Tearing it down is not a method of a rebuild ….it is literally the 1rst step in any rebuild. It is the hardest part in that it takes a team backwards in their overall talent level and production level. It allows teams to collect assets for the future by moving out their most valuable pieces that don’t fit a time line for when a team expects to be better. That’s what leads to a teams setback and thus better draft capital. I will grant you that all tear downs need not look the same, but the Flyers did not take any steps back…or even attempt it. The one move you could point to…that kinda looked like that, was moving out Walker last year….only after they couldn’t agree on a contract extension?
Briere is simply trying to build a better team….like 20 other teams in the league.
To call it a rebuild is simply not paying attention to what they are actually doing. To call it a rebuild is just listening to the rhetoric.
Hextall tried the same plan, although his young core was far more talented. We’ll see if Briere can make up the difference with solid drafts….I guess getting Michkov is a nice start.
- landros 2

You will never get the Flyers PR department to admit this despite it being the dictionary definition of rebuild.

It was also disingenuous of Bill to call it a Hextall type rebuild when Hextall himself never used that term for what he was doing.

I'm waiting for the Clarke interview to throw Fletcher under the bus under the guise of a career introspect. Should be coming any day now. You have to be completely naive to not realize what the entire purpose of that interview was. Out of blue with Clarke being completely out of the media for years.
- MJL

when did he throw your dad under the bus?

so 90 seconds of a 60 minute interview is the disguise to "bury" saint ronnie, stfu. you peeps are naive.

Why does the answer clarke gave bother yo so much? If he said that about chuck you would take it as gospel and be all over his jock.

How long after saint ronnie was fired was that interview given? Several years? yeah what a hit job. kept that all bottled up inside then had to let it out. yes very naive cliff

Hextall, did not consult Clarke. Fact. Clarke did not like not being consulted. Also Fact. Clarke threw his full support behind Fletcher a person who looked up to Clarke and would allow him to regain his influence. Fact.

Holmgren/Clarke and Fletcher were all hyper-aggressive spend to the cap every year the opposite of Hextall.

None of this is in dispute. These have all been confirmed in numerous articles. When Fletcher finally got canned there were many articles about the senior advisors and how they needed to go.

Nobody is saying Hextall was perfect or even a great GM or that he didn't make mistakes but his approach was more aligned with the salary cap era than Holmgren's/Clarke's and Fletchers. That is also a fact.

How many times does the sun need to rise in the morning before you stop thinking that maybe this is the day it won't rise?
- Flyers_01

help me understand why you have such an issue with response Clarke gave to direct question?

Not sure Hexy left the Flyers in a much better place…if they were in a “much” better place he wouldn’t have been fired. I do agree that Clarke’s finger prints were all over Fletchers hiring and although I hardly think Hextall’s demise had anything to do with Clarke I think we can assume he wasn’t a big Hextall cheerleader.
From what Clarke said in the interview it seems like he was hearing a lot of the scouts and other team higher ups felt under used and appreciated by Hextall. Obviously Clarke would be privy to this in house fighting. If Hextall had done better job or you could actually see them taking steps forward he wouldn’t not have been fired. But to me he was fired with cause. Like is always the case when a GM is fired the team starts to look like a dumpster fire.
Perhaps had Hextall not burned certain bridges along the way he would have been given more time….although I’m simply guessing at that.
I think Clarke sold the Flyers on a guy like Fletcher as a “collaboration” type guy….kinda the anti Hextall approach. I didn’t like the hire then, but tried to give him a chance….but although I liked a few things early on, it always seemed like they were over paying on moves.
I like both DB and Jonesy….I hope they succeed. As Jonesy puts it “they are trying to thread a needle” here. Would I have been on board for a more comprehensive plan that was an actual rebuild? Sure….but that’s not the plan…so now I hope we fall into anothe couple of Michkov types….preferably one that plays centre and one that plays D.


- landros 2

I think the term "much better place" is subjective. He left the team much better off in term of cap space, a projected deep if unspectacular pool of prospects, and I think all their future draft picks. Agreed?

IMO, the team was pretty much a blank canvas with lots of assets for the future. Flexibility to go in any direction but without elite assets.

Holmgren left it a capped out mess with multiple long term contracts that Hextall had to maneuver out from under with no flexibility and a barren farm system but he made the playoffs more often than not until his final years when he ran out of assets to trade away and cap space to spend.

It's like the guy who spends his parents CC to the max to throw a rager but leaves it up to someone else to pay the CC. Hextall's reign was paying off that CC but the Flyers always want to throw that party, they never want to pay off the CC.

Capped out/barren farm system/trade away draft picks vs clear cap space for future/rebuild farm system/save picks. It was improved, just not in the way or as much as it needed to be for him to keep his job.

I think the term "much better place" is subjective. He left the team much better off in term of cap space, a projected deep if unspectacular pool of prospects, and I think all their future draft picks. Agreed?

IMO, the team was pretty much a blank canvas with lots of assets for the future. Flexibility to go in any direction but without elite assets.

Holmgren left it a capped out mess with multiple long term contracts that Hextall had to maneuver out from under with no flexibility and a barren farm system but he made the playoffs more often than not until his final years when he ran out of assets to trade away and cap space to spend.

It's like the guy who spends his parents CC to the max to throw a rager but leaves it up to someone else to pay the CC. Hextall's reign was paying off that CC but the Flyers always want to throw that party, they never want to pay off the CC.

Capped out/barren farm system/trade away draft picks vs clear cap space for future/rebuild farm system/save picks. It was improved, just not in the way or as much as it needed to be for him to keep his job.
- Flyers_01

The Flyers and Holmgren temporarily had some sanity and knew that it had to change. They bought into the Hextall plan but still wouldn't allow a complete tear down. When it didn't happen fast enough, they said screw that, we're going back to what we've always done. That's where they're at now, focused on culture and leadership and just waiting for the cap space to clear, so they can rack up the CC again.

I think the term "much better place" is subjective. He left the team much better off in term of cap space, a projected deep if unspectacular pool of prospects, and I think all their future draft picks. Agreed?

IMO, the team was pretty much a blank canvas with lots of assets for the future. Flexibility to go in any direction but without elite assets.

Holmgren left it a capped out mess with multiple long term contracts that Hextall had to maneuver out from under with no flexibility and a barren farm system but he made the playoffs more often than not until his final years when he ran out of assets to trade away and cap space to spend.

It's like the guy who spends his parents CC to the max to throw a rager but leaves it up to someone else to pay the CC. Hextall's reign was paying off that CC but the Flyers always want to throw that party, they never want to pay off the CC.

Capped out/barren farm system/trade away draft picks vs clear cap space for future/rebuild farm system/save picks. It was improved, just not in the way or as much as it needed to be for him to keep his job.
- Flyers_01

For me, it’s not a black and white thing. I liked Hextall’s thinking early on. There was a plan….Had he hit on a couple of those draft picks, I think we’d be talking about a different outcome. His plan always depended on the draft providing more core type pieces and it never really worked out that way.
True the Flyers were in cap trouble when Hextall took over, but he did have a very solid young core in which to build upon. I would argue his core is superior to what DB has to work with. I would also suggest that because the Flyers didn’t really draft particularly well during Hextall’s reign Fletcher didn’t exactly inherit the 76’ Montreal Canadiens.

For me, it’s not a black and white thing. I liked Hextall’s thinking early on. There was a plan….Had he hit on a couple of those draft picks, I think we’d be talking about a different outcome. His plan always depended on the draft providing more core type pieces and it never really worked out that way.
True the Flyers were in cap trouble when Hextall took over, but he did have a very solid young core in which to build upon. I would argue his core is superior to what DB has to work with. I would also suggest that because the Flyers didn’t really draft particularly well during Hextall’s reign Fletcher didn’t exactly inherit the 76’ Montreal Canadiens.
- landros 2

Hextall's drafting was solid overall. Not great but solid. What was missing from Hextall's drafting is the same thing that has always been missing. A lack of elite players. Hopefully that will start to change with Michkov.

when did he throw your dad under the bus?

so 90 seconds of a 60 minute interview is the disguise to "bury" saint ronnie, stfu. you peeps are naive.

Why does the answer clarke gave bother yo so much? If he said that about chuck you would take it as gospel and be all over his jock.

How long after saint ronnie was fired was that interview given? Several years? yeah what a hit job. kept that all bottled up inside then had to let it out. yes very naive cliff
- hello it's me 2050

This is what I want you to do. Walk up to a wall and start talking to it. I want you to continue to do so until it starts answering you.

Freakin halfwit moron. He’s never going to answer and more than likely not even reading your posts.

Deslauriers played 60 games last year. If he is on the roster, he is blocking someone. So is Seeler and Johnson. You tout the development of players like Ginning, Attard and Andrae and then support the Flyers putting players with no future blocking them. You don't make sense. You're not using common sense with the Gauthier situation. All the Flyers had to do was what every team is doing with top college players.They screwed up royally. Karma LMAO
- MJL

Deslauriers played 8 out of the last 22 games. He isnt blocking anyone. He wont play 60 games. Hes 13th forward. Deslauriers and EJ will likely see thir highest play time early on and then be used sparingly. They both likely play 30 games. People cried that Marc Staal was going to block guys and he played 30 games. Even when flyers had injuries they called up Ginning snd Attard and played them ahead of Staal.

Flyers do stupid things but they are nowhere as stupid as ppl mske them out to be

Tearing it down is not a method of a rebuild ….it is literally the 1rst step in any rebuild. It is the hardest part in that it takes a team backwards in their overall talent level and production level. It allows teams to collect assets for the future by moving out their most valuable pieces that don’t fit a time line for when a team expects to be better. That’s what leads to a teams setback and thus better draft capital. I will grant you that all tear downs need not look the same, but the Flyers did not take any steps back…or even attempt it. The one move you could point to…that kinda looked like that, was moving out Walker last year….only after they couldn’t agree on a contract extension?
Briere is simply trying to build a better team….like 20 other teams in the league.
To call it a rebuild is simply not paying attention to what they are actually doing. To call it a rebuild is just listening to the rhetoric.
Hextall tried the same plan, although his young core was far more talented. We’ll see if Briere can make up the difference with solid drafts….I guess getting Michkov is a nice start.
- landros 2

Really? Because NYR were praised for their rebuild yet they didnt tear anything down. It isnt the 1st step. A rebuild is simply the act of building a team through the draft. Doesnt matter where. Hextall was a rebuild and so is Briere

This is what I want you to do. Walk up to a wall and start talking to it. I want you to continue to do so until it starts answering you.

Freakin halfwit moron. He’s never going to answer and more than likely not even reading your posts.
- roenick97

are you a product of the inner city public school system?

Deslauriers played 8 out of the last 22 games. He isnt blocking anyone. He wont play 60 games. Hes 13th forward. Deslauriers and EJ will likely see thir highest play time early on and then be used sparingly. They both likely play 30 games. People cried that Marc Staal was going to block guys and he played 30 games. Even when flyers had injuries they called up Ginning snd Attard and played them ahead of Staal.

Flyers do stupid things but they are nowhere as stupid as ppl mske them out to be
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Deslauriers played 60 out of 82 games last season. The GM is on record telling Michkov that Deslauriers is his new best friend and showed him video of Deslauriers when Michkov came to town. What does that suggest?

What value did Staal bring to the team last year? Zero! That 30 games that he played could've been development games for younger players. Injuries will be the only reason why players like Ginning, Attard and Andrae will play. On a team that should be rebuilding.

The Flyers are one of the worst run NHL teams in the NHL. They have not been relevant as a team in over a decade. It is exactly how most informed fans make them out to be.

Really? Because NYR were praised for their rebuild yet they didnt tear anything down. It isnt the 1st step. A rebuild is simply the act of building a team through the draft. Doesnt matter where. Hextall was a rebuild and so is Briere
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

You're woefully incorrect about the Rangers. They were also aided by the Fox and Panarin situations which are not likely to be replicated

Deslauriers played 60 out of 82 games last season. The GM is on record telling Michkov that Deslauriers is his new best friend and showed him video of Deslauriers when Michkov came to town. What does that suggest?

What value did Staal bring to the team last year? Zero! That 30 games that he played could've been development games for younger players. Injuries will be the only reason why players like Ginning, Attard and Andrae will play. On a team that should be rebuilding.

The Flyers are one of the worst run NHL teams in the NHL. They have not been relevant as a team in over a decade. It is exactly how most informed fans make them out to be.
- MJL

it sounds like your contract wasn’t renewed 😂

Really? Because NYR were praised for their rebuild yet they didnt tear anything down. It isnt the 1st step. A rebuild is simply the act of building a team through the draft. Doesnt matter where. Hextall was a rebuild and so is Briere
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

You're woefully incorrect about the Rangers. They were also aided by the Fox and Panarin situations which are not likely to be replicated. What will play out is that what the Flyers are doing is not a rebuild. It is just a pause until they can clear up cap space. They then will go right back to doing what they've always done.

Clarke was the asset used for the PR hit to stand up for Fletcher and take out Hextall. To blame Hextall for Fletcher's failure. It's what the entire interview was for. Clarke loves the Flyers and is set in the old Flyers way. Hextall tried to change that and you don't do that to the Flyers. It's why unless that changes, the Flyers will never be a top team.
- MJL

Right! Cause Hextall was such a masterful GM in Pittsburgh! Is he still making donuts at Tim Horton's? Hell, even Chuckles is employed again! Ronnie not only sucks as a GM, but it appears that he doesn't work and play well with others.

Not sure Hexy left the Flyers in a much better place…if they were in a “much” better place he wouldn’t have been fired. I do agree that Clarke’s finger prints were all over Fletchers hiring and although I hardly think Hextall’s demise had anything to do with Clarke I think we can assume he wasn’t a big Hextall cheerleader.
From what Clarke said in the interview it seems like he was hearing a lot of the scouts and other team higher ups felt under used and appreciated by Hextall. Obviously Clarke would be privy to this in house fighting. If Hextall had done better job or you could actually see them taking steps forward he wouldn’t not have been fired. But to me he was fired with cause. Like is always the case when a GM is fired the team starts to look like a dumpster fire.
Perhaps had Hextall not burned certain bridges along the way he would have been given more time….although I’m simply guessing at that.
I think Clarke sold the Flyers on a guy like Fletcher as a “collaboration” type guy….kinda the anti Hextall approach. I didn’t like the hire then, but tried to give him a chance….but although I liked a few things early on, it always seemed like they were over paying on moves.
I like both DB and Jonesy….I hope they succeed. As Jonesy puts it “they are trying to thread a needle” here. Would I have been on board for a more comprehensive plan that was an actual rebuild? Sure….but that’s not the plan…so now I hope we fall into anothe couple of Michkov types….preferably one that plays centre and one that plays D.


- landros 2

I'm really hoping that this regime succeeds no matter what it takes, but I hate to hear the term "threading the needle"! That is basically a recipe for failure in life 98% of the time. That's basically another way of saying that everything has to come together perfectly to succeed.

Deslauriers played 60 out of 82 games last season. The GM is on record telling Michkov that Deslauriers is his new best friend and showed him video of Deslauriers when Michkov came to town. What does that suggest?

What value did Staal bring to the team last year? Zero! That 30 games that he played could've been development games for younger players. Injuries will be the only reason why players like Ginning, Attard and Andrae will play. On a team that should be rebuilding.

The Flyers are one of the worst run NHL teams in the NHL. They have not been relevant as a team in over a decade. It is exactly how most informed fans make them out to be.
- MJL

It was a joke. You say you can't trust anything the Flyers say but if its something you can complain about it must be a fact. Deslauriers only played 60 games due to injuries. Cates missed 23 games. Plus the whole Frost debacle. Wings are set and Deslauriers is the odd msn out.

Farabee
Tippett
Konecny
Michkov
Foerster
Brink
Hathaway
Cates

Unless Brink gets in Torts dog house Deslauriers wont play.

It was a joke. You say you can't trust anything the Flyers say but if its something you can complain about it must be a fact. Deslauriers only played 60 games due to injuries. Cates missed 23 games. Plus the whole Frost debacle. Wings are set and Deslauriers is the odd msn out.

Farabee
Tippett
Konecny
Michkov
Foerster
Brink
Hathaway
Cates

Unless Brink gets in Torts dog house Deslauriers wont play.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

This is an argument the loyalists use every year. If this and if that. Truth is guys are going to get hurt and Tortorella is gonna Tortorella.

All roads always lead back to the gristled vet that can’t play dead in Flyerland. Yet some continue to not be able to see it. Is it blind loyalty? Attention span of a gnat? Victim of indoctrination? Take your pick.

It was a joke. You say you can't trust anything the Flyers say but if its something you can complain about it must be a fact. Deslauriers only played 60 games due to injuries. Cates missed 23 games. Plus the whole Frost debacle. Wings are set and Deslauriers is the odd msn out.

Farabee
Tippett
Konecny
Michkov
Foerster
Brink
Hathaway
Cates

Unless Brink gets in Torts dog house Deslauriers wont play.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

It wasn't a joke. The GM was dead serious. Showing him video of Deslauriers. Brink is not a guarantee. This coach has shown that he will scratch anybody. Trades can still happen. Deslauriers is going to play.

Really? Because NYR were praised for their rebuild yet they didnt tear anything down. It isnt the 1st step. A rebuild is simply the act of building a team through the draft. Doesnt matter where. Hextall was a rebuild and so is Briere
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

By this logic every fricken team not doing a rebuild is actually doing a rebuild. Every team uses the draft to build and make their team better…literally all 32 teams…

It wasn't a joke. The GM was dead serious. Showing him video of Deslauriers. Brink is not a guarantee. This coach has shown that he will scratch anybody. Trades can still happen. Deslauriers is going to play.
- MJL

The last thing I'm going to do is show my 19 y/o prospect, who just got off a plane from Russia, tape of that monster Rempe fighting a Flyer. What'd he do next, take him for a walk in Kensignton?

I'm really hoping that this regime succeeds no matter what it takes, but I hate to hear the term "threading the needle"! That is basically a recipe for failure in life 98% of the time. That's basically another way of saying that everything has to come together perfectly to succeed.
- Phillywhiteout

I agree. I hope they can get the results they are looking for …obviously.

The last thing I'm going to do is show my 19 y/o prospect, who just got off a plane from Russia, tape of that monster Rempe fighting a Flyer. What'd he do next take him for a walk in Kensignton?
- Dkos

Good point?

I'm really hoping that this regime succeeds no matter what it takes, but I hate to hear the term "threading the needle"! That is basically a recipe for failure in life 98% of the time. That's basically another way of saying that everything has to come together perfectly to succeed.
- Phillywhiteout

"Success is not getting the red ink disease in our day-to-day business"

Sincerely from your steady pal Comcast