Still, it's just one man's opinion and completely meaningless.
- MJL

If the opinion of Ken Daneyko, a former NHL defenseman who played for over a decade, on defensemen is meaningless, what does that make your opinion that AMac isn't terrible and immensely overpaid. What is less meaningful that "meaningless?"

Aaaaaaannnd...we're off!

You frankers are exhausting.

Still, it's just one man's opinion and completely meaningless.
- MJL

I wouldn't go that far. We can agree that AMac is overpaid. And as has been said many times, if he were making 3 mil per, nobody would complain about him. Which in my opinion makes him definitely an NHL level defenseman. Just an overpaid one.

Still, it's just one man's opinion and completely meaningless.
- MJL

Capuano's a decent coach and he used MacDonald as a 23-25 minute guy for four seasons. In Philly he's gotten about 20 minutes.

Third pairing dmen, even on non playoff teams, get about 17 minutes a game. Just ask LSchenn.

Still, it's just one man's opinion and completely meaningless.
- MJL

ok
says pot to kettle
lol

Praying that Hakstol steals a little how Ottawa does it with Erik Karlsson -- not that the Flyers have anybody like that -- but more with the system, where they emphasize puck retrieval and turning it up ice rapidly

MDZ and the Russian should be able to do that. The question is what the hell is gonna happen when they allow controlled entries

I thought MDZ was solid from the benching all the way to the end of the season, at ES. If he slips, though...yeah
- AllInForFlyers

I do believe that MDZ could tread water in that top-line role if he were paired with somebody really quick and steady at recovering -- like a Methot or Coburn or JBo.

I don't think anybody on the Flyers roster fits that description, outside of a fully developed Morin.

Konecny + LSchenn for Coburn?
- Feanor

If the opinion of Ken Daneyko, a former NHL defenseman who played for over a decade, on defensemen is meaningless, what does that make your opinion that AMac isn't terrible and immensely overpaid. What is less meaningful that "meaningless?"
- jmatchett383

My opinion is just that, an opinion. In the big picture, worthless to how a player actually performs. Let me ask you a question. Mike Milbury played NHL hockey for many years. Did that make him a good GM and evaluator of players and talent? How about Paul Holmgren? Was he infallible in player evaluations?
Daneyko's opinion doesn't mean anything. One poster just feels he needs it to validate his opinion on a player.

The problem with MacDonald is that the Flyers can't hide him. They can't -- or shouldn't -- start Schultz-Streit in the D-zone, and MDZ and the Russian can't play 35 minutes a night, so MacDonald is gonna get exposed because whoever his partner is will be less than optimal and he's gonna get tough starts

We all know this. We fight a lot about the same things. MacDonald is going nowhere, with that contract. We can't fight about this for the next five years

Can't blame him for that; that is on Holmgren. He is what he is, a decent depth defenseman. Problem is, a lot of NHL defensemen are greatly overpaid. Forwards, that make top money need to produce strong stats in order to make that money, goalies as well.

Defensemen get graded on various levels and often paid in bulk despite a strong lack of statistical evidence to validate their paycheck.
- MidnightMarauder

When the Flyers extended AMac (after the trade deadline but before the playoffs in 2014), Hextall had already rejoined the Flyers. I'm sure when Hextall agreed to take the job, there was an unofficial agreement that he would become the next GM at the end of the season (why else would he agree to a lateral move?). What I have always wondered - particularly in light of Hextall's slow, pragmatic rebuild - is whether he argued against a 6-year deal for AMac, or against extending him altogether. No one here understands why he was so quickly extended for so long. His play was decent to that point but it was an extremely small sample size. It just doesn't seem at all like a move Hextall would have made if he were GM.

I do believe that MDZ could tread water in that top-line role if he were paired with somebody really quick and steady at recovering -- like a Methot or Coburn or JBo.

I don't think anybody on the Flyers roster fits that description, outside of a fully developed Morin.
- Tomahawk

That's totally fair. I am honestly praying that the Russian is a borderline monster

The problem with MacDonald is that the Flyers can't hide him. They can't -- or shouldn't -- start Schultz-Streit in the D-zone, and MDZ and the Russian can't play 35 minutes a night, so MacDonald is gonna get exposed because whoever his partner is will be less than optimal and he's gonna get tough starts

We all know this. We fight a lot about the same things. MacDonald is going nowhere, with that contract. We can't fight about this for the next five years
- AllInForFlyers

Is this a challenge, or a blatant misconception?

We can't fight about this for the next five years
- AllInForFlyers

@davegisaac 45 minutes ago

Hextall says Neuvirth should be able to play tomorrow. Raffl and Couturier aren’t serious injuries. Should be ready to go Oct. 8

The problem with MacDonald is that the Flyers can't hide him. They can't -- or shouldn't -- start Schultz-Streit in the D-zone, and MDZ and the Russian can't play 35 minutes a night, so MacDonald is gonna get exposed because whoever his partner is will be less than optimal and he's gonna get tough starts

We all know this. We fight a lot about the same things. MacDonald is going nowhere, with that contract. We can't fight about this for the next five years
- AllInForFlyers

The Flyers don't need to hide MacDonald in my opinion. They just can't over play him against top lines game after game. He's fully capable to see his share of any situations, including on the PP and the PK, and some shifts against top lines.

Is this a challenge, or a blatant misconception?
- BulliesPhan87

Ha! Yeah -- I should know better

That's totally fair. I am honestly praying that the Russian is a borderline monster
- AllInForFlyers

The guy is a playmaker. He can make plays with the puck, if he's solid defensively, the Flyers upgraded their defense. We'll see. Early signs are promising.

@davegisaac 45 minutes ago

Hextall says Neuvirth should be able to play tomorrow. Raffl and Couturier aren’t serious injuries. Should be ready to go Oct. 8
- Feanor

Whew

It just doesn't seem at all like a move Hextall would have made if he were GM.
- BOSS_TWEED

From what we've seen of Hexy's methodical team-building approach, I think it's pretty safe to say that he had very limited input into how the AMac thing went down.

@davegisaac 45 minutes ago

Hextall says Neuvirth should be able to play tomorrow. Raffl and Couturier aren’t serious injuries. Should be ready to go Oct. 8
- Feanor

Good to hear -- no way Wheels gets on the ice for Game 1

When the Flyers extended AMac (after the trade deadline but before the playoffs in 2014), Hextall had already rejoined the Flyers. I'm sure when Hextall agreed to take the job, there was an unofficial agreement that he would become the next GM at the end of the season (why else would he agree to a lateral move?). What I have always wondered - particularly in light of Hextall's slow, pragmatic rebuild - is whether he argued against a 6-year deal for AMac, or against extending him altogether. No one here understands why he was so quickly extended for so long. His play was decent to that point but it was an extremely small sample size. It just doesn't seem at all like a move Hextall would have made if he were GM.
- BOSS_TWEED

hextall bears some of the responsibility for that signing imo. he was on the management team and I cant imagine him not voicing his opinion. if he did and they still went ahead anyway I don't see him then taking the GM job

The problem with MacDonald is that the Flyers can't hide him. They can't -- or shouldn't -- start Schultz-Streit in the D-zone, and MDZ and the Russian can't play 35 minutes a night, so MacDonald is gonna get exposed because whoever his partner is will be less than optimal and he's gonna get tough starts

We all know this. We fight a lot about the same things. MacDonald is going nowhere, with that contract. We can't fight about this for the next five years
- AllInForFlyers

I wouldn't want MDZ playing 35 minutes a night. MacDonald is better defensively than MDZ, the shot attempt numbers from last season show that. But MDZ is much better offensively.

I'm quite happy that the MDZ-Schenn pairing Berube persisted with seems to be a thing of the past. MDZ's a gambler and was our best ES scorer on D because of that... and that's not someone you want paired with a slow footed guy like Luke.

From what we've seen of Hexy's methodical team-building approach, I think it's pretty safe to say that he had a very limited input into how the AMac thing went down.
- Tomahawk

Which is lame if Homer knew he was out in another 1-2 months. If that was truly the case, Hextall should have had veto power. Who knows...maybe he did.

hextall bears some of the responsibility for that signing imo. he was on the management team and I cant imagine him not voicing his opinion. if he did and they still went ahead anyway I don't see him then taking the GM job
- rinaldo

I doubt he would have refused the job over 1 player. This was probably his dream job. Even in LA, he bled orange.

Which is lame if Homer knew he was out in another 1-2 months.
- BOSS_TWEED

I don't think he did.