It's Vigneault

[vis]

1 hour ago, brelic said:

I watched the presser and was impressed with what Vigneault had to say. 

 

What stood out the most? That he has one thing left to accomplish and that’s what drives him. Stanley Cup.

Same here. 

 

What struck me the most is that he talked mainly about creating/changing culture.  He seemed pretty comfortable with the talent - "young, core and old."  But he referenced creating/changing "culture" several times during the press conference.  Along those same lines, he mentioned that the players need "proper direction" from the coaches and that it was his job as a "teacher" to give it to them.  Also, he spoke at length of the importance of having leaders in the locker room to set the example of what the coaches want from the team.

 

I started think about all of that from the players' perspective.  Were they not getting "proper direction" from the previous coach?  I tend to think they weren't since there have been a few quotes/reports that the players appreciated Gordon for being more of a teacher (citing individual tape sessions, etc).  The question is, are the players capable of being taught and willing to do what is asked by the staff?  I tend to think that remains to be seen (looking at Voracek, Konecny and Ghost, for example).

 

In terms of leadership, a number of players have commented that Giroux sets a great example and that he's very competitive.  Ok, but what about the other "leaders" and what do they do?  If Voracek is setting an example, how does that look to Konecny?  Also, who are the leaders on defense?  According to some of the younger players, they look to McDonald.  That's a joke. 

 

All of this is to say, that I wonder if the current roster has the ability/willingness to abide by what he asks.  So, in my mind, Fletcher needs to go out and find some "culture" changing players.  He needs to find players that will buy in to what AV says and impart it onto the rest of the team.  I don't think he can roll into next season with the same roster and expect AV to change all that much.  AV's coaching tactics alone will probably net additional wins in the regular season, but they need more than him to win in the POs.

 

A few other things about AV: I like that he said it's his job to be flexible and to coach to the strengths of his team, but that he thinks today's NHL requires a high-pressure, puck pursuit approach which he thinks the Flyers have the talent to play.  He also hinted that off-season conditioning is important.  Finally, it sounds like he has some free reign to make choices about his coaching staff.

 

I also liked that he showed a sense of humor.  Nice to have some levity - or any emotion - back in the coaching ranks.

Edited April 19, 2019 by vis

[vis]

40 minutes ago, elmatus said:

A lot is going to be a question of the players we have available honestly. I think with Hakstol it was fairly easy to wonder about the coaching to a considerable degree. If the team now falters just as badly with a seasoned coach, it'll become increasingly obvious the problem is -- and possibly always has been -- the roster.

Yep.  Really is "put out or get out" time for some of these guys.

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

I think Konecny, Lindblom and Patrick are going to have monster years under Vigneault. He'll simplify things and they'll take off. They play the game the way he likes it.

[vis]

Carchidi's article about Fletcher needing to acquire players to change the culture is a good premise. 

 

https://www.philly.com/flyers/chuck-fletcher-flyers-nolan-patrick-shayne-gostisbehere-goals-changes-20190419.html

 

Problem is, I'm not sure the players Carchidi identifies are culture-changing players.  Yes, they are skilled.  But not sure they embody the characteristics that are needed.  To be fair, maybe there aren't many of that type of player available in UFA.  

Edited April 19, 2019 by vis

[Podein25]

2 hours ago, JR Ewing said:

I like Vigneault as a coach, and always hoped the Oilers could land him. He identifies a player's abilities and tries to use those talents to put them in a position to succeed:

 

-He does his best to create line mis-matches on the ice, and doesn't roll 4 lines in order.

-Offensive players will get a lot of offensive zone starts.

-Defensive players will get a LOT of defensive zone starts.

 

 

Is there a different way to coach? Asking for a friend.

[JR Ewing]

1 minute ago, Podein25 said:

 

Is there a different way to coach? Asking for a friend.

 

I've seen coaches, at the NHL level, who don't look for those advantages remotely as often do other coaches, and I'm talking about guys with .600 winning percentages. Vigneault looks to hammer other teams with what he perceives as his advantage. When he identified Manny Malholtra's 4th line as being excellent at defensive zone faceoffs and coverage, he absolutely wore out the opposition with it.

 

[radoran]

28 minutes ago, JR Ewing said:

When he identified Manny Malholtra's 4th line as being excellent at defensive zone faceoffs and coverage, he absolutely wore out the opposition with it.

 

Now facing off for the Rangers, Manny (Manny Manny Manny) Malholtra (Malholtra Malholtra Malholtra)

 

 

[pilldoc]

An article from The Athletic.... it is subscription only... I’m allowed to preview 3 free articles per month.... sorry for the length....

 

Perhaps the most revealing moment of Thursday’s press conference to introduce Alain Vigneault as the 21st head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers didn’t even come during the press conference, nor did it come from the mouth of the new coach himself. It was a brief but eye-opening aside delivered by general manager Chuck Fletcher in a post-press conference scrum with reporters, just before concluding media availability for the day.

 

“He was interviewing me as much as I was interviewing him,” Fletcher acknowledged when discussing the meetings last weekend that ended with the organization selecting Vigneault.

Much of the discussion following the hiring of Vigneault centered on whether the Flyers had made the right decision, whether Vigneault’s universally accepted strong work in Vancouver outweighed the underwhelming way his tenure in New York ended, and whether his strengths as a coach outweighed his flaws.

 

What got lost in the shuffle a bit was an equally important question: Why did Vigneault — a 16-year NHL head coaching veteran with the best and most consistent track record of any available candidate on the market — choose the Flyers, instead of waiting for another plum job opportunity to inevitably open up?

 

According to Vigneault, it was because he has one gap on his resume, one goal left in his professional career, and Fletcher successfully convinced him that the Flyers are committed to achieving it — quickly.

 

“What I was looking for in my new opportunity to coach were three things,” Vigneault said in his opening remarks Thursday, building anticipation before dropping the hammer that was his top priority. “First thing, I was looking for was an opportunity to win. An opportunity in the short term to win a Stanley Cup.”

 

Vigneault implied he wasn’t going to accept a job — regardless of the amount of money thrown at him — that he felt might require years of work before Cup contention was even a possibility. Fletcher wasn’t going to hire a coach who didn’t inspire confidence he could turn the current situation around quickly. And the Flyers organization wasn’t going to hire a general manager or a head coach — and spend the necessary money to do so in the process — who wasn’t promising aggressive approaches to returning the franchise to its former glory. This very clearly was a marriage of three parties, united by the same mentality: The clock is ticking, and we need to win big, pronto.

 

“In my bucket list, I need one more thing, I need to win a Stanley Cup,” Vigneault said. “I’ve come close twice. I’ve been very lucky to work for three great organizations, the Montreal Canadiens, the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Rangers. I’ve come close twice. I think this will be the right one.”

---

Despite their disappointing finish in the 2018-19 standings, the Flyers are not a team without talent. Claude Giroux remains a star forward. Sean Couturier is a yearly Selke Trophy candidate. Jakub Voracek still racks up points at first-liner levels. The club’s young defense corps is envied around the league, and Carter Hart might be the best under-21 goaltender in the world. Vigneault readily acknowledged on Thursday that he joins a team which — at least on paper — looks competitive.

“There’s some solid youth with a lot of upside here that is coming into its own,” he began. “There’s great goaltending, being one of those youth pieces. There’s a solid core group, that in my mind needs the right direction. And you’ve got the combination also of some solid veteran players that have been in the league a few years, that can still contribute at a high level in this league. There are some solid pieces that in my mind, and after discussing it with a lot of people (whose opinions I respect) in the NHL, I feel that the Flyers are a very good team, that with the proper direction, the proper mindset, the proper culture and people working together, will be a very good team in the near future.”

 

However, the hard truth is that this team has missed the postseason four times in the last seven years, and last won a playoff series way back in 2012. A coaching upgrade might provide on-ice value, of course, but it would take a leap of faith to assume that the mere addition of Vigneualt to a group that has failed to come anywhere near Cup contention would put them over the top.

Vigneault didn’t come off as a man in the business of taking leaps of faith on Thursday. He sounded like one who has assurances — assurances that while this Flyers team may look “just OK” now, help is on the way.

 

“Chuck and I have talked in-depth about the areas we’re hoping we’re going to be able to improve,” Vigneault said. “It might not happen quickly, but we feel that we’re going to be able to do it.”

To convince Vigneault that the Flyers were worthy of his time and effort, Fletcher didn’t just sell him on the current roster. He sold him on possibility — the upside not only of coaching a young club with room to grow, but also of coaching in an organization with money to spend and assets to cash in. In other words, the promise of an aggressive approach to acquisitions.

 

“This is a premium job in the National Hockey League, and we’re set up where we should have an opportunity to get better quickly,” Fletcher said. “As I’ve said repeatedly, I know we need more good players, but we have a lot of good players. It’s not like you have to gut this thing. We have cap space, we have picks, we have really good staff, really good staff.

 

“We have the ability to get better quickly if we all do our job, and I think (Vigneault) recognizes that.”

Vigneault, for his part, already sounded like he was ready to pitch prospective free agents, after just three days on the job.

 

“In today’s game, you’ve got to make sure that the environment that you’re creating is, I don’t want to say pro-player, but it incites players to choose Philly as a destination, because they’ll get the best development, they’ll get the best coaching, whether it be strength, psychological coaches, etc,” he explained. “And you need total commitment from ownership, and there’s no doubt that we have that here.”

 

Without guaranteeing big moves this summer and a major leap in 2019-20, both Fletcher and Vigneault spoke as if both were the expectation, not the hope. The former brought up the shocking success of the New York Islanders this season under their new brain trust, Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz, as a comparison. As for the new coach, he already has himself a mental shopping list.

“There’s 30 other teams out there besides ours that are trying to get to those pieces,” Vigneault said. “But we’ve sat down and established and identified (a) real good list of where we need to improve this team, where we need to get more depth. You talked about goaltending, up front. The center position would probably be somewhere where we’d like to take a look at. Is that going to be possible? We’ll see. But we’re looking at some options, and I think if we can put the right things in place, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

 

Was the potential for the Flyers to rapidly fill those holes, given their cap space and treasure chest of assets, a driving force behind Vigneault’s decision to come aboard?

“Yeah, there’s no question. No doubt at all,” he said with a smile.

Edited April 19, 2019 by pilldoc
made it more readable....

[pilldoc]

Pt 2.......

 

But outside additions are just one piece of the puzzle, which Fletcher has repeatedly stated since taking over as general manager in December. He’s also cited a rapid mentality or mindset change on the part of the players as essential to righting the ship. It’s no coincidence, therefore, that Fletcher’s ultimate choice in Vigneault brings a reputation for quick fixes — in his three “first seasons” in a new locale during his NHL career, Vigneault has won a Jack Adams Award for best coach, a surprise division title and an Eastern Conference championship. He has a clear track record of generating positive results immediately.

 

How has he done it in the past? Vigneault argued that a key factor behind his previous successes has been setting clear expectations and directives for his players.

 

“I firmly believe that players, and I’ve talked about this throughout the press conference, players look for direction,” he said. “If you give a player and a team a path to: You do this, you do (it) this way, you put in the time, you’re going to have success. And you do the same thing with your team, they’re going to follow you. Those are my intentions here individually and team-wise.”

 

A common theme during player exit interviews last week was consistency, or a lack thereof on the part of individuals and the team as a whole. To a man, all cited it as an issue, but none seemed to have an adequate answer for how to address the problem. That responsibility will now clearly fall to Vigneault — to provide the solutions where many others have failed.

 

“We’ve got some real good players here. These good players in certain phases of seasons, have performed at an extremely high level,” Vigneault said. “So now it’s my job, and I know that I can do that, to get them to be more consistent. The way that I prepare a team for games, I believe permits a player to understand what he needs to do against (another) team to be successful. But I’m also very adamant that a player has his part to do in that.”

 

The Vigneault plan — at least in its most ideal form — appears to be a combination of communication and accountability, aided by a high-octane approach to on-ice play that combines aggressiveness and smarts.

 

“I really believe that in today’s game, that high-tempo, take-our-game-to-them approach where you have the D supporting the attack, (defensemen) jumping up into (the) play, forwards making the right decisions with the puck,” he explained when asked what identity his teams tend to adopt. “When the other team has (a good) gap (in the neutral zone), and there’s no space to make a play, there is one play to make: That’s get it behind them. That’s high-percentage, you don’t hurt your team. I’m gonna make sure that our team understands the details of the game that are going to permit them to win.

“Chuck and I have talked about this at length, that we feel that we’ve got a good skating, good-skilled team that can play a high-tempo, good puck-pursuit game, and we need to make sure this team has the right mindset to use its qualities and its attributes. And we’re confident we’re going to do that.”

Vigneault obviously wants his teams to play a high-scoring brand of hockey, as his track record suggests. But his exact system and tactical focus for achieving those ends remain a mystery, for now — even for Vigneault himself. In the post-presser scrum, The Athleticasked Vigneault if he envisioned this Flyers club will play more like his puck-possession centric Canucks teams or his counterattacking Rangers squads. He was noncommittal, implying that such a decision would require far more tape study and analysis of his new charges than can be completed in a few days.

 

“That’s a good question and I don’t know yet,” he admitted. “You’re absolutely right, because with the Canucks, the (Sedin) twins, it wasn’t a lot about speed. It was about smarts, it was about puck protection, it was about cycling the puck, creating an open lane and then going to the net. With the Rangers, it was a lot about transition, creating those turnovers and then we had speed, we counterattacked, and we went to the net hard. Both teams generated good offensive numbers but in different ways.”

 

Still, it sounds like Vigneault views the Flyers — with their combination of in-prime impact veterans and a developing young core — to be somewhere in between his needed-to-be-nurtured Canucks teams and the ready-to-win-now Rangers. One assumes his tactics might similarly split the difference.

“I would say to you this situation right now to me is a real combination of both of my last two situations (in Vancouver and New York), and that’s why I feel extremely confident that I’m the right guy to get this done,” he said.

 

---

The Vigneault hire may have been just as much a case of a big-name head coach choosing an organization as it was a big-money organization choosing a head coach. But in the end, the decision will still define the tenure of Chuck Fletcher. General managers don’t often get to make multiple coaching hires, and one assumes the stakes are even higher when said GM’s bosses are forking out $25 million to bring in the coach who the GM endorsed. If Vigneault falls flat, Fletcher will (rightfully) be blamed.

 

But Fletcher made it clear that Vigneault was always near the top of his list, likely his No. 1 choice after the organization struck out on Joel Quenneville. If the next few years prove to be a debacle, Fletcher will have at least gone down in flames with his guy. And if the Flyers take that hoped-for leap, Fletcher will justifiably be at the front of the line when credit is handed out.

 

The general manager confirmed Thursday that his search was relatively short, and that he only had phone calls (or permission to speak) with “a few other people.” In fact, Fletcher recounted that he requested permission from Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton to speak with Vigneault (a requirement, since Vigneault remained under contract with the Rangers) ten minutes prior to addressing the media on exit interview day two Mondays ago. He spoke with his prospective hire later that day, set up an interview for the weekend in Florida, and the contract was signed by Monday. It was clearly a rapid process that began with Vigneault as a top choice.

 

“He’s been at the top of my list, and again, it’s hard to get guys like him,” Fletcher said. “There obviously are some elite coaches in the NHL who are currently coaching, I would say he was an elite coach in the NHL that wasn’t coaching. I did a ton of due diligence over the last little while, and once we met and clicked – that’s always the key, you want to make sure.”

 

Notably, Fletcher made a point to note that the stylistic fit between Vigneault’s preferred on-ice mentality/strategies and the Flyers’ current defensive personnel pushed him toward his ultimate decision. It also hinted at which blueliners he might view as the building blocks moving forward.

“I think our D is ideally suited for Alain,” he said. “I think, stylistically, you look at (Ivan) Provorov, you look at (Travis) Sanheim, you look at (Shayne) Gostisbehere, even young Phil Myers, just to point out four. (Radko) Gudas got up in the play a lot. I think we have a lot of young D that play the way that he likes to coach.”

 

But Fletcher did not try to downplay the importance of Vigneault’s resume and experience —  not just in terms of making him more likely to succeed in any situation due to the certainty that accompanies past success, but also in how it could help in this particular situation. After all, big-name coaches come with significantly more initial clout than do new faces trying to establish themselves.

(Certainly), when you have a guy like Alain walk in, there’s presence,” Fletcher said. “There’s a proven track record of success, which in turn, I think leads to instant credibility. So, I think that’ll certainly help.”

 

For Fletcher, Vigneault checked all of the boxes, especially after their interview removed the final doubt in his mind regarding their potential workplace relationship. Then, it came down to getting his top coaching target to sign on the dotted line. And to do that, it sounds like Fletcher made the same promise that he’s made to the fans of Philadelphia — and most likely his bosses — since taking the job: I’m not satisfied with the status quo, and help is coming.

 

Vigneault is a piece of that help. But his presence adds just a bit more certainty that more is indeed on the way

Edited April 19, 2019 by pilldoc
made it more readable

[mojo1917]

@pilldoc

 

everything I'm reading is helping me to feel pretty good about AV.  I like that he is excited to come here and is looking forward to coaching young players. It is apparent he has some ideas about what should be done.

[pilldoc]

Just now, mojo1917 said:

@pilldoc

 

everything I'm reading is helping me to feel pretty good about AV.  I like that he is excited to come here and is looking forward to coaching young players. It is apparent he has some ideas about what should be done.

 

Yeah .. I was kind of feeling the same way...hence the reason I shared it.  The Athletic usually has some great in-depth articles but it is a subscription based website.  I generally only can see 2-3 articles a month for free.

 

This was a good one to share with everyone........  glad you liked it.

[OccamsRazor]

Alain Vigneault plans to implement a "high-tempo, take-our-game-to-them approach" with the Flyers

 

 

 

 

This approach sounds good to me...because i am tired of the other teams dictating the game and the Flyers sitting back on their heels 

 

trying to find an answer...i want the other team to have to find an answer for them. And get rid of this constant dump and chase.

 

And if he can get this talented PP on paper ever going they should be back in the playoff hunt.

 

Finally with some solid goaltending to lean on the sky should be the limit for this club.

 

I have to say this hire has me excited once again...and with some hope.

[JR Ewing]

36 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

This approach sounds good to me...because i am tired of the other teams dictating the game and the Flyers sitting back on their heels 

 

 

Vigneault has always favoured an up-tempo game, and with how fast the league is now, I think that sitting back is just about the worst thing you can do. Teams that lollygag and piss around, especially in their own, get absolutely taken apart there. I don't see how passivity can be remotely connected with winning in today's game.

 

I think is just a really good hire by the Flyers.

 

[OccamsRazor]

2 minutes ago, JR Ewing said:

Teams that lollygag and piss around, especially in their own, get absolutely taken apart there. I don't see how passivity can be remotely connected with winning in today's game.

 

Wow you just described the 2018-19 Flyers. And i saw improvement in a few areas when Gordon took over but it wasn't enough the power play was still one of the worst in the NHL.

 

3 minutes ago, JR Ewing said:

I think is just a really good hire by the Flyers.

 

I have to say for the first time since they hired Lavy can i feel good about it too.

 

This is a big offseason. I hope the players understand all the excuses will be gone come next season.

 

There no one left to be blamed but themselves now.

 

New GM and he has his coach. Next find the staff.

 

The next step is to evaluate the players, identify who gets it and who is helping propel the team towards their goal...and also find the ones who don't weed them out and removed them from the team.

 

 

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

11 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

From reports i seen this morning he has insisted Chuck trade JVR  so he can have his number...who knew...so long JVR!!!

 

 

He is going to play 2nd line center and show Patrick how it's done!!!!!!

 

 

No, no.  That’s the year he’ll be fired.

[flyercanuck]

18 hours ago, vis said:

Carchidi's article about Fletcher needing to acquire players to change the culture is a good premise. 

 

https://www.philly.com/flyers/chuck-fletcher-flyers-nolan-patrick-shayne-gostisbehere-goals-changes-20190419.html

 

Problem is, I'm not sure the players Carchidi identifies are culture-changing players.  Yes, they are skilled.  But not sure they embody the characteristics that are needed.  To be fair, maybe there aren't many of that type of player available in UFA.  

 

 Carchidi mentions the Flyers can't be real contenders with a 2nd line centre scoring only 13 goals (who's also 20 and more than likely going to get better). Then the first guy he mentions to replace him is Kevin Hayes, who scored... a whopping 19 goals.

 

Ya...those 6 goals will win us a cup.

Edited April 20, 2019 by flyercanuck

[brelic]

1 hour ago, flyercanuck said:

 

 Carchidi mentions the Flyers can't be real contenders with a 2nd line centre scoring only 13 goals (who's also 20 and clearly going to get better). Then the first guy he mentions to replace him is Kevin Hayes, who scored a whopping 19 goals.

 

Ya...those 6 goals will win us a cup.

 

I think Patrick will get better too - but when? Next season? In season 6 like Couturier? Having a true 2C gives the team the luxury of letting him develop at his own pace. 

 

I agree, though, Hayes is not that guy. I suspect we’d have the same problems next year. 

 

Duchene will want term, if he leaves Columbus. A SCF or Cup can change things. He’d be my first choice if he would do 5 years.

 

Pavelski would be an interesting gamble. He scored 38 goals this year. He’ll turn 35 in July, so I think his contract would be a 35+ one. Fletch would need to be careful. I’d go 2 years. 

 

Other than that, you’d probably have to make a trade. 

 

Maybe go after Connolly as a 3RW. 

 

G/Coots/TK

JVR/Pavelski/Voracek

Lindblom/Patrick/Connolly

Raffl/Laughton/Hartman

[ruxpin]

52 minutes ago, brelic said:

Pavelski would be an interesting gamble. He scored 38 goals this year. He’ll turn 35 in July, so I think his contract would be a 35+ one. Fletch would need to be careful. I’d go 2 years. 

 

Yes, I'd do this on a two-year term.   He can swing to right wing, too, so there's room to adjust if someone else catches fire in the fall (Frost, Vorobyov, Rubstov, etc.).    Plus, I really just like the 2-year term.

 

I'm not sure I actually like the JVR-Little Joe--Jake line.    I mean, maybe.   Maybe it's just the presence of Jake, but it really doesn't inspire excitement for me.   

 

I do like the look of a Lindblom/Patrick/Connolly line. 

 

I'd almost kind of like a different 4C and swing Laughton to left wing.  I still don't like Scott at center.    Then have Raffl be the 13th guy. 

 

All in all, if we can figure out a team defense structure (including, but not limited to, the defensemen), it's not a horrible lineup.

[brelic]

1 hour ago, ruxpin said:

 

Yes, I'd do this on a two-year term.   He can swing to right wing, too, so there's room to adjust if someone else catches fire in the fall (Frost, Vorobyov, Rubstov, etc.).    Plus, I really just like the 2-year term.

 

I'm not sure I actually like the JVR-Little Joe--Jake line.    I mean, maybe.   Maybe it's just the presence of Jake, but it really doesn't inspire excitement for me.   

 

I do like the look of a Lindblom/Patrick/Connolly line. 

 

I'd almost kind of like a different 4C and swing Laughton to left wing.  I still don't like Scott at center.    Then have Raffl be the 13th guy. 

 

All in all, if we can figure out a team defense structure (including, but not limited to, the defensemen), it's not a horrible lineup.

 

Yeah, adding those two guys would add 50-60 goals to the lineup. 

 

I just threw lines together that popped into my head, thinking Voracek would be the set up man for Joe and JVR. But whatever, mix and match to whatever works best. 

 

The other thing is these guys will cost a lot less than EK, Panarin, and Duchene in both cap hit and term length. It’s probably the more responsible thing to do, but would it be enough? Or is that settling?

 

 

[OccamsRazor]

2 hours ago, brelic said:

Pavelski would be an interesting gamble.

 

Something tells me they resign him.

 

But hey he will be 35 so he meets the Flyer criteria for sure... 

 

2 hours ago, brelic said:

Duchene will want term

 

Hayes will too and i think Hayes could handle the 2nd line role but i think someone overpays for him like Stone.

 

Hayes put up 25 goals last year on a slightly better NY team. They may have to find option C or even D.

[OccamsRazor]

It will be nice to have someone with some personality behind the bench...and some emotion...

 

 

Now let's just go win a f**king Cup!!!!!!!!

 

[vis]

On 4/20/2019 at 7:05 AM, flyercanuck said:

 

 Carchidi mentions the Flyers can't be real contenders with a 2nd line centre scoring only 13 goals (who's also 20 and more than likely going to get better). Then the first guy he mentions to replace him is Kevin Hayes, who scored... a whopping 19 goals.

 

Ya...those 6 goals will win us a cup.

At one point, I was somewhat favoring Hayes over Duchene.  Maybe it would be more accurate to say I was less opposed to Hayes than I was to Duchene.  Now I am not too sure.  A few folks have pointed out that Hayes isn't fleet-of-foot and I am a little curious about his relationship with AV.  I'm not sure it was the greatest at all times in NYC.  On top of that, Duchene helped his case with a good first round performance. 

 

In any event, I certainly think they need a center.  I just don't love any of the candidates likely to get stupid money.  Would folks be happy with someone like Brock Nelson?  I don't think he's the "big splash" that the organization higher-ups want to see, but does it really make sense to spend a ton of money on Duchene or Hayes?

Edited April 22, 2019 by vis

[OccamsRazor]

1 hour ago, vis said:

At one point, I was somewhat favoring Hayes over Duchene.  Maybe it would be more accurate to say I was less opposed to Hayes than I was to Duchene.  Now I am not too sure.  A few folks have pointed out that Hayes isn't fleet-of-foot and I am a little curious about his relationship with AV.  I'm not sure it was the greatest at all times in NYC.  On top of that, Duchene helped his case with a good first round performance. 

 

In any event, I certainly think they need a center.  I just don't love any of the candidates likely to get stupid money.  Would folks be happy with someone like Brock Nelson?  I don't think he's the "big splash" that the organization higher-ups want to see, but does it really make sense to spend a ton of money on Duchene or Hayes?

 

I think they may have to settle for Nelson because I think once Panarin leaves Columbus they will give Duchene the Mark Stone contract he wants and i think someone needing a center will give Hayes and overpayment like San Jose once they don't resign Big Joe.

 

So Flyers will have to settle for another option.

[mojo1917]

I keep wondering why these dudes that are still playing hockey now, would want to ditch their teams and come play for ours, other than $

 

Brock Nelson is a good player and leader and his team was able to win a playoff series, where He was the guy.  The Flyers are going to have to hand out some stupid contracts to get these guys to leave winning situation to come here. 

I say that as a fan of the Flyers. 

 

I don't know a lot of the guys I would want to sign to improve the team seem pretty happy where they are.

 

 

[vis]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

I think they may have to settle for Nelson because I think once Panarin leaves Columbus they will give Duchene the Mark Stone contract he wants and i think someone needing a center will give Hayes and overpayment like San Jose once they don't resign Big Joe.

 

So Flyers will have to settle for another option.

This is how I see it playing out, unless the Flyers throw some ridiculous money out there.