I just disagree. Teams smartened up from the Vegas expansion, held firm on sweeteners, and this is what Francis was left with.
- Flyers1218

You say you disagree but yet your response actually agrees with me. I'll put it another way. Do you know why Francis didn't take any big deals off of teams? Because nobody would meet the asking price. Follow my posts. That's exactly what I've been saying. Francis can afford not to in his position. He still has the leverage of available cap space. Which is a high value currency in the league. At some point, some team will come to him. As Tomahawk said, why would he take on a team of older players with bloated contracts? They're okay as an expansion team with being a grind it out team that is hard to play against but lacks talent. They're an expansion team. They'll draft and develop that talent. Cap issues for teams are not going away for the next few years. It's a long game situation.

They should. But we all know that is no longer the expectation.
- BenderRodriguez

Starting a franchise: would you rather build around Shane Wright or a bunch of JVRs?

That I agree with, but unfortunately they will be compared to Vegas. Fans/ownership are going to expect solid early returns. They are one of the worst teams in the West, as currently constructed of course.
- Flyers1218

They don't care if they're compared to Vegas. They've already sold season tickets.

That I agree with, but unfortunately they will be compared to Vegas. Fans/ownership are going to expect solid early returns. They are one of the worst teams in the West, as currently constructed of course.
- Flyers1218

People said that about Vegas before they hit the ice, too.

Vegas got lucky to hit on a few guys, and made some other shrewd moves.

That Vegas roster looked like a bottom-feeder when they were chosen. It’s complete revisionist history to think people saw them assembling something great out of the box.

That I agree with, but unfortunately they will be compared to Vegas. Fans/ownership are going to expect solid early returns. They are one of the worst teams in the West, as currently constructed of course.
- Flyers1218

After trading away Suzuki, Glass, Brannstrom and their 1st from 2018, the future of the Vegas Golden Knights rests on Nolan Patrick.

Let that sink in for a minute.

I'm not sure Vegas is really the model you want to emulate.

After trading away Suzuki, Glass, Brannstrom and their 1st from 2018, the future of the Vegas Golden Knights rests on Nolan Patrick.

Let that sink in for a minute.

I'm not sure Vegas is really the model you want to emulate.
- Tomahawk

They have a good team now but how long will that window stay open? If they don't win the Cup relatively soon, it's not going to be pretty.

I’m sure Fletcher and the front office has several contingency plans.
- Flyers1218

Bong rips listening to phish till they are numb from gaining no cap space today?

Then smoking one more spliff cause tarensenko isn’t on the roster but jake is

After trading away Suzuki, Glass, Brannstrom and their 1st from 2018, the future of the Vegas Golden Knights rests on Nolan Patrick.

Let that sink in for a minute.

I'm not sure Vegas is really the model you want to emulate.
- Tomahawk

Last time the flyers went to a conference final was???

Haula, Smith, Karlsson and Marchessault looked like spare parts and castoffs once. Most of these picks won't amount to anything. But neither did most of Vegas' picks.

Vegas got their pound of flesh from a lot of teams on draft night. Seattle will exact their toll over the whole summer.

It's not a matter of loving it or hating it. It's just the new reality of the flat cap.
- Tomahawk

Don’t include Marchessault. He scored 30 goals the year before the expansion. He was very much considered a good piece for Vegas.

Karlsson was huge the first year in Vegas and has slowly regressed back to his mean.

Reilly Smith had twice scored 20 goals and came off one really good season and one decent year in Florida before he went to Vegas.

I get your point, there were other players that really came into their own in a Vegas and the same could happen in Seattle. I just think Vegas drafted a more talented team.

Last time the flyers went to a conference final was???
- corduroy

I don't think Seattle should emulate the Dave Scott Flyers either.

I just think Vegas drafted a more talented team.
- Flyers1218

That's in hindsight.

Vegas was absolutely shredded for a lot of the picks they made at the time.

You say you disagree but yet your response actually agrees with me. I'll put it another way. Do you know why Francis didn't take any big deals off of teams? Because nobody would meet the asking price. Follow my posts. That's exactly what I've been saying. Francis can afford not to in his position. He still has the leverage of available cap space. Which is a high value currency in the league. At some point, some team will come to him. As Tomahawk said, why would he take on a team of older players with bloated contracts? They're okay as an expansion team with being a grind it out team that is hard to play against but lacks talent. They're an expansion team. They'll draft and develop that talent. Cap issues for teams are not going away for the next few years. It's a long game situation.
- MJL

So he cut off his nose to spite his face? Because no one would meet his price on any player with a decent contract he took none? Instead he took a team devoid of talent because no one would give him a 1st rounder to take their good players?

That’s the part I don’t agree with. He didn’t need to take all of the high priced players, but he left a ton of talent on the table. You’re going to tell me he couldn’t have taken a couple of large contracts and solidified his team? He still would have ended up with $20 mill in cap space.

Long summer.

After trading away Suzuki, Glass, Brannstrom and their 1st from 2018, the future of the Vegas Golden Knights rests on Nolan Patrick.

Let that sink in for a minute.

I'm not sure Vegas is really the model you want to emulate.
- Tomahawk

Vegas has been an extremely good team since their inception. What better way to build a cult following then by going to the Stanley Cup Finals in your inaugural season.

They don't care if they're compared to Vegas. They've already sold season tickets.
- MJL

Go 25-45-12 and see how many tickets get sold after the novelty of it wears off.

Last time the flyers went to a conference final was???
- corduroy

2010

Easily the best sports news of the day:

The U.S. women’s soccer team took a devastating 3-0 loss to Sweden early Wednesday morning in their Tokyo Olympic opener, breaking their 44-game winning streak.

All 22 players on Team USA took a knee in solidarity with the radical leftist group Black Lives Matter before the game, a major point of contention with U.S. fans.
- Djapana

😂 Love it!! Hope they don’t win a game. Would serve them right!

Starting a franchise: would you rather build around Shane Wright or a bunch of JVRs?
- Tomahawk

And probably berniers too

Who don’t you like?
- hereticpride

I would have liked to see JVR's or Jake's contracts come off the Flyers books, without any money going back to Seattle.

Who would ever want young, cheap players with upside in a cap world? Or solid players like Lauzon, Dunn and Donskoi? Who would ever want Mark Giordano or Tanev for PO run w/ some salary retained?

Nah, take a bunch of 30+ yo declining guys on long bloated deals... that's the ticket.
- Tomahawk

I never said to take a bunch of 30 + guys. There were some pretty good prospects available. Jake Bean has more value than Geekie, Kale Clague > MacDermid, Kaapo Kahkonen > Soucy etc.

No deals. Better options on the table of all ages. Seattle could have assembled a competitive team with better trade chips in place. They even had a successful expansion blueprint left by Vegas. I'm calling it unsuccessful.

Pleasure talking hockey with you guys tonight. I’m sure there will be plenty to talk about tomorrow.

Vegas has been an extremely good team since their inception. What better way to build a cult following then by going to the Stanley Cup Finals in your inaugural season.
- Flyers1218

Let's see if that cult following sticks with them when they're not going in the final four anymore.

Haula, Smith, Karlsson and Marchessault looked like spare parts and castoffs once. Most of these picks won't amount to anything. But neither did most of Vegas' picks.

Vegas got their pound of flesh from a lot of teams on draft night. Seattle will exact their toll over the whole summer.

It's not a matter of loving it or hating it. It's just the new reality of the flat cap.
- Tomahawk

Well said!

We won’t know their plan for months. They can wait out teams with all that cap space.
I’m not judging anything yet. Those that do are being a little short sighted.

Starting a franchise: would you rather build around Shane Wright or a bunch of JVRs?
- Tomahawk

A bit of an oversimplification, but I get where you're coming from. No guarantee they get the #1 pick, nor of any success because of it.

So I'm hearing rumors that the Flyers are looking to obtain Pitlick from the crackheads? Not sure if it's true or not. I wouldn't mind if it is true cause I never wanted him to walk in the first place, but isn't that kind of embarrassing for Chucky? Trade proposal.....Jakey for Johnny Hockey straight up!!! Let's do er!!

After trading away Suzuki, Glass, Brannstrom and their 1st from 2018, the future of the Vegas Golden Knights rests on Nolan Patrick.

Let that sink in for a minute.

I'm not sure Vegas is really the model you want to emulate.
- Tomahawk

So assembling a winning team with playoff success, exposing your fans to playoff hockey, building a winning culture, bringing fans in and all that added revenue from deep playoff runs is nothing to emulate? Wow!

The expansion Vegas Golden Knights have accomplished more playoff success in 1 season than the Flyers have in the last decade.

Let that sink in for a minute.