LOL, he is better than Jay O'brien.

Yes, I do watch him. Every day of the week and twice on Sunday I would take Perreault over Luchanko, and Buium over Bonk. It's not even close.
- MBFlyerfan

Let me correct you since you are getting your drafts mixed up. You would take Perreault over Bonk and Buium over Luchanko. Fair enough, both players were drafted 1 spot apart. We'll see over the coming years if Briere got this right or not.

Let me correct you since you are getting your drafts mixed up. You would take Perreault over Bonk and Buium over Luchanko. Fair enough, both players were drafted 1 spot apart. We'll see over the coming years if Briere got this right or not.
- jd250

I'm not getting anything mixed up. I would take one defenseman over the other, and one forward over the other. Try to keep up. Had they drafted Perreault when they should have, maybe they would have been more open to drafting BPA with Buium instead of drafting for need with Luchanko, who, IMO was not even the best center available (Helenius) when he was picked.

Flyer's timeline is the next 16-18 months. They are in the building phase. Good luck getting top end free agents to come to the Flyers.

Briere has been GM coming up on 2 years. Assistant GM prior to that. If he needs more time evaluating players than he is not good at his job. He should know these guys inside and out by now.

Is it about wins or growth? With this coaching staff it is about wins. Management seems to be on board with the coaching staff. Growth has been stalled. Proof is there for all to see.

How can someone say Risto sitting out this tournament means it's likely they trade him. Baffling to me as need to find a way to try to reason the moves the Flyers make. I would think it was Risto's decision anyway. Sitting out can't mean that he is well actually hurt.

Flyer's timeline is the next 16-18 months. They are in the building phase. Good luck getting top end free agents to come to the Flyers.

Briere has been GM coming up on 2 years. Assistant GM prior to that. If he needs more time evaluating players than he is not good at his job. He should know these guys inside and out by now.

Is it about wins or growth? With this coaching staff it is about wins. Management seems to be on board with the coaching staff. Growth has been stalled. Proof is there for all to see.

How can someone say Risto sitting out this tournament means it's likely they trade him. Baffling to me as need to find a way to try to reason the moves the Flyers make. I would think it was Risto's decision anyway. Sitting out can't mean that he is well actually hurt.
- Striiker

And don't forget Danny was CF's right hand man. He knows the players.

One player cannot do it alone in this league no matter how generational they may be. Look at how long Edmonton had MacDavid and Draisaitl together before finally got smart and built a team around them.

The Buffalo Sabres are the poster child for doing it badly. Since 2012, the Sabres have picked 8th overall, 2nd, 2nd, 8th, 8th, 1st, 7th, 8th, 1st, 9th, 13th, and 14th. That 12 years of Suck! Actually make that 13 years of Suck because right now tank-a-thon projects the Sabres to pick 4th. This is the mistake of tanking every year.

The Sharks I think are doing it the right way and I don't expect them to be in this situation much longer. In the past two drafts they have added Will Smith, Quentin Musty, Mack Celebrini and Sam D!ckinson, which are all great picks and players with high upsides. They are projected to have the number 1 pick this year, so I expect that after this season the Sharks will be a wagon for years to come with this core of players.

This is what the Flyers need to do. They got Michkov, Bonk and Luchanko the past two drafts, plus this kid Gill they got in the 2nd round looks like he will be a player. The Flyers need to tank hard in this draft to get another top end talent or two and then they have the young core they can build around as they develop together.
- jd250

This is what the sane posters on this board have saying for the last 3 years. You championed the fact that they were in contention for a playoff spot last year and screaming that torts would win the JA trophy hands down.

It is nice to see you get on the bus -- years late as usual but you really should sit down and shut up

Flyer's timeline is the next 16-18 months. They are in the building phase. Good luck getting top end free agents to come to the Flyers.

Briere has been GM coming up on 2 years. Assistant GM prior to that. If he needs more time evaluating players than he is not good at his job. He should know these guys inside and out by now.

Is it about wins or growth? With this coaching staff it is about wins. Management seems to be on board with the coaching staff. Growth has been stalled. Proof is there for all to see.

How can someone say Risto sitting out this tournament means it's likely they trade him. Baffling to me as need to find a way to try to reason the moves the Flyers make. I would think it was Risto's decision anyway. Sitting out can't mean that he is well actually hurt.
- Striiker

Good luck getting elite talent in the draft when picking in the teens

I got to be honest, that was a great hockey game last night! It was real hockey and both teams wanted it. Right off the bat, this is a better product than any all-star game or all-star weekend!
- jd250

I’d be pissed if I were a Vegas fan today.

Ok, I grant you that the Flyers have been spinning their wheels for 24 years. But this is a new group that is managing the team and they seem hellbent NOT to make the same mistakes of the past. They have been on the job about 2 years and have done nothing to resemble the previous regimes. So I think we need to give them this off season to see what happens and then judge them on what the team and system look like going into next season.
- jd250

The fact is, the Flyers really didn't have much a prospect pool when Briere took over and besides Andrae there really wasn't anyone ready to take a spot on the NHL roster. Andrae is here now and I don't expect he will be returned to the Phantoms again. Grans and Ginning are developing but I don't think either are ready to supplant a veteran on this team yet. No forwards really to speak of from the Phantoms puounding at the door. The cupboards were pretty bare when Briere took this thing over.

Do you honestly think there is no reason to be pessimistic about the Flyers current "rebuild"? Is it really a new group managing the team? Briere was AGM of the previous administration. Flahr was, and still is, the AGM in charge of amateur scouting. As you said, the Flyers didn't have much in the prospect pool when Briere took over. What makes you think the guy who left the Flyers in such bad condition in the past will do a better job this time?

I don't think it is an let me tell you why. You still need players to play the games while the team is rebuilding, and you do want to have good veteran players around the younger prospects to teach them how to be good pros. None of these players have stopped younger players from entering the lineup if they are ready. Hathaway and Poehling for example are solid bottom 6 forwards. They are not going to block a player like Luchanko who the Flyers want to see in the top 6. Johnsson is a solid pro and the 8th defenseman on this team. Before recent injuries to the Flyers defense, he didn't play for months. Seeler is another solid pro that can play in the bottom pair and will not block any player when they are ready.

The fact is, the Flyers really didn't have much a prospect pool when Briere took over and besides Andrae there really wasn't anyone ready to take a spot on the NHL roster. Andrae is here now and I don't expect he will be returned to the Phantoms again. Grans and Ginning are developing but I don't think either are ready to supplant a veteran on this team yet. No forwards really to speak of from the Phantoms puounding at the door. The cupboards were pretty bare when Briere took this thing over.

I am encouraged that Risto sat out the 4 nations because that tell me the Flyers want to trade him this deadline and do not want to risk another injury. Laughton will also be dealt, and I suspect Deslauriers will be dealt for a 7th round pick or something. This is what the Flyers must do to maximize their chances in this draft.
- jd250

They still don't really have much of one now. Their best prospect has already graduated at this point (which is a good thing don't get me wrong). It's still a shallow pool. He pretty much needs to nail every pick in this draft, at least the 1st and second rounders, assuming they are all used.

What did you think of TK getting the lowest ice time on the team, no shots and a -2?

I would expect him scratched and Bennett in in the next game. I am deathly ill right now, and went to bed at the start of the second, so I don't know how he looked for the last 2 periods, but he was mostly invisible in the first.
Sanheim should play now Theodore is out.
- TheFreak

Yes, and he wasn't on the PK. Cirelli & Hagel were, along with others. Either he is not fully back up to full energy due to his illness, or they just don't like him as much as all the Tampa players on the roster. Being a -2 is not going to help his cause to stay in the lineup. I think we've seen the last of him in this tourney.

I would rather be the Blackhawks. They already have their 1c and 1d in the pipe. They have a much deeper prospect pool. They are YEARS ahead of the Flyers in their rebuild.
- MBFlyerfan

Well as much as I think bedard is gonna be incredible, I wouldn't be surprised if they put him on the wing as he not very good in faceoffs and generally starts on the defensive side

And I wouldn't say years ahead. You are counting on all those picks to turn out, and they very well could, but they also might not.

You can find good players in all of the first rd, you just need to hit on the picks you have. But will agree its easier to pick those players out at the top of the draft

Well as much as I think bedard is gonna be incredible, I wouldn't be surprised if they put him on the wing as he not very good in faceoffs and generally starts on the defensive side

And I wouldn't say years ahead. You are counting on all those picks to turn out, and they very well could, but they also might not.

You can find good players in all of the first rd, you just need to hit on the picks you have. But will agree its easier to pick those players out at the top of the draft
- SlNlSTER

I wonder who is Bedards comparison, is it a McDavid type, Crosby, Matthews or someone else.

Exactly. Expect TK out and Bennett in next game.
- TheFreak

I think you might be right.

Do you honestly think there is no reason to be pessimistic about the Flyers current "rebuild"? Is it really a new group managing the team? Briere was AGM of the previous administration. Flahr was, and still is, the AGM in charge of amateur scouting. As you said, the Flyers didn't have much in the prospect pool when Briere took over. What makes you think the guy who left the Flyers in such bad condition in the past will do a better job this time?
- Dkos

Right now I am optimistic and looking forward to what Briere does this off season. Briere may have interned under Fletcher but that means absolutely nothing when it comes to how he wants to run and build the team.

Think about it. When Hextall was fired, the biggest complaint was that Hextall was not pushing the franchise forward enough. That younger players, like Hart, were ready and Hextall was not aggressive enough in getting these players into the NHL and filling gaps on the team to bring them back to contention. So they fired Hextall and brought in Fletcher. His mandate was to bring up the younger players, fill the gaps on the team and compete with the aging core of Giroux, Voracek and Simmonds. Fletcher brought in AV, Hart, Hayes, Hiskanen, Ellis, Atkinson and Risto and, well, the wheels fell off pretty quickly. However instead of pivoting when it obvious the Flyers needed to rebuild, Fletcher never waivered from this original direction which was to contend now and doubled down. That ultimately lead to Scott and Fletcher being fired, and Hilferty, Jones and Briere taking over.

Briere saw this debacle playout pretty closely, and it wasn't pretty. I do believe he and Jones have a plan, and its not to repeat the mistakes of Hextall or Fletcher. they want to build a team that will seriously contend for multiple years, not one and done, and to do this they know they need a develop a young core of exciting players to build around.

So I will see how this off season plays out. I will tell you right now, if Risto and Laughton are not traded this deadline and Briere does not do everything he can to get a very high pick in this draft, then my level of concern will be raised dramatically. Then if this off season is a dud and the Flyers are returning basically the same team they have now, I will be the first to call for Briere to be fired. The Flyers have 7 picks in the first 2 rounds of this draft, and one of them can be a top 5 pick, while also having up to $30M in cap space coming into this off season if they handle the deadline correctly. That puts them in the best rebuilding position they have been in as a franchise in my lifetime. This is a very important off season for the Flyers, and I am not just saying this; Jones has repeatedly said this also. They need to get this right.

Yes, and he wasn't on the PK. Cirelli & Hagel were, along with others. Either he is not fully back up to full energy due to his illness, or they just don't like him as much as all the Tampa players on the roster. Being a -2 is not going to help his cause to stay in the lineup. I think we've seen the last of him in this tourney.
- BluehorseShoe64

Cooper coach’s Cirelli and Hagel….he knows those guys and will also be reluctant to sit any of his own guys.

They still don't really have much of one now. Their best prospect has already graduated at this point (which is a good thing don't get me wrong). It's still a shallow pool. He pretty much needs to nail every pick in this draft, at least the 1st and second rounders, assuming they are all used.
- TobyFlenderson

Michkov graduated. I think Luchanko will be on the team next season. Bonk and Barkey will be in the AHL, and we will see about who the Flyers draft this year. Briere is building the pool back up, it takes time. He has only been on the job coming up on 2 years.

Flyer's timeline is the next 16-18 months. They are in the building phase. Good luck getting top end free agents to come to the Flyers.

Briere has been GM coming up on 2 years. Assistant GM prior to that. If he needs more time evaluating players than he is not good at his job. He should know these guys inside and out by now.

Is it about wins or growth? With this coaching staff it is about wins. Management seems to be on board with the coaching staff. Growth has been stalled. Proof is there for all to see.

How can someone say Risto sitting out this tournament means it's likely they trade him. Baffling to me as need to find a way to try to reason the moves the Flyers make. I would think it was Risto's decision anyway. Sitting out can't mean that he is well actually hurt.
- Striiker

Players will go where the money and living logistics ( 7yr, NMC) are. Do you really believe Couturier and TK signed their deals thinking "I can win a SC or 2 with this or-gan-i-z-ation. They can't be that stupid....

What did you all think of Pettersson last night? Didn't look good to me. I want no part of him.

Right now I am optimistic and looking forward to what Briere does this off season. Briere may have interned under Fletcher but that means absolutely nothing when it comes to how he wants to run and build the team.

Think about it. When Hextall was fired, the biggest complaint was that Hextall was not pushing the franchise forward enough. That younger players, like Hart, were ready and Hextall was not aggressive enough in getting these players into the NHL and filling gaps on the team to bring them back to contention. So they fired Hextall and brought in Fletcher. His mandate was to bring up the younger players, fill the gaps on the team and compete with the aging core of Giroux, Voracek and Simmonds. Fletcher brought in AV, Hart, Hayes, Hiskanen, Ellis, Atkinson and Risto and, well, the wheels fell off pretty quickly. However instead of pivoting when it obvious the Flyers needed to rebuild, Fletcher never waivered from this original direction which was to contend now and doubled down. That ultimately lead to Scott and Fletcher being fired, and Hilferty, Jones and Briere taking over.

Briere saw this debacle playout pretty closely, and it wasn't pretty. I do believe he and Jones have a plan, and its not to repeat the mistakes of Hextall or Fletcher. they want to build a team that will seriously contend for multiple years, not one and done, and to do this they know they need a develop a young core of exciting players to build around.

So I will see how this off season plays out. I will tell you right now, if Risto and Laughton are not traded this deadline and Briere does not do everything he can to get a very high pick in this draft, then my level of concern will be raised dramatically. Then if this off season is a dud and the Flyers are returning basically the same team they have now, I will be the first to call for Briere to be fired. The Flyers have 7 picks in the first 2 rounds of this draft, and one of them can be a top 5 pick, while also having up to $30M in cap space coming into this off season if they handle the deadline correctly. That puts them in the best rebuilding position they have been in as a franchise in my lifetime. This is a very important off season for the Flyers, and I am not just saying this; Jones has repeatedly said this also. They need to get this right.
- jd250

Some of this is on. But… Am I “optimistic”? . Hardly. This is a big trade deadline and a massive off season. The evaluation for a lot of these guys should be over. Briere needs to maximize the returns and one of the best ways to do that is to be extremely aggressive at trade deadlines.

What did you all think of Pettersson last night? Didn't look good to me. I want no part of him.
- jd250

Pettersson is a highly skilled player….he's being paid for not only for his potential but for his actual play…..depending on the asking price, the Flyers should be in on ANY Center at that age and skill level that becomes available. They need more guys like him. You know guys that have elite level talent.

Cooper coach’s Cirelli and Hagel….he knows those guys and will also be reluctant to sit any of his own guys.
- landros 2

Can't wait for Danny and Jonesy to complain to the public Cooper was misusing TK in the 4 nations.

Players will go where the money and living logistics ( 7yr, NMC) are. Do you really believe Couturier and TK signed their deals thinking "I can win a SC or 2 with this or-gan-i-z-ation. They can't be that stupid....
- mr4tno

The money will be there for the elite level players. Once they get the offers then they decide where they want to play. Now if the Flyers severely overpay, which they will have to, then the player may choose the Flyers. Otherwise, those type of players will have the best of both worlds. The money and the chance to win from other suitors.

Those 2 choose to stay as they are very comfortable in their surroundings. Had they tested free agency, as I said above, they would have also been paid very handsomely.

Can't wait for Danny and Jonesy to complain to the public Cooper was misusing TK in the 4 nations.

- Flyfly

Honestly I thought Konecny was only ok….

Some of this is on. But… Am I “optimistic”? . Hardly. This is a big trade deadline and a massive off season. The evaluation for a lot of these guys should be over. Briere needs to maximize the returns and one of the best ways to do that is to be extremely aggressive at trade deadlines.
- landros 2

Yes I agree. This deadline should be the start of a big change on the team. Like I said, if Briere does not be aggressive I will have big concerns.

Honestly I thought Konecny was only ok….
- landros 2

Agreed. I also agree he might sit for Bennett next game.