Has Hodgson regularly been playing on the first line with the Phantoms so far this season?

They've drafted plenty of players with natural skill and who developed exactly as hoped through their D+1 and D+2 years, as witnessed by their national teams putting them in prominent roles at the WJC (such as York captaining gold-medal winning Team USA, Frost on PP1 for Team Canada, Ersson as Sweden's starter, Farabee on USA first line in his D+1, Laczynski beating out bigger name guys for a WJC spot, Andrae in WJC at 18 and captain at 19).

That's right where NHL teams want these players a year, two years after drafting them.

It's been at the pro level, for a variety of reasons, that the development hasn't gone as hoped.
- bmeltzer

which is when the flyers takeover. have they made anyone really better once they got those said players above?

Per Olivia Reiner (she and Giana Han are the only two beats on the road trip), it looks like Kieffer Bellows and Rasmus Ristolainen are the healthy scratches tonight.

Ristolainen has really, really, REALLY been struggling in his four games so, and Tortorella kind of skewered him (with justification) the other day.

I thought Bellows might get a little longer before his first healthy scratch. I thought he was decent in the Toronto game.

Per Olivia Reiner (she and Giana Han are the only two beats on the road trip), it looks like Kieffer Bellows and Rasmus Ristolainen are the healthy scratches tonight.

Ristolainen has really, really, REALLY been struggling in his four games so, and Tortorella kind of skewered him (with justification) the other day.

I thought Bellows might get a little longer before his first healthy scratch. I thought he was decent in the Toronto game.
- bmeltzer

did the flyers have any interest in mitchell miller at all do you know?

did the flyers have any interest in mitchell miller at all do you know?
- hello it's me 2050

No interest as far as I know. Considering that Bettman just publicly said the player remains banned from entering the NHL and there's no chance of imminently allowing him to do so, I don't think there'd be teams lining up after Boston.

It's uncanny how bad they are at player development. I mean, you have to actually try to be as bad as they have been. Thank God that Gauthier is developing in college. They'd ruin him, too.

In regards to Ratcliffe, I think Bill's mostly right on that one, but it seems to me that the org has too see his skillset and then do the right things to leverage that skillset that he has. He comes in as a young prospect and in large part it's the organization that must guide him properly, not just throw him around in different roles and see what sticks.
- Letterkenney

Are they horrible at development or are they just piss poor at drafting and identifying talent? Perhaps a little bit of both. So depressing being a Flyers fan.

Per Olivia Reiner (she and Giana Han are the only two beats on the road trip), it looks like Kieffer Bellows and Rasmus Ristolainen are the healthy scratches tonight.

Ristolainen has really, really, REALLY been struggling in his four games so, and Tortorella kind of skewered him (with justification) the other day.

I thought Bellows might get a little longer before his first healthy scratch. I thought he was decent in the Toronto game.
- bmeltzer

Hmm, a 1st, a 2nd, the 2nd to move Ghost (a better player) to make cap space, Hagg and, worst of all, a five year extension at 5.1 million aav for a guy who is no more than a 3rd pairing player and now is healthy scratch.

Torts can say whatever he wants about analytics, but when all analytical measurements show that a player is inept for nearly a decade, only a complete fool would disregard those statistics.

So please, since you cover the team on a daily basis, explain to us why we should have the slightest shred of faith that Fletcher can turn this around? And, more importantly, what will it take for ownership to realize that the current management group is failing at every level?

Isaac Ratcliffe is a healthy scratch today for the Phantoms, along with Adam Ginning.

They are going b2b with Ersson in net because Grosenick is out today with an injury and Pat Nagle has been recalled as the backup.

Are they horrible at development or are they just piss poor at drafting and identifying talent? Perhaps a little bit of both. So depressing being a Flyers fan.
- mikeyo27

For an org to be horrible at draft, the entire league would have to be considering scouts leaguewide ranked the Flyers at or near the top of farm system pools in the late 2010s to the start of the 2020s. But very few of these kids have developed. Injuries have been one factor but they don't explain everything. Too many players have entered the pro level right where you'd want them to be two years after they were drafted and then stagnated or went backward (in some cases after showing additional promise in portions of their first pro year).

Caps claim NAK.

Average to below average drafting and poor development, makes for a great shxt stew

once again columbus is getting shelled

Isaac Ratcliffe:

His skating is OK. That's one heck of a problem in todays NHL, which is a skaters league.

He is not quick or fast enough or a good enough skater to seperate himself from the crowd.

So he will not score on a consistent basis. So a top 6 role is out of the question for him....unless he improves dramatically.

He can not consistently pressure the puck so a bottom 6 checking/defensive forward is out of the question as well.....unless he improves dramatically.

You will never win the Stanley Cup unless you seperate yourself from the crowd. So far, Ratcliffe brings nothing to the table.

He scored in Juniors. But this is the NHL. So his 6'6" frame is not as effective against grown men who are stronger, faster, quicker, more skilled, more physical, than any kid he played against in Juniors.

Now he is playing against the big boys and he can't adjust to the more challenging competition.

The Flyers have not developed him which is frustrating. However, Ratcliffe, at the pro level, does not have any characteristic that stands out to be developed.
- Captain_Ahab

I would have liked to see Ratcliffe development as a PP net front specialist and a checking line winger 5 on 5. With his long reach, I really think his skating is sufficient. His size should be used to it’s best advantage.

No interest as far as I know. Considering that Bettman just publicly said the player remains banned from entering the NHL and there's no chance of imminently allowing him to do so, I don't think there'd be teams lining up after Boston.
- bmeltzer

Kind of puzzling. I guarantee you that there are scads of NHL players who did something wrong or immoral when they were a kid. Plenty of others who bullied someone. If I'm not mistaken, this happened when he was in the 8th grade. He was punished and paid a price. Don't we believe in second chances and rehabilitation in this country? I wouldn't be surprised if a lawsuit is filed.

Kind of puzzling. I guarantee you that there are scads of NHL players who did something wrong or immoral when they were a kid. Plenty of others who bullied someone. If I'm not mistaken, this happened when he was in the 8th grade. He was punished and paid a price. Don't we believe in second chances and rehabilitation in this country? I wouldn't be surprised if a lawsuit is filed.
- MJL

I definitely believe in second chances. Big question in this case is whether there has been any real change, remorse or any understanding outside of just not liking the consequences.

I agree that as a society, getting someone to stop doing something wrong due to not wanting the resulting consequences has real value as a deterrent. However from an ethics standpoint, I would steer clear of giving opportunities at hockey’s highest level to someone who had been so cruel without empathy. I really think the changes and evidence of understanding of how his behavior affects the victim should come before privileges are given, not the other way around.

I definitely believe in second chances. Big question in this case is whether there has been any real change, remorse or any understanding outside of just not liking the consequences.

I agree that as a society, getting someone to stop doing something wrong due to not wanting the resulting consequences has real value as a deterrent. However from an ethics standpoint, I would steer clear of giving opportunities at hockey’s highest level to someone who had been so cruel without empathy. I really think the changes and evidence of understanding of how his behavior affects the victim should come before privileges are given, not the other way around.
- NC Flyers Fan

He wasn't an adult when he made that mistake. He was an 8th grader. The action of bullying anyone let alone a special needs kid needs to be condemned.

Kind of puzzling. I guarantee you that there are scads of NHL players who did something wrong or immoral when they were a kid. Plenty of others who bullied someone. If I'm not mistaken, this happened when he was in the 8th grade. He was punished and paid a price. Don't we believe in second chances and rehabilitation in this country? I wouldn't be surprised if a lawsuit is filed.
- MJL

Didn't he torture the special needs kid over a long period of time? Like years or something?

And what's a lawsuit gonna do? The NHL is a private league. If a majority of the owners don't feel like the kid should represent the league, then it's pretty much end of story.

What's the legal angle anyway... discrimination against bullies?

Didn't he torture the special needs kid over a long period of time? Like years or something?

And what's a lawsuit gonna do? The NHL is a private league. If a majority of the owners don't feel like the kid should represent the league, then it's pretty much end of story.

What's the legal angle anyway... discrimination against bullies?
- Tomahawk

I only know what I read. Corporations are private companies yet there are discrimination rules in the workplace. If this kid did his punishment and hasn't had any other incidents, if his play warrants it, why can't he have an opportunity to move on with his life? How long does he have to pay for what he did as a what, a 12 year old?

I only know what I read. Corporations are private companies yet there are discrimination rules in the workplace. If this kid did his punishment and hasn't had any other incidents, if his play warrants it, why can't he have an opportunity to move on with his life? How long does he have to pay for what he did as a what, a 12 year old?
- MJL

Just looked it up... apparently the family said the abuse started in 1st grade. He didn't get caught doing it until 8th grade.

Just imagine that... somebody calling you a n*****, asking you to pick their cotton, beating you up, forcing you to eat urinal candy... every day. And you might not be mentally equipped to defend yourself or even report it.

That's not normal bully poop. It's evil.

Just looked it up... apparently the family said the abuse started in 1st grade. He didn't get caught doing it until 8th grade.

Just imagine that... somebody calling you a n*****, asking you to pick their cotton, beating you up, forcing you to eat urinal candy... every day. And you might not be mentally equipped to defend yourself or even report it.

That's not normal bully poop. It's evil.
- Tomahawk

I only read what was on NHL.com. He was convicted in juvenile court and I assume did some kind of punishment. It's reprehensible what he did but he was a kid. We give adults who commit serious violent crimes a second chance after doing time.

He wasn't an adult when he made that mistake. He was an 8th grader. The action of bullying anyone let alone a special needs kid needs to be condemned.
- MJL

From what I have read, it was years of bullying. Miller and a friend were punished for a single event among many interactions including hitting and racist and demeaning language. That one incident involved the bullies wiping a candy in an urinal and getting the victim to eat it. The victim had to be tested for STDs and such.

What is especially troubling after the punishment is that, according to the victim’s family, the bullying continued. At some point, the other culprit (other kid) stopped, apologized to the victim and was forgiven. The family has been clear that outside of brief required, blank apology, no sincere personal apology has been made by Miller to the victim. Excuses abound but any logical person knows that opportunities for a sincere personal apology in the many years since also abound, especially given the spotlight on this fact a few years ago after the draft.

I only read what was on NHL.com. He was convicted in juvenile court and I assume did some kind of punishment. It's reprehensible what he did but he was a kid. We give adults who commit serious violent crimes a second chance after doing time.
- MJL

Yeah, most people deserve a second chance for sure.

It doesn't sound like the kid is most people tho... his actions were way beyond the pale. And he showed zero remorse. Sociopathic.

If he's good enough he can still make millions in other leagues. I wouldn't feel too bad for him.

Ahem

What Mitchell Miller did was disgusting and the abuse went on for years.

According to the NYPost, The victim he bullied tested positive for hepatitis, HIV, and an STD.

Mitchell Miller apologized twice:

One in a letter filed only to the court in which the magistrate said showed little remorse.

The other was on instagram a week before he signed with Boston. Which screams Boston may have made him do so as part of his signing.

Miller's mom was quoted as saying 'boys will be boys."

I'd want nothing to do with this player. Would never sign him.

I don't believe in destroying a persons life/career. But everything screams Miller and his family have learned nothing. So a second chance, in my opinion, should not have been offered by Boston. At least not, yet.
- Captain_Ahab

The NY Post is barely a step above the National Enquirer. I haven’t seen anything about the victim testing positive for any of those things. As far as I know, you can’t get HIV from urine.

once again columbus is getting shelled
- 2Real

That Johnny G signing look real horrible. So glad we didn’t do what most fans here wanted to do & back up the truck for another undersized forward