What roadblocks?? Next year the Flyers have only 3 defenseman signed, Provey, Ellis and Sanheim. That means there are 4 defensive slots for younger players to earn. That is the opposite of a roadblock!
- jd250

Seriously? Ellis signed for 5 more years. Atkinson for 4 more. Hayes for how many more. Less draft picks. Cap issues. All adds up to road blocks for the future.

I agree Patrick backfired. But NO ONE, I REPEAT NO ONE thought Makar and Heiskanen were going to be "generational" defensemen. To say otherwise is hindsight and a flat out LIE if you say you thought otherwise.
- MBFlyerfan

That is simply not true! More than half of Hextall's scouts told him to draft a defenseman, but there was not a consensus as to which one. Being from Boston I got to watch him in about 5 games in his last season at UMass and thus I for one can say with 100% honesty that I thought Makar would be the next Orr in the NHL, that is how good he was at UMass. So if I were part of Hextall's staff, I would have yelled at the top of my lungs that Makar was the pick and would have bet your house on it if needed be :-) I also got to talk to several scouts that were at the games and they were all very high on Makar, but the only concern was whether Makar was playing against the best competition. Credit Colorado for looking past that.

Wait, The Flyers traded a 1st, 2nd and Haag. There were no holes created on the roster by getting Risto. When we think of transitional play, its mostly zone entries, and Ellis would have easily filled the void left by Jake in this regard, and did before he got hurt.
- jd250

A defenseman can not fill a void left by moving a forward. If and when Ellis comes back, they still have that issue up front. The Flyers have less prospects for the future by trading Ristolainen. A bottom feeder needs youth and prospects. It weakens their future.

That is simply not true! More than half of Hextall's scouts told him to draft a defenseman, but there was not a consensus as to which one. Being from Boston I got to watch him in about 5 games in his last season at UMass and thus I for one can say with 100% honesty that I thought Makar would be the next Orr in the NHL, that is how good he was at UMass. So if I were part of Hextall's staff, I would have yelled at the top of my lungs that Makar was the pick and would have bet your house on it if needed be :-) I also got to talk to several scouts that were at the games and they were all very high on Makar, but the only concern was whether Makar was playing against the best competition. Credit Colorado for looking past that.
- jd250

Yes it is true. How many scouts were informing Hextall at that draft?

Makar was drafted, what 3rd overall? Of course there were many scouts high on him.

If anyone thought that Makar would turn out as good as he has, he would've hands down been considered the consensus #1 Pick. He wasn't.

8 points in 32 games and a -6, what exactly does Lindblom deserve? He is lucky he is even on the team right now.
- jd250

6 points in the last 7-games, +5

6 points in the last 7-games, +5
- Tomahawk

We have to see how ice time is deployed. If they play the 4th line more, than I think it's about trying to have some balance.

Seriously? Ellis signed for 5 more years. Atkinson for 4 more. Hayes for how many more. Less draft picks. Cap issues. All adds up to road blocks for the future.
- MJL

Wait, next year the Flyers will have $14M + what they save on trading or buying out JVR, to work with. If they do the right thing and trade G and Risto, they will add significantly to their draft pick pool. So not less picks but more picks and a good amount of cap space. That does not sound like a road block to me. Now if they double down as you say then you can say there are road blocks.

Wait, next year the Flyers will have $14M + what they save on trading or buying out JVR, to work with. If they do the right thing and trade G and Risto, they will add significantly to their draft pick pool. So not less picks but more picks and a good amount of cap space. That does not sound like a road block to me. Now if they double down as you say then you can say there are road blocks.
- jd250

They will but again, what will they do with those assets? The roadblock are only mitigated if they do what you want them to do. It remains to be seen. As of now, the reality is how it is. They will still have Atkinson, Hayes and Ellis for 5 more years. If you're not going to rebuild, what was the sense of making those additions? Is it becoming clearer? The Flyers put themselves in that position over years in the Holmgren era and by losing patience. Fletcher and company have just compounded it.

How many years did you want to give him?

What did he already have 4 or 5?
It was clear many of the prospects he sourced were just not at the level he thought. Both gms have been snakebitten from an injury perspective.

.
- Joe Nardone

My idle observation is that it's difficult to get stars (not just good NHL players but stars) in the first round after the first 10 odd picks. Guys picked in the teens for example) have been very heavily scouted, and yet are not in the top tier for a reason. The chances of getting a real star might actually be the same deeper in the draft (later rounds), especially with players who are foreign (under-scouted)/small/have had health issues/

I dunno if Hextall was bad. Throw away NP, which to me was an unlucky aberration, and to me, his record seems like it was about average for where the Flyers picked.

6 points in the last 7-games, +5
- Tomahawk

In 4 of his last 7 games he had 0 points and was a -2, so lets not anoint him as a top line player just yet! Like most players on this team he is model of inconsistency. Also lets see how he does against good teams coming up versus the crap the Flyers have been playing against recently.

Yes it is true. How many scouts were informing Hextall at that draft?

Makar was drafted, what 3rd overall? Of course there were many scouts high on him.

If anyone thought that Makar would turn out as good as he has, he would've hands down been considered the consensus #1 Pick. He wasn't.
- MJL

That goal he scored in OT against Hawks: I was struck with the 360 swivel move he made. He undressed that defender. That was McDavidesque.

In 4 of his last 7 games he had 0 points and was a -2, so lets not anoint him as a top line player just yet! Like most players on this team he is model of inconsistency. Also lets see how he does against good teams coming up versus the crap the Flyers have been playing against recently.
- jd250

The point is not that he is a top line player but that he has been showing signs of improving and becoming more productive. An easy way to put a halt to that is to play him on the 4th line.

That goal he scored in OT against Hawks: I was struck with the 360 swivel move he made. He undressed that defender. That was McDavidesque.
- PT21

It was an all time highlight goal for a defenseman. He is only going to get better. It was a display of elite deception, skating and hands .

My idle observation is that it's difficult to get stars (not just good NHL players but stars) in the first round after the first 10 odd picks. Guys picked in the teens for example) have been very heavily scouted, and yet are not in the top tier for a reason. The chances of getting a real star might actually be the same deeper in the draft (later rounds), especially with players who are foreign (under-scouted)/small/have had health issues/

I dunno if Hextall was bad. Throw away NP, which to me was an unlucky aberration, and to me, his record seems like it was about average for where the Flyers picked.
- PT21

Exactly, but Hextall also was not aggressive in the draft, he picked pretty much were he picked and was content with quantity. I would rather a GM be aggressive and try to move up into the top 10 to get a player they target even if it means they only draft 2 players in a draft. Now you wouldn't do this every year, just years where such players might be available. Now to his credit Hextall did trade back into the 1st round twice to pick up TK and Frost, but these are not star players, they are simply good players and you need at least 2 star players and surround them with good players to seriously contend.

In 4 of his last 7 games he had 0 points and was a -2, so lets not anoint him as a top line player just yet! Like most players on this team he is model of inconsistency. Also lets see how he does against good teams coming up versus the crap the Flyers have been playing against recently.
- jd250

but hes a fourth line player

but hes a fourth line player
- THE BLACK HAND

He has moved up and down the lineup, even played on the first line for a game or two.

Exactly, but Hextall also was not aggressive in the draft, he picked pretty much were he picked and was content with quantity. I would rather a GM be aggressive and try to move up into the top 10 to get a player they target even if it means they only draft 2 players in a draft. Now you wouldn't do this every year, just years where such players might be available. Now to his credit Hextall did trade back into the 1st round twice to pick up TK and Frost, but these are not star players, they are simply good players and you to build a team with at least 2 star players and surround them with good players.
- jd250

Hextall made a deal to move up to draft Konecny and he also made an NHL deal to acquire 2 first round picks for Schenn. Moving up into the top 10 is difficult.

He has moved up and down the lineup, even played on the first line for a game or two.
- jd250

you just said hes nothing but a fourthline player


I honestly think you have early onset dementia

Exactly, but Hextall also was not aggressive in the draft, he picked pretty much were he picked and was content with quantity. I would rather a GM be aggressive and try to move up into the top 10 to get a player they target even if it means they only draft 2 players in a draft. Now you wouldn't do this every year, just years where such players might be available. Now to his credit Hextall did trade back into the 1st round twice to pick up TK and Frost, but these are not star players, they are simply good players and you to build a team with at least 2 star players and surround them with good players.
- jd250

I would too, but we don't roll that way. Never have in the past couple of decades. We give up future for current good players, and we trade like for like, but we don't gamble away now for future high end returns.

That is the essence of the problem.

EDIT: Before anyone pounces on me,I don't believe Richards/Carter trade was due to hockey reasons, at least hockey was not the tipping point.

The lineup they're playing tonight is about trying to find some balance through the lineup and supporting young players as best as possible. Not an indictment on any one player.
- MJL

Yes, they put it together to survive if you will. But you have to find it comical that the $50M man is still the third line center with all these guys out. Hurt or not.

The point is not that he is a top line player but that he has been showing signs of improving and becoming more productive. An easy way to put a halt to that is to play him on the 4th line.
- MJL

But you know where a player starts in the game is not where they end up, especially on this team. By the 2nd period he could very well be playing with G. But there is a reason Lindblom is not penciled in the top 6 game in and game out. Tt may not be obvious to us but clearly its obvious to the coaches that watch him every day.

I would too, but we don't roll that way. Never have in the past couple of decades. We give up future for current good players, and we trade like for like, but we don't gamble away now for future high end returns.

That is the essence of the problem.
- PT21

I don't believe that the Flyers turned down an opportunity to trade into the top 10 in recent history.

Yes, they put it together to survive if you will. But you have to find it comical that the $50M man is still the third line center with all these guys out. Hurt or not.
- ClaudeFather

at the end of the day i imagine he will be near the top of the list in total ice time forward wise

But you know where a player starts in the game is not where they end up, especially on this team. By the 2nd period he could very well be playing with G. But there is a reason Lindblom is not penciled in the top 6 game in and game out. Tt may not be obvious to us but clearly its obvious to the coaches that watch him every day.
- jd250

Well it's obviously because the Flyers top 6 is absolutely stellar. That still does not address the point. Who is the better NHL LW? Bunnaman or Lindblom? Is Brassard a part of the future?

I don't believe that the Flyers turned down an opportunity to trade into the top 10 in recent history.
- MJL

Well your wrong. Very wrong.

https://eu.courierpostonl...de-aaron-ekblad/11581009/