I can't even remember the last time a GM landed in such a ridiculously good situation as Fletcher did.

- Franchise player... check,
- Young franchise goalie... check,
- Young #1 dman... check,
- PP QB... check,
- Selke-level 1C... check,
- Tons of cap space... check,
- Tons of picks... check,
- Tons of quality prospects... check,
- Under the contract limit... check,
- Only 1 NMC... check.

Usually new GMs have to dig out of some deep nasty mess left by their predecessor. Fletcher had the table set, sheets pressed, flowers in the bath and a mother(frank)ing mint on his pillow.

All he had to do was to wait for the kids to grow, add a few minor pieces, and not (frank) the whole thing up by doing what he has done.
- Tomahawk

He hasn't franked anything up. He brought in guys we needed a no expense. We havent lost a young player. Do you really think a guy in Fletchers shoes doesnt have a plan to get these guys signed? Fletcher is molding the team to his liking. He got us some skilled vets at no cost besides some picks. Hayes will not be here for his full term. He will excel here but NoPa is going to surpass him at some point. He will be traded at some point down the road

You have no idea how it would play out.

Just like everybody thought this team was going to be PO bound again last summer. Everybody knows development isn't linear. Yet one collective bump in the road and Hexy was shipped out on his ass, and we're right back to the Paul Holmgren School of How to (frank) Your Team.
- Tomahawk

But it wasn’t one collective bump in the road. The team got worse last year. They were putting a terrible product on the ice.
Maybe not firing Hak was his hill to die on but there were numerous issues that were not addressed and needed to be.

You have no idea how it would play out.

Just like everybody thought this team was going to be PO bound again last summer. Everybody knows development isn't linear. Yet one collective bump in the road and Hexy was shipped out on his ass, and we're right back to the Paul Holmgren School of How to (frank) Your Team.
- Tomahawk

I guess there’s no point in following this team next year, since they’re already dead in the water, despite the roster improvements.

I can't even remember the last time a GM landed in such a ridiculously good situation as Fletcher did.

- Franchise player... check,
- Young franchise goalie... check,
- Young #1 dman... check,
- PP QB... check,
- Selke-level 1C... check,
- Tons of cap space... check,
- Tons of picks... check,
- Tons of quality prospects... check,
- Under the contract limit... check,
- Only 1 NMC... check.

Usually new GMs have to dig out of some deep nasty mess left by their predecessor. Fletcher had the table set, sheets pressed, flowers in the bath and a mother(frank)ing mint on his pillow.

All he had to do was to wait for the kids to grow, add a few minor pieces, and not (frank) the whole thing up by doing what he has done.
- Tomahawk

Hextall had all of this and we had a last place team that couldn't defend, stop pucks, or score goals beyond the top line. With tons of cap space, he locked up none of the RFAs to team-friendly extensions, provided no depth in the top 9, had a terrible defense, and went through 6 goalies because he refused to play Hart or replace Neuvirth with a real goalie. How does a team with so much cap space end up with Elliott, Neuvirth and Pickard as its goalies?

How long do you wait for the prospects to be good? Until Giroux is no longer a franchise player? Until all of the prospects cost too much to retain? At what point to you say it's time to go for it.

How are you filling the hole created by Jake leaving? We already need one more RW.
- FlyerFan16

Well 8 mil gone after trade. Sign fa for couple years. We have frost Farabee Ratcliffe plus 7 and 11 picks this years draft coming. Not winning anything next few years anyways. Imangine boldy and caulfield added to frost Farabee Ratcliffe Konecny Patrick linbloom provy Myers coots jvr Sanheim hart. And yes I didn’t include g because I see him as declining when those players take over.

He hasn't franked anything up. He brought in guys we needed a no expense. We havent lost a young player. Do you really think a guy in Fletchers shoes doesnt have a plan to get these guys signed? Fletcher is molding the team to his liking. He got us some skilled vets at no cost besides some picks. Hayes will not be here for his full term. He will excel here but NoPa is going to surpass him at some point. He will be traded at some point down the road
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

At present, I'd agree, although I didn't think the Braun trade was neccessary. But a few things:

- Unless he wants Myers sent down or wants to expose a d-man to waivers, he is basically forced to trade one of our 8 top dmen.
- He may not have the cap space to sign this year's RFA's.
- He almost definitely will not have the cap space to sign both this year's RFA's as well as Patrick, Lindblom, Hagg, and Myers next year.

So yes, they can ice a better team this year, absolutely. However, the Hayes deal (which may bite us in the expansion draft) and other moves will have an impact this year and in the next few years when our young players come off of their ELCs and sign their bigger deals.

All he had to do was to wait for the kids to grow, add a few minor pieces, and not (frank) the whole thing up by doing what he has done.
- Tomahawk

So all he had to do was what the last GM was fired for doing.

At present, I'd agree, although I didn't think the Braun trade was neccessary. But a few things:

- Unless he wants Myers sent down or wants to expose a d-man to waivers, he is basically forced to trade one of our 8 top dmen.
- jmatchett383

That's not true. Lots of NHL teams carry 8 dmen for extended periods.

You're also assuming there are no injuries on defense.

But it wasn’t one collective bump in the road. The team got worse last year. They were putting a terrible product on the ice.
Maybe not firing Hak was his hill to die on but there were numerous issues that were not addressed and needed to be.
- bird_dog_pa

They had just made the PO's the year before w/ largely the same group.

And they didn't even miss the PO's by much this season.

Yeah, you wish NoPa would have grabbed 2C by the throat, and they hadn't gone back to Neuvirth, and it long past Hak's time to go... but none of that really speaks to the general direction that the team had been heading in.

The future was bright. One near PO miss doesn't cancel any of that out.

Everybody just got impatient.

Hextall had all of this and we had a last place team that couldn't defend, stop pucks, or score goals beyond the top line. With tons of cap space, he locked up none of the RFAs to team-friendly extensions, provided no depth in the top 9, had a terrible defense, and went through 6 goalies because he refused to play Hart or replace Neuvirth with a real goalie. How does a team with so much cap space end up with Elliott, Neuvirth and Pickard as its goalies?


How long do you wait for the prospects to be good? Until Giroux is no longer a franchise player? Until all of the prospects cost too much to retain? At what point to you say it's time to go for it.
- narfmoo12

It’s not “go time” until those prospect are loaded and we have to pay them and unload some of them. That’s a good thing. They are still assets. The problem comes when you have to unload them because of stupid contracts given out to average vets. Like Hayes

That's not true. Lots of NHL teams carry 8 dmen for extended periods.

You're also assuming there are no injuries on defense.
- Feanor

Yes, but most teams go with the 14/7/2 roster. So yes, he CAN go 13/8/2, but 1) I'd rather have the extra forward and 2) I don't want 2 of our young guys sitting for Braun to plod along out there.

And yes, I am assuming no injuries.

They had just made the PO's the year before w/ largely the same group.

And they didn't even miss the PO's by much this season.

Yeah, you wish NoPa would have grabbed 2C by the throat, and they hadn't gone back to Neuvirth, and it long past Hak's time to go... but none of that really speaks to the general direction that the team had been heading in.

The future was bright. One near PO miss doesn't cancel any of that out.

Everybody just got impatient.
- Tomahawk

Hextall's absurd amount of patience with Hak and Lappy was his downfall.

Yes, but most teams go with the 14/7/2 roster. So yes, he CAN go 13/8/2, but 1) I'd rather have the extra forward and 2) I don't want 2 of our young guys sitting for Braun to plod along out there.

And yes, I am assuming no injuries.
- jmatchett383

So he's not forced to trade a dman. Basically or otherwise.

Hextall's absurd amount of patience with Hak and Lappy was his downfall.
- Feanor

Probably.

So he's not forced to trade a dman. Basically or otherwise.
- Feanor

Yes, you win, congrats.

“We have a couple defensemen in our top 10 that we like” Brent Flahr

Well I hope it’s not Broberg.

“We have a couple defensemen in our top 10 that we like” Brent Flahr

Well I hope it’s not Broberg.
- Just5

He might not be a top 10 consensus pick, but I like Broberg at 11 along with several others.

“We have a couple defensemen in our top 10 that we like” Brent Flahr
- Just5

Well we know 1 is Byram. Who's the other... Seider? York? Soderstrom?

As long as it's not Broberg.

They had just made the PO's the year before w/ largely the same group.

And they didn't even miss the PO's by much this season.

Yeah, you wish NoPa would have grabbed 2C by the throat, and they hadn't gone back to Neuvirth, and it long past Hak's time to go... but none of that really speaks to the general direction that the team had been heading in.

The future was bright. One near PO miss doesn't cancel any of that out.

Everybody just got impatient.
- Tomahawk

I guess I don't understand why all of a sudden its impatience. Flyers make the playoffs 2 years ago and get bounced in the first round. In the off-season Hextall goes out and signs a top level FA in JVR and attempts to sign Tavares based on reports. But he goes into the season with a bad plan in goal and the season falls apart. Hart comes up out of necessity at the time and stays up because he's that good. They barely miss the playoffs but Hextall and Hakstol are gone.

Fletcher comes in, dumps off some old player salary, signs another top level FA in Hayes and adds a couple of Dmen on very short contracts. Doesn't give up prospects or top tier draft picks and is currently still sitting a position to re-sign who is needed and go into next year with a better team than last year's.

Why is Hextall signing JVR and taking a shot at Tavares different that what Fletcher has done so far and how is the team suddenly less ready for those moves than they were when Hextall went into last off-season?

*edit, I meant Hart came up out of necessity.

I watch the Flyers for two reasons: to be entertained and to watch them win a stanley cup. The latter is a rarity and not expected. The former should not be a rarity and is expected. This team under Hexy did neither; it was losing, boring hockey. Are the additions this offseason mind blowing? No. Will we be entertaining this year? I sure hope so, because it has been downright painful watching some of the disengaged, mediocre teams the last handful of years.

At present, I'd agree, although I didn't think the Braun trade was neccessary. But a few things:

- Unless he wants Myers sent down or wants to expose a d-man to waivers, he is basically forced to trade one of our 8 top dmen.
- He may not have the cap space to sign this year's RFA's.
- He almost definitely will not have the cap space to sign both this year's RFA's as well as Patrick, Lindblom, Hagg, and Myers next year.

So yes, they can ice a better team this year, absolutely. However, the Hayes deal (which may bite us in the expansion draft) and other moves will have an impact this year and in the next few years when our young players come off of their ELCs and sign their bigger deals.
- jmatchett383

He has the cap space. Two of our RFAs we dont need to sign. Laughton and Hartman are not essential to keep. We could replace them with guys from LV. I doubt those 2 woill be signing for less than 1.5 mill

Why is Hextall signing JVR and taking a shot at Tavares different that what Fletcher has done so far and how is the team suddenly less ready for those moves than they were when Hextall went into last off-season?
- shekkie

Future cap-space, expansion considerations, wasting picks, bringing in vets to take minutes from kids, buying out AMac instead of burying him, etc... all the stuff 'Team Negative' has been complaining about.

It's not just about signing 1 guy to a stupid contract. The JVR contract was pretty stupid too, IMO.

They had just made the PO's the year before w/ largely the same group.

And they didn't even miss the PO's by much this season.

Yeah, you wish NoPa would have grabbed 2C by the throat, and they hadn't gone back to Neuvirth, and it long past Hak's time to go... but none of that really speaks to the general direction that the team had been heading in.

The future was bright. One near PO miss doesn't cancel any of that out.

Everybody just got impatient.
- Tomahawk

They missed the playoffs by 16 points.

The real question is how many more seasons is Giroux a franchise player? If it's 2 or 3, then you have to go for it now. Was Hextall willing to go for it or simply waste Giroux's last few years as a superstar? If it's the former, would you really trust Hextall to sign free agents based on the guys he brought in? If it's the latter and he was just going to waste Giroux, why wasn't he traded for more prospects (assuming he'd waive the NMC, which I assume he would if they weren't going to try to win)

He has the cap space. Two of our RFAs we dont need to sign. Laughton and Hartman are not essential to keep. We could replace them with guys from LV. I doubt those 2 woill be signing for less than 1.5 mill
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Yes, just call up guys from LV just like banking on Vorobyov to be your full-time 4C last year. Worked so well in the past.

And I don't know if he has the cap space because I don't know the demands of the RFAs both this year and next.

Future cap-space, expansion considerations, wasting picks, bringing in vets to take minutes from kids, buying out AMac instead of burying him, etc... all the stuff 'Team Negative' has been complaining about.

It's not just about signing 1 guy to a stupid contract. The JVR contract was pretty stupid too, IMO.
- Tomahawk

Welcome to the team. Although it’s often more insanity than negative.