This is not good news at all

1) They are not practicing if the players are sick

2) COVID affects everyone differently. Players could potentially get permanent brain or lung damage, young people in good shape have died from it and all these guys have families including some with newborns who will be very susceptible to the virus

3) COVID isnt a one time thing. If you catch it, it doesnt mean you cant get it again.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

And though he is recovered from cancer..I would think Lindblom is at greatest risk of the players...

Looks like Hextall is about to be named the new GM of the Penguins.. good news for him..maybe bad news for us.. although I think many believe he did a terrible job here haha
- Hextall271

I think Hextall's philosophy of building through the draft and having patience with player development was a very sound philosophy. I also like that Hextall emphasized drafting goalies to once and for all solve the goalie crisis that has existed for decades. Hextall and his scouting team drafted some good players, and obviously have had some bad luck in terms of bad injuries that have hindered the development of these players.

Having said this I am not a fan of Hextall and was happy when he was let go. However I can recognize some of the good things he has done for this franchise, even if I feel he also executed poorly in terms of some of his picks, coaches, trades and FA signings. Ultimately it was his stubbornness and unwillingness to move the ball forward faster that got him canned.

would they be practicing if there's a covid outbreak though?
- Ftown19125

. After 10pm

I think Hextall's philosophy of building through the draft and having patience with player development was a very sound philosophy. I also like that Hextall emphasized drafting goalies to once and for all solve the goalie crisis that has existed for decades. Hextall and his scouting team drafted some good players, and obviously have had some bad luck in terms of bad injuries that have hindered the development of these players.

Having said this I am not a fan of Hextall and was happy when he was let go. However I can recognize some of the good things he has done for this franchise, even if I feel he also executed poorly in terms of some of his picks, coaches, trades and FA signings. Ultimately it was his stubbornness and unwillingness to move the ball forward faster that got him canned.
- jd250

I think he will learn from all of that and he has much better chips to trade away to stock pile picks.

This is not good news at all

1) They are not practicing if the players are sick

2) COVID affects everyone differently. Players could potentially get permanent brain or lung damage, young people in good shape have died from it and all these guys have families including some with newborns who will be very susceptible to the virus

3) COVID isnt a one time thing. If you catch it, it doesnt mean you cant get it again.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

2) the nfl just played a full season man

3) you have immunity for at least 3 months

I disagree, they just started to play better, I wish we could have kept going. Why can they practice but not play ? I would think practice would be in hold, no ?
- ClaudeFather

I honestly don't know. Maybe they can quarantine just the players who were exposed which I hope is a small number of players, thus the rest can practice.

I think Hextall's philosophy of building through the draft and having patience with player development was a very sound philosophy. I also like that Hextall emphasized drafting goalies to once and for all solve the goalie crisis that has existed for decades. Hextall and his scouting team drafted some good players, and obviously have had some bad luck in terms of bad injuries that have hindered the development of these players.

Having said this I am not a fan of Hextall and was happy when he was let go. However I can recognize some of the good things he has done for this franchise, even if I feel he also executed poorly in terms of some of his picks, coaches, trades and FA signings. Ultimately it was his stubbornness and unwillingness to move the ball forward faster that got him canned.
- jd250

Always have to judge a GM in the correct context. Although I like the job that Fletcher has done to this point and I have no issue with him, I still view the firing of Hextall as a mistake. He was right in my opinion to stand by his guns and not move off of his plan and philosophy on how to build the team. He was right.

I honestly don't know. Maybe they can quarantine just the players who were exposed which I hope is a small number of players, thus the rest can practice.
- jd250

Yea who knows, it’s hard to imagine this season finishing if the same team has to go through this more than a couple times.

Seravalli reporting Pens to hire Hextall
- NC Flyers Fan

You just knew that was going to happen

Yea who knows, it’s hard to imagine this season finishing if the same team has to go through this more than a couple times.
- ClaudeFather

I think they'll finish the season but just not play all 56 games. I just hope they find a way for all teams to play the same number of games.

I think they'll finish the season but just not play all 56 games. I just hope they find a way for all teams to play the same number of games.
- MJL

Might go back to the points percentage breakdown for standings at the end of not.

I think Hextall's philosophy of building through the draft and having patience with player development was a very sound philosophy. I also like that Hextall emphasized drafting goalies to once and for all solve the goalie crisis that has existed for decades. Hextall and his scouting team drafted some good players, and obviously have had some bad luck in terms of bad injuries that have hindered the development of these players.

Having said this I am not a fan of Hextall and was happy when he was let go. However I can recognize some of the good things he has done for this franchise, even if I feel he also executed poorly in terms of some of his picks, coaches, trades and FA signings. Ultimately it was his stubbornness and unwillingness to move the ball forward faster that got him canned.
- jd250

Some forget just how out of whack the Flyers' cap situation was and how utterly bare the cupboard was before he took over.

Have a feeling that Hexy's gonna do a great job in Pittsburgh with whatever lessons he learned from getting axed here.

Flyers fans should be nervous.

Some forget just how out of whack the Flyers' cap situation was and how utterly bare the cupboard was before he took over.

Have a feeling that Hexy's gonna do a great job in Pittsburgh with whatever lessons he learned from getting axed here.

Flyers fans should be nervous.
- Tomahawk

Not nervous at all. I love the job Hexy did. Was time for a new coach.
I'm actually looking forward to see what he does. It will make the rivalry more exciting. He has better players to start with. Should be interesting.

i wish for once the flyers would draft players that don't get covid.
- Ftown19125

why didn't mccrossin vaccine them

Always have to judge a GM in the correct context. Although I like the job that Fletcher has done to this point and I have no issue with him, I still view the firing of Hextall as a mistake. He was right in my opinion to stand by his guns and not move off of his plan and philosophy on how to build the team. He was right.
- MJL

I always wondered about something regarding the Hextall firing and would love to read your insights. As I understand it Hextall had a strong relationship with Dave Hakstol. I believe the relationship started when Hakstol coached Hextall's son at UND and it was both professional and personal. I also understand that at the time Hextall had to do a lot of convincing to get Hakstol to agree to leave what many considered a very successful college coaching career to coach the Flyers. Unfortunately after a little over 3 years it was pretty apparent that Hakstol was not a good NHL level coach and I believe many in the organization were pressuring Hextall to fire him. Is it possible that Hextall's refusal to fire Hakstol was the primary reason he was ultimately dismissed?

Not nervous at all. I love the job Hexy did. Was time for a new coach.
I'm actually looking forward to see what he does. It will make the rivalry more exciting. He has better players to start with. Should be interesting.
- jaws1955

Wonder if this opens up the doors for a possible trade w/ the Flyers.

I think he will learn from all of that and he has much better chips to trade away to stock pile picks.
- JW98FlyerFan

I just wish he had gotten this chance with another team..ie: outside the div.. this could come back to haunt us..

Wonder if this opens up the doors for a possible trade w/ the Flyers.
- Tomahawk

Or shuts them all?

Curious to see if it will be a full rebuild. Or a retool while rebuilding...which does take longer.

Always have to judge a GM in the correct context. Although I like the job that Fletcher has done to this point and I have no issue with him, I still view the firing of Hextall as a mistake. He was right in my opinion to stand by his guns and not move off of his plan and philosophy on how to build the team. He was right.
- MJL

I agree with you. The Penguins are getting a top-shelf guy.

I always wondered about something regarding the Hextall firing and would love to read your insights. As I understand it Hextall had a strong relationship with Dave Hakstol. I believe the relationship started when Hakstol coached Hextall's son at UND and it was both professional and personal. I also understand that at the time Hextall had to do a lot of convincing to get Hakstol to agree to leave what many considered a very successful college coaching career to coach the Flyers. Unfortunately after a little over 3 years it was pretty apparent that Hakstol was not a good NHL level coach and I believe many in the organization were pressuring Hextall to fire him. Is it possible that Hextall's refusal to fire Hakstol was the primary reason he was ultimately dismissed?
- jd250

I'll say this. Hextall was brought in to change the way the franchise ran the team. They could no longer approach the team the way they did under Holmgren in a cap environment. Then because it was taking too long to fix the issues with the team, management led by Holmgren wanted to get more aggressive. I believe that Hextall was going to do it his way and wasn't going to be told how to do it.
As far as Hakstol was concerned, he did some good while he was here but ultimately I'll classify it as this. Hakstol was a good hockey coach but not a good NHL head coach at the time. He was learning on the job and didn't have the greatest rosters to work with. I feel that if Hextall had stayed, he would've removed Hakstol.

Not even worried one iota if he gets the Pitt GM job. His drafting was very overrated imo. He did a piss poor job at the NHL level. Was a tyrant who had an assistant coach be his snitch. Ripped apart the Flyers identity.

We shall see if he learned. Seems like an odd choice as to me the Pens still should be in ALL in mode. Time will tell what direction they go. Cant see Malkin and Crosby wanting any part of any rebuild.

Always have to judge a GM in the correct context. Although I like the job that Fletcher has done to this point and I have no issue with him, I still view the firing of Hextall as a mistake. He was right in my opinion to stand by his guns and not move off of his plan and philosophy on how to build the team. He was right.
- MJL

As you know..I agree.. I think that he relayed his thoughts at his final press conf. You have to be sure it's go time (as he called it) before you flip assets/cap for established players and he didn't think we were there yet. In LA, they felt they had the goalie, stud dman and 1C to go for it. They then added pieces like Richards carter etc to help push them over the edge.. I expect he thought we had a goalie a year or two away.. maybe the top Dman and 1C with coots. JVR addition looks good now, but as always, I want to see how everyone does come playoffs.

Or shuts them all?

Curious to see if it will be a full rebuild. Or a retool while rebuilding...which does take longer.
- NC Flyers Fan

We know that GMs love going after their former players.

It's been over a decade since the last Flyers/Pens deal. Have to go back to early 90's to find the last significant hockey trade betweenb the two teams (Recchi for Tocchet).

Like to see Letang on the Flyers? Or Malkin?

I think they'll finish the season but just not play all 56 games. I just hope they find a way for all teams to play the same number of games.
- MJL

Everyone gets around 40 then do pts percentage..

I'll say this. Hextall was brought in to change the way the franchise ran the team. They could no longer approach the team the way they did under Holmgren in a cap environment. Then because it was taking too long to fix the issues with the team, management led by Holmgren wanted to get more aggressive. I believe that Hextall was going to do it his way and wasn't going to be told how to do it.
As far as Hakstol was concerned, he did some good while he was here but ultimately I'll classify it as this. Hakstol was a good hockey coach but not a good NHL head coach at the time. He was learning on the job and didn't have the greatest rosters to work with. I feel that if Hextall had stayed, he would've removed Hakstol.
- MJL

well he was told to fire the coach. He refused did he not?