Doubling down on stupid is just the Flyers way.

And Gudas would have been perfect with Sanheim, York, Zamula, whoever. Forsling's really blossomed with him.
- Tomahawk

Yup, everything sucks, that is your narrative!

Tell me, do you actually watch Sanheim play? Because if you do, how could you even mention his name with these other players? Baffling!

If you watched Montreal last year, especially against Toronto, that d punished their opponents every game. They were hard to play against every shift. Of course Price played great. To say MTL lost is relevant, they beat some really good teams to get there. Yes this year, they are done, take away the best of the bunch, Shea Weber, and that will happen. (And price) As far as the Islanders, I like their d as well. You take away Risto, you take away the most physical guy we have…I’m not saying he’s the best d we have, but the element he brings is something they need. You live with some of the mistakes he makes.
- landros 2

100%

Yup, everything sucks, that is your narrative!

Tell me, do you actually watch Sanheim play? Because if you do, how could you even mention his name with these other players? Baffling!
- jd250

Very! Many! Exclamations!

(And btw... everything is great!)

I just told you I had no issue with him alienating the country club, but when you do it to your own scouts it’s pretty dumb. And it’s his pick to own. I just gave a fair analysis, he sucked, I’m sorry you can’t accept that.
- ClaudeFather

because it is your opinion. Cliff says he didn't which is a fact. Cliff is always correct.

Do you honestly believe that fans are demanding that he does so? What is there a petition circulating or something that I'm unaware of? Something on Facebook?
- MJL

lol

It's a skating, passing skill game. The prototype NHL defenseman are offensive puck movers and attackers. Even today's "defensive" defenseman have evolved. The best defenders are player like McDonagh, Slavin, Pelech etc. Those are the kind of players you need in your top 4. Neanderthals like Ristolainen aren't what's needed.
- MJL

And you also need physical defenders to go with your puck movers. Would you take Trouba here? Defensive d man & physical d man aren’t necessarily the same. Braun is a defensive d man but certainly not physical

Yesterday's press conference was embarrassing and a complete disaster. It showed further how dysfunctional this organization is.

Do I have to mention that you are again contradicting yourself. You posted for weeks that they need to break it down and rebuild. Now you are on board with a retool. You change your mind as often as the weather changed.
- MJL

AGAIN, you are just a liar which is completely SAD! Show me ONE post where I said this teams need to break it completely down and rebuild. IN EVERY SINGLE post I have done regarding this topic I have stated this team still has a good veteran core and just needs to get young top end talent to augment it. I have often used the term retool and have argued with you many times over the past several weeks that a 5 year rebuild is not necessary; that if Fletcher can get some young, fast and highly skilled players onto this team with its veteran core of Hart, Ellis, Provey, Couts, Hayes, Bee and TK this team will be back in contention in a couple of seasons. I posted a 10 point plan that emphasized this just last week!

You are just embarrassing yourself now, because everyone who has ever read my posts knows this is exactly what I have said consistently!

I just told you I had no issue with him alienating the country club, but when you do it to your own scouts it’s pretty dumb. And it’s his pick to own. I just gave a fair analysis, he sucked, I’m sorry you can’t accept that.
- ClaudeFather

So what did he do to his won scouts? Pick a different player than some of them wanted? He is the GM! If they felt alienated due to that, it's on them, not the GM.

Why would I have to accept something that isn't accurate? It's just your opinion and you can't accept that.

When looking at the Patrick pick, it's fair to say the pick didn't work out and has hurt the franchise. However the circumstances have to be looked at. It's not like he picked a player that everyone knew was going to be a bust.

When it cones to RR the GM clearly has tunnel vision 100%. You do not pay him 2nd pair money. He needs to find better value.

Also I want guys who have been part of some winning culture elsewhere. RR has been on sad sack teams his whole career. This is all he knows. Time to move on.
- hello it's me 2050

My take on what Fletcher stated yesterday was that Risto wants out, wants to play for the contender now, not in 3 more years. I expect Risto to be traded at the deadline and I think Fletcher can recoup at least a 1st round pick, though not as high as the one he gave up.

AGAIN, you are just a liar which is completely SAD! Show me ONE post where I said this teams need to break it completely down and rebuild. IN EVERY SINGLE post I have done regarding this topic I have stated this team still has a good veteran core and just needs to get young top end talent to augment it. I have often used the term retool and have argued with you many times over the past several weeks that a 5 year rebuild is not necessary; that if Fletcher can get some young, fast and highly skilled players onto this team with its veteran core of Hart, Ellis, Provey, Couts, Hayes, Bee and TK this team will be back in contention in a couple of seasons. I posted a 10 point plan that emphasized this just last week!

You are just embarrassing yourself now, because everyone who has ever read my posts knows this is exactly what I have said consistently!
- jd250

I know, everyone is always a liar when they call you on your inconsistencies.

Every conversation and debate we have, always winds up the same way. In the end you'll change course and eventually come around to what I've been telling you was the case from the get go.

That’s the thing. Hextall did some good things. Hextall also made some mistakes. They all do. I also agree Hextall was in the midst of ramping up the NHL roster when he was fired. Would he have gone after different players in UFA? Probably but who knows.
I couldn’t agree more about what matter now. What is the direction? What’s the plan? I personally don’t think Fletcher is that inept( I hope so anyways), I just don’t think you can come out and say what that plan is. I’m not sure if he decides to re-tool again he’ll actually be able to make the improvements needed, but it’s pretty apparent Scott feels that’s the path they should take.
- landros 2

Oh yes, Hexy was ramping up that NHL roster with Dale Weise and JVR .. Whoo Hoo!!

So what did he do to his won scouts? Pick a different player than some of them wanted? He is the GM! If they felt alienated due to that, it's on them, not the GM.

Why would I have to accept something that isn't accurate? It's just your opinion and you can't accept that.

When looking at the Patrick pick, it's fair to say the pick didn't work out and has hurt the franchise. However the circumstances have to be looked at. It's not like he picked a player that everyone knew was going to be a bust.
- MJL

Bill has stated many times, even today, that he alienated his scouts. I don’t know the extent of it but neither do you inferring that it was just picking a different player. We will have to agree to disagree

My take on what Fletcher stated yesterday was that Risto wants out, wants to play for the contender now, not in 3 more years. I expect Risto to be traded at the deadline and I think Fletcher can recoup at least a 1st round pick, though not as high as the one he gave up.
- jd250

And then he will move that first for some other middle of the roster type and lament next year that the Flyers need more elite players when they fail again.

It was a good trade to me. Not only did he shed salary, that move single-handedly probably improved our drafting position 5 places for a span of 3 years each.
- PT21

HAHA, ya, only prob is the difference between drafting 20 and 15 is not that great as say 10 to 5

And you also need physical defenders to go with your puck movers. Would you take Trouba here? Defensive d man & physical d man aren’t necessarily the same. Braun is a defensive d man but certainly not physical
- Fopa21

At his contract for what he actually brings??? Count me in the hard NO camp.

Physicality can be taught with the right approach. I think we have a gap in our strength and conditioning program. As an example, Sanehim shouldn't have got this far without someone being completely up his rear about strength training and dieting for lean muscle gain. When players have the strength to knock some guys around...it's shocking how much easier physicality becomes.

Edit....and conditioning doesnt equal strength training. Yes they need the cardio to go....but we also need to identify who has to mass up and put them on a very stringent program

How can a player who is continually out of position and has major lapses in coverage be a player built for the playoffs. As you state, most of hits are simply pure entertainment and the majority of the time are ineffective. Hit within the flow of play. Hit to separate the player from the puck. When you run a player after the puck is gone, you're taking yourself out of the play.
- MJL

watch and learn young man
https://bleacherreport.co...3f-4e47-90bf-286c2df13c69

Bill just broke down the Hartnell move at great length. According to Bill it was not just a cap move. I’m gonna go w Bill.
- Joe Nardone

And it sounds so much like a Hextall move; What? You don't like my diet program, fine you're out!

Bill has stated many times, even today, that he alienated his scouts. I don’t know the extent of it but neither do you inferring that it was just picking a different player. We will have to agree to disagree
- ClaudeFather

So what did he do, call them names? All we hear about is hearsay. What's crystal clear is that Hextall upset the apple cart because he wanted to control everything and change everything with regards to how a dysfunctional organization was run. It becomes clearer every day that he was right to do that. The old school country club has pouted and rebelled.

AGAIN, you are just a liar which is completely SAD! Show me ONE post where I said this teams need to break it completely down and rebuild. IN EVERY SINGLE post I have done regarding this topic I have stated this team still has a good veteran core and just needs to get young top end talent to augment it. I have often used the term retool and have argued with you many times over the past several weeks that a 5 year rebuild is not necessary; that if Fletcher can get some young, fast and highly skilled players onto this team with its veteran core of Hart, Ellis, Provey, Couts, Hayes, Bee and TK this team will be back in contention in a couple of seasons. I posted a 10 point plan that emphasized this just last week!

You are just embarrassing yourself now, because everyone who has ever read my posts knows this is exactly what I have said consistently!
- jd250

Much though I enjoy you seemingly provoking the same exasperated response in MJL that he provokes in me, and you even adopting one of his trademark phrases (2nd bold) I have to say I do remember the first bold instance. It was last playoffs. You saw the teams play, and saw their speed and youth, and said something like: "I am beginning to believe we need a complete rebuild/ total teardown"

Just piping in. Carry on.

My take on what Fletcher stated yesterday was that Risto wants out, wants to play for the contender now, not in 3 more years. I expect Risto to be traded at the deadline and I think Fletcher can recoup at least a 1st round pick, though not as high as the one he gave up.
- jd250

We shall see if the GM offers him an 8 year deal then what does RR do?

You take what you can as he is already a sunk cost.

What gets old is the hyperbole and inaccuracies. He didn't suck. Give a fair and accurate analysis. Can you leave it at that?
- MJL

Like your hyperbole constantly being critical of RR. Same thing pretty much. Neither was perfect or as good or bad as you make them out to be

At his contract for what he actually brings??? Count me in the hard NO camp.

Physicality can be taught with the right approach. I think we have a gap in our strength and conditioning program. As an example, Sanehim shouldn't have got this far without someone being completely up his rear about strength training and dieting for lean muscle gain. When players have the strength to knock some guys around...it's shocking how much easier physicality becomes.

Edit....and conditioning doesnt equal strength training. Yes they need the cardio to go....but we also need to identify who has to mass up and put them on a very stringent program
- juiced

You want your top defenseman to play physical and do well in puck battles. Teams that have a defenseman in their top 4 that are physical but doesn't bring those other elements will be a weaker team. Players like Ristolainen are niche players. The more well rounded a player is, the better they will be.

What’s getting old dwelling on poop that doesn’t matter anymore. Hextall has been gone 3 or 4 years now.
- SuperSchennBros

agreed totally, but someone wants to bring him up every morning, so we need to correct the inaccuracies

Very interesting. Thanks for that, Bill.
I agree with the bold 100%.
- Scoob

And what exactly do you see Fletcher doing, with this resume?
Add to it 10 and a current 13 game losing streak.



Alexander Appleyard
@avappleyard
This is 13th year
@NHLFlyers
Chuck Fletcher has been
@NHL
GM.

Both teams hes managed are amongst richer teams in league.

13 seasons.
5/13 missed playoffs.
2/13 got past 1st round.
0/13 got past 2nd round.

Overseen 11 drafts.
69 picks.
9 1sts.
Never drafted 1C or 1D.

Much though I enjoy you seemingly provoking the same exasperated response in MJL that he provokes in me, and you even adopting one of his trademark phrases (2nd bold) I have to say I do remember the first bold instance. It was last playoffs. You saw the teams play, and saw their speed and youth, and said something like: "I am beginning to believe we need a complete rebuild/ total teardown"

Just piping in. Carry on.
- PT21

He has stated that countless times.