Bill Meltzer: Today in Flyers' History: The Gratton Affair Begins

Yet another scintillating move from Bobby Clarke!










Dear God what a trainwreck

why change a good thing. Sometimes the best moves are the ones you never make!

That was interesting. I never knew that so much into acquiring Chris Gratton.

Great blog. What a mess. As horrible as bobby looks in this Esposito looks 100x worse.
Glad Homer is at the helm.

what a cluster fxck that whole ordeal was, the flyers fax machine must have really sucked back then...i believe quebec cried foul on the deal faxed to them for lindros also.

what could have been if we just kept brindy at center, held onto prospal+williams, etc.

First!

Bill-if there is a lockout this season, would weber then qualify to be traded next summer?

What a headache

Bill-if there is a lockout this season, would weber then qualify to be traded next summer?
- mydoglicks

It's unlikely there will be a canceled season. However, even if there is, he's owed the signing bonus money ($25 million) in full. I'm not sure whether the new contract's first season would otherwise roll over into 2013-14 if there's a canceled season but I really doubt the Predators would be trading him even if it were allowed.

what a cluster fxck that whole ordeal was, the flyers fax machine must have really sucked back then...i believe quebec cried foul on the deal faxed to them for lindros also.

what could have been if we just kept brindy at center, held onto prospal+williams, etc.
- mydoglicks

I thought that the Flyers had made a successful trade for Lindros and were just waiting to talk to him and his mommy when the Rangers snuck their deal into the NHL head office. Then the Flyers appealed and won.

I'll never forget being in Toronto to catch the final Flyers/Leafs game at MLG. On game day, while hanging out in the lobby of the downtown Toronto Marriott, The Flyers - also staying at the Marriott - came in from their morning skate. Every player, except Gratton and Sillinger, went to the elevator to return to their rooms. Gratton and Sillinger went to the front desk to check out. Shortly thereafter, we learned of the trade with Tampa. While Renberg could not make it to TO in time for the game, Langkow was in the lineup that night and notched an assist in the 3-0 Flyers victory.

Epic.
Flyers should have turned around and done the Chicago offer for gratton

It's unlikely there will be a canceled season. However, even if there is, he's owed the signing bonus money ($25 million) in full. I'm not sure whether the new contract's first season would otherwise roll over into 2013-14 if there's a canceled season but I really doubt the Predators would be trading him even if it were allowed.
- bmeltzer

ty

I thought that the Flyers had made a successful trade for Lindros and were just waiting to talk to him and his mommy when the Rangers snuck their deal into the NHL head office. Then the Flyers appealed and won.
- Ben37

i remember that the rangers said they faxed there trade first and was accepted, but in reality the flyers prooved there case that there deal was accepted first via fax.

Yet another scintillating move from Bobby Clarke!

Dear God what a trainwreck
- Giroux_Is_God

All of clarkes moves might not have been great, he was an excellent gm.

I remember that trade and the blurry fax; got to hand it to phil, he lied, stole and did every under handed thing to bring the bolts to tampa; god i love that man!!!!!

Seriously i heard the only reason they sent dyke and renny back was the bolts pretty much be forced to closed up shop.

My best hockey memory is sitting 2 seats up from the glass on game 7 in 2004 and watching the big bad flyers crying like b*tches after the bolts slapped the stank off them, oh of course the lifting of the cup that same year!!!!!

All of clarkes moves might not have been great, he was an excellent gm.
- twotoekenn

My main problem with Clarkie as GM was the summer when Cujo, Richter, and Beezer were all UFAs. With no salary cap, he had to overspend to get the best goalie, not the worst. He always believed a team could win with average goaltending if the team around was strong enough. I still shake my head and wonder why Cujo or Richter wasn't the choice.

I'll never forget being in Toronto to catch the final Flyers/Leafs game at MLG. On game day, while hanging out in the lobby of the downtown Toronto Marriott, The Flyers - also staying at the Marriott - came in from their morning skate. Every player, except Gratton and Sillinger, went to the elevator to return to their rooms. Gratton and Sillinger went to the front desk to check out. Shortly thereafter, we learned of the trade with Tampa. While Renberg could not make it to TO in time for the game, Langkow was in the lineup that night and notched an assist in the 3-0 Flyers victory.
- BOSS_TWEED

Did you go up with the Fan Club? I was there too...Sillinger nearly bowled me and my girlfriend over when he was coming off the elevator with his luggage. He was not pleased.

What a goat-rope

All good stuff once again from the mind of Meltzer


Oh big, slow and soft...Chris Gratton was the total package.

He did have a few good moments, I don't remember them...but....

I was so upset that Renberg was included in that deal. The number if injuries he played through for the Flyers....and the lack of credit he got for jelling with basically anyone he was on the ice with.

In some ways, prior to this breakout year, Scott Hartnell has reminded me of Gratton in his overall play...accept Scotty Hockey has such a great personality and is such a yapper. Gratton always seemed to be dower.

All of clarkes moves might not have been great, he was an excellent gm.
- twotoekenn

Clarke has his moments.

Baby Shannahan

Let the troll games continue
- Daman

I have no problem with other teams fans post in here. He remarked about the same key player in Bill's blob.

Awesome story from the Lindros era. I remember being in Tampa Bay once back in like 1995 I want to say and they had highway billboards promoting the lightning with Chris Gratton. He was marketed sort of as the messiah for the Bolts.