Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Tippett, TIFH

Great article Bill. Tippet is hopefully going to make that 6.2 look like a deal as early as next season. What a great trade- certainly Fletchers best.

I’ve been thinking about that trade from a FLD point of view lately. They obviously won’t be too upset if they win a cup. But on the other hand, do you think, even though he isn’t there and was only there for a little while, G helped them modestly to get to where they are today? Or will they look back and say ‘we won, but expended a lot of assets that we didn’t need to?’

Great article Bill. Tippet is hopefully going to make that 6.2 look like a deal as early as next season. What a great trade- certainly Fletchers best.

I’ve been thinking about that trade from a FLD point of view lately. They obviously won’t be too upset if they win a cup. But on the other hand, do you think, even though he isn’t there and was only there for a little while, G helped them modestly to get to where they are today? Or will they look back and say ‘we won, but expended a lot of assets that we didn’t need to?’
- coffee junkie

I remember the 1998 win by the Phantoms over my home town Saint John Flames. I remember Frank the animal Bialowas really getting on the nerves of the hometown fans here. I proudly wore my purple Phatoms jersey to games and people were like, wow you came all the way up from Philly? I saif no, I am a local fan and they were shocked. Back in the day, I really followed that team closely. Not as much anymore because this team has no future obviously haha JK..

So much for my theory, or hope, that Utah would be willing to trade their 6th pick. From Russ Cohen who was at the draft combine, Utah took the potential top 6 picks out to dinner, so it looks pretty much like they are taking a player at 6. Looks to me like the Flyers are happy to stand pat based on who they interviewed, and Yakemchuk seems to be high on their list. I hate it, but perhaps Flahr and his scouts have determined there isn't much difference between picking 6th and picking 12th in this draft. Oh well, I hope they are right.

Ahh Bill Barber one of the worst of the old guard NHL head coaches who coached an all-star roster. Not every flyers ex-player should be slotted in as a future flyers coach.

Jeremy Roenick, Simon Gagne, Justin Williams, John LeClair, Desjardins, Chris Therien, Adam Oates, Kim Johnnson, Keith Primeau, Mark Recchi. And it sounds like most of the players hated him.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/...ws/2002/0429/1375812.html


"We had the worst power play in the league, why are we not practicing it?" Primeau said. "The tirades on the bench. All season long we said if someone makes a mistake, they're getting yelled at.
..
Stop making suggestions, just go play. Work harder," Primeau said is what they were told."

League's worst pp, players getting yelled at all the time, sounds familiar. Work harder not smarter.

" .. We're a team that was playing like it was just coming out of training camp -- in March. We weren't playing like a team that was finely tuned. So, those are problems and we knew it."

Sounds like the current Flyers except that team had better players and still failed.
That was the year where another Flyers goaltender got scapegoated, a Flyers tradition.

For his three-season career in Philadelphia, Cechmanek racked up 20 shutouts (trailing only Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent in that category among all goaltenders in franchise history). Overall as a Flyer, “Chemo” posted a career 92-43-22 record, 1.96 goals against average, .

Despite being the best goaltender the Flyers had in recent memory with some not so great defenses he took the fall for the failure of yet another Flyers team.

The Flyers set a record for fewest goals scored by a team in a five-game playoff series, scoring only two goals against the Ottawa Senators. Yet, all anyone remembers is Cech calling out his teammates at center ice.

Once again Snider sided with Broad Stree bullies history over it's present.

"I don't think it's all Bill's fault," Snider said. "Unfortunately, you can't trade all the players."

Ahh Bill Barber one of the worst of the old guard NHL head coaches who coached an all-star roster. Not every flyers ex-player should be slotted in as a future flyers coach.

Jeremy Roenick, Simon Gagne, Justin Williams, John LeClair, Desjardins, Chris Therien, Adam Oates, Kim Johnnson, Keith Primeau, Mark Recchi. And it sounds like most of the players hated him.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/...ws/2002/0429/1375812.html


"We had the worst power play in the league, why are we not practicing it?" Primeau said. "The tirades on the bench. All season long we said if someone makes a mistake, they're getting yelled at.
..
Stop making suggestions, just go play. Work harder," Primeau said is what they were told."

League's worst pp, players getting yelled at all the time, sounds familiar. Work harder not smarter.

" .. We're a team that was playing like it was just coming out of training camp -- in March. We weren't playing like a team that was finely tuned. So, those are problems and we knew it."

Sounds like the current Flyers except that team had better players and still failed.
That was the year where another Flyers goaltender got scapegoated, a Flyers tradition.

For his three-season career in Philadelphia, Cechmanek racked up 20 shutouts (trailing only Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent in that category among all goaltenders in franchise history). Overall as a Flyer, “Chemo” posted a career 92-43-22 record, 1.96 goals against average, .

Despite being the best goaltender the Flyers had in recent memory with some not so great defenses he took the fall for the failure of yet another Flyers team.

The Flyers set a record for fewest goals scored by a team in a five-game playoff series, scoring only two goals against the Ottawa Senators. Yet, all anyone remembers is Cech calling out his teammates at center ice.

Once again Snider sided with Broad Stree bullies history over it's present.

"I don't think it's all Bill's fault," Snider said. "Unfortunately, you can't trade all the players."
- Flyers_01

Really good post, I forgot about most of this ... thanks.

Ahh Bill Barber one of the worst of the old guard NHL head coaches who coached an all-star roster. Not every flyers ex-player should be slotted in as a future flyers coach.

Jeremy Roenick, Simon Gagne, Justin Williams, John LeClair, Desjardins, Chris Therien, Adam Oates, Kim Johnnson, Keith Primeau, Mark Recchi. And it sounds like most of the players hated him.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/...ws/2002/0429/1375812.html


"We had the worst power play in the league, why are we not practicing it?" Primeau said. "The tirades on the bench. All season long we said if someone makes a mistake, they're getting yelled at.
..
Stop making suggestions, just go play. Work harder," Primeau said is what they were told."

League's worst pp, players getting yelled at all the time, sounds familiar. Work harder not smarter.

" .. We're a team that was playing like it was just coming out of training camp -- in March. We weren't playing like a team that was finely tuned. So, those are problems and we knew it."

Sounds like the current Flyers except that team had better players and still failed.
That was the year where another Flyers goaltender got scapegoated, a Flyers tradition.

For his three-season career in Philadelphia, Cechmanek racked up 20 shutouts (trailing only Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent in that category among all goaltenders in franchise history). Overall as a Flyer, “Chemo” posted a career 92-43-22 record, 1.96 goals against average, .

Despite being the best goaltender the Flyers had in recent memory with some not so great defenses he took the fall for the failure of yet another Flyers team.

The Flyers set a record for fewest goals scored by a team in a five-game playoff series, scoring only two goals against the Ottawa Senators. Yet, all anyone remembers is Cech calling out his teammates at center ice.

Once again Snider sided with Broad Stree bullies history over it's present.

"I don't think it's all Bill's fault," Snider said. "Unfortunately, you can't trade all the players."
- Flyers_01

Yes. What's always been clear is that we have no idea as a franchise on how to manage goaltending talent even when we find it. Cech, Bob are very good examples. Patience is needed for these guys. Even high picks rarely come into the league and dominate as they ascend to cup champs. Look at all the struggles Bob had initially in Florida. Now he's got a very solid team that supports him, this raises his confidence which in turn raises the team's confidence in him. Then boom, you see now that he's in an absolute zone. It's a symbiotic relationship between the players and the tender and a lot of times, the loss of confidence by a tender is directly related to lack of support from the team.

Really good post, I forgot about most of this ... thanks.
- jd250

I really don't like to remember those times. The infighting was unreal. Best player we've had in decades Lindros was routinely thrown under the bus by management even when he had a collapsed lung, then we throw Neilson under the bus when he got cancer, then we hire Barber, he's not a fit but somehow Cech is the scapegoat and on and on.. If there's any part of the organizational culture i'd love to fix it would be an end to the constant drama and chaos that is a hallmark of the org.

Ahh Bill Barber one of the worst of the old guard NHL head coaches who coached an all-star roster. Not every flyers ex-player should be slotted in as a future flyers coach.

Jeremy Roenick, Simon Gagne, Justin Williams, John LeClair, Desjardins, Chris Therien, Adam Oates, Kim Johnnson, Keith Primeau, Mark Recchi. And it sounds like most of the players hated him.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/...ws/2002/0429/1375812.html


"We had the worst power play in the league, why are we not practicing it?" Primeau said. "The tirades on the bench. All season long we said if someone makes a mistake, they're getting yelled at.
..
Stop making suggestions, just go play. Work harder," Primeau said is what they were told."

League's worst pp, players getting yelled at all the time, sounds familiar. Work harder not smarter.

" .. We're a team that was playing like it was just coming out of training camp -- in March. We weren't playing like a team that was finely tuned. So, those are problems and we knew it."

Sounds like the current Flyers except that team had better players and still failed.
That was the year where another Flyers goaltender got scapegoated, a Flyers tradition.

For his three-season career in Philadelphia, Cechmanek racked up 20 shutouts (trailing only Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent in that category among all goaltenders in franchise history). Overall as a Flyer, “Chemo” posted a career 92-43-22 record, 1.96 goals against average, .

Despite being the best goaltender the Flyers had in recent memory with some not so great defenses he took the fall for the failure of yet another Flyers team.

The Flyers set a record for fewest goals scored by a team in a five-game playoff series, scoring only two goals against the Ottawa Senators. Yet, all anyone remembers is Cech calling out his teammates at center ice.

Once again Snider sided with Broad Stree bullies history over it's present.

"I don't think it's all Bill's fault," Snider said. "Unfortunately, you can't trade all the players."
- Flyers_01

Barber coasted through (harsh I know) on his Jack Adams award and losing his wife. Nobody was going to criticize him. IMO he had checked out due to what was happening at home and who can blame him?

I really don't like to remember those times. The infighting was unreal. Best player we've had in decades Lindros was routinely thrown under the bus by management even when he had a collapsed lung, then we throw Neilson under the bus when he got cancer, then we hire Barber, he's not a fit but somehow Cech is the scapegoat and on and on.. If there's any part of the organizational culture i'd love to fix it would be an end to the constant drama and chaos that is a hallmark of the org.
- Hextall271

If there's one constant in Flyers history it is the cult like loyalty to the Broadstreet Bullies. The Flyers have been like Peter Pan, refusing to grow up.

Fun fact on Neilson. I just read this and i don't think i've actually heard of this happening in an NHL game. Would that move even be legal under NHL rules?

Neilson also discovered that if he put a defenceman in net instead of a goaltender during a penalty shot, the defenceman could rush the attacker and cut down the latter's angle of shot, greatly reducing the chances of a goal. In 1968, he used this information in an OHL game between Neilson's Peterborough Petes and the opposing Toronto Marlboros.

If there's one constant in Flyers history it is the cult like loyalty to the Broadstreet Bullies. The Flyers have been like Peter Pan, refusing to grow up.

Fun fact on Neilson. I just read this and i don't think i've actually heard of this happening in an NHL game. Would that move even be legal under NHL rules?

Neilson also discovered that if he put a defenceman in net instead of a goaltender during a penalty shot, the defenceman could rush the attacker and cut down the latter's angle of shot, greatly reducing the chances of a goal. In 1968, he used this information in an OHL game between Neilson's Peterborough Petes and the opposing Toronto Marlboros.
- Flyers_01

I didn't know that. I know that he was an innovator and one of if not the first to use video to coach so it doesn't surprise me at all that he'd find that loophole. I can't imagine that the NHL would allow this though.

So did the Caps by Capfriendly for the domain name or to gain a competitive advantage over the rest of the league?

Barber coasted through (harsh I know) on his Jack Adams award and losing his wife. Nobody was going to criticize him. IMO he had checked out due to what was happening at home and who can blame him?
- MBFlyerfan

He should've stepped away from the team to be with his wife if that was the reason. Many coaches have stepped away for personal/medical reasons over the years. The org should've offered whatever support he needed/wanted but left the team in someone else's hands.

That season changed the course of many careers.

So did the Caps by Capfriendly for the domain name or to gain a competitive advantage over the rest of the league?
- mickel25

Competitive advantage. They want the infrastructure and they have voided the many NHL team contracts Capfriendly had forcing them to look elsewhere.

Competitive advantage. They want the infrastructure and they have voided the many NHL team contracts Capfriendly had forcing them to look elsewhere.
- Flyers_01

Smart. Sounds like they will have pissed off half the league with this and I doubt they will receive any professional courtesy from anyone moving forward. Isn't their Honorary Patron Vlad Putin as their star player is a big fan of his? I'm sorry, that still pisses me off about Ovie. He should've just said nothing.

He should've stepped away from the team to be with his wife if that was the reason. Many coaches have stepped away for personal/medical reasons over the years. The org should've offered whatever support he needed/wanted but left the team in someone else's hands.

That season changed the course of many careers.
- Flyers_01

Who was the captain at that point? Desjardins right? Must have been a real gong show for him trying to mediate between coach and teammates.

Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Tippett, TIFH
- bmeltzer

surprised Brian Wesenberg never made it. had size and skill

Great article Bill. Tippet is hopefully going to make that 6.2 look like a deal as early as next season. What a great trade- certainly Fletchers best.

I’ve been thinking about that trade from a FLD point of view lately. They obviously won’t be too upset if they win a cup. But on the other hand, do you think, even though he isn’t there and was only there for a little while, G helped them modestly to get to where they are today? Or will they look back and say ‘we won, but expended a lot of assets that we didn’t need to?’
- coffee junkie

how did "G" help them modestly get where they are today?

Ahh Bill Barber one of the worst of the old guard NHL head coaches who coached an all-star roster. Not every flyers ex-player should be slotted in as a future flyers coach.

Jeremy Roenick, Simon Gagne, Justin Williams, John LeClair, Desjardins, Chris Therien, Adam Oates, Kim Johnnson, Keith Primeau, Mark Recchi. And it sounds like most of the players hated him.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/...ws/2002/0429/1375812.html


"We had the worst power play in the league, why are we not practicing it?" Primeau said. "The tirades on the bench. All season long we said if someone makes a mistake, they're getting yelled at.
..
Stop making suggestions, just go play. Work harder," Primeau said is what they were told."

League's worst pp, players getting yelled at all the time, sounds familiar. Work harder not smarter.

" .. We're a team that was playing like it was just coming out of training camp -- in March. We weren't playing like a team that was finely tuned. So, those are problems and we knew it."

Sounds like the current Flyers except that team had better players and still failed.
That was the year where another Flyers goaltender got scapegoated, a Flyers tradition.

For his three-season career in Philadelphia, Cechmanek racked up 20 shutouts (trailing only Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent in that category among all goaltenders in franchise history). Overall as a Flyer, “Chemo” posted a career 92-43-22 record, 1.96 goals against average, .

Despite being the best goaltender the Flyers had in recent memory with some not so great defenses he took the fall for the failure of yet another Flyers team.

The Flyers set a record for fewest goals scored by a team in a five-game playoff series, scoring only two goals against the Ottawa Senators. Yet, all anyone remembers is Cech calling out his teammates at center ice.

Once again Snider sided with Broad Stree bullies history over it's present.

"I don't think it's all Bill's fault," Snider said. "Unfortunately, you can't trade all the players."
- Flyers_01

Many around here hated Mark Recchi because of of Barber’s firing. That line of thinking didn’t make sense back then and it doesn’t make sense now. Keith Primeau was captain. He was doing all the talking and it sounds like all the players backed him.

I really don't like to remember those times. The infighting was unreal. Best player we've had in decades Lindros was routinely thrown under the bus by management even when he had a collapsed lung, then we throw Neilson under the bus when he got cancer, then we hire Barber, he's not a fit but somehow Cech is the scapegoat and on and on.. If there's any part of the organizational culture i'd love to fix it would be an end to the constant drama and chaos that is a hallmark of the org.
- Hextall271

Yeah, even when they were winning it was a constant circus.

Now we just have the circus haha.

Ahh Bill Barber one of the worst of the old guard NHL head coaches who coached an all-star roster. Not every flyers ex-player should be slotted in as a future flyers coach.

Jeremy Roenick, Simon Gagne, Justin Williams, John LeClair, Desjardins, Chris Therien, Adam Oates, Kim Johnnson, Keith Primeau, Mark Recchi. And it sounds like most of the players hated him.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/...ws/2002/0429/1375812.html


"We had the worst power play in the league, why are we not practicing it?" Primeau said. "The tirades on the bench. All season long we said if someone makes a mistake, they're getting yelled at.
..
Stop making suggestions, just go play. Work harder," Primeau said is what they were told."

League's worst pp, players getting yelled at all the time, sounds familiar. Work harder not smarter.

" .. We're a team that was playing like it was just coming out of training camp -- in March. We weren't playing like a team that was finely tuned. So, those are problems and we knew it."

Sounds like the current Flyers except that team had better players and still failed.
That was the year where another Flyers goaltender got scapegoated, a Flyers tradition.

For his three-season career in Philadelphia, Cechmanek racked up 20 shutouts (trailing only Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent in that category among all goaltenders in franchise history). Overall as a Flyer, “Chemo” posted a career 92-43-22 record, 1.96 goals against average, .

Despite being the best goaltender the Flyers had in recent memory with some not so great defenses he took the fall for the failure of yet another Flyers team.

The Flyers set a record for fewest goals scored by a team in a five-game playoff series, scoring only two goals against the Ottawa Senators. Yet, all anyone remembers is Cech calling out his teammates at center ice.

Once again Snider sided with Broad Stree bullies history over it's present.

"I don't think it's all Bill's fault," Snider said. "Unfortunately, you can't trade all the players."
- Flyers_01

if he was Canadian he would be hailed as a great leader.

Bill,

I was wondering if you have any insight to what the Flyers thinking is in extending Konency and not looking to move him. I feel like most on the site believe the best course is not to be tied down to a long term big money but it seems like that is what is going to happen?

I mean, this is similar to what the prior regime tried to do, so where are Briere/Jones/Tortarella differing. It won't take long for this fan base to see through it and will turn on them quickly as we were sold this is a new direction. Thanks in advance for your response.

That 1998 Phantoms clip - was that the last time Gene Hart broadcasted hockey? I know he passed away not much more than a year after that.

Yeah, even when they were winning it was a constant circus.

Now we just have the circus haha.


- Tomahawk

It's true. This last year with CG, Hart I was like here we go again..jebus.

That 1998 Phantoms clip - was that the last time Gene Hart broadcasted hockey? I know he passed away not much more than a year after that.
- copelal

I was at that game. My last game at the Spectrum. Really cool to see a team win a Championship in that building.