If Sanheim could play on the PP he would be on the PP. The Flyers have had four coaches here since Sanheim has been playing on the team, Hakstol, AV, Yeo and now Torts. None of them have played Samheim on the PP. Why is that? Is it another conspiracy against a player? Or, do four professional coaches who worked with this player every single day determine he is not cut out for the role? And yet the idiot Fletcher signs him to a max deal!??!
- jd250

I agree Sanheim has not been very good this year. The 1rst 10-15 games when he struggled can’t be attributed to playing with TAD…because that wasn’t his partner. It was the same when him and Myers poop the bed…was it all on Myers? His most stable partner was Risto last year and even that wasn’t ideal….after a while yo have to wonder who is the problem….or at least part of it. I don’t like the term or the amount they gave him, but I haven’t liked many of Fletcher’s decisions in the last 18 months.
Sanheim can add to offence when he is skating with the puck, or jumping into the play and not staying stationary in the offensive zone…that’s when he’s at his best. We just need to see it more.

Based on what facts? This is pure speculation on your part. How do you know what the coaches have been telling Ratcliff. I thought he looked pretty good on the 10 NHL games also; I thought he skated well and was not afraid to get to the dirty areas of the ice. But again, coaches see and work with the kid every day so they know a lot more than you and I. Its complete nonsense to suggest a professional organization would change their message the way the wind blows. Sure there has to be some impact from going from AV, to Yeo to Torts, but again if Ratcliff could play consistently at a professional level he would be playing. You make such a blanket statement when several other players are developing really well, for example Hart, Ersson, York, Noah Cates, Tippet and recently Frost. Foerster is developing, so is Lyksell and Desnoyers. Why have they been able to develop under the same coaches and circumstances and not Ratcliff? Your statements just don't add up.
- jd250

I am some what surprised that Ratcliffe has bottomed out the way he has. What ever plan they had for him obviously hasn’t worked. You bring up some of their young talent where by you can see the growth. At this point I think the Flyers should look to move Ratcliffe and at least give the kid a chance elsewhere…it’s pretty obvious it ain’t happening here.
Why is it guys like York, Hart, Tippet and Frost seem to be progressing? They are obviously doing a decent job with these guys. Noah Cates is hell of lot more valuable then anyone could have predicted, all the while learning a new position as a rookie. Ersson just needs to stay healthy….he has the potential to be a starter and a pretty good one in this league.

I am some what surprised that Ratcliffe has bottomed out the way he has. What ever plan they had for him obviously hasn’t worked. You bring up some of their young talent where by you can see the growth. At this point I think the Flyers should look to move Ratcliffe and at least give the kid a chance elsewhere…it’s pretty obvious it ain’t happening here.
Why is it guys like York, Hart, Tippet and Frost seem to be progressing? They are obviously doing a decent job with these guys. Noah Cates is hell of lot more valuable then anyone could have predicted, all the while learning a new position as a rookie. Ersson just needs to stay healthy….he has the potential to be a starter and a pretty good one in this league.
- landros 2

What can the flyers realistically do with Ratcliffe? Really getting a depth veteran AHL guy is probably the most your going to get for him considering he can’t even stay in the Phantoms lineup.
If that is not an option let his contract play out and let him walk.
The other option is he would be a throw in to any trade CF may make.

What can the flyers realistically do with Ratcliffe? Really getting a depth veteran AHL guy is probably the most your going to get for him considering he can’t even stay in the Phantoms lineup.
If that is not an option let his contract play out and let him walk.
The other option is he would be a throw in to any trade CF may make.
- bird_dog_pa

I don’t think at this point compensation would even be an issue. If I’m Fletcher I’m probably looking for someone else’s failed draft pick or like you say adding him to a deal. To some GM out there the player may still have some value even it it might be at the AHL level. The idea of maybe bring the player in now instead of waiting is to see what you got before he has his contract run out. There was a reason his kid scored 50 in the OHL not to long ago.

This sounds eerily familiar to numerous conversations you and I have had in the past. Those same coaches also played and continued to play Provorov on the PP even though he has been largely ineffective. How many of those coaches before Tortorella played Laughton on the PP? That alone refutes your above comments.
- MJL

I don't see how this refutes anything. The fact that Torts is playing Laughton on the PP is proof that Torts is willing to try any player on the PP if he thinks that player can help. And yet Sanheim is still not playing the PP, hmmmm. Provey I suspect has been a pain in the butt about playing the PP and pushed coaches to get him more time on the PP, that is the only reason why he is there. Clearly Provey does not belong on the PP.

Really like to see Brink and Forester get at least 15 games at the NHL. Doubt it would happen, but would be nice. If these guys can play in the league, then TK, Farabee, and Laughton could be options to trade and strengthen other areas of the team.

Ersson is not a full time NHL player yet.
Hart was really rushed to the big leagues
York has been mishandled
Cates is being played out of position
Tippet is just being giving ice time. How much would he be getting if Atkinson was playing? Same situation with Frost if Couturier was playing. Frost was badly mishandled by this organization.
Foerster, Lyksell and Desnoyers are AHL players.
The Flyers organizations issue with player development is well documented. There is plenty of information out there written by the "pundits" you like to follow.
- MJL

The fact is these players are all developing well while Ratcliff is sitting in the press box. You can blame the coaches and the organization as much as you want, but the bottom line is the player owns their career and for whatever reason Ratcliff is not succeeding. Has Ratcliff's agent requested a trade? If not, why not?

I agree Sanheim has not been very good this year. The 1rst 10-15 games when he struggled can’t be attributed to playing with TAD…because that wasn’t his partner. It was the same when him and Myers poop the bed…was it all on Myers? His most stable partner was Risto last year and even that wasn’t ideal….after a while yo have to wonder who is the problem….or at least part of it. I don’t like the term or the amount they gave him, but I haven’t liked many of Fletcher’s decisions in the last 18 months.
Sanheim can add to offence when he is skating with the puck, or jumping into the play and not staying stationary in the offensive zone…that’s when he’s at his best. We just need to see it more.
- landros 2

Right, but how many years do we need to sit and watch before we actually do see more of it? I never thought Sanheim was that good, defensively or offensively and once again Fletcher rushed to sign a player before he clearly knew what he had. If Risto's contract is bad, how can anyone like Sanheim's?

Really like to see Brink and Forester get at least 15 games at the NHL. Doubt it would happen, but would be nice. If these guys can play in the league, then TK, Farabee, and Laughton could be options to trade and strengthen other areas of the team.
- Trox88

Would be nice to see them…I guess it depends if Coot’s comes back, injuries or even trades are made. Obviously JVR ‘should’ be on the trade block, but with Fletcher’s involvement how can one he sure?

I agree Sanheim has not been very good this year. The 1rst 10-15 games when he struggled can’t be attributed to playing with TAD…because that wasn’t his partner. It was the same when him and Myers poop the bed…was it all on Myers? His most stable partner was Risto last year and even that wasn’t ideal….after a while yo have to wonder who is the problem….or at least part of it. I don’t like the term or the amount they gave him, but I haven’t liked many of Fletcher’s decisions in the last 18 months.
Sanheim can add to offence when he is skating with the puck, or jumping into the play and not staying stationary in the offensive zone…that’s when he’s at his best. We just need to see it more.
- landros 2

funny how everyone bashes risto, but if you look at the numbers this season, Sanhiem and Provie aren't doing much better.

funny how everyone bashes risto, but if you look at the numbers this season, Sanhiem and Provie aren't doing much better.
- Peter Richards

I’m not a big Risto basher…I think he’s had some really solid play of late. I thought there were games last year where he played pretty good after struggling to start his time in Philly. As far as Sanheim, it’s been a underwhelming year over all, no one logically can dispute that. I do think there’s more there.
I like Provy but do wonder if his time here is coming to an end. I still think he’s the teams best d man, but is another case of he has another level he can get to….we’ve seen it.

Would be nice to see them…I guess it depends if Coot’s comes back, injuries or even trades are made. Obviously JVR ‘should’ be on the trade block, but with Fletcher’s involvement how can one he sure?
- landros 2

That is the issue. The GM who constructed this mess to not be bottom dweller, but just below average is still in charge. I cannot believe Fletcher has survived, but here we are today. The blue line is even more of a mess. Lots of 3rd pair dmen on the roster with a high cap hit and term. It' s frustrating because there are some good pieces to build the team on, but allowing Fletcher to identify those pieces and trade off the rest to improve the roster is well less then ideal.

I don’t think at this point compensation would even be an issue. If I’m Fletcher I’m probably looking for someone else’s failed draft pick or like you say adding him to a deal. To some GM out there the player may still have some value even it it might be at the AHL level. The idea of maybe bring the player in now instead of waiting is to see what you got before he has his contract run out. There was a reason his kid scored 50 in the OHL not to long ago.
- landros 2

That reason was because he was bigger than everyone else. Players being equal now, he just can't do it anymore.

We should try and see if Hexy wants him in Scranton, he loved him so much he moved up.

I don’t think at this point compensation would even be an issue. If I’m Fletcher I’m probably looking for someone else’s failed draft pick or like you say adding him to a deal. To some GM out there the player may still have some value even it it might be at the AHL level. The idea of maybe bring the player in now instead of waiting is to see what you got before he has his contract run out. There was a reason his kid scored 50 in the OHL not to long ago.
- landros 2

True, I think his size with kids was an easy advantage. At some point playing pro hockey he had to adjust. Like any job, once you run into the best competition it is up to you to push through and show you can win, it doesn't appear Isaac can do it. Shame, I was a fan, thinking he would a be unique piece to the puzzle

https://phillyhockeynow.com/2023/02/05/philadelphia-flyers-kevin-hayes-trade-talk-report-team-showing-interest-in-acquiring-rumors-new-york-islanders/

I would be happier if this was reported by someone other than San Carchidi but I'll tell you right now the "very good team" he is referring to is Boston!
- jd250

Carchidi is a hack.

True, I think his size with kids was an easy advantage. At some point playing pro hockey he had to adjust. Like any job, once you run into the best competition it is up to you to push through and show you can win, it doesn't appear Isaac can do it. Shame, I was a fan, thinking he would a be unique piece to the puzzle
- wcorvette

I am also a fan. And honestly I didn't think he looked out of place when he played those 10 games last year with the big club.

Confidence in an athlete, especially a young one, can be a fickle thing. And I still think sitting a kid for 13 games and then sitting him again after making one mistake (in a game Bill said he played well in) cannot do anything to help him with his confidence. When you lose that confidence, everything becomes a chore. And when the franchise seems to have given up on him, it does nothing to help him.

The best thing for him is to move on. He wont get the help he needs here.

I don't see how this refutes anything. The fact that Torts is playing Laughton on the PP is proof that Torts is willing to try any player on the PP if he thinks that player can help. And yet Sanheim is still not playing the PP, hmmmm. Provey I suspect has been a pain in the butt about playing the PP and pushed coaches to get him more time on the PP, that is the only reason why he is there. Clearly Provey does not belong on the PP.
- jd250

It's pretty simple. You tried to use the fact that other coaches previously didn't use Sanheim on the PP to try and state that he can't play on the PP. Well those same coaches didn't use Laughton on the PP either. Lo and behold Laughton has shown that he can produce on the PP if given opportunity. Leading us to a very simple and easy to understand conclusion. Truly don't know what a player can or can't do until given an opportunity to see. Which then leads to the other point, those same coaches played Provorov in heavy minutes on the PP.

I hope I cleared this up in easy-to-understand language.

The fact is these players are all developing well while Ratcliff is sitting in the press box. You can blame the coaches and the organization as much as you want, but the bottom line is the player owns their career and for whatever reason Ratcliff is not succeeding. Has Ratcliff's agent requested a trade? If not, why not?
- jd250

All of those players have been hurt in development. You've admitted here that you don't know the reason why Ratcliffe has struggled. A player requesting a trade is a rare occurrence in the NHL. That's irrelevant.

The fact is these players are all developing well while Ratcliff is sitting in the press box. You can blame the coaches and the organization as much as you want, but the bottom line is the player owns their career and for whatever reason Ratcliff is not succeeding. Has Ratcliff's agent requested a trade? If not, why not?
- jd250

All of those players have been hurt in development. You've admitted here that you don't know the reason why Ratcliffe has struggled. A player requesting a trade is a rare occurrence in the NHL. That's irrelevant.

Right, but how many years do we need to sit and watch before we actually do see more of it? I never thought Sanheim was that good, defensively or offensively and once again Fletcher rushed to sign a player before he clearly knew what he had. If Risto's contract is bad, how can anyone like Sanheim's?
- jd250

Since you've routinely stated that Ristolainen is a good player and the Flyers best defenseman. That you don't think Sanheim is that good, bodes well for him as a player.

Now we know why Torts sent that letter out.
The flyers played like poop that period.