TB has only 2 players that they drafted in the first round since 2011 currently in their organization. Vasilevskiy and Cal Foote. Flyers currently have 13.

Two different ways to build a winner I guess.
- Djapana

I would like to try and offer my take on TB's team building strategy, all casual observations, and point 3-5 below might be particularly interesting to us Flyers fans (many of whom seem to think that level of hockey success is largely luck )

1. First, imo, it is a lot easier to draft/trade for complementary players, even important complementary players, when you have a core of exceptional players to build around. Vas and Hedman speak for themselves. Stamkos played 1 shift playoffs last year and to my eye, sucked mightily on ES in the last 10 odd games in the playoffs. But he set a standard of excellence for the club during the transitional years, and he seems to be really respected in the locker room. Hedman in particular seems to look upon him as an inspirational big brother.

2. Secondary drafting: Point, Kucherov, Cirelli etc. Enuff said.

3. Management ruthlessness and demand for excellence across different ownership groups. They have let a number of players who were not just excellent players once, but part of franchise royalty leave/buy-out under often acrimonious circumstances. Dan Boye, St. Louis, Lecavalier. None of these players were dregs when they departed. St Louis/Lecav were just 2-3 years removed from a very good playoff run.

4. Risk taking and clear-sightedness. Steve Downie was a good player for them, not just on scoresheet, but also 2 way play and physicality. He made Team Canada for WC. They were just 2 year removed from a trip to SC finals when he was traded for a player who was again immediately traded for a first. That first turned out to be Vasilevsky. It was ballsy to draft a highly rated but not projected superstar goalie in the first instead of trade it for a more impact player and milk out one more playoff run from the vets.

5. Admitting mistakes and moving on: They made a clear decision that one set of core players were not part of the future while still pretty good. Further, a large number of trades/drafts did not work out for the guys (Callahan/Drouin/Malone), many from Flyers (Nitty, Carle, Coburn), but the set of complementary players kept changing/altering until they finally found the right team formula. Its amazing that they can get rid of 2 vets in their D (Bogosian/Shattenkirk) and replace them with Savard/Rutta and actually improve. I think this approach is easier to do when #1 is there.

In summary, Tampa seems to have set a standard that they want the cup or at least try. They didn't have an expectation that they want to be contenders. They wanted to be champs. Everything that came in the way was discarded. Going forward, I hope they can rid Stamkos, and keep McDonagh.

One on-ice issue with DeAngelo is that he is a bottom-six forward cosplaying as a defenseman. His defensive game is weak and he's a power play specialist at best. He needs protected minutes. Put him against top opposition and he will get burned every time. He's not a solution to the Flyers' perceived defensive issues. And the other baggage he brings off-ice doesn't add to his allure. I would pass on him unless he signs for league minimum.
- GalacticStone

GS, hello.

I trust the cancer caused by Pulock's block of McDonagh's shot has been cured. Congrats.

I like DeAngelo as a good player that will probably sign for a bargain price. I don’t see the Flyers in that picture mainly because Comcast is a Woke corporation that will not choose to inherit any unnecessary controversy.
- Djapana

There is no such thing as a woke corporation. A corporation has no soul to save and no ass to kick beyond the balance sheet.

In DeAngelo's case, I don't give a crap what goes on in his head/heart provided it stays there. The fact that he has allowed things to get to this level, with repeated issues, provides pretty good evidence that he is either a hothead or a moron or both and that this is not curable.

Even if he plays well, the fuse might go off at any time. He would be a poor investment and it is not wokeness that suggests this but basic business common sense.

My main Dykhuis memory is his (hitting a 4-bounce ground ball that the SS booted for an error)... chem, I mean flipping a bouncing shot from the point that Hasek somehow dove underneath of to score the GWG in OT of the Flyers first playoff game in 1995.

OG sighting… 🤣
- mayorofangrytown

Jesus, it's been like years since I actually had to sit down and watch ESPN -- back when Bucci was clean-shaven and Levy had a head of dark hair.

Hextall calling games regularly should be cool.

Edit: Also happy that Seravalli isn't part of their studio team.
- Tomahawk

The only NBCSN employee I see here is Boucher. Is Keith Jones, Patrick Sharp, Edzo and the rest of that crew going to TNT?

I would like to try and offer my take on TB's team building strategy, all casual observations, and point 3-5 below might be particularly interesting to us Flyers fans (many of whom seem to think that level of hockey success is largely luck )

1. First, imo, it is a lot easier to draft/trade for complementary players, even important complementary players, when you have a core of exceptional players to build around. Vas and Hedman speak for themselves. Stamkos played 1 shift playoffs last year and to my eye, sucked mightily on ES in the last 10 odd games in the playoffs. But he set a standard of excellence for the club during the transitional years, and he seems to be really respected in the locker room. Hedman in particular seems to look upon him as an inspirational big brother.

2. Secondary drafting: Point, Kucherov, Cirelli etc. Enuff said.

3. Management ruthlessness and demand for excellence across different ownership groups. They have let a number of players who were not just excellent players once, but part of franchise royalty leave/buy-out under often acrimonious circumstances. Dan Boye, St. Louis, Lecavalier. None of these players were dregs when they departed. St Louis/Lecav were just 2-3 years removed from a very good playoff run.

4. Risk taking and clear-sightedness. Steve Downie was a good player for them, not just on scoresheet, but also 2 way play and physicality. He made Team Canada for WC. They were just 2 year removed from a trip to SC finals when he was traded for a player who was again immediately traded for a first. That first turned out to be Vasilevsky. It was ballsy to draft a highly rated but not projected superstar goalie in the first instead of trade it for a more impact player and milk out one more playoff run from the vets.

5. Admitting mistakes and moving on: They made a clear decision that one set of core players were not part of the future while still pretty good. Further, a large number of trades/drafts did not work out for the guys (Callahan/Drouin/Malone), many from Flyers (Nitty, Carle, Coburn), but the set of complementary players kept changing/altering until they finally found the right team formula. Its amazing that they can get rid of 2 vets in their D (Bogosian/Shattenkirk) and replace them with Savard/Rutta and actually improve. I think this approach is easier to do when #1 is there.

In summary, Tampa seems to have set a standard that they want the cup or at least try. They didn't have an expectation that they want to be contenders. They wanted to be champs. Everything that came in the way was discarded. Going forward, I hope they can rid Stamkos, and keep McDonagh.
- PT21

Secondary drafting home runs are essentially good luck in post draft development. Players add strength or explosiveness, overcome earlier injury histories, etc. It's not clairvoyance.

Coburn worked out fine for Tampa.

The only NBCSN employee I see here is Boucher. Is Keith Jones, Patrick Sharp, Edzo and the rest of that crew going to TNT?
- PLindbergh31

AJ Mleczko is also from NBC so as of now it appears those 3 aren't moving over to ESPN.

Weirdos
- Tomahawk

Come on man… we all had that 1 cousin

Come on man… we all had that 1 cousin
- Stayin alive

Get in there you hillbilly.

Secondary drafting home runs are essentially good luck in post draft development. Players add strength or explosiveness, overcome earlier injury histories, etc. It's not clairvoyance.
- bmeltzer

The definition of luck is the occurrence of an unlikely event. But how often does the same organization end up getting lucky?

Palat. Killorn. Johnson. Cirelli. Kucherov. Point. The exchange of Drouin for Sergachev. The drafting of Vasilevsky at #19 when a redraft of 2012 I looked at recently said he would go #1 (thus beating out that future HOFer Yakupov).

I find the evidence for luck somewhat unconvincing, Bill. You know more about this than I do, but based on my experience, Lady Luck rarely visits the same house so often in so short a period of time.

Get in there you hillbilly.
- Tomahawk

Seems like he did.

3 cups for ex-flyer maroon

There is no such thing as a woke corporation. A corporation has no soul to save and no ass to kick beyond the balance sheet.

In DeAngelo's case, I don't give a crap what goes on in his head/heart provided it stays there. The fact that he has allowed things to get to this level, with repeated issues, provides pretty good evidence that he is either a hothead or a moron or both and that this is not curable.

Even if he plays well, the fuse might go off at any time. He would be a poor investment and it is not wokeness that suggests this but basic business common sense.
- PT21

reward > risk. Fact.

If it doesn't work you cut him. Simple as that.

Yes there is a such thing as a woke corporation.

The definition of luck is the occurrence of an unlikely event. But how often does the same organization end up getting lucky?

Palat. Killorn. Johnson. Cirelli. Kucherov. Point. The exchange of Drouin for Sergachev. The drafting of Vasilevsky at #19 when a redraft of 2012 I looked at recently said he would go #1 (thus beating out that future HOFer Yakupov).

I find the evidence for luck somewhat unconvincing, Bill. You know more about this than I do, but based on my experience, Lady Luck rarely visits the same house so often in so short a period of time.
- PT21

Finding future NHL players beyond the first round is good drafting. Finding future major impact players beyond round 1 is largely good fortune.

Example: Tampa took Dominik Masin and Johnathan MacLeod ahead of Point in 2014 (after DeAngelo in Rd 1). That wasn't some brilliant drafting strategy. It was good fortune on the outcome.

Seems like he did.
- PT21

Seems like he did.
- PT21

I did.

- aightwebang17

thank you, lots of unemployed NBC folks.

https://illinoisnewstoday...-broadcast-roster/284728/


I also read they have been in talks with Gary Thorne's agent.
- MBFlyerfan

that would be good

Finding future NHL players beyond the first round is good drafting. Finding future major impact players beyond round 1 is largely good fortune.

Example: Tampa took Dominik Masin and Johnathan MacLeod ahead of Point in 2014 (after DeAngelo in Rd 1). That wasn't some brilliant drafting strategy. It was good fortune on the outcome.
- bmeltzer

Bet the draft position of those players would be different if draft age raised.

Bet the draft position of those players would be different if draft age raised.
- Stayin alive

Certainly.

reward > risk. Fact.

If it doesn't work you cut him. Simple as that.

Yes there is a such thing as a woke corporation.
- hello it's me 2050

Not quite. He plays on a low salary, say, for a year/two. That is meaningless for us, as we are not contenders in that span.

Lets say he plays well. You give him the longer larger deal when he could go off after a year? Cut him how?

Corporations are woke in the same way cans of coke are woke. If there is a woke emblem there, it is because it makes business sense. If it stops making sense, it won't be there.

I did.
- Stayin alive

I guess we will just call you Al

Not quite. He plays on a low salary, say, for a year/two. That is meaningless for us, as we are not contenders in that span.

Lets say he plays well. You give him the longer larger deal when he could go off after a year? Cut him how?

Corporations are woke in the same way cans of coke are woke. If there is a woke emblem there, it is because it makes business sense. If it stops making sense, it won't be there.
- PT21

Yes quite simple as that. Not meaningless.

There are other scenarios if he plays well. Don't just look at one. Cut him how? You waive him.

So as i said there are woke corporations.

Yes quite simple as that. Not meaningless.

There are other scenarios if he plays well. Don't just look at one. Cut him how? You waive him.

So as i said there are woke corporations.
- hello it's me 2050

There are no other scenarios. That risk will always be there even if he has behaved in the interim, (as he likely will, because he knows if he doesn't his NHL career is over otherwise). DeAngelo will be 26 this year, not 16.

And waive him? We would have to bolt the door from being overrun by suitors looking to pick up a guy on a long term deal on his nth flameout, right?

And thanks for straightening me out about corporations. As a professional economist flitting between academia and corporate life for decades, I am grateful for the piercing insight.