Then why sign Rinehart and Walker? That's the last thing they should do.
- MJL

Because I think those can be the positive vets if you subtract some of the vets that are negative (Atkinson, Staal, Johnson, Risto). I think Walker was a positive.

Unless you hit on the high picks, nothing else matters. Look at Edmonton before McDavid. Players like Ovechkin, Crosby, MacKinnon, etc changed the futures of their teams. What would you be willing to do to draft players like that? I hear alot of talk about how the players need to sacrifice but nothing about how the team needs to sacrifice.

Everyone wants a guarantee but there are none. You should still try to give your team the best chance, even though it might not work out, no?
- Flyers_01

People always bring up that there are no guarantees. Of course there isn't. They bring up Buffalo and how they haven't made the playoffs in what 12 years? What have the Flyers done in the last 12 years? Right now, I'd rather have Buffalo's situation than the Flyers.

Torts is a shoo-in for Coach of the Year!

Wait, make that Choke of the Year.

Because I think those can be the positive vets if you subtract some of the vets that are negative (Atkinson, Staal, Johnson, Risto). I think Walker was a positive.
- epa80

Positive to what end? Leading to legitimately contending for the Cup? If not then why bother? That would be the absolute worst thing they could do. Bar none.

Not unheard of …but when he’s a UFA and you are supposedly trying to add further draft capital it’s just another wasted bullet. I like Seeler, I just see it as a retool move, not a rebuild move.
Then again if it’s the $ ear marked for a Staal or Johnson type of off season signing I’m probably a bit better with it.
- landros 2

While I don't love the Seeler deal I feel like it is one of those deals to keep a vet defender while they rebuild. They are still young with Drysdale, York, Zamula, Attard, Ginning, Andrae and anyone else they might bring up.

Also I am not sure what happens with Sanheim. They did try to move him last offseason. Does he want to be part of this rebuild or does he want to play for a contender.

People always bring up that there are no guarantees. Of course there isn't. They bring up Buffalo and how they haven't made the playoffs in what 12 years? What have the Flyers done in the last 12 years? Right now, I'd rather have Buffalo's situation than the Flyers.
- MJL

I would too.

Again it leads to the idea of moving Konecny. Not exactly the same but the reason they got Tage Thompson was because they moved O'Reilly. Even the deal of moving Middlestat for Byram.

They are trying to make the moves to be cup[ contenders. Now they have a top 4 of Dauhlin, Byram, Samuelsson and Power. That's a good starting point on the back end.

For the first 60+ games of the season, it was exciting to watch the Flyers again. They played hard and showed a mental fortitude they had not exhibited in recent seasons. Even when they lost, which I was conditioned for as it was supposed to be a rebuilding year, they made you stay tuned until the final horn.
These last few weeks have been like watching a train derail in very slow motion. The problem is I have loved ones on that train and I don't want to see it. I want this to end as quickly as possible now.

While I don't love the Seeler deal I feel like it is one of those deals to keep a vet defender while they rebuild. They are still young with Drysdale, York, Zamula, Attard, Ginning, Andrae and anyone else they might bring up.

Also I am not sure what happens with Sanheim. They did try to move him last offseason. Does he want to be part of this rebuild or does he want to play for a contender.
- J35Bacher

These are the tough decisions DB is going to have to make. He can’t eat contract and buy out all the guys that don’t fit or don’t want to be hear.

My math may be off here, but going back to our friends in Colorado, they signed a 27 year old d-man to a 7 year deal in 2015-2016 while the team was in the midst of one of those rebuilds. They finished I believe dead last in the NHL the following season.

I guess the thing is, it isn't unheard of for rebuilding teams to do signings like that.

d-man BTW was Erik Johnson
- epa80

EJ was basically their de facto captain at that time... and they made that signing because they thought they were a talented young .500 team on the upswing (Mac, Duche, Landy, Rants, Barrie, Grigo, Zadorov, etc). That was also around the time when they were throwing money at vets like Soderberg, Comeau and Stuart to supplement their youth.

2016-17 was an accidental bottoming out for them, which in hindsight they don't win their Cup without (Makar).

These are the tough decisions DB is going to have to make. He can’t eat contract and buy out all the guys that don’t fit or don’t want to be hear.
- landros 2

And that is what I'll be watching. Does Briere have a clear plan and real power to make those tough moves or will he just nibble along the edges and spin it as change.

Hart wasn't playing well before he left and Ersson had a fine month of Feb (5-2, 2.39, .909%). That seemed like it should have been the turning point but it wasn't. If Hart was still here right now he'd be getting murdered by all the open back door plays and defensive breakdowns too.
- Tomahawk

Yeah, Hart kept getting "sick' in December and that was his last good month.

https://www.nhl.com/stats...tarted&page=0&pageSize=50

October
Ersson: 2 starts, .760
Hart: 7 starts, .921

November
Ersson: 5 starts, .926
Hart: 7 starts, .896
Petersen: 2 starts, .896

December
Ersson: 8 starts, .919
Hart: 5 starts, .929

January
Ersson: 8 starts, .889
Hart: 6 starts, .879
Petersen: 0 starts, .857

February
Ersson: 8 starts, .909
Petersen: 2 starts, .824

March
Ersson: 12 starts, .868
Sansstrom: 5 starts, .823

April
Fedotov: 1 starts, .811
Ersson: 3 starts, .768

For the first 60+ games of the season, it was exciting to watch the Flyers again. They played hard and showed a mental fortitude they had not exhibited in recent seasons. Even when they lost, which I was conditioned for as it was supposed to be a rebuilding year, they made you stay tuned until the final horn.
These last few weeks have been like watching a train derail in very slow motion. The problem is I have loved ones on that train and I don't want to see it. I want this to end as quickly as possible now.
- Stanley Cup

I believe this is the rub. Yes they played hard. As hard as they possibly could. Like playoff level hard, just so they could compete. They were overcoming their lack of talent by just going balls to the wall playoff level intensity from game one.

It's almost impossible to do it just for the playoffs let alone an entire regular season.

They need to add the graphic of the balls hitting their chin on that tee.
- MJL

I would too.

Again it leads to the idea of moving Konecny. Not exactly the same but the reason they got Tage Thompson was because they moved O'Reilly. Even the deal of moving Middlestat for Byram.

They are trying to make the moves to be cup
- J35Bacher[ contenders. Now they have a top 4 of Dauhlin, Byram, Samuelsson and Power. That's a good starting point on the back end.

They’ve done a nice job assembling a decent young core…they too were thrown a curve ball when Eichel asked out. They knew Reinhart wanted out…they moved on. I’m not tied to any current Flyer. To get better they need better players. Moving guys like Hayes and DeAngelo or an ok d man with an average contract like Provorov really doesn’t move the needle.

Yeah, Hart kept getting "sick' in December and that was his last good month.

https://www.nhl.com/stats...tarted&page=0&pageSize=50

October
Ersson: 2 starts, .760
Hart: 7 starts, .921

November
Ersson: 5 starts, .926
Hart: 7 starts, .896
Petersen: 2 starts, .896

December
Ersson: 8 starts, .919
Hart: 5 starts, .929

January
Ersson: 8 starts, .889
Hart: 6 starts, .879
Petersen: 0 starts, .857

February
Ersson: 8 starts, .909
Petersen: 2 starts, .824

March
Ersson: 12 starts, .868
Sansstrom: 5 starts, .823

April
Fedotov: 1 starts, .811
Ersson: 3 starts, .768
- Feanor

You simply don’t win with that type of goaltending.

And that is what I'll be watching. Does Briere have a clear plan and real power to make those tough moves or will he just nibble along the edges and spin it as change.
- J35Bacher

No I think that like the last two failed GM’s he has all the power he needs.

Positive to what end? Leading to legitimately contending for the Cup? If not then why bother? That would be the absolute worst thing they could do. Bar none.
- MJL

No you got a point. Maybe I'm being too hopeful thinking that Tippett/Foerster/Brink/soon to be Michkov would be better served with more consistent offensive support with a guy like Reinhart, instead of what Atkinson/Coots/TK are and have been (or were hoped to have been).

Perhaps the timing just isn't right.

Edit: sorry, you were talking about Walker and I replied about Reinhart. Work is distracting me.

Yeah, Hart kept getting "sick' in December and that was his last good month.

https://www.nhl.com/stats...tarted&page=0&pageSize=50

October
Ersson: 2 starts, .760
Hart: 7 starts, .921

November
Ersson: 5 starts, .926
Hart: 7 starts, .896
Petersen: 2 starts, .896

December
Ersson: 8 starts, .919
Hart: 5 starts, .929

January
Ersson: 8 starts, .889
Hart: 6 starts, .879
Petersen: 0 starts, .857

February
Ersson: 8 starts, .909
Petersen: 2 starts, .824

March
Ersson: 12 starts, .868
Sansstrom: 5 starts, .823

April
Fedotov: 1 starts, .811
Ersson: 3 starts, .768
- Feanor

I was told earlier this season that Hart was a franchise goalie and was as good as Connor Hellebuyck

They’ve done a nice job assembling a decent young core…they too were thrown a curve ball when Eichel asked out. They knew Reinhart wanted out…they moved on. I’m not tied to any current Flyer. To get better they need better players. Moving guys like Hayes and DeAngelo or an ok d man with an average contract like Provorov really doesn’t move the needle.
- landros 2

That's why I can't see any good reason to sign Konecny to an extension.

What I don't understand and probably will never understand ia how the Flyers can play last night's game with Zamula, Attard and Ginning not playing. Win or lose down the stretch here, I thought the purpose of this year was to evaluate the young players, especially in games that mean something? Last night was the last meaningful game the Flyers will play this season, and three of their potential future players were not playing. And it's not like playing veterans gives this team a better chance to win. Staal and Johnson are cooked, their well-done, they are beyond basting. And honestly, we know what Sanheim is, or Seeler, they could sit a game. It just makes no sense. It's a lost opportunity. At this point, the Flyers should send Ginning and Attard back down to LHV to help the Phantoms get into the playoffs so at least they can get that experience.
- jd250

Answer: Sh!t Coaching

The last time that I was a fan of a team that bottomed out like this, was the '64 Phillies.
I was a bit of a fan in that I knew every stat of the team and most of the National League. I watched every game.
When they went into their swoon, it was Gene Mauch pinning all his hopes on Bunning and Short and he ran them into the ground.
I haven't watched, followed, or cared about baseball since.
I have no idea about the composition or records of principal players, management, or controversies.
I narrowed my interest to Hockey. Basketball players have nothing in common with me in physical dimensions. The same goes for Football. Both the 76ers and the Eagles helped abate my NEED for sports BS by being awful for extended periods.
Foregoing the devotion to meaningless outcomes, trends, etc., I made inroads on other interests and in rearing a family.
After this ongoing season's circus, I will make allowances since I have only this vent for my competitive stupidities.
I'm giving them this final grasp on my waning affiliation. The next year is it.
I realize nothing much will occur due to my lack of affection. The only changes will be internal to me. Another set of scenes and dialog that will be shuttered if I can't generate any hope for this poorly designed and extremely unlucky franchise.
There are too many similarities between the initiation of my first abandonment scenario and NOW to be ignored.
Since I labor for consistency, my remaining a supporter requires some tit-for-tat, some value given for my time. Spontaneity isn't in my lexicon of behavior unless I'm excited. This team is exciting with all the wrong forms of repeated titillation. I curse more.
I want some positive pleasures to offset the consequences of being a mark.
I can gamble elsewhere and get a semblance of a return or I can just agree with the negative sorts and let the horror show be the entertainment.
Have I said I'm NOT happy?
One year, and the abrasions will either be smoothed and treated, or life-support for this team will require somebody else to man the crash cart.
For the young, this is deja-poop.
https://www.foxsports.com...ill-stings-50-years-later

No you got a point. Maybe I'm being too hopeful thinking that Tippett/Foerster/Brink/soon to be Michkov would be better served with more consistent offensive support with a guy like Reinhart, instead of what Atkinson/Coots/TK are and have been (or were hoped to have been).

Perhaps the timing just isn't right.

Edit: sorry, you were talking about Walker and I replied about Reinhart. Work is distracting me.
- epa80

The Flyers are lacking elite players. You want to have as long.of an open window of contention as you can. The best way to acquire future young elite players is through the draft. The higher the pick, the better the odds are of getting those players. That's not going to happen signing Rinehart and Walker.

Sam Reinhart, Sean Walker, trade for Anthony Stolarz.
- epa80

Please, God no... we don't need Reinhart at his cap hit. Same as Walker... Stolarz, I could get on board with.

That's why I can't see any good reason to sign Konecny to an extension.
- J35Bacher

They should be trading anything not nailed down for picks but we know they won't. Guys Torts likes will get extensions. And DB will be bent over a barrel again to get rid of any that Torts doesn't.

That's why I can't see any good reason to sign Konecny to an extension.
- J35Bacher

This will be the off season of same old, same old or does DB start todo what he said he was going to do. Does he just say things to placate the fan base or actually act on those statements.