Watched the press conference. Dave Scott has no presence. No gravitas. Doesn’t sound like the Chairman of an NHL franchise, let alone one with such a history. Not even the slightest hint that he’s in charge. The Chairman needs to be the HMFIC without question.

CF seems to have said a lot without saying a lot. A couple takeaways:
1-G is likely gone at the deadline
2-Risto is likely gone (he had to build him up as an asset being a big physical defense worth something)
3-He ain’t thrilled with some of the former prospects development save for Bee and the ones he picked
4-There will be a new coach and staff in the offseason
5-Coots and Ellis will likely be shut down (had to say the right things so no one accuses him of playing the LTI)
- mikeyo27

Is Chuckles going to recoup the first round pick he gave up for 1 year of Ristolainen?

When this veteran core is healthy it is a good starting point.

Carter Hart - G

Ellis -D
Provey - D
York -D

Couts - C
Hayes - C
Atkinson - F
Farabee - F
Laughton - F

Fletcher acknowledged there is a lack of top end talent here, but none the less these are good players when healthy that you can build around.
- jd250

Several on that list are players no team should ever build around. In fact the majority.

I dont think he or his wife like it here and he is stringing this out
- RajaAmpat

Is this just your opinion?

When this veteran core is healthy it is a good starting point.

Carter Hart - G

Ellis -D
Provey - D
York -D

Couts - C
Hayes - C
Atkinson - F
Farabee - F
Laughton - F

Fletcher acknowledged there is a lack of top end talent here, but none the less these are good players when healthy that you can build around.
- jd250

Great except the Flyers need the two hardest things to get: a #1 right handed defenseman and a #1 center.

What is going to be absolutely ridiculous is it looks like there will be some franchise changing talent at the top of next years draft. The fan base is behind a tank. The team doesn’t need that many more pieces, just the elite ones. The franchise has shown a good ability to draft middle of the roster types. They just need to be bad one more season and they won’t do it because they are delusional. So terrible.

Is Chuckles going to recoup the first round pick he gave up for 1 year of Ristolainen?
- PLindbergh31

With overpayment by GMs I guess there’s at least hope. Even if, it ain’t gonna be a 14th overall.

Is Chuckles going to recoup the first round pick he gave up for 1 year of Ristolainen?
- PLindbergh31

1st, 2nd, and a young NHL roster player.

1st, 2nd, and a young NHL roster player.
- Flyers_01

Yeah that's not happening.

And this is the key right here.

Personally I don’t have the same issues with Ristolainen as some of those who are Compulsively obsessed with hating him, both attacking his play and personality. I think there is a lot of give and take in terms of how bad that second pair is. With this said, I’ve seen a lot of strange comparisons of Risto to Andrew MacDonald or Dennis Gauthier. The hate Parade didn’t really begin for MacDonald until he signed along term deal he couldn’t live up to, adding to the fact that he’d been used as a top pair defenseman too often once Timonen left. He offered limited to no offense from the blue line and sent to the minors multiple times. Mac’s journey in Philly direct issue was the long term contract. Gauthier only offered hits and nothing else. He couldn’t score to save his life. In fact I don’t think he has a career goal with the Flyers. Gauthier also had term and was sent down. Ristolianen currently could find his way out without Hassle.
- SuperSchennBros

wut

Risto is going to be resigned. No GM will egg himself in the face getting a return less than what he paid for it.

As we can see with this franchise it is par for the course to not admit mistake and keep digging the ditch deeper.

Great except the Flyers need the two hardest things to get: a #1 right handed defenseman and a #1 center.

What is going to be absolutely ridiculous is it looks like there will be some franchise changing talent at the top of next years draft. The fan base is behind a tank. The team doesn’t need that many more pieces, just the elite ones. The franchise has shown a good ability to draft middle of the roster types. They just need to be bad one more season and they won’t do it because they are delusional. So terrible.
- psuhockey

We really need to get a look at Attard before we spend too deeply on a RHD IMO. He looks special to me and he has good size, skating and physicality. I was hoping he would have come out this year...but I hope he comes in at the end of his college hockey season and gets some taxi squad time if not some try out games at 3RD

When this veteran core is healthy it is a good starting point.

Carter Hart - G

Ellis -D
Provey - D
York -D

Couts - C
Hayes - C
Atkinson - F
Farabee - F
Laughton - F

Fletcher acknowledged there is a lack of top end talent here, but none the less these are good players when healthy that you can build around.
- jd250

Besides Hart….no elite talent. What are your thoughts on Yandle? Did you agree with Fletcher when said line up decisions, especially on D are performance based? Can you honestly say Yandle shouldn’t have been benched at all over the last 3 months….he’s been a useless part unless you consider his locker room prowess. And honestly at this point I could careless if the dressing room is a comfortable spot. With these performances it shouldn’t be.

I would prefer someone like Dale Tallon who has a good track record of developing teams and no connection to Philly.
- iamscore2day

Dale Tallon? I don't know why he gets the credit for building the 'Hawks and the Panthers.

He hit on some slam dunk draft picks, but the rest of his draft record is pretty spotty. He wasted lottery picks on Cam Barker, Jack Skille, Erik Gudbranson. He fell into the Lawson Crouse trap. He ruined Kyle Beach (and possibly others) by hiring and allowing Aldrich to run rampant.

He gave up on Trocheck too soon. He thought Hyman was only worth Greg McKegg. And he let Marchessault go to Vegas for free after a 30-goal campaign to protect a grossly overpaid Nick Bjugstad for some reason.

And the QO thing in Chicago that got him fired... gross negligence.

So far nothing new. Pretty much what we should have expected.

Nothing earth shattering is going to happen until the deadline and the off season. We all have to accept that.
- MBFlyerfan

Definitely. This

I actually feel a little better. At least there will be plenty of evaluation time, both within the organization and with individual young players. IMO, it is wrong to make moves just because everyone is angry and this team’s train has crashed. Be smart. Make better choices, please.

Some interesting points…doubled the size of the player development and analytics departments. Mentioned not parting with the current young core.

I really hope that they do stock up on draft picks in these next two years. For obvious reasons…if you stink like this season, you have a better selection to choose from each round the higher your slot. More picks isn’t about getting more players, you can use those picks to move up at some point to draft one of your targets. I don’t want just young prospects or players in these deadline deals; I want them to get more draft picks to have more options on draft day. That is something the blank check can’t provide…resources and scouts, yes, but better options is important too. 15 is excessive, around 10 is not.

Several on that list are players no team should ever build around. In fact the majority.
- hello it's me 2050

Really? So Hart is not a top end goalie? Ellis is not a true top pairing defenseman? Couts is not one the best all around centers in the game? Atkinson has not demonstrated his worth as both a shoot first forward and a good PKer? Farabee doesn't have the ceiling of being a 30 goal scorer?

I know things are bad right now, but honestly, if you can't recognize that the Flyers do have some good veteran players then you are not being honest or realistic!

Risto is going to be resigned. No GM will egg himself in the face getting a return less than what he paid for it.

As we can see with this franchise it is par for the course to not admit mistake and keep digging the ditch deeper.
- StepfordSam

Which is silly as he is a sunk cost at this point. I agree though

Cant wait to see what retread coach they bring in who says need to get back to Flyers hockey.
- hello it's me 2050

My guess is it will rhyme with Lick Lockett.

Risto is going to be resigned. No GM will egg himself in the face getting a return less than what he paid for it.

As we can see with this franchise it is par for the course to not admit mistake and keep digging the ditch deeper.
- StepfordSam

Well the options are overpay a player who isn't very good, or get less of a return that what you paid give me the latter.

Besides Hart….no elite talent. What are your thoughts on Yandle? Did you agree with Fletcher when said line up decisions, especially on D are performance based? Can you honestly say Yandle shouldn’t have been benched at all over the last 3 months….he’s been a useless part unless you consider his locker room prowess. And honestly at this point I could careless if the dressing room is a comfortable spot. With these performances it shouldn’t be.
- landros 2

It was 100% about the record.

Besides Hart….no elite talent. What are your thoughts on Yandle? Did you agree with Fletcher when said line up decisions, especially on D are performance based? Can you honestly say Yandle shouldn’t have been benched at all over the last 3 months….he’s been a useless part unless you consider his locker room prowess. And honestly at this point I could careless if the dressing room is a comfortable spot. With these performances it shouldn’t be.
- landros 2

Yandle is cooked, everyone including Fletcher knows it. However, what other options are there for the Flyers right now? Do you want to promote Zamula when he clearly is not physically ready and get him hurt badly and ruin his career? Do you want Fletcher to make a trade to supplement this defense right now, this season? Would it even matter? The season is over, playing Yandle means nothing at this point and benching him does nothing to improve the situation this team is in.

Really? So Hart is not a top end goalie? Ellis is not a true top pairing defenseman? Couts is not one the best all around centers in the game? Atkinson has not demonstrated his worth as both a shoot first forward and a good PKer? Farabee doesn't have the ceiling of being a 30 goal scorer?

I know things are bad right now, but honestly, if you can't recognize that the Flyers do have some good veteran players then you are not being honest or realistic!
- jd250

Yes really. Reread what I said as well.

Hart york Ivan and Joel only ones I build around.

Sorry you do not build around 31 year ol d injury prone dman. Or 2 centers (also injuries piling up) who will not be of any real value when/if this team is a contender.

The others are laughable to build around. Laguthon? give me a break. Atkins, good player, not a building block.

I posted last week that I felt Check needed more voices and more internal accountability to the different areas of Hockey Ops, and pointed to Tampa's executive structure as an example. It appears Chuck has already realized this and has been in the process of building this out, and I am very pleased he has also seen this and is trying to address it.
- jd250

Oh please. Who gives a (frank) about executive structure if the guy at the top has no direction on how to fix this ? He’s right about the team needing top end talent ….but I’m not really confident he has a plan to get it.

Yeah that's not happening.
- PLindbergh31

Just to be clear I was saying that Risto cost the Flyers a 1st, a 2nd, and Hagg. I do agree he's not getting that back.

Yandle is cooked, everyone including Fletcher knows it. However, what other options are there for the Flyers right now? Do you want to promote Zamula when he clearly is not physically ready and get him hurt badly and ruin his career? Do you want Fletcher to make a trade to supplement this defense right now, this season? Would it even matter? The season is over, playing Yandle means nothing at this point and benching him does nothing to improve the situation this team is in.
- jd250

This is a crock of schitt. So how will he get physically ready n the AHL as opposed to the NHL?

Yes, if you like "hindsight is 20/20" redraft pieces. Pretty meaningless unless you are into "Hexy was so bad porn."
- iamscore2day

The more MJL and you defend hexy, the more i will be into the hexy is so bad porn. The minute you guys/gals admit he wasn't good, is the minute i stop

Yandle is cooked, everyone including Fletcher knows it. However, what other options are there for the Flyers right now? Do you want to promote Zamula when he clearly is not physically ready and get him hurt badly and ruin his career? Do you want Fletcher to make a trade to supplement this defense right now, this season? Would it even matter? The season is over, playing Yandle means nothing at this point and benching him does nothing to improve the situation this team is in.
- jd250

No, 2 months ago was the time to address the trade front for D if there was something to be done. I would suggest both Connauton and Seeler offer more then what a sheltered Yandle has brought…he’s been that bad…..playing Yandle continues to embarrass this team that has already embarrassed it self enough.