So pay attention to what has happned on the ice this season. York was sent down to play big minutes in the AHL because he was not ready to take risks offensively. He was called up around the mid point of this season and has played very well, one of the best Flyers defenseman.Risto was benched early in the season and since he returned has been one of the more steady defenseman on the team. Risto is no longer taking himself out of position and is much better 5 on 5 and on the PK compared to last year. Also Risto is starting to see PP time. Sanheim by your own admission has had a horrible season. He got benched and since he has returned you can see his offensive game coming back. He is driving more plays, taking more risks and generating more offense. These are facts, not opinions!
- jd250

There are some facts there, some opinion.

He did tis awhile back and already has 2 points for the phantoms.
- WhiskeyMan

was a PTO

He did tis awhile back and already has 2 points for the phantoms.
- WhiskeyMan

No that was a PTO.

He signed a 3 year entry deal today.


edit: Leight ageighn

Right, the Flyers are already a bottom team in the league but far from the worst team in the league, and will have only a small chance of getting Bedard. What I am saying is I don't see this team getting any worse or lower in the league. They have too much talent and good players coming back.
- jd250

I would not be surprised at all if a couple players get moved this offseason. Provy/Laughton/Hayes/Hart. We shall see. How many GMs admit they they are going to tear it down. Always pay no attention to coaches/GM speak

Hexy wasn't given the leeway to bottom out.

Remains to be seen if Danny will be allowed to or not.
- Tomahawk

Unless they're having a fire sale. Which they say they're not. They aren't going to bottom out. They're very likely to be better next season.

If you have any sort of rationale going on in your brain, you know this isn’t a quick turn around
- ClaudeFather

On this board, yes. The casual Philly fan, highly unlikely.

I know - it shows chuckles wasn't an outside hire
- corduroy

Do you know how an outside hire works? In the hockey world, you have to know someone to get a job anywhere. Fletcher didn’t work his way up through the Flyers ranks, he was recommended by a friend.

I think we are about as low as we are going to get. There are too many long term contracts that are either untradeable or worse will get back unequal value in a trade. Retaining salary kind of also defeats the purpose.
- MBFlyerfan

Yes and no. It's basically a foregone conclusion that Hayes will be gone this summer. Based on the way his contract is structured (base salary vs signing bonus), buying him out would be pointless, as his cap hit for 2023-24 would be $2.25 million but then go up to $4.75 million for the following two seasons (plus three more after that at $1.61 million). Awful beyond belief. But if the Flyers retain that $2.25 million (or a little more) for 3 years, Hayes can be dealt without taking back another bad contract and with less damage to the cap than a buyout. Even at $4.5-ish million for 3 more years, Hayes isn't going to return much--maybe a later-round pick or a marginal prospect. But the cap cost can be minimized.

With Risto, the situation is somewhat similar. But there's little chance he gets traded this off-season. After 2023-24 he has three seasons left, and as with Hayes, you can probably find a taker at 30-40% salary retention that will avoid taking a buyout cap hit of $2.9 million (just for 2026-27) because of his contract structure.

Depending on what happens with Atkinson, he could be a buyout candidate at some point but I suspect he will be on the roster next fall. He only has one year left on this deal after 2023-24 anyway, and buying out his last season (if necessary) would not come at great cost.

CapFriendly's buyout calculator is a real help in this regard.

The bottom line is this team is going to have to have a stellar three or four drafts in a row drafting in the 5-10 range. Ride out some of these deals until they DO become tradeable.

I can deal with the Couturier deal. It's the Sanheim and Ristolainen deals that are going to be the albatrosses in the room. Two deals that never should have been signed.

A lot of questions will be answered in the off season if Briere deals Konecny and or Hart and or Provorov. (for a good return)
- MBFlyerfan

We have to 'deal' with Coots's deal because of his full NMC. I don't see Sanheim getting dealt before his new contract takes effect (with full NTC).

If Briere wants to rebuild (as he should), he needs to trade Provorov, Konecny and Laughton this summer. All three are cap-controlled at reasonable hits for 2 or 3 years, are perfect complementary pieces for contenders, and their values will never be higher (except maybe at the 2026 or 2027 trade deadlines).

I wouldn't trade Hart unless someone made a stellar offer, but depending on what happens goaltending-wise in the playoffs, it certainly could happen.

Come on, you are a musician, you need to give some of the rest of Warren Zevons words...

"Was what the crowd roared, when Buddy the Goon jumped over the boards"
etc etc... The Hockey Song
- RajaAmpat

Zevon was an absolute 💯% genius.

No that was a PTO.

He signed a 3 year entry deal today.


edit: Leight ageighn
- MBFlyerfan

Ah, i thought he already did, thanks for the heads up

Yes and no. It's basically a foregone conclusion that Hayes will be gone this summer. Based on the way his contract is structured (base salary vs signing bonus), buying him out would be pointless, as his cap hit for 2023-24 would be $2.25 million but then go up to $4.75 million for the following two seasons (plus three more after that at $1.61 million). Awful beyond belief. But if the Flyers retain that $2.25 million (or a little more) for 3 years, Hayes can be dealt without taking back another bad contract and with less damage to the cap than a buyout. Even at $4.5-ish million for 3 more years, Hayes isn't going to return much--maybe a later-round pick or a marginal prospect. But the cap cost can be minimized.

With Risto, the situation is somewhat similar. But there's little chance he gets traded this off-season. After 2023-24 he has three seasons left, and as with Hayes, you can probably find a taker at 30-40% salary retention that will avoid taking a buyout cap hit of $2.9 million (just for 2026-27) because of his contract structure.

Depending on what happens with Atkinson, he could be a buyout candidate at some point but I suspect he will be on the roster next fall. He only has one year left on this deal after 2023-24 anyway, and buying out his last season (if necessary) would not come at great cost.

CapFriendly's buyout calculator is a real help in this regard.



We have to 'deal' with Coots's deal because of his full NMC. I don't see Sanheim getting dealt before his new contract takes effect (with full NTC).

If Briere wants to rebuild (as he should), he needs to trade Provorov, Konecny and Laughton this summer. All three are cap-controlled at reasonable hits for 2 or 3 years, are perfect complementary pieces for contenders, and their values will never be higher (except maybe at the 2026 or 2027 trade deadlines).

I wouldn't trade Hart unless someone made a stellar offer, but depending on what happens goaltending-wise in the playoffs, it certainly could happen.
- Pelle Schultz

Great post. Agree on all. Konecny I can’t figure out why they wouldn’t trade him with foerster emerging

I think if we are a solid team in 3-4 years and 2nd round of the playoffs, the fans will be ok with that progression. The cup should always be the goal, but having a good team capable of going deep into the playoffs should would be entertaining and also a success.
- bradster

I miss the good old days on this board, 2-3 years away from being a serious contender.

I have two words for Dave Scott: Good Riddance. Much like Chucks replacement, it is literally impossible for whoever replaces him to do a worse job than he did. While i still really want Comcast to sell the team, this is the next best thing.

On another note, is Ryan Ellis a real person? Never have i heard less about a star player that is injured. Does he rehab, go to practice, go to games…does he even live in the area? Does anybody know? Philly seems to have become a “retired on duty” destination where a player that is injured sits out indefinitely, no questions are asked, and they ride out there contracts on long term IR. If he isn’t going to practice, rehabbing, and/or going to games….it is time for him and the rest to start. It’s the only way to make them retire if they have no intention of playing again and riding out their contracts. Again, maybe he is already attending all these things but I haven’t heard a word about him. Retire or play. It’s time to make his life uncomfortable. Maybe Bill knows.

The cleansing hath cometh

Aaaahhhhhhhh

Let it wash over me

I have two words for Dave Scott: Good Riddance. Much like Chucks replacement, it is literally impossible for whoever replaces him to do a worse job than he did. While i still really want Comcast to sell the team, this is the next best thing.

On another note, is Ryan Ellis a real person? Never have i heard less about a star player that is injured. Does he rehab, go to practice, go to games…does he even live in the area? Does anybody know? Philly seems to have become a “retired on duty” destination where a player that is injured sits out indefinitely, no questions are asked, and they ride out there contracts on long term IR. If he isn’t going to practice, rehabbing, and/or going to games….it is time for him and the rest to start. It’s the only way to make them retire if they have no intention of playing again and riding out their contracts. Again, maybe he is already attending all these things but I haven’t heard a word about him. Retire or play. It’s time to make his life uncomfortable. Maybe Bill knows.
- darkerens

I understand the frustration but I don't get this. Why do they need to make his life uncomfortable? That's insane. I think it's safe to say that he would rather be playing hockey than having his career cut short prematurely by injury.

Is there any real news about the house of cards of yes man suits and inner sanctum confidantes coming down/being asked not to return ?....aside from Roberts retirement and being replaced by an IBX guy ?

People being escorted out of offices by security with one box of personal items and their Gritty dolls?

So I just heard that Scott is retiring(forced or not?). I just want someone to tell me that this new guy actually knows something about the sport of hockey! Please! I remember Scott saying that he knew nothing about hockey when he took over and he sure proved that in spades.

The Flyers need a legitimate #1 line and 2 top pair defensemen to add to what they have to be contenders IMO. How many years will that take?

Great post. Agree on all. Konecny I can’t figure out why they wouldn’t trade him with foerster emerging
- Just5

Really? You couldn’t figure this part out? With all of Foerster’s 8 games being played after the trade deadline and while Konency has been hurt for the last month?

The Flyers need a legitimate #1 line and 2 top pair defensemen to add to what they have to be contenders IMO. How many years will that take?
- Flybynight88

With some smart drafting and luck it shouldn't take too long although we all know that top pair defenders and top line forwards aren't easy to come by. I'm not sure that there is one player on this current roster that fits the mold unfortunately.

I understand the frustration but I don't get this. Why do they need to make his life uncomfortable? That's insane. I think it's safe to say that he would rather be playing hockey than having his career cut short prematurely by injury.
- MJL

Because Ellis is causing the entire fan base aggravation. The least he can do is go to games and glad hand the ticket buyers and say hi to kids. Anything to return value on the commodity of cap space he is removing from the Flyers ability to hire talented players to win hockey games.

I understand the frustration but I don't get this. Why do they need to make his life uncomfortable? That's insane. I think it's safe to say that he would rather be playing hockey than having his career cut short prematurely by injury.
- MJL

Exactly! He like many others would rather play but have every right to ride out their contract if they can’t. I do think the fans deserve an update at the end of the season again. Last year, Ellis stated he was trying rehab treatments for his multi-layered mid body injury involving the psoas, IIR. Time to hear how it’s going.

Because Ellis is causing the entire fan base aggravation. The least he can do is go to games and glad hand the ticket buyers and say hi to kids. Anything to return value on the commodity of cap space he is removing from the Flyers ability to hire talented players to win hockey games.
- Shrike

Huh?

Unless you know something the rest of us do not, why would a player with a possible career ending injury put himself in the public spot light to please anyone? I look no further than Ray Emery in his first stint with the Flyers when he fell off the face earth. That injury was legit and he almost was unable to play again and didn’t play for along time even after leaving the Flyers. Seriously, if Ellis’ injury is real (frank) the fans.

Congratulations to Coatsey on his retirement! Best times yet to come.

I hear, congrats to Scott also on his coming retirement.

Huh?

Unless you know something the rest of us do not, why would a player with a possible career ending injury put himself in the public spot light to please anyone? I look no further than Ray Emery in his first stint with the Flyers when he fell off the face earth. That injury was legit and he almost was unable to play again and didn’t play for along time even after leaving the Flyers. Seriously, if Ellis’ injury is real (frank) the fans.
- SuperSchennBros

Yeah, but eventually Razor made a comeback. I don’t judge Ellis for not being involved or in the spotlight, after all it is weird circumstances that he was traded to a new organization just before. I do think, no matter if it’s unlikely, that if he is still trying to comeback that they could do an update twice a year like happened this past year. Ellis talked after the season about his efforts, and in the fall, Fletcher said he wouldn’t be back this season.

If Ellis knows he can’t try anymore, I am sure there are ways to leak that to the fans so the updates aren’t necessary.