Ok agreed, but Briere is trying to change that. It takes time. Elite talent does not grow on trees. The Flyers need a bunch of luck here also, which, and let's be honest, they have had zero luck over the past few years. My hope is the Flyers can move or buy-out more veterans in the off-season and collect more assets to improve their chances of landing some elite talent. This draft is not deep with elite talent unfortunately. Last year was the year to tank IMO. What a different narrative it would be if Leo Carlsson was on this team, or knowing Will Smith would be joining your team once his season at BC ended. Gauthier is a winger, and though might develop into a good winger, it still just a winger. Championship teams are anchored on their 1C, 1D and goal tending.
- jd250

Yeah I get it. Not having an elite superstar in 25 years there is no excuse for it. Look around the NHL majority of teams have had players of that status during that period.

Ok agreed, but Briere is trying to change that. It takes time. Elite talent does not grow on trees. The Flyers need a bunch of luck here also, which, and let's be honest, they have had zero luck over the past few years. My hope is the Flyers can move or buy-out more veterans in the off-season and collect more assets to improve their chances of landing some elite talent. This draft is not deep with elite talent unfortunately. Last year was the year to tank IMO. What a different narrative it would be if Leo Carlsson was on this team, or knowing Will Smith would be joining your team once his season at BC ended.
- jd250

good organizations make their own luck. flyers do not believe in having more than 1 or 2 elite level talent. unless it happens by accident. they take the depth is better approach.

they are not gonna move out nay vets that have value. why cant you accept that? guys like RR are unmovable without retention and or adding something. so you keep him at this point.

no need to buy out players if they are rebuilding. Let those contracts run their course. already have ellis hayes and tony d on the cap. Add possibly RYJO and Cal, wow what a mess.

Lindros is the kind of player that you are supposed to win Cups with. We had season tickets back then and it was a pleasure to watch a true dominant #1 center (a shame his physical game took such a toll on him). Giroux had oodles of talent, but he just wasn't physically built to be a true #1 center come playoff time IMO.
- Phillywhiteout

Also Giroux wasn't Lindros, in that he couldn't put the team on his back. The Flyers never surrounded him with enough talent. When Hextall became GM, the Flyers should have either traded G and start fresh or continued to get pieces around Giroux versus trying to restock the farm system. The hybrid approach IMO wasted G's best years.

Lindros is the kind of player that you are supposed to win Cups with. We had season tickets back then and it was a pleasure to watch a true dominant #1 center (a shame his physical game took such a toll on him). Giroux had oodles of talent, but he just wasn't physically built to be a true #1 center come playoff time IMO.
- Phillywhiteout

Giroux has scored 81 points in 95 playoff games.

Also Giroux wasn't Lindros, in that he couldn't put the team on his back. The Flyers never surrounded him with enough talent. When Hextall became GM, the Flyers should have either traded G and start fresh or continued to get pieces around Giroux versus trying to restock the farm system. The hybrid approach IMO wasted G's best years.
- jd250

looks like danny boy following a very similar pattern.

The Flyers defense is a mess right now. They are badly missing Walker and Seeler for starters. Sanheim is once again being exposed defensively, and without Walker, the Flyers need Drysdale to move the puck and provide some offensive pressure. I watch Attard routinely get pushed off the puck, too easily for my liking. If Drysdale proves to be unavailable, Briere will have an interesting off-season. I would like to see Ginning get in a few more games, the Flyers need this size and physicality, and see what he is before he decides to bolt back to Sweden.
- jd250

You were spot on to not be concerned about the Leafs game. Another one you can put in the win column

There isn’t a way to rebuild by “Tanking” The draft guarantees nothing. They had the second pick in 2017. How’d that work out? They also put up 54 points in 2006-2007 and got the second pick. They came way with a player who was a playoff healthy scratch.
- PLindbergh31

Chicago and Pittsburg beg to differ........... Does it always work ? No. But Chicago thinks enough of that plan to try it again

Ok agreed, but Briere is trying to change that. It takes time. Elite talent does not grow on trees. The Flyers need a bunch of luck here also, which, and let's be honest, they have had zero luck over the past few years. My hope is the Flyers can move or buy-out more veterans in the off-season and collect more assets to improve their chances of landing some elite talent. This draft is not deep with elite talent unfortunately. Last year was the year to tank IMO. What a different narrative it would be if Leo Carlsson was on this team, or knowing Will Smith would be joining your team once his season at BC ended. Gauthier is a winger, and though might develop into a good winger, it still just a winger. Championship teams are anchored on their 1C, 1D and goal tending.
- jd250

If Gauthier was still Flyer property, you would be raving about him. Now he's just a winger.

What a spankin'
- Tomahawk

Other than goaltending, skating, checking, shooting, and passing, this was a very evenly matched game.

Yep. This is spot on. The Gauthier situation is the real kick to the balls. I have zero faith in Drysdale ever being healthy, and even if he is what’s his ceiling?

The problem is always the same. There hasn’t been an elite talent on this roster since Lindros. Giroux was pretty close.
- PLindbergh31

The cutter drysdale situation will really set us back. How the damn medical staff didn’t nix that trade due to health issues is beyond me.

Lindros years were great and it’s true, we haven’t been able to truly contend on a consistent basis ever since. Problem is , the mcdavid Crosby and bedard talents are rare and whenever we tank or get lucky we just miss out or screw up the pick. Big worry for me is that we have these 4 number ones the next two drafts and we don’t hit on them.

Giroux has scored 81 points in 95 playoff games.
- MJL

Nice try. He had many of those points during the 2010 run in his rookie season when he was the THIRD line center. Thus I said he isn't a true #1 center come playoff time. Take away those 2010 numbers and get back to me.

good organizations make their own luck. flyers do not believe in having more than 1 or 2 elite level talent. unless it happens by accident. they take the depth is better approach.

they are not gonna move out nay vets that have value. why cant you accept that? guys like RR are unmovable without retention and or adding something. so you keep him at this point.

no need to buy out players if they are rebuilding. Let those contracts run their course. already have ellis hayes and tony d on the cap. Add possibly RYJO and Cal, wow what a mess.
- hello it's me 2050

taking depth as an approach is not necessarily how Briere and Jones want to build this going forward. I see no evidence that they only want 1 or 2 elite players, though if the Flyers had 2 elite players and a bunch on really good players I think that would suffice. What is most important at this point is to free up roster spots for younger players to get playing time. You can only bury so much in the minors.

Other than goaltending, skating, checking, shooting, and passing, this was a very evenly matched game.

- Letterkenney

Get used to it. I think this will be the type of game they put forth each of the next 6. We’ll be outside looking in by that time. None of those teams can we compete with with the d corps we are trotting out there.

Yes. You must be very happy that your leafs creamed us. Congrats.
- Hextall271

Been here for over 15-years and you still don't realize I'm not a Leafs fan?

Chicago and Pittsburg beg to differ........... Does it always work ? No. But Chicago thinks enough of that plan to try it again
- generalripper

That's basically up to fate. This is why some folks think it's rigged to save the Pens when they were floundering and of course da Hawks are a big market in the midwest. It's funny how that keeps happening and don't be surprised if Buttman finds a way to get the Pens back into prominence again soon.

If Gauthier was still Flyer property, you would be raving about him. Now he's just a winger.
- MJL

Just STOP with your nonsense .. I have been saying Quitter is winger and not a center for over 1 year now. I also have posted many times that IMO Quitter isn't even the best player on BC presently, that Will Smith and Ryan Leonard were better players IMO. You come on here to argue, you have no desire to just talk hockey. I'm done here.

taking depth as an approach is not necessarily how Briere and Jones want to build this going forward. I see no evidence that they only want 1 or 2 elite players, though if the Flyers had 2 elite players and a bunch on really good players I think that would suffice. What is most important at this point is to free up roster spots for younger players to get playing time. You can only bury so much in the minors.
- jd250

I disagree. go back to what they both said months ago. something to the effect they dont want to be like Colorado. dont remember the exact wording.

free up roster spots while they trade for eric johnson. They will sign another type or 2 of that ilk once again.

they have zero interest in playing ginning or attard the rest of the way (unless their hand is forced) to see what they can do. cant do that as they owe the "room".

Been here for over 15-years and you still don't realize I'm not a Leafs fan?


- Tomahawk

You can lead a horse to water, but...............

Also Giroux wasn't Lindros, in that he couldn't put the team on his back.
- jd250

Would have been nice if #88 put the team on his back in the '97 Finals.

Nice try. He had many of those points during the 2010 run in his rookie season when he was the THIRD line center. Thus I said he isn't a true #1 center come playoff time. Take away those 2010 numbers and get back to me.
- Phillywhiteout

Interesting. He had 21 points in the 2010 run. He was also more than the 3rd line center in that run. 81 minus 21 is what? Is this an example of the intelligence you use such as when you trolled the Pens blog?

Giroux has scored 81 points in 95 playoff games.
- MJL

Yeah, but lets not kid ourselves that those points were mostly put up when he was not the #1 center with the most focus on him.

There isn’t a way to rebuild by “Tanking” The draft guarantees nothing. They had the second pick in 2017. How’d that work out? They also put up 54 points in 2006-2007 and got the second pick. They came way with a player who was a playoff healthy scratch.
- PLindbergh31

I’m not asking them to blatantly tank, but I am asking them to be smart. Not moving Laughton last season and Seeler this season are not smart moves.

taking depth as an approach is not necessarily how Briere and Jones want to build this going forward. I see no evidence that they only want 1 or 2 elite players, though if the Flyers had 2 elite players and a bunch on really good players I think that would suffice. What is most important at this point is to free up roster spots for younger players to get playing time. You can only bury so much in the minors.
- jd250

That's what they're doing by playing Staal and Johnson. Freeing up roster spots for younger players to get playing time. I wonder who is going get scratched to satisfy Tortorella's fetish due to the Leafs game?

I’m not asking them to blatantly tank, but I am asking them to be smart. Not moving Laughton last season and Seeler this season are not smart moves.
- BiggE

Seeler and Laughton are our true franchise players.

(Looks like Poehling will join them soon)

Just STOP with your nonsense .. I have been saying Quitter is winger and not a center for over 1 year now. I also have posted many times that IMO Quitter isn't even the best player on BC presently, that Will Smith and Ryan Leonard were better players IMO. You come on here to argue, you have no desire to just talk hockey. I'm done here.
- jd250

You're incredibly full poop. The point is not whether he is a winger or a center.