No, I am not confusing Couts with Laughton, though I'm glad you mentioned Laughton as well. My point is this so called mismanagement of players was happening throughout the Hextall years, from being slow to elevate Couts, to trading Schenn for no NHL pieces when the team was looking like they were ready to take the next step, to doing an about face and signing JVR to a bad contract the very next year. We can't have it both ways. We can't pin all the perceived bad player development on Fletcher and his staff without also looking at what went on under Hextall also. Unlike Hextall however, who secluded himself and made all the decisions, Fletcher has at least acknowledged that the Flyers needed to invest in player development, scouting, analytics and getting more executive voices in the room.
- jd250

I think the Flyers would be better off with 2 voices out of that room: Chucky/Bobby. As for development, a lot of players flourished under Hakstol including TK, Coots, IP, Giroux. Not sure what you mean by "elevating" Coots but his performance improved so I am not sure what metric you are considering.

IMO Frost has earned the PP time by what he has demonstrated already, and that bar I admit is lower given how bad the Flyers PP has been with these same players on it season after season.
- jd250

What the hell did Frost do to earn any pP time? He’s sucked. I think he should be there because of his skill set and where we are but he certainly hasn’t earned anything.

I think Hextall was hired because he was part of the club, and fired because he made several bad decisions that directly curtailed the advancement of the organization. Like I said, you can't have it both ways. You can't just say all bad player development happened under Fletcher and therefore he must be fired, because its just not true.
- jd250

Directly curtailed the advancement of the organization? Nobody has said that all the bad player development happened under Fletcher. I clearly posted, and you responded to it, about how in the past before Fletcher other players weren't handled properly. Maybe you need to review?

What the hell did Frost do to earn any pP time? He’s sucked. I think he should be there because of his skill set and where we are but he certainly hasn’t earned anything.
- ClaudeFather

Well I don't agree that he has sucked but I agree about what he earned. It's just a complete and total contradiction on his part.

I think the Flyers would be better off with 2 voices out of that room: Chucky/Bobby. As for development, a lot of players flourished under Hakstol including TK, Coots, IP, Giroux. Not sure what you mean by "elevating" Coots but his performance improved so I am not sure what metric you are considering.
- iamscore2day

So funny you continue to mention Clarke. Like has any say in persona, trades, or development.

Well I don't agree that he has sucked but I agree about what he earned. It's just a complete and total contradiction on his part.
- MJL

he has not been good, blame it on deployment if you’d like . Agreed tho, he has not earned it.

I honestly think Hexy was fired because he rejected the country club.
- MBFlyerfan

Ok, but just think about these two moves for a moment.

2017: Hextall trades a legitimate NHL 2C for 2 1st round draft picks. The reason was the Flyers were not ready to contend and were still rebuilding even though at the time they had a core of G, Jake, Couts, Laughton, Ghost, TK, Simmonds and Provorov. Kind of odd don't you think?

2018: Hextall signs JVR to a 5 year contract. Apparently, at this point the reason was the Flyers were now ready to contend and JVR had a skill set that no Flyer in the organization had.

My beef with this is the obvious flip flop in terms on the so-called readiness of the team, but also if you are trading Brayden Schenn because you think you have your center position well stocked with G, Couts, Laughton and Patrick, then why not trade Schenn for a top defenseman or goalie? Go look at the Flyers 2018 roster at the time and ask yourself, did this team need a future Farabee and Frost or would they have preferred a upgrade in net or on the blue line?

Here is a perfect player for the Flyers to get back from the Leafs:

1. Nick Robertson, LW, Toronto Marlies
GP: 2 | G: 0 | A: 2 | PTS: 2

The Leafs’ top prospect has had the absolute worst luck.

After dominating development camp and turning heads in training camp, the 20-year-old snipe show suffered a broken leg just two games into what was supposed to be his first full pro season.

It feels like ages ago that a teenage Robertson was called up and scored a playoff goal for the Maple Leafs in the 2020 bubble. Since then, he’s battled through multiple injuries, watched Team USA win world junior gold without him, and rooted on his Calder finalist older brother, Jason, in Dallas.
- jd250

Our best option from the leafs is an injury prone hard luck prospect who hasn’t panned out ? We’ll he would fit in nicely?

He was fired because he sucked
- ClaudeFather

I think the Flyers would be better off with 2 voices out of that room: Chucky/Bobby. As for development, a lot of players flourished under Hakstol including TK, Coots, IP, Giroux. Not sure what you mean by "elevating" Coots but his performance improved so I am not sure what metric you are considering.
- iamscore2day

Look at Couts' stats in 2015 and 2016 and then ask, why did it take Hakstol so long to elevate Couts to the top line and get him more PP time which is what he did in 2017? We are complaining about Frost playing 3C for roughly 1/2 a season but no one seems to be pointing out haw Hakstol curtailed Cout's development for 2 years.

What the hell did Frost do to earn any pP time? He’s sucked. I think he should be there because of his skill set and where we are but he certainly hasn’t earned anything.
- ClaudeFather

I have seen enough of Frost on the PP to conclude he belongs on the top unit on the half wall driving plays. Just my opinion.

Yes but I don't think you got the joke in it, i.e. all the injuries that have curtailed Robertson's development make him a perfect Flyer.
- jd250

If I’m dealing with leafs I want Ilya Mikheyev. Under used skilled guy that has size skill and skates like the wind. If the leafs went after a Provorov or Konecny I’m making sure any deal has Nylander coming back… both these guys have extreme skill.

Well I don't agree that he has sucked but I agree about what he earned. It's just a complete and total contradiction on his part.
- MJL

There is no contradiction here. When a player shows me something I acknowledge it and when he doesn't I point it out. Frost IMO should stay on the 3rd line developing the rest of the season, but he should also be on the 1st PP unit. Is this really unprecedented?

I have seen enough of Frost on the PP to conclude he belongs on the top unit on the half wall driving plays. Just my opinion.
- jd250

I’ve seen enough of the other guys to conclude he deserves an extended look on the 1rst pp.

Our best option from the leafs is an injury prone hard luck prospect who hasn’t panned out ? We’ll he would fit in nicely?
- landros 2

Its the irony of it, that the Leaf's top prospect is injury prone, sounds like a perfect Flyer. Get it?

Geez, maybe I should include the emoji next time.

I’ve seen enough of the other guys to conclude he deserves an extended look on the 1rst pp.
- landros 2

No kidding, honestly I would like a shot at it also.

Ok, but just think about these two moves for a moment.

2017: Hextall trades a legitimate NHL 2C for 2 1st round draft picks. The reason was the Flyers were not ready to contend and were still rebuilding even though at the time they had a core of G, Jake, Couts, Laughton, Ghost, TK, Simmonds and Provorov. Kind of odd don't you think?

2018: Hextall signs JVR to a 5 year contract. Apparently, at this point the reason was the Flyers were now ready to contend and JVR had a skill set that no Flyer in the organization had.

My beef with this is the obvious flip flop in terms on the so-called readiness of the team, but also if you are trading Brayden Schenn because you think you have your center position well stocked with G, Couts, Laughton and Patrick, then why not trade Schenn for a top defenseman or goalie? Go look at the Flyers 2018 roster at the time and ask yourself, did this team need a future Farabee and Frost or would they have preferred a upgrade in net or on the blue line?
- jd250

Dont disagree but when Hextall started drafting he really went after D, I think his mistake was thinking most of them would be permanent fixtures on the backend

So funny you continue to mention Clarke. Like has any say in persona, trades, or development.
- hello it's me 2050

Clarke shot an 83 today….didn’t make a single putt outside of 6 feet. He didn’t give the Flyers or this current poop show a single thought.

Dont disagree but when Hextall started drafting he really went after D, I think his mistake was thinking most of them would be permanent fixtures on the backend
- wcorvette

another mistake was not bringing in good vets to help those guys along. He failed big time there imo. The were feed to the wolves.

Ok, but just think about these two moves for a moment.

2017: Hextall trades a legitimate NHL 2C for 2 1st round draft picks. The reason was the Flyers were not ready to contend and were still rebuilding even though at the time they had a core of G, Jake, Couts, Laughton, Ghost, TK, Simmonds and Provorov. Kind of odd don't you think?


- jd250

No, that was not the reason why. Hextall was committed to drafting and development. He made the Schenn trade not for the reasons you listed but because the return of 2 firsts was too good to pass up. Not odd at all.

2018: Hextall signs JVR to a 5 year contract. Apparently, at this point the reason was the Flyers were now ready to contend and JVR had a skill set that no Flyer in the organization had.


- jd250

Hextall never stated at that point that he thought that the Flyers were ready to contend. He didn't state that at any time in his tenure as the Flyers GM.

My beef with this is the obvious flip flop in terms on the so-called readiness of the team, but also if you are trading Brayden Schenn because you think you have your center position well stocked with G, Couts, Laughton and Patrick, then why not trade Schenn for a top defenseman or goalie? Go look at the Flyers 2018 roster at the time and ask yourself, did this team need a future Farabee and Frost or would they have preferred a upgrade in net or on the blue line?
- jd250

There is no obvious flip flop. Do you believe that a team would've traded a top defenseman for Schenn? The Flyers already had drafted Carter Hart.

Clarke shot an 83 today….didn’t make a single putt outside of 6 feet. He didn’t give the Flyers or this current poop show a single thought.
- landros 2

He has no clue who 95% of the players are in the nhl imo.

Its the irony of it, that the Leaf's top prospect is injury prone, sounds like a perfect Flyer. Get it?

Geez, maybe I should include the emoji next time.
- jd250

Didn’t have my funny radar on …my bad.

No, that was not the reason why. Hextall was committed to drafting and development. He made the Schenn trade not for the reasons you listed but because the return of 2 firsts was too good to pass up. Not odd at all.



- MJL

I believe you as he probably told you this at the dinner table.

There is no contradiction here. When a player shows me something I acknowledge it and when he doesn't I point it out. Frost IMO should stay on the 3rd line developing the rest of the season, but he should also be on the 1st PP unit. Is this really unprecedented?
- jd250

Yes there is. You've applied some mythical standard that Frost has to achieve to be moved up in the lineup at 5 on 5 but then state that he earned the PP time. It's laughable.

No, that was not the reason why. Hextall was committed to drafting and development. He made the Schenn trade not for the reasons you listed but because the return of 2 firsts was too good to pass up. Not odd at all.




Hextall never stated at that point that he thought that the Flyers were ready to contend. He didn't state that at any time in his tenure as the Flyers GM.



There is no obvious flip flop. Do you believe that a team would've traded a top defenseman for Schenn? The Flyers already had drafted Carter Hart.
- MJL

Yes, they drafted Carter Hart but he was not ready for the NHL. If Schenn was expendable from the NHL roster, surely Hextall could have and should have shopped him to upgrade the D or goalie for the current team which I think could have made a run with some good player additions. And you think you sign a player like JVR to that contract for a team that you don't think is ready to contend?