I really can't believe that the Gauthier situation is still being discussed on here again. We need a friggin hockey game to talk about! Or a preseason football game...NOT!
- Phillywhiteout

Sorry about pre season football…that was on me.

Zamula seems to have survived. I'm sure they didn't roll out the red carpet for him as an 18 year old in Regina. Just saying many kids from Russia, and other non-English speaking European countries, have done it. Some had a hard time and chose to go back home and some didn't. Sounds like Kolosov had a hard time with it.
- Dkos

Provy came even earlier.

Provy came even earlier.
- landros 2

Language is a big deal. Zamula and Fedotov can already speak English. Provorov sounded like a native many times.

I get it, it can be hard being put in a place where not only cant you understand the language, the whole alphabet is different. But with Google translate its not as hard as it used to be. I think the whole left alone thing is overblown. Its not like he was locked in his room 24/7 with no human contact. He practiced and traveled with the team. To me it sounds more like he assumed he would be the starter in Lehigh at least, and got miffed when Cal (frank)ing Peterson was starting over him.

if he doesn't want to be a Flyer we don't want him

I'm willing to give the Flyers the benefit of the doubt here that they didn't (frank) this up in some way, but if they go to the full on PR assault routine against this kid, like they did with CG, I'm going to have to assume they did something stupid.
- Dkos

I agree. This could just be a simple case of a kid who doesn't know what he wants

Sorry about pre season football…that was on me.
- landros 2

No apologies needed. I wasn't directing that at anyone on here. Just the general worthlessness of preseason football and preseason of any sport in general.

Since they hold his rights, logic tells me they will tread lightly. Say it is mutual or something to that effect after all parties talked.

Then again they are the gold standard so no reason to tread lightly.

Speaking of which will this be another cutter situation that he will not speak to the flyer and it all goes through the new agent?
- hello it's me 2050

"Nothing has been said directly to us," Flyers general manager Danny Briere said recently on the Nasty Knuckles podcast with Riley Cote and Derek Settlemyre. "We were trying to get some answers. Alexei doesn't speak English, so we can't just grab the phone and call him. It was tough to get answers from his agent or clear answers, there's always dancing around the pot. He just changed agents in the last few days, so we were just notified of that. I don't know exactly what it means."

It's going to go through the agent. I would also assume they aren't sending Johnny Vermont to talk to him.

Anyone remember when a certain someone said it was hysterical when I mentioned Taylor Swift/Swifties endorsing Harris the other day? I just came across an article that suggests Donnie boy put out AI generated images of Taylor and her Swifties falsely endorsing him. Ha ha!!!!!!! More legal trouble to follow. LMAO! Back to your regularly scheduled programming. Using Taylor's image without her approval? Another lawsuit for Donnie boy?

Again, you're being ignorant. It isn't about needing a mommy to tuck him in. It's about having a support structure. Someone to help you adjust to the new culture. Find your way around. Someone to hang out with when not practicing or playing. Saying he's 22 is just being unaware of reality.
- MJL

I agree. This could just be a simple case of a kid who doesn't know what he wants
- MJL

Summer is nearly over, and yet you insist on flip-flopping

changed your tune pretty quick I see

Not if the narrative is because “he’s Russian”.
- roenick97

It isn't tho.

It's about youth and standing. Torts will cut guys slack as long as they're producing. And he'll give the benefit of the doubt to veterans. Panarin checked both of those boxes in addition to having contract leverage over a team that famously couldn't attract top talent.

The only way Michkov will get cut slack is if he's scoring right out of the gate. Otherwise it's gonna be the usual Torts routine of break/mold/rebuild that's he's tried on countless guys in the past, regardless of draft position or nationality.

And Michkov is not gonna put up with that.

It isn't tho.

It's about youth and standing. Torts will cut guys slack as long as they're producing. And he'll give the benefit of the doubt to veterans. Panarin checked both of those boxes in addition to having contract leverage over a team that famously couldn't attract top talent.

The only way Michkov will get cut slack is if he's scoring right out of the gate. Otherwise it's gonna be the usual Torts routine of break/mold/rebuild that's he's tried on countless guys in the past, regardless of draft position or nationality.
- Tomahawk

Torts is the devil!! And yet many guys that he disposes off are constantly being shipped to different places around the league (Hayes, Angelo, RoJo and PLD). Hell, Angelo might have to go to Russia to earn a paycheck. I'm not even saying that Torts is the right coach for this team, but the disdain that some folks have for him on here cracks me up.

"Nothing has been said directly to us," Flyers general manager Danny Briere said recently on the Nasty Knuckles podcast with Riley Cote and Derek Settlemyre. "We were trying to get some answers. Alexei doesn't speak English, so we can't just grab the phone and call him.
- Flyers_01

Same reason they lost Gauthier.

"Nothing has been said directly to us," Flyers general manager Danny Briere said recently on the Nasty Knuckles podcast with Riley Cote and Derek Settlemyre. "We were trying to get some answers. Alexei doesn't speak English, so we can't just grab the phone and call him. It was tough to get answers from his agent or clear answers, there's always dancing around the pot. He just changed agents in the last few days, so we were just notified of that. I don't know exactly what it means."

It's going to go through the agent. I would also assume they aren't sending Johnny Vermont to talk to him.
- Flyers_01

That comment is a bad look. I mean, there is such a thing as translators are there not? The Flyers must have access to Russian language translators, so that looks lazy if nothing else on their part. This kid better not end up being better than Fedotov!! Yikes!

Laine and a 2nd to the Habs for Jordan Harris.

Torts is the devil!! And yet many guys that he disposes off are constantly being shipped to different places around the league (Hayes, Angelo, RoJo and PLD). Hell, Angelo might have to go to Russia to earn a paycheck. I'm not even saying that Torts is the right coach for this team, but the disdain that some folks have for him on here cracks me up.
- Phillywhiteout

There's also Karlsson who couldn't get much ice time under Torts and was left unprotected in expansion... who scored 40 the minute he got to Vegas. Zuccarello who had a hard time getting a fair look under Torts who thrived after he left. Laine who struggled badly when Torts tried to turn him into a net-front player and then went right back to being point per game after Torts was fired.

No coach has a 100% track record with players. But what we know is that Torts doesn't have much of a track record when it comes to developing young offensive players, especially those who are more of a challenge to coach.

Torts used Poehling as the 1C in must win game 82 which they lost.

Laine and a 2nd to the Habs for Jordan Harris.
- mickel25

Looks like dumping salary still ain't easy.

There's also Karlsson who couldn't get much ice time under Torts and was left unprotected in expansion... who scored 40 the minute he got to Vegas. Zuccarello who had a hard time getting a fair look under Torts who thrived after he left. Laine who struggled badly when Torts tried to turn him into a net-front player and then went right back to being point per game after Torts was fired.

No coach has a 100% track record with players. But what we know is that Torts doesn't have much of a track record when it comes to developing young offensive players, especially those who are more of a challenge to coach.
- Tomahawk

😂 this is the only player anyone brings up in this argument. If that’s the best example anyone has the argument itself is tenuous at best. This happens to be Bill’s go-to as well.

There's also Karlsson who couldn't get much ice time under Torts and was left unprotected in expansion... who scored 40 the minute he got to Vegas. Zuccarello who had a hard time getting a fair look under Torts who thrived after he left. Laine who struggled badly when Torts tried to turn him into a net-front player and then went right back to being point per game after Torts was fired.

No coach has a 100% track record with players. But what we know is that Torts doesn't have much of a track record when it comes to developing young offensive players, especially those who are more of a challenge to coach.
- Tomahawk

You mean the Laine that just got traded again today?

You mean the Laine that just got traded again today?
- Phillywhiteout

😆

Torts used Poehling as the 1C in must win game 82 which they lost.
- Feanor

I don’t care how much skill Frost has. If he’s got no sense of urgency or jump in a must win game I don’t want him out there either. he’s a floater. he waits for the game puck to come to him. Zero tenacity. I think I saw him throw a hit on the forecheck once though.

The question you should be asking yourself is why can’t frost bring more to the table than a 4th line player when the game matters?

Torts used Poehling as the 1C in must win game 82 which they lost.
- Feanor

That's cause Frosty crapped the bed and then smiled as he was sitting on the bench during that game. Frosty gonna get one more chance to prove himself this year and will prolly be paired with Michkov. That doesn't work and he will be moved along. Time for no more excuses with this kid. It's his put up or shut up season (if he doesn't get traded before the season starts)!

You mean the Laine that just got traded again today?
- Phillywhiteout

You should check Zuccarello's stats with and without Torts.

It isn't tho.

It's about youth and standing. Torts will cut guys slack as long as they're producing. And he'll give the benefit of the doubt to veterans. Panarin checked both of those boxes in addition to having contract leverage over a team that famously couldn't attract top talent.

The only way Michkov will get cut slack is if he's scoring right out of the gate. Otherwise it's gonna be the usual Torts routine of break/mold/rebuild that's he's tried on countless guys in the past, regardless of draft position or nationality.

And Michkov is not gonna put up with that.
- Tomahawk

Okay, so as a top prospect and a player who is expected to produce, do you think Michkov will produce?

I don’t care how much skill Frost has. If he’s got no sense of urgency or jump in a must win game I don’t want him out there either. he’s a floater. he waits for the game puck to come to him. Zero tenacity. I think I saw him throw a hit on the forecheck once though.

The question you should be asking yourself is why can’t frost bring more to the table than a 4th line player when the game matters?
- anti-lame

It's nothing to do with urgency or jump or any other stupid hockey cliche. Torts is a coward so when the pressure goes on he prefers muckers and grinders, and the team loses.

It's the anti-skill thinking that has the Flyers as the worst PP team and the 5th worst scoring team in the league under Tortorella.

I don’t care how much skill Frost has. If he’s got no sense of urgency or jump in a must win game I don’t want him out there either. he’s a floater. he waits for the game puck to come to him. Zero tenacity. I think I saw him throw a hit on the forecheck once though.

The question you should be asking yourself is why can’t frost bring more to the table than a 4th line player when the game matters?
- anti-lame