icehole

I don't know how to appraise this team. I think they played better than we thought, but there's a reason we thought they'd be worse...they're not that good. They got where they got to because of the coach and his structure, and they should've made the playoffs. But I think the ceiling for a good coach with average players is a playoff bubble team to a first round exit. They just need better players. As for the organization moving forward as a whole, was this season a step in the right direction? I don't think so. Before the season started, we had Hart in goal with Errson as a promising backup. We had Couturier and Atkison coming off injury and thought they could make the team better. We had Walker but didn't know he would do anything. We hoped Farabee and Frost would take that next step. We ended up with Hart being detained and may never play in the NHL again. Errson was OK but showed his weaknesses. Fedotov came over (didn't expect that) and seemed like he didn't know how to play the position. Couturier and Atkison look like they are cooked. Walker played really well then got traded for a first round pick. Farabee wasn't very good but I thought Frost improved a little. Oh, and I almost forgot, the first key piece of the "future", the one we were all watching closely, the one who is probably the number one or two prospect in the NHL refuses to play for the team, and is traded before ever playing a game for us. Some positives are TK is a star (not a superstar or elite) Tippet can dazzle Cam York improved Seeler was better than expected. Poeling was better than expected. Drysdale looks like he can play although he looked lost sometimes and got injured. So overall, I don't think it was a good step in the right direction. I think they should be willing to sell just about anyone, and try to get assets for the draft. The rebuild started this season, but they didn't get too far.

You're putting two forwards up against to defenseman. That's not an even comparison. Defensmen typically get more ice time. Plus the Flyers are depleted on defense and they don't have any proven young Defensmen to play ahead of those guys. Maybe Ginning or Attard could play in place of them, but do they make the team better? Staal is often scratched, which he should be. Johnson doesn't impress me, but it's what they have.

Are you talking about the Flyers here? I can't think of any washed up vets replacing offensively gifted players on the Flyers since he's been here. In fact, he replaces washed up vets, even if they were just named captain a few weeks prior. Like I said, I don't know what these guys do once they've been "promoted" to a front office position. I still think he can add something, and in the end, you would think Danny and Jonesy get final say.

I just saw an article from the Athletic on this. I don't know what everyone does up in that office, but I'm not opposed to this. As I said, I'm leaning toward Torts not being the right coach, but I still like him and think he has a good hockey mind. I can't see them firing him at this point, but if they could move him upstairs and bring in a younger, new age, older brother type coach, I think that could happen.

I'm starting to lean towards him not being the guy. I think that if he had that core of players that were stars and have been in the league 10 years, maybe he can be that guy. But he won't last that long to find out. It's a shame though. He's my favorite coach since Lavi, and probably my second favorite flyers coach of all time behind Lavi. Flyers have had some unlikeable coaches. Speaking of Lavi, I don't know if he can make it to the end either. He has a good start on teams but flames out quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers flame out early this year.

Maybe "great" is too much. But I think his coaching has been better than the result. I think if he had the right mix of players, things would be different. Instead, it seems like he has some babies playing for him. Babies that become captain, play like garbage, get benched, and then complain about how they are treated. But that's the point of my thread. Maybe it's too much to ask to get the right mix of players that will buy into his coaching style. Maybe that style worked in 2004 but not in 2024. There's already a star that wouldn't play here, and Michkov doesn't seem like a kid that will take hard criticism too well. I could be wrong.

I know I'm in the minority here, but his career has always been somewhat of a disappointment to me. And that's not a thing with numbers, but more of a feel. He had a good rookie season, a few not so great seasons, then in about a 3-5 year period he started producing and won the selkie. Then he started to decline, got injured, and we are where we are today. So I feel like the majority of his career has been a disappointment and I don't want him leading my team. And since he's not going to get better, my disdain for him grows, and I (maybe unfairly) put a lot of blame on him. I wish he would just go away.

And to be clear, I'm not advocating firing him, I'm just wondering if he was the right hire in the first place. I'm blame the players 100%, but you can't push them too hard these days...they have too much control.

That's fair, but I wouldn't consider that a keeper. I look at that more like we're stuck with a guy with a big contract who stunts this team's progress. So yes, let's put him under the "nobody want-ers" list instead the keeper list. I'm listening to any offers and maybe even throwing his name out there though if I'm Danny.

I love Torts, but is he the right guy right now? I think he got this team further than most other coaches would have. But can a young team keep up with his style of coaching? Is Gauthier still in the flyers system if he isn't coach? Would the flyers be bigger sellers at the deadline? I feel like if they hired some young players coach, they would probably be irresponsible out on the ice, but these younger players would play looser and blossom. Coots could be captain out of training camp and everyone would love and respect his two way game. They'd be a bottom 10 team, have a few more assets from trades throughout the season, and maybe Gauthier would still be here. Torts is a great coach who younger softer players can't or won't play for in 2024.

I'm sorry, but why is everyone "keeping" Couturier? To me, he seems like the best example of getting rid of a big name player, and the team plays better without him. I don't think he should be captain and I don't think he's been a leader at all. I think he gets respect (and probably too much of it) for playing a two way game. Not many do that, so they make a big deal of it when someone does. If he had more skill and aggression on the offensive side, he wouldn't have to worry so much about playing a two way game. The only way I keep him is if I can't get anything for him. First through third round pick, and we don't retain salary or anything like that, I would send him away. This isn't a team that has any "must keep" players, so you listen to any offers. I'd be hesitant on trading Forster, Tippett, and Drysdale, but that's about it.

Ok. Next question - who hires him? I thought the GM would hire him, but if he's Danny's boss, Danny didn't hire him. Dave Scott left, so who makes that hire. Again, I like Keith Jones, but this seems very odd. One day they'll do something like this, it will work, and they'll be the gold standard of the league.

What does president of hockey ops do? Does he get involved with scouting, drafting, and development? Who is his boss and who is he the boss of. I like Jonesy and I think he's very smart. I just don't know what he will add.

You would think its a rarity, but it's closer to a miracle. I couldn't believe it when I looked it up. 18 out of the last 20 cup winners had a 1st or 2nd pick. Some had both. Some had 1 and 3. It's hard to see a bright future when picking 5 and 7. Maybe they can be the team that changes the trend, but it's not too promising.

I see Kadri, Nazim playing with Mackinnon (1), Gabe Landekog (2), and Cal Makar (4). So I did the research and found that Stl in 2019 only had Schenn who was a number 5 pick and he was on his 3rd team. They were also a lightning in a bottle team. Tampa had Stamkos (1) and Headman (2). Washington had Ovie (1). Pitt had Crosby (1) and Malkin (2) and other higher than 5 picks. Chicago had Kane (1) and Toews (3). LA had Doughty (2). Boston had Seguin (2). Detroit in 08 didn't have any top 5s. Anaheim had Neidemeir (3) and Perry (2). Carolina had Staal (2). Tampa had VLC (1). Those are the last 20 cup winners. Only 2 teams had players that were picked higher than 2nd.