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

Laughton and Atkinson should not be core pieces.

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.
- Tomahawk

All fair points. But he did assemble a lot of talent in both places and has the benefit of not being a former Flyer. As for Trochek, he sold a guy for a lot of parts at the end of a season when they would not make the playoffs. Yes, he gave up on him but he also got some pieces back. I would still talk to him given that he has produced solid teams in 2 different cities. There are others that we should consider too. It is interesting that Chicago fired him for messing up the QOs and this organization just looked the other way when Homer f'd up the salary cap analysis when he overpaid Pronger.

I think Ellis and Hayes are almost guaranteed to be out for the year. They do not even know what is Ellis' true problem is at this point. Hayes has tried to comeback twice now and failed. Coots will try to be a hero but the org needs to show him the way.

Call the Tampa guys they know how to keep guys hurt for the full regular season.
- mickel25

There is no way they dont know. Fletcher said with Coots and Ellis its a matter of seeing if they will heal on their own before considering surgery. Surgery isnt always the best method. Some areas never feel the same after surgery. Might get them back in the lineup short term but in the long term could have negative effect

For the flyers or in general. Well holmgren got us to the cup, so that was good. Its a results business and as many might not like the blunders you have to give him credit for getting to the cup. Grabbing pronger was the exact move they needed.

That's how i judge it. People like the shannaplan and dubas.. think that's the way to go, but they might be entertaining to watch, but havent proven anything yet in the playoffs. So i would say that isnt the way to go. Pretty sure if they get bounced the 1st round or two, changes will be happening there.
- bradster

Short-term mentality gets rewarded with short-term "good." One final (they won 2 games which was better than 97) and then nothing but a salary cap problem and an empty farm team. Thanks but no thanks to that "strategy."

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
- bradster

Lmao. Yes. Has been the same lame conversations everyday. Too predictable.

Because if they are healthy enough to play they have to be off LTIR.

It becomes cap circumvention.
- MBFlyerfan

Not true. See Tampa bay. Amazing that kuch could skate the way he did coming off the injury. Guessing he was “rehabbing” for months.

No they do not. They do however believe that this is the best strategy to max revenue.
- PT21

Again we have a difference of opinion. They do believe that with 2 or 3 changes they will be back to status quo, making the the playoffs every other year and not committing to be of championship caliber. They care about filling seats, stuffing us full of Gritty, and keeping tgeir jobs, nothing more. It may be good for you but it ain't for me.

Again we have a difference of opinion. They do believe that with 2 or 3 changes they will be back to status quo, making the the playoffs every other year and not committing to be of championship caliber. They care about filling seats, stuffing us full of Gritty, and keeping tgeir jobs, nothing more. It may be good for you but it ain't for me.
- DANCER

When you’re not a contender what approach should a business take?

There is no way they dont know. Fletcher said with Coots and Ellis its a matter of seeing if they will heal on their own before considering surgery. Surgery isnt always the best method. Some areas never feel the same after surgery. Might get them back in the lineup short term but in the long term could have negative effect
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

I hope you are right. I have serious doubts about the ability of this teams medical staff.

In terms of opting for surgery or not, I am also concerned about the decision makers there as well. Kevin Hayes' surgery has become a fiasco. They waited too long to get it and seemingly rushed him back. Now he has been reinjured twice.

Short-term mentality gets rewarded with short-term "good." One final (they won 2 games which was better than 97) and then nothing but a salary cap problem and an empty farm team. Thanks but no thanks to that "strategy."
- iamscore2day

Yup, i think making it to the final, even if they only won 1 game is a success in this business.

Whats the difference with being a salary cap problem and empty farm team after that cup run that what we have right now. I could argue they were still better after that run that we are now, after years of hexy and chuck. Your argument doesn't prove anything, its just your opinion. My opinion is different

Yup, i think making it to the final, even if they only won 1 game is a success in this business.

Whats the difference with being a salary cap problem and empty farm team after that cup run that what we have right now. I could argue they were still better after that run that we are now, after years of hexy and chuck. Your argument doesn't prove anything, its just your opinion. My opinion is different
- bradster

Well, for those of us who remember what it is like to win 2 in a row, I just feel sorry for you. As for the empty farm team, we all know what excites you in that regard.

Not true. See Tampa bay. Amazing that kuch could skate the way he did coming off the injury. Guessing he was “rehabbing” for months.
- Peter Richards

Def not. Kucherov reinjured himself in the 1st game he played. He played through the playoffs with a pulled groin. This affected his hip and he was forced to have surgery at the beginning this season. He only started skating maybe 3 weeks before playoffs

When you’re not a contender what approach should a business take?
- Peter Richards

Not your typical business...the team is a public trust...thats the problem with Scott and Comcast. Of course they want a profit, but that cannot be the sole or primary reason for the teams existense

Again we have a difference of opinion. They do believe that with 2 or 3 changes they will be back to status quo, making the the playoffs every other year and not committing to be of championship caliber. They care about filling seats, stuffing us full of Gritty, and keeping tgeir jobs, nothing more. It may be good for you but it ain't for me.
- DANCER

You agreed with everything I said. I dont see it quite as cynically, but yeah.. where is the difference in opinion?

Without bottoming out into the top 3 or at the very least top 5, it’s a low percentage plan.
- psuhockey

I disagree.

oh....meh
- THE BLACK HAND

I understand hating his style of play but why assassinate of character?

Hoping Morgan put up his 4th good game against Kings. It should be a good test since he missed a year and now half way through the season he has played 3 whole good games in a row.
I'm so excited for him.