Sandin, Zamula, Honigberg, Sushko, and Ratcliffe have all been playing. Bring Lycksell back from Sweden (where he is playing quite well) or at least try. This narrative is wrong. We have the kids and should give them a chance. It worked with the Kiddie Corps.
- iamscore2day

Outside of Zamula, are any of those guys actually a good player? Ratcliffe has been this project big player that has never worked out.

How bout asking Fletcher players being injured their first game returning. It happens over and over and over again. Does the medical staff need to be evaluated. Just status quo. Ridiculous.
- PLindbergh31

Take that Dude Alex Tuch...Comes off injury he just fits in and contributes in Buffalo no less.
Our injured players always have rust and excuses upon their return.

Does anyone on here want the flyers to start winning? The key is can buffalo and seattle pass them in the standings to get a top 4 pick
- bradster

Sens vs Sabres tonite. I don’t ever recall rooting for a loser point before in a non trailing late Flyers game

Maybe this announcement is Ryan Ellis retiring . Do we have link to watch?

Does anyone on here want the flyers to start winning? The key is can buffalo and seattle pass them in the standings to get a top 4 pick
- bradster

At this point I want the Flyers to pick as high as they can because I think they might be able to get either a future top pairing defenseman or a really good forward prospect that can play in the NHL sooner rather than later. I am not sold on Shane Knight as the best player, so to me this draft looks a lot like the 2017 draft in that there is no clear player above anyone else, thus there may be a really good player available in the top 5 for the Flyers to get.

Would like to hear Bills opinion on those you mention in terms of any NHL future.

Zamula only one for me who has an Future in the NHL. Though not opposed to Hogberg getting a look as why not.
- hello it's me 2050

I agree, Zamula and some younger prospects that Chuck drafted could be NHL players. Not sure how many of Ronnies picks will be making the nhl in anything higher than the 4th line, that havent already made the jump up. Maybe Obrien and attard. Thats all i can think of. Hopefully a goalie too. I can hope for Cates. But have no idea. Curious if cates made the olympic team, was obrien even considered?

We all know that there will be a win streak at the end of the year and we will go from picking #4 to #9

Outside of Zamula, are any of those guys actually a good player? Ratcliffe has been this project big player that has never worked out.
- ClaudeFather

We traded up to get Ratcliffe, hopefully he has something that will turn out. But it isnt looking good. His points in the AHL are awful, wouldnt be surprised if he foes ECHL next year.

Outside of Zamula, are any of those guys actually a good player? Ratcliffe has been this project big player that has never worked out.
- ClaudeFather

There is one way to find out. Play them. As for Ratcliffe, he had a slow start but has gotten a lot better. His route would be longer because he is a big body and needs to add strength. Sushko and Lycksell would be nice additions as they can both skate and stick handle and would give us some scoring potential in a bottom 6 role. The naysayers may ultimately be right but we need to see what happens when they actually get on the ice.

Sandin, Zamula, Honigberg, Sushko, and Ratcliffe have all been playing. Bring Lycksell back from Sweden (where he is playing quite well) or at least try. This narrative is wrong. We have the kids and should give them a chance. It worked with the Kiddie Corps.
- iamscore2day

Zamula is a defenseman so lets leave him out since we are talking about forward prospects. Sandin has been given a shot, he is no where close. Sushko and Ratcliffe have had a hard enough time making an impact in the AHL, do you really think they are ready? Both played a lot in training camp and in exhibition games, they were completely non factors. You can't just take a player like Lycksell from Sweden and put him in the NHL, there is an adjustment period needed for players to get used to the smaller NHL rink. So I think you proved my point, there is simply not a lot of options for the Flyers in their system. The cupboards were not as stocked as we were lead to believe!

At this point I want the Flyers to pick as high as they can because I think they might be able to get either a future top pairing defenseman or a really good forward prospect that can play in the NHL sooner rather than later. I am not sold on Shane Knight as the best player, so to me this draft looks a lot like the 2017 draft in that there is no clear player above anyone else, thus there may be a really good player available in the top 5 for the Flyers to get.
- jd250

Logan cooley may pass Wright as the #1 pick. Should be interesting. BUt here us Pronmans projection for Cooley "He projects as a first line forward; if it’s as a center it would be a low-end first line center in the NHL."
So no superstar projected. But we can hope it turns out better than that

I agree, Zamula and some younger prospects that Chuck drafted could be NHL players. Not sure how many of Ronnies picks will be making the nhl in anything higher than the 4th line, that havent already made the jump up. Maybe Obrien and attard. Thats all i can think of. Hopefully a goalie too. I can hope for Cates. But have no idea. Curious if cates made the olympic team, was obrien even considered?
- bradster

We are loaded with goalies: Sandstrom, Ersson and Fedotov all look very good. Usti is good too. Cates did make the olympic team.

I'm not trying to taunt you, I am seriously asking the question and want to talk about this. What forwards in the Flyers' system are ready to come up and be impact players? I think Frost has been given the opportunity but he clearly needed to develop his game for the NHL before he was given a much higher level of responsibility. If he keeps up what he showed last night, I am sure you will see him move up in the lineup. But my point is, there are not any other options in the Flyers' system right now because of injuries and also lack of prospects.
- jd250

Wait til you see this young gun Wade Allison...
Oh wait, hurt....AGAIN!!

We traded up to get Ratcliffe, hopefully he has something that will turn out. But it isnt looking good. His points in the AHL are awful, wouldnt be surprised if he foes ECHL next year.
- bradster

Traded up to get him. That’s irrelevant now, he’s never produced in the AHL.

Zamula is a defenseman so lets leave him out since we are talking about forward prospects. Sandin has been given a shot, he is no where close. Sushko and Ratcliffe have had a hard enough time making an impact in the AHL, do you really think they are ready? Both played a lot in training camp and in exhibition games, they were completely non factors. You can't just take a player like Lycksell from Sweden and put him in the NHL, there is an adjustment period needed for players to get used to the smaller NHL rink. So I think you proved my point, there is simply not a lot of options for the Flyers in their system. The cupboards were not as stocked as we were lead to believe!
- jd250

Clown show.

There is one way to find out. Play them. As for Ratcliffe, he had a slow start but has gotten a lot better. His route would be longer because he is a big body and needs to add strength. Sushko and Lycksell would be nice additions as they can both skate and stick handle and would give us some scoring potential in a bottom 6 role. The naysayers may ultimately be right but we need to see what happens when they actually get on the ice.
- iamscore2day

Dont you need to show something in the AHL? Have any of those guys done that?

There is one way to find out. Play them. As for Ratcliffe, he had a slow start but has gotten a lot better. His route would be longer because he is a big body and needs to add strength. Sushko and Lycksell would be nice additions as they can both skate and stick handle and would give us some scoring potential in a bottom 6 role. The naysayers may ultimately be right but we need to see what happens when they actually get on the ice.
- iamscore2day

When Willman and Mayhew are recalled over you it says a lot

Just asking but would Flyer fan be ok with Torts for a couple years…?

It would def change the culture.

We all know that there will be a win streak at the end of the year and we will go from picking #4 to #9
- ClaudeFather

That would be a disaster and my hope is Yeo and Fletcher would field a lineup that would prohibit that from happening.

We are loaded with goalies: Sandstrom, Ersson and Fedotov all look very good. Usti is good too. Cates did make the olympic team.
- iamscore2day

Time for both to schitt or get off the pot. It is a disgrace Sandsturm isn't up now. He has earned it. You move Jones to make room. Simple as that.

When Willman and Mayhew are recalled over you it says a lot
- ClaudeFather

Not when Chuckles the clown is making the call-ups.

Just asking but would Flyer fan be ok with Torts for a couple years…?

It would def change the culture.
- dozerD10

Personally I'm tired of retreads, I would like to see a fresh face behind the bench. That is why I suggested Lane Lambert who has been an assistant coach under Barry Trotz for 10+ years. I like Trotz's system and with an emphasis on improving the foot speed on this team, I can see a future Flyers team that plays with speed and structure similar to the Islanders.

What's a softball question, Pavel?


The housekeeping part of the press conference -- injury updates, farm system updates (Signing collegiate prospects, for example), etc. -- tend to take up a chunk of the allotted time. Factually driven questions about on-ice performance and roster-move assessments need to be asked and comprise the bulk of the remaining time.
- bmeltzer

How about some questions about broader trends, without getting into Internet outrage? Such as:

1. The signings after Hextall left clearly suggested the organization believed the team was ready to take the next step. Yet 3 years later, this seems very far from the truth. How do you explain such a huge 'mis-assessment'?

2. What changes are you thinking of to correct the mistakes in the above? Can you explain why you think your corrections would specifically avoid those mistakes?

3. We have an aging, injured roster, without any rising real stars. What is your long term plan to change this while simultaneously handling the burden of long contracts?

4. For a long time, we have not drafted or developed anyone who is a bona fide star. Most contending teams have not just 1, but several. Can you explain why this came about and how the organization plans to correct it?

5. Given the above, it seems like we do not have the scouting expertise to pick up really good players later in the draft, or, we are just not getting lucky. In other words, it seems our only chance to get really good young players is high in the draft. Yet, the organization keeps avoiding a total rebuild. Under the circumstances, what makes the organization think it will be successful doing something it has repeatedly failed with in the past?

Along those lines, Bill.

Not when Chuckles the clown is making the call-ups.
- iamscore2day

Those 2 were better AHL plyers than the ones you have mentioned. Let that sink in

Just asking but would Flyer fan be ok with Torts for a couple years…?

It would def change the culture.
- dozerD10

We need to hire someone like Tallon and let him remake everything. If he wants Torts, that would be fine by me. It would make games and pressers much more entertaining.