I think a contributing issue was that no one wanted to admit to losing. That was not the Flyers way and the founder had just past...win one for the gipper type mentality. Ron knew what he had to do and he wasn't allowed to. So he was secretive because no one believed in the tank he needed and he was soo close to getting it, then he had to "bias for action" and signed JVR and I think that was the beginning of the end for him...

I am not sure how fast Malkin will be gone, but you know Ron learned from this and he will start shedding as soon as he can
- JW98FlyerFan

Hextall never had any intentions of tanking in my opinion.

It does not seem like the league shares your views about Hextall. He was hired to be a GM by one of the most successful franchises in the league and one that is run by a really smart hockey guy. As for Snider, never forget that he traded away Forsberg for Lindros and rejected Bobrovsky for Bryzgalov. I blame Homer for not quitting before doing something so asinine.
- iamscore2day

Agreed wrt hextall. If he was so terrible, why is he now gm of the pens? If the intent was to have Burke as the real gm in disguise, then they would have just hired burke. I don’t like them but they’re a successful franchise that I doubt operates in that way. Hey Ron, we’ll hire you but burke is the real gm and you don’t have authority to hire a secretary. Just doesn’t make sense

What do you mean commit? They committed plenty to him. He just did not really do anything. It’s hard to make bad deals when you really never make any. Drafting was avg and his ability to manage people was an absolute cluster. That’s why he has big brother w him on the pens right now.

I’m not in the cf boat, but hexy was not a good GM. Respect that guy more than anyone, but he was afraid to hire anyone who would disagree with him and would not play his little nonsense games.
This is kinda known all throughout the league. Surprised folks here don’t know that….
- Joe Nardone

That whole post is LOL funny. Drafting was average? Afraid of disagreement? Very amusing.

Not really. And that is not the point, anyway. Would you have taken him over Ryan Pulock, Shea Theodore or Nikita Zadorov when most folks had him rated as a 2nd/3rd round talent? Homer did.
- iamscore2day

The only one I knew from that draft was zadorov because he played with the london knights. I don't follow jrs much to know who to take. I trust the scouts lol. Not sure how any fans can make better decisions on jr players than the scouts. Its waaay too much to follow across all jr leagues and countries

I said what I meant, didn't I?

As someone else pointed out, a guy who is one of the most astute minds in hockey, a guy who deferred his own salary to get stakes in a team, which he has sold to make about a billion bucks, who has mentored persoanlly Crosby to maturity, hired him. Like you, he has even played the game.
- PT21

im extremely curious to see what hextall will do moving forward.

im torn myself. to me, it all comes down to what malkin and letang demand contract wise.

Too many players on this team have been non-entities. It seems they never have any space on the ice in all three zones when they have the puck. Ive been watching closely to try to put my finger on why this is. It just seems like they are a team full of slow decision makers. They catch the puck, and hold it, and are slow to decide what they will do with it next, in the meantime the opposition has time to close on them and disrupt what they are trying to do. This happens especially on the PP.

Its like when they get the puck they are going through this checklist of things in their heads instead of just reacting? Is that the coach in their heads? Is that the player?

Its just crazy how slow and indecisive they are as a TEAM.
- MBFlyerfan

Eroded confidence. They don't believe in the team or the system and style of play. That is clear.

It does not seem like the league shares your views about Hextall. He was hired to be a GM by one of the most successful franchises in the league and one that is run by a really smart hockey guy. As for Snider, never forget that he traded away Forsberg for Lindros and rejected Bobrovsky for Bryzgalov. I blame Homer for not quitting before doing something so asinine.
- iamscore2day

thats why burke is his babysitter, nice try

Um pretty sure 16 had elite talent..
- Joe Nardone

Yea, that is for sure. Not sure where that criticism is coming from.

True Fox only wanted to play in NY but Panarin just wanted to play in a big market. He was up for grabs and Flyers past on any effort to sign him
- hfc355

I'm not sure about that.

Morin was sheer incompetence. The guy was picked way too early. It was an effort to draft someone who looked like Chris Pronger. Even when he is healthy, he is a 3rd line defender at best.
- iamscore2day

1) Ryan Pulock was the player I personally wanted to see the Flyers take in 2013.

2) "Sheer incompetence" is sheer hyperbole. Morin rose with a bullet in pre-draft rankings in the second half of the 2012-13 season and drew rave reviews at the 2013 Under-18s for Team Canada. Very raw but a good straight-line skater at that size, plus a great attitude, physical strength and work ethic. He was going to be a first-round pick by the time the Combine rolled around, the question was mid-first round or late first-round.

Agreed wrt hextall. If he was so terrible, why is he now gm of the pens? If the intent was to have Burke as the real gm in disguise, then they would have just hired burke. I don’t like them but they’re a successful franchise that I doubt operates in that way. Hey Ron, we’ll hire you but burke is the real gm and you don’t have authority to hire a secretary. Just doesn’t make sense
- Hextall271

Fletcher was average at best in Minny. Why was he hired again?

Who is higher in the pecking order, Saint Ronnie or Burke?

Ronnie does all the leg work. Burke is too old to handle the day to day stuff and very likely doesn't want to. If you do not think he runs his moves past Burke your nuts.

Yes, even if Hextall would've completely failed, which we don't know because he wasn't allowed to see it through. The team would be in a better position today than it is now in terms of the future.
- MJL

How do you know ?

What do you mean commit? They committed plenty to him. He just did not really do anything. It’s hard to make bad deals when you really never make any. Drafting was avg and his ability to manage people was an absolute cluster. That’s why he has big brother w him on the pens right now.

I’m not in the cf boat, but hexy was not a good GM. Respect that guy more than anyone, but he was afraid to hire anyone who would disagree with him and would not play his little nonsense games.
This is kinda known all throughout the league. Surprised folks here don’t know that….
- Joe Nardone

You're making assumptions here. Hextall made quite a few deals. You've made this statement multiple times. I suggest you actually do some research and get the facts.
It's pretty clear to me that the way the Flyers do things, isn't working. Fans complain about a dysfunctional organization. Hextall came in and wanted to change how things were done. Maybe he was a little unwavering but maybe, just maybe it was completely justified. The old boys network however wouldn't put up with it. The same network that hasn't won a Cup since 1975

thats why burke is his babysitter, nice try
- bradster

Right. I guess you never heard that 2 heads are better than 1. Wise up and look around: many NHL teams have a president and a gm.

It took Hextall 3+ years just to get the cap straightened out and build the prospect base up. MacDonald was signed when Holmgren was the GM. Hakstol did better with less talent than AV is currently. Lehtera was taken to get the picks that got them Frost and Farabee. None of that blocked the Flyers future. The lost patience and here we are 3 years later in the same spot but worse off. Firing Hextall was a mistake.
- MJL

Firing Hextall was not a mistake, hiring CF was a mistake

If you did want to blow it up I think you can do it in the following ways:

1. trade Giroux at the deadline for two high picks and a prospect
2. trade Risto at the deadline for one high pick and prospect
3. trade TK at the deadline for one high pick and prospect
4. trade Brassard, Yandle, Braun and Lindblom at deadline for lower round picks
5. buy out JVR at seasons end.

I still think after all this you have enough vets on the team that you can fill in the rest with younger players, may even get lucky in the draft and get 1 or 2 top picks playing right away.
- jd250

While I don't have a problem with most of what is suggested here. It logically leads you to the next question. To WHO are you trading these players?

With the way the cap is now, I just think it is going to be WAY more difficult to find trade partners, especially for a player like Giroux who has a full NMC. He may even elect to waive, but I doubt he will waive to any team that is not in a strong playoff spot. And then that list all of the sudden gets very limited because you will need that team to feel like they need a player like Giroux and are willing to pay the price to acquire him and have the cap space to make it work even if Philly retains.

With Risto I have a hard time believing you will get from any team what we had to pay to get him.

If TK keeps going the way he is going I think it is will be difficult to get a what you ask especially since he is under contract for 3 more seasons at a not insignificant cap hit.

As for Brassard, Yandle et all, I don't see why a playoff team would want any of them, nor do I see why a team that is still building would give up assets to acquire players on expiring contracts who I doubt would be in their future plans. Except maybe Lindblom.

I just think it is going to be way more difficult than it looks on paper.

1) Ryan Pulock was the player I personally wanted to see the Flyers take in 2013.

2) "Sheer incompetence" is sheer hyperbole. Morin rose with a bullet in pre-draft rankings in the second half of the 2012-13 season and drew rave reviews at the 2013 Under-18s for Team Canada. Very raw but a good straight-line skater at that size, plus a great attitude, physical strength and work ethic. He was going to be a first-round pick by the time the Combine rolled around, the question was mid-first round or late first-round.
- bmeltzer

Bill,

What was the deal with Patrick. Was he the consensus pick at 2 with the Flyers? I feel like you said something that some scouts wanted Maker or Heiskenan.

I feel like that pick put a lot in motion since he wasn't able to be that 2nd line center, it kind of brought the Hayes signing.

I'm not sure about that.
- MJL

It was well known Panarin wanted to play in NYC.

1) Ryan Pulock was the player I personally wanted to see the Flyers take in 2013.

2) "Sheer incompetence" is sheer hyperbole. Morin rose with a bullet in pre-draft rankings in the second half of the 2012-13 season and drew rave reviews at the 2013 Under-18s for Team Canada. Very raw but a good straight-line skater at that size, plus a great attitude, physical strength and work ethic. He was going to be a first-round pick by the time the Combine rolled around, the question was mid-first round or late first-round.
- bmeltzer

Most of the draft reviews I read had him pegged much lower. He is in a long line of draft busts by Homer at any rate. I enjoy your use of "sheer", though.

Disagree as money talks....
- hello it's me 2050

Money is talking all right. You are just listening in the wrong direction. It cracks me up when people think Dave Sott is doing a bad job. Its like blaming McDonald's because they don't have a tempeh sandwich with alfaalfa sprouts.

From https://www.inquirer.com/...hiladelphia-20200209.html.

(Excerpts below for those who do not have access or are lazy. Highlighting the relevant areas that might slip through the cracks).


"Like other sports teams, the Flyers are facing the challenge of attracting a new generation of fans while still serving a loyal yet aging fan base. The Flyers’ parent company, Comcast Spectacor, has made a bunch of changes to lure younger consumers, from a new standing-room-only section with sofas and cocktail bars to a monthly subscription pass that gets you three games for $59.

Overall attendance for the Flyers is down this season, but there are signs that the strategy may be working. Company data show new fans entering the arena and coming back for more. But as the digital ticket issue illustrates, more than a few longtime season ticket holders have complained about changes to the arena, ticketing, and prices.

Dave Scott, the chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor, said a key part of the company’s strategy is diversifying the Flyers’ fan base, which he acknowledged has been “pretty old.” The company declined to share the median age of the team’s fans. A 2017 study of TV ratings by Magna Global, a New York marketing consultant, found that the median age of National Hockey League fans was 49, which was 16 years older than it was in 2000.

“There has to be more of an entertainment component when you want to get younger,” Scott said in a recent interview.

Over the last year, the Flyers have overhauled their business operations team, now led by president Valerie Camillo and chief business officer Mike Shane, who both came from the Washington Nationals baseball team. Camillo, the first female executive to be hired as a president in the NHL, played a key role in attractions and amenities introduced by the Flyers and Wells Fargo Center this season.

That includes the New City Terrace level, a $25 standing-room only section at the top of the arena. An area previously used for private suites now features a lounge resembling a sportsbook, a rage room where you can smash dishes with sledgehammers, and a 23,000-square-foot space called the Assembly Room, which has artwork, fireplaces, and furniture facing away from the ice. There are more than 1,300 power outlets to plug in electronics.

Gathering areas such as these that attract younger fans have been a trend in the sports industry in recent years, said Pete Giorgio, Deloitte Consulting’s U.S. sports practice leader.

“In all the research on millennials, they actually really value the experience itself. The fact that it’s a communal experience. The fact they can do something with their friends,” he said. “There’s a lot more options than there used to be. Not just on a sports basis, but all sorts of entertainment options. You’re competing for people’s disposable income and their passions.”

So far, average attendance for this area has been at its capacity — roughly 1,600 people — up from the level’s average attendance of 1,000 a game when there were suites last year, according to the Flyers. The team said 83% of Assembly Room attendees had not been to a Flyers game in at least the last three years, and 25% of these “first-time buyers” have already purchased a second game this year."

It was well known Panarin wanted to play in NYC.
- MBFlyerfan

That was the word on the street. Having said that, more money is more money.

While I don't have a problem with most of what is suggested here. It logically leads you to the next question. To WHO are you trading these players?

With the way the cap is now, I just think it is going to be WAY more difficult to find trade partners, especially for a player like Giroux who has a full NMC. He may even elect to waive, but I doubt he will waive to any team that is not in a strong playoff spot. And then that list all of the sudden gets very limited because you will need that team to feel like they need a player like Giroux and are willing to pay the price to acquire him and have the cap space to make it work even if Philly retains.

With Risto I have a hard time believing you will get from any team what we had to pay to get him.

If TK keeps going the way he is going I think it is will be difficult to get a what you ask especially since he is under contract for 3 more seasons at a not insignificant cap hit.

As for Brassard, Yandle et all, I don't see why a playoff team would want any of them, nor do I see why a team that is still building would give up assets to acquire players on expiring contracts who I doubt would be in their future plans. Except maybe Lindblom.

I just think it is going to be way more difficult than it looks on paper.
- MBFlyerfan

It is up to CC. That being said if he waives and they get low ball offers then I simply do not trade him.

He will be coveted if he waives. Flyers will def eat 50%. Many teams can and will find a way to fit that in. Not even a concern to me

Firing Hextall was not a mistake, hiring CF was a mistake
- ClaudeFather

Pretty much sums it up.
Why do we have to talk hextall every day here. He's been gone for years. This is ridiculous

Fletcher was average at best in Minny. Why was he hired again?

Who is higher in the pecking order, Saint Ronnie or Burke?

Ronnie does all the leg work. Burke is too old to handle the day to day stuff and very likely doesn't want to. If you do not think he runs his moves past Burke your nuts.
- hello it's me 2050

I am sure they work as a team an hextall has autonomy to do his job. If you think hextall is a puppet and simply does Burke’s bidding your nuts and making stuff up because it fits your narrative.

It is up to CC. That being said if he waives and they get low ball offers then I simply do not trade him.

He will be coveted if he waives. Flyers will def eat 50%. Many teams can and will find a way to fit that in. Not even a concern to me
- hello it's me 2050

He would be a huge add at the deadline, especially if Mckinnon gets hurt or vegas wants to get aggressive.