2018 off-season thread

[Curufinwe]

Primeau hadn't sustained his devastating concussion until a handful of games into the 05-06 season in a game against Montreal (Perezhogin with the hit IIRC).

The Perezhogin hit wasn't actually that violent - it was about as bad as the Rinaldo hit on Couturier. Primeau's brain was already scrambled from the multiple concussions he suffered in 2003-04.

 

[Rebels57]

I’ve looked for highlights of those first few games in 05-06 for a while now and can’t find them. Would’ve been interesting to see how Primeau’s career unfolded without the major injury.

He was already 34 so his career was beginning to wind down, but he did still have 7 points in the first 9 games of the season.

 

[Rebels57]

The Perezhogin hit wasn't actually that violent - it was about as bad as the Rinaldo hit on Couturier. Primeau's brain was already scrambled from the multiple concussions he suffered in 2004.

I remember that being pretty vicious, didn't see it coming and puck was long gone. You're probably right about the 04 run though.

The messed up part it, he played 2 more games after that hit.

Jim McCrossin and the team doctors at their finest.

 

[duffy9748]

He was already 34 so his career was beginning to wind down, but he did still have 7 points in the first 9 games of the season.

Yeah I don’t think he would’ve been a point producer by any means, but he could’ve been a very effective checking line center behind Carter and Richards.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Loved that 04 team. They had no depth on defense which was a problem after they got killed with injuries. Johnsson and Markov carried them during that run. Primeau was other wordly, probably the best run he ever had during his career.

Primeau's playoffs in '04 is one of the best playoff performances I've seen by any player in any sport. He was unbelievable in every phase of the game. Zhamnov also was terrific, as was Malakhov -- two top-notch rentals. People always talk about the misfortune of the Flyers losing Pronger to a career-ending injury; they tend to forget that the same thing happened with Primeau, too, his next season.

It's also a shame the lockout season cost them the chance at another playoff run. Unfortunately, the team was pretty old and full of vets, and that missed 04/05 season was basically it for them, especially considering Primeau's career was over 9 games into 05/06.

 

[Deadpool8812]

The Perezhogin hit was cheap. It was late and targeted the head. I'll never forget that hit because as soon as I saw it I remember saying to myself that we will never see Primeau playing in the league again

 

[Rebels57]

The Perezhogin hit was cheap. It was late and targeted the head. I'll never forget that hit because as soon as I saw it I remember saying to myself that we will never see Primeau playing in the league again

I won't forget that one either. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. Life as a Flyers fan is cruel.

 

[Flyerfan13]

For Flyers, it's not a popularity contest — and it shouldn't be

 

[Magua]

For Flyers, it's not a popularity contest — and it shouldn't be

"It was probably one of the best years we've ever had," Scott said in April 2017.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Dave Scott is Comcast’s flunky.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I guess Dave started following the team in 2014.

 

[duffy9748]

Those Subban rumors are interesting. I’d imagine they’d want to move him to the East and there’s only so many teams that can afford that cap hit/have the assets it would take. My guess is they’d want a young defenseman who can step in next year along with high picks/top prospects they could possibly flip. I’d prefer Doughty or Karlsson if Hextall did make a move for an elite defenseman, but Subban is interesting. He’d cost a few million less than they will once they sign their new deals.

 

[hatcher]

Primeau's playoffs in '04 is one of the best playoff performances I've seen by any player in any sport. He was unbelievable in every phase of the game. Zhamnov also was terrific, as was Malakhov -- two top-notch rentals. People always talk about the misfortune of the Flyers losing Pronger to a career-ending injury; they tend to forget that the same thing happened with Primeau, too, his next season.

It's also a shame the lockout season cost them the chance at another playoff run. Unfortunately, the team was pretty old and full of vets, and that missed 04/05 season was basically it for them, especially considering Primeau's career was over 9 games into 05/06.

To bad certain stars can't uplift there game when needed in the playoffs now.

 

[Psuhockey]

Those Subban rumors are interesting. I’d imagine they’d want to move him to the East and there’s only so many teams that can afford that cap hit/have the assets it would take. My guess is they’d want a young defenseman who can step in next year along with high picks/top prospects they could possibly flip. I’d prefer Doughty or Karlsson if Hextall did make a move for an elite defenseman, but Subban is interesting. He’d cost a few million less than they will once they sign their new deals.

He’s not two way enough for Hextall.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

For Flyers, it's not a popularity contest — and it shouldn't be

Love it.

Lays it out entirely.

 

[BernieParent]

I'm of two minds regarding Subban. He was great in Montreal and I thought the deal for Weber was awful for the Canadiens even before Weber's latest injury. He would look fabulous next to Provorov.

But ... if Nashville is truly shopping him, that would be a huge red flag that revives the talk of why he was shipped out of Montreal in the first place. And $9 million x 4 is nothing to sneeze at as a cap squeezer.

 

[duffy9748]

I'm of two minds regarding Subban. He was great in Montreal and I thought the deal for Weber was awful for the Canadiens even before Weber's latest injury. He would look fabulous next to Provorov.

But ... if Nashville is truly shopping him, that would be a huge red flag that revives the talk of why he was shipped out of Montreal in the first place. And $9 million x 4 is nothing to sneeze at as a cap squeezer.

Yeah he’s a hell of a player but if Nashville is even considering trading him, that’s telling.

 

[Curufinwe]

For Flyers, it's not a popularity contest — and it shouldn't be

The best part of that article was this ad headline at the bottom:

Gilligans Island Star Gave The Crew A Little Extra

 

[Ruck Over]

Love it.

Lays it out entirely.

But if he's a paid liar, as all GMs and coaches do to the media, what are we to believe?

Says everyone has to be better, means everything gonna stay status quo.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

But if he's a paid liar, as all GMs and coaches do to the media, what are we to believe?

Says everyone has to be better, means everything gonna stay status quo.

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at. Are you saying Hextall is lying in this article?

 

[Rebels57]

Love it.

Lays it out entirely.

Lmao what was "layed out entirely?"

It was yet another hit piece by a bored writer against the fans that are sick of mediocrity and it gave no substance at all other than "Hextall is sticking to his plan." If his plan is "draft and develop" only than this team will not win a Cup in his tenure. I guess we will see what his real plan is over time but this article sure as shit didn't lay anything out.

Let's look at his actual quotes and remove the fluff by the writer.

"We all have pressure," Hextall said last month. "Pro sports is pressure. There's pressure on all of us. Now how you handle that pressure, you better handle it right. My philosophy is I do what I believe is right.

"I'm not going to do something to make me popular. I'm not going to do something that's going to take away from the success of our team to put a few more people in the stands."

"We're not going to change what we set out to do four years ago," Hextall said. "We put a plan in place. To go sideways now would be the wrong thing to do. It sort of took two years to get the wheels in motion and we're on plan. Are we happy where we're at right now? Hell no."

"If we're successful, the people are going to be in the seats," Hextall said. "If you look around the league, we’ve got very good attendance. That's a little bit harsh when you talk about attendance. Our attendance has been very good. Our fans are terrific. We're not going to make a change to appease people or because we are supposed to or for whatever reason. We're going to make changes to get better."

So basically all he said was we are sticking to "the plan" and won't make changes "just to make fans happy." That's literally all he said if you boil those quotes down.

 

[Ruck Over]

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at. Are you saying Hextall is lying in this article?

It's a jerk-laced extension of previous disagreements we've had about Hextall and the messaging to the fanbase. How, what he says, and doesn't say, should be taken at face value, and the cherry-picking of when something is truthful or not is kinda baloney.

In times past I've been critical of what he's said, and was responded to, "Well, what did you expect him to say?" And his words were dismissed. This is something that you agree with, and are accepting the words to be truthful.

Just pointing out the inconsistency. I hope he's true to his word, but have misgivings until the actions line up to match.

 

[deadhead]

All Hextall is saying is he had a long-term plan what was approved by management four years ago, and nothing has changed.
Just about any franchise would be happy with a playoff appearance and 98 points four years into a rebuild.
Problem is Flyers fans were spoiled by two long playoff runs, and ignore the 5 year hiatus in between.

Before you can go on another long run, especially in today's NHL, you have to build an impressive talent base, both your core and the assets needed to augment that core, whether it be depth players, trade ammunition or cap room.

Until the core is ready to compete at a high level, there isn't a lot Hextall can do to accelerate the process.
He can continue to add talent, but "you can't hurry love"

Most players aren't playoff ready until 21-22 for top players, 23-24 for most players.
2017-18: Couts (25), Patrick (19), TK (20) Lindblom (21), Frost (18), Ghost (24), Provorov (21), Sanheim (21), Myers (21)
Hextall can look at that and know the core is in place, but probably two years away from being ready to carry the playoff load.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

Lmao what was "layed out entirely?"

It was yet another hit piece by a bored writer against the fans that are sick of mediocrity and it gave no substance at all other than "Hextall is sticking to his plan." If his plan is "draft and develop" only than this team will not win a Cup in his tenure. I guess we will see what his real plan is over time but this article sure as **** didn't lay anything out.

Yup.

That's what I liked about it: it laid out Hextall's plan, that he was sticking to it, and that you're not supposed to be thrilled necessarily right now. Also, Hextall himself said it isn't exactly happy where the team is at either, but is staying the course because he knows the path to success:

"We're not going to change what we set out to do four years ago," Hextall said. "We put a plan in place. To go sideways now would be the wrong thing to do.
"It sort of took two years to get the wheels in motion and we're on plan. Are we happy where we're at right now? Hell no."

I know the author was basically saying "Suck it up" to fans who don't like long-term plans of success strategies -- and I love it (as a person who is content with it). Most sports articles complain about why a team isn't currently better whereas this is a rare one where it's all laid out for everyone as to what is happening.

 

[Rebels57]

Yup.

That's what I liked about it: it laid out Hextall's plan, that he was sticking to it, and that you're not supposed to be thrilled necessarily right now. Also, Hextall himself said it isn't exactly happy where the team is at either, but is staying the course because he knows the path to success:



I know the author was basically saying "Suck it up" to fans who don't like long-term plans of success strategies -- and I love it (as a person who is content with it). Most sports articles complain about why a team isn't currently better whereas this is a rare one where it's all laid out for everyone as to what is happening.

Where did it lay out Hextall's plan?