Hextall was 100% justified in his management style. He knew that everything had to be changed and that the country club needed to be locked out to have any chance of moving forward successfully. I commend him for having that approach.
- MJL

He tried to transplant the Kings Stanley Cup winning culture here. Maybe he rushed the process and went a bit authoritarian with it, but it needed to be done. It still needs to be done.

Do you also commend him for having an assistant coach that reported everything said in the locker room to him?

Again, Fletcher is a disaster, but let’s not treat Hextall like he was the second coming of Keith Allen.
- BiggE

4 years Fletcher has been here and the franchise has gone backwards. No other GM in any sport, except in Ottawa, would a GM still have a job.

Fletcher did not get fleeced in the Giroux trade.
- MJL

Candidly, if Tippett continues to step forward, the Flyers will win the 1 for 1 trade as the trade ages a few years

Don't all assistants report the temperature of the players back to the head coach?

Seemed like Murph-gate was just the usual ASF bullpoop.
- Tomahawk

Murphy was going to Hextall behind the coaches back.

Speaking of ASF. Saw the other day someone said a few weeks ago ASF said Torts wasn't the GM's hire. Anyone see or hear any of this at all?

Don't all assistants report the temperature of the players back to the head coach?

Seemed like Murph-gate was just the usual ASF bullpoop.
- Tomahawk

I am not speculating on what actually happened just on what was said.

Yes, I think everyone would assume the assistants report to the head coach and the head coach reports to the GM. Folks would not assume that an assistant would routinely report directly to the GM without the head coach’s knowledge.

What was said is very odd behavior.

No. Just no. Why does someone once a month or so try to blame the Flyers current issues entirely on Hextall who hasn't been here for 4 years. Boredom?

Hextall had his issues and didn't deliver top end talent to the Flyers but Fletcher had plenty to work with and plenty of assets, far from nothing.

Fletcher is just objectively a horrible GM and the Flyers have been horrible at player development for a very long time. That is calling a spade a spade.
- Flyers_01

yup

I am not speculating on what actually happened just on what was said.

Yes, I think everyone would assume the assistants report to the head coach and the head coach reports to the GM. Folks would not assume that an assistant would routinely report directly to the GM without the head coach’s knowledge.

What was said is very odd behavior.
- NC Flyers Fan

Sure, but what's the difference between Murph telling Hak something about a player and Hak then reporting that to Hexy, versus Murph telling Hexy directly, versus Murph mentioning it in a meeting with both Hexy and Hak?

Why does that make him a "spy"? Doesn't that just make him simply a part of the usual chain of info flow?

He tried to transplant the Kings Stanley Cup winning culture here. Maybe he rushed the process and went a bit authoritarian with it, but it needed to be done. It still needs to be done.
- Tomahawk

i wonder what part of Kaspari kapanen screams stanley cup winning culture to him.

(frank)ing muppet.

Sure, but what's the difference between Murph telling Hak something about a player and Hak then reporting that to Hexy, versus Murph telling Hexy directly, versus Murph mentioning it in a meeting with both Hexy and Hak?

Why does that make him a "spy"? Doesn't that just make him simply a part of the usual chain of info flow?
- Tomahawk

It only becomes part of the usual chain if Hak knows it is happening.

Sure, but what's the difference between Murph telling Hak something about a player and Hak then reporting that to Hexy, versus Murph telling Hexy directly, versus Murph mentioning it in a meeting with both Hexy and Hak?

Why does that make him a "spy"? Doesn't that just make him simply a part of the usual chain of info flow?
- Tomahawk

You really do not see the difference? Murphy was going behind the coaches back like a little rat.

You think the coach tells the GM every little thing about a player?

i wonder what part of Kaspari kapanen screams stanley cup winning culture to him.

(frank)ing muppet.
- stayinthefnnet

Future Flyer. I can feel it.

Murphy was going to Hextall behind the coaches back.
- furio16

That's a clickbait way of saying that the assistants had a direct line to the GM regarding the players.

"Behind the coach's back" implies that Murph and Hak were somehow undermining Hak, or that Hak was kept completely out of the loop.

Considering how close Hak and Hexy were, and how much Hexy was standing by Hak, it's probably safe to say that wasn't the case.

We know the beat writers in this town love to stir the pot. Yet we fall for their drama and fabrications almost every time.

Claude Giroux owed NOTHING to the Flyers - NOTHING
- corduroy

And he certainly demonstrated that didn't he!

That's a clickbait way of saying that the assistants had a direct line to the GM regarding the players.

"Behind the coach's back" implies that Murph and Hak were somehow undermining Hak, or that Hak was kept completely out of the loop.

Considering how close Hak and Hexy were, and how much Hexy was standing by Hak, it's probably safe to say that wasn't the case.

We know the beat writers in this town love to stir the pot. Yet we fall for their drama and fabrications almost every time.
- Tomahawk

You think it wasn't the case. ok then.

You think it wasn't the case. ok then.
- furio16

Exactly, it is either you don’t believe what was said or it was indeed odd behavior.

You htink it wasn't the case. ok then.
- furio16

Hexy: Hey Murph, I told the players to stop eating like poop. Let me know if you see any of them backsliding on that kind of stuff.

Murphy: Yeah, I saw TK and Patty sneaking pizza rolls into the Skate Zone the other day.

ASF listening outside the door: SPYYYYY!!!!!

Flyers fans: squealing with delight

He tried to transplant the Kings Stanley Cup winning culture here. Maybe he rushed the process and went a bit authoritarian with it, but it needed to be done. It still needs to be done.
- Tomahawk

Who in the circle thought it was a good idea to sign Sanheim to a eight-year, $50-million contract extension? That might go down as the worst decision yet, right up there with Risto's extension. Honestly I think the player evaluation people are out to lunch, and I think a conflict between them and Tort's is brewing ..

Don't all assistants report the temperature of the players back to the head coach?

Seemed like Murph-gate was just the usual ASF bullpoop.
- Tomahawk

Head coach? Sure. GM? Not so much.

4 years Fletcher has been here and the franchise has gone backwards. No other GM in any sport, except in Ottawa, would a GM still have a job.
- furio16

If it wasn’t a corporately owned team, Fletcher wouldn’t have survived last summer. On ice results and product matter still to some when it’s actually their own skin in the game.

You think it wasn't the case. ok then.
- furio16

Much a do about nothing. If the Flyers were actually winning or even contending under Hextall it’s a non story. Hextall’s plan failed. Full stop. His Replacement has done an even worse job and still is employed. Full stop.

Who in the circle thought it was a good idea to sign Sanheim to a eight-year, $50-million contract extension? That might go down as the worst decision yet, right up there with Risto's extension. Honestly I think the player evaluation people are out to lunch, and I think a conflict between them and Tort's is brewing ..
- jd250

I was talking more about the nutrition, development and fitness kind of stuff lol.

But yeah, Risto and Sanny both got too many years for too much money. Ditto almost all the multi-year deals Chuck signs. But that's a separate critical issue.

Hexy: Hey Murph, I told the players to stop eating like poop. Let me know if you see any of them backsliding on that kind of stuff.

Murphy: Yeah, I saw TK and Patty sneaking pizza rolls into the Skate Zone the other day.

ASF listening outside the door: SPYYYYY!!!!!

Flyers fans: squealing with delight
- Tomahawk

Sounds good. Amazes me Hextall still has defenders when you look at the job he did, or didn't do.

https://www.crossingbroad...iring-of-ron-hextall.html

Always an enjoyable read. Though probably all fabricated yet never any denials from Hextall or his camp. At least that I recall.

Head coach? Sure. GM? Not so much.
- BiggE

So Brad Shaw never talks directly to Fletch about how the players are doing? I find that hard to believe.

And he certainly demonstrated that didn't he!
- jd250

and yet you still DONT UNDERSTAND that he did not owe the team anything

Do you also commend him for having an assistant coach that reported everything said in the locker room to him?

Again, Fletcher is a disaster, but let’s not treat Hextall like he was the second coming of Keith Allen.
- BiggE

I did not care for that. I don't think anyone is comparing him to Keith Allen. While he certainly made mistakes and failed to add any elite talent. He did position the team well for the future and did a decent job in fixing the cap issues and adding NHL talent.