Speculation: Do you believe In Chuck?

[Ghosts Beer]

I would say in his first off-season he did all that was needed. He added a 2C, he added a top pairing RHD. He could've done more last off-season, but the expansion draft didn't make it easier.

This off-season will be his big test.

Not only the expansion draft, but the flat-cap, made off-season (and in-season) moves extraordinarily difficult this season. Ghost didn’t even get claimed on waivers for free. It was not your typical season or off-season, & it’s disingenuous or ignorant for people to act like it is or was. There’s a reason trades have been minimal around the league with almost none of significance, & that multiple fairly high profile players have been waived & gone unclaimed.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

 

[Jettany]

Another impressive accomplishment for AV to add to his .500 playoff record and two stanely cup finals appearances even though he coached dominate teams with elite goalies for a decade.

You think the rangers were dominate?

 

[deadhead]

Did I just read that Hank wasn't an elite goalie in 2013? What the f*** are you smoking, buddy?

Depends what you call elite, I think of elite as the top 3 or so (top 10%), 2008-2012 Lnndqvist was clearly elite.
People like to inflate "elite" and "brilliant" to the point they become meaningless.

2013-14: 11th in S% at .920 (2000 minutes)
GA - xGA/60: Khudobin -0.42, Varlamov -0.32, Price -0.31, Lundqvist -0.28
Talbot on the same team was .940 and -0.70.

2014-15: 10th in S% at .922
GA - xGA/60: Price -0.48, Lack -0.24, Mason -0.23, Lundqvist -0.22, Dubnyk -0.21, Varlamov -0.20
Talbot .926, -0.36

2015-16: 11 in S% at .920
GA - xGA/60: Elliott -0.58, Greiss -0.30, Lundqvist -0.30, Crawford -0.25, Schneider -0.24

What stands out about Lundqvist during this stretch was his consistency.

 

[Rebels57]

Of course. I just think it's a little premature to assume he'll fail just because he couldn't win a Cup in Minnesota. At the end of the day you also need a little luck. Look at their draft history. Since 2005 they've never had a pick in the top 5. Minnesota probably also isn't the prime destination for many players in FA, unless they're from the area like Suter and Parise.

He'll fail because he cant assess coachs and cant evaluate pro talent and address team weaknesses quickly and efficiently. Just like Hextall.

 

[BringBackHakstol]

Fletcher has never made any shrewd or impressive moves. None I can dig up.

He's mediocre at Best. Terrible hire

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Fletcher has never made any shrewd or impressive moves. None I can dig up.

He's mediocre at Best. Terrible hire

Yep. Gudas for Niskanen in his first offseason as Flyers GM wasn’t shrewd at all. Neither was the trade down his first Flyers draft to nab York & Brink.

 

[Dumpster Flyers]

GMs get all the praise and blame, but really they're just one cog in the wheel. The Flyers as an organization hasn't fundamentally changed in decades. Like, who the **** is Barry Hanrahan? I don't know, but he's been the Assistant GM since 2005. Paul Holmgren was team president up until last season and he and Bobby Clarke still have Dave Scott's ear as senior advisors. Goaltending has been a disaster for years, but Kim Dillabaugh isn't held accountable. The list goes on.

It's more than fair to judge Cuck on his hirings, however. AV obviously sucks, but who else? I notice he hired Nick Schultz and Chris Stewart as development coaches despite them having no experience in that role. What are their qualifications? They played for the Wild. So yeah... **** that.

 

[BringBackHakstol]

Yep. Gudas for Niskanen in his first offseason as Flyers GM wasn’t shrewd at all. Neither was the trade down his first Flyers draft to nab York & Brink.

I'm blown away

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

GMs get all the praise and blame, but really they're just one cog in the wheel. The Flyers as an organization hasn't fundamentally changed in decades. Like, who the **** is Barry Hanrahan? I don't know, but he's been the Assistant GM since 2005. Paul Holmgren was team president up until last season and he and Bobby Clarke still have Dave Scott's ear as senior advisors. Goaltending has been a disaster for years, but Kim Dillabaugh isn't held accountable. The list goes on.

It's more than fair to judge Cuck on his hirings, however. AV obviously sucks, but who else? I notice he hired Nick Schultz and Chris Stewart as development coaches despite them having no experience in that role. What are their qualifications? They played for the Wild. So yeah... **** that.

I don’t know if he still is or not. I’d imagine so. But he was their cap/CBA “guru”. Like that’s his “expertise” yet they had multiple laughably bad blunders under the Homer era in that regard.

 

[Embiid]

GMs get all the praise and blame, but really they're just one cog in the wheel. The Flyers as an organization hasn't fundamentally changed in decades. Like, who the **** is Barry Hanrahan? I don't know, but he's been the Assistant GM since 2005. Paul Holmgren was team president up until last season and he and Bobby Clarke still have Dave Scott's ear as senior advisors. Goaltending has been a disaster for years, but Kim Dillabaugh isn't held accountable. The list goes on.

It's more than fair to judge Cuck on his hirings, however. AV obviously sucks, but who else? I notice he hired Nick Schultz and Chris Stewart as development coaches despite them having no experience in that role. What are their qualifications? They played for the Wild. So yeah... **** that.

It's frankly irritating that the FO is like some kind of country club with lifetime memberships. I mean Holmgren made tons of gross miscalcs that got him "promoted" to President yet he still remains in the fold with influence as a consultant. Go figure.

 

[Embiid]

Btw..the vote count thus far

 

[Ghosts Beer]

I'm blown away

If you think trading Gudas for Niskanen wasn't "shrewd" (your word), then I strongly disagree. It was a major upgrade.

What NHL player did Hextall trade for in his 4.5 years who was better than Niskanen, who Fletcher traded for in his first offseason?

 

[HeyHanrahan]

Chuck Fletcher was hired mid-season after we fired Hextall. The offseason was GM musical chairs and we got the GM that was left a standing. Fletcher was rewarded with a job because any better candidate was already hired. When he came on board it was fair to give him a chance even though he was milk-toast with Minnesota. He was gifted blue chip prospects and some cap space. I can’t point to too many transactions that Fletcher has made and say “that’s a good deal”.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

They did interviews but the tea leaves read that it was essentially Fletcher’s job to lose from the start.

They did interview Bill Zito though who I’d rather have over Fletcher at this point. But just like Hakstol they probably weren’t hiring a first time GM again after Hextall.

 

[deadhead]

Fletcher was under a lot of pressure to win now, that's why he was hired, and a lot of GMs in that situation would have made a big splash by packaging a bunch of prospects and picks to add a couple "name" veterans.

Instead his one "asset" deal was a 2nd and 3rd for Braun, which is the TDL cost, but we had him for the whole year.
Gudas for Niskanen, Signed Hayes to a market deal. A few minor transactions.

Fletcher has shown he's learned from his Minnesota experience:
1) wary of trading young players
2) wary of ED extortion
Which is why he didn't make a lot of moves this off season, and that's turning out to be a good thing.

Now I expect him to make some moves this summer, but I don't expect a massive raid on our talent pipeline.
Probably a goalie signing, and a signing/trade for the RHD.
At worst one top prospect, one or two second tier prospects and 1st rd pick, at best a FA signing.
To add both players will require clearing some cap, and Seattle will be offered some contracts.
And if he can make both moves without giving up too much, I'll be happy.

 

[Psuhockey]

They did interviews but the tea leaves read that it was essentially Fletcher’s job to lose from the start.

They did interview Bill Zito though who I’d rather have over Fletcher at this point. But just like Hakstol they probably weren’t hiring a first time GM again after Hextall.

Fletcher was hand picked because he’s a corporate shill. Comcast thru Scott runs the team and only cares about image and money in/money out. Holmgren and Clarke sold Fletcher to Scott and both bolted. I would imagine even if things go bad, Fletcher will retain his title of President and just hire a new GM because he knows corporate speak and will remain that buffer now Holmgren and Clarke are gone.

Unless a private citizen buys the Flyers this is how it’s going to go for this team.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

The man has had two off-seasons as GM.

Off-season 1: Trades Gudas for Niskanen. Trades for & signs Hayes to fill the gaping hole at 2C (would you prefer Laughton or Patrick there?). Flyers win a playoff round for the first time in 8 years.

Off-season 2: The league is stymied by COVID, resulting in an unprecedented flat cap, in addition to a short season & a looming expansion draft. Player movement is extremely limited league-wide as a result of this novel scenario; trades are nearly impossible to find. The youngsters Hextall accrued fail to remotely meet their hype, except for sophomore Farabee, with many struggling mightily. Luckily, Fletcher’s first Flyers draft pick, Cam York, who captained USA to the WJC crown, signs an ELC & appears close to helping the beleaguered defense, & probably will soon leap Hextall’s foundering Sanhero & Myers on the depth chart.

How this 2 year scenario warrants firing, I cannot comprehend, except for a vendetta that existed from day 1.

 

[David St Hubbins]

 

[Embiid]

Flyers are just an entry on Comcast's huge financial ledger/balance sheet now. It's sad...

 

[He Is Knocking]

Fletcher and shrewd being used in the same sentence, now I know why I read here....It's the comedy.

considering both Braun and Niskinen were brought in from teams up against or over the cap I felt it was an overpay to take on salary (gudas) plus the two high draft picks for Braun was ridiculous.

 

[Curufinwe]

Washington did not want to move Niskanen in the division, so that was the cost of getting him here. And it was well worth it considering that Niskanen was a major upgrade on Gudas who ended up buried on the Caps 3rd pair and a healthy scratch in the playoffs.

He did an interview where he said Washington asked for a 2nd round pick for to retain $1m on the trade, and retaining $1m was an easy choice. I can't find it online now.

 

[deadhead]

Fletcher and shrewd being used in the same sentence, now I know why I read here....It's the comedy.

considering both Braun and Niskinen were brought in from teams up against or over the cap I felt it was an overpay to take on salary (gudas) plus the two high draft picks for Braun was ridiculous.

Caps gave a 2nd and 3rd to rent Dillon at the TDL, Dillon had played behind Braun the previous season in San Jose. That's the going rate.
The 2nd rd pick was #54?

Niskanen was clearly superior to Gudas, who was a 3rd pair for the Caps and now for the Panthers (behind Stralman and Forsling). So cap relief was the reason for the Caps to make that trade.

 

[snoop88]

This offseason is massive.

I think he knew this season was always going to be a step back after catching the league off guard last year and getting a jolt from the new coach and all of the new players. The expansion draft put us in a weird position to not be able to get creative with trades or upgrades.

He has to get us back on track and this team needs to look really good to start the 21-22 season or heads are gonna roll starting with him and AV. This is their last shot.

 

[Adam Warlock]

The man has had two off-seasons as GM.

Off-season 1: Trades Gudas for Niskanen. Trades for & signs Hayes to fill the gaping hole at 2C (would you prefer Laughton or Patrick there?). Flyers win a playoff round for the first time in 8 years.

Off-season 2: The league is stymied by COVID, resulting in an unprecedented flat cap, in addition to a short season & a looming expansion draft. Player movement is extremely limited league-wide as a result of this novel scenario; trades are nearly impossible to find. The youngsters Hextall accrued fail to remotely meet their hype, except for sophomore Farabee, with many struggling mightily. Luckily, Fletcher’s first Flyers draft pick, Cam York, who captained USA to the WJC crown, signs an ELC & appears close to helping the beleaguered defense, & probably will soon leap Hextall’s foundering Sanhero & Myers on the depth chart.

How this 2 year scenario warrants firing, I cannot comprehend, except for a vendetta that existed from day 1.

Yeah its too small of a sample size to really say how I feel. Last season was a huge step forward for this team...him and AV got the team to a level that Hextall and Hak never could. They both deserve credit for that. If it wasnt for a once in a century global crisis, who knows how that season turns out.

The playoffs were frustrating. After picking up where they left off with a sweep of the RR...two bad match ups exposed this teams weaknesses. AV overreacted and has since failed to recapture where this team was pre pause. The bubble also exposed chucks failure at the deadline last year. Grant and thompson were downgrades.

This season has truly been bizarre. I cant blame chuck on the offseason...there really wasnt anything out there. This years TDL n Offseason are going to be his biggest tests. My guess is he'll make some good moves n some bad ones...just a question of which out weighs which.