To me the goal should be to win a cup, and build a club in the view of that.

Not simply on 'making the playoffs'.

What's more valuable, a first round knockout? Or picking 7th instead of 12th and some more ice time for your youth.

For those that would say not much difference between 7 and 12, I'd point at the clubs current #1 dman.

Alas, next topic haha.
- flyer_nutter

And I'll point to #37 pick for Boston in that same draft. Who is also playing big minutes on a playoff team.

Cap space and ED certainty are big issues. People don't like the raise Neuvirth got, including me. But if you give that same percentage raise to Mason, his cap hit jumps to $6.3m.
- Feanor

He might be worth that if the team in front of him was better, but with this team today, and how it will be the next couple years, nope.

We agree!
- PhillySportsGuy

No room for that. Embrace the suck, become a company man!
- PLindbergh31

This is the Flyers way.

So be it. Have my doubts.

Curious about the goaltending next season. Have a feeling they make a push for Bishop.

To me the goal should be to win a cup, and build a club in the view of that.

Not simply on 'making the playoffs'.

What's more valuable, a first round knockout? Or picking 7th instead of 12th and some more ice time for your youth.

For those that would say not much difference between 7 and 12, I'd point at the clubs current #1 dman.

Alas, next topic haha.
- flyer_nutter

I'll take the playoffs and the #12 pick every time.

Every.

Time.

Bellemare 20 consecutive games without a point.

Have a team that can't score, re-sign a player who can't score give him the A
Have a team that can't keep the puck out of the net, re-sign the goaltender with the worst save % in the NHL.

Sound, logical ways of improving the team. Brilliant.

The organization as a whole seems to favor Neuvirth over Mason, which I don't agree with, or understand. That they didn't even have contract talks with Mason is puzzling. What do they know that we don't?
- MJL

Was thinking about this a lot last night. There is definitely something going on between the organization and Mason.

We can only speculate, but we all remember what happened with Jeff Reese. Don't ever take sides against the family.

I'll take the playoffs and the #12 pick every time.

Every.

Time.
- Scoob

Making the playoffs and picking 12th hey?

Bellemare 20 consecutive games without a point.

Have a team that can score, re-sign a player who can't score give him the A
Have a team that can't keep the puck out of the net, re-sign the goaltender with the worst save % in the NHL.

Sound, logical ways of improving the team. Brilliant.
- PLindbergh31

In a must win game, Claude Giroux had one secondary assist.

I mean, would it be OK to criticize the captain of the team who makes more money than anyone on the team in this spot? I think it's not only fair, but if you're not looking at Giroux and wondering "WTF", you aren't being honest in evaluating this team.

Making the playoffs and picking 12th hey?


- flyer_nutter

lol, they traded for it, whatever, my point is given the choice between playing in the playoffs or getting a better draft pick by not playing in the playoffs, I'll take the playoffs every time, without hesitation.

In a must win game, Claude Giroux had one secondary assist.

I mean, would it be OK to criticize the captain of the team who makes more money than anyone on the team in this spot? I think it's not only fair, but if you're not looking at Giroux and wondering "WTF", you aren't being honest in evaluating this team.
- johndewar

Dude, you're looking at the wrong face. It's CV and PEB who are the problems.

One of these seasons he will break 40 points and skate like he doesn't have a piano on his back. I'm guessing the 2021 season.
- PLindbergh31

So if he scores 40 points in 82 games you will like him?

But you didn't like him last year when he had 39 in 63.

In a must win game, Claude Giroux had one secondary assist.

I mean, would it be OK to criticize the captain of the team who makes more money than anyone on the team in this spot? I think it's not only fair, but if you're not looking at Giroux and wondering "WTF", you aren't being honest in evaluating this team.
- johndewar

Giroux has been terrible. If this is the player he is going forward it's another awful contract they are stuck with.

Brad Marchand has become an infinite better player than Giroux is. Sad.

Dude, you're looking at the wrong face. It's CV and PEB who are the problems.
- Scoob

Reading those CV and PEB posts, you'd think the entire team was built around two dudes whose collective salary this year doesn't even break 2 million dollars.

This whole thing shouldn't turn into a philosophical debate on how to properly build a Stanley Cup winning team. As we have seen, there are multiple ways.

However, with THIS Flyers team in THIS particular instance, it is worth debating whether this core will align with the prospects in order to make a proper run.

Is this core good enough? Will the help get here in time? This season has actually made these questions more prominent, or should have, in Hextall's mind. Giroux's season, among others, are the primary cause.

Well no poop Sherlock, that's the goal of every team. You have to make the playoffs first though. Baby steps
- Streit2ThePoint

But it's not the only goal

Bellemare 20 consecutive games without a point.

Have a team that can't score, re-sign a player who can't score give him the A
Have a team that can't keep the puck out of the net, re-sign the goaltender with the worst save % in the NHL.

Sound, logical ways of improving the team. Brilliant.
- PLindbergh31

Getting out all that pent up aggression out after the last four games didn't give you much to complain about. You must feel like a dog kept inside all day who finally gets put in the backyard to piss.

Giroux has been terrible. If this is the player he is going forward it's another awful contract they are stuck with.

Brad Marchand has become an infinite better player than Giroux is. Sad.
- PLindbergh31

I'm a big Claude Giroux fan, and he's not everything that's wrong with this team, but 47 points in 66 games from your best player isn't good enough.

I'll take the playoffs and the #12 pick every time.

Every.

Time.
- Scoob

Well, you can't have both

lol, they traded for it, whatever, my point is given the choice between playing in the playoffs or getting a better draft pick by not playing in the playoffs, I'll take the playoffs every time, without hesitation.
- Scoob

Agree to disagree.
Hell I hope it works out for them as a fan, or we are doing this dance for years.

Have a team that I hate.
Have a team that every move they make is the worst in the NHL.

Sound, logical ways of spending my days on a hockey blog pretending to be a fan of the team that is never improving the team. Brilliant.
- PLindbergh31

FTFY



Because we all know Bellemare is the root of this teams scoring problems.

So if he scores 40 points in 82 games you will like him?

But you didn't like him last year when he had 39 in 63.
- Feanor

Also funny how people bring up Giroux must be injured or playing through something.

Couturier has been hurt too but doesn't get the same reasons for a struggle.

Yes. Couturier had a terrible turnover. Same as Giroux had a terrible turnover to Ekblad just a little bit ago.

But Couturier has been one of the better players recently while also playing with Cousins and Read. he doesn't get to continually play with Simmonds, Voracek or Schenn.

I want more out of Couturier. but I do think we will see another step. Again he is 24. Can still break out.

This whole thing shouldn't turn into a philosophical debate on how to properly build a Stanley Cup winning team. As we have seen, there are multiple ways.

However, with THIS Flyers team in THIS particular instance, it is worth debating whether this core will align with the prospects in order to make a proper run.

Is this core good enough? Will the help get here in time? This season has actually made these questions more prominent, or should have, in Hextall's mind. Giroux's season, among others, are the primary cause.
- StepfordSam

Take your logic out of here!

Whats more important,

Developing a winning mentality, playing as hard as possible every night, and having a chance to have the younger guys get a taste of the playoffs, or moving up 5 spots in a weak draft.

I know that in order to build a successful team you need a lot more than just draft picks. You need to learn how to navigate the ups and downs of a season. You needs to have a win at all costs mentality. Thats why I am fully behind whats going on.
- jak521

So you see the win at all cost mentality with this group?

Getting out all that pent up aggression out after the last four games didn't give you much to complain about. You must feel like a dog kept inside all day who finally gets put in the backyard to piss.
- Feanor

It's must be really hard to find new ways to defend a poop product day after day after day. I find it amusing.