I'm hoping that the newfound-under Hextall-desire to use the Phantoms as a developmental platform and instill a winning attitude at the AHL level pays dividends.

It's hard to drop a kid in a losing situation, in sub par facilities and expect him to develop well.
- Jsaquella

Look at the last Phantoms Calder Cup team. Carter. Richards. Sharp. Nitti. Pitkanen. Seidenberg. Umberger. Eager.

I like Hextall bringing in some senior AHL guys who can score to round out the roster too.

That, to me at least, has been the best contribution from Homer so far. The commitment to developing a winning atmosphere. From bottom to top.
- jak521

I'm not sure about this one. I think he really let the Phantoms go after they moved from Philly. Obviously lack of picks impacted it. But for too long the AHL was only used to develop call-ups for the Flyers, in my opinion.

Look at the last Phantoms Calder Cup team. Carter. Richards. Sharp. Nitti. Pitkanen. Seidenberg. Umberger. Eager.

I like Hextall bringing in some senior AHL guys who can score to round out the roster too.
- TheGreat28

Yep, before it was one or two AHL vets, like Denis Hamel, now there's a good group of vets to help the kids along. Hopefully they get more buy in from Jones, Gordon etc, than they did from Newbury

Boudreau does come across as a bit of a doofus.
- Tomahawk

The hockey press loves Boudreau, so I expect Teemu to get skewered a bit.

/Team Teemu

Simmonds will wear an A, per Dave Isaac

The hockey press loves Boudreau, so I expect Teemu to get skewered a bit.

/Team Teemu
- johndewar

He ToTz McGoTz SeD tEh F wOrD oN tV hEz So LoLz #BEWDRO

I fully know.. I just don't feel it is necessary to fellate your ego.

The signing was bad, but its impact minimal.

I understand that.


- jak521

No, you don't fully know. By this response, you are still not aware of the point I was making. Nothing to do with ego.

Simmonds will wear an A, per Dave Isaac
- Jsaquella

Well he's still young, maybe he'll develop into a C Cup in a few years. Although I think a D might be a long shot.

Simmonds will wear an A, per Dave Isaac
- Jsaquella

He ToTz McGoTz SeD tEh F wOrD oN tV hEz So LoLz #BEWDRO
- jmatchett383

Well he's still young, maybe he'll develop into a C Cup in a few years. Although I think a D might be a long shot.
- jmatchett383

I think there are exercises to help with increasing bust size.

/so I'm told

Look at the last Phantoms Calder Cup team. Carter. Richards. Sharp. Nitti. Pitkanen. Seidenberg. Umberger. Eager.

I like Hextall bringing in some senior AHL guys who can score to round out the roster too.
- TheGreat28

i think the lockout helped them that year

I think there are exercises to help with increasing bust size.

/so I'm told
- johndewar

Yeah it's called eat at Geno's for a month straight...bigger bewbs, bigger everything

Simmonds will wear an A, per Dave Isaac
- Jsaquella

Simmonds will wear an A, per Dave Isaac
- Jsaquella

Awesome. I bet is Streit, Lecavalier, Coburn or Voracek get the other one, in that order.

An old wooden Vic Goalie stick is a great persuader
- Jsaquella

I'm not sure about this one. I think he really let the Phantoms go after they moved from Philly. Obviously lack of picks impacted it. But for too long the AHL was only used to develop call-ups for the Flyers, in my opinion.
- TheGreat28

Essh.. huge typo.. I meant Hexy not Homer.

That is where I think Homer REALLY struggled. Hell Hexy has gone out and gotten Powe and guys of his ilk for the Phantoms.

Awesome. I bet is Streit, Lecavalier, Coburn or Voracek get the other one, in that order.
- NickTheKid87

[Coburn Picture with A]
- Tomahawk

Didn't Vinny wear it once or twice last year or am I remembering incorrectly?

I'm not missing your point. I just don't agree with the excuses attached to the Bryzgalov signing. I can, and will, dismiss the compliance buyout, because it was a deus ex machina which was never part of the picture when they devised this megaturd of a contract.

If you want to factor that in that's your right, but it's rose tinted logic in my judgement.
- BulliesPhan87

There are no excuses, only facts. If there is going to be a comparison made to come to a conclusion of what mistake was the bigger mistake, then the impact on the team should be considered as a variable when comparing mistakes. That is only logical.

It is a fact that the compliance buyout significantly lowered the impact on the team from the mistake in signing Bryzgalov. To the point where it basically only affected the team for two seasons. You could make some reasonable, but speculative arguments that other things could've been different, but that can't be made factually.

I think if we look at how the team's failure under Holmgren to draft and develop defenseman has affected the team. It has affected them for longer then two seasons, and continues to affect them today. And in my opinion, that mistake has had a bigger impact on the team, then the Bryzgalov signing has.

Which brings to the only point I was making. In that in my opinion, the failure to draft and develop defenseman was a bigger failure under Holmgren then the Bryzgalov signing was. And not in any way to make an excuse for the signing, or to state that the signing wasn't a big mistake. Because it was.

Now feel free to show how there is any rose colored logic being implied here.

Simmonds will wear an A, per Dave Isaac
- Jsaquella

That's cool. I wish he would wear a visor, though. Standing in front of the net like he does he's bound to get unlucky with a deflected puck eventually.

There are no excuses, only facts. If there is going to be a comparison made to come to a conclusion of what mistake was the bigger mistake, then the impact on the team should be considered as a variable when comparing mistakes. That is only logical.

It is a fact that the compliance buyout significantly lowered the impact on the team from the mistake in signing Bryzgalov. To the point where it basically only affected the team for two seasons. You could make some reasonable, but speculative arguments that other things could've been different, but that can't be made factually.

I think if we look at how the team's failure under Holmgren to draft and develop defenseman has affected the team. It has affected them for longer then two seasons, and continues to affect them today. And in my opinion, that mistake has had a bigger impact on the team, then the Bryzgalov signing has.

Which brings to the only point I was making. In that in my opinion, the failure to draft and develop defenseman was a bigger failure under Holmgren then the Bryzgalov signing was. And not in any way to make an excuse for the signing, or to state that the signing wasn't a big mistake. Because it was.

Now feel free to show how there is any rose colored logic being implied here.
- MJL

Lets try this on for size. You are missing the point.

That's cool. I wish he would wear a visor, though. Standing in front of the net like he does he's bound to get unlucky with a deflected puck eventually.
- Feanor

Pssh.. Eventually.

There are no excuses, only facts. If there is going to be a comparison made to come to a conclusion of what mistake was the bigger mistake, then the impact on the team should be considered as a variable when comparing mistakes. That is only logical.

It is a fact that the compliance buyout significantly lowered the impact on the team from the mistake in signing Bryzgalov. To the point where it basically only affected the team for two seasons. You could make some reasonable, but speculative arguments that other things could've been different, but that can't be made factually.

I think if we look at how the team's failure under Holmgren to draft and develop defenseman has affected the team. It has affected them for longer then two seasons, and continues to affect them today. And in my opinion, that mistake has had a bigger impact on the team, then the Bryzgalov signing has.

Which brings to the only point I was making. In that in my opinion, the failure to draft and develop defenseman was a bigger failure under Holmgren then the Bryzgalov signing was. And not in any way to make an excuse for the signing, or to state that the signing wasn't a big mistake. Because it was.

Now feel free to show how there is any rose colored logic being implied here.
- MJL

You guys are arguing two different things essentially. You're saying drafting/developing dmen is the biggest mistake because of the consequences and not Bryz because he was only on the team for 2 years. BulliesPhan is saying that the Bryz signing was the biggest isolated mistake.

You guys are arguing two different things essentially. You're saying drafting/developing dmen is the biggest mistake because of the consequences and not Bryz because he was only on the team for 2 years. BulliesPhan is saying that the Bryz signing was the biggest isolated mistake.
- NickTheKid87

Yeah pretty much. Though for me, when I look at which of the two is affecting the team now and for a few more years down the road....the answer is obvious. And that to me, makes it a bigger mistake.