Can't ignore player development and the environment that players are put in. Provorov was hurt as a player developing by having to be this team's top defenseman since he was 19 years old.
- MJL

You can get a vet on a short term deal and still let the kids play third pair. One of Sanheim and Provy should have been moved. IMO Sanheim.

I'm not sure why you have such a hard on for Hakstol. He did a decent job overall here.
- MJL

It was a mediocre roster with mediocre results. No real issue with Hak. Hextall cleared cap, that’s about it.

ZM played more than Crosby and Malkin.

ZM doesn’t “deserve” 17 minutes. Are your watching the games? He has next to no skill. Oh my bad he skates hard and makes himself look busy. That being said I hope he continues to get 17 minutes a game.
- furio16

If you are part of #teamtank then ZM and ND playing 20 minutes each per night is exactly what we want!

I'm done hoping to see wins. I'm looking for losses and celebrating each one that lowers our position closer to 32nd.

I'm disappointed we even got loser points recently

The only way to fix this mess of a team is to start over again. Period. There is no other way out of this

You can get a vet on a short term deal and still let the kids play third pair. One of Sanheim and Provy should have been moved. IMO Sanheim.
- ClaudeFather

No, not really. Look at what the Flyers got themselves into with Ellis. You either have to drastically overpay or take on a bad contract in a trade. Legit top pairing defenseman rarely come on the free agent market and if they do, you don't get them on a short- term deal. Keeping Sanheim was the right move. It's just not the right contract. Fletcher literally overpays every player.

It was a mediocre roster with mediocre results. No real issue with Hak. Hextall cleared cap, that’s about it.
- ClaudeFather

Hakstol got a team with a mediocre roster into the playoffs twice.

Ron Hextall did leave the roster in good shape. But please don’t defend anyone who kept Dave Hakstol as coach that he could move to 3rd on the list of games at head coach for the Flyers.

Unfortunately, Chuck Fletcher is a worse GM than Dave Hakstol is a coach…. Between December 3rd 2018 and December 17th 2018, they were coach and gm at the same time. 15 days that we will never really recover from.
- Shrike

Hak was out of his element but did a decent job. His time was up and Hexy was too stubborn to move on. Hak went to hone his craft and is doing a hell of a job in Seattle

No, not really. Look at what the Flyers got themselves into with Ellis. You either have to drastically overpay or take on a bad contract in a trade. Legit top pairing defenseman rarely come on the free agent market and if they do, you don't get them on a short- term deal. Keeping Sanheim was the right move. It's just not the right contract. Fletcher literally overpays every player.
- MJL

If it isn’t the right contract then itnWasn’t the right move. Sanheim part of team loser for way too long. He is so happy in his role here he doesn’t aspire to be anything but a 2nd pairing guy.

You don’t need a top pair guy to help shelter the other Dman as you say. Plenty of players available who can eat minute without breaking the bank on term and money

No, not really. Look at what the Flyers got themselves into with Ellis. You either have to drastically overpay or take on a bad contract in a trade. Legit top pairing defenseman rarely come on the free agent market and if they do, you don't get them on a short- term deal. Keeping Sanheim was the right move. It's just not the right contract. Fletcher literally overpays every player.
- MJL

I'm starting to get the feeling that Torts is really the one who will be driving the bus on which players are sent out, not Chuck. That may not be a bad thing, but the alternative is that Chuck will be the one in charge of who comes in. The internal wars are about to begin, if they haven't already.

The Flyers should be evaluating other players to see if they have a future on this team and if they do what role will they play on said team going forward. That group includes younger players and or rookies. Not hard to figure out.

Is it not about evaluation for the future? That should be the primary focus at this time.
- furio16

Are you going to answer the question since it’s so easy? And not hard to figure out. Who on the Flyers deserves 17 minutes a night? I’ll wait.

I'm starting to get the feeling that Torts is really the one who will be driving the bus on which players are sent out, not Chuck. That may not be a bad thing, but the alternative is that Chuck will be the one in charge of who comes in. The internal wars are about to begin, if they haven't already.
- Letterkenney

Fletcher is a corroborator. He is not a decision maker. He counts the vote and then acts on it. Who has the biggest influence is unclear. If Torotorella upsets the apple cart. They will circle the wagons.

Only think to look forward to tonight is ND dropping the gloves with Ross Johnston.

Hextall has his errors, but he was 100% correct in forcing out the antiques from influencing the Flyers.

You can get a vet on a short term deal and still let the kids play third pair. One of Sanheim and Provy should have been moved. IMO Sanheim.
- ClaudeFather

No matter how bad this team is, you still need a core. At this core are Hart, Provorov, Konency, Farabee and Sanheim. If you’re trying to rebuild this team, you still need something the build around. Unfortunately not one of these guys are a center and I’m not holding my breath that Cutter Gauthier will develop into a center. With this said, there are plenty of roster players to move ahead of the core pieces. DeAngelo in my opinion has value. Laughton probably should have been moved when it was rumored Hextall wanted him. JvR is gonna have to be moved regardless of return. Grass is always greener on the other side when people say they should simple trade someone without considering what might come back.

Fletcher is a corroborator. He is not a decision maker. He counts the vote and then acts on it. Who has the biggest influence is unclear. If Torotorella upsets the apple cart. They will circle the wagons.
- MJL

It’s why Fletcher has remained in his position. He’s simply the face, and the one who implements what the advisors want in the grand scheme.

I don’t doubt he runs the day, to day but the big picture is very much a collaborative operation.

He’s employed because it’s not just his ideas that have cratered the team. Firing him in turn is an admission of failure on the very men keeping him employed currently. That’s obvious to anyone with a brain.

When they do move on, he will stay on as president. You can count on that.

It’s pretty messed up Zac MacEwen is out playing Frost. I don’t wanna hear Frost needs talent at this point. MacEwen is a low level player a guy like Frost should be able to carry, instead Mac is making the most of his opportunities. Mac has the same amount of points as Cates with two less games played. I’m starting to think this isn’t an accident. I watched Hartnell trip fall down for years and still produce at a high level.

It’s pretty messed up Zac MacEwen is out playing Frost. I don’t wanna hear Frost needs talent at this point. MacEwen is a low level player a guy like Frost should be able to carry, instead Mac is making the most of his opportunities. Mac has the same amount of points as Cates with two less games played. I’m starting to think this isn’t an accident. I watched Hartnell trip fall down for years and still produce at a high level.
- SuperSchennBros

The better question is why has seemingly every Flyer prospect stagnated or regressed? Not just this season.

Can we really say anyone has exceed expectations, based on early performance outside of an aging Couturier?

The Flyers love to focus all blame on the players, the locker room, or other bullpoop like a lack of effort.

Don’t fall for it. The pigs that still eat from Snider’s trough would love to stay hidden in the shadows.

It’s always been a country club, but at least Snider had standards. Comcast doesn’t care, and a lack of accountability has festered into what we have today.

Fletcher is a corroborator. He is not a decision maker. He counts the vote and then acts on it. Who has the biggest influence is unclear. If Torotorella upsets the apple cart. They will circle the wagons.
- MJL

I actually think that Torts doesn't give a damn if Chuck's inner circle circles the wagons against him. He'll tell them it's "my way or I'm on the highway". At this stage of the game, and despite some legitimate questions over his player usage, I'd trust him more than I'd trust CF who's incompetence we've all witnessed for 4 years now.

I actually think that Torts doesn't give a damn if Chuck's inner circle circles the wagons against him. He'll tell them it's "my way or I'm on the highway". At this stage of the game, and despite some legitimate questions over his player usage, I'd trust him more than I'd trust CF who's incompetence we've all witnessed for 4 years now.
- Letterkenney

Torts was, and is a stupid hire for a team that should be rebuilding. His early season treatment of Frost, Zamula, York, and Allison are just recent examples of who he is.

This bullpoop that he some some sort of hockey wizard, is nothing but propaganda the team put out in the summer desperate to market itself.

He is a “win now” coach, with an outdated approach to the game, that is unable to properly develop today’s athlete or extract creative talent.

Don’t fall for the nonsense that his Columbus tenure was something to aspire to. He’s an bumhole, that will show his true colors even more as someone who doesn’t know a lick about the modern game, or athlete in 2022.

They liked him because he validated their beliefs about overvaluing effort, and a return to Bob Clarke hockey. Nothing more.

The better question is why has seemingly every Flyer prospect stagnated or regressed? Not just this season.

Can we really say anyone has exceed expectations, based on early performance outside of an aging Couturier?

The Flyers love to focus all blame on the players, the locker room, or other bullpoop like a lack of effort.

Don’t fall for it. The pigs that still eat from Snider’s trough would love to stay hidden in the shadows.

It’s always been a country club, but at least Snider had standards. Comcast doesn’t care, and a lack of accountability has festered into what we have today.
- FlyerFan3260

Did they really develop Couturier in the early years of his career? More accurate to say that they retarded his development as a player by pigeon-holing him as a defensive checking center. It wasn't until Hakstol moved him into better offensive situations that he blossomed into a 30 goal 70 point player.

I actually think that Torts doesn't give a damn if Chuck's inner circle circles the wagons against him. He'll tell them it's "my way or I'm on the highway". At this stage of the game, and despite some legitimate questions over his player usage, I'd trust him more than I'd trust CF who's incompetence we've all witnessed for 4 years now.
- Letterkenney

I think it's the opposite. Like all coaches, he wants to win. He actually believes that he can turn this team around. This is part of his legacy. He knows that this could be his last team if he doesn't succeed. In my opinion, he has been coaching more for his legacy than for the Flyers future.

Did they really develop Couturier in the early years of his career? More accurate to say that they retarded his development as a player by pigeon-holing him as a defensive checking center. It wasn't until Hakstol moved him into better offensive situations that he blossomed into a 30 goal 70 point player.
- MJL

Fair enough.

The larger point still stands. If this many prospects essentially just fizzle out, it’s incredibly lazy to continue to blame these kids.

Or shout about how they don’t put in enough effort.

This has nothing to do with the players on the ice, for a very long time now. Since those antiquated voices took over after Hextall’s firing. This has been a free fall of poor development, and management.

Dave Scott is a moron, by continuing to believe those around him.

Torts was, and is a stupid hire for a team that should be rebuilding. His early season treatment of Frost, Zamula, York, and Allison are just recent examples of who he is.

This bullpoop that he some some sort of hockey wizard, is nothing but propaganda the team put out in the summer desperate to market itself.

He is a “win now” coach, with an outdated approach to the game, that is unable to properly develop today’s athlete or extract creative talent.

Don’t fall for the nonsense that his Columbus tenure was something to aspire to. He’s an bumhole, that will show his true colors even more as someone who doesn’t know a lick about the modern game, or athlete in 2022.

They liked him because he validated their beliefs about overvaluing effort, and a return to Bob Clarke hockey. Nothing more.
- FlyerFan3260

Fair enough.

The larger point still stands. If this many prospects essentially just fizzle out, it’s incredibly lazy to continue to blame these kids.

Or shout about how they don’t put in enough effort.

This has nothing to do with the players on the ice, for a very long time now. Since those antiquated voices took over after Hextall’s firing. This has been a free fall of poor development, and management.

Dave Scott is a moron, by continuing to believe those around him.
- FlyerFan3260

Oh, I agree with the larger point. The Flyers development of players has been suspect for a long time. What the Flyers do essentially is they take a right handed player and tie his hand behind his back and tell him to play left handed. Once he has mastered that, then and only then can he play with his strengths.

Hakstol got a team with a mediocre roster into the playoffs twice.
- MJL

His Kraken look 10X faster than the flyer team he coached.

Oh, I agree with the larger point. The Flyers development of players has been suspect for a long time. What the Flyers do essentially is they take a right handed player and tie his hand behind his back and tell him to play left handed. Once he has mastered that, then and only then can he play with his strengths.
- MJL

Which is why the absolute worst thing than can happen is just promoting Briere.

Nothing changes if that happens, but it only appears as a matter of time now. Danny is not coming in, and firing the men around him that got him the job.

It’s also exactly why he gets the job. He keeps the country club alive, and fed.