Holmgren - Uncanny eye for talent

[OH1FlyersFan]

I think the article below is a good analysis. I'd put myself in this camp.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/uncanny-eye-talent-push-flyers-172500998--nhl.html

Here are a couple of observations from the article:

"This is a team built to last. Sure, the goaltending of Ilya Bryzgalov was more roller-coaster than any fan would have liked, but the Flyers still boast an impressive array of weapons up front, from the trio of kids mentioned prior to Danny Briere, Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell."

"The bizarre thing is the Flyers have still managed to churn out great young players lately. Brayden Schenn was on the cover of Future Watch, while still property of the L.A. Kings, before the Mike Richards trade. Couturier never made the issue because he went straight from the draft to the NHL – thanks to the high selection Holmgren garnered in the Jeff Carter deal with Columbus. And Read was signed as a college free agent out of Bemidji State, playing 11 games with Adirondack after his year in Minnesota was finished, then jumping right up to the Flyers for his stellar 47-point freshman campaign. So the Flyers can find talent – and they should hold on to it."

[idahophilly]

Excellent article. Well balanced approach. I admit I'm worried (even though a lockout is nearly assured so maybe it doesn't matter anyway) but we are not going to "suck" and will likely make the playoffs...

[JackStraw]

I don't know that I'd say that Homer has an unusually keen eye for talent. I think what separates him from a lot of other GMs is his willingness to take chances. Couturier was widely predicted to be the top pick in the draft until he got sick. Everyone recognized the talent, they were just afraid to take the chance. Same deal with Giroux, everyone saw the talent but most thought he was too small. Homer has the guts of a burglar, as we've clearly seen this off-season. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But the reality is, if you look at the Flyers key players a lot of them came from somewhere else. I'm sure that's at least partly because the Flyers tend not to get high draft picks, but still, if Homer was really some kind of genius at spotting talent I think we would see more home grown players in key roles.

[OH1FlyersFan]

I agree, Jack, he is certainly not afraid to take chances. And just to split hairs, to me, "keen" and "uncanny" do not necessarily mean the same thing.

Uncanny can be defined as "Eery; weird; mysterious; apparently not of this world; hence, noting one supposed to possess preternatural powers."

I think that sums up some of Holmgren's decisions/picks/trades/moves to a "t". Haha!

Either way, the gist of the article is we have a good, strong, young foundation. No need to panic and blow it all up. Let's let it ride and see what we really need later in the season.

[orange_crush]

I don't know that I'd say that Homer has an unusually keen eye for talent. I think what separates him from a lot of other GMs is his willingness to take chances. Couturier was widely predicted to be the top pick in the draft until he got sick. Everyone recognized the talent, they were just afraid to take the chance. Same deal with Giroux, everyone saw the talent but most thought he was too small. Homer has the guts of a burglar, as we've clearly seen this off-season. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But the reality is, if you look at the Flyers key players a lot of them came from somewhere else. I'm sure that's at least partly because the Flyers tend not to get high draft picks, but still, if Homer was really some kind of genius at spotting talent I think we would see more home grown players in key roles.

I agree Homer is a gambling man and sometimes it pays off and sometimes we get hosed like Eminger deal..

[JackStraw]

@OH1FlyersFan - either that or he's just plain nuts.

[jammer2]

@OH1FlyersFan Nice find. This Ryan Kennedy fella seems pretty smart, agree with a lot of his tweets.

[orange_crush]

I think the article below is a good analysis. I'd put myself in this camp.

http://sports.yahoo....00998--nhl.html

Here are a couple of observations from the article:

"This is a team built to last. Sure, the goaltending of Ilya Bryzgalov was more roller-coaster than any fan would have liked, but the Flyers still boast an impressive array of weapons up front, from the trio of kids mentioned prior to Danny Briere, Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell."

"The bizarre thing is the Flyers have still managed to churn out great young players lately. Brayden Schenn was on the cover of Future Watch, while still property of the L.A. Kings, before the Mike Richards trade. Couturier never made the issue because he went straight from the draft to the NHL – thanks to the high selection Holmgren garnered in the Jeff Carter deal with Columbus. And Read was signed as a college free agent out of Bemidji State, playing 11 games with Adirondack after his year in Minnesota was finished, then jumping right up to the Flyers for his stellar 47-point freshman campaign. So the Flyers can find talent – and they should hold on to it."

I have an uncanny eye for strippers...there always taking my dollar bills..

[Howie58]

Greetings:

I have some concerns about "uncanny." I would rather say we have done well without super-high draft picks. That may mean unconventional. Or as some say here, risk taking.

But I also think there is the great trade-off...consistently being in the NHL's upper-middle class with no Cup or having ebbs and flows with "real" Stanley Cup contenders. I think our unusually high winning percentage overall (somewhere around .57, must behind MTL), suggests a design contradiction/flaw. We have consistently good squads but not the occasional great squad that takes the Cup.

Best,

Howie

[Polaris922]

Greetings:

I have some concerns about "uncanny." I would rather say we have done well without super-high draft picks. That may mean unconventional. Or as some say here, risk taking.

But I also think there is the great trade-off...consistently being in the NHL's upper-middle class with no Cup or having ebbs and flows with "real" Stanley Cup contenders. I think our unusually high winning percentage overall (somewhere around .57, must behind MTL), suggests a design contradiction/flaw. We have consistently good squads but not the occasional great squad that takes the Cup.

Best,

Howie

You can't put too much weight in winning percentage stats either... figure Montreal's stat includes when there were six teams, and only Detroit gave them any trouble. Some of those stats will be bloated from such years.

[Howie58]

Polaris:

It's good to hear from you. I grant you the winning percentages aren't the only thing and yes, era matters. That said, I think Flyers fans have a right to be more upset over the absence of their Cup after 37 years than most others. We have a good track record with the exception of what, the early 90s (I think). I think Homer/Snider give us consistent very good teams....but we may not get the exceptional one we need.

Best,

Howie