FLYERS DIRECTION

[Hobo]

Hextall above all people is aggressive enough to see the team as it is doesn't have it, is too inconsistent and lacks scoring..  Why are they just treading water and didn't make any deals..???  What are their plans ?

[jammer2]

10 minutes ago, Hobo said:

Hextall above all people is aggressive enough to see the team as it is doesn't have it, is too inconsistent and lacks scoring..  Why are they just treading water and didn't make any deals..???  What are their plans ?

 

 

 The plan is to stay the course, stay patient, wait for the defensive additions to make it to the big leagues....try not to use up cap space UNTIL our window opens up, which is a few years away. You don't give up assets or cap space to just eek into the playoffs and be knocked out in round or so....that is the way the Leafs operated for decades, did not get them to far.

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

1 hour ago, Hobo said:

Hextall above all people is aggressive enough to see the team as it is doesn't have it, is too inconsistent and lacks scoring..  Why are they just treading water and didn't make any deals..???  What are their plans ?

 

Welcome!

 

From what I read, there was no market to make the trades *we* wanted.  Hexy was lucky to be able to swing the Streit deal. Additionally, the trades that Hexy wanted to make may be completely different than what *we* wanted.  It was the quietest trade deadline in many years.  

[notfondajane]

Streit scored the winning goal against Tampa! (Sometimes I think it's scripted!)

[pilldoc]

1 hour ago, Hobo said:

Hextall above all people is aggressive enough to see the team as it is doesn't have it, is too inconsistent and lacks scoring..  Why are they just treading water and didn't make any deals..???  What are their plans ?

First of welcome to HF.net.  We are great hockey community here with many knowledgeable hockey fans from across the NHL.

With regard to Hexy and the perceived lack of deals.  So let's recap for a moment:

 

1) traded Streit to Tampa for Filppula /4th / con.7th.  Impact: Traded an aging d-man and netted 2 draft picks.  Filppula is an upgrade over Coots at the 2C spot.  Does this mean the Coots 2C experiment is over?  For the time being...yes.  Plus he is 7 years younger than Streit.  As has been mentioned several times on here his 5 million dollar is for only 1 more year.  He could theoretically be bought out at the end of this season or he plays next year as some of the younger guys develop.

 

2) resigned/extended Neuvirth to a 2 yr 5 million deal @ 2.5 million /year.  This means Mason is probably good as gone next year.  For now it will be the Neuvy and in all likelyhood, the Stolarz show.  That is ok with Hart and Lyon in the wings.

 

3) resigned/extended Bellemare to a 2 yr deal worth 1.45 million /year.  A very good signing.  Has taken over the "A" and apparently has much respect in the lockeroom.  A great depth player.  Teams need players like this.

 

So Hexy did do something.  Granted it was not flashy like a vast majority of Flyer hopefuls were wishing for, but it was something none the less.  Let us remember, we don't know what is going on behind closed doors.  Maybe Hexy was working the phones, but remember it takes a dance partner to make a traded.  Apparently none of the other GM's think to highly of some of the Flyers junk.

 

Face it as much as we wished for it, no one was trading for McDud.  DMZ I am shocked a little, but looking at the trade deadline deals there were really no "blockbuster" deals except for Shatty going to the Caps.  Who else were the Flyers gonna move.  Giroux is not worth his contract right now.  Read? / Raffl? (but he is now on the IR for the next several weeks) / no one is looking for Schultz.  I don't know if there is a market for a Weiss type player.  One also has to remember, GM's have to have their house in order for the upcoming Expansion Draft later this spring.  With all those rules in place, I'm sure a GM does not want to risk exposing a player simply because he took a a dumb deal in picking up a McDud type player.

 

I admit it is very frustrating.  The frustration was very evident by the tone of posts this past Wednesday and tempers flared.  All I can say is I bet Hexy does have a plan, but until this expansion draft is over, we as fans have to remain in the dark.

 

I'd rather have Hexy make the right deals than make a deal just for deals sake.  Besides, I'm sure there were deals out there, but at what cost? Giving up picks or god forbid some of the highly touted prospects?  We have been down that road before and I wish we not go there again.

 

Again...welcome to HF.net!

[notfondajane]

Streit scored the winning goal against Tampa! (Sometimes I think it's scripted!) I'm  curious on what happens when the Pens play the Flyers? 

[notfondajane]

1 hour ago, Hobo said:

Hextall above all people is aggressive enough to see the team as it is doesn't have it, is too inconsistent and lacks scoring..  Why are they just treading water and didn't make any deals..???  What are their plans ?

Welcome aboard! Let's have some fun with our rivalry! Go Pens! 

[notfondajane]

2 minutes ago, pilldoc said:

First of welcome to HF.net.  We are great hockey community here with many knowledgeable hockey fans from across the NHL.

With regard to Hexy and the perceived lack of deals.  So let's recap for a moment:

 

1) traded Streit to Tampa for Filppula /4th / con.7th.  Impact: Traded an aging d-man and netted 2 draft picks.  Filppula is an upgrade over Coots at the 2C spot.  Does this mean the Coots 2C experiment is over?  For the time being...yes.  Plus he is 7 years younger than Streit.  As has been mentioned several times on here his 5 million dollar is for only 1 more year.  He could theoretically be bought out at the end of this season or he plays next year as some of the younger guys develop.

 

2) resigned/extended Neuvirth to a 2 yr 5 million deal @ 2.5 million /year.  This means Mason is probably good as gone next year.  For now it will be the Neuvy and in all likelyhood, the Stolarz show.  That is ok with Hart and Lyon in the wings.

 

3) resigned/extended Bellemare to a 2 yr deal worth 1.45 million /year.  A very good signing.  Has taken over the "A" and apparently has much respect in the lockeroom.  A great depth player.  Teams need players like this.

 

So Hexy did do something.  Granted it was not flashy like a vast majority of Flyer hopefuls were wishing for, but it was something none the less.  Let us remember, we don't know what is going on behind closed doors.  Maybe Hexy was working the phones, but remember it takes a dance partner to make a traded.  Apparently none of the other GM's think to highly of some of the Flyers junk.

 

Face, as much as we wished for it, no one was trading for McDud.  DMZ I am shocked a little, but looking at the trade deadline deals there were really no "blockbuster" deals except for Shatty going to the Caps.  Who else were the Flyers gonna move.  Giroux is not worth is contract right now.  Read? / Raffl? (but he is now on the IR for the next several weeks) / no one is looking for Schultz.  I don't know if there is a market for a Weiss type player.  Once also has to remember, GM's have to have their house in order for the upcoming Expansion Draft later this spring.  With all those rules in place, I'm sure a GM doses not want to risk exposing a player simply because the took a a dumb deal in picking up a McDud type player.

 

I admit it is very frustrating.  The frustration was very evident by the tone of posts this past Wednesday and tempers flared.  All I can say is I bet Hexy does have a plan, but until this expansion draft is over, we as fans have to remain in the dark.

 

I'd rather have Hexy make the right deals than make a deal just for deals sake.  Besides, I'm sure there were deals out there, but at what cost? Giving up picks or god forbid some of the highly touted prospects?  We have been down that road before and I wish we not go there again.

 

Again...welcome to HF.net!

Streit age is why I find it odd that Pittsburgh acquired him for a 4th round pick!  I know the Pens needed help defensively due to the injury bug. Maybe it was for the short term until we get something thru the draft? 

[pilldoc]

Just now, notfondajane said:

Streit age is why I find it odd that Pittsburgh acquired him for a 4th round pick!  I know the Pens needed help defensively due to the injury bug. Maybe it was for the short term until we get something thru the draft? 

 

don't forget ...Tampa is also eating 1/2 of Streit's salary ....  Temporary fix is all I see .....

[notfondajane]

Just now, pilldoc said:

 

don't forget ...Tampa is also eating 1/2 of Streit's salary ....  Temporary fix is all I see .....

Yes exactly! To bad we gave up a 4th round pick for him! 

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

I like the fact that Hextall plays his cards tight to his chest. The fact that he leaves people guessing as to what his next move is something that I like. It makes no sense to give out your cards. I also like the fact that he believes in his process and plan in terms of player development. He hasn't deviated from the plan and I'm sure he like the rest of us has been frustrated with the year, but he's staying the course. He also inherited a team tight against the cap, no prospects in the pipeline and expected to continue to win. He's helped fix the cap issues and the system has been replenished with a fantastic prospects (considered right now the 6th best system with prospects aged 21 and under). In terms of winning, unfortunately the goaltenders haven't played up to par this year. If they each came through with a .915 save percentage average, this team would be contending for a playoff spot.

 

If there's one complaint I have about Hextall is that he's almost too cautious at times. With Streit being gone, this would have been an ideal time to call up someone like Hagg or Sanheim or Morin. Instead, he's leaving them in Lehigh Valley. Don't be afraid to work more youth into the lineup and force Hakstol's hand a bit.

 

Next season we should see even more youth worked into the lineup. It's possible that as many as six rookies get worked into the lineup (2 forwards, 3 defensemen,1 goalie). That's going to create an entirely different set of problems, but it's going to be good problems (the youth getting experience). Hextall has been a bit of a revelation in that he hasn't panicked about things going bad and he hasn't blown things up when many were calling for a blow up. He's level headed and methodical.

 

Honestly, I think Hextall has been the best GM this franchise has had. He's shown extreme patience with the entire situation and has done everything he said he was going to do. He wasn't goin to rush players, he wanted to restock the pipeline and he wanted to get the cap situation under control. Now that we're seeing numerous bad contracts come off the books, we should begin to see the full on youth movement go into full swing. Hextall just needs to stay the course. Don't deviate and more important, don't become emotionally attached to players. Once all the young kids grow and develop together, this is going to be a scary good hockey club.