New GM?

[King Knut]

On 11/26/2018 at 6:25 PM, sekkes85 said:

I am utterly disappointed and quite frankly pissed off at the firing of Hextall.  I'm sure there are some in the fan base that agree it is time but I'm sure that has been beaten to death on the main thread.

 

Darren Dreger is reporting that Ron Francis and Chuck Fletcher are among early candidates for the GM job.  What are your thoughts on them as potential candidates?  As mentioned I'm still in a sour mood about this so unless we somehow hire Yzerman I'm not going to like it.

 

I'm with you completely.  I'm not interested in either Francis or Fletcher.  They're both failures who notably did a poorer job than Hextall.

Homer said it himself in the press conference, the table is set.  This team doesn't need a ton.  

 

To go trading Myers or Sanheim just for the sake of making a move is EXACTLY the mentality that Clarke and then Homer used to get us into the mess it's taken Hextall 5 years to dig us out of.  And HE DID.  They're not playing well, their record is the same... but if you don't have more hope for this core of players than you did 5 years ago, I don't know what to tell you.  They didn't have a goalie then either, but they also didn't have 3 or 4 very promising ones in the system and they do now.  

 

This team just isn't being coached very well.  And you can tell by watching it's a basic unfamiliarity with how NHL hockey is played and how the skill, speed and size of the players actually makes a difference and affects the game.  

 

Hextall's only inexcusable mistake is not having recognized this.  Hakstol just isn't making the adjustment to the professional level of competition and at this point teams with deftness behind their benches and the skill on the ice to pull it off are actively taking advantage of Hakstol's shortcomings and targeting the holes in his system.  

 

What's more, he has no ability to focus his team and get them to believe in themselves.  I know many here don't think professional athletes and millionaires competing at the top levels should need this, but that point of view neglects the fact that they are competing against OTHER professional athletes who are also at the top of their games.   They're not doing it in theory on a message board, they're really out there... so yeah... occasionally they need some hyping up. A team that hasn't been "good" for a while (because let's face it, they haven't been BAD until right now) is like a lawnmower that hasn't been used all winter. Even if it's a top notch model, it needs a few pumps on the primer and a few good yanks on the starter before it gets going.  Hakstol obviously can't do this.  That "lawnmower" may sputter a bit until the carburetor is flushed and the motor oil warms up a little... Hakstol's no good at motivating them through that either.  

 

I really don't have a problem with firing Hextall in theory.  But it really seems that they've fired him so that they can trade prospects away for "proven" talent so (as Scott said) they can play right up to the cap.  Well Paul Holmgren is living effing proof that playing up to the cap with mediocre or washed up or mentally unstable talent is just as pointless as having $30 million in cap space with unproven talent.  

 

It simply doesn't make sense to go after big salaries unless those salaries come with the right players.  If whoever Holmgren brings in tells him this and says, "Just replace the coaches who clearly don't know what they're doing and sign a goalie and a D man in the off season" then yipee-ka-yay mfers.  But if the guy comes in and starts unloading Phil Myers for Jay Bouwmeester (YOU KNOW IT'S HAPPENING) then I will have to walk away from this team for a while again.  I just haven't got time for the pain.  

[OccamsRazor]

I think i'm going to be sick...

 

 

[FD19372]

7 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

I think i'm going to be sick...

 

 

Bobby Clarke LOVED Cliff Fletcher, didn't he? Just sayin'...food for thought.

[OccamsRazor]

3 minutes ago, FD19372 said:

Bobby Clarke LOVED Cliff Fletcher, didn't he? Just sayin'...food for thought.

 

He hired Chuck when he was in Florida not sure how he felt about Chuck's dad.

[brelic]

15 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

I think i'm going to be sick...

 

 

 

Umm. Why not let the new GM decide what the team needs?

 

Oh, that's right.

 

Homercoaster.

 

They still don't get it. They will push for a playoff spot, finish just outside, and get a mid-round pick.

[OccamsRazor]

Just now, brelic said:

 

Umm. Why not let the new GM decide what the team needs?

 

Oh, that's right.

 

Homercoaster.

 

They still don't get it. They will push for a playoff spot, finish just outside, and get a mid-round pick.

 

That kind of goes to show Homer wants to work through his GM wants to make the calls and have Hextall new guy take the fall.

 

Why else would he say he isn't going to execute any moves then turns around and shows Pryor and Murphy the door...before even having his new GM.

 

He ain't dumb he is making happen what he wants to happen while he can before the new guy arrives and he has to convince him of what he should do

 

***hint hint.***

 

#takingmattersintohisownhands

[Howie58]

Here is a report on dark horse candidate Bill Zito:

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/flyers-gm-candidate-coming-bill-022548654.html

 

Interesting background; much like his boss, Kakalainen--business agent and business side. 

[brelic]

I'd be fine with Fletcher if it means getting Q. I've read about their ties, and Scott/Homer even mentioned Q during the press conference, and going to Hextall about it. 

 

My guess is we end up with Fletcher as GM and Q in the offseason. 

 

 

[OccamsRazor]

7 minutes ago, Howie58 said:

Here is a report on dark horse candidate Bill Zito:

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/flyers-gm-candidate-coming-bill-022548654.html

 

Interesting background; much like his boss, Kakalainen--business agent and business side. 

 

I think they need a guy more involved in the sport than getting his clients the most money he can when he was a agent.

 

This guy kind of scares me just from a hockey scouting stand point. He was Kimmo's agent in the deal that brought him to Philly.

 

I have to say i would prefer Fletcher over this guy. I think he was a GM of the Jackets AHL team but still not enough for what the Flyers are asking....uness Homer just wants a puppet.

[OccamsRazor]

7 minutes ago, brelic said:

I'd be fine with Fletcher if it means getting Q. I've read about their ties, and Scott/Homer even mentioned Q during the press conference, and going to Hextall about it. 

 

My guess is we end up with Fletcher as GM and Q in the offseason. 

 

 

 

Q is more tied to Chuck's dad Cliff than to Chuck himself...however if this would sway Q i would say i would be more willing...

[ruxpin]

10 minutes ago, brelic said:

I'd be fine with Fletcher if it means getting Q

 

Here's my problem:   Q has shown in both Chicago and in St. Louis how hard it is for even a good coach to win if he doesn't have the right players.   If one is assuming we already have the right players and we don't need to gut things alot, then Q is a great choice.   My problem is Fletcher really has no idea which among Nyqvist, Panarin, or MacDonald is the best player.   My fear is that Fletcher will create a recipe that Q can't bake.

[Howie58]

I just wish we could get an unaffiliated type here....someone who is really out of the Old Boy Network (at least, for this organization).   

 

 

[brelic]

2 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

 

Here's my problem:   Q has shown in both Chicago and in St. Louis how hard it is for even a good coach to win if he doesn't have the right players.   If one is assuming we already have the right players and we don't need to gut things alot, then Q is a great choice.   My problem is Fletcher really has no idea which among Nyqvist, Panarin, or MacDonald is the best player.   My fear is that Fletcher will create a recipe that Q can't bake.

 

I hear Stevens is looking for a job. Assistant GM?

[Podein25]

Just now, brelic said:

 

I hear Stevens is looking for a job. Assistant GM?

 

REPORTED!

[ruxpin]

2 minutes ago, brelic said:

 

I hear Stevens is looking for a job. Assistant GM?

 

Now you're just trolling me.  NTTAWWT

[brelic]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/31-thoughts-podcast/nov-29-2018-two-teams-going-in-different-directions/

 

The Flyers are all the rage around the league. Seems like it's been 5 years since anyone's talked about us. 

 

Starts around the 4:55 mark.

 

They also have Jonesy on - starts at 36:50.

 

[OccamsRazor]

8 minutes ago, brelic said:

 

I hear Stevens is looking for a job. Assistant GM?

 

[ruxpin]

27 minutes ago, brelic said:

 

I hear Stevens is looking for a job. Assistant GM?

 

You're around long enough you know my opinion on Stevens, but I wouldn't be opposed to their giving him a call for the open defensive coach position.   Or PK.

[radoran]

19 hours ago, FD19372 said:

I'll say this for sure...the press conferences will be less boring.

 

On the plus side, they're still paying Bryz.

 

OK, so maybe that's not a "plus side"...

[radoran]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

I think i'm going to be sick...

 

 

 

Let's see... You've got a 25 year old first line center under contract for three more seasons after this.

 

You're captain is a first line center you've got playing wing (yes, I do prefer him there).

 

You've got a 20-year-old #2 overall pick as your second line center.

 

You have a former first round pick (Laughton), and no less than four pretty well regarded centers in the system (Vecchione, Frost, Rubstov, Vorobyev).

 

Yep, better address that "center problem" you've got there. It could be serious.

 

Steve Ott is available as a FA...

 

In goal you have no less than FOUR goalie prospects 25 or under, including one who has arguably the best Junior pedigree of any goalie in recent memory.

 

What we really need is a John vanBiesbrouck type to come in here and lock that crease down. And by "vanBiesbrouck" I mean, what do you think the Rangers would deal Lundqvist for?

 

[OccamsRazor]

11 minutes ago, radoran said:

 

Let's see... You've got a 25 year old first line center under contract for three more seasons after this.

 

You're captain is a first line center you've got playing wing (yes, I do prefer him there).

 

You've got a 20-year-old #2 overall pick as your second line center.

 

You have a former first round pick (Laughton), and no less than four pretty well regarded centers in the system (Vecchione, Frost, Rubstov, Vorobyev).

 

Yep, better address that "center problem" you've got there. It could be serious.

 

Steve Ott is available as a FA...

 

In goal you have no less than FOUR goalie prospects 25 or under, including one who has arguably the best Junior pedigree of any goalie in recent memory.

 

What we really need is a John vanBiesbrouck type to come in here and lock that crease down. And by "vanBiesbrouck" I mean, what do you think the Rangers would deal Lundqvist for?

 

 

Yes someone needs to get Homer a jacket real quick like (the straight ones if i say so myself) before he does any damage...

[OccamsRazor]

 

[darthbal]

 

That could be good right?  Well better than Fletcher and Nonis

[flyersfan35]

if i had to guess about what's going to happen when they hire a gm, if everything im hearing is true about q wanting personal decisions, im thinking it's going to more of a collaborate approach kind of what the eagles, sixers are doing. meaning that players that q wants the gm will go after and make deals for.  the gm will be more the numbers guy and players recommendation will on q.

 

[elmatus]

I will say this about Fletcher. While I'm not sure he's a great choice, I have heard he is a personal friend of a certain recently-fired and now-looking-for-a-new-spot coach we have been talking about around here of late.