I agree 100% with Hextall saying he won't trade the future for something of a rental type guy or a vet who carries a bad contract. But I really think the type of losses has forced him to think long and hard about the core group. Of the current NHL team, Frankly other then Konecny, Provorov and Simmonds....all scenario's should be explored. Honestly I'm sure hextall knows this as well, regardless of what he says publically.

G is signed until when? He'll be here when the prospects get here. But he should still be working his ass off every game. It's called pride.

By the way I've plunked down enough of my hard earned money and sat in the arena all season watching the crap play from this team. My seats are behind the Flyers goalie during the first and third period. I've enough lazy back checks this year to make a long tape that most coaches would use as a not to do this tape.
- dragonoffrost

hes getting the poop beat out of him now, what will be left?

I'm with you on that. For one thing, if all of them pan out, there are not enough spots for them anyway.

Eventually, accumulating all these riches in d prospects need to be used to shore up the forward corps. Young D prospect for young forward prospect plus.

I understand Hexstall wants to be patient and not make any rash moves, but as you said, its not like we are screaming for him to trade Hagg and Ghost for Gary Roberts.
- MBFlyerfan

finally. yes. thank you.

As frustrating as that was considering it was the third or fourth time Giroux did that last week, that play is primarily on Provorov.

I hate to call out a rookie who has far exceeded already high expectations but he looked his age on that play. It's not even the turnover on a bouncing puck that bothered me. He follows his man to the goal line instead of keeping his eye on the play which he could've interrupted if he stops chasing and squares up.

Giroux's lack of effort is unacceptable but I think he's anticipating the puck coming back out on a rebound and looking to pounce with support. Something that's been wrong with his game all over the ice. He's watching far too much instead of getting involved.
- Baxter27

I think Provorov went to the wrong guy (maybe lack of communication between the two), however, he still did get over enough to pretty much make OV's option to pass to the trailer who HAS to be picked up by the first backchecker which was Giroux. I don't care what he thought may happen.....he has to pick him up. So what if OV shot it? the rebounds comes out to the middle for a slam dunk. If G takes him man most likely the goal is prevented. he got caught gliding and watching. G is one of my favorite players and I defend him but his lack of backchecking lately cannot be defended

That's the answer to that crappy site bug we should all post:

/dfp
- dragonoffrost

have to post something to get it out of the way so I can respond to someone so seems like as good as a comment than any

disagree, being the blackhawks or kings will take a lot longer than 2 more years the way they did it.
theres solid pieces here, a solid team that needs some help.
he can say what he wants, (Hextall), he wants things done one way only.
he will have nothing left up front in 3 years, and then his process continues.
- puckhead17

The core of this team up front is...

G = signed until 2021-2022
Jake = signed until 2023-2024
Schenn = signed until 2019-2020
Couturier = signed until 2021-2022
Simmonds = sigend until 2018-2019 (and you can damn well bet he gets resigned)

Again the current core be here. The kids arrive. Cap space is there to get the other piece.

when is a good time to make a trade??? when you lose 11 of 14 ? or after you rattle off 10 wins in a row? I just have a feeling that something will happen this week....might be small, might be a little larger.

I agree 100% with Hextall saying he won't trade the future for something of a rental type guy or a vet who carries a bad contract. But I really think the type of losses has forced him to think long and hard about the core group. Of the current NHL team, Frankly other then Konecny, Provorov and Simmonds....all scenario's should be explored. Honestly I'm sure hextall knows this as well, regardless of what he says publically.
- landros 2

jesus christ no one, myself included said to trade a kid for a rental.
its like when you say the GM isnt backing his players, everyone puts on their stepford wife costumes and thinks "sanheim for iginla you say". no no one said anything like that.

Laughton is never going to amount to anything is he?
- PLindbergh31

I hear ratboy (Tyler Kennedy) is available. He is still good at blowing past 40-60 year olds. Seriously tho I was talking to Sarah Baicker and she said he said in the post game he was still looking for an NHL job. Asshat

Also, the penguins admitted they started to double shift Colby Armstrong, Ryan Malone and Tyler Kennedy in the third period.....of an alumni game

The core of this team up front is...

G = signed until 2021-2022
Jake = signed until 2023-2024
Schenn = signed until 2019-2020
Couturier = signed until 2021-2022
Simmonds = sigend until 2018-2019 (and you can damn well bet he gets resigned)

Again the current core be here. The kids arrive. Cap space is there to get the other piece.
- dragonoffrost

ok enjoy 2 more losing seasons paying out $$$
maybe 3 or 4 now that snider is gone

Go back and listen to Saturday's post game comments by Hextall. It's on the Flyers web site under multimedia. He sure does care what today's team is doing. But he doesn't want another Sharp, JvR, you name the rest of the player who were traded and turned into what we needed down the road and didn't have. Yes we got an embarrassment of riches in D prospects right now. Guess what, that's all they are is prospects. Not one is ready for the NHL in managements eyes. Provorov came in this year and is making mistakes. I'm willing to wait. So should all the guys on contracts through 2022 or so cause if the process continues we should be the Blackhawk and Kings recently. Not playing for a cup. Winning a few.
- dragonoffrost

ok enjoy 2 more losing seasons paying out $$$
maybe 3 or 4 now that snider is gone
- puckhead17

You've vented for going on three pages now with nary an actual suggestion.

What are your specific ideas?

theres an in between method you know, homer. in between. hextall.
- puckhead17

You mean the Maple Leafs?

I hear ratboy (Tyler Kennedy) is available. He is still good at blowing past 40-60 year olds. Seriously tho I was talking to Sarah Baicker and she said he said in the post game he was still looking for an NHL job. Asshat

Also, the penguins admitted they started to double shift Colby Armstrong, Ryan Malone and Tyler Kennedy in the third period.....of an alumni game
- nastyflyergirl

It looked odd. But I didn't care other than that asshat scoring. Then again Penquins fans had to be fuming that Dave Brown scored.

The core of this team up front is...

G = signed until 2021-2022
Jake = signed until 2023-2024
Schenn = signed until 2019-2020
Couturier = signed until 2021-2022
Simmonds = sigend until 2018-2019 (and you can damn well bet he gets resigned)

Again the current core be here. The kids arrive. Cap space is there to get the other piece.
- dragonoffrost

it aint how long they are signed for, its how effective they are when hou keep waiting and waiting

I think Provorov went to the wrong guy (maybe lack of communication between the two), however, he still did get over enough to pretty much make OV's option to pass to the trailer who HAS to be picked up by the first backchecker which was Giroux. I don't care what he thought may happen.....he has to pick him up. So what if OV shot it? the rebounds comes out to the middle for a slam dunk. If G takes him man most likely the goal is prevented. he got caught gliding and watching. G is one of my favorite players and I defend him but his lack of backchecking lately cannot be defended
- nastyflyergirl

Not defending it at all. It's a major issue with him all over the ice right now. Hopefully a break has him come back more mentally and physically prepared to lead this team.

But Provorov needs to do a better job with his coverage on that play. If you take away the pass to OVI on that play it could've gone a number of different ways.

jesus christ no one, myself included said to trade a kid for a rental.
its like when you say the GM isnt backing his players, everyone puts on their stepford wife costumes and thinks "sanheim for iginla you say". no no one said anything like that.
- puckhead17

I don't think I pointed to anyone's analysis of a trade idea...I just get where Hextall is coming from with regards to where this team is and trades. But I actually think his job is to see what's out there and be proactive after witnessing the poop show on the weekend.

i hear you, but what if hes thinking, Im busting my ass, knowing we are only a few pieces away from being much much better, and my GM is playing a card game dreaming of building the 85 Oilers.
and the pride & passion my GM showed as a player is read into a stoic manaquin behind the bench, benching the same youth the organization is ramming down the throats of the veterans who give a poop. i hear you, hes getting paid $8m to play hard, but players arent stupid, they know they have to work that much harder because the GM wants to play an all or nothing "marinate the youth" game. How hard would you bust your ass knowing full well your GM will not back you with any help??
- puckhead17

I busted my ass every sport I played, whether as a kid, teen, or in my 20s and 30s, and I never got paid a cent. Sorry, there is no excuse for lack of effort, none.

In Greenbergs new book, he talks about how impressed the team was in 2007 with Jason Smith blocking shots and going all out in training camp and preseason. That's a captain! Bobby Clarke and Dave Poulin never took a shift off, nor did guys like Eric Desjardins, Kimmo Timonen and Ian Laperriere. This is what I expect of a Captain.

You've vented for going on three pages now with nary an actual suggestion.

What are your specific ideas?
- Scoob

a suggestion like i know who's available? like im at the GM meetings?
like i had lunch yesterday with Ken Holland? like i know what other teams are actually listening to in accordance to offers?
Im not a GM
just dont like my GM saying "we lose and I dont care, I'm not changing anything"

On the topic of how long before Hextall and Hakstol feel the heat, my take is this:

1) If the team does a complete collapse that has them in the bottom 5, it means Hakstol's leadership and adjustments failed. He could be canned. I think, though, Hextall would look at the bigger picture and see where was the team failing. How much of it could be attributed to the system vs. the system playing in a larger bubble where the teams they were competing against had bona fide superior goalies (Caps, Pens, Rangers, and Bluejackets) and those generational talents, or simply a stacked roster.

Tied to that, Hextall has about a month and a half to determine where the team stands. He could make moves to deplete the roster of desirable pending free agents, which will contribute to the team's poor performance. If that's the case, Hakstol can't be blamed if they throw in the towel.

2) As for Hextall, I'm a supporter of his efforts and philosophy, but not some of his decisions. He's trying to play smart by fostering a team loaded with talent. It was a 4-5 year plan. Problem is, he's playing in a market and city that expects immediate results and gratification.

It's not entirely dissimilar from what Hinkie endured with the Sixers...He had a roster filled with toxic players and bad contracts, so he began trading them away to free up cap space and also tank to get talent the team could never afford to pay or trade for (because no free agent was going to touch that mess). Then after he was fired, people were saying the Sixers team would be a coach's dream, what with the level of talent in the roster, 2 top 10 (maybe even top 5) picks in next years draft, and cap space. It would be comparable to the Coyotes or Maple Leafs.

But Hextall walks a fine line, because while he's banking on the future, he needs to appease people and owners who want immediate or semi-immediate results.

My guess is he's going to trade 2-3 players by the deadline, look to stockpile draft picks, and try for a draft similar to the last two years. I think ownership would be patient with him next year--so long as there was evidence in the farm system and NHL stats of younger players that the future did indeed offer reason to be optimistic.

But. If he goes through another two years which play out like this one, ownership will show him the door (again, like Hinkie), and his replacement will inherit a really good situation where he has a blank slate, loads of talent in the system, and the only pressing issues of trading Giroux (early 30s at that point) and re-signing Simmonds.
- sdrowkcab

Hextall is going nowhere anytime soon nor should be. and the Flyers situation isn't the Sixers nor are they run by similar circumstances

i hear you, but what if hes thinking, Im busting my ass, knowing we are only a few pieces away from being much much better, and my GM is playing a card game dreaming of building the 85 Oilers.
and the pride & passion my GM showed as a player is read into a stoic manaquin behind the bench, benching the same youth the organization is ramming down the throats of the veterans who give a poop. i hear you, hes getting paid $8m to play hard, but players arent stupid, they know they have to work that much harder because the GM wants to play an all or nothing "marinate the youth" game. How hard would you bust your ass knowing full well your GM will not back you with any help??
- puckhead17

Flyers are more than only a few pieces away. Hextall knows this. He can't trade this team into a contender during the season. Bill alluded to this, and the point that they aren't as good as a 10 game win streak would suggest, and they aren't as bad as they're playing right now, from an overall aspect. Both comments are spot on.

Also, Cousins on the second goal last night. What the hell was that? Just let his man skate away from him to the front of the net.

I agree 100% with Hextall saying he won't trade the future for something of a rental type guy or a vet who carries a bad contract. But I really think the type of losses has forced him to think long and hard about the core group. Of the current NHL team, Frankly other then Konecny, Provorov and Simmonds....all scenario's should be explored. Honestly I'm sure hextall knows this as well, regardless of what he says publically.
- landros 2

I am not trading Jake either if I am the GM

I don't think I pointed to anyone's analysis of a trade idea...I just get where Hextall is coming from with regards to where this team is and trades. But I actually think his job is to see what's out there and be proactive after witnessing the poop show on the weekend.
- landros 2

as oppose to saying hes doing nothing. yeah its a start

Maybe Hextall would've listened if you guys gave him these suggestions during the 10 game winning streak. He is probably too busy now