The Flyers could make 2 moves to alter their rebuild.

Trade Konecny and Laughton.

With those to moves alone, add in Michkov, Barkey, Bonk, 2 first this year and 2 first next year plus whatever you get in a trade you already altered the rebuild pretty quickly.

I feel those are 2, easy moves in my mind, that would change the roster and build for a window closer to when Michkov arrives and more of your prospects are actually ready
- J35Bacher

The flyers and their dumbFrank fans think they are too proud to tank. As you said you trade TK and Laughton. Get bad, and in a few years we might have some things sprouting up. It’s such a simple concept yet these morons that run the team wouldn’t know it if it smacked Torts in the face with a horses hoof .

you're knocking him for something he didn't do?
- anti-lame

He tried to, but Walker wanted too much...so yes. Walker was a cap dump, coming off injury, and nobody knew how he would play....he should have always been a TDL trade to acquire assets. The thought of him staying long term ( the rumour was 5 years that Walker wanted) should have never been.

All that we know for sure is their 2nd most talented prospect is no longer here. For a team starved for elite talent, it’s a huge black eye. The trade does not like fair value on the surface.
Now I’m sure the kid is a ddikk….but in the end the loss that management took can’t be ignored.
- landros 2

Once he cuts communication, what do you want them to do? He won’t talk to you, a team legend, anybody. This also hurts your leverage in a trade.

You can’t just say “do something more gooderer” from afar when the guy literally will not answer his phone.

I have no problem ripping the brass for their bunglings. They’ve deserved plenty of grief over the years. I have a hard time nailing them on this scenario, though.

What can you do? A blanket ‘more’ isn’t an answer.

I think it is fine to think whatever one wants. But one should be clear-eyed about the consequences of such thinking: namely, giving up a strategy that is 9 times as likely to succeed.

You can have your pride or say you did your best to win. data very clearly says you can't do both.
- PT21

I should clarify further that I think "tanking" is losing on purpose. Throwing games for lack of a better term.

I wish we did what Chicago is doing. Rip it down to the studs to get as many assets and cap space as possible. And if you lose a lot of games at first its worth it in the long run. The Flyers will never, EVER do that. And it will kill them in perpetuity.

Once he cuts communication, what do you want them to do? He won’t talk to you, a team legend, anybody. This also hurts your leverage in a trade.

You can’t just say “do something more gooderer” from afar when the guy literally will not answer his phone.

I have no problem ripping the brass for their bunglings. They’ve deserved plenty of grief over the years. I have a hard time nailing them on this scenario, though.

What can you do? A blanket ‘more’ isn’t an answer.
- Hesh_

You know this never happened, right? He didn't cut communications. He simply wanted communications funneled through his agent who was representing him...



As far as what they could have done, answer is very simple. He was a key to future success. They should have devoted resources to staying on the same wavelength and reading where he was at. They failed, panicked and then tried desperately to cover up.

The flyers and their dumbFrank fans think they are too proud to tank. As you said you trade TK and Laughton. Get bad, and in a few years we might have some things sprouting up. It’s such a simple concept yet these morons that run the team wouldn’t know it if it smacked Torts in the face with a horses hoof .
- ClaudeFather

And it's really not a tank.

Your playing guys to see who fits with the future. I don't consider that a tank.

I should clarify further that I think "tanking" is losing on purpose. Throwing games for lack of a better term.

I wish we did what Chicago is doing. Rip it down to the studs to get as many assets and cap space as possible. And if you lose a lot of games at first its worth it in the long run. The Flyers will never, EVER do that. And it will kill them in perpetuity.
- MBFlyerfan

Gotcha. But who loses games on purpose? That would likely invoke a NHL fine, and if not, a congressional/federal investigation as it would be match fixing.

Teams don't have to do that. Simply use management discretion and trade away best players for future picks. Let the dregs play as hard as they can.

There is a reason teams like San Jose and Montreal have moved away from being perpetually good but not good enough. We will follow too, once people stop blaming "triumvirate" who are useful idiots to Comcast strategy. Till then, we will have a perpetual succession of drama and smoke to distract us, and did you notice tix sales were 94% this year?

Once he cuts communication, what do you want them to do? He won’t talk to you, a team legend, anybody. This also hurts your leverage in a trade.

You can’t just say “do something more gooderer” from afar when the guy literally will not answer his phone.

I have no problem ripping the brass for their bunglings. They’ve deserved plenty of grief over the years. I have a hard time nailing them on this scenario, though.

What can you do? A blanket ‘more’ isn’t an answer.
- Hesh_

They should have just signed him to his ELC when he wanted, like most sane pro NHL teams do with their top prospects. The situation was caused by Briere not signing him to his ELC and burning the first year, then coming back 2 months later and saying we want to sign you.

The team dropped the ball with their best NA prospect.

And it's really not a tank.

You’re playing guys to see who fits with the future. I don't consider that a tank.
- J35Bacher

Lol it’s moving a few guys. They are already that bad.

Boston hasn't tanked in quite a while and they routinely ice a contenting team although they've had a problem finishing the deal of late.
- Hextall271

Isn’t that the point? They haven’t been able to finish the deal. What’s their biggest issue? They lack a 1C. Where do you get those? At the top of the draft.

You know this never happened, right? He didn't cut communications. He simply wanted communications funneled through his agent who was representing him...



As far as what they could have done, answer is very simple. He was a key to future success. They should have devoted resources to staying on the same wavelength and reading where he was at. They failed, panicked and then tried desperately to cover up.
- PT21

Exactly. A lawyer representing a client once telephoned me after he knew I had representation. It didn’t happen again.

If someone cuts off communication, you still have to look in the mirror to examine your role in that. You have to hold yourself accountable or it’s bound to happen again
.

In junior, he absolutely displayed the traits the previous poster mentioned. I watched him live at the 2014 (or 15) Mem cup for a few of the games in Quebec City. He was a monster who had solid potential. It's not like he was projected to be a 7th rounder.
- Hextall271

didnt he also play at the world jrs?

Mhm, I doubt we hear, and if we do, it’ll be past the point of caring. Unless of course he has a HOF career. Yikes.

Drysdale was pretty highly touted when he was drafted. Injuries brought down his stock low enough for us to get him after our project trashed our leverage in a trade.

Of course there was gonna be that risk with JD. We knew that. If he wasn’t a risk, then Anaheim wouldn’t have used him as a chip.
- Hesh_

It was actually a great trade by Anaheim. They have Carlsson as their future 1C and McTavish as their likely future 2C. Gauthier’s projection has always been likely a 1LW or 2C. There’s less need to force him at center compared to Philly but long term he’s insurance on McTavish as the 2C. They had a few defensive prospects in addition to Drysdale showing promise. Then look at this years draft. After Celebrini there’s no forwards that are any better than Gauthier but there are several top defensemen. Knowing they were going to have a top pick they easily moved on from Drysdale as he’ll be replaced with their top pick this year.

I think Barkey is still a ways away. He needs to add some strength and get a year or 2 in Lehigh.
- MBFlyerfan

Im not sure yet on barkey, will he turn out to be a jason akinson? or a regular player

I think it is fine to think whatever one wants. But one should be clear-eyed about the consequences of such thinking: namely, giving up a strategy that is 9 times as likely to succeed.

You can have your pride or say you did your best to win. data very clearly says you can't do both.
- PT21

This is exactly it. I used to be anti-tank a long time ago. Gary Bettman calling the Penguins the model NHL franchise in 08/09 really pissed me off. But it was foreshadowing the cap era. Tanking is the way you build the foundation of a cup team. By 2013 the evidence was already there to change my opinion and has only grown stronger since. You absolutely need to add pieces through trades and FA but you must get the foundation through drafting at the top and then add the other pieces.

Im not sure yet on barkey, will he turn out to be a jason akinson? or a regular player
- bradster

Agree.

I was more saying, your prospect will start being closer to ready once Michkov arrives. The FLyers should be shooting for a window that starts to open like 3 years from now.

Now they should be moving money, gaining assets and rebuilding the team.

But 2 easy moves to start are moving konecny and Laughton

I should clarify further that I think "tanking" is losing on purpose. Throwing games for lack of a better term.

I wish we did what Chicago is doing. Rip it down to the studs to get as many assets and cap space as possible. And if you lose a lot of games at first its worth it in the long run. The Flyers will never, EVER do that. And it will kill them in perpetuity.
- MBFlyerfan

Chicago tanked. The GM lost games on purpose by not trying to field a competitive roster. Thats how i see it. No coach tries to lose games on purpose, but tanks happen all the time

In junior, he absolutely displayed the traits the previous poster mentioned. I watched him live at the 2014 (or 15) Mem cup for a few of the games in Quebec City. He was a monster who had solid potential. It's not like he was projected to be a 7th rounder.
- Hextall271

Problem is those traits aren't enough to make a top-pairing dman anymore.

This is exactly it. I used to be anti-tank a long time ago. Gary Bettman calling the Penguins the model NHL franchise in 08/09 really pissed me off. But it was foreshadowing the cap era. Tanking is the way you build the foundation of a cup team. By 2013 the evidence was already there to change my opinion and has only grown stronger since. You absolutely need to add pieces through trades and FA but you must get the foundation through drafting at the top and then add the other pieces.
- Schmojo

I (frank)ing hate this consequence of the salary cap. But it is what it is.

I understand the right to have an opinion but I don't understand how people can keep posting stuff about unicorns to jusrtify opinion.

19 seasons since salary cap. 30+ teams during that span. So, 570 attempts to win during that span. And the teams that are winning doing it one way are way more prevalant than teams doing it any other way.

To paraphrase Bob,

how much data does a bro need
before it seeps in his brain?
The answer my friend
Is blowing in the wind,
hot from Tort's tongue.

Jeannot is an available Torts type player.
- Minnyhock

Tampa over paid for him. He had 1 good offensive season.

Chicago tanked. The GM lost games on purpose by not trying to field a competitive roster. Thats how i see it. No coach tries to lose games on purpose, but tanks happen all the time
- bradster

Trading away young players like Hagel, Debrincat and Dach for futures and spare parts was a pretty clear indication that they didn't wanna win in 2022-23.

https://twitter.com/charl...tatus/1797460417972981774



My favorite response so far.

Charlie O'Connor
@charlieo_conn
·
13h
a team won a Cup without tanking literally last year lmao
- MBFlyerfan

Charlie is a pathetic schill

Chicago tanked. The GM lost games on purpose by not trying to field a competitive roster. Thats how i see it. No coach tries to lose games on purpose, but tanks happen all the time
- bradster

Chicago traded almost every goal scorer away so they could get the best chance to get Bedard. At the end of the season the top sorer had maybe 20 goals or close to it.

So yes I agree GM's can tank a season easy, the coach should not and hopefully will not.

It really is dead simple for the Flyers. Trading TK and Laughton are laughably easy decisions to make.

Instead, they have tied themselves into a knot over this culture nonsense.

It is both equal measure entertaining and maddening.

Im not sure yet on barkey, will he turn out to be a jason akinson? or a regular player
- bradster

hope, but it is the kind of picks they need to make to find a Brayden Point type player, keep picking and hope they hit one.