They are. I just look and see Letang signed on an over 35 deal for 5 more years at 6.1 aav, and Malkin signed on an over 35 for 2 more at 6.1 aav. Not that I am complaining because I hope both deals age very badly. I hope it gets worse when they resign Crosby.
- MBFlyerfan

They haven't really shown any big signs of slowing down. Now of course they will at some point just a matter of how much. They really do not have much at all on the far to help immediately tor next year.

What will happen is in the next few years IMO they will ask them all if they want to ride it out or be traded.

If they go the trade route they can replenish the farm somewhat quickly. If they ride it out they will need have a very good GM to navigate. Either way they are still winners at the end of the day when you break it down IMO.

Who will you have more faith in to turn it around, flyers or pens managment?

It's bad now. It was bad last year. Management's approach was the wrong approach and Hextall correctly knew that.
- MJL

Hextall had a job to do and failed miserably. How did he do filling out the roster around these stars? What would you grade him?

Right but this was the job, the organization will fall with these guys but the criticism for Hextall goes with he got the last of their most productive years and did a horrendous job filling out the roster. No one is arguing next year or the year after it might be really bad.
- ClaudeFather

Oh no doubt he did a horrible job.

And as an aside, just as a fan of this kind of stuff, I feel like the Karlsson trade was insane on their part. I dont care what kind of season he just had. Taking on an 11.5 cap hit for 4 (now 3) more season was/is jousting at windmills IMO.

But I understand that the franchise wants to ride out the Big 3(4?) to the bitter end. 3 cups will buy you that kind of leeway for fans to endure the inevitable down times.

I also feel like the thought process they may have another run in them is unrealistic to say the least.

Tyson Foerster must read hockeybuzz. “Oh my stretch pass through the middle of the ice isn’t a big deal?”

In all seriousness, if I was coaching there is no way Foerster would have made the team out of camp. Foerster being sent down means Frost and Brink sees every game. With this said, Foerster has been doing all the small things right and now the offense is coming together. Hopefully he can keep the offense coming.

It's bad now. It was bad last year. Management's approach was the wrong approach and Hextall correctly knew that.
- MJL

Saint Ronald rules. Yeah he was the only one who knew this, what a fn genius Saint Ronald is...

He failed in Pitt because of the ownership. Failed on philly because of the ownership. Nothing is his fault.

Will he ever get another GM job in the NHL again Cliff.

They haven't really shown any big signs of slowing down. Now of course they will at some point just a matter of how much. They really do not have much at all on the far to help immediately tor next year.

What will happen is in the next few years IMO they will ask them all if they want to ride it out or be traded.

If they go the trade route they can replenish the farm somewhat quickly. If they ride it out they will need have a very good GM to navigate. Either way they are still winners at the end of the day when you break it down IMO.

Who will you have more faith in to turn it around, flyers or pens managment?
- hello it's me 2050

I would say Pens. But in many ways they are in a much worse "starting point". Window already closed (IMO) and with a huge amount of salary tied up in too man aging players who arent nearly enough to win anything.

Oh no doubt he did a horrible job.

And as an aside, just as a fan of this kind of stuff, I feel like the Karlsson trade was insane on their part. I dont care what kind of season he just had. Taking on an 11.5 cap hit for 4 (now 3) more season was/is jousting at windmills IMO.

But I understand that the franchise wants to ride out the Big 3(4?) to the bitter end. 3 cups will buy you that kind of leeway for fans to endure the inevitable down times.

I also feel like the thought process they may have another run in them is unrealistic to say the least.
- MBFlyerfan

Dubas wanted Karlsson in Toronto and the organization slapped his hand, he had a hard on for the guy. The big 3 were excellent last year, that was probably their best chance at a run but Hextall fell on his face with the roster over the years. I still think there’s a chance they can get this thing going, not a contender but maybe win a round.

No, Zamula is not injured.
- bmeltzer

Well then this is a very odd decision, even for Torts.

The average age of the Flyers starting defense is 29 years 4 months old.

Staal --36 years 10 months
Seeler - 30 years 5 months
Walker - 29 years
Risto - 29 years 1 month
Sanheim - 27 years 8 months
York - 22 years 11 months

Dubas wanted Karlsson in Toronto and the organization slapped his hand, he had a hard on for the guy. The big 3 were excellent last year, that was probably their best chance at a run but Hextall fell on his face with the roster over the years. I still think there’s a chance they can get this thing going, not a contender but maybe win a round.
- ClaudeFather

I get that. And as I said, you ride it out with those guys. They earned it.

But winning anything more than a round at this point is a pipedream.

I would say Pens. But in many ways they are in a much worse "starting point". Window already closed (IMO) and with a huge amount of salary tied up in too man aging players who arent nearly enough to win anything.
- MBFlyerfan

starting point agree.

if all 3 decide to ride it out they are in for a long rebuild.

Speaking of slowing down. Is anyone else in here rooting against Ovechkin to break Gretzky's goal record?

starting point agree.

if all 3 decide to ride it out they are in for a long rebuild.
- hello it's me 2050

A lot rides of what Crosby decides to do when its time for him to resign. But again, at this point I think their window has closed.

The Pens ownership is just as clueless as the Flyers and are actually in a very similar situation.

Pens: How does a team acquire bottom six players that over-perform their salary? Oh, we’ll let the GM wheel and deal. Lots of other teams are willing to trade their young players that over-perform their entry level contracts for minimal return.

Flyers: How does a team acquire elite talent? Oh, we’ll let the GM wheel and deal. We’ll overpay in the trade market or free agency when the time is right (read: next year).

Speaking of slowing down. Is anyone else in here rooting against Ovechkin to break Gretzky's goal record?
- MBFlyerfan

Crazy, 5 goals. I look at the box score and see they win and don’t recognize majority of the folks that do the scoring there

A lot rides of what Crosby decides to do when its time for him to resign. But again, at this point I think their window has closed.
- MBFlyerfan

agree on both. They just are not good enough.

also think they need a coaching change bad

Speaking of slowing down. Is anyone else in here rooting against Ovechkin to break Gretzky's goal record?
- MBFlyerfan

yes

Is Zamula injured?

Staal was bad against the Pens, which the coach seemingly recognized by playing him only 11 minutes at 5v5.
- Feanor

...but his balls are huge

Crazy, 5 goals. I look at the box score and see they win and don’t recognize majority of the folks that do the scoring there
- ClaudeFather

nak killing it....4 3 2 1

Crazy, 5 goals. I look at the box score and see they win and don’t recognize majority of the folks that do the scoring there
- ClaudeFather

You don't recognize NAK?

He has 4 points in 9 games, while Deslauriers and Hathaway have 5 points in 28 games while making almost twice as much money.

good to see Staal in the lineup after a rough game. Coach showing confidence that he can bounce back. Great sign of respect.
- hello it's me 2050

I hope this is sarcasm.

nak killing it....4 3 2 1
- hello it's me 2050

I love how badly you take it when your hockey predictions and opinions are shown to be rubbish.

You still go on and on about how bad Hextall was as GM five years after he was fired, while still blindly defending the horrible moves made by Chuck Fletcher. Is Chuck your daddy or something?

I love how badly you take it when your predictions and opinions are shown to be rubbish.

You go on an on about how bad Hextall was as GM seven years after he was fired, while still blindly defending the horrible moves made by Chuck Fletcher. Is Chuck your daddy or something?
- Feanor

on que as that prediction is spot on

nak is borderline nhl player.

I didnt bring up saint Ronald so lets get that out of the way. he was a bad gm in 2 organizations.

Where on earth do you see me defending chuck in any way. Cant wait to read the response on this one.

Hextall had a job to do and failed miserably. How did he do filling out the roster around these stars? What would you grade him?
- ClaudeFather

Again, perspective. What Hextall accomplished was not burying the franchise further while trying to make some stop gap moves. Impossible to really do. It's another situation where the franchise was better off last year under Hextall, then they are now. Grade is incomplete with an asterisk that he was again, not allowed to complete a process that really needed years to complete. Now barring a miracle, the Pens franchise has been set back half a decade or longer. Wait until you see the cap disaster that it will become.

Again, perspective. What Hextall accomplished was not burying the franchise further while trying to make some stop gap moves. Impossible to really do. It's another situation where the franchise was better off last year under Hextall, then they are now. Grade is incomplete with an asterisk that he was again, not allowed to complete a process that really needed years to complete. Now barring a miracle, the Pens franchise has been set back half a decade or longer. Wait until you see the cap disaster that it will become.
- MJL

he accomplished nothing hence why he was fired cliff. Did he draft or develop any one of significance during his time with the Pens? Much like the flyers he had no real plan.

they were not better off with Ronald at the helm. That is your fantasy world. facts only facts

Speaking of slowing down. Is anyone else in here rooting against Ovechkin to break Gretzky's goal record?
- MBFlyerfan

I'm not. It would be a generational accomplishment. Seeing that record broke in our lifetime will be extremely special.