I'm so glad Yandle had a great time last year. Meanwhile, the Flyers left their fan base to suffer through watching one of the worse players in the league when there were plenty of younger options to choose from. But at least Hayes was happy.....

Can this team committ to new gm long term? Assuming they eventually realize full re build needed? Beyond 4 years?

Can this team committ to new gm long term? Assuming they eventually realize full re build needed? Beyond 4 years?
- SMS4016

Maybe Chuck can injure his back. Seems like the best way to get locked up around here.

As I previously posted, my biggest problem with Fletcher is there does not seem to be a plan for this team mid to long term. Being a bubble team that makes the playoffs this year does NOTHING for this team mid to long term, because the team as constituted cannot sustain that level of play or build to a higher level of play. They just don't have the horses on the current roster or in their system to play in today's NHL IMO. The Flyers have nice players but no studs. The Flyers could have obtained a stud player this past offseason but Fletcher's cap management was extremely poor (resigning Risto and signing DeAngelo) and they missed their opportunity. The 2023 draft is a perfect opportunity to obtain the type of player the Flyers need desperately, thus even trying to make the playoffs this season makes absolutely no sense! The right play is play out the season giving Torts a year to establish his system, trade as much as you can at this year's deadline and get into the top 5 of the 2023 draft. But Fletcher seems to be completely unwilling to do this, though he may not have a choice given the injuries to Ellis and Couturier. So the Flyers are capped out and cannot currently take advantage of potential free agents or trades, and they don't seem to want to tank for Bedard or one of the stud players available in 2023. So what is the plan? That is why I have no faith in Fletcher any longer.
- jd250

I know I have mentioned this before, but I don't see them as directionless as you do re: plan. I think they genuinely believed they were ready to take the next step when they got Hayes and Nisky. Now, they genuinely believe they are not.

But frank admissions of failure/mistakes are very unusual in public life. As such, it will be 2 steps forward (towards rebuild) 1 step back (towards claiming "2-3 pieces away").

I know I have mentioned this before, but I don't see them as directionless as you do re: plan. I think they genuinely believed they were ready to take the next step when they got Hayes and Nisky. Now, they genuinely believe they are not.

But frank admissions of failure/mistakes are very unusual in public life. As such, it will be 2 steps forward (towards rebuild) 1 step back (towards claiming "2-3 pieces away").
- PT21

Which is why you save face by not saying anything definitively and you equivocate.

That's my word of the day "which"

I'm so glad Yandle had a great time last year. Meanwhile, the Flyers left their fan base to suffer through watching one of the worse players in the league when there were plenty of younger options to choose from. But at least Hayes was happy.....
- mr4tno

Two separate issues. Yandle the player was clearly done as an NHL and was a liability the final two seasons of his career on the ice. That was painful to watch on several fronts. But Yandle the human being is tremendous and universally liked and respected leaguewide.

Two separate issues. Yandle the player was clearly done as an NHL and was a liability the final two seasons of his career on the ice. That was painful to watch on several fronts. But Yandle the human being is tremendous and universally liked and respected leaguewide.
- bmeltzer

You just said he had no business being on a roster the last 2 years of his career.

Full stop. I know lots of people that are well liked. They don't get gifted an NHL roster spot & a couple million dollars for it though.

Every time they do a plan for treatment, it seems it fails.

1. Couts:
a. first injury in the region (last year): Try to play through it: Fail
b. Try non-surgical treatments: Fail
c. Surgery almost 3 months after being shut down, recovery 3 months, should be fully ready for training camp: Fail (likely fail, given the re-injury in the same area)
d. Now, back to trying non-surgical treatments (And I am pretty sure that will fail, given the specificity of ASF's story).

2. Hayes:
a. Surgery May 2021. Declared fit. Fail
b. Surgery again in 2021. Declared fit. Plays for a long time looking horrible. Fail
c. Surgery again in 2022 in the same area. Lets see if it withstands the season.

I am not even mentioning Ellis, and before that, NP.
- PT21

To be specific, the "surgery" Hayes had in 2022 was draining of fluid, not a procedure like the ones he had done in 2021.

https://theathletic.com/n...id-near-hip/i4sLNCl47jj2/

Dreamer's Night.
Undocumented Worker Night.
Asylum Seeker Night.

"You may not know what is going on on the ice, but neither does our front office."
- hockeylover

Goofy racist comment, and you run with it. Dork.

I can't blame the team too much for the Maroon situation, but the Sharp trade was one of the worst NHL trades of the past 20 years. I wonder if Clarke overruled any scouts when he decided to move Sharp for Matt Ellison.

https://www.capfriendly.com/players/matt-ellison
- Feanor

The trade was a request from Sharp and his agent, it's been covered multiple times. Confirmed by Sharpe himself. The return was horrible, but the trade wasn't a Clarke toilet thought. It probably wasn't thought out well, but no one could have guessed the end result.

To be specific, the "surgery" Hayes had in 2022 was draining of fluid, not a procedure like the ones he had done in 2021.

https://theathletic.com/n...id-near-hip/i4sLNCl47jj2/
- Feanor

Right, right, I am aware. But I was not really commenting on the nature of any medical intervention, merely that such intervention was always a deviation from previous plan. And that there were so many of such deviations.

Two separate issues. Yandle the player was clearly done as an NHL and was a liability the final two seasons of his career on the ice. That was painful to watch on several fronts. But Yandle the human being is tremendous and universally liked and respected leaguewide.
- bmeltzer

I lost some respect when he made a farce out of the Ironman streak to the detriment of the team and it’s fans. I’m glad Kessel who is still at least a marginally productive player, will break the record shortly.

I lost some respect when he made a farce out of the Ironman streak to the detriment of the team and it’s fans. I’m glad Kessel who is still at least a marginally productive player, will break the record shortly.
- Djapana

Yep, exactly.

He was a cross to bear for the fans and the team.

But Bill liked him, and other players did too.

Every time they do a plan for treatment, it seems it fails.

1. Couts:
a. first injury in the region (last year): Try to play through it: Fail
b. Try non-surgical treatments: Fail
c. Surgery almost 3 months after being shut down, recovery 3 months, should be fully ready for training camp: Fail (likely fail, given the re-injury in the same area)
d. Now, back to trying non-surgical treatments (And I am pretty sure that will fail, given the specificity of ASF's story).

2. Hayes:
a. Surgery May 2021. Declared fit. Fail
b. Surgery again in 2021. Declared fit. Plays for a long time looking horrible. Fail
c. Surgery again in 2022 in the same area. Lets see if it withstands the season.

I am not even mentioning Ellis, and before that, NP.
- PT21

Why did you leave Ellis out?

Yep, exactly.

He was across the bear for the fans and the team.

But Bill liked him, and other players did too.
- DrMidnite

I really think sometimes the players and the media need to be reminded that fans are paying decent money to watch this crap. The least the team can do is field the best available players to either win now or possibly gain experience to win in the future. Nobody was paying to see a burned out -47 player night after night because he is “universally liked”.

I really think sometimes the players and the media need to be reminded that fans are paying decent money to watch this crap. The least the team can do is field the best available players to either win now or possibly gain experience to win in the future. Nobody was paying to see a burned out -47 player night after night because he is “universally liked”.
- Djapana

Yup. The front office and their in house media seem to forget that/take it for granted. Let’s not forget how empty Sixers and Phils games have got in the past when the fanbases finally had enough and tuned them out. Flyers are going to find that out soon enough here.

I really think sometimes the players and the media need to be reminded that fans are paying decent money to watch this crap. The least the team can do is field the best available players to either win now or possibly gain experience to win in the future. Nobody was paying to see a burned out -47 player night after night because he is “universally liked”.
- Djapana

The post and comment are bizarre.

The likability thing is still lost on me. Was that meant to serve to save the other players from the misery of the season? If he couldn't play, did the team not know that? Did they only learn when they broke his streak?

Glue guys can't waste roster spots on crap teams. There's opportunity cost in not playing younger guys.

I really think sometimes the players and the media need to be reminded that fans are paying decent money to watch this crap. The least the team can do is field the best available players to either win now or possibly gain experience to win in the future. Nobody was paying to see a burned out -47 player night after night because he is “universally liked”.
- Djapana

The post and comment are bizarre.

The likability thing is still lost on me. Was that meant to serve to save the other players from the misery of the season? If he couldn't play, did the team not know that? Did they only learn when they broke his streak?

Glue guys can't waste roster spots on crap teams. There's opportunity cost in not playing younger guys.
- DrMidnite

Bill pretty clearly differentiated the hockey aspect and the personal aspect in the blog, and in the post.

You guys are drawing inferences across that boundary that are clearly not intended from either.

Why did you leave Ellis out?
- rayc16

Off the top of my head, I don't remember specific treatments and timeline of narratives about him. It is all a murky morass. I do with the other 2.

Bill pretty clearly differentiated the hockey aspect and the personal aspect in the blog, and in the post.

You guys are drawing inferences across that boundary that are clearly not intended from either.
- PT21

I disagree. If Yandle didn’t play every game because everyone “liked him”, please tell me why he was in the lineup. I certainly think there is a direct connection.

I disagree. If Yandle didn’t play every game because everyone “liked him”, please tell me why he was in the lineup. I certainly think there is a direct connection.
- Djapana

Tradition? Tomahawk has provided several instances of past such occurrences.

Two separate issues. Yandle the player was clearly done as an NHL and was a liability the final two seasons of his career on the ice. That was painful to watch on several fronts. But Yandle the human being is tremendous and universally liked and respected leaguewide.
- bmeltzer

Would be nice for the Flyers to focus on performance, and less on nonsense like who is likeable, or has been a good soldier for the team. This isn’t the make a wish foundation, or a retirement home.

Did you see that Jim just got a nice role as a senior advisor?

Country club lives on.

Every time they do a plan for treatment, it seems it fails.

1. Couts:
a. first injury in the region (last year): Try to play through it: Fail
b. Try non-surgical treatments: Fail
c. Surgery almost 3 months after being shut down, recovery 3 months, should be fully ready for training camp: Fail (likely fail, given the re-injury in the same area)
d. Now, back to trying non-surgical treatments (And I am pretty sure that will fail, given the specificity of ASF's story).

2. Hayes:
a. Surgery May 2021. Declared fit. Fail
b. Surgery again in 2021. Declared fit. Plays for a long time looking horrible. Fail
c. Surgery again in 2022 in the same area. Lets see if it withstands the season.

I am not even mentioning Ellis, and before that, NP.
- PT21

Nolan Patrick could be in the same boat as Sam Morin soon. 😔

Would be nice for the Flyers to focus on performance, and less on nonsense like who is likeable, or has been a good soldier for the team. This isn’t the make a wish foundation, or a retirement home.

Did you see that Jim just got a nice role as a senior advisor?

Country club lives on.
- FlyerFan3260

Don't you think your definition of focus is ...hocus pocus?

Goofy racist comment, and you run with it. Dork.
- Flyerz74

No wonder comedy is dead in this country.
I thought it was a job well done replying.