Ah so who is the village idiot now
- 2Real

Ryan O'Reilly is a legitimate two way #1 NHL center who moves the bar for a team. Surely the moves that Fletcher has made do not equate to that. That's the issue. I don't think any of the moves made are actual pieces that help build a championship team. That's the issue. They just make the team better for now and not for the long term future. If they sign Hayes he's most likely going to become an overpaid role player half way through his deal.
- MJL

Have you thought that is because they dont need one? Couturier is the #1 C. NoPa is the future #2. Future being this year or maybe next year. It is unknown that is trye but you arent going to bring in a guy who is going to block him. You go for a guy like Hayes who can be pushed down to the 3rd line. You dont need to be a contender to win a cup, all you need is to make the playoffs and get hot. The Flyers have the skill to do so. What they need is an improved Defense which they have now, better goaltending which Hart should provide and getting the PP back on track which we wont know until the season starts. The Flyers will make the playoffs just like last season I said they would get hot in the 2nd half of the season.

Last years team could have made the playoffs. They ran out of gas because they dug a hole to big early one. You wont see that again this year, not that bad at least.

Ghost for ehlers
- 2Real

I'd be open to it

Ah so who is the village idiot now
- 2Real

All of us probably

What does this even mean??
- SuperSchennBros

Richard=D ICK

I'd rather bite the bullet and live with the growing pains of Patrick and Laughton while waiting for other young player such as Frost to take a step up than to get into a long term deal with Hayes. He's likely to become a role player half way through the deal at a 6-7M cap hit. I'd rather they look for a shorter term stop gap. I'll add that I really like Hayes as a player. He'll make the Flyers a better team in the short term but I don't think he elevates the team significantly.

I think it is a legit need to have some support for younger players but there has to be a balance. I think the Flyers are going to far the other way and we have to believe that this will be how they operate every off season.

Every move from this point on should be about building for the future but they have to appease the bean counters.
- MJL

Fair enough, appreciate the response
I wonder about Rubstov, if he could play well enough to be their bottom six center

Have you thought that is because they dont need one? Couturier is the #1 C. NoPa is the future #2. Future being this year or maybe next year. It is unknown that is trye but you arent going to bring in a guy who is going to block him. You go for a guy like Hayes who can be pushed down to the 3rd line. You dont need to be a contender to win a cup, all you need is to make the playoffs and get hot. The Flyers have the skill to do so. What they need is an improved Defense which they have now, better goaltending which Hart should provide and getting the PP back on track which we wont know until the season starts. The Flyers will make the playoffs just like last season I said they would get hot in the 2nd half of the season.

Last years team could have made the playoffs. They ran out of gas because they dug a hole to big early one. You wont see that again this year, not that bad at least.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

The point wasn't about needing a #1 center. I'd rather take my chances on patiently building a legitimate championship caliber team with a wide open window over a significant period of time than hoping that your team gets hot.

The irony here is unreal because literally on the last board you said that anyone who liked the trade is an idiot

Want me to find the quote?
- bulet13

So what you’re saying is, you couldn’t think of an insult, so you had to use one of mine?

Richard=D ICK
- Landsbergfan

Yeah but how would I come cross my own Richard when I smell it? It’s attached to me.

JVR is more of a net front guy than a classic shooter. But he scored goals I'll give you that.

Idk, I just think this team needs a real quality sniper. I think the offense is a little one dimensional if that makes any sense.
- hereticpride

In terms of a 200ft game, I can see your point. TK cheats a lot in the defensive end. Voracek back checks 50% of the time. Giroux has been known to lose his man, Hayes from what I hear plays a 200ft game, JVR doesnt back check, I cant recall anything from Lindblom or NoPa

Agree
But as a 4th line C (or LW) he seems suited to that role, that’s why I asked if Hayes is too expensive and will be likely a bottom 3 role player at the end of his deal, what is the alternative? Trade for a C, or a different UFA, or hope a prospect in house can fill the spot?
- Marc D

If we bomb the Hayes signing then I’d try kadri if not make ghost trade for a sniper

I like it people calling each other idiots instead of talking about how bad this trade was
- 2Real

To early to judge the trade today.

Yeah but how would I come cross my own Richard when I smell it? It’s attached to me.
- SuperSchennBros

😂 😂😂😂😂

If we bomb the Hayes signing then I’d try kadri if not make ghost trade for a sniper
- 2Real

Probably is very close to what they are planning although I think they may get Hayes signed but for an ugly number in dollars and term

Someone take Fletcher's phone away from him...

Someone take Fletcher's phone away from him...
- wolfhounds

Fletcher is just a muppet for Holmgren and the Comcast brass.

Fair enough, appreciate the response
I wonder about Rubstov, if he could play well enough to be their bottom six center
- Marc D

I don’t know if he can make the jump or isn’t ready. Same thing with Matthew Strome. Personally the two prospects that stick out are Frost and Radcliffe. They on the outside seem to be able to make that transition to the NHL. After those two on the offensive side of the puck would be Farabee and Wade Allison. Jay O’brian hopefully gets back on track this season in Canada. I don’t know how well he has played since I don’t follow the Swedish leagues but Adam Ginning is another possibility. He stuck out at rookie camp last year and has a year to mature he may make a push for another defensive spot. Or at least a roster spot in LV. The defensive prospect I’m curious to see how he plays next season with Everett is St. Ivany. He ended last season playing on the top D pairing. He could just as well be a diamond in the rough.

The point wasn't about needing a #1 center. I'd rather take my chances on patiently building a legitimate championship caliber team with a wide open window over a significant period of time than hoping that your team gets hot.
- MJL

Being patient does equal success. Just because NoPa and all our young guys have a high ceiling doesnt mean they reach it. You have to play both sides. You cant just buy and win and you cant just sit on your ass and hope everyone pans out to your expectations like Hextall. Young guys need players to go to for advice when things get tough. No offense to the guys on our team but who was that last year? Ghost is young and struggled but he was old for our team. Our Vets were a 28 year old Gudas and a 32 year old AMac. That doesnt cut it. Im not saying you need to be a star to give advice but when young kids are looking for answers and you got a guy who isnt doing his job properly giving them advice, it shows. Last year it showed as it looked like we had a bunch of AMacs on the ice failing clears over and over and over again

Yeah but how would I come cross my own Richard when I smell it? It’s attached to me.
- SuperSchennBros

Flexibility?

Have you thought that is because they dont need one? Couturier is the #1 C. NoPa is the future #2. Future being this year or maybe next year. It is unknown that is trye but you arent going to bring in a guy who is going to block him. You go for a guy like Hayes who can be pushed down to the 3rd line. You dont need to be a contender to win a cup, all you need is to make the playoffs and get hot. The Flyers have the skill to do so. What they need is an improved Defense which they have now, better goaltending which Hart should provide and getting the PP back on track which we wont know until the season starts. The Flyers will make the playoffs just like last season I said they would get hot in the 2nd half of the season.

Last years team could have made the playoffs. They ran out of gas because they dug a hole to big early one. You wont see that again this year, not that bad at least.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Let’s not forget the PK was atrocious last season, too. Speaking of the PK...assuming Vegas doesn’t re-sign him, MA Bellemare is a FA.

Look at the brightside. At least our GM didnt trade Maatta and say it was either him or Johnson.......

Look at the brightside. At least our GM didnt trade Maatta and say it was either him or Johnson.......
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Gudas mentioned tough year in Philly.

“It was a difficult year for us in philly. A lot of people were looking for themselves. Some players were better, some didn’t (handle it well)”

Look at the brightside. At least our GM didnt trade Maatta and say it was either him or Johnson.......
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Yea well...how likely is it that supposed circus show finishes behind the flyers next year?

Being patient does equal success. Just because NoPa and all our young guys have a high ceiling doesnt mean they reach it. You have to play both sides. You cant just buy and win and you cant just sit on your ass and hope everyone pans out to your expectations like Hextall. Young guys need players to go to for advice when things get tough. No offense to the guys on our team but who was that last year? Ghost is young and struggled but he was old for our team. Our Vets were a 28 year old Gudas and a 32 year old AMac. That doesnt cut it. Im not saying you need to be a star to give advice but when young kids are looking for answers and you got a guy who isnt doing his job properly giving them advice, it shows. Last year it showed as it looked like we had a bunch of AMacs on the ice failing clears over and over and over again
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

I disagree with the notion that Hextall's plan was to just sit back and hope every player pans out. There is a timing aspect to when you make certain moves and how you build a team. I agree that young players need veteran support to create an environment where they aren't over tasked playing in hard minutes that they aren't ready for. I feel that was already there previously and with adding Niskanen. The way the Flyers are operating this off season signifies an about face away from the patient draft and develop strategy that they should remain using and placing more emphasis on winning now. That is troubling. Winning is quantifiable. If you want to make the playoffs and win a round as your goal, then by all means do what the Flyers are currently doing. If you want to build a sustainable championship caliber team that can contend over a 5-7 year period, then they're going about the wrong way in my opinion. You want to have assets including cap flexibility to make those key moves when your team is at that point of true contender status. That's when you make that veteran trade for future assets or sign that key UFA. Using those methods to get your team there is no smart in a cap era. You can wind up overpaying for something you didn't need at the right time and risking not being able to get what you really need.