Morning Flyers fans. How are we doing today?

You've convinced me. We should look to move all of our top picks. They're only going to get injured and not pan out. Actually in reality, using draft picks to select players is the best and most successful team building philosophy. I like to be consistent in that opinion versus on one hand attempting to justify the trading of high picks because it's not a good draft and out the other side, pumping up a player taken in the 2nd round of that perceived poor draft.
- MJL

First, I didn't pump up any player. All I said is it would be nice if the Flyers actually fell into an elite player in the later rounds of a draft, that's all!

I really think you need a reality check here. In all the years of drafting players by Hextall, we really don't have a lot to show for it. Provorov is a good, but not great defenseman. Hart, though I believe in him, has a lot of question marks and the year before last was good, but also not great. TK had two 20+ goal seasons, but again that is good not great, and Farabee had a nice season last year in a difficult spot, but will he become an elite player, probably not. And you have Allison that looks promising but we'll see where he is this year. In the end we have a few good players, but not world-beaters by any measure.

Compare this to the Rangers who as you know have been going through a full rebuild, through the draft, but also via trades and FAs. They have elite and potentially elite players at every position right now, in goal with Igor Shesterkin (drafted 4th round), on defense with Adam Fox (drafted 3rd round)and up front with Panarin. Now that is what you build a championship team around, very similar to Tampa with Vasilevskiy, Hedman and Stamkos. The Flyers unfortunately still don't have this which means though I think they will be a playoff team again this year, a lot will ride on whether Farabee and Hart progress into something closer to an elite category.

First, I didn't pump up any player. All I said is it would be nice if the Flyers actually fell into an elite player in the later rounds of a draft, that's all!

I really think you need a reality check here. In all the years of drafting players by Hextall, we really don't have a lot to show for it. Provorov is a good, but not great defenseman. Hart, though I believe in him, has a lot of question marks and the year before last was good, but also not great. TK had two 20+ goal seasons, but again that is good not great, and Farabee had a nice season last year in a difficult spot, but will he become an elite player, probably not. And you have Allison that looks promising but we'll see where he is this year. In the end we have a few good players, but not world-beaters by any measure.

Compare this to the Rangers who as you know have been going through a full rebuild, through the draft, but also via trades and FAs. They have elite and potentially elite players at every position right now, in goal with Igor Shesterkin (drafted 4th round), on defense with Adam Fox (drafted 3rd round)and up front with Panarin. Now that is what you build a championship team around, very similar to Tampa with Vasilevskiy, Hedman and Stamkos. The Flyers unfortunately still don't have this which means though I think they will be a playoff team again this year, a lot will ride on whether Farabee and Hart progress into something closer to an elite category.
- jd250

So let me get this straight, speaking of consistency. We can look at the Rangers and the potential of their players but when looking at the Flyers, we judge them right now and we don't look at the potential for the future. I mean the Rangers have accomplished a lot more than the Flyers have. This is exactly what I'm talking about. Raging inconsistency.

He was a 1st round pick, about 15 years ago! I think you missed my point.
- jd250

And Pasta was a 1st round pick 7-8 years ago... so what exactly was your point?

Try not writing in parables it will help people understand WTF you are writing. Go back to the third grade and learn to write a coherent thought not based in what is happening in your head!!
- konalover711

it was clear as day that he was being sarcastic

Try not writing in parables it will help people understand WTF you are writing. Go back to the third grade and learn to write a coherent thought not based in what is happening in your head!!
- konalover711

it was clear as day that he was being sarcastic

So let me get this straight, speaking of consistency. We can look at the Rangers and the potential of their players but when looking at the Flyers, we judge them right now and we don't look at the potential for the future. I mean the Rangers have accomplished a lot more than the Flyers have. This is exactly what I'm talking about. Raging inconsistency.
- MJL

There is no inconsistency here. I said if you read my post the Rangers have potentially elite talent at all 3 position levels, via late round draft picks and trades. I also pointed out that how far Farabee and Hart go in their development will be key for the Flyers, because if we can learn anything from Stanley Cup teams, you need elite talent at all positional levels in order to seriously contend. The Rangers to their credit seem closer to achieving this milestone than the Flyers, and if they are, its because they drafted better and were not afraid to make trades. If you want to continue to go down with the S.S. Hextall that is your choice. Let's watch what he does in Pittsburgh and let's see where they are in 5 years and then there will be no doubts!

And Pasta was a 1st round pick 7-8 years ago... so what exactly was your point?
- Tomahawk

I was referring to a much more recent timeframe than 15 years ago for the Flyers, in that it would be nice with all the draft picks they have accumulated and developed if the Flyers could actually have an elite player at any position, in goal, defense or forward. Right now, they don't!

I was referring to a much more recent timeframe than 15 years ago for the Flyers, in that it would be nice with all the draft picks they have accumulated and developed if the Flyers could actually have an elite player at any position, in goal, defense or forward. Right now, they don't!
- jd250

But they are trading away all those picks remember.

The HB locker room is more in need than the Flyers one.

But they are trading away all those picks remember.
- hello it's me 2050

I know, the Flyers traded away a 1st, two 2nds and a 7th round pick over the next 3 years, the sky must be falling!

There is no inconsistency here. I said if you read my post the Rangers have potentially elite talent at all 3 position levels, via late round draft picks and trades. I also pointed out that how far Farabee and Hart go in their development will be key for the Flyers, because if we can learn anything from Stanley Cup teams, you need elite talent at all positional levels in order to seriously contend. The Rangers to their credit seem closer to achieving this milestone than the Flyers, and if they are, its because they drafted better and were not afraid to make trades. If you want to continue to go down with the S.S. Hextall that is your choice. Let's watch what he does in Pittsburgh and let's see where they are in 5 years and then there will be no doubts!
- jd250

You're just proving my point here. The Rangers aren't close to anything. Why aren't the Flyers just as close? Simply because you judge both teams with different standards and with some illogical fantasy bias against the good work that Hextall did here.

There is no inconsistency here. I said if you read my post the Rangers have potentially elite talent at all 3 position levels, via late round draft picks and trades. I also pointed out that how far Farabee and Hart go in their development will be key for the Flyers, because if we can learn anything from Stanley Cup teams, you need elite talent at all positional levels in order to seriously contend. The Rangers to their credit seem closer to achieving this milestone than the Flyers, and if they are, its because they drafted better and were not afraid to make trades. If you want to continue to go down with the S.S. Hextall that is your choice. Let's watch what he does in Pittsburgh and let's see where they are in 5 years and then there will be no doubts!
- jd250

I think the teams took different paths in trying to do the same thing. Rangers went full rebuild while the flyers retooled while still trying to be competitive.

Is that what your talking about?

You're just proving my point here. The Rangers aren't close to anything. Why aren't the Flyers just as close? Simply because you judge both teams with different standards and with some illogical fantasy bias against the good work that Hextall did here.
- MJL

Which is canceled out by the bad work he did.

Bill, did the Flyers ever do a pre-draft interview, and if so, do we know how it went?

I bring this up because Jagr had been telling teams that he wasn't going to come over right away, and especially with the Soviet bloc in its final churn, that obviously scared teams off--or that's what Jagr wanted because in reality all he ever wanted to do was to go to Pittsburgh to play with Mario?
- KGBflyers10

Jagr himself told me in 2011-12 that he'd have gladly played for any NHL team that drafted him.

The Velvet Revolution in the former Czechoslovakia had just happened less than a year earlier. There was still uncertainty about whether players would be free to come over or under the same arrangement as there had been with the old Czechoslovakian federation -- enough legit concern that Petr Nedved defected to Canada less than a year before the communist rule dissolved. But Jagr himself was determined to come over if at all possible.

If you look at the 1990 Hockey News Draft preview, it quotes Bob Clarke at the 1989-90 WJC saying that Jagr easily was the best player available in the upcoming draft but notes that Clarke had recently been fired by the Flyers. The new regime with Russ Farwell got cold feed about taking the risks involved in drafting Jagr (which Farwell admitted to Jay Greenberg in Full Spectrum) and they went safe with the Ricci pick.

You're just proving my point here. The Rangers aren't close to anything. Why aren't the Flyers just as close? Simply because you judge both teams with different standards and with some illogical fantasy bias against the good work that Hextall did here.
- MJL

Too bad hextall did more bad work than good work. You calling someone biased and you are guilty of the same thing.