No but I felt they were kind of wasting some of these guys best years if I'm being totally honest.
- hereticpride

Well when veteran players are performing at their best then it is a bit easier to let youth develop slower, but in the Flyers situation their best and older players are the most inconsistent players. That tends to hamper youth development and puts more pressure as well.

He might also seem to have an inflated opinion on some of these prospects he’s drafted given the lack of hockey trades during his tenure
- Just5

I think it's more about the more prospects you have the better the chances of getting some good players out of it.

It used to be Holmgren trades too many draft picks which is why they don't have enough young players. Now it's Hextall keeps too many draft picks and prospects and won't trade any.

Well when veteran players are performing at their best then it is a bit easier to let youth develop slower, but in the Flyers situation their best and older players are the most inconsistent players. That tends to hamper youth development and puts more pressure as well.
- Glak18

Absolutely.

So the Flyers brass wanted a coaching change and the GM wouldn't do it, so they fired the GM and kept the coach?
- MJL

Did you not read the part where I said it was a "rumor"? You don't think it's possible that upper executives gave him an ultimatum and he wouldn't budge? Apparently you're up to your usual nonsense where you ignore the entirety of a post and find whatever fits what you feel like arguing about.

It's been said, but man, whoever walks in that door is sliding into a sweet gig

No one is going to care if you fire every single coach. You have cap space. You have prospects. You have veterans to trade if you want.

You can do a whole hell of a lot and there is an expectation that you will do something to improve the NHL roster

Did you not read the part where I said it was a "rumor"? You don't think it's possible that upper executives gave him an ultimatum and he wouldn't budge? Apparently you're up to your usual nonsense where you ignore the entirety of a post and find whatever fits what you feel like arguing about.
- aantny88

Are we not allowed to discuss the reasoning behind a rumor? Thats a normal progression of the conversation. I have serious doubts that the upper brass would demand that the GM fire the coach only to then fire the GM and keep the coach.

It's been said, but man, whoever walks in that door is sliding into a sweet gig

No one is going to care if you fire every single coach. You have cap space. You have prospects. You have veterans to trade if you want.

You can do a whole hell of a lot and there is an expectation that you will do something to improve the NHL roster
- AllInForFlyers

Leaving out the mandate to start winning now. Even though the team is not ready to.

This wasn't a panic move. If anything the longer this went on the worse it would have gotten.

The Hextall firing is the tip of the iceberg. New GM will bring in new coach. And hopefully the two will share a common view of what they want in the team and how to achieve it. So from there they will strip away at the roster.

I do think this is going to have a trickle down effect and we could be looking at very different team shortly.

Just speculation and my gut.

Leaving out the mandate to start winning now. Even though the team is not ready to.
- MJL

Winning's always part of it, man. It's professional sports. People are paying to be entertained and to see the team win.

I didn't wake up this morning thinking the Flyers needed to fire Hextall. But they're 10-11-2, and he was in his fifth year as GM.

We'll probably never know what lit the fuse, but at some point, you work for somebody who is gonna ask "If not now, when?" And if they don't like your answer, well, this is how it goes down

This wasn't a panic move. If anything the longer this went on the worse it would have gotten.

The Hextall firing is the tip of the iceberg. New GM will bring in new coach. And hopefully the two will share a common view of what they want in the team and how to achieve it. So from there they will strip away at the roster.

I do think this is going to have a trickle down effect and we could be looking at very different team shortly.

Just speculation and my gut.
- Pelle31Forever

It was far more likely to get better than to get worse. I don't see how a new GM is going to come in and tear down the team in season. Any new GM, especially one that comes in from the outside is going to want to have an evaluation period. It takes time to strip away at a roster.

Winning's always part of it, man. It's professional sports. People are paying to be entertained and to see the team win.

I didn't wake up this morning thinking the Flyers needed to fire Hextall. But they're 10-11-2, and he was in his fifth year as GM.

We'll probably never know what lit the fuse, but at some point, you work for somebody who is gonna ask "If not now, when?" And if they don't like your answer, well, this is how it goes down
- AllInForFlyers

Let's delve into that a little bit. We know that Hextall did not waiver from his vision and his plan. That didn't change, so what did change?

I think it's more about the more prospects you have the better the chances of getting some good players out of it.

It used to be Holmgren trades too many draft picks which is why they don't have enough young players. Now it's Hextall keeps too many draft picks and prospects and won't trade any.
- MJL

He just ran out of time I think. At this point in time he didn’t need to ice a team capable of winning a Stanley cup this year. He needed to ice a team that fans get excited to come see playing an exciting brand of hockey that can at least keep up with the leagues best on most nights.

Didn’t happen. And looking at the phantoms that team while sporting a solid record is still being carried on the back of AHL lifers like Varone, Brennan, and Carey not exciting young draft prospects.

It's been said, but man, whoever walks in that door is sliding into a sweet gig

No one is going to care if you fire every single coach. You have cap space. You have prospects. You have veterans to trade if you want.

You can do a whole hell of a lot and there is an expectation that you will do something to improve the NHL roster
- AllInForFlyers

Bryan Colangelo and his wife Barbara

Are we not allowed to discuss the reasoning behind a rumor? Thats a normal progression of the conversation. I have serious doubts that the upper brass would demand that the GM fire the coach only to then fire the GM and keep the coach.
- MJL

Neither you, nor myself were involved in the discussions that ended with the decision to relieve Hextall of his duties, so I try not to speculate on such things. That being said, with the way I've heard Hexy described as somewhat authoritarian and dictatorial in his management style, who knows what transpired. In the end it makes little difference.

As I mentioned in my original post, he did some really good things, but didn't do enough to address the glaring holes the team currently has, especially goaltending.

So the coach has to inspire the players before every game or theyre not going to play? How many times do you think you can go to that well? I bet the coaches of the best teams don't have to inspire their players to play every game.
- MJL

Your getting overly dramatic with the inspiration thing. Mr monotone bland personality says A and it’s all the right thing hockey wise. Mr charisma delivers the same message but has a way of delivering the same message that connects. Mr Charisma is a successful coach Mr monotone not despite using same message.
Not saying Hak is either but a coaches style like it not will help his cause.
Coaches can’t be the one to get the players ready to play but if they aren’t buying what your selling for whatever reason it won’t work obviously.

Leaving out the mandate to start winning now. Even though the team is not ready to.
- MJL

If you don't want to win now MOVE SALARY.

It's laughable to think whatever return we get could not be just-as-good / better than this SLOP we have.

Goalie or No goalie.

EDIT: by move salary I mean expiring deals. K?

Let's delve into that a little bit. We know that Hextall did not waiver from his vision and his plan. That didn't change, so what did change?
- MJL

It's been speculated that the Flyers' upper management was concerned about empty seats, STH renewals, for a team that buyers may have considered boring and stagnant

If I had to bet, I honestly think that drove it -- they're clearly trying to inject some energy into the product with Gritty for fan engagement and Taryn Hatcher providing a different look on the broadcasts. I'm not saying that she isn't good at her job, but let's be honest, it's not as simple as her skills vs. Bundy's skills.

They brought in Colby Cohen for studio analysis -- again, a younger person, not hideous. Cohen only played three NHL games in his career, you know?

You don't do this stuff if your business-side energy is good. Flyers tickets going for $10 on resale? Empty seats against a perennial powerhouse in Tampa Bay and even some against the Rags on Black Friday?

People in suits who count numbers are gonna ask questions, sooner or later, when they've done stuff on the business and production side. Sooner or later, the on-ice product is gonna get looked at

He just ran out of time I think. At this point in time he didn’t need to ice a team capable of winning a Stanley cup this year. He needed to ice a team that fans get excited to come see playing an exciting brand of hockey that can at least keep up with the leagues best on most nights.

Didn’t happen. And looking at the phantoms that team while sporting a solid record is still being carried on the back of AHL lifers like Varone, Brennan, and Carey not exciting young draft prospects.
- Just5

Goaltending is one thing that can he hung on Hextall. I think there are a lot of circumstances involving that but not getting NHL goaltending on a nightly basis is a major factor. How about the subpar play of the team's two best defenseman? Hang that on Hextall? JVR getting hurt? The team's lack of commitment on the ice in terms of intensity and urgency? Hang that on Hextall?
Last year and the season before Hextall brought in Fillpula. Many ripped the player and that they had to improve that and play the young guys. They gave a shot to a young player. He faltered. They now have a hole at 3C. I wanted Hextall to go after Riley Nash. Columbus signed him to a 3 year deal. He has 2 assists in 22 games. I'd make a great GM. Veteran player in MacDonald gets hurt and for whatever reason can't get his game back. Is that on Hextall? Top players aren't playing sound two way hockey. Is that on Hextall?

Neither you, nor myself were involved in the discussions that ended with the decision to relieve Hextall of his duties, so I try not to speculate on such things. That being said, with the way I've heard Hexy described as somewhat authoritarian and dictatorial in his management style, who knows what transpired. In the end it makes little difference.

As I mentioned in my original post, he did some really good things, but didn't do enough to address the glaring holes the team currently has, especially goaltending.
- aantny88

If you don't want to get involved in the speculation then don't. Bringing up rumors on why the move was done is indeed getting involved in the speculation and making it fair game for discussion.

Your getting overly dramatic with the inspiration thing. Mr monotone bland personality says A and it’s all the right thing hockey wise. Mr charisma delivers the same message but has a way of delivering the same message that connects. Mr Charisma is a successful coach Mr monotone not despite using same message.
Not saying Hak is either but a coaches style like it not will help his cause.
Coaches can’t be the one to get the players ready to play but if they aren’t buying what your selling for whatever reason it won’t work obviously.
- bird_dog_pa

There is nothing dramatic about what I'm saying. Players, notably the leadership also have a lot to do with a team buying in.

If you don't want to win now MOVE SALARY.

It's laughable to think whatever return we get could not be just-as-good / better than this SLOP we have.

Goalie or No goalie.

EDIT: by move salary I mean expiring deals. K?
- DrMidnite

The Flyers have one chip to trade with an expiring deal. It's going to take more than that.

It's been speculated that the Flyers' upper management was concerned about empty seats, STH renewals, for a team that buyers may have considered boring and stagnant

If I had to bet, I honestly think that drove it -- they're clearly trying to inject some energy into the product with Gritty for fan engagement and Taryn Hatcher providing a different look on the broadcasts. I'm not saying that she isn't good at her job, but let's be honest, it's not as simple as her skills vs. Bundy's skills.

They brought in Colby Cohen for studio analysis -- again, a younger person, not hideous. Cohen only played three NHL games in his career, you know?

You don't do this stuff if your business-side energy is good. Flyers tickets going for $10 on resale? Empty seats against a perennial powerhouse in Tampa Bay and even some against the Rags on Black Friday?

People in suits who count numbers are gonna ask questions, sooner or later, when they've done stuff on the business and production side. Sooner or later, the on-ice product is gonna get looked at
- AllInForFlyers

All of that stuff is something teams always do. If they're winning or not. Before that was pushing out Coatsey and bringing in Jonsey and Therien behind the glass.

I said it earlier. Winning is good business and losing is bad business. I have no doubt that the lack of patience in the team currently is tied to the business side.

Goaltending is one thing that can he hung on Hextall. I think there are a lot of circumstances involving that but not getting NHL goaltending on a nightly basis is a major factor. How about the subpar play of the team's two best defenseman? Hang that on Hextall? JVR getting hurt? The team's lack of commitment on the ice in terms of intensity and urgency? Hang that on Hextall?
Last year and the season before Hextall brought in Fillpula. Many ripped the player and that they had to improve that and play the young guys. They gave a shot to a young player. He faltered. They now have a hole at 3C. I wanted Hextall to go after Riley Nash. Columbus signed him to a 3 year deal. He has 2 assists in 22 games. I'd make a great GM. Veteran player in MacDonald gets hurt and for whatever reason can't get his game back. Is that on Hextall? Top players aren't playing sound two way hockey. Is that on Hextall?
- MJL

There it is. When you’re putting forth something interesting, you’re an asset to this blog, but man, the usual MJL abrasive, caustic, argumentative, and condescending posts make people like me not want to be a part of this. Have you always been this way? Don’t want to be a d!ck to you, but you need to learn some good communication and people skills bud. Just keep this in the back of your head when responding to others.

All of that stuff is something teams always do. If they're winning or not. Before that was pushing out Coatsey and bringing in Jonsey and Therien behind the glass.

I said it earlier. Winning is good business and losing is bad business. I have no doubt that the lack of patience in the team currently is tied to the business side.
- MJL

If it's true that Dave Scott was asking Homer questions, and Homer therefore was asking Hextall questions, I mean, hey.

Again: We all work for somebody. I said it years ago, before Ed Snider passed: Everybody has a plan and agrees on the plan until the day the wrong person decides they don't still agree with the plan

I watch a lot of Hockey Central at Noon, on the NHL Network, and that's what Doug MacLean also says a lot about the times he was fired: It was never that he didn't have a plan, and that the plan wasn't approved by his GM and owners.

It was the same at all of his stops: The problem always came when the owner "forgets" they agreed with the plan they all agreed upon, and then poop rolls downhill.

All of us in the corporate world know how that works