I don't comment here anymore and I really don't read your stuff anymore since you started working for the team, but this is the single best thing you've written in a LONG time and it's stuff like this that brought me to HB to begin with.

Oh I know.

Just saying the Flyers, where they are, weren't even able to do that. There is no outside the box thinking. No planning for what could happen. Hell we all knew that Vegas had to move guys because of the state of their team and might lose a good player or two.

The Flyers can't seem to see that?
- J35Bacher

Not being able to move JVR similar to the way that Pacioretty was moved is not about outside the box thinking. It's about the Flyers situation and what kind of player JVR is.

Yes there is. Can't empty the cart. Have to have players to at least be somewhat competitive to try and have an environment where younger players can be slotted correctly for development.
- MJL

both free agents in 3 years. If they have any brains they walk. So might as well start the purge now.

The Deslauriers signing for both term and $ was mind boggling. The explanation was even worse.
- landros 2

yup

BLOW IT UP
- ClaudeFather

How. Chuck doesn’t have enough picks to sell.

both free agents in 3 years. If they have any brains they walk. So might as well start the purge now.
- hello it's me 2050

Well and if the 2023 draft is so talented wouldn't you try to get another 1st rounder. Maybe you can get one from a contender for a guy like Provorov.

Is there any reason to hold onto guys like Provorov or Konecny now? You might as well start to see what value they might have, maybe you pry another 2023 first rounder away from someone who is a contender.
- J35Bacher

The time to do that was probably at the draft last week before teams started to sign free agents….now maybe the next TDL? I have no idea what they will do. Simply because neither does the GM.

LMFAO! I heard that they were chanting "FIRE CHUCK" at the Skate Zone!! Yes, FIRE CHUCK! He came into this summer on a short leash and he needs to be relieved of his duties of GM at once. Buying out Lindblom, and then signing a cement head(to a ridiculous 4 year contract) and Braun is incomprehensible, and he needs to pay for these flubs by losing his job immediately! Thanks!

Laughing stock of the league. Could you imagine other GMs hearing that Deslauries signing? What will it take to get these clowns out of the front office ?

Pacioretty is a big time point per game power forward. Teams are willing to take on a year of high cap hit for a player of that ability. Versus a player like JVR.
- MJL

Not to sound crazy but he would've been a great player for the flyers to acquire seeing as how he only cost future considerations. Productive player on an expiring contract who could probably be moved for a 1st or more at the TDL.

Maybe the Flyers were on his 10 team no-trade list but who knows and of course Fletcher had already spent all of the flyers cap space on 4th liners.

Laughing stock of the league. Could you imagine other GMs hearing that Deslauries signing? What will it take to get these clowns out of the front office ?
- ClaudeFather

We'll get the company spin. "There were multiple teams bidding on the player. We had to go the 4 years". He actually said that players like Deslauriers are hard to find. Why would anyone want someone as clueless as he is running their hockey team. It's an indictment on the entire organization.

This is now Chucks mess. Any prior mishaps or blunders by Hextall no longer matter.

We'll get the company spin. "There were multiple teams bidding on the player. We had to go the 4 years". He actually said that players like Deslauriers are hard to find. Why would anyone want someone as clueless as he is running their hockey team. It's an indictment on the entire organization.
- MJL

Whether hard or easy to find, they don't even need a guy like him.

We'll get the company spin. "There were multiple teams bidding on the player. We had to go the 4 years". He actually said that players like Deslauriers are hard to find. Why would anyone want someone as clueless as he is running their hockey team. It's an indictment on the entire organization.
- MJL

4 years! As Bill said about the Risto situation, you don’t have to be the team that is the highest bidder at the end. He’s caving to fourth line fighters!

This is now Chucks mess. Any prior mishaps or blunders by Hextall no longer matter.
- ClaudeFather

Well JVR's contract is an albatross. That said, Fletcher could (frank) up a one car funeral so it doesn't matter.

Analytics obviously played a HUGE role in the signings of Deslauriers and DeAngelo.

I'm just not sure they understand the data.

We should check to see if the analytics team all has goatees. Were they hired from an opposite dimension where everything is upside down and back to front? Good is bad, bad is good. Rain falls up.

It's worth checking in to.
- MBFlyerfan

Great having an analytical department and continuing to add to it….but adding those two and Risto on a long term deal it’s fair to ask if they have any input at all….I found it curious that bozo mentioned using analytics in his presser yesterday when valuing all the picks he’s moved….it’s like he was trying to justify what they do.

LMFAO! I heard that they were chanting "FIRE CHUCK" at the Skate Zone!! Yes, FIRE CHUCK! He came into this summer on a short leash and he needs to be relieved of his duties of GM at once. Buying out Lindblom, and then signing a cement head(to a ridiculous 4 year contract) and Braun is incomprehensible, and he needs to pay for these flubs by losing his job immediately! Thanks!
- Phillywhiteout

Hire Chuck hire Chuck hire Chuck Norris

Whether hard or easy to find, they don't even need a guy like him.
- Scoob

Completely agree.

Well JVR's contract is an albatross. That said, Fletcher could (frank) up a one car funeral so it doesn't matter.
- PLindbergh31

Doesn’t matter, we were dead last in the standings mid year. Everyone in the hockey world knew we would have a chance to land JG, he had more than ample time to prepare. You can’t pretend you are doing an aggressive retool and then blow that.

This is now Chucks mess. Any prior mishaps or blunders by Hextall no longer matter.
- ClaudeFather

100 %

My issue w the blog is it does not completely articulate the reason why the Flyers are in the position they are in today.

Remember what contract they could not move and who signed it.

Do you want to give up a potential shot at Bedard to rid themselves of JVRs contract and then double (or triple) down on the mistake by giving a winger 70 mill who will be on the downside of his career before we are good again?

This is a Hexy and Fletcher issue. Hexy left Fletcher with a group of overrated dmen. That’s their biggest issue still today. Hexy signed JVR which was a bad contract from day 1.

Did anyone here really like the JVR signing when it happened. Anyone?

I would agree that Fletcher has done a bad job here and should have been fired w the coach last year. 100%.

However, let’s not fool ourselves here. There is plenty of shyt to go around.

Not signing JG is one of the best moves or non moves this team has done in recent memory.

Who really thought signing JG was good for this franchise long term?

Who? Seriously, if you ran the flyers would you seriously have signed him?

Now maybe he had to placate Comcast or the advisors to give the old college try, but there is no way an educated hockey mind thinks signing a soon to be 29 year old winger to 70 mill over was a good idea. Maybe he earns roughly 40 mill of that deal. Maybe 45.. whatever. Are we winning the cup in that tenure?

I get why people are upset here, but again at least we did not double down on the sins of the past and anchor 48 or whoever our next GM will be with a contract that is far worse than even the JVR signing.

Be happy we did not sign JG. It would have been an absolutely terrible decision.

Just to clarify both Fletcher and Hexy are the reason why we are in this mess.

1.75 millon a 4 year for a guy that’s a goon and can take an occasional pk shift? I agree that is absolutely incredible…

Doesn’t matter, we were dead last in the standings mid year. Everyone in the hockey world knew we would have a chance to land JG, he had more than ample time to prepare. You can’t pretend you are doing an aggressive retool and then blow that.
- ClaudeFather

The only think I'll add is that he is not done. He may be done in free agency but he's not done trying to make moves. He may not get anything done but he's not done trying. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

In the Bob Clarke era you could spend your way out of mistakes and could be ultra competitive. The Flyers were always relevant or would die trying to be relevant. It was fun being a fan because you knew Clarke and Snider bled orange and black and cared as much as me. For all Clarke’s faults you can’t question his loyalty or love for what he thought was best for the Flyers. The direction was clear.
- landros 2

It was easier then because there was no cap. There seems to be no idea of this again. Hexy it seems, tried to drill this into the old guard, but I guess it didn't take.

The only think I'll add is that he is not done. He may be done in free agency but he's not done trying to make moves. He may not get anything done but he's not done trying. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
- MJL

Haha

This is now Chucks mess. Any prior mishaps or blunders by Hextall no longer matter.
- ClaudeFather

Agree. Would guess he will be gone by December. But who knows at this point.