Pretty much any jag off writer in Philly when tasked to do a hockey piece. Not even going to give it a click
- Jsaquella

However bad you think they are with hockey, they're 10x worse with basketball

Couple interesting guys. Smith pelley, pirri, Latta. Guys I think could upgrade bottom size and maybe push out a vandevwlde or white.
- J35Bacher

I have major interest in latta. Could be a 4th line center for awhile

- PhillySportsGuy

love it. (frank) the broons

Did anyone read this hack job by David Murphy , @ByDavidMurphy , on Philly.com: http://www.philly.com/phi...-team-to-win-a-title.html

Some highlights....

"which of the four major* professional sports teams will be the next to win a championship (*for the purposes of this discussion, we are considering hockey to be major)."

Flyers:

THE CASE FOR: It’s hockey. You could field a squad with me, Sielski and Smallwood on the first line that gets hot and makes an improbable run to the finals, provided Brookie stands on his head.

THE CASE AGAINST: Brookie has a large head, but the center of gravity is a little off.
- opeth_pa

He is a douche bag who is a lot less knowledgeable about sports than he thinks he is.

- PhillySportsGuy

Supposedly they (frank)ed up like last year and tried to trade the pick, couldn't, and ended up taking an awful value pick that they had highest on their board. Why he would even be the highest on their board is laughable. That shows hockey incompetence. Taking him there showed management incompetence. That brain fart trust is next level incompetent.

Meanwhile, Ronny brilliantly reads the drafts, trades 18 (and the late third) for 22 and 36, gets the player he wanted at 18, or higher, and then gets a 2nd 1st round talent player in Laberge. Care to guess which guy went to Harvard?

Was Ray Bourque really arrested for drinking and driving Friday?

I wonder what the red flags are on Jamie McGinn? He is going through teams like nobody's business, but he scored 22 goals last year and will turn 28 during the season

He could be a cute little value signing for the third line, but man...he is going through teams like crazy in the last 12 months

Supposedly they (frank)ed up like last year and tried to trade the pick, couldn't, and ended up taking an awful value pick that they had highest on their board. Why he would even be the highest on their board is laughable. That shows hockey incompetence. Taking him there showed management incompetence. That brain fart trust is next level incompetent.

Meanwhile, Ronny brilliantly reads the drafts, trades 18 (and the late third) for 22 and 36, gets the player he wanted at 18, or higher, and then gets a 2nd 1st round talent player in Laberge. Care to guess which guy went to Harvard?
- Mononoke

its damn annoying how well hextall navigates some of these decisions. like someones pointed out before, harder decisions that ones hes been faced with are on the way. but based off of what he's done, the dude has been excellent at avoiding landmines and accumulating assets.

I wonder what the red flags are on Jamie McGinn? He is going through teams like nobody's business, but he scored 22 goals last year and will turn 28 during the season

He could be a cute little value signing for the third line, but man...he is going through teams like crazy in the last 12 months
- AllInForFlyers

He's just such a replaceable, usefully mediocre scoring winger. Possession stats are below average. He scores at a decent rate at ES, but he also gets top 6 teammates and usage. He's also coming off a contract where he made ~$3 mil. He's just kind of a.....well, a "guy." Now he's a UFA and some team will pony up and overpay him because he's gritty and scores some goals.

Gonna take a pass.

He's just such a replaceable, usefully mediocre scoring winger. Possession stats are below average. He scores at a decent rate at ES, but he also gets top 6 teammates and usage. He's also coming off a contract where he made ~$3 mil. He's just kind of a.....well, a "guy." Now he's a UFA and some team will pony up and overpay him because he's gritty and scores some goals.

Gonna take a pass.
- Mononoke

Fair enough -- production is good, but there has to be something with a 20-goal scorer going through teams that quickly

Supposedly they (frank)ed up like last year and tried to trade the pick, couldn't, and ended up taking an awful value pick that they had highest on their board. Why he would even be the highest on their board is laughable. That shows hockey incompetence. Taking him there showed management incompetence. That brain fart trust is next level incompetent.

Meanwhile, Ronny brilliantly reads the drafts, trades 18 (and the late third) for 22 and 36, gets the player he wanted at 18, or higher, and then gets a 2nd 1st round talent player in Laberge. Care to guess which guy went to Harvard?
- Mononoke

Lol so basically it was the NHL equivalent of running out of time and forgot to check their queue for autodraft

Was Ray Bourque really arrested for drinking and driving Friday?
- roenick97

Yes. .249 blood alcohol. Surprised he was conscious.

Big E
HOF

Lol so basically it was the NHL equivalent of running out of time and forgot to check their queue for autodraft
- YuenglingJagr

Pretty much haha. That's what happened last year. They were trying to package some of their firsts as part of a trade up, it fell through, and then they didn't have much of a backup plan. So, they just took guys like DeBrusk and Senyshyn who were bad and terrible value picks respectively at the time, but who they had at the top of their board. I don't think they expected to use those picks. So, not only did they draft questionably, they managed their draft questionably.

God it feels good to bask in the light of Hexy.

Pretty much haha. That's what happened last year. They were trying to package some of their firsts as part of a trade up, it fell through, and then they didn't have much of a backup plan. So, they just took guys like DeBrusk and Senyshyn who were bad and terrible value picks respectively at the time, but who they had at the top of their board. I don't think they expected to use those picks. So, not only did they draft questionably, they managed their draft questionably.

God it feels good to bask in the light of Hexy.
- Mononoke

Let's just hope guys like Sweeney and Benning are around for awhile

Let's just hope guys like Sweeney and Benning are around for awhile
- Nucker101

One imagines that the collective brain power of Sweeney, Benning, and Chiarelli -- all together in Boston at one time -- was just enough to order a pizza from Domino's. But they didn't realize they called the Domino's halfway across the city instead of their local one. Jim Benning was so confused when he went to pick up the pizza.

Big E
HOF

- Marc D

Bout time I was recognized for my outstanding accomplishments in the sport of binge drinking!

I have major interest in latta. Could be a 4th line center for awhile
- Just5

I like him too.

Plays a tough game but has skill and kills penalties.

I don't want a part of VDV or White as regulars on our roster. We can do better than those guys though. Leier I like to start out as a 4 LW. There's VDV's replacement. Then get a bottom 6 center perhaps or a bottom 6 winger, either to use as 4C/4RW or to bump down Cousins or Read. I don't ideally want Pebbles at center. He's just better off on the wing.

Maybe someone like Bardreau impresses in camp.
- Mononoke

Ideally, long term, no, but for the short term, I have no issue with either player as a regular for another season. If someone like Leier beats them out, so be it. Need Pkers. Is Leier going to play on the PK? If not, then the edge goes to Vandevlde. I'd like to see a veteran center added that can take draws and play on the PK to take a load off of Giroux.

Ideally, long term, no, but for the short term, I have no issue with either player as a regular for another season. If someone like Leier beats them out, so be it. Need Pkers. Is Leier going to play on the PK? If not, then the edge goes to Vandevlde. I'd like to see a veteran center added that can take draws and play on the PK to take a load off of Giroux.
- MJL

You almost want a Jay Beagle type. He takes draws, kills penalties, plays a solid bottom 6, 4th line game and still chips in some offense.

Kind of why Latta interest me since he didn't get a QO. I wonder if he could fit that bill.

You almost want a Jay Beagle type. He takes draws, kills penalties, plays a solid bottom 6, 4th line game and still chips in some offense.

Kind of why Latta interest me since he didn't get a QO. I wonder if he could fit that bill.
- J35Bacher

Latta, hasn't played much on the PK in his NHL career, so I don't know about his PK ability.

He has everything you could want in a prospect though. 3 years ago he was can't miss. Skating. Size. Smarts...errr, maybe not, but he has a brain anyway. Good enough for me!


- Mononoke

You called?