But there was a clear tendency to go forward early.
- TheGreat28

They were drafting as early as they could. You can hit or miss. They missed. They missed Weber and Suban after the first round. They traded up to get Pitkanen and that didn't work out. They drafted Woywitka with a first round pick. They sprink;ed in D in the second and through out the draft all along. It's not a lack of trying it's a lack of drafting the right guy. Every team wants to draft a premier defenseman. Only a handful of teams actually do it. If you aren't picking early it's a crap shoot.