I think you have to go all the way back to 2008, Detroit Red Wings, to find a team thats won the Stanley Cup without a top three draft pick. Yes it’s important to draft well but drafting top talent is also pretty important.

2022 Colorado - MacKinnon#1, Landeskog#2 (Makar#4, Johnson#1, Byram#4)
2021/2020 Tampa - Stamkos#1, Hedman#2
2019 St. Louis - Boumeester#3 (Pietriangelo#4, Schenn#5)
2018 Washington - OV#1 (Backstrom#4)
2017/2016 Pittsburgh - Cindy#1, Malkin#2, Fleury#1 (Kessel#5)
2015 Chicago - Kane#1, Toews#3
2014 Los Angeles - Doughty#2
2013 Chicago - Kane#1, Toews#3
2012 Los Angeles - Doughty#2, Jack Johnson#3 (Kopitar, Richards, Carter, Brown)
2011 Boston - Horton#3, Seguin#2
2010 Chicago - Kane#1, Toews#3
2009 Pittsburgh Cindy#1, Malkin#2, Fleury#1
- Dave21Brown

2011. Horton and Seguin had minimal impact on the Bruins winning the cup.

There’s ups and downs and then there’s how he looked in pre season. You still have to earn your spot. Growing pains are part of the game but sometimes it’s best to let a player, especially a young Dman, go and get his game together.
- ClaudeFather

As I stated previously, the 30 games he played the season before should've been a part of earning his spot. He could get his game together at the NHL level. He's better than a number of current Flyers defenseman.

2011. Horton and Seguin had minimal impact on the Bruins winning the cup.
- rayc16

Horton was top 10 in playoff scoring that year.

As I stated previously, the 30 games he played the season before should've been a part of earning his spot. He could get his game together at the NHL level. He's better than a number of current Flyers defenseman.
- MJL

I agree that he is better thsnk sple Dmen but will the coach put him in the line0 up and give him big minutes? And if not, how fast can he earn those minutes?
If he played more in the AHL and played important minutes down there then I am not against him being there for a small chunk of games.
He is definitely NHL ready but I want to see him get/earn/handle big minutes on the flyers. If Torts wouldn't play him those big minutes then they did what is best for York's development, imo
Now hopefully he stays up and earns his spot and never looks back

I agree that he is better thsnk sple Dmen but will the coach put him in the line0 up and give him big minutes? And if not, how fast can he earn those minutes?
If he played more in the AHL and played important minutes down there then I am not against him being there for a small chunk of games.
He is definitely NHL ready but I want to see him get/earn/handle big minutes on the flyers. If Torts wouldn't play him those big minutes then they did what is best for York's development, imo
Now hopefully he stays up and earns his spot and never looks back
- Bob Habib

That's the issue, isn't it? The coach would rather play vets with no upside. The coach should be mandated to prioritize the future.

I know a big thing in politics happened today with the trading of prisoners. However, let's steer clear of political talk on the boards. It never bodes well for discussion as it's so polarizing.

To each their own

I don't think that spending more time in the AHL is going to hurt his future, but it was not the right move in my opinion. He showed he could play in the NHL last year. They should have started him in the NHL despite his subpar pre-season. If he continued to play poorly, they then could've sent him down. You have to move your players forward. He's a #1 pick and talent.
- MJL

So you’re going to spend the year whining about Torts not making certain players accountable but when he holds a player you like to that standard it’s “not the right move”? Just want to be clear..

I didn’t realize you ran training camp this year, you must have seen a lot that the rest of us didn’t.

I have been reading these posts and I want to add this about Jay Obrian.Last year the flyers where ready to sign him but he was injured and he went back to college.he will probably sign with the Flyers this year when his NCAA elegibility is up. The one that disturbs me is that the Flyers have already 50 contracts and are maxed out at that.

I have been reading these posts and I want to add this about Jay Obrian.Last year the flyers where ready to sign him but he was injured and he went back to college.he will probably sign with the Flyers this year when his NCAA elegibility is up. The one that disturbs me is that the Flyers have already 50 contracts and are maxed out at that.
- jimbass1

Just a quick glance, the Flyers have at least 6 contracts that aren't likely to be renewed.

Sharks and Canucks go to OT and give me my 3 point game that I asked for.

The more points those other bottom feeders get the better our draft pick could be!
Oh happy day!

So, on a team with many disappointments who is the most disappointing player to you overall? I'll go first since I am the one broaching the subject. My guy is non other than Ivan Provorov. I really thought he would be a defensive stalwart on this team for a decade and possibly be in the hunt for a Norris trophy at some point. The regression is mind boggling. I really wonder what happened along the way.

Ivan Provorov is a player that if he was traded to a better team. Fans would be wondering why he wasn't as good as a Flyer as he is with the new team. He was, he just lacked the support around him and had to play as the #1 since he was 19 on mostly bad teams.

Horton was top 10 in playoff scoring that year.
- MJL

yeah, my bad.

He did miss most of the cup finals I believe.

Ivan Provorov is a player that if he was traded to a better team. Fans would be wondering why he wasn't as good as a Flyer as he is with the new team. He was, he just lacked the support around him and had to play as the #1 since he was 19 on mostly bad teams.
- MJL

Just disappointing that he can't be THE GUY. I thought he would be a true #1 defender. It seems that he has to be the 1B and if he doesn't have the right partner he just can't get it done. A few years back I honestly thought he could win a Norris at some point.

Just disappointing that he can't be THE GUY. I thought he would be a true #1 defender. It seems that he has to be the 1B and if he doesn't have the right partner he just can't get it done. A few years back I honestly thought he could win a Norris at some point.
- Phillywhiteout

Who's 1A?

Who's 1A?
- rayc16

There is no 1A and that's the problem. I mean, he played well when paired with Niskanen. That's really the last time that he played really well for a long stretch(not that Niskanen is really a 1A either).

There is no 1A and that's the problem. I mean, he played well when paired with Niskanen. That's really the last time that he played really well for a long stretch(not that Niskanen is really a 1A either).
- Phillywhiteout

Coincidentally, that's the last time the team was good for a long stretch.

Ivan Provorov is a player that if he was traded to a better team. Fans would be wondering why he wasn't as good as a Flyer as he is with the new team. He was, he just lacked the support around him and had to play as the #1 since he was 19 on mostly bad teams.
- MJL

He's like Justin Faulk. If he doesn't have to be The Guy, he can play to his strengths (offensive zone, joining the attack, etc).

But like Faulk in Carolina and now in STL w/o Pietrangelo, if he has to do all the heavy lifting then he gets into a lot of trouble.

Having a player who is a solid 1B first pairing defenseman is a problem apparently. We have no need for a player like that on the Flyers apparently. Of all the players to complain about. The guy who is a warrior and plays big minutes every night in all situations. Rarely misses a game. That's the most disappointing player on the team? Only on Hockeybuzz.

He's like Justin Faulk. If he doesn't have to be The Guy, he can play to his strengths (offensive zone, joining the attack, etc).

But like Faulk in Carolina and now in STL w/o Pietrangelo, if he has to do all the heavy lifting then he gets into a lot of trouble.
- Tomahawk

All the heavy lifting on bad teams. He's not a top #1 defenseman. He's not Jacob Slavin. He still is a valuable player and a player that if he was removed from the team, would see the team's fortunes plummet.

Coincidentally, that's the last time the team was good for a long stretch.
- rayc16

Yep, one of the important building blocks in putting together a true contending team is having that true stud defender. Makar in Colorado and Hedman in Tampa come to mind off of the top of my head. Provorov just isn't that guy and sadly never will be I guess.

Having a player who is a solid 1B first pairing defenseman is a problem apparently. We have no need for a player like that on the Flyers apparently. Of all the players to complain about. The guy who is a warrior and plays big minutes every night in all situations. Rarely misses a game. That's the most disappointing player on the team? Only on Hockeybuzz.
- MJL

Wow dude, leave it to you to find an argument out of this. I'm not complaining about the guy. I said he is disappointing for what I was expecting of him. You just argue to argue on here and the funny part is that you are wrong 95% of the time.

Having a player who is a solid 1B first pairing defenseman is a problem apparently. We have no need for a player like that on the Flyers apparently. Of all the players to complain about. The guy who is a warrior and plays big minutes every night in all situations. Rarely misses a game. That's the most disappointing player on the team? Only on Hockeybuzz.
- MJL

Not to mention he's got a very reasonable cap hit for what he provides imo.

All the heavy lifting on bad teams. He's not a top #1 defenseman. He's not Jacob Slavin. He still is a valuable player and a player that if he was removed from the team, would see the team's fortunes plummet.
- MJL

Yeah, so their focus should be on trying as hard as possible to get a Slavin or Hamilton, so they can slot Provy better or not have the team fall apart if they choose to go in another direction.

That's what made the Cutter pick so annoying. Jiricek was right there but they keep operating like elite #1 dman is a box they've already checked off. Guessing Hexy would have given Heiskanen a bit more consideration if they had realized that Provy was the type that needed help.

This whole franchise is facepalm.

but "the goods"!!!
- corduroy

Jay is not playing badly this year by any means, 11 points in 14 games. It's just that is not playing the way he was before his injuries. Given all the injury problems the Flyers have and the fact that Fletcher has given contracts away to just about anyone, I don't see the Flyers offering a contract to a player with Jay's injury history, and current point production as a senior.