Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 2/6/23 vs. NYI

Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 2/6/23 vs. NYI
- bmeltzer

Thanks Bill

Bill, any thoughts on the Horvat trade leaving the new contract out of the equation?

Has it been a week already?

I apologize if this was posted already.

https://phillyhockeynow.c...rn-update-chuck-fletcher/

Bill, any thoughts on the Horvat trade leaving the new contract out of the equation?
- Angus4444

Well, we all know what Lou thinks of the contract.

Bill, any thoughts on the Horvat trade leaving the new contract out of the equation?
- Angus4444

The extension HAS to be part of the equation, in my opinion. Without it, it would have been a major risk on a rental player for a team that's not likely to win the Stanley Cup this year. With the extension, it was worth a 1st round pick, an NHL roster player and a B-level prospect. Even if Horvat never again statistically matches what he's been doing this season, he's a very good player who brings more value than his stats alone.

Well, we all know what Lou thinks of the contract.

- MBFlyerfan

Lou doesn’t care. He’s 80 and wants to try to win in the next two years. He’ll be long gone when that contract looks really bad.

Lou doesn’t care. He’s 80 and wants to try to win in the next two years. He’ll be long gone when that contract looks really bad.
- Minnyhock

I didn't say anything about whether he cared. I just thought what he said was funny.

good to have Allison back. I hope Sanheim and TA can figure it out, but it is a lot of hope.

Small steps forward, trade all you can, keep Coots out and hope for a great trade deadline and lottery luv

Brink, Attard, Foester, Desnoyers to name a few, keep them in LHV to make a run in the playoffs or bring them up to get a taste of the NHL. For me, as long as they are playing well, let them see how far they can take it down there.


Interesting when college is over, could Cutter join LHV for the playoffs, does that line up

Brink, Attard, Foester, Desnoyers to name a few, keep them in LHV to make a run in the playoffs or bring them up to get a taste of the NHL. For me, as long as they are playing well, let them see how far they can take it down there.


Interesting when college is over, could Cutter join LHV for the playoffs, does that line up
- wcorvette

There is no rule that says he can't. Personally I don't think he should. But if he does I hope he plays great and succeeds. I would hope it turns out the way Richards and Carter did when they joined the Phantoms for their run. Granted, they were both 20.

Speaking earlier about the Flyers development woes with Ratcliff, I am very concerned about what the Flyers are trying to do with Gauthier. He is a winger, plain and simple. Trying to force a player to center at this stage is a tough task. First his development will take much longer given he has not played center before and to play center for Torts you have to be on point. Secondly Gauthier's ceiling will be lowered to a 2C or 3C. If the Flyers recognize that they lack center depth, which they most certainly do, the answer is to get some high draft picks and draft a true center, not force a good winger with a high ceiling into a position he has never played before.

Brink, Attard, Foester, Desnoyers to name a few, keep them in LHV to make a run in the playoffs or bring them up to get a taste of the NHL. For me, as long as they are playing well, let them see how far they can take it down there.


Interesting when college is over, could Cutter join LHV for the playoffs, does that line up
- wcorvette

If the Flyers keep forcing Cutter to play center, he will need to spend at least another year at BC before he is ready for the AHL. The Flyers should get securely in the top 10 and draft the best center available, and then let Cutter play win IMO.

There is no rule that says he can't. Personally I don't think he should. But if he does I hope he plays great and succeeds. I would hope it turns out the way Richards and Carter did when they joined the Phantoms for their run. Granted, they were both 20.
- MBFlyerfan

yeah, I think he will want to and college players seem to have more leverage on turning pro. If so, why not be a part of a playoff run

Speaking earlier about the Flyers development woes with Ratcliff, I am very concerned about what the Flyers are trying to do with Gauthier. He is a winger, plain and simple. Trying to force a player to center at this stage is a tough task. First his development will take much longer given he has not played center before and to play center for Torts you have to be on point. Secondly Gauthier's ceiling will be lowered to a 2C or 3C. If the Flyers recognize that they lack center depth, which they most certainly do, the answer is to get some high draft picks and draft a true center, not force a good winger with a high ceiling into a position he has never played before.
- jd250

Not trying to stir the pot, but in the last blog you mentioned Cates as a player that the Flyers are developing well. He is a winger playing out of position as a center in the best league on the planet. Also, the Flyers aren't forcing Gauthier to play center, they have just expressed that they think he could be a center in the NHL.

The BC coach even moved him to wing after struggling to start the season and the whole team had its worst game. He moved back to center and is having a pretty solid freshman season on a pretty mediocre team. All pretty well documented here: https://theathletic.com/3...-gauthier-boston-college/

Not trying to stir the pot, but in the last blog you mentioned Cates as a player that the Flyers are developing well. He is a winger playing out of position as a center in the best league on the planet. Also, the Flyers aren't forcing Gauthier to play center, they have just expressed that they think he could be a center in the NHL.

The BC coach even moved him to wing after struggling to start the season and the whole team had its worst game. He moved back to center and is having a pretty solid freshman season on a pretty mediocre team. All pretty well documented here: https://theathletic.com/3...-gauthier-boston-college/
- TobyFlenderson

from the small sample size, I prefer him at center, more involved.

If the Flyers keep forcing Cutter to play center, he will need to spend at least another year at BC before he is ready for the AHL. The Flyers should get securely in the top 10 and draft the best center available, and then let Cutter play win IMO.
- jd250

There is no hurry to get Gauthier to the NHL.

Is it customary for the Flyers to send out mid-season letters to STH signed by the coach? I'm not a season ticket holder so I can't really comment on that. Seems like an odd thing to do and sort of echoes the letter the Rangers sent out a while ago to their fans about rebuilding. Also cements Tortorella's status as face of the franchise.

Not trying to stir the pot, but in the last blog you mentioned Cates as a player that the Flyers are developing well. He is a winger playing out of position as a center in the best league on the planet. Also, the Flyers aren't forcing Gauthier to play center, they have just expressed that they think he could be a center in the NHL.

The BC coach even moved him to wing after struggling to start the season and the whole team had its worst game. He moved back to center and is having a pretty solid freshman season on a pretty mediocre team. All pretty well documented here: https://theathletic.com/3...-gauthier-boston-college/
- TobyFlenderson

Since I actually get to watch quite a few of his games I can tell you, putting the stats aside, that Gauthier does not look good at center. He is a winger and ultimately if the Flyers want Gauthier to reach his true ceiling, they should be developing him as a center. I understand your point about Cates, but Cates was forced into that position because the Flyers literally had no centers and Cates, even at his young age, was a 4 year college player and came to the Flyers as the most responsible defensive forward on the team next to Couturier.

Is it customary for the Flyers to send out mid-season letters to STH signed by the coach? I'm not a season ticket holder so I can't really comment on that. Seems like an odd thing to do and sort of echoes the letter the Rangers sent out a while ago to their fans about rebuilding. Also cements Tortorella's status as face of the franchise.
- TobyFlenderson

What did the letter say?

Is it customary for the Flyers to send out mid-season letters to STH signed by the coach? I'm not a season ticket holder so I can't really comment on that. Seems like an odd thing to do and sort of echoes the letter the Rangers sent out a while ago to their fans about rebuilding. Also cements Tortorella's status as face of the franchise.
- TobyFlenderson

I think it’s not the norm and it does echo the rangers letter except it doesn’t specifically say we’re rebuilding like theirs did. Also. I think that the rangers letter came from the fans. It’s a start as I’ve not liked the radio silence and ambiguity on the plan. Hopefully, we’re not there yet means we’re getting rid of vets as much as we can for picks and cap space.

What did the letter say?
- jd250

https://twitter.com/charl...?cxt=HHwWjoCzxfuf7IQtAAAA

I prefer Zamula over Attard. Different d styles, I realize, but if we bring anyone up on D let it be Zamula.

Since I actually get to watch quite a few of his games I can tell you, putting the stats aside, that Gauthier does not look good at center. He is a winger and ultimately if the Flyers want Gauthier to reach his true ceiling, they should be developing him as a center. I understand your point about Cates, but Cates was forced into that position because the Flyers literally had no centers and Cates, even at his young age, was a 4 year college player and came to the Flyers as the most responsible defensive forward on the team next to Couturier.
- jd250

I was under the impression he has been playing center the entire season. His stats, which actually matter, seem to tell a different story. Perhaps he still seems uncomfortable learning a new position, but if he is putting up those numbers playing a new position as a freshman, it seems to me he should do rather well moving forward.