That's whats bothersome, he can take as long as he wants to keep sucking, and drafting, (and upcoming draft is considered weak).
In the meantime, the players that were considered main pieces are no longer looking like core players.
by the time he's done building his defensive big 4, the front will require the same the same process, and then what?
We continue to suck, and draft upfront?
Frustrating!
It's like the logo on the front looks like a joke now.
- puckhead17

My guess is this will when FA and trades will start to happen. I don't believe Hextall will trade any of the D prospects until he has a better idea of what they are going to be at the NHL level.

no logic for starting 30 six games straight. he's not been good enough for that. he SUCKED tonight, and they lost because of it and Murray was good at the other end.

not a single shot on goal for G. oh i know, he tried. but he apparently likes the hitting the glass from the half circle. weise was the other one without a shot. not that it's a huge deal, but he a good chance on the 2 on 1 and wires it to the covered weak side guy which of course gets deflected and goes out of play.

they played well enough to win through 2 periods. i give them credit for making it close. but those two 3rd period goals against were pure garbage. i'll give him a pass on the 2nd goal, but i think it was stoppable. he got a piece of it.

what a (frank)ing dumpster fire this team is. i hope hextall can unload as many players as possible. not thrilled with hakstol either.


- hammarby31

The goalie situation is baffling to say the least. For a coach that normally changes his goalies after losses, keeping with Neuvirth for 6 straight when he's 2-4 is just crazy imo.

The goalie situation is baffling to say the least. For a coach that normally changes his goalies after losses, keeping with Neuvirth for 6 straight when he's 2-4 is just crazy imo.
- FlyerFan16

I'm more baffled at how they can just lose their game. I get it, the Flyers aren't the most inept defensive team, but god damn, they have been awful.

i think he'll get next year. if they stay stagnant or regress, my guess is he'll get canned. i know snider isn't around to freak everyone out, but i don't believe hextall has THAT much patience. i could be wrong.

- hammarby31

I agree with that, next year is a make or break year for Hakstol. I don't think he'll get fired if they start off bad, I think he'll get the whole year or at least most of it unless it is a true disaster.

I'm hoping they have 4-5 rookies on the team next year.

We could have had Shea Weber.... sigh.
- Flyers1218

Please keep the posts coming. They get better and better

I'm more baffled at how they can just lose their game. I get it, the Flyers aren't the most inept defensive team, but god damn, they have been awful.
- Flyers1218

I've been a Mason supporter but I'm ready for 2 new goalies next year. Assuming Stolarz is on the team, I'd be nervous about Mason or Neuvirth being the #1.

My guess is this will when FA and trades will start to happen. I don't believe Hextall will trade any of the D prospects until he has a better idea of what they are going to be at the NHL level.
- FlyerFan16

If 1/2 the prospects play to the potential thats predicted, that leaves us still in a mess.
I honestly wonder if 1/2 of this is coaching, Giroux is collapsed in the defensive zone every shift, what do you see when you play the Rangers?
You always see Nash, and now Grabner cherry pick by the opposing defensemen, and they are constantly getting breakaways. I realize thats just a small example, but is Giroux going to produce by grinding deep in the defensive zone, and bringing the puck up with 4 back against?
Just a thought, but I can't remember a Ranger game where Nash didn't cherrypick, and breakaway, is Giroux really this bad, or is the coach not figuring out a scheme to utilize specific players talents?
I feel like this coach could/would neuter Brent Burns.

Exactly. I liked it when teams didn't want to play the Flyers, and I've got news for you, it wasn't that long ago. The Rangers, Penguins, Caps, and Devils are all far too comfortable when they play us. I'm sick of it. We are the (frank)ing Philadelphia Flyers. Let's start (frank)ing acting like it.
- Flyers1218

This is the biggest concern I have with the Flyers. They're not a hard team to play against. I'm not talking goons but outside of Simmonds and Gudas, they're not very physical and they play with no emotion. That 2012 team that beat the Penguins in the playoffs played with a lot of emotion.

I've been a Mason supporter but I'm ready for 2 new goalies next year. Assuming Stolarz is on the team, I'd be nervous about Mason or Neuvirth being the #1.
- FlyerFan16

It's like the GM, and coach are treating him like complete $hit, he's only been our starter the last 4 seasons, with very good numbers.

It's like the GM, and coach are treating him like complete $hit, he's only been our starter the last 4 seasons, with very good numbers.
- puckhead17

And I don't buy that they're showcasing Neuvirth for a trade. These last two games will have hurt his trade value.

I'm not big on Coots these days, but he has scored 40 points in this league
- puckhead17

He hasn't. Ever!

It's not that they don't like patience, but it needs direction. There is some confusion in terms of that direction. A lot of teams haven't preached patience and they are tops in the league.
- Flyers1218

I don't understand why there's confusion over direction, he's patiently building through the draft, concentrated on the defense first.

What team is tops in the league and got there in a hurray? Hextall's been at it just three years, give it some time.

He hasn't. Ever!
- Mononoke

No, but he did have 39 points in 63 games last year and I wouldn't want to get rid of him to give Bellemare more responsibilities.

He hasn't. Ever!
- Mononoke

You're a scourge

Exactly. I liked it when teams didn't want to play the Flyers, and I've got news for you, it wasn't that long ago. The Rangers, Penguins, Caps, and Devils are all far too comfortable when they play us. I'm sick of it. We are the (frank)ing Philadelphia Flyers. Let's start (frank)ing acting like it.
- Flyers1218

Old school hockey. Sorry to say, there's a new principal & the Flyers bullies have been expelled!! I think the Blowjackets have become our new rivalry.

There are two different tangents going on here:

1. The state of the team. Hextall said all along he was taking the long approach. Last year was a mirage and spoiled us. This team looked awkwardly assembled for the least couple of years. Hextall's stated approach to slowly make moves and to build a core through the draft will mean it might look awkward and miss-matched for another year after this.

2. The game Stadium Game itself. Well, it was a pretty good microcosm of the team's issues this season. G looked frankly bored at times. I think he is playing hurt and it is hurting the team. Neuvirth looked bad, full stop. Ghost get's a minus two and is not the issue on either of those goals. Provorov is one of the best players on the ice. Jake has stretches of dominance and stretches where he looks like he has checked out.

I kind of want to see Giroux tried on the wing but the thought of anyone stepping up to play 1C on this current roster scares the poop out of me.

The same old story, the same old song and dance.
Praying for lottery luck

I kind of want to see Giroux tried on the wing but the thought of anyone stepping up to play 1C on this current roster scares the poop out of me.
- hereticpride

The Vandevelde-Bellemare-Giroux line will be splendid

I'm.going to post this as much as possible until it changes.

A small, non physical, team lacking speed and skill with awful goaltending.
That sums up this collection of stiffs perfectly.

This really is a tough team to watch. Always 1-2 catastrophic break downs that wind up in the net. They never seem to finish off the play. Out shoot the other team and get nothing out of it. Weak goals by the goalies. If Neuvey had just had an average night could have wound up 2-2 and into overtime.
Trades right now for a scorer is just a trade for trade sake. I would love to see any three of four gone, Striet, MDZ, Shultz or Manning. Amac makes too much for 3 more years. I want Nuevy gone, I want VDV and Belle gone. AT THE DEADLINE!!!!! I think only 2 D men may get moved with a goalie and perhaps a forward thrown into the mix.
Maybe Haag finishes the season here. Morin starts next year here. Stolarz can finish the year here and actually play some. I would LOVE to see What the team looks like with both TK amd Weal in the line up. VDV and Belle gone and a whole bunch of guys shift DOWN the line up.

Lets try. TK, G and Jake. Fast line.
Schenn, Coots and Simmonds. Big power line with some skill.
Weal, Rafl and cousins. 2 young guys with speed and big center with good "D". Btw, last night saw Weal as the first forward back three times, twice in Malkins back pocket. Thought he didn't play D.
Read, Weiss and Luby nice checking line but may have to flip one of Rafl or Cousins to fourth to center and Weiss to RW.
Next year Lindblom comes in from Sweden and on of the bottom six goes to the press box.
This team has some talent and some more on the way. Pens keep adding talent from the farm team. As Hexy said. These kids are 23-24. Our kids are 19-20-21-22. We have seen TK, Weal, Lier Laughton and Cousins play here and mostly done well.

The season is bleak but the future has great promise. They are in most games and need to be better on D and goal and some more scoring up front.
I was excited at the start of the season with 2 kids in the line up and fresh off the playoffs. The streak helped but it just shows night in and night out that they just aren't good enough yet. These two games against the best team in the league, Caps, and the defending champs shows they can play with the teams, just can't find a way to beat them yet.

Coots has been given the chance to be an offensive player. He's just not. I'm also not sold that he's fantastic defensively either. Also, the 10 game win streak; a lot occurred while he was out. The putrid hockey has taken place with him in the lineup preceding the 10 game win streak and astonishingly began again shortly after he returned. Coincidence? Probably, but I do find that interesting.

Schenn is asked to be a 20 goal scorer who has physicality. What has Schenn been? A 20 goal scorer who has added physicality. He actually supplies what he is paid to do more than Coots. I just don't understand the Schenn hate and Coots love. The dude is an average to below average hockey player.

- Flyer1218

Interesting. Couturier was one of their best players in the game last night, and had a number of good scoring chances.

Having no Snider is what is worrisome, because he can take as long a process as he wants, with zero pressure.
- puckhead17

I don't believe that is true at all. Hextall will have to produce at some point just like any other GM.

If 1/2 the prospects play to the potential thats predicted, that leaves us still in a mess.
I honestly wonder if 1/2 of this is coaching, Giroux is collapsed in the defensive zone every shift, what do you see when you play the Rangers?
You always see Nash, and now Grabner cherry pick by the opposing defensemen, and they are constantly getting breakaways. I realize thats just a small example, but is Giroux going to produce by grinding deep in the defensive zone, and bringing the puck up with 4 back against?
Just a thought, but I can't remember a Ranger game where Nash didn't cherrypick, and breakaway, is Giroux really this bad, or is the coach not figuring out a scheme to utilize specific players talents?
I feel like this coach could/would neuter Brent Burns.
- puckhead17

Giroux is a center, Grabner and Nash are wingers.

Interesting. Couturier was one of their best players in the game last night, and had a number of good scoring chances.
- MJL

If Coots plays with TWO strong wingers, (Jake and TK or Schenn and Simmer) he produces. Then next game he is stuck with Rafl and Weiss. Nice strong power line that produces chances and has no hands. Coots is always around the net getting shots, setting screens and fighting for rebounds. Straddled with the other teams top lines as a checking assignment and strapped with checking wingers that can't finish it is small wonder that he is a minus on the season. Still one of the top forwards in +/- on the team. Is he a 2c? on this team now, yes he is. Would I love to see all our centers slide down one line? Yes, of course. If we ADD better guys at the top, the rest slide down a line and the whole team is better.