Love both signings. I love contrarian moves and strategies. Size and toughness still plays huge roll in the NHL. While "writer" of these blogs, who don't go to games nor have original reporting and only regurgitate others, its hard to take any of this seriously.
- Rangersleadtheway

This is where I tend to fall. Not sure about Burke but as long as he and Hextall work together to shake things up, count me in.

I’m glad they made their choice quickly. There’s no time to waste in righting this team. The sooner hexy assumes the mantle the sooner things can get better. Hopefully starting with a coach.

Does anyone really think Hextall would take the job if Burke is going to make all of the decisions? I see Burke as nothing more than an experienced guy that Lemieux/Burkle wanted around to hold their hands. Im not reading too much into it besides the entertainment factor.
- SuperHenderson13

That’s not a bad question. Hextall likes to have power.
His issue in Philly was that he micromanaged and had difficulties delegating and letting go. Apparently it could get tense in the office. That’s why he was let go. As far as building a team is concerned, he plots and takes his time, but is effective. He’ll get you a fine, young crop of talent in the system. But he wants to make the final call.

I guess we’ll see if he learned from his mistakes

You’d think that he was very much aware of this likely hire when he took the gig. I doubt he was completely in the dark.

I’m glad they made their choice quickly. There’s no time to waste in righting this team. The sooner hexy assumes the mantle the sooner things can get better. Hopefully starting with a coach.
- 10inchTerror

Sully has to feel like a dead man walking right about now. Burke/Hextall =/= "just play"

Sully has to feel like a dead man walking right about now. Burke/Hextall =/= "just play"
- Hockey66

Yeah I liked the quick video entitled “there can only be one->(scratched out) two Mike Sullivan’s”

Hopefully the Steelers have the only Mike Sullivan shortly.

Flyers fan here! In Ron Hextall, you are getting an extremely patient GM who’s track record of acquiring picks and turning them into solid NHL players is proven. He likes as many picks as possible! Unlike the Flyers roster, the Pens, albeit older, still have capable superstars that know how to win. Hextall tried building around Giroux and Voracek, that was a mistake! You can still build around Crosby/ Malkin although I wouldn’t be shocked if he trades Malkin for picks( Seattle). Hextall is no longer the GM in Philly for one reason; Cable Giant Comcast( owns the Flyers) just sunk $250 million into the Wells Fargo Center. Dave Scott was putting pressure on Hextall to come up with a time frame of when the Flyers where going for it because the team needed to start showing signs of contention to justify the money they spent. Hextall preached more patience! Hextall got fired. You guys got a good one, hopefully you are ready to be patient?!

If anyone wants to see Burke’s management style “ala train wreck” YouTube has a Leafs series based around the Tavares draft when he made bold statements such as

“We’re leaving the draft with Tavares”

Speculating that Tavares would actually “go #3 behind Hedman and Duchene”, so he was trying to trade to #3

“Luke Schenn is future captain material, a Norris Trophy winner and untouchable

Drafted Tyler Biggs and some other scrub in the first round that never sniffed the NHL, and those were the guys they targeted

Flyers fan here! In Ron Hextall, you are getting an extremely patient GM who’s track record of acquiring picks and turning them into solid NHL players is proven. He likes as many picks as possible! Unlike the Flyers roster, the Pens, albeit older, still have capable superstars that know how to win. Hextall tried building around Giroux and Voracek, that was a mistake! You can still build around Crosby/ Malkin although I wouldn’t be shocked if he trades Malkin for picks( Seattle). Hextall is no longer the GM in Philly for one reason; Cable Giant Comcast( owns the Flyers) just sunk $250 million into the Wells Fargo Center. Dave Scott was putting pressure on Hextall to come up with a time frame of when the Flyers where going for it because the team needed to start showing signs of contention to justify the money they spent. Hextall preached more patience! Hextall got fired. You guys got a good one, hopefully you are ready to be patient?!
- HockeyLifer

Thanks for this background. I think Pens fans are ready to be patient (I will probably eat those words soon). Most fans appreciate the 3 Cups and two back-to-back but can see the writing on the wall and understand that we are about to age out with an empty cupboard. I would rather have a crappy team for 3-5 years and then a powerhouse in 7-10 years than a mediocre team for 10+ years.

If anyone wants to see Burke’s management style “ala train wreck” YouTube has a Leafs series based around the Tavares draft when he made bold statements such as

“We’re leaving the draft with Tavares”

Speculating that Tavares would actually “go #3 behind Hedman and Duchene”, so he was trying to trade to #3

“Luke Schenn is future captain material, a Norris Trophy winner and untouchable

Drafted Tyler Biggs and some other scrub in the first round that never sniffed the NHL, and those were the guys they targeted
- TheGame316

Cool, but Burke won't be drafting, it'll be Hextall.

I’m kind of excited to see hextall don a pens jersey haha

Good post. And isn't it ironic that JR's mission was to get players that are "hard to play against" and yet he ends up with "the easiest team in the league to play against"? I think this is where the analytics meets the road and the road wins. I don't care what your CF% if you can't (or won't) get near the crease and you can't clear the crease. But hey, as long as you can transition up ice...
- Hockey66

lol wut.

I’m kind of excited to see hextall don a pens jersey haha
- 10inchTerror

Rob Brown jersey lol

Great to see Burke back at it.

Fleury will be back there in no time.

Wow, really excited about this! These two will not be coming and playing conservative. I do hope we see more truckulence in the lineup.

Agreed its not looking good for Sully. I think he has been alright as a coach but usually when two new execs come in, coach is the first change made.

What I really like is that there is no baggage and they won't be afraid to rattle the cage. I'd expect some big moves... would not be surprised if Letang goes first.

Wow, really excited about this! These two will not be coming and playing conservative. I do hope we see more truckulence in the lineup.

Agreed its not looking good for Sully. I think he has been alright as a coach but usually when two new execs come in, coach is the first change made.

What I really like is that there is no baggage and they won't be afraid to rattle the cage. I'd expect some big moves... would not be surprised if Letang goes first.

Thanks for this background. I think Pens fans are ready to be patient (I will probably eat those words soon). Most fans appreciate the 3 Cups and two back-to-back, can see the writing on the wall, and understand that we are about to age out with an empty cupboard. I would rather have a crappy team for 3-5 years and then a powerhouse in 7-10 years than a mediocre team for 10+ years.
- Hockey66

Thanks for this background. I think Pens fans are ready to be patient (I will probably eat those words soon). Most fans appreciate the 3 Cups and two back-to-back, can see the writing on the wall, and understand that we are about to age out with an empty cupboard. I would rather have a crappy team for 3-5 years and then a powerhouse in 7-10 years than a mediocre team for 10+ years.
- Hockey66

No problem! I don’t think you have to worry about having a crappy team for 3-5 years either. If you guys already have a decent farm system ( haven’t checked) then than that will help immensely. We didn’t have anybody down with the Phantoms when Hexy took over. He made it a point to restock. I actually enjoyed the rebuild to a degree because I agreed with his vision of build for years to come not just a couple. But as I said earlier, I wouldn’t be shocked if he traded Malkin in the offseason to maybe Seattle.

That’s not a bad question. Hextall likes to have power.
His issue in Philly was that he micromanaged and had difficulties delegating and letting go. Apparently it could get tense in the office. That’s why he was let go. As far as building a team is concerned, he plots and takes his time, but is effective. He’ll get you a fine, young crop of talent in the system. But he wants to make the final call.


- Hesh_

That's not at all why Hextall was let go. He was let go because the team wasn't winning consistently and Holmgren and Scott wanted him to be more aggressive in trying to win now and Hextall rightfully objected. The rest of the stuff is just nonsense that wouldn't have mattered if the team is was winning.

Toughness coming to town ......It’s a contact sport. Everybody has watched teams push both Crosby and Malkin over the edge. HCMS will be gone!!!!! GALLENT will be in and we will protect the star players with some grit. The days of we like this player because we can move up and down the line up Is over!

Remember we won the cups with #92 behind the bench with HCMS

No problem! I don’t think you have to worry about having a crappy team for 3-5 years either. If you guys already have a decent farm system ( haven’t checked) then than that will help immensely. We didn’t have anybody down with the Phantoms when Hexy took over. He made it a point to restock. I actually enjoyed the rebuild to a degree because I agreed with his vision of build for years to come not just a couple. But as I said earlier, I wouldn’t be shocked if he traded Malkin in the offseason to maybe Seattle.
- HockeyLifer

Our farm is not great at all. We may have a couple decent wingers in Poulin and Legare but nothing special. I really wouldn't be surprised after this season if Geno and/or Tanger were moved. I mean I have the sentiment and would like to see them finish here, however if we could retool around Sid, I'm all for it.

Cool, but Burke won't be drafting, it'll be Hextall.
- 668710

If just goes to show you how lousy he is at almost everything to do with running a hockey team

If just goes to show you how lousy he is at almost everything to do with running a hockey team
- TheGame316

So are you saying we were heading in the right direction with GMJR moves?

We have glaring weakness and lets see some of his moves before we past judgments.

If just goes to show you how lousy he is at almost everything to do with running a hockey team
- TheGame316

I mean I'm not gonna defend Burke. He won a cup in 07 and that was long ago, but we'll see what happens here, but it appears Hextall will have most of the control.

So are you saying we were heading in the right direction with GMJR moves?

We have glaring weakness and lets see some of his moves before we past judgments.
- Malkin

As stated before, Burke does like to go after big fish. Maybe that helps Hextall do that. How it gets done is beyond me lol. I think major stuff will be done after this season as far as player movement. It would be great if they could move Matheson but I won't holdm y breath lol. And Sully may be gone sooner.

That's not at all why Hextall was let go. He was let go because the team wasn't winning consistently and Holmgren and Scott wanted him to be more aggressive in trying to win now and Hextall rightfully objected. The rest of the stuff is just nonsense that wouldn't have mattered if the team is was winning.
- MJL

Dude, you always act like me know it all! Look at the facts!! Dave Scott asked Hextall about this exactly and that IS the reason he was fired!! Comcast sank $250 million and wanted to get a return on their investment sooner than later!!! Hextall wanted to continue to draft and build! Not to mention Homer was upset with him for alienating alumni stages, etc! Dude, look it up! I remember reading it!!