radoran

JVR was a lottery loss as the Flyers had the worse record but didn't get first pick. Patrick was a lottery win moving up from 12 to 2.

14 was given that role when 28 left. They just couldn't give it to him until he was "healthy." They aren't. They won't take "fair value" for him. They are building around three (four) guys ALL of whom were at the very least passive observers of, by official accounts, the complete and total destruction of the team's fundamental culture AND THERE'S NOBODY BETTER TO DO IT. It's almost like they don't actually believe the first part. It's also important, according to the coach, to "not fall in love with players" because this is a rebuild and you have to do things the right way because there aren't any shortcuts. And we have to keep these guys because the coach likes them. It's almost like they don't believe the first part. I'm not at all sure where my ambivalence towards their stated position comes from. I've been pretty clear with this organization* for over ten years. Stop telling me what you're doing, have your actions demonstrate it. The jury isn't even out, the cases are still being presented.

"Cup winning vet" needs to play limited minutes for 20-odd games? As a person who watched them absolutely torch a 1st, 2 2nds, a 7th, and two roster players on a guy who's signature achievement so far has been to be injured most of the year on a team that's actually making a playoff case... Losing the 4th doesn't bother me. And he recouped the 5th. I need more of a pattern to be "worried" about Briere at this point. Although I would be happier if we had fewer shots of the New Era chumming it up with the Old Era.

They didn't. They spent a lower round pick to send a message to the roster that they should keep working to make the playoffs despite losing Walker. You may not agree with that aspect, either, but I don't think Briere wants to "lose the room." Whether "the room" is something worth keeping in it's current form is a major question (it's not), but I can see where a former player wants to have the players' backs when he can. They "shouldn't" be "trying to make the playoffs" and one could argue that Johnson fits that plan...

It's when you start to weave the conventional wisdom official organization lines together that they start to conflict with each other. If you can't build the foundation of your culture on the back of a guy who sat by and idly watched the entire team culture get destroyed around him, who else would you choose? There aren't any other options. Laughton's an absolutely critical piece on a middling, bubble playoff team. Again. I don't hate the player. He's "an NHL player" who "plays the right way" and there are likely a couple dozen of him playing in the league.

It's a Canadian $10. No worries.

He's meant to be a message that the management hasn't abandoned the roster. How effective he is is almost beside the point to the act of making the move after trading Walker. This was a 4th rounder bone to the roster for playing above their heads.

The game and the draft has changed significantly. The lottery has reduced the incentive for tanking. The Flyers twice has worst record and didn't get #1 overall. Looking post-lockout and salary cap, there isn't a team that has won a Cup that hasn't picked in the top 5 or had another team's top 5 (hard to duplicate Vegas). It's not about looking at what a non capped league was about. Teams could BUY other teams players. It's about looking at how Cup winning teams have been built in the 21st Century. "Tanking" doesn't always work. It's very imperfect and the league has worked to make it harder (after it saved Pittsburgh). But there likewise isn't a single instance of a team being consistently mediocre, bubble playoff team, picking middle of the first, that suddenly becomes a serious Cup contender. The Kings won "as an 8 seed" and had picked 5-2-4-11-11 the five years before 2010. The Blues had their own #4 overall with Pietrangelo. The Bruins had the haul they got from 1/2 picks Kessel and Seguin. Washington - Ovechkin, Backstrom, Alzner Pittsburgh - Crosby, Malkin, Fleury... Tampa - Stamkos/Hedman Colorado - Makar, Landeskog, MacKinnon Chicago - Kane/Toews Even "wild card" Vegas has Pietrangelo and Eichel among others. That's every Cup winner since 2008.

Flyers have been playing playoff hockey all season. They're now playing playoff teams gearing up for playoff hockey. If all goes well they'll play Florida in a best of 7. Yes, "they just beat Florida" Also, FLORIDA IS THE TOP SEED IN THE EAST AND FOLLOWING UP A FINALS APPEARANCE AND WE'RE THE GODDAMN PHILADELPHIA FLYERS WHO HAVEN'T DONE SQUAT FOR OVER A DECADE.

Panarin being available was one thing. They did keep Zibenijad. The key thing was identifying the players they WANTED to keep. The Flyers have Couturier, Konecny, Sanheim, Laughton locked up. The Rangers are actually a pretty good example of a rebuild. You don't sign 30-somethings.

I think it's where you bite the bullet and send something like your two firsts this year plus Konecny to, say, Anaheim for a Top 5 pick. Does that get it done? As a start? Anaheim's got some young talent, recent top picks and could add a veteran scorer AND depth talent? More importantly, the Flyers need to make their "their guy" is going to be there and it going to be "that guy." I do think it's going to take "that sort" of deal. I don't want to move Konecny, but I'd rather win a Cup.

Your opinion was expressed immediately following your insistence that you don't have an opinion. They kept Laughton and Seeler exactly because they are the types of player that Tortorella likes. Tortorella has also coached a team to one playoff round win in 10 years. We'll see how it goes.

What I'm saying is that the 2nd they're getting for him this year is more valuable than anything any of the "AHL minutes" or whatever would have given them. Missing on #2 overall is a huge problem. Having a #5 walk away is a big problem. Having your #7(2!) be a legitimate question mark is an issue. Missing on #11 overall can be a real detriment. And was. Missing on 15+ is a crapshoot. So is picking 15+ consistently. You can get a Sanheim or a Laughton. There are the occasional Konecnys. Couturier was top 10. Provorov - who landed all these assets in return - was a 7. They have Farabee, York, Forester. Still working on Frost. They're a bubble playoff team with obvious holes (1C, 1D) that most likely aren't going to be filled with guys in the second half of the draft. Adding more of that level guy can get you exactly where they are. Yes, fine, "York/Frost may develop into a..." - there are other teams in the same or better rebuild position with better players in that position. This isn't about getting the best out of whoever the Flyers draft, it's getting the Flyers to draft better overall players. To do that, you don't consistently pick or rely on the second half of the first round. We fundamentally agree this team needs more talent. Effort is great. Grit is wonderful. Determination. Playing hard. The Right Way. The goal is to win the Stanley Cup. There isn't a recent Cup Winner that hadn't either picked top 5 in the decade before their win or had top 5 picks on the roster. It's absolutely no guarantee but it seems pretty clear that expecting to magically change what is a clearly established pattern give less of a chance. Happy, as always, to be wrong.

He's on his second franchise as well. Morin was a reach. You show me the "shoulda had" instead of O'Brien that's more valuable than the 2nd they're getting this year.

They need to take a bite of a better apple. If they identify a player they want and if they can make a move to get him, I think they have to look at it. Right now they're picking 17th and 25+ (possibly 32). Next year looks like much of the same. Adding multiple Laughtons isn't going to move the talent needle. You have to go back to 2015 to find a draft with impact players in it that late (Connor 17, Boeser 23, Konecny 24) and even they aren't game breakers.

Here's the rest of O'Brien's first round: Missing on Bokk doesn't seem to have been detrimental to the Blues' development? Who amongst that group is the "help" that would have changed their fortunes? You can get down to Sharangovich in the 5th before there's anything resembling "impact". Miller, Lundestrom, Sandin, Lundkvist, Veleno - deck chairs. If any of them were still on this roster, I'd be shocked. Quite frankly, the Flyers are better off with the 2nd in this year's as compensation. But your overall point is correct - don't draft projects when you need players. Right now, they're picking 17th. In recent years that's gotten players like Peyton Krebs or Lukas Reichel. In O'Brien's draft year it was Ty Smith, who's on his second franchise and playing in Wilkes-Barre. Help is on the way.

There is no player they "missed" on with O'Brien. Yes, you could look at a K'Andre Miller, but you're still talking about a #19 pick. You've got him in Poehling. Similar situation with Rubustov - it's not like there's another immediate guy you can point to until the second round. It's why picking lower in the draft is a hazard because some drafts are really thin. With Morin, 11 overall, went two before Josh Morrissey. There's half a dozen guys you could easily point to as reliable depth if not an impact player taken soon after him. Taking "a project" at 11 overall is a fool's errand #halloffame The depth issue this team has can best be explained by one player representing two roster players and five draft picks to acquire.

Whodunnit???

If you are of the opinion that the Leaves are pretty much equal to the Flyers in quality of roster... And, understand, I think the Leaves are fundamentally flawed in a couple of places, goaltending among them. But there's a reason the Leaves are pretty secure in a playoff spot and the Flyers are a two game losing streak away from being on the outside looking in. Cap friendly: The Leaves have a cap hit of $97M with $14M in IR adjustments. The Flyers have an $83M cap hit.

They had to at least make a show of trying to make the playoffs after trading Walker. But they did feature Gurianov, who has the benefit of not knowing how to pronounce "Foerester". This game adequately displayed the difference between a team gearing up for the playoffs and one that's been playing "playoff hockey" all season.

I have ESPN+ along with Hulu apparently. But it doesn't show up as a channel on the listing. You have to look at the "sports" panel to find it...

The pregame emphasis was on discipline and staying out of the box. Not sure Deslauries in the lineup supports that message. Toronto looks like they're playing a different game in the offensive zone. The movement and fluidity is noticeable and not many players have the vision of that first goal.

Hatcher was 32 when he signed with the Flyers. Mike Rathje was... Checks notes... 30. Crazy to sign a guy long term at that age. Absolutely crazy. They were a masterstroke from the GM to shore up the defense on definitely a playoff team.

There is a stretch there where the Sharks were one of the better teams in the league. And a stretch where the Flyers would do the typical "take the one game against a West Coast team lightly" thing. And even now with the Sharks being one of the worst teams in the league and effectively playing for nothing, it's a tough one goal win for a team playing for a playoff spot.