How does Fletcher still have a job? How has he actually had a career in the NHL?
- kennygarcon

His dad is a hall of fame hockey executive.

I have no problem with the Flyers not going after JG or any high priced free agent. As I mentioned the goal of this upcoming season should be to evaluate the current crop of younger players on the team and continue their development. This should also lead to picking high again in a deep 2023 draft. This is a good plan IMO.

But I am not confident that was the plan coming into this off-season, instead I believe this is how it ended up due to poor execution on Fletcher's part. First, the mere fact that Lindblom was immediately signed by San Jose tells me there was a market for him, and thus I feel Fletcher did not read that market properly. Likewise the fact that JG turned down Calgary's good contract offer and wanted to play for the Flyers should have been known by Fletcher so he could have prepared for it by having the cap space available. Instead he resigns Risto to a higher than needed AVV, and then trades what remaining cap space he has on DeAngelo, which is a very good defenseman but if you knew about JG you probably would not have traded for him. Then Fletcher gains back some cap space by buying out Lindblom and then spends that space on more bad players, meaning he has no space right now to extend Frost, Tippet and any other RFAs. This means Fletcher needs to make another move to clear more space just to do that!

It really comes across like there was no real plan here, and that has to be concerning to everyone. I have defended Fletcher and I am trying to be positive, but honestly I don't see a plan here and thus its hard to be positive!
- jd250

Fletcher does not need to make moves to re-sign Tippett and Frost.

I'm looking forward to the day when you realize that DeAngelo is not a very good defenseman. Then again, you don't think that McAvoy is one of the top defenseman in the league and that Ristolainen is the Flyers bet defenseman. So what am I thinking?

I have no problem with the Flyers not going after JG or any high priced free agent. As I mentioned the goal of this upcoming season should be to evaluate the current crop of younger players on the team and continue their development. This should also lead to picking high again in a deep 2023 draft. This is a good plan IMO.

But I am not confident that was the plan coming into this off-season, instead I believe this is how it ended up due to poor execution on Fletcher's part. First, the mere fact that Lindblom was immediately signed by San Jose tells me there was a market for him, and thus I feel Fletcher did not read that market properly. Likewise the fact that JG turned down Calgary's good contract offer and wanted to play for the Flyers should have been known by Fletcher so he could have prepared for it by having the cap space available. Instead he resigns Risto to a higher than needed AVV, and then trades what remaining cap space he has on DeAngelo, which is a very good defenseman but if you knew about JG you probably would not have traded for him. Then Fletcher gains back some cap space by buying out Lindblom and then spends that space on more bad players, meaning he has no space right now to extend Frost, Tippet and any other RFAs. This means Fletcher needs to make another move to clear more space just to do that!

It really comes across like there was no real plan here, and that has to be concerning to everyone. I have defended Fletcher and I am trying to be positive, but honestly I don't see a plan here and thus its hard to be positive!
- jd250

you are def entertaining

You do not see a plan because there is none.

I have no problem with the Flyers not going after JG or any high priced free agent. As I mentioned the goal of this upcoming season should be to evaluate the current crop of younger players on the team and continue their development. This should also lead to picking high again in a deep 2023 draft. This is a good plan IMO.

But I am not confident that was the plan coming into this off-season, instead I believe this is how it ended up due to poor execution on Fletcher's part. First, the mere fact that Lindblom was immediately signed by San Jose tells me there was a market for him, and thus I feel Fletcher did not read that market properly. Likewise the fact that JG turned down Calgary's good contract offer and wanted to play for the Flyers should have been known by Fletcher so he could have prepared for it by having the cap space available. Instead he resigns Risto to a higher than needed AVV, and then trades what remaining cap space he has on DeAngelo, which is a very good defenseman but if you knew about JG you probably would not have traded for him. Then Fletcher gains back some cap space by buying out Lindblom and then spends that space on more bad players, meaning he has no space right now to extend Frost, Tippet and any other RFAs. This means Fletcher needs to make another move to clear more space just to do that!

It really comes across like there was no real plan here, and that has to be concerning to everyone. I have defended Fletcher and I am trying to be positive, but honestly I don't see a plan here and thus its hard to be positive!
- jd250

I feel there WAS a plan but it rested on a trade that did not happen. CF hitched everything to a trade that fell through and it dominoed into what we see today. I hope he has enough sense to just stay where he is, however, I’m not convinced he doesn’t do something really bad in August to “squire top end talent “.

Do you know what good NHL players think when playing a team that employs players like Deslauriers, McEwen and Ristolainen? They hope they get heavy ice time against them so they can pad their stats. Yea, they might have to take a shot or two after playing in the Flyers end the entire shift and peppering the goalie with shots but it'll be worth it. The Flyers idea of becoming tougher to play against is pathetic.
- MJL

I have to agree for the most part here, signing a player like Deslauriers for 4 freak'n years in indefensible IMO.

No offense, but when Cliff has lost you .,..
- iamscore2day

Cliff hasn't lost him. He's just pretending.

I have to agree for the most part here, signing a player like Deslauriers for 4 freak'n years in indefensible IMO.
- jd250

Maybe you're starting to turn a corner here? Just listen to me and you'll be on the right side of things.

Cliff hasn't lost him. He's just pretending.
- MJL

Time will tell. With that being more than 40% in line with your take and other critics too, I felt like it was a big step.

It really comes across like there was no real plan here
- jd250

That's the bottom line. They said blank check and aggressive retool. Didn't happen. They didn't have a plan to make it happen.

Maybe you're starting to turn a corner here? Just listen to me and you'll be on the right side of things.

- MJL

Don’t do it man. There’s a reason Vadar is his pic. Don’t turn to the dark side!!!

Alexander Appleyard
@avappleyard

Ristolainen+Deslauriers are on more money than Giroux.

DeAngelo+Ristolainen are on more money than Gaudreau.

@NHLFlyers capped out, going into season where have arguably only ONE healthy player who is top ~20 in the entire #NHL in his position. And he is coming off injury.

Fletcher does not need to make moves to re-sign Tippett and Frost.

I'm looking forward to the day when you realize that DeAngelo is not a very good defenseman. Then again, you don't think that McAvoy is one of the top defenseman in the league and that Ristolainen is the Flyers bet defenseman. So what am I thinking?

- MJL

You just keep banging that drum, and embarrassing yourself further. I get to watch McAvoy on a regular basis, you don't! He is not worth the contract they signed him to IMO. BTW, I never thought that highly of Seth Jones either and I thought Chicago made a big mistake signing him to his contract also. As far as DeAngelo, 51 points in 64 games with a +30 seems like a good player to me. I know you want to dig into all the analytics from these questionable website, but if you heard the interview between DeAngelo and Jason Myrtetus, you would have heard DeAngelo state that he has been working really hard on becoming a better defender and more consistent 200 foot player, and really feels he is making good progress. That is good enough for me. In the end, I would not have traded for him for the reasons I have already posted, but to say he is not a good player is asinine!

Alexander Appleyard
@avappleyard

Ristolainen+Deslauriers are on more money than Giroux.

DeAngelo+Ristolainen are on more money than Gaudreau.

@NHLFlyers capped out, going into season where have arguably only ONE healthy player who is top ~20 in the entire #NHL in his position. And he is coming off injury.


- Tomahawk

Stupid is as stupid does. Time to look chocolates in another box.

Alexander Appleyard
@avappleyard

Ristolainen+Deslauriers are on more money than Giroux.

DeAngelo+Ristolainen are on more money than Gaudreau.

@NHLFlyers capped out, going into season where have arguably only ONE healthy player who is top ~20 in the entire #NHL in his position. And he is coming off injury.


- Tomahawk

not a good situation .. stupid moves ...

Maybe you're starting to turn a corner here? Just listen to me and you'll be on the right side of things.

- MJL

No. unlike you I am happy to recognize when there is agreement between us.

I have no problem with the Flyers not going after JG or any high priced free agent. As I mentioned the goal of this upcoming season should be to evaluate the current crop of younger players on the team and continue their development. This should also lead to picking high again in a deep 2023 draft. This is a good plan IMO.

But I am not confident that was the plan coming into this off-season, instead I believe this is how it ended up due to poor execution on Fletcher's part. First, the mere fact that Lindblom was immediately signed by San Jose tells me there was a market for him, and thus I feel Fletcher did not read that market properly. Likewise the fact that JG turned down Calgary's good contract offer and wanted to play for the Flyers should have been known by Fletcher so he could have prepared for it by having the cap space available. Instead he resigns Risto to a higher than needed AVV, and then trades what remaining cap space he has on DeAngelo, which is a very good defenseman but if you knew about JG you probably would not have traded for him. Then Fletcher gains back some cap space by buying out Lindblom and then spends that space on more bad players, meaning he has no space right now to extend Frost, Tippet and any other RFAs. This means Fletcher needs to make another move to clear more space just to do that!

It really comes across like there was no real plan here, and that has to be concerning to everyone. I have defended Fletcher and I am trying to be positive, but honestly I don't see a plan here and thus its hard to be positive!
- jd250

I think a big part of the problem is that Fletcher badly misread the market in several areas. It’s been reliably reported that they were in on Gaudreau, whether that was smart or not.

But looking at the sequence of things, they’ve had seven months to prepare for this, since they fired their coach. To have that long of a lead time and try to take some ridiculous middle path between aggressively retooling and actually rebuilding, and ending up not only making the team worse on paper but also aggressively spending future draft assets and tap space is mind boggling.

I try to be open minded and not reactionary, but this off-season may be worse than the 1986 76ers off-season, where they traded Moses Malone and the first overall pick and ended up getting a washed up Jeff Ruland and a decent sixth man in Roy Hinson.

It’s possible that they are better than last season, but when you finish with the fourth overall worst record in the league, better does not mean that you are good.

Don’t do it man. There’s a reason Vadar is his pic. Don’t turn to the dark side!!!
- Deasr1

Don't worry, I am like Master Windu, I can safely harness the power of the Dark Side without turning. Plus my purple light saber is cool!

oh wtf jsaq sighting?? i feel like it's 2010 again.

I think a big part of the problem is that Fletcher badly misread the market in several areas. It’s been reliably reported that they were in on Gaudreau, whether that was smart or not.

But looking at the sequence of things, they’ve had seven months to prepare for this, since they fired their coach. To have that long of a lead time and try to take some ridiculous middle path between aggressively retooling and actually rebuilding, and ending up not only making the team worse on paper but also aggressively spending future draft assets and tap space is mind boggling.

I try to be open minded and not reactionary, but this off-season may be worse than the 1986 76ers off-season, where they traded Moses Malone and the first overall pick and ended up getting a washed up Jeff Ruland and a decent sixth man in Roy Hinson.

It’s possible that they are better than last season, but when you finish with the fourth overall worst record in the league, better does not mean that you are good.
- Jsaquella

Very well said

You just keep banging that drum, and embarrassing yourself further. I get to watch McAvoy on a regular basis, you don't! He is not worth the contract they signed him to IMO. BTW, I never thought that highly of Seth Jones either and I thought Chicago made a big mistake signing him to his contract also. As far as DeAngelo, 51 points in 64 games with a +30 seems like a good player to me. I know you want to dig into all the analytics from these questionable website, but if you heard the interview between DeAngelo and Jason Myrtetus, you would have heard DeAngelo state that he has been working really hard on becoming a better defender and more consistent 200 foot player, and really feels he is making good progress. That is good enough for me. In the end, I would not have traded for him for the reasons I have already posted, but to say he is not a good player is asinine!
- jd250

I'm embarrasing myself. LOL It doesn't matter how much you watch any player. The rest of the hockey world saw McAvoy as a top 5 Norris trophy defenseman and 2nd team all NHL. Which means he's one of the top 10 skaters in the NHL! But he's not worth his contract! He's a flat out stud!

So DeAngelo's comments that he's really working on his game is enough for you? Never mind the actual evidence of his defensive play. You can't be a complete stiff defensively and be a really good defenseman. If you want to say he's really good on the offensive side of the puck, you'd be okay.

I'm embarrasing myself.

Please don’t sign Kadri. Please don’t sign Kadri. Please don’t trade for Kane. Please don’t trade for Kane. I feel like CF is a jilted ex boyfriend who’s gonna hook up with ANYTHING to make himself stil feel like a man.
- Deasr1

Dont worry Kadri and Kane have zero interest in coming here. Flyers finally had a big UFA who wanted to be here and they bumbled it so bad makes the front office looks like buffoons

His dad is a hall of fame hockey executive.
- Shrike

And he is best buds with Clarkie!

the Flyers new power play coach?



His name's Rocky. I'm pumped!

I think a big part of the problem is that Fletcher badly misread the market in several areas. It’s been reliably reported that they were in on Gaudreau, whether that was smart or not.

But looking at the sequence of things, they’ve had seven months to prepare for this, since they fired their coach. To have that long of a lead time and try to take some ridiculous middle path between aggressively retooling and actually rebuilding, and ending up not only making the team worse on paper but also aggressively spending future draft assets and tap space is mind boggling.

I try to be open minded and not reactionary, but this off-season may be worse than the 1986 76ers off-season, where they traded Moses Malone and the first overall pick and ended up getting a washed up Jeff Ruland and a decent sixth man in Roy Hinson.

It’s possible that they are better than last season, but when you finish with the fourth overall worst record in the league, better does not mean that you are good.
- Jsaquella

I agree with this take entirely and agree that 1986 was a bad summer. Everyone but our FO knew Ruland was done and Hinson was just not that great. Cliff is a random-number generator in his decision-making. Some of his deals are man-crushes (RR) while others appear to be entirely reactive and a decision to make a decision and show some action (e.g., ND for 4 years). Bottom line, Cliff is clueless. No other conclusion fits his many mistakes.

No. unlike you I am happy to recognize when there is agreement between us.
- jd250

So am I. I've been trying to tutor you and teach you the game of hockey for well over a year now. It's a daunting task but I'm rooting for you.