Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Stadium Series, Memorial Cup, TIFH and More

Fresh bakery sticky buns are the best.

Still early though nothing to be impressed about this new regime and the GM. We shall see after the draft and what the next 6 weeks bring.

The 3 headed monster can talk all they want, the action will speak volumes. Some of the things they say don't give me a warm feeling.

Hope Eichel wins a cup.

Bill any thoughts on Zanetti? Why is playing in Europe instead of phantoms?

Fresh bakery sticky buns are the best.

Still early though nothing to be impressed about this new regime and the GM. We shall see after the draft and what the next 6 weeks bring.

The 3 headed monster can talk all they want, the action will speak volumes. Some of the things they say don't give me a warm feeling.

Hope Eichel wins a cup.

Bill any thoughts on Zanetti? Why is playing in Europe instead of phantoms?
- hello it's me 2050

Zanetti isn't under ELC nor should he be at this point . The Flyers have 2 more seasons to assess him in Switzerland.

At least Kjell's daughter Allie Samuelsson (who works on the PR/communications side for the Flyers) wasn't tasked with writing the press release about her dad
- bmeltzer

Amazing

Zanetti isn't under ELC nor should he be at this point . The Flyers have 2 more seasons to assess him in Switzerland.
- bmeltzer

Got it. Might as well give a shout out to Kevin Romy. Always wanted to see him give NA a shot.

So have all the senior advisor roles been eliminated?

i can't speak for the Pens dismissals, but when a team literally sucks as bad as the Flyers in all aspects - drafting, development and overall organizational philosophy, the only person left standing should be the owner. There are still way too many "Flyers" in this organization. What we have now is another 4-5 years of the same crap. Maybe after this "new' regime is determined to be an abject failure, we can finally start the rebuild and bring some exciting hockey to Philly. Case in point - Rick MacLeish, who played for the Flyers 5 decades ago, is still probably the most dynamic skater they have ever had.

i can't speak for the Pens dismissals, but when a team literally sucks as bad as the Flyers in all aspects - drafting, development and overall organizational philosophy, the only person left standing should be the owner. There are still way too many "Flyers" in this organization. What we have now is another 4-5 years of the same crap. Maybe after this "new' regime is determined to be an abject failure, we can finally start the rebuild and bring some exciting hockey to Philly. Case in point - Rick MacLeish, who played for the Flyers 5 decades ago, is still probably the most dynamic skater they have ever had.
- mr4tno

The pro scouting personal are a little long in the tooth. No wonder they suck at identifying talent at the pro level. Is there any young voice who follows the modern game in that group

I'm older than most. You get that way if you live long enough.
If you think that we elders have no utility in making decisions, as our brains have been reduced to mush and trivialities, being easily distracted, incoherent in conceptualizations, and unable to rank what can be listed, OK.
This can apply to us in general but you must consider us as individuals.
If you don't, the prizes will slip by.
Since I can assess or access only limited information on these 'hold-overs', I wouldn't use their age as much of a determinative factor.
How have they done the job? Are they still motivated to do it? Can they adapt to the new crew?
Those factors seem most critical.
Organizational knowledge is useful. Many here interpret that as negative. Good-ol-boys in league to keep grifting out a salary in a country club hockey operation. Nepotism and former affiliates getting jobs? Who do they know better? If they are reasonably competent (not every job is a test and everybody does not need to be a superstar) why not hire them if the drama is reduced in the workplace?
Frankly, there is enough outright BS here to formulate that you are just whiners.
Advocates for guns and LGBTQ sorts have nothing on you.
Children (I'm old so it can't be me!) blame the world for their being unhappy and everyone in it. Egoists can't admit that they are in the wrong and strew crazy scenarios about how they were cheated, mistreated, and in general, the world is against them.
In the competitive world, the truth will become known.
My fellow old farts had plenty of scenes pass that will not be seen again. Like tears in the rain. The question is, do these hires have the ability to absorb those tears and generate novel and EFFECTIVE techniques to do the jobs (maybe more) than they were hired for?
Geriatrics and their offspring to be tossed out with the bath water needs to be done selectively.
Recall all of this is guessing right, at the right moment, and making acceptable moves within a restricted environment.
Avoiding errors sometimes is better than making desperate decisions
Otherwise, as is so frequently stated, rinse and repeat.

I'm older than most. You get that way if you live long enough.
If you think that we elders have no utility in making decisions, as our brains have been reduced to mush and trivialities, being easily distracted, incoherent in conceptualizations, and unable to rank what can be listed, OK.
This can apply to us in general but you must consider us as individuals.
If you don't, the prizes will slip by.
Since I can assess or access only limited information on these 'hold-overs', I wouldn't use their age as much of a determinative factor.
How have they done the job? Are they still motivated to do it? Can they adapt to the new crew?
Those factors seem most critical.
Organizational knowledge is useful. Many here interpret that as negative. Good-ol-boys in league to keep grifting out a salary in a country club hockey operation. Nepotism and former affiliates getting jobs? Who do they know better? If they are reasonably competent (not every job is a test and everybody does not need to be a superstar) why not hire them if the drama is reduced in the workplace?
Frankly, there is enough outright BS here to formulate that you are just whiners.
Advocates for guns and LGBTQ sorts have nothing on you.
Children (I'm old so it can't be me!) blame the world for their being unhappy and everyone in it. Egoists can't admit that they are in the wrong and strew crazy scenarios about how they were cheated, mistreated, and in general, the world is against them.
In the competitive world, the truth will become known.
My fellow old farts had plenty of scenes pass that will not be seen again. Like tears in the rain. The question is, do these hires have the ability to absorb those tears and generate novel and EFFECTIVE techniques to do the jobs (maybe more) than they were hired for?
Geriatrics and their offspring to be tossed out with the bath water needs to be done selectively.
Recall all of this is guessing right, at the right moment, and making acceptable moves within a restricted environment.
Avoiding errors sometimes is better than making desperate decisions
Otherwise, as is so frequently stated, rinse and repeat.
- Pompous

Agreed, that having experienced guys is not always a bad thing. I think young and innovative can be a really good thing as well. All the jobs should be based on the ability to do the jobs. To me, Briere and Jonesy may want guys they can relate to and trust. Some might be in those roles already, some may be cast aside simply because the new guys aren’t comfortable with or may have someone else they are comfortable with and trust….it doesn’t make the guys on there way out bad at their job. The onus for success falls on the Danny and Keith and they should be able to surround themselves with guys that they feel will best lead to that success.
The changes in the last couple of days may only be a start.

Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Stadium Series, Memorial Cup, TIFH and More
- bmeltzer

Your column basically describes in a nutshell why this organization has struggled for a decade: too many people in the scouting/developmental depts are guys who cut their teeth in eras of hockey both long gone and irrelevant to how the game is played today.

They may be fine people and no one enjoys being told their services are no longer required but let’s face it, many of the scouts you named are long past their effective dates. When 50 year old Sami Kapanen is the young guy among the senior scouts, you have a problem.

Hopefully a lot more are replaced after this draft, these changes are years overdue.

Your column basically describes in a nutshell why this organization has struggled for a decade: too many people in the scouting/developmental depts are guys who cut their teeth in eras of hockey both long gone and irrelevant to how the game is played today.

They may be fine people and no one enjoys being told their services are no longer required but let’s face it, many of the scouts you named are long past their effective dates. When 50 year old Sami Kapanen is the young guy among the senior scouts, you have a problem.

Hopefully a lot more are replaced after this draft, these changes are years overdue.
- BiggE

to add also tired of hearing how nice a guys they are, means nothing to me. Give me the jerk off ho at least gets some results.

With the budget the flyers have (pretty much unlimited) they should have one of the best scouting and technology based dept in all of hockey. In NA and Europe.

I'm older than most. You get that way if you live long enough.
If you think that we elders have no utility in making decisions, as our brains have been reduced to mush and trivialities, being easily distracted, incoherent in conceptualizations, and unable to rank what can be listed, OK.
This can apply to us in general but you must consider us as individuals.
If you don't, the prizes will slip by.
Since I can assess or access only limited information on these 'hold-overs', I wouldn't use their age as much of a determinative factor.
How have they done the job? Are they still motivated to do it? Can they adapt to the new crew?
Those factors seem most critical.
Organizational knowledge is useful. Many here interpret that as negative. Good-ol-boys in league to keep grifting out a salary in a country club hockey operation. Nepotism and former affiliates getting jobs? Who do they know better? If they are reasonably competent (not every job is a test and everybody does not need to be a superstar) why not hire them if the drama is reduced in the workplace?
Frankly, there is enough outright BS here to formulate that you are just whiners.
Advocates for guns and LGBTQ sorts have nothing on you.
Children (I'm old so it can't be me!) blame the world for their being unhappy and everyone in it. Egoists can't admit that they are in the wrong and strew crazy scenarios about how they were cheated, mistreated, and in general, the world is against them.
In the competitive world, the truth will become known.
My fellow old farts had plenty of scenes pass that will not be seen again. Like tears in the rain. The question is, do these hires have the ability to absorb those tears and generate novel and EFFECTIVE techniques to do the jobs (maybe more) than they were hired for?
Geriatrics and their offspring to be tossed out with the bath water needs to be done selectively.
Recall all of this is guessing right, at the right moment, and making acceptable moves within a restricted environment.
Avoiding errors sometimes is better than making desperate decisions
Otherwise, as is so frequently stated, rinse and repeat.
- Pompous

There is enough information in your post here to formulate that you're incoherent in conceptualizations and unable to actually process many of the opinions made. You considering it to be whining, is the evidence of that. When a franchise is stuck in old ways. Continuing to operate as they did pre-cap and don't evolve in the modern day league in terms of development, strategy and team molding. Then they deserve to be labeled old and stagnate. They are not and have not been EFFECTIVE for over a decade.

Looks like Columbus is about to go on Kevin Hayes' no trade list.

Looks like Columbus is about to go on Kevin Hayes' no trade list.
- MBFlyerfan

What’s going on there

Looks like Columbus is about to go on Kevin Hayes' no trade list.
- MBFlyerfan

in a way would be funny him sticking it to President/GM/Coach Torts

There is enough information in your post here to formulate that you're incoherent in conceptualizations and unable to actually process many of the opinions made. You considering it to be whining, is the evidence of that. When a franchise is stuck in old ways. Continuing to operate as they did pre-cap and don't evolve in the modern day league in terms of development, strategy and team molding. Then they deserve to be labeled old and stagnate. They are not and have not been EFFECTIVE for over a decade.
- MJL

flaming and trolling.

Happy pride month to you and all the flyers posters.

What’s going on there
- ClaudeFather

Looks like they may be hiring Babcock.

Thank you for exposing the names, and incompetence of the pro/amateur scouting departments.

Country club rats who have been able to gnaw away at this franchise for far too many years.

Rumor is Kjell Samuelson’s dog works in the mail room and was spared the indignity of shredding his documents.

Your column basically describes in a nutshell why this organization has struggled for a decade: too many people in the scouting/developmental depts are guys who cut their teeth in eras of hockey both long gone and irrelevant to how the game is played today.

They may be fine people and no one enjoys being told their services are no longer required but let’s face it, many of the scouts you named are long past their effective dates. When 50 year old Sami Kapanen is the young guy among the senior scouts, you have a problem.

Hopefully a lot more are replaced after this draft, these changes are years overdue.
- BiggE

The issue is that they continue to mostly promote from within. Really the only two hires that weren't technically inside the organization are Keith Jones and Tortorella. One, Jones, has zero experience running an NHL team and the other is an archaic, obsolete dinosaur of a coach. Confidence building.

Looks like they may be hiring Babcock.
- MBFlyerfan

A great fit for Laine and Gaudreau lol

A great fit for Laine and Gaudreau lol
- ClaudeFather

I don't get the hire in any way, shape, or form.

The issue is that they continue to mostly promote from within. Really the only two hires that weren't technically inside the organization are Keith Jones and Tortorella. One, Jones, has zero experience running an NHL team and the other is an archaic, obsolete dinosaur of a coach. Confidence building.
- MJL

Was just rewatching Moneyball and a fair amount of it struck me as relevant to what the Flyers are going through.

I feel many of the Flyers lifers have the ego of the head scout in the clip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugN5aD5p2NU

A 12 year old movie about something the Flyers have so far pretty much just paid lip service to.

I don't get the hire in any way, shape, or form.
- MBFlyerfan

Based on the fact Babcock is a terrible person and it’s documented, I don’t get it. In terms of success, I understand.

About a week ago, I’m at the local bar hanging out with a couple regulars and a guy from Columbus joined into the conversation. According to him, Torts was and still is beloved to Columbus. They say he’s very much missed. Maybe they believe Babcock brings what Torts did.

Was just rewatching Moneyball and a fair amount of it struck me as relevant to what the Flyers are going through.

I feel many of the Flyers lifers have the ego of the head scout in the clip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugN5aD5p2NU

A 12 year old movie about something the Flyers have so far pretty much just paid lip service to.
- Flyers_01

its all about the analytics. The irony, for me at least, is that I think analytics has improved hockey as a sport. It has shown us that all kinds of players can succeed in the game if used correctly. The other side of that is that I think analytics ruined baseball. It turned it in to a boring home run or strikeout snoozefest that gave us the shift and steroid laden monsters. It took all that was fun and interesting out of the game.