News Article: Gagne on Flyers: 'I can't believe I'm not back'

[Qyburn]

as Gagne himself is now backpeddling, he shouldn't feel a sense of entitlement.

I agree. He even admitted in his own words that they had only "hinted" at anything. Hinting is a long way off from promising. Yet he continues to whine as if a promise is exactly what he got. He's just making himself look silly at this point. Not to mention arrogant.

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

I'm not the biggest Holmgren fan but I give credit where it is due although I still think Hextall was more of the voice of reason with respect to shelving Gagne.

People are acting like Holmgren/Hextall and the Flyers dissed Wayne Gretzky or something. It's pretty comical.

Maybe the Flyers didn't act in good faith and strung him along but again as Gagne himself is now backpeddling, he shouldn't feel a sense of entitlement. Him and his agent look like two dopes. I mean the saying "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" has been stated since time immemorial. Yet he comes out and states that him and his agent did just that. Both of them need to go to a community college and take Basic Business 101 or Marketing 101.

Agreed on all accounts here, I don't know why he feels entitled to getting a contract. I love Gagne and he is one of my all time favorites, but come on man. You gotta temper your expectations a bit when you're on the downside of your career.

 

[ORYX]

This is ultimately my issues with the anti-Holmgren group. I don't think the guy is perfect, but he is not responsible for how Gagne, and his camp, perceive a situation. One side of the story comes out, from a party with motive, and people jump all over Holmgren. Do you honestly think the agent/attorney/PR shill for the player is just telling the honest truth? If you do, that's pretty damn naive.

Holmgren does what's best for the team, and being 100% transparent would sink a club very quickly. Gagne is upset he doesn't have a contract with any team, and his camp is trying to paint Holmgren as the sole reason for the lack of contract. Do you expect the agent/Gagne to say there is no contract because he's an older, injury prone, high cost v. production player?

I'm not jumping on Holmgren, I wouldnt offer Gagne a contract either, and I'm certainly not naive.

Regardless of who is at fault, who has a motive or not, it shines poorly on an organization when a well respected player, league wide, says what Gagne has.

Its bad press, there was obviously a miscommunication between the two. I'm not on a side in this, aside from the side that as a Flyers fan wants the best team on the ice. I don't give a damn who's feelings get hurt, so long as it doesnt make the organization look like a joke. (not inferring this situation to have done so).

The old adage that any press is good press is fundamentally incorrect.

 

[StevensCakeBakerBacker]

I'm not jumping on Holmgren, I wouldnt offer Gagne a contract either, and I'm certainly not naive.

Regardless of who is at fault, who has a motive or not, it shines poorly on an organization when a well respected player, league wide, says what Gagne has.

Its bad press, there was obviously a miscommunication between the two. I'm not on a side in this, aside from the side that as a Flyers fan wants the best team on the ice. I don't give a damn who's feelings get hurt, so long as it doesnt make the organization look like a joke. (not inferring this situation to have done so).

The old adage that any press is good press is fundamentally incorrect.

I get ya, and sorry for projecting my opinions of the anti-Homer crowed onto you. That wasn't my intent, but it did come across that way.

My point was that this situation in no way makes the Flyers org look like big meanies to other professionals in the NHL.

 

[captainpaxil]

Talk about an overreaction....

trades Richards and career a year before their notrade kicks in, strings gagne around all summer then gives the deal to cleary. that's a pattern of a guy who makes promises and then panics. it takes long term vision to build a franchise and he doesn't have the stones to stick it out. Clarke spent years building a certain reputation and a lot of people automaticly extend that to Holmgren. I no longer give him that privilege. I just don't see a man whos word you cant trust as a good head for this organization

 

[Curufinwe]

Cleary got nothing but a PTO.

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

trades Richards and career a year before their notrade kicks in, strings gagne around all summer then gives the deal to cleary. that's a pattern of a guy who makes promises and then panics. it takes long term vision to build a franchise and he doesn't have the stones to stick it out. Clarke spent years building a certain reputation and a lot of people automaticly extend that to Holmgren. I no longer give him that privilege. I just don't see a man whos word you cant trust as a good head for this organization

Yet people still continue to sign deals here.

 

[Embiid]

trades Richards and career a year before their notrade kicks in, strings gagne around all summer then gives the deal to cleary. that's a pattern of a guy who makes promises and then panics. it takes long term vision to build a franchise and he doesn't have the stones to stick it out. Clarke spent years building a certain reputation and a lot of people automaticly extend that to Holmgren. I no longer give him that privilege. I just don't see a man whos word you cant trust as a good head for this organization

Yet Gagne backpeddled and said he shouldn't have been so harsh basically and that he has a lot of respect for the club....

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

trades Richards and career a year before their notrade kicks in, strings gagne around all summer then gives the deal to cleary. that's a pattern of a guy who makes promises and then panics. it takes long term vision to build a franchise and he doesn't have the stones to stick it out. Clarke spent years building a certain reputation and a lot of people automaticly extend that to Holmgren. I no longer give him that privilege. I just don't see a man whos word you cant trust as a good head for this organization

Clarke nearly got a player killed during his tenure, what exact reputation did he build that Homer destroyed?

 

[Larry44]

trades Richards and career a year before their notrade kicks in, strings gagne around all summer then gives the deal to cleary. that's a pattern of a guy who makes promises and then panics. it takes long term vision to build a franchise and he doesn't have the stones to stick it out. Clarke spent years building a certain reputation and a lot of people automaticly extend that to Holmgren. I no longer give him that privilege. I just don't see a man whos word you cant trust as a good head for this organization

Such total garbage.

Trades Richards and Carter because they partied too much, and even after running mates Upshall and Lupul were shipped out and buddy Stevens fired, they wouldn't get serious about their careers or their commitment to the team. Buh-bye.

Told Gagne he'd consider him, depending how the summer worked out. As it turns out, Tampa bought out Vinnie, who LOVED his meeting with Homer and Snider so much he signed with the Flyers for less than other teams (Montreal, Dallas rumoured) offered him after talking to 15 teams. The simple fact is that they needed a veteran 2nd line winger to replace Briere, or promote Read and let Gagne be 3LW. When Lecavalier signed, they moved Schenn to 2LW and the roster is basically full, depending on Laughton, McGinn, Raffl, etc. and where Talbot plays.

Wow, people must really hate the Flyers. Go back and read the press when Streit was acquired and signed, and Emery, and Lecavalier...... "I wanted to play in Philly" was what all three said

Even Cleary, who loves the Wings, chose Philly over numerous other rumoured suitors...

People need to give their heads a shake. Holmgren is extremely well respected in the industry. The Flyers continue to be a destination of choice for UFAs.

He makes tough calls and has the guts to make big deals. Sometimes that means telling Simon 'non, je suis desole, mais tu es fini ici.'

 

[Embiid]

Clarke nearly got a player killed during his tenure, what exact reputation did he build that Homer destroyed?

Seriously. One huge knock against Clarke that even he has admitted was that he let his emotions overtake business decisions. His handling of Lindros was horrible....you don't have a public spat with one of your better players. It impacted his trade value. Let's not even talk about how he effed up the McCrimmon situation.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Seriously. One huge knock against Clarke that even he has admitted was that he let his emotions overtake business decisions. His handling of Lindros was horrible....you don't have a public spat with one of your better players. It impacted his trade value. Let's not even talk about how he effed up the McCrimmon situation.

There was the Roger Nilson controversy as well, even though Nilson lated admitted Clarke made the right choice but that still left a black eye.

I just think its ludicrous to act like Clarke ran the team like some gentlemen because he didn't & his actions were far more controversial than what Homer has done to this point.

 

[Curufinwe]

Not signing Matt Carle right away is much worse than Clarke letting the Lindros situation turn into a complete mess.

 

[CharlieGirl]

So the team passing on an old injury prone player to give time to young guys is a stupid move ?

If they have zero intention of him makimg team, why waste his time with a tryout? Flyers need to move off these sentimental moves to give young guys chances.

IF the Flyers give that ice time to a young guy, then fine. The chances one of the young guys actually gets that ice time? Slim. The only way Laughton or someone like him gets a chance is if/when there is no cap space to grab an older player.

I don't like the optics of how this played out (regardless of what the real story is - and that's something we'll never know). Considering some of the useless players the Flyers kept around for years longer than necessary, this is a disgraceful way of handling a player who meant a great deal to this franchise for a very long time.

 

[Beef Invictus]

This whole thing strikes me as a non-factor overall.

 

[Broad Street Elite]

Not signing Matt Carle right away is much worse than Clarke letting the Lindros situation turn into a complete mess.

Bah, you had my rage building till I got to the

 

[StevensCakeBakerBacker]

IF the Flyers give that ice time to a young guy, then fine. The chances one of the young guys actually gets that ice time? Slim. The only way Laughton or someone like him gets a chance is if/when there is no cap space to grab an older player.

I don't like the optics of how this played out (regardless of what the real story is - and that's something we'll never know). Considering some of the useless players the Flyers kept around for years longer than necessary, this is a disgraceful way of handling a player who meant a great deal to this franchise for a very long time.

You don't even know how the player (who is now backpedaling on their previous statement) was actually treated.