Yea, you're right, it was just GM speak, he doesn't really think Raffl is a good player. That's why he signed him to a 3 year contract. C'mon, you're better than this.

Hextall is a GM that has taken over a team with a plan of drafting and developing, that is going to take time.
- MJL

I'm fine with that. I'm not fine with a team that lacks passion and jump on far to many nights....it's not about the future assets, it's about accountability today.

He doesn't, but evidence suggests he is right with that specific comment
- YuenglingJagr

Thank you. It would be too big of a coincidence to believe.

Konecny is listed at 5’10”, 175 pounds / Weal at 5'10" 179 pounds. Weal was called up 3 or 4 days after Konecny was announced to miss 4-6 weeks. Both small skilled wingers.

And who knows? Weal may have not even gotten the call if Taylor Leier wasn't hurt at the time. Leier got the earlier call up when Read was hurt.

Thank you. It would be too big of a coincidence to believe.

Konecny is listed at 5’10”, 175 pounds / Weal at 5'10" 179 pounds. Weal was called up 3 or 4 days after Konecny was announced to miss 4-6 weeks. Both small skilled wingers.

And who knows? Weal may have not even gotten the call if Taylor Leier wasn't hurt at the time. Leier got the earlier call up when Read was hurt.
- JFlyers00

YOU DON'T KNOW THAT FOR 100% SURE!!!!!!!!

Let me go find some hand-picked stats that support my argument and then a different set of hand-picked stats that refute yours.

First - Weal doesn't play the same role as vandevelde.

Second- You question Hextalls talent evaluation but he was the one who brought Weal in in the trade.

3rd- I have no clue what your comment about moving Sanheim or Myers has to do with Vandevelde. And what dman regressed and kept to a bottom pairing.
- J35Bacher

What role does VDV play? A borderline nhl plugger who caught a break by having his colllege coach jock him.
What I have seen and heard from Weal is that he playing the "ROLE" of Hockey player who has come up and made a difference when on the ice.

I'll agree with this part. The big guys haven't been good enough and I still won't be fully confident in Giroux unless I see a great start from him next season.

But they are about where smart people think they would be.

I just think it's funny where people complain about Vandevelde and Bellemare like they are holding the team back form being this playoff contender. They are cheap guys who are bridging the cap until more talent is ready.
- J35Bacher

Yeah, I hear ya when it comes to PEB and VdV and I be ok with one of them in the lineup right now, just not both. In a season where they have no chance of contending, I would rather have seen Lyubimov playing every night and VdV in and out of the lineup. Also, post trade deadline, it would have been nice to see Leier get some games in as the 4th line LW and Laughton get the same as the 4C.

Both Raffl and Bellemare were players on a team that made the playoffs last season. There are many reasons why this team is a disappointment this year. Both Raffl and Bellemare are players who are capable of playing a role on top teams as depth forwards in my opinion.
- MJL

I don't hold Raffl and PEB responsible for this teams disappointing season. I just don't think either guy is irreplaceable. To play in the NHL you have to be very talented....but there are levels of talent. To me both guys are simply average to below average players..... thus replaceable.

lol okay...I am sure he saw Weal play and then thought...now that Konecny is back, we can finally get rid of this AHL player so he can keep working on his defense.
- YuenglingJagr

Weal had 1 point in 6 games when Konecny returned.

The idea that Hextall was going to go all season without getting an NHL look at the Kings prospect he traded for who was dominating in the AHL and about to become a UFA, is laughable.

YOU DON'T KNOW THAT FOR 100% SURE!!!!!!!!

Let me go find some hand-picked stats that support my argument and then a different set of hand-picked stats that refute yours.
- jmatchett383

This reads like an updated HockeyBuzz code of conduct.

Yup, that Boyd Gordon fellow is awesome.
- BiggE

Down goes Frasier-Down goes Frasier!!

EVERYBODY JUST CALM DOWN!™

The Simmonds quote was hilarious.

Yeah, I hear ya when it comes to PEB and VdV and I be ok with one of them in the lineup right now, just not both. In a season where they have no chance of contending, I would rather have seen Lyubimov playing every night and VdV in and out of the lineup. Also, post trade deadline, it would have been nice to see Leier get some games in as the 4th line LW and Laughton get the same as the 4C.
- BiggE

I get that. But they also finally built something in Lehigh so I understand them not wanting to take talent from there. They want them to succeed. Also Leier missed time with an injury so I get why he's been in the AHL.

I'll agree with this part. The big guys haven't been good enough and I still won't be fully confident in Giroux unless I see a great start from him next season.

But they are about where smart people think they would be.

I just think it's funny where people complain about Vandevelde and Bellemare like they are holding the team back form being this playoff contender. They are cheap guys who are bridging the cap until more talent is ready.
- J35Bacher

I don't think those 2 players are holding them back. I don't think many people do.

What I have an issue with is the overall lack of NHL-caliber skill Vandevelde has. Yes, he's a key part of the PK, but the PK is bad, so he's a key part of a bad thing. He's not fast. He doesn't have great puck skills. He's not overly physical. He's average defensively. The guy just brings very little to the table except for "consistently" being notably good at nothing.

What role does VDV play? A borderline nhl plugger who caught a break by having his colllege coach jock him.
What I have seen and heard from Weal is that he playing the "ROLE" of Hockey player who has come up and made a difference when on the ice.
- Konalover

Wasn't he on the team before Hakstol?

I get that. But they also finally built something in Lehigh so I understand them not wanting to take talent from there. They want them to succeed. Also Leier missed time with an injury so I get why he's been in the AHL.
- J35Bacher

What about AHL All-Star Jordan Weal?

He's playing his natural position in the AHL. No different than Leier or Morin or Hagg.
- Feanor

Ponderous! Phucking ponderous!

The Flyers would not trade Chirs VandeVelde for Connor McDavid because they play different roles and there are different levels of "good."

What about AHL All-Star Jordan Weal?
- jmatchett383

That's one guy.

I meant in bringing up multiple players like some have said to get a look at Leier and laughton in addition to Weal.

I don't think those 2 players are holding them back. I don't think many people do.

What I have an issue with is the overall lack of NHL-caliber skill Vandevelde has. Yes, he's a key part of the PK, but the PK is bad, so he's a key part of a bad thing. He's not fast. He doesn't have great puck skills. He's not overly physical. He's average defensively. The guy just brings very little to the table except for "consistently" being notably good at nothing.
- jmatchett383

I can't single out one player for something that is on a unit.

I could point out our goalies don't make enough saves or our defenseman fail to clear the puck enough to as things that hurt the PK.

Weal had 1 point in 6 games when Konecny returned.

The idea that Hextall was going to go all season without getting an NHL look at the Kings prospect he traded for who was dominating in the AHL and about to become a UFA, is laughable.
- Feanor

Oh boy, we want to pretend Hextall uses points per game to determine if a guy should be in the NHL?

He also played in the NHL last year

I can't single out one player for something that is on a unit.

I could point out our goalies don't make enough saves or our defenseman fail to clear the puck enough to as things that hurt the PK.
- J35Bacher

Right. However, as bad as our goalies have been, those goalies (over their Flyers careers) have generally been good at other areas of the game, as have other members of the bad PK. And that is my point: he does not do any one particular thing in an NHL skillset particularly well.

I'm fine with that. I'm not fine with a team that lacks passion and jump on far to many nights....it's not about the future assets, it's about accountability today.
- landros 2

We're in agreement there. Too many games where the team lacks jump, and that has been going on for a significant time under different coaches.

I'll agree with this part. The big guys haven't been good enough and I still won't be fully confident in Giroux unless I see a great start from him next season.

But they are about where smart people think they would be.

I just think it's funny where people complain about Vandevelde and Bellemare like they are holding the team back form being this playoff contender. They are cheap guys who are bridging the cap until more talent is ready.
- J35Bacher

I don't think it has so much to do with (our) expectations but more so the lack of change or sense of we're not icing the best team we can ice. I feel a lot of complaints stem from these two guys because they've been a permanent fixture on this team for what, 3 seasons straight now? You know if the expectations are to be a bubble team that maybe squeezes in, then why not switch out players that've been here for 3 years (who arguably haven't improved) and see what someone else can do? As Mono said yesterday, there are other players who are fully capable of playing the PK over Vandevelde. It doesn't frustrate me as much as it frustrates others, but I get peoples' frustration. It also doesn't help when we've also have nearly the same roster during all these years with little new faces minus Ghost, TK, and Provy. Who was the last FA (no matter what role) that had a (consistent) positive impact on our team and proved they were a good choice to sign? Neuvy? I just feel that magnifies the VV and PEB woes. As Einstein said, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Whats up with all these dinosaurs and roles? Who gives a (frank) about roles? The Flyers will never win a cup with their current mindset. The team who won last year didn't have any PEB/VDV types in their lineup, and I'm pretty confident the team who wins this year won't.

That trade was about getting Vinny off the books but still a valid point. Weal was also still considered a prospect at that point, and I don't have a problem with Hextall's evaluation of prospect-level talent. Its actually extremely good. I'm talking about his evaluation of talent at the NHL level.

Moving Sanheim or Myers has to do with Hextalls ability to evaluate talent at the NHL level. It was a hypothetical so nevermind. Went over your head I guess.
- JFlyers00

Exactly, this Role is so stupid. How about the role of a Hockey player who plays hard every shift, does not mishandle puck constantly, plays solid in all three zones and can pass and score. That is my role for all player on this team.
My role for the goalies is to stop the puck way more then they let in.

I don't think those 2 players are holding them back. I don't think many people do.

What I have an issue with is the overall lack of NHL-caliber skill Vandevelde has. Yes, he's a key part of the PK, but the PK is bad, so he's a key part of a bad thing. He's not fast. He doesn't have great puck skills. He's not overly physical. He's average defensively. The guy just brings very little to the table except for "consistently" being notably good at nothing.
- jmatchett383

Yeah, its just such an easy thing to fix. No need to expend any assets.

It makes zero sense to use him in any type of high leverage situation.