Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Flyers Unable to Move JVR at Trade Deadline

Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Flyers Unable to Move JVR at Trade Deadline
- bmeltzer

Thanks Bill

Your overall opinion Bill, how big of a failure is not moving JVR? With the comedy of errors, bad luck, mismanagement to date, what is % CF gets canned?

Your overall opinion Bill, how big of a failure is not moving JVR? With the comedy of errors, bad luck, mismanagement to date, what is % CF gets canned?
- wcorvette

It's a significant failure.

I am not getting the vibe that a GM change is imminent. But I could be wrong.

When the GM is referring to his own future being in doubt in a post TDL presser, you know he hears the footsteps coming down the hall. Why Dave Scott even kept him around to manage the TDL is itself an indication that Scott needs to hear those same footsteps coming down the hall. But alas, Comcast doesn't give a damn about the Flyers. They're a rounding error on their annual financials.

It's a significant failure.

I am not getting the vibe that a GM change is imminent. But I could be wrong.
- bmeltzer

Thanks Bill, I like to thing I am fair, even when the franchise has been failing but something like this is that bad and tends to validate the prior failures

Do you get the feeling that Scott, Fletcher, et al are underestimating the frustration/anger of the fan base?

I’m sure you’re aware that a majority of the general fan base absolutely HATE Fletcher without any chance of that changing ever, Right?

Do you get the feeling that Scott, Fletcher, et al are underestimating the frustration/anger of the fan base?

I’m sure you’re aware that a majority of the general fan base absolutely HATE Fletcher without any chance of that changing ever, Right?
- Shrike

What might give you that idea, Captain Obvious?

You do wonder how poor a job you have to do to get fired from Comcast? How 3 years of incompetent decisions or at least ones that have failed miserably can still see you employed…Incompetent : the inability or lack of skill needed to complete a job successfully. The term fits like a glove.

Do you get the feeling that Scott, Fletcher, et al are underestimating the frustration/anger of the fan base?

I’m sure you’re aware that a majority of the general fan base absolutely HATE Fletcher without any chance of that changing ever, Right?
- Shrike

He does seem like a likeable chap. But my god they can’t keep this guy in charge. I don’t hate anyone, but results and job performance have to matter at some point?

So let's analyze what Fletcher accomplished after announcing the Flyers were sellers.

Did he acquire future draft picks to improve the team?
Did he acquire young players to build a core?
Was he able to move contracts?
Was he able to gain cap space?
Was he able to trade the chip he had on an expiring contract?

So the retool was an abject failure. The rebuild is off to a rousing start.

Fletcher is an incompetent used car salesman. Ownership are clueless laughing stocks. There isn't a team in the NHL with less direction than this pathetic franchise.

I have higher opinion of a pile of dogpoop I see on the sidewalk then I do of this Organization. The only thing I think less of is people who blindly defend this garbage.

Do you get the feeling that Scott, Fletcher, et al are underestimating the frustration/anger of the fan base?

I’m sure you’re aware that a majority of the general fan base absolutely HATE Fletcher without any chance of that changing ever, Right?
- Shrike

Charlie O’Connor wrote a great piece today about how anyone could possibly trust Fletcher in now looks like some form of a rebuild. One that will only see the Flyers free fall to 22nd or 23rd each year and remain quasi relevant while hoping to hit on mid range draft picks and other team’s reclamation projects…Christ that’s the plan?

Bill,

I think it’s fair to say the fans and STHs simply view the JVR failure yesterday as the final straw in a series of missteps, bad trades, failed prospect development, and essentially reinforcing the idea that the Flyers are now irrelevant. What’s your sense from the organization and the people heavily involved with the Flyers (IE alumni, the beat writers, players) as far as whether there is any real confidence in the Dave Scott and Chuck Fletcher, and by extension guys like Danny Briere? Thanks.

FIRE CHUCK...FIRE CHUCK...FIRE CHUCK...FIRE CHUCK...FIRE CHUCK...FIRE CHUCK!! The fact that this imbecile still has a job as the Flyers GM shows just how poorly this once proud organization is being run. IT HAS TO STOP NOW!! They're damn lucky I'm still not a season ticket holder (we were from 1985-2005) and could attend that Town Hall meeting. Of course, I'd probably be thrown out on my head. Did I mention...FIRE CHUCK!!

As a follow up, with this disaster of a team, even if theee were salary cap, what blue chip free agent would even want to sign with this team?

Not that it mattered in the big scheme of things but playing JVR and Hayes on the 4th line pre-deadline did nothing to help their stock but allowed Torts to show that he is the big dog.

The worst part of this is they admit they need high end talent yet do everything in their power to make that unlikely. As has been mentioned their plan for getting better borders on voodoo, witchcraft, or luck (getting a better draft pick despite them moving heaven and earth to keep it from happening).

Flyers fans and media have been talking about Bedard for a year and about that being the kind of talent the Flyers need. Instead of honestly assessing the team and quite frankly, pulling a Chicago, they went all in trading away more draft picks and salary space.

Gaudreau. Not that he would've helped the Flyers long term due to his age but if Fletcher wanted to go all-in, you had a star player who wanted to come to Philly and you knew it before you signed TDA. Fletcher's own incompetence is the only reason this didn't happen. A local marketable first line star.

The fact that the Flyers only have one pick in the 1st two rounds is entirely on Fletcher. The metrics told you the TDA experiment wasn't going to work. Also, the Flyers don't have a Slavin on their defense.

Can anyone tell me, for all of Fletchers prior talk of the Analytics Dept, when has the analytics ever supported one of his signings or trades? It feels like he is compelled to do the opposite of what the consensus smart move is based on the data. And that's just the data available to the public, what hidden metrics do the Flyers crack analytics staff have besides the age distribution chart?

In football terms, everyone else is the Seattle Seahawks and the Flyers are the Denver Broncos trading for Russell Wilson.

As long as comcast has them checking diversity boxes who cares.
- Newgod77

You do wonder how poor a job you have to do to get fired from Comcast? How 3 years of incompetent decisions or at least ones that have failed miserably can still see you employed…Incompetent : the inability or lack of skill needed to complete a job successfully. The term fits like a glove.
- landros 2

No matter what opinion people have of Hextall, I can't imagine anyone would think that Fletcher is not worse. One of the differences in why Hextall was fired and not Fletcher is that Fletcher still values the opinions of the country club. He doesn't rock the boat.

So let's analyze what Fletcher accomplished after announcing the Flyers were sellers.

Did he acquire future draft picks to improve the team?
Did he acquire young players to build a core?
Was he able to move contracts?
Was he able to gain cap space?
Was he able to trade the chip he had on an expiring contract?

So the retool was an abject failure. The rebuild is off to a rousing start.

Fletcher is an incompetent used car salesman. Ownership are clueless laughing stocks. There isn't a team in the NHL with less direction than this pathetic franchise.

I have higher opinion of a pile of dogpoop I see on the sidewalk then I do of this Organization. The only thing I think less of is people who blindly defend this garbage.
- PLindbergh31

Yesterday was proof of some of the worst asset management I've seen in pro sports.

No matter what opinion people have of Hextall, I can't imagine anyone would think that Fletcher is not worse. One of the differences in why Hextall was fired and not Fletcher is that Fletcher still values the opinions of the country club. He doesn't rock the boat.
- Flyers_01

How long did it take Hextall to get another GM job after he was fired? When the Flyers finally move on from the current stiff, lets see what his next job in hockey is.

I will put it in sci fi terms.....A slow moving cancer disguised as a symbiote. Wraps itself around all the vital organs and chokes them off while injecting the host with euphoric visions.

How long did it take Hextall to get another GM job after he was fired? When the Flyers finally move on from the current stiff, lets see what his next job in hockey is.
- PLindbergh31

Yeah, no one was in a rush to hire Hextall and he already has one foot out the door in Pittsburgh. If it was up to their blogger he would already be gone. This is why the Flyers suck so bad. Their last three GM's have essentially sucked (the end of Homer's tenure included).

How long did it take Hextall to get another GM job after he was fired? When the Flyers finally move on from the current stiff, lets see what his next job in hockey is.
- PLindbergh31

Well, since Pitt is very unhappy with Hexy, out of total love for the Pens, I'd suggest that after the Flyers fire Chuck we should do them the favor and send him to Pitt to finish the excellent job that Hexy has started. The Pens deserve the same path to success that the Flyers have been on.

It's the least we could do for our friends.

Yeah, no one was in a rush to hire Hextall and he already has one foot out the door in Pittsburgh. If it was up to their blogger he would already be gone. This is why the Flyers suck so bad. Their last three GM's have essentially sucked (the end of Homer's tenure included).
- Phillywhiteout

Hextall was bad no doubt, but only this franchise could hire a replacement exponentially worse.

No matter what opinion people have of Hextall, I can't imagine anyone would think that Fletcher is not worse. One of the differences in why Hextall was fired and not Fletcher is that Fletcher still values the opinions of the country club. He doesn't rock the boat.
- Flyers_01

I think Hextall is a superior GM..am I glad he got fired ? Yes. Can I think both are true? of course. It just shows that the GM post is an extremely important one and when you get it wrong it all can come tumbling down.