Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits for March 31: Fletcher, Player Profiles, TIFH

I was telling a friend recently that at this time last year I was worried about the Fletcher hiring and wished we'd stuck with Hextall.

A year later and Fletcher has not done the things I was worried he would do (trade prospects and young players for older assets). The more I see/hear from him the more I think he's learned from his experience and is pushing the right buttons in Philly.

Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits for March 31: Fletcher, Player Profiles, TIFH
- bmeltzer

Thanks Bill

I was telling a friend recently that at this time last year I was worried about the Fletcher hiring and wished we'd stuck with Hextall.

A year later and Fletcher has not done the things I was worried he would do (trade prospects and young players for older assets). The more I see/hear from him the more I think he's learned from his experience and is pushing the right buttons in Philly.
- Coburns_Nose

Impossible. He's a retread.

Still can't believe Renberg didn't win rookie of the year that year, Marty Brodeur. No Flyer has won that award. Bill Barber should have won it over Steve Vickers too. NY voting media too partial to local players.

I was telling a friend recently that at this time last year I was worried about the Fletcher hiring and wished we'd stuck with Hextall.

A year later and Fletcher has not done the things I was worried he would do (trade prospects and young players for older assets). The more I see/hear from him the more I think he's learned from his experience and is pushing the right buttons in Philly.
- Coburns_Nose

To this day I don’t know how I feel about Hextall’s firing face. Being a former Flyer player and working his way up through management both here and LA, the face, the name, is why I hate he was fired. The problem with Hextall is, his process was too slow and he was willing to go down with sinking ship with Hakstol behind the bench. I don’t think Hakstol was doing a good job and I think if Hextall fired Hak, Hextall would still be here.

Fletcher has done a good job getting this team to compete this year. I am more concerned with his draft and development. I don't think he has the best track record in that department.

I will give him an A for this year. Hiring Vigneault and virtually every player they have added has been the right moves. I think it also helps that a lot of the talent that Hexy drafted and helped develop have taken the next step. Provorov, Lindblom, Konecny, Hart, Myers, Sanheim, Hagg, NAK, Laughton and a few others have all been excellent this year. All improved and most seem like they have more room to improve.

Fletcher will have plenty of young talent and reasonable cap space for the next few years. Lets see what he does with it.

Still can't believe Renberg didn't win rookie of the year that year, Marty Brodeur. No Flyer has won that award. Bill Barber should have won it over Steve Vickers too. NY voting media too partial to local players.
- backfire

In any normal season, Lindros wins the Calder going away in 1992-93. That just happened to be the same year Selanne went off doe 76 rookie goals. Gostisbehere had a case to win it as Panerin had been a pro for like 6 years or something at the time. It's mostly been bad timing for Flyers rookies.

To this day I don’t know how I feel about Hextall’s firing face. Being a former Flyer player and working his way up through management both here and LA, the face, the name, is why I hate he was fired. The problem with Hextall is, his process was too slow and he was willing to go down with sinking ship with Hakstol behind the bench. I don’t think Hakstol was doing a good job and I think if Hextall fired Hak, Hextall would still be here.
- SuperSchennBros

There is a reason why, at the time of Hakstol's hiring, he was the first coach to bypass pro hockey on the way to the NHL since Herb Brooks (I believe). Coaching pro players is a completely different ball game than coaching NCAA or CHL players. In retrospect, firing Chief was a mistake. He wasn't given the personnel to succeed (neither was Hakstol for that matter).

In any normal season, Lindros wins the Calder going away in 1992-93. That just happened to be the same year Selanne went off doe 76 rookie goals. Gostisbehere had a case to win it as Panerin had been a pro for like 6 years or something at the time. It's mostly been bad timing for Flyers rookies.
- BOSS_TWEED

Dont forget Luc Robitaille scoring 45 his rookie year to take it from Hextall.

Re Luc


Man, his first 7-8 years were beastly. I wish he hit 700 for his career.

I was telling a friend recently that at this time last year I was worried about the Fletcher hiring and wished we'd stuck with Hextall.

A year later and Fletcher has not done the things I was worried he would do (trade prospects and young players for older assets). The more I see/hear from him the more I think he's learned from his experience and is pushing the right buttons in Philly.
- Coburns_Nose

The biggest contribution from Fletch has been the hiring of AV, IMO that's what's responsible for the biggest jump in the standings. Not something I believe Hextall would have done.

His other two signings, Hayes and Niskanen, have also been great for the club, purely conjecture but something Hextall surely would have pursued as well.

Hextall's dismissal was simply because he was difficult to work with, at least those are my thoughts, he wasn't of the opinion he had to take direction, it was his ship and he was going to operate it as he saw fit.

The biggest contribution from Fletch has been the hiring of AV, IMO that's what's responsible for the biggest jump in the standings. Not something I believe Hextall would have done.

His other two signings, Hayes and Niskanen, have also been great for the club, purely conjecture but something Hextall surely would have pursued as well.

Hextall's dismissal was simply because he was difficult to work with, at least those are my thoughts, he wasn't of the opinion he had to take direction, it was his ship and he was going to operate it as he saw fit.
- DraftandDestroy

Nobody really knows what Hextall would've done. The Niskanen trade was a really, really good trade for the Flyers. Can't say that Hextall would've done that. I do believe that Hextall at some point would've accelerated his plan and turned more aggressive.

I believe that Vigneault is a big part of the success to this point. However I don't believe he is the biggest reason. Players are always the biggest reason. This team has chemistry and they've all bought into what the coaches want. Even JVR and Voracek are playing more responsibly. That's the biggest cause in my opinion.

The biggest contribution from Fletch has been the hiring of AV, IMO that's what's responsible for the biggest jump in the standings. Not something I believe Hextall would have done.

His other two signings, Hayes and Niskanen, have also been great for the club, purely conjecture but something Hextall surely would have pursued as well.

Hextall's dismissal was simply because he was difficult to work with, at least those are my thoughts, he wasn't of the opinion he had to take direction, it was his ship and he was going to operate it as he saw fit.
- DraftandDestroy

My suspicion is that AV had some role in the Hayes signing.

When Hayes signed, so many people laughed. Hayes was described basically as a third line type, steady player. Boy, how things changed. I can't think of a signing since Pronger who has had such an impact, not just directly, but also from synergy effects.

To this day I don’t know how I feel about Hextall’s firing face. Being a former Flyer player and working his way up through management both here and LA, the face, the name, is why I hate he was fired. The problem with Hextall is, his process was too slow and he was willing to go down with sinking ship with Hakstol behind the bench. I don’t think Hakstol was doing a good job and I think if Hextall fired Hak, Hextall would still be here.
- SuperSchennBros

Hextall's process was spot on, you're seeing the fruits of it now with Hart, Provorov, Sanheim, TK, Lindblom, Farabee, etc. A next wave is finally coming through via the draft, something that never existed under Homer.

I totally agree with you about his place in Flyer history, it was the perfect job/role for him. His downfall was his personality and his determination to stick with Hak.

Nobody really knows what Hextall would've done. The Niskanen trade was a really, really good trade for the Flyers. Can't say that Hextall would've done that. I do believe that Hextall at some point would've accelerated his plan and turned more aggressive.

I believe that Vigneault is a big part of the success to this point. However I don't believe he is the biggest reason. Players are always the biggest reason. This team has chemistry and they've all bought into what the coaches want. Even JVR and Voracek are playing more responsibly. That's the biggest cause in my opinion.
- MJL

Vigneault laid down he line early, with his preseason comment that veteranl players had "no choice" but to buy into his way. He followed it up with sending JVR to the 4th line and Voracek to the third. He publicly said he expects more from his veteran players, clearly including Giroux in that group.

The responsible play you correctly point out is surely due to this as well.

Nobody really knows what Hextall would've done. The Niskanen trade was a really, really good trade for the Flyers. Can't say that Hextall would've done that. I do believe that Hextall at some point would've accelerated his plan and turned more aggressive.

I believe that Vigneault is a big part of the success to this point. However I don't believe he is the biggest reason. Players are always the biggest reason. This team has chemistry and they've all bought into what the coaches want. Even JVR and Voracek are playing more responsibly. That's the biggest cause in my opinion.
- MJL

There's a lot of reasons, and I believe 100% the coach can play a huge role in turning around a club, look no further than Edmonton with largely the same lineup are much much better under Tip than last year.

Hayes second half resurgence has pretty much allowed Giroux to slide back to the wing, his numbers almost immediately started to come.

It's all a guessing game and regardless of why it's happened, I'm damn glad it did, except it's all for nothing seemingly with the "Chinese virus"

My suspicion is that AV had some role in the Hayes signing.

When Hayes signed, so many people laughed. Hayes was described basically as a third line type, steady player. Boy, how things changed. I can't think of a signing since Pronger who has had such an impact, not just directly, but also from synergy effects.
- PT21

That's not true. Hayes was described as a second line center type, not 3rd line.

My suspicion is that AV had some role in the Hayes signing.

When Hayes signed, so many people laughed. Hayes was described basically as a third line type, steady player. Boy, how things changed. I can't think of a signing since Pronger who has had such an impact, not just directly, but also from synergy effects.
- PT21

Quite possible he did, yes, having had history together in NYC. Hayes second half, once he got comfortable with things in Philly, was a big reason the club was doing so well, a lot of nights he was the teams best player and the PK is really good with him and Laughty giving teams fits.

That's not true. Hayes was described as a second line center type, not 3rd line.
- MJL

I am talking about the disparaging comments that abounded, not his assessment in the press. Scored more than 20 goals just once, never hit 50 points, etc. etc.

I am talking about the disparaging comments that abounded, not his assessment in the press. Scored more than 20 goals just once, never hit 50 points, etc. etc.
- PT21

Not talking about the press. There are always a few knuckleheads who don't know what they're talking about. Just like Couturier was a 3rd line center. The majority of fans and posters characterized Hayes properly as a 2nd line center.

Highlights of my 1-on-1 with Chuck Fletcher

https://www.nhl.com/flyer...huck-fletcher/c-316462476

I am talking about the disparaging comments that abounded, not his assessment in the press. Scored more than 20 goals just once, never hit 50 points, etc. etc.
- PT21

I don't think he will score enough points each year to make his contract seem appropriate. I really don't care though. He has solidified this team down the middle. He is also a much better leader than I thought. I don't like the contract numbers but I love the player.

Highlights of my 1-on-1 with Chuck Fletcher

https://www.nhl.com/flyer...huck-fletcher/c-316462476
- bmeltzer

Good stuff, thanks Bill

I don't think he will score enough points each year to make his contract seem appropriate. I really don't care though. He has solidified this team down the middle. He is also a much better leader than I thought. I don't like the contract numbers but I love the player.
- mickel25

Thing about individual stats is they don't always measure how much the other player improves teammate play. Just to cite one concrete example, Hayes is significantly responsible for Giroux spending almost 1 full minute a game less short-handed this season compared to the last, even with Lindblom out of the line up.