I suggest you wait to plunge the dagger in deep until Gauthier actually plays a few pro games. Like I said, he is a good player, but I have watched a dozen BC games live this year and I honestly don't think he is the best player on that team. Smith is the best player IMO, and I think Leonard is better also. As freshman both Smith and Perreault have more points than Gauthier and Leonard is not far behind them.

You want to legitimate second guess? The Flyers could have drafted both Leonard and Perreault in this draft! Depending on if Michkov can even get here and how Bonk develops, this may end up being a much deeper dagger to deal with.
- jd250

You're opinion on Gauthier is irrelevant. For two reasons, one, reinforced by repeating your absurd opinion on taking Konecny over Pasternak. You have zero ability to accurately assess a player. Secondly, you now have a clear bias towards Gauthier. I have limited first hand knowledge of both players but I'm ecstatic over who the Flyers drafted.

No, I'm not concerned at all. Tippet did not shun the organization. Poehling did not shun the organization. Laughton loves it here. Walker and Seeler do not want to be traded. I am not going to be concerned unless I am presented hard evidence that I should be.
- jd250

cutter left what more evidence do you need

Laughton loves it here as he learned under CC. No pressure.

Where did you see walker and seeler don't want to be traded? So they will both sign team friendly deals to stay no?

RP didnt shun the organization. that's funny.

But Briere did offer him an ELC and a chance to play for the Flyers this year, just that he offered it in May and not March. So you are telling me that because Gauthier could not play for the Flyers in a few games at the end of last season is the reason for all this? Is that really justified?
- jd250

You're confusing things. The context is why the Flyers didn't sign him when his college season ended and he wanted to sign with the Flyers. You're trying to tell us that there was too much turmoil in the organization in March but not in May? I don't think it's justified by Gauthier but that doesn't change that the Flyers screwed up.

Bro, you really gonna triple down on that nonsense?
- Tomahawk

It's not nonsense. Do you watch Pastrnak play on a regular basis? How many games have you actually watched him play? I am not saying Pastrnak is not an elite scorer, clearly he is. He is one of the best offensive players in the game today. BUT .. he is soft, lazy, and at times looks completely disinterested. TK is not close to Pastrnak offensively, however TK has developed into a legitimate offensive threat in this league and is a better 5v5 player than Pastrnak, and is one of the best penalty killers in the game. So when I consider all these aspects, I am picking the complete player over the offensive one.

Again, there are numerous highly credible independent outside sources who have confirmed the Flyers account of what happened. There is not one credible source that I'm aware of that have contradicted the Flyers side of the story.
- MJL

I am pretty sure the agent wouldn't come out and say they talked multiple times in December and January, just not to the player, if it didn't happen.
Why do you give Briere a pass, and just assume the agent is lying?

There is no way any independent sources can confirm that no communication was made. I believe it was worded by Briere and crew that way to paint the player into a worse light to lessen the blow of trading him. Briere flat out admitted to lying to the Flyer public about him missing camp in September, but you expect him to be 100% truthful and not bend the truth for his own needs in the exact same conversation?
Most experts out there seem to agree with the general timeline of events and how things went, but there is noone outside of Briere and the agent that truly know what really happened in regards to conversations and information between the 2 parties.

You're confusing things. The context is why the Flyers didn't sign him when his college season ended and he wanted to sign with the Flyers. You're trying to tell us that there was too much turmoil in the organization in March but not in May? I don't think it's justified by Gauthier but that doesn't change that the Flyers screwed up.
- MJL

I think it's legitimate that the Flyers didn't want to burn a year of ELC and I am sure Briere did not think they would be considered disrespecting the player. It's quite possible Briere misread the situation.

It's not nonsense. Do you watch Pastrnak play on a regular basis? How many games have you actually watched him play? I am not saying Pastrnak is not an elite scorer, clearly he is. He is one of the best offensive players in the game today. BUT .. he is soft, lazy, and at times looks completely disinterested. TK is not close to Pastrnak offensively, however TK has developed into a legitimate offensive threat in this league and is a better 5v5 player than Pastrnak, and is one of the best penalty killers in the game. So when I consider all these aspects, I am picking the complete player over the offensive one.
- jd250

I've watched him score 26 career goals against the Flyers in 29 games.

but what you don't seem to understand is that is a Flyer issue, not a Gauthier issue.

Telling a stud, young, first round pick you can't sign him right now because the franchise is in turmoil...how is this Gauthiers problem? If he was a part of the future, like he was supposed to be, then the contract signing for a player of his skill and draft position should be almost automatic.

See again we differ...I would say they fuqed up when they considered even hiring Fletcher.
- TheFreak

Most teams that draft high in the first round are not in a perfect situation. Based on this post, the Flyers asked Gauthier to be a team player and he chose not to be.

It's not nonsense. Do you watch Pastrnak play on a regular basis? How many games have you actually watched him play? I am not saying Pastrnak is not an elite scorer, clearly he is. He is one of the best offensive players in the game today. BUT .. he is soft, lazy, and at times looks completely disinterested. TK is not close to Pastrnak offensively, however TK has developed into a legitimate offensive threat in this league and is a better 5v5 player than Pastrnak, and is one of the best penalty killers in the game. So when I consider all these aspects, I am picking the complete player over the offensive one.
- jd250

then way are so against giving him 8 years and more money than pasta?

Most teams that draft high in the first round are not in a perfect situation. Based on this post, the Flyers asked Gauthier to be a team player and he chose not to be.
- roenick97

Why should the start of his career be delayed due to the Flyers front office? Have you ever heard of a team asking a top prospect to wait for a year because they are in a mess? Not even Arizona has done that as far as I know.

It's not nonsense. Do you watch Pastrnak play on a regular basis? How many games have you actually watched him play? I am not saying Pastrnak is not an elite scorer, clearly he is. He is one of the best offensive players in the game today. BUT .. he is soft, lazy, and at times looks completely disinterested. TK is not close to Pastrnak offensively, however TK has developed into a legitimate offensive threat in this league and is a better 5v5 player than Pastrnak, and is one of the best penalty killers in the game. So when I consider all these aspects, I am picking the complete player over the offensive one.
- jd250

So the at times "soft, lazy and disinterested" player puts up 60 goals and 100 points and is on his way to putting up 100 points again despite losing a HOF center? Has only 4 even strength points less than Konecny has total points. If anything, that only proves how much better a player the at times "soft, lazy and disinterested" player is than Konecny.

I'm sorry, but they aren't even in the same universe as players.

Why should the start of his career be delayed due to the Flyers front office? Have you ever heard of a team asking a top prospect to wait for a year because they are in a mess? Not even Arizona has done that as far as I know.
- TheFreak

No but I’m also not a general manager of a sports franchise. If you have any comparables or away of showing us that it’s never happened, I’d like to see them. If I remember right, Brayden Schenn was sent down on his rookie deal to knock off some of his bonuses.

I suggest you wait to plunge the dagger in deep until Gauthier actually plays a few pro games. Like I said, he is a good player, but I have watched a dozen BC games live this year and I honestly don't think he is the best player on that team. Smith is the best player IMO, and I think Leonard is better also. As freshman both Smith and Perreault have more points than Gauthier and Leonard is not far behind them.

You want to legitimate second guess? The Flyers could have drafted both Leonard and Perreault in this draft! Depending on if Michkov can even get here and how Bonk develops, this may end up being a much deeper dagger to deal with.
- jd250

How is JOB performing - The kid has "the goods" and should win ROY hands down

add these comments with your TK over Pasta nonsense and you can see why no one in their right minds would take your talent observations of hockey players seriously

What has Drysdale done in 4 years in the league to show he is a top pairing dman? he skates pretty, but he hasn't exactly done very much..he has 4 points and is a -8 in 15 games here.

Overall this season he has 9 points in 25 games and is a -10.

How do you see this as a top pairing performance?
- TheFreak

young player in a new city and missed some time previously due to injury wtf do you expect? give him 4-5 years to mature as a dman he's not seider or makar out of the gate

So the at times "soft, lazy and disinterested" player puts up 60 goals and 100 points and is on his way to putting up 100 points again despite losing a HOF center? Has only 4 even strength points less than Konecny has total points. If anything, that only proves how much better a player the at times "soft, lazy and disinterested" player is than Konecny.

I'm sorry, but they aren't even in the same universe as players.
- MBFlyerfan

jd's ability to asses talent in the NHL is on the same level as fletcher being a good gm

No but I’m also not a general manager of a sports franchise. If you have any comparables or away of showing us that it’s never happened, I’d like to see them. If I remember right, Brayden Schenn was sent down on his rookie deal to knock off some of his bonuses.
- roenick97

Obviously I don't have anyway to provide anything like that.

But generally, most top 10 overall picks are signed by the drafting team pretty quickly after the draft...the failure to do so, or the desire to try to put it off, when it might have been promsed by the guy who drafted him is a failure on the team. He should have been a priority, not a delay.

It's not nonsense. Do you watch Pastrnak play on a regular basis? How many games have you actually watched him play? I am not saying Pastrnak is not an elite scorer, clearly he is. He is one of the best offensive players in the game today. BUT .. he is soft, lazy, and at times looks completely disinterested. TK is not close to Pastrnak offensively, however TK has developed into a legitimate offensive threat in this league and is a better 5v5 player than Pastrnak, and is one of the best penalty killers in the game. So when I consider all these aspects, I am picking the complete player over the offensive one.
- jd250

It is nonsense. You continually reply with this stupidity of asking how much someone watched a player or asking how much someone watches a player. It's asinine. For one, you're trying to imply that you watch someone play more than someone else when you don't know that. It makes you look like a fool. When you combine that with your daily proven inability to accurately assess anything in the sport of hockey, well it paints a picture. Pasternak is an NHL superstar and one of the best players in the entire league. Yet you label him soft and lazy. That just confirms that your clueless in knowing what you're watching. Konecny is not a more complete player than Pasternak is. Pasternak is an elite superstar NHL player. Konecny is not and won't ever be. Your opinion is complete lunacy.

I'm sorry, but they aren't even in the same universe as players.
- MBFlyerfan

'

The head to head matchup...

TK vs BOS: 26GP 6G 7A 13P -13
DP vs PHI: 29GP 26G 16A 42P +24


I'm on record being a huge fan of TK since before he was drafted, I tooted his horn all while Hak and AV were giving him the Frost treatment and everybody here wanted him gone, but even I wouldn't dare to put TK and Pasta in the same paragraph, much less the same sentence.

young player in a new city and missed some time previously due to injury wtf do you expect? give him 4-5 years to mature as a dman he's not seider or makar out of the gate
- 2Real

I am not unhappy with the player, but I have seen nothing that indicates he is a true top 2 pairing dman.

I am pretty sure the agent wouldn't come out and say they talked multiple times in December and January, just not to the player, if it didn't happen.
Why do you give Briere a pass, and just assume the agent is lying?


- TheFreak

Why wouldn't the agent do that to try and protect the player? I already explained why I give Briere a pass and that the agent is lying. The numerous outside independent reliable sources that have confirmed that what the Flyers have said happened, actually happened.

There is no way any independent sources can confirm that no communication was made. I believe it was worded by Briere and crew that way to paint the player into a worse light to lessen the blow of trading him. Briere flat out admitted to lying to the Flyer public about him missing camp in September, but you expect him to be 100% truthful and not bend the truth for his own needs in the exact same conversation?
Most experts out there seem to agree with the general timeline of events and how things went, but there is noone outside of Briere and the agent that truly know what really happened in regards to conversations and information between the 2 parties.
- TheFreak

Of course there is. We have proof all the time that major well connected sources get things right about what happens internally with teams. Briere's reasoning was sound in my opinion on not being forthright about why Gauthier was not at camp.

I think it's legitimate that the Flyers didn't want to burn a year of ELC and I am sure Briere did not think they would be considered disrespecting the player. It's quite possible Briere misread the situation.
- jd250

We know they didn't want to. The issue is whether it was the right decision. It obviously wasn't.

I've watched him score 26 career goals against the Flyers in 29 games.
- Tomahawk

Imagine what he could do if he wasn't soft and lazy. Can you imagine someone actually thinking that? How absurd can one be?

I am not unhappy with the player, but I have seen nothing that indicates he is a true top 2 pairing dman.
- TheFreak

To be perfectly fair... not many dmen look like top-pair quality at 21.

Duncan Keith, whom I personally think Drysdale plays a bit like, was still a mediocre AHL defenseman at that age.

Imagine what he could do if he wasn't soft and lazy. Can you imagine someone actually thinking that? How absurd can one be?

- MJL

Maybe jd has a Kyle Wellwood-esque pool-side fat photo of Pasta on his phone?

Most teams that draft high in the first round are not in a perfect situation. Based on this post, the Flyers asked Gauthier to be a team player and he chose not to be.
- roenick97

Is it realistic to expect him to be a team player when he’s not on the team?