Why is getting an elite talent in his prime a bad move?
- flyeredup85

Mostly because he says so.

Why is getting an elite talent in his prime a bad move?
- flyeredup85

They have Couturier, Patrick at center as well as multiple top center prospects such as Frost in the well. Getting into a 7 year contract for big money for a center is not the right move.

Sorry, but the Flyers aren't at that point yet.
- MJL

Why?....

The rookies need to earn the ice time. Plain and simple
- corduroy

I think that excuse is overused. Aging vets never need to earn their ice time.

Bottom 6 veterans often get to make 10 mistakes because the coach is afraid of the rookie making 1.

In a coaches mind it's often easier to justify a vet in the lineup because they generally don't take the heat from a vet making a mistake that they do when a rookie makes a mistake.

Young players can learn from their mistakes and get better. Bottom 6 veterans usually do not improve, they usually only get worse.

The only concern, imo, should be if the young player is overwhelmed, not making "rookie mistakes". I would rather a young player make his mistakes in 2017, not 2018 or 2019.

Mostly because he says so.
- hereticpride

Exactly....don’t sign a franchise Center because we have prospects tha MIGHT be good one day....sounds logical.

I think that excuse is overused. Aging vets never need to earn their ice time.

Bottom 6 veterans often get to make 10 mistakes because the coach is afraid of the rookie making 1.

In a coaches mind it's often easier to justify a vet in the lineup because they generally don't take the heat from a vet making a mistake that they do when a rookie makes a mistake.

Young players can learn from their mistakes and get better. Bottom 6 veterans usually do not improve, they usually only get worse.

The only concern, imo, should be if the young player is overwhelmed, not making "rookie mistakes". I would rather a young player make his mistakes in 2017, not 2018 or 2019.
- Flyers_01

Hakstol hasn't taken heat for playing the veterans? Coaches don't make roster decisions based on what they can or can't justify to anyone. The worst thing you can do is hand ice time to a young player that hasn't earned it.

It feels like both to me, honestly. STL was aggressive but I never felt like Hextall loved that contract
- AllInForFlyers

To me you can’t say you won a trade when you got back two first round picks....those picks are good prospects...but until one of them hit what did you really get....we know what we lost. So we’ll see.

Why?....
- landros 2

Truthfully?

The defense and goaltending isn't nearly good enough to win playoff rounds.

They held up well in the regular season. Not knocking them.

But Hextall can't fix it all this offseason, most likely. Let's be honest: They need, what, three bottom 6 forwards at a minimum and need to look hard at trading Simmonds.

Provorov and Ghost is a legit top pairing. But Sanheim isn't ready for what they are facing. Might be in the future. Might not. Needs more development.

That third pairing is a damn mess.

So you have half the defense corps that isn't ready for prime time.

Elliott had a good regular season. But he isn't the answer.

So you need at least three forwards, two defenders and a No. 1 goalie to contend.

God bless 'em, but that's just a heavy lift in one offseason

Hakstol hasn't taken heat for playing the veterans? Coaches don't make roster decisions based on what they can or can't justify to anyone. The worst thing you can do is hand ice time to a young player that hasn't earned it.
- MJL

TO me the worst thing you can do is lose back to back playoff home games by a score of 10 - 1.

They have Couturier, Patrick at center as well as multiple top center prospects such as Frost in the well. Getting into a 7 year contract for big money for a center is not the right move.
- MJL

Frost is a maybe,and might be able to play wing like G.Pitt has crosby,malkin,brassard.So why cant we have Tavares,Patrick,Coots.Sounds damn good to me.Pitt always seems to make the cap work.The other centre prospects they have i wouldnt consider cant miss.Guys like Tavares dont come available every year. Most teams lock those guys up.When one becomes available you go hard and try to get them.Imo

Are you defending Read there?
- Brad Marsh Fan

Of course he is. That’s his M. O. He takes the opposite position of the majority, then defends it to nth degree

Rinse repeat

Washington traded Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat.

To me you can’t say you won a trade when you got back two first round picks....those picks are good prospects...but until one of them hit what did you really get....we know what we lost. So we’ll see.
- landros 2

I agree with what you wrote. I hope Frost becomes a big time center. St Louis figured out how to use Schenn at center this year. The Blues didn't miss the playoffs because of Brayden Schenn. The trade is still to be determined.

Washington traded Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat.
- bighandsome91

Ha! Yeah. That deal probably got McPhee fired, though

Truthfully?

The defense and goaltending isn't nearly good enough to win playoff rounds.

They held up well in the regular season. Not knocking them.

But Hextall can't fix it all this offseason, most likely. Let's be honest: They need, what, three bottom 6 forwards at a minimum and need to look hard at trading Simmonds.

Provorov and Ghost is a legit top pairing. But Sanheim isn't ready for what they are facing. Might be in the future. Might not. Needs more development.

That third pairing is a damn mess.

So you have half the defense corps that isn't ready for prime time.

Elliott had a good regular season. But he isn't the answer.

So you need at least three forwards, two defenders and a No. 1 goalie to contend.

God bless 'em, but that's just a heavy lift in one offseason
- AllInForFlyers

I'm puzzled by anyone who while watching this playoff series thinks the Flyers are a few Free Agent moves away. They still have to have considerable internal growth among the young players before they get to that point. You use free agency to supplement your team and maybe fill that final hole, not to build it. You don't even know what those holes will be yet.

Schenn for the picks: progressive or just a GM with buyer's remorse?
- AllInForFlyers

I don't think you can call it buyer's remorse since he wasn't the GM that traded for Schenn, unless you are referring to the extension. Hextall was in LA when the kings traded Schenn to the Flyers. I never got the feeling Hextall was high on Schenn.

Ha! Yeah. That deal probably got McPhee fired, though
- AllInForFlyers

Maybe he can make another dud trade on Simmonds?

Truthfully?

The defense and goaltending isn't nearly good enough to win playoff rounds.

They held up well in the regular season. Not knocking them.

But Hextall can't fix it all this offseason, most likely. Let's be honest: They need, what, three bottom 6 forwards at a minimum and need to look hard at trading Simmonds.

Provorov and Ghost is a legit top pairing. But Sanheim isn't ready for what they are facing. Might be in the future. Might not. Needs more development.

That third pairing is a damn mess.

So you have half the defense corps that isn't ready for prime time.

Elliott had a good regular season. But he isn't the answer.

So you need at least three forwards, two defenders and a No. 1 goalie to contend.

God bless 'em, but that's just a heavy lift in one offseason
- AllInForFlyers

Parts of this are bang on...but let’s hope at least some of these are addressed. Every team has holes. I have to think some of these kids will help more next year or maybe these prospects aren’t as good as we think. Know one said it would be easy....but (frank) status quo doesn’t work.

I’m puzzled by anyone who thinks this process should be this long drawn out patient process.....Vegas is showing that way of thinking is a load of BS.

I don't think you can call it buyer's remorse since he wasn't the GM that traded for Schenn, unless you are referring to the extension. Hextall was in LA when the kings traded Schenn to the Flyers. I never got the feeling Hextall was high on Schenn.
- FlyerFan16

Referring to the extension. Just never felt like he wanted to give Schenn that term

TO me the worst thing you can do is lose back to back playoff home games by a score of 10 - 1.
- opeth_pa

Everyone is frustrated as am I. When the season is over and this playoff series is over , we can move on. The sour taste of it will disappear. Mishandling of young players can have lasting repercussions.

Exactly....don’t sign a franchise Center because we have prospects tha MIGHT be good one day....sounds logical.

- landros 2

What do you mean might? We have already started to see Patrick as a top Center. Couturier is already there. Our money needs to be spent elsewhere like on Provorov, Ghost, Hagg, Konecny, Sanheim and Lindblom who are going to get decent raises in the next few years. Plus we still need a true #1 goalie.

MJL was just on the FAN590 said it ways always his dream to have a great coach like Hakstol

Referring to the extension. Just never felt like he wanted to give Schenn that term
- AllInForFlyers

I agree, they didnt view him as a center only a RW.

What do you mean might? We have already started to see Patrick as a top Center. Couturier is already there. Our money needs to be spent elsewhere like on Provorov, Ghost, Hagg, Konecny, Sanheim and Lindblom who are going to get decent raises in the next few years. Plus we still need a true #1 goalie.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

So if you could sign a player better then them all ....you would do it ?

Truthfully? The defense and goaltending isn't nearly good enough to win playoff rounds. They held up well in the regular season. Not knocking them. So you need at least three forwards, two defenders and a No. 1 goalie to contend.
- AllInForFlyers

PGH is making them look worse than they really are. They've been the best team in hockey by quite a bit since Sullivan took over and a bad matchup for the Flyers. We'll never know, but I think we'd be looking at a much different series if they pulled WSH. Four of those Dmen are going to be much better by next spring, MacD has been fine, so they do need a guy back there. They need another forward for sure, maybe two. Obviously, they have 3 vet goalies who aren't good enough.

It'll be another year of give the kids a shot, which I'm OK with.