No, of course not. I replace the bulb right away without any thought about it because it's an easily fixed issue. I would not, however, let it distract me or take time away from fixing the real issue. The new bulb doesn't make my house measurably better. The fixed roof does.
- Scoob

When you have to take a dump and can't find the toilet paper it might. Reality is that you have to fix all of the issues.

Berube … oh wait…
- Minnyhock

A trade for the chief and Jim Montgomery becomes the blues new coach.

sounded to me he was talking about players.

Most fans could careless about a blank check in those other areas. Means very little to fans. Not going to get a fan base exicted imo
- hello it's me 2050

But yet those other areas are a behind the scenes investment in an organization's success.

Not one fan cared (nor should they) about the overhauling and modernization of the Skate Zone complex into what's now called the Flyers Training Center. But those are part of the ancillary things that go into projecting to players (both current and future) that an organization does things in a first-rate way. The bottom line, of course, is still and will always be "Is this a winning team".

Don't undersell the importance of investing in the infrastructure of the components of hockey operations.

Ed Snider understood that, thoroughly. Did hiring Pat Croce and going from Class of 1923 Rink to the Coliseum make the 1980s team into a contender after the Broad Street Bullies era player aged, retired or finished their careers elsewhere? No. Good trades, good drafting and development and good coaching did.

However, did those things -- relative to their era -- make a difference in why Mark Howe was amazed at the day-to-day difference in feeling like the Flyers did everything first rate and were way ahead of how Hartford had been? 100 percent yes. Did it play into the bigger picture of why players of that time loved coming to Philly and hating to leave? Yes. Have had scores of Alumni tell me stuff like that. But it does ultimately come down to "Are we winning with this roster and this staff?"

But yet those other areas are a behind the scenes investment in an organization's success.

Not one fan cared (nor should they) about the overhauling and modernization of the Skate Zone complex into what's now called the Flyers Training Center. But those are part of the ancillary things that go into projecting to players (both current and future) that an organization does things in a first-rate way. The bottom line, of course, is still and will always be "Is this a winning team".

Don't undersell the importance of investing in the infrastructure of the components of hockey operations.

Ed Snider understood that, thoroughly. Did hiring Pat Croce and going from Class of 1923 Rink to the Coliseum make the 1980s team into a contender after the Broad Street Bullies era player aged, retired or finished their careers elsewhere? No. Good trades, good drafting and development and good coaching did.

However, did those things -- relative to their era -- make a difference in why Mark Howe was amazed at the day-to-day difference in feeling like the Flyers did everything first rate and were way ahead of how Hartford had been? 100 percent yes. Did it play into the bigger picture of why players of that time loved coming to Philly and hating to leave? Yes. Have had scores of Alumni tell me stuff like that. But it does ultimately come down to "Are we winning with this roster and this staff?"
- bmeltzer

Not underestimating anything. All I said was I think he is talking about players only with the blank check comment .2/3 players away. Don't think the other stuff was part of that.

They should have top notch everything else. They make money hand over fist.

There is no issues spending to the cap. Most contenders do. The difference is spending to the cap on the right players.

Im a fan of Hayes but its hard to justify the contract based on the production.

JVR is another player we are paying 7 mill for and on a healthy team, he was typically on the 3rd line. This was a poor signing from day one.

We could reallocate 14 mill with just these 2 players removed. Hayes would leave a hole on the team but JVR in reality does not fit on the Flyers anymore, especially at 7 mill. JVR is not a top 6 winger IMO. He is too one dimensional and there are cheaper options for the bottom 6.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Are you not aware that the Flyers are not a contender?

There were plenty of "hard questions " asked at Chuck Fletcher's post-deadline press conference. There's a segment of the fan base, not saying you, that seems to think anything short of "Why haven't you resigned or been fired yet?" is a softball.
- bmeltzer

I fail to remember one question over the last few years that directly would have pointed to the development staff, or Fletcher being held to accountability.

Not one. Not one article analyzing the Flyers front office, and culture up until O’Connor wrote one a few days ago. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

I will say, I don’t direct the angst toward you.

The issue with this team is not as simply as the men on the ice. Any moron not banging the glass cheering for MacEwen knows that. Fletcher amongst others, should not be employed in any capacity.

Therrien, while having some strange takes at times is 100% correct to fuel the skepticism towards those higher up.

Not underestimating anything. All I said was he think he is talking about players only with the blank check.2/3 players away. Don't think the other stuff was part of that.

They should have top notch everything else. They make money hand over fist.
- hello it's me 2050

What you are saying, in so many words, is "fans don't care about such things." They don't and shouldn't. But it doesn't make those things unimportant because they do matter.

When you have to take a dump and can't find the toilet paper it might. Reality is that you have to fix all of the issues.
- MJL

the odds of them having in-house fixes are much higher, not like you need to go get them.

What you are saying, in so many words, is "fans don't care about such things." They don't and shouldn't. But it doesn't make those things unimportant because they do matter.
- bmeltzer

All I am saying his his blank check comment was in reference to Chuck going out to get players. That's it.

Of course those areas are extremely important and matter. That is what made philly a popular destination at point. Along with paying well. State of the art facilities matter more than ever in today sporting world; along with top notch peeps the other areas..

I fail to remember one question over the last few years that directly would have pointed to the development staff, or Fletcher being held to accountability.

None one. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

I will say, I don’t direct the angst toward you.

The issue with this team is not as simply as the men on the ice. Any moron not banging the glass cheering for MacEwan knows that.
- FlyerFan3260

He was asked specifically about player development. And when Danny Briere was officially hired, I asked him about why, despite the org for a time in recent past having been ranked near the top farm system quality and depth wise -- chock full of players who excelled D+1/ D+2 in CHL, NCAA, prominent WJC roles, etc -- they are having trouble getting out of players at pro level what players who were comparable in their early post draft years are contributing right now in the NHL.

There isn't just one cause. Chuck steered his reply toward saying he is very well aware of that issue and saying that more investment in development infrastructure is the main corrective plan.

You can like the reply or not like the reply. But the question was asked and answered. Ditto questions about coach job security, attendance, medical staff/ injuries, etc. These are not softball questions.

There were plenty of "hard questions " asked at Chuck Fletcher's post-deadline press conference. There's a segment of the fan base, not saying you, that seems to think anything short of "Why haven't you resigned or been fired yet?" is a softball.
- bmeltzer

Not pushing for questions like that, which are just ignorant. If he thinks he has improved his medical staff with the offseason changes, for instance, what metric is he using to measure that because we have had a revolving door of players going on and off IR. Does he think that his medical staff looks good when a player comes back and gets hurt again in the first game with a recurrence of the injury? Likewise, what interest did the team show in D'Angelo and are they reassessing their criteria for judging FAs after the season that Yandle had? Also, what lessons did he learn from the failure with AV in selecting a new coach? Can the team afford another coach who drives away players like JV and SG, who had better seasons in a new situation than they did with the Flyers. Finally, what metrics does he use to evaluate LV and what does he think of their performance? If he is confident that IL is the right guy, what objective criteria can he point the fanbase to in support of that conclusion? Those are some of the questions I would like answered. That and why he waited until the end of the season to bring up Honigberg and Zamula wheh they played better than Connauton and Yandle.

He was asked specifically about player development. And when Danny Briere was officially hired, I asked him about why, despite the org for a time in recent past having been ranked near the top farm system quality and depth wise -- chock full of players who excelled D+1/ D+2 in CHL, NCAA, prominent WJC roles, etc -- they are having trouble getting out of players at pro level what players who were comparable in their early post draft years are contributing right now in the NHL.

There isn't just one cause. Chuck steered his reply toward saying he is very well aware of that issue and saying that more investment in development infrastructure is the main corrective plan.

You can like the reply or not like the reply. But the question was asked and answered. Ditto questions about coach job security, attendance, medical staff/ injuries, etc. These are not softball questions.
- bmeltzer

Asked, yes. Based on your summary, it does not sound like it was answered. I would like to have heard we need the right guy and we want someone like this ... What you described is just double-talk IMO.

Are you not aware that the Flyers are not a contender?
- MJL

Where did I say they were? If you bothered to read I wrote examples of where theis team has not been spending wisely.

He was asked specifically about player development. And when Danny Briere was officially hired, I asked him about why, despite the org for a time in recent past having been ranked near the top farm system quality and depth wise -- chock full of players who excelled D+1/ D+2 in CHL, NCAA, prominent WJC roles, etc -- they are having trouble getting out of players at pro level what players who were comparable in their early post draft years are contributing right now in the NHL.

There isn't just one cause. Chuck steered his reply toward saying he is very well aware of that issue and saying that more investment in development infrastructure is the main corrective plan.

You can like the reply or not like the reply. But the question was asked and answered. Ditto questions about coach job security, attendance, medical staff/ injuries, etc. These are not softball questions.
- bmeltzer

Thank you for your response Bill, I do appreciate it.

Let me rephrase that there is a clear management issue in this team. Perhaps Scott would be more apt to answer such questions. He’s given a vote of confidence every time unfortunately.

Asked, yes. Based on your summary, it does not sound like it was answered. I would like to have heard we need the right guy and we want someone like this ... What you described is just double-talk IMO.
- iamscore2day

Perhaps, yes. But that's the nature of these 30-45 min press conferences. The GM anticipates the question and already has a response in mind; whether canned or insightful.

Sometimes rewording the question or breaking into smaller components can elicit a more insightful response. Normally, though, it comes back to the same talking points being repeated.

Tomorrow, you will hear about how everyone is accountable. That everything top to bottom in the organization isnbeing looked at. That no one is using the injury excuse... but there were relentless key and long term injuries. That young players made strides and everyone has summer homework to do. That they will still be aggressive this offseason. That nothing related to Jimmy and Sal's situation will be commented on because it's in litigation. That they will make hockey trades if they are there to be made in a way that helps the team. That out of fairness to Yeo and others, they are still evaluating everything and will comment when that is completed.

As follow-ups get asked, the above talking points will be revisited. He will also update injuries, talk about the process with Ellis' injury diagnosis and rehab plan, likely say there are plans to talk with Travis Sanheim's agent.

I've done a lot of these. They rarely deviate much

There were plenty of "hard questions " asked at Chuck Fletcher's post-deadline press conference. There's a segment of the fan base, not saying you, that seems to think anything short of "Why haven't you resigned or been fired yet?" is a softball.
- bmeltzer

That’s where the fan base is right now. Fans don’t want the answers….oh it was a tough Covid year…or the injuries cost us to much….they want heads to roll. Players to be sent packing or at least called out for their putrid results for the 2nd year in a row.
The simple truth is when a team spends to the cap and sucks that bad there are probably a number of reasons or excuses a team can come up with.
This team has made some poor decisions and the results have been on full display. I’m sure Chuck and company are feeling the heat and are just as embarrassed, if not more so then us fans are. The GM will get another shot this summer, but if this drags into next year he’s toast and it won’t matter what the answers or the questions are. The results will be all that matters.

Perhaps, yes. But that's the nature of these 30-45 min press conferences. The GM anticipates the question and already has a response in mind; whether canned or insightful.

Sometimes rewording the question or breaking into smaller components can elicit a more insightful response. Normally, though, it comes back to the same talking points being repeated.

Tomorrow, you will hear about how everyone is accountable. That everything top to bottom in the organization isnbeing looked at. That no one is using the injury excuse... but there were relentless key and long term injuries. That young players made strides and everyone has summer homework to do. That they will still be aggressive this offseason. That nothing related to Jimmy and Sal's situation will be commented on because it's in litigation. That they will make hockey trades if they are there to be made in a way that helps the team. That out of fairness to Yeo and others, they are still evaluating everything and will comment when that is completed.

As follow-ups get asked, the above talking points will be revisited. He will also update injuries, talk about the process with Ellis' injury diagnosis and rehab plan, likely say there are plans to talk with Travis Sanheim's agent.

I've done a lot of these. They rarely deviate much
- bmeltzer

I appreciate the candor. It just sounds like a lot of "yada, yada, yada" to me.

That’s where the fan base is right now. Fans don’t want the answers….oh it was a tough Covid year…or the injuries cost us to much….they want heads to roll. Players to be sent packing or at least called out for their putrid results for the 2nd year in a row.
The simple truth is when a team spends to the cap and sucks that bad there are probably a number of reasons or excuses a team can come up with.
This team has made some poor decisions and the results have been on full display. I’m sure Chuck and company are feeling the heat and are just as embarrassed, if not more so then us fans are. The GM will get another shot this summer, but if this drags into next year he’s toast and it won’t matter what the answers or the questions are. The results will be all that matters.
- landros 2

Montreal is in the same boat. They are capped out, They lost Weber to a career ending injury, Price is heading in that direction. Their GM also refused to use the word rebuild.

Vegas is in cap hell and they just gave up a lot to get Eichel and still missed the playoffs. They will have to make big changes in the off season. Eichel has been awful. Maybe it is just rust or maybe the surgery went as Buffalo expected it would.

CHI, DAL, WSH, BOS, WPG, EDM, VAN, LA, NYI are all at or close to the cap ceiling and none of these teams are contenders. The Flyers are not in a unique position.

Where did I say they were? If you bothered to read I wrote examples of where theis team has not been spending wisely.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

You stated that there is no problem spending to the cap and that most contenders do. So with us being in agreement that they aren't a contender. Is it fair to say that the Flyers should not be spending to the cap? If so, you then are in contradiction.

But yet those other areas are a behind the scenes investment in an organization's success.

Not one fan cared (nor should they) about the overhauling and modernization of the Skate Zone complex into what's now called the Flyers Training Center. But those are part of the ancillary things that go into projecting to players (both current and future) that an organization does things in a first-rate way. The bottom line, of course, is still and will always be "Is this a winning team".

Don't undersell the importance of investing in the infrastructure of the components of hockey operations.

Ed Snider understood that, thoroughly. Did hiring Pat Croce and going from Class of 1923 Rink to the Coliseum make the 1980s team into a contender after the Broad Street Bullies era player aged, retired or finished their careers elsewhere? No. Good trades, good drafting and development and good coaching did.

However, did those things -- relative to their era -- make a difference in why Mark Howe was amazed at the day-to-day difference in feeling like the Flyers did everything first rate and were way ahead of how Hartford had been? 100 percent yes. Did it play into the bigger picture of why players of that time loved coming to Philly and hating to leave? Yes. Have had scores of Alumni tell me stuff like that. But it does ultimately come down to "Are we winning with this roster and this staff?"
- bmeltzer

The Flyers can throw all the money they want at infrastructure. Increase the staff all they want. Until they change they either make wholesale changes to the decision makers or change their core beliefs and catch up to the modern day NHL. None of that is going to matter. I know you're just reporting what you know that goes on and that is much appreciated it. Yet the more I read it, the more troubled I get. For example, your recent comments explaining how the Flyers use analytics and how wrong that approach is.

Montreal is in the same boat. They are capped out, They lost Weber to a career ending injury, Price is heading in that direction. Their GM also refused to use the word rebuild.

Vegas is in cap hell and they just gave up a lot to get Eichel and still missed the playoffs. They will have to make big changes in the off season. Eichel has been awful. Maybe it is just rust or maybe the surgery went as Buffalo expected it would.

CHI, DAL, WSH, BOS, WPG, EDM, VAN, LA, NYI are all at or close to the cap ceiling and none of these teams are contenders. The Flyers are not in a unique position.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Oh okay, since they did it also. It's okay.


Some of the stuff you post is just mind boggling.

For example, your recent comments explaining how the Flyers use analytics and how wrong that approach is.
- MJL

I really don't believe the correlation between winning and crease clears per 60 could be any clearer. #BackWithAVengeance

You stated that there is no problem spending to the cap and that most contenders do. So with us being in agreement that they aren't a contender. Is it fair to say that the Flyers should not be spending to the cap? If so, you then are in contradiction.
- MJL

Not exactly. The Flyers arent contenders. We agree on that but the could be if they spent up to the cap smarter is what I am getting at

You dont think the Flyers could be contenders if they spent the Cap hits from JVR Hayes and Ellis on more dependable players?

If you swap out JVR Hayes and Ellis with Duchene and Pietrangelo. Does that not make the team more like a contender?

Duchene was a UFA the same year as Hayes. Without JVR's 7 mill contract, Flyers probably are willing to spend the 2 extra mill to get Duchene instead. With the remainder of that cap space they might have been able to put in a legitimate offer in for Pietrangelo when he was UFA.

Oh okay, since they did it also. It's okay.


Some of the stuff you post is just mind boggling.
- MJL

Im saying its nothing new to the league. Not saying it is OK either. Just stating the facts that this isnt just a Flyers organization thing. Its a league wide thing

Not exactly. The Flyers arent contenders. We agree on that but the could be if they spent up to the cap smarter is what I am getting at

You dont think the Flyers could be contenders if they spent the Cap hits from JVR Hayes and Ellis on more dependable players?

If you swap out JVR Hayes and Ellis with Duchene and Pietrangelo. Does that not make the team more like a contender?

Duchene was a UFA the same year as Hayes. Without JVR's 7 mill contract, Flyers probably are willing to spend the 2 extra mill to get Duchene instead. With the remainder of that cap space they might have been able to put in a legitimate offer in for Pietrangelo when he was UFA.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Yes exactly. Bottom line, the Flyers aren't a contender and aren't close to being a contender. So therefore, they shouldn't be anywhere near capped out. Once we get that straight, then we can move on to the other flaws in your reasoning. Unless you just want to keep playing fantasy hockey.