So Hextall hasn't made a bad trade or signing yet? This is EXACTLY what I mean, some people would defend Hextall if he killed someone on live TV. He's made an abundance of bad signings including key ones like Elliott, and Neuvirth. He has also made some bad trades. The Mrazek trade was a bad one. He was horrible for the Flyers and it didn't work out. This whole "it was good at the time, but ended up bad thing" is a pathetic and laughable excuse.
Furthermore, it's a sad state of affairs when Flyers fans are so quick to accept to mediocrity. Forget about bad or not for a second, how many signings or trades has Hextall made in four years which have been great or game changers for the franchise. He hasn't signed one player in free agency who has a been a difference maker, and the only trade he has made which could potentially be a game changer was the Coburn trade which led to moving that pick and 61 to get Konecny.
I won't go as far to say he's made all good trades/signings, but I don't think it's fair to label those signings as bad.
- Relative to the market and what was available, Elliot was a good signing (and I still think he was a good one). Again: relative to the market.
- Neuvirth I personally didn't want, but we didn't pay him a lot. Didn't realize he'd be so injured.
- Mrazek trade was the epitome of low risk, high reward -- hard to knock him for trading a pick for a young, experienced goalie who possibly needed a change of scenery (again, a trade almost universally loved by all aside from Detroit fans). It was worth the gamble, frankly. I don't know if you are disputing that, but I don't think you can dispute it; the potential was there for a big winner and minimal loss if it was a loser (which it ended up as).
Accepting mediocrity knowing that greatness is on the horizon is fine, IMO. I'm good with a middling team for a few years if it leads to a dynasty later (or at least a legitimate contender for 5 years). I'd trade 10 years of basement for 1 Stanley Cup -- I think Hextall is building to a Cup, but that's just how I see things. Takes time to do that most times.
I'll go back to my old faithful to refute the bolded: Michael Del Zotto. Was a very good signing (
at the very least during his initial contract).
His Morgan Frost trade could be a game changer. We're not sure yet. There's too many balls up in the air right now IMO to say what has been a successful transaction when so many are based on rookies/young players.