I personally think if anyone was fleeced in this deal with was Poile. What does he have to show for getting rid of one of the best RHS defenseman in the league? The fact that Ellis got hurt this year was a fluke IMO, he will back next year and contributing, at least, I hope he will ...
- jd250

You fail to realize that being free of the troublesome contract and getting the cap relief is as much of an asset in the NHL as a player is.

Brassard just scored for the Oilers 🛢
- THE EVIL WITHIN

I watched the Calgary Edmonton game last night, and I take back any negative comments I have made about JG and his size. JG was awesome in last night's game. Still I don't want Fletcher signing any more long contracts at this point until he figures out what this team is and what his plan will be moving forward.

Watched some of the Denver/MD college hockey game yesterday afternoon. Bobby Brink is the leading goal scorer in college hockey. While his team is headed to the frozen four I wasn't overly impressed with his game yesterday. Just didn't notice him having the puck that much. THIS TEAM NEEDS FORWARDS THAT CAN DRIVE THE PLAY!! Thanks!
- Phillywhiteout

Oh great, sounds like a perfect winger for Frost!

No doubt. It's the result of an organizational philosophy of putting the team in a position where they have to make moves. When in that position, you don't make the best moves. You make the best move you can find right now. It leads to bad decision making. Good GM's are patient and make the right moves over a period of time. I have no doubt that given some healthy and whatever moves they make, the team can be improved. Become a playoff team. Maybe even a team that can get hot and make a run one season. However the odds are unlikely that with the team philosophy that they have, that they'll become a top perennial contending team. More likely that they'll be a team with cap issues and get in a big jam if they are lucky enough to get some young players develop into top players. With their developmental processes. That's what it would take. Luck.
- MJL

Good GMs make a deal to get players like Ryan Ellis, and its ridiculous to hold this season against Ellis of Fletcher. It was a fluke injury, that's all. Couturier had back surgery and missed most of this season, are you going blame Fletcher for signing Couturier to a team friendly 8 year deal, because by your standard Couts is now prone to injury too, right?

Laughton must be in bad shape. Didn’t realize he had a history of concussion.
- Dkos

Yes, and its all Fletcher's fault for extending Laughton at the end of last season. He should have known Laughton was prone to be injured all the time!

Ellis was moved for multiple reasons. He was no longer the player he was in 2017. Ellis got exposed in the playoffs struggling against the Canes forwards. The Preds wanted to get rid of him a 1-2 years early like they did with Weber. They already had two immovable players in RJ and Duchene and they didn’t want another. They believed that they had a younger replacement in Carrier. A salary dump and questionable durability were taken into consideration as well. The return they got was the best they could get.

Good GMs make a deal to get players like Ryan Ellis, and its ridiculous to hold this season against Ellis of Fletcher. It was a fluke injury, that's all. Couturier had back surgery and missed most of this season, are you going blame Fletcher for signing Couturier to a team friendly 8 year deal, because by your standard Couts is now prone to injury too, right?
- jd250

Good GM's don't make a deal for a player like Ellis with an injury history that is a potential cap anchor and misses the amount of games that he has missed. It's not a fluke injury.
Fletcher didn't trade for Couturier. Nor did he have the back injury when the contract was signed.

Coming up with an opinion on why another player was not chosen does not remove the simple fact that another player could've been chosen. The obvious factor was Ellis, his injury history and the term left on his contract.
- MJL

Fletcher should have got the EKHOLM like I said to do last off season, but does he listen to me? NO!

wouldn't be shocked to see Chuck acquire RyJo.....
- hello it's me 2050

Well, look what he got for the 12th (?) overall pick. Imagine what he could get for pick 5-7 plus a couple more seconds....

You fail to realize that being free of the troublesome contract and getting the cap relief is as much of an asset in the NHL as a player is.
- MJL

Sure I realize that, but if I had a choice I would have picked Ellis over cap space any day of the week and twice on Sunday!

Fletcher should have got the EKHOLM like I said to do last off season, but does he listen to me? NO!
- jd250

Was that in your fantasy hockey league?

Sure I realize that, but if I had a choice I would have picked Ellis over cap space any day of the week and twice on Sunday!
- jd250

Your comments are so poorly thought out. It wasn't just cap space. It was the injury risk and the term involved.

Good GM's don't make a deal for a player like Ellis with an injury history that is a potential cap anchor and misses the amount of games that he has missed. It's not a fluke injury.
Fletcher didn't trade for Couturier. Nor did he have the back injury when the contract was signed.
- MJL

Ellis did not have his hip injury when Fletcher traded for him, nor did anything happen to Ellis until the last pre-season game, so why does Couturier get a pass but Ellis does not? Because Ellis had a concussion a few years ago and thumb injury last year? You make no sense here. Fletcher did not have to extend Couturier last offseason just like he didn't have to trade for Ellis. If you are going to lambaste Fletcher for trading for Ellis, you should also lambaste him for signing Couts.

Your comments are so poorly thought out. It wasn't just cap space. It was the injury risk and the term involved.
- MJL

EVERY SINGLE player a team signs to a long contract has a RISK of injury, EVERY SINGLE ONE! Look at Bergeron in Boston, he had multiple concussions and was a HUGE risk for Boston, yet they extended him and he has been healthy ever since.

Was that in your fantasy hockey league?
- MJL

You know more than anyone how much I wanted Fletcher to get Ekholm last off season, but I was happy with Ellis also and I still am looking forward to him playing for the Flyers next season.

Ellis did not have his hip injury when Fletcher traded for him, nor did anything happen to Ellis until the last pre-season game, so why does Couturier get a pass but Ellis does not? Because Ellis had a concussion a few years ago and thumb injury last year? You make no sense here. Fletcher did not have to extend Couturier last offseason just like he didn't have to trade for Ellis. If you are going to lambaste Fletcher for trading for Ellis, you should also lambaste him for signing Couts.
- jd250

Ellis had an injury history and missed plenty of games. Again, Fletcher did not trade for Couturier. Nor did Couturier have the back injury at the time of the signing. Two completely different situations and you failed to consider all of the relevant facts.

EVERY SINGLE player a team signs to a long contract has a RISK of injury, EVERY SINGLE ONE! Look at Bergeron in Boston, he had multiple concussions and was a HUGE risk for Boston, yet they extended him and he has been healthy ever since.
- jd250

Bergeron just came off of the injured list.

You know more than anyone how much I wanted Fletcher to get Ekholm last off season, but I was happy with Ellis also and I still am looking forward to him playing for the Flyers next season.
- jd250

Ekholm was not traded by Nashville. It was just unfounded rumors.

Ellis had an injury history and missed plenty of games. Again, Fletcher did not trade for Couturier. Nor did Couturier have the back injury at the time of the signing. Two completely different situations and you failed to consider all of the relevant facts.
- MJL

Lets look at the facts please. Fact 1: Couturier didn't have a back injury at the time of the extension. Fact 2: Ellis missed games with a concussion a few seasons ago, like a lot of NHL players do! Fact: Ellis had a hand issue that caused him to miss games in the 2020 season. Fact 4: Ellis never had the hip issue he currently has and has never missed an entire season in the NHL. Fact 5: Couturier was extended to a team friendly 8 year deal. Fact 6: Ellis was acquired and was early in an existing team friendly deal.

They have a lot more in common than you think.

Bergeron just came off of the injured list.
- MJL

He did, but over this latest contract he has been extremely heatlhy.

Good GMs make a deal to get players like Ryan Ellis, and its ridiculous to hold this season against Ellis of Fletcher. It was a fluke injury, that's all. Couturier had back surgery and missed most of this season, are you going blame Fletcher for signing Couturier to a team friendly 8 year deal, because by your standard Couts is now prone to injury too, right?
- jd250

As has been stated several times, the injury may have been a fluke, but the fact that he gets injured for an extended period most of the years he's played is not a fluke. Layer that with the fact that he is aging and it is not a good look. And speaking of bad looks Couturier's contact is no bed of roses. They will be paying him until he is 38 and now has a "history" of back issues

Lets look at the facts please. Fact 1: Couturier didn't have a back injury at the time of the extension. Fact 2: Ellis missed games with a concussion a few seasons ago, like a lot of NHL players do! Fact: Ellis had a hand issue that caused him to miss games in the 2020 season. Fact 4: Ellis never had the hip issue he currently has and has never missed an entire season in the NHL. Fact 5: Couturier was extended to a team friendly 8 year deal. Fact 6: Ellis was acquired and was early in an existing team friendly deal.

They have a lot more in common than you think.
- jd250

Ellis contract was a risky contract and a potential long term cap issue. Which is what made him available for the price that he was available for. All due to his injury history and future risk. End of story.

Good GM's don't make a deal for a player like Ellis with an injury history that is a potential cap anchor and misses the amount of games that he has missed. It's not a fluke injury.
Fletcher didn't trade for Couturier. Nor did he have the back injury when the contract was signed.
- MJL

when the trade first happened, you hated it because we gave up youth....meyers "practically a rookie" , you were a big fan of meyers, and thought patrick would still turn out. etc etc... later down the road you changed it to, because ellis is always hurt. no mention of meyers and patrick anymore, weird

My expectations for him are getting lower every week. He does some good things here and there but it doesn’t seem to be clicking at the NHL level for him. For the speed they claim for him he never uses it either. He’s having an extremely difficult time adjusting his game, he needs to find it soon.
- ClaudeFather

He needs a 5 hour energy drink 2 hours before the game. I don’t mind mistakes but they better be mistakes of effort. If he needs to be coached to “ move your legs” that is inexcusable for a 22 year old trying to make it in the NHL. If he isn’t putting in the effort now what will he do once he signs a bigger contract and thinks he has it made.

I want to see hungry players Frost, York, Allison and Ratcliff. This team needs to find out what prospects are keepers.

Watched some of the Denver/MD college hockey game yesterday afternoon. Bobby Brink is the leading goal scorer in college hockey. While his team is headed to the frozen four I wasn't overly impressed with his game yesterday. Just didn't notice him having the puck that much. THIS TEAM NEEDS FORWARDS THAT CAN DRIVE THE PLAY!! Thanks!
- Phillywhiteout