Just as I said, the Flyers need to take a step in the right direction. First and foremost I want to see Fletcher exercise patience this off season and not make any crazy moves, unless a trade presents itself that is just too good to pass up. No big free agent signings! Second I want the team to show up every single game this year and play hard, with more structure and with more discipline. Third, I want to see a few young players develop into NHL regulars. This to me constitutes getting it right this coming season. If the Flyers miss the playoffs all the better, since they get another high pick in a deep draft. As Fletcher stated, the best way to accumulate top end talent is through the draft.
- jd250

A step in the right direction can be form being the 4th worst to the 7th worst. A step in the right directions leaves it open to interpretation.

Could care less what he says. All that matters is what he does.

Bill, with all due respect…what is your logic for the Flyers hanging on to Lindblom? Great kid who went through a lot, for sure, but at the end of the day he’s just a very average player, imo. He really doesn’t (like so many other current roster players) add any special skill set to the team. He’s a non-factor in games.

Actually, I think Makar stepped onto NHL ice with CO right out of the NCAA tournament from UMASS Lowell. I think he scored in his first game with CO, as well, and never saw an ice sheet in the AHL. So, the development issue with him is not exactly correct.

That said, I agree with the general assessment of Flyers being a dumpster fire for the past 10+ years when it comes to developing talent.
- Letterkenney

You are correct, he stepped in for Colorado during their playoff run and was a mainstay on their roster from then on.....

But in terms of development, I'm not speaking strictly about being relegated to grow his game in the AHL. The roster that Colorado has plays a huge part in his development, supporting/allowing him to use those skills that he has and develop into a Norris winner in the span of 3 years. They were/are a team on the upswing, the polar opposite of Philadelphia. If you inserted Makar into this lineup here for the last two seasons, does he develop into the Norris winner already, or is his growth as a player stunted given the issues with this organization?

Look what has happened with Provorov, Ghost etc....They had astounding first years here as a pro, and then what happened? Same thing with Sanheim....They are not being put into positions to help them succeed and grow/develop as players, rather this team is trying to find damaged goods to surround them with and shoehorn them/their games all into a specific type of player....

Bill, with a due respect…what is your logic for the Flyers hanging on to Lindblom? Great kid who went through a lot, for sure, but at the end of the day he’s just a very average player, imo. He really doesn’t (like so many other current roster players) add any special skill set to the team. He’s a non-factor in games.
- BroadSTmayhem

I agree with you.

I liked his contract extension initially, hoping he could return to what he looked like the season he was sidelined with cancer. But I don't think that will ever happen and i don't think there are any trade partners for him even with this being the last year of his contract.

Who's this Mackar guy everyone keeps talking about? Saw he won the Kahn Smith last night. Must be pretty good, eh?

You are correct, he stepped in for Colorado during their playoff run and was a mainstay on their roster from then on.....

But in terms of development, I'm not speaking strictly about being relegated to grow his game in the AHL. The roster that Colorado has plays a huge part in his development, supporting/allowing him to use those skills that he has and develop into a Norris winner in the span of 3 years. They were/are a team on the upswing, the polar opposite of Philadelphia. If you inserted Makar into this lineup here for the last two seasons, does he develop into the Norris winner already, or is his growth as a player stunted given the issues with this organization?

Look what has happened with Provorov, Ghost etc....They had astounding first years here as a pro, and then what happened? Same thing with Sanheim....They are not being put into positions to help them succeed and grow/develop as players, rather this team is trying to find damaged goods to surround them with and shoehorn them/their games all into a specific type of player....
- Flyerfan2868

I have no argument with what you said here. Flyers are legendary for ruining talented hockey players, at least for the past 10 years, that is. I hope that changes under Torts, but I don't have a lot of faith in CF these days. For that matter, it's fair to say the same about Hextall and his unique ability to draft players made of crystal. So far, his drafted prospect pool has turned out to be the "War & Peace" of prospect injury reports.

I disagree with Bill’s assessment of wait and see. There’s no time like the present to start rebuilding this thing through the draft. #tradepeople

apparently faced with no more hockey, everyone on edge today

Here’s hoping for the most disastrous Flyer season ever and the NHL doing the flyers right for a change.

Colorado's process took 13 years between their initial decision to rebuild (with Matt Duchene as the initial player they were going to build around), 11 years since drafting Landeskog second overall. nine years since drafting MacKinnon first overall and seven years since drafing Rantanen in the top 10. Even then, they had to strike gold five years ago in drafting a Junior A defenseman fourth overall. It took missing the playoffs seven times and exiting in the first round three times before they started to closer.

That's fine. They are now the Stanley Cup champions. But let's not pretend that it didn't take a very long time with a whole lot of pain even after they had their forward nucleus in place.
- bmeltzer

That's really the point. The Flyers better get to it. I personally would prefer to take on a whole lot of pain with a payoff at the end. Versus a whole lot of pain with no payoff.

I disagree with Bill’s assessment of wait and see. There’s no time like the present to start rebuilding this thing through the draft. #tradepeople
- DraftandDestroy

Would you go as far as to say, draft and destroy?

Man, I wish they drafted Makar. Tough to be a GM with a primary focus of building via the draft only to lose the next Bobby Orr out of pure stubbornness.

I just really wish they drafted Makar..
- Joe Nardone

What pure stubbornness?

Had hexy listened to those who advocated for Fletcher we would have Makar right now so..
- Joe Nardone

You're badly confused. The scouts didn't have anything to do with hiring Fletcher

Please consider the source of where that info came from.

The same Flyer scouts who have continued to keep their jobs year after year, while doing exactly what to bring in a higher tier of player into this franchise?

I shout about needing to rebuild but how many times have the Flyers heralded scouts really found gold outside of picking top 20? Enough times to maybe reconsider why someone like Dave Brown is still getting paid one would think.

Perhaps Clarke should cry about why they are still employed, instead of pointing at Hextall.
- FlyerFan3260

Dave Brown is a pro scout. Not an amateur talent scout.

What pure stubbornness?

- MJL

lol you know...the reason

Not true! At least this Flyers fan was not happy! Patrick was coming off an injured season, and I for one don't draft injured players. I am not going to say that I wanted Makar because that would be a lie. I didn't see Makar play at UMass until after he was drafted, but I knew right then he was going to be special in this league. At the time I thought Hextall and his staff where good at the draft and trusted they made the right decision. However over time it became clear that Hextall was in fact not as good at drafting and developing as I thought he was.
- jd250

Not only don't you draft injured players. You don't draft any players.


It was well established that Patrick's pre draft injuries were not going to be an issue coming into the draft.

Bill, with all due respect…what is your logic for the Flyers hanging on to Lindblom? Great kid who went through a lot, for sure, but at the end of the day he’s just a very average player, imo. He really doesn’t (like so many other current roster players) add any special skill set to the team. He’s a non-factor in games.
- BroadSTmayhem

That's simply not accurate. Lindblom is a strong two way forward who can score. He's hard on the forecheck and plays well away from the puck. If he stays, he is a player that Tortorella is going to love. The argument for trading Lindblom is to clear cap space and roster space for younger players.

lol you know...the reason
- Scoob

I do. It's amazing how many through their own ignorance that think that a GM's job is just to listen and do what the scouts think. The GM's job is to take in all the information and then make a final decision.

If anyone wants to repost their pro-Makar opinions from 2017, 2018 and 2019 then they should do that. Otherwise, they need to STFU.
- Feanor

Our buddy NAK bent the cup in all of his excitement last night…
- ShadowsX42

2mins for roughing the Cup.

Flyers fans: (frank)ing NAK and his stupid penalties

Rubtsov was just a bad pick plain and simple. I don’t understand why some people just can’t state the obvious. It does happen sometimes.

I do. It's amazing how many through their own ignorance that think that a GM's job is just to listen and do what the scouts think. The GM's job is to take in all the information and then make a final decision.
- MJL

Tell em Cliff. How has Ronald's drafts with the Pens look so far?

Much like your dad, always the smartest man in the room.

Dave Brown is a pro scout. Not an amateur talent scout.
- MJL

Solid catch. Who is the head of amateur scouting?

Solid catch. Who is the head of amateur scouting?
- FlyerFan3260

Glen Cochrane

Solid catch. Who is the head of amateur scouting?
- FlyerFan3260

Brent Flahr, the assistant GM