Hextall's moves

[Embiid]

I have faith in Hextall for three reasons:
1) he has a coherent vision of what he wants to accomplish
2) he's patient, doesn't panic, doesn't give in to pressure to win now or promote a "hot" young prospect
3) he obviously recognizes, hires and promotes good people, Flyer's scouting seems to be excellent, it was good before him but has improved since his arrival.

The trades reflect his patience, Hextall has a good feel for value, and doesn't pull the trigger early. It's not that he's ripping people off left and right, but he consistently obtains value, and is content to make "retail" trades instead of "wholesale" (blockbuster deals), that accumulate value over time.

This...

Hextall has a vision and philosophy he is implementing. He has awareness of how the present will impact the future. He manages proactively and not reactively. So far it is good for me...I trust the process and have faith in his decision making prowess. Holmgren and Clarke were not as visionary with their plans..at least when it came to implementation. Both didn't stress growth and development like Hextall. Hextall is more about building a sustainable product and building a culture that is more in line with current times. He understands the trends better...much more of a thinker and measured with his moves. He thinks steps ahead..

 

[He Is Knocking]

Sry but I had to do it.

Is a classic rock fan but none the less Hextall has Philadelphia Flyer in his DNA!

 

[Hiesenberg]

Lets applaud Hextall for not handing out unnecessary no "something" clauses.

This team has 3 right now, with Streit being one of them, who will be gone next year. The other 2....Giroux & Simmonds, two of whom none of us want gone anyway.

 

[backburner]

whered that cap go?
https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/flyers

 

[Curufinwe]

It's bizarre that they have Laughton in the AHL and Brennan in the NHL.

 

[Appleyard]

whered that cap go?
https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/flyers

Tbh cap should really not be too big a worry going forward... they may only have ~$1-1.3m going into the season but Hextall has built in a lot of ability to shift cap out with relative ease and have flexibility in both season and off-season.

That was the problem before he was here... they were generally over the cap every summer and could not accrue space in season either due to use of LTIR. It was a mine-field that caused many problems.

Now they may be close... but have a fair amount of space with a full 23 man roster.

 

[deadhead]

Unless you have an incredible string of bad luck, that's more money that it looks since you're not adding anyone until later in the season, when you only need enough room for the prorated part of the salary.

Plus, given Hextall's MO, someone will be traded in TC for a draft pick, freeing up a little money.

 

[Appleyard]

Now we have the Schenn contract it is a bit easier to project the cap going forward too.

16-17:

Schenn ($5.125m) -- Giroux ($8.275m) -- Voracek ($8.25m)
Raffl ($2.35m) -- Couturier ($4.33m) -- Simmonds ($3.975m)
Read ($3.625m) -- Cousins ($0.84m) -- Weise ($2.35m)
Laughton ($0.863m) -- Gordon ($0.95m) -- Bellemare ($0.713m)
VandeVelde ($0.713m)

Del Zotto ($3.875m) -- Gostisbehere ($0.925m)
Provorov ($0.894m) -- Gudas ($3.35m)
MacDonald ($5m) -- Streit ($5.25m)
Schultz ($2.25m) -- Manning ($0.80m)

Mason ($4.1m)
Neuvirth ($1.625m)

Umberger buyout: $1.6m

Total cap: $72,030,833
Cap space: $969,167

17-18:

Schenn ($5.125m) -- Giroux ($8.275m) -- Voracek ($8.25m)
Konecny ($0.894m) -- Couturier ($4.33m) -- Simmonds ($3.975m)
Raffl ($2.35m) -- Laughton ($2m) -- Weise ($2.35m)
Leier ($0.9m) -- Gordon ($0.95m) -- Bardreau ($0.8m)
Bellemare ($0.8m)

Provorov ($0.894m) -- Gostisbehere ($5.5m)
Del Zotto ($4.2m) -- Gudas ($3.35m)
Morin ($0.863m) -- MacDonald ($5m)
Brennan ($0.625m)

Mason ($5.2m)
Stolarz ($1.0m)

Umberger buyout: $1.5m

Total cap: $68,335,000
Cap Space: $4,665,000

The only major move their is trading Read for something... and I feel the re-signing of Mason, Del Zotto, Ghost, Stolarz & Laughton are realistic looking at comparable players in similar situations... the other guys slotted in are simply for approx value in regards to 4th liners, #7's etc.

18-19:

Schenn ($5.125m) -- Giroux ($8.275m) -- Voracek ($8.25m)
Konecny ($0.894m) -- Couturier ($4.33m) -- Simmonds ($3.975m)
Raffl ($2.35m) -- Rubtsov ($0.9m) -- Aube-Kubel ($0.681m)
Lindblom ($0.9m) -- Laughton ($2m) -- Weise ($2.35m)
Goulbourne ($0.7m)

Provorov ($0.894m) -- Gostisbehere ($5.5m)
Del Zotto ($4.2m) -- Gudas ($3.35m)
Morin ($2.0m) -- Sanheim ($0.863m)
MacDonald ($5m)

Mason ($5.2m)
Stolarz ($1.0m)

Total cap: $68,840,833
Cap Space: $4,159,167

Once again, pretty realistic re-signing/signing prices I feel, and at that point the MacDonald buyout actually becomes a legit possibility and would save $3,625,000 for 18-19 & 19-20 before having to lose $1,875,000 in 20-21 & 21-22.

 

[Petr Svoboda Mullet]

Skeptical Del Zotto and Mason would make that little as UFAs. Also, Ghost gets that much of a bump as a RFA?

 

[Curufinwe]

I think those numbers are very realistic if Mason, MDZ and Ghost produce at the same rate as last season. Over a full season that would be:

Mason - .918 SV%
MDZ - 21 points
Ghost - 59 points

 

[Appleyard]

Skeptical Del Zotto and Mason would make that little as UFAs. Also, Ghost gets that much of a bump as a RFA?

Mason: $5m-6m is pretty much the established range for a starter now...

Andersen, Fleury, Bishop, Schneider, Miller, Varmalov & Crawford all got in that range...

And then there are Talbot, Allen, Anderson, Halak & Dubnyk who are in the 4-5m range... but either not as established or not as reliable.

Lundqvist, Bobrovsky & Holtby are the only guys who signed for over $6m in the last 3 years... and Holtby was $6.1m while Bob was massively overpaid!

If Mason had another ~.918sv% season I reckon he is signed in the ~5m-5.5m range. Another ~.925-.930sv% season and it will be ~$6m.


Del Zotto: Unless he has a ~40 point+ season next year I doubt he gets more than ~$4.5m... and seeing as he may not even be on the PP next year I doubt he can achieve that. His D has improved ofc, but D does not pay big unless you are elite. 30pt Jason Demers just signed for $4.5m as full-blown UFA and the best D on market.

I doubt he gets a big raise, more likely a ~2-3 year deal (to allow more flex for the kids) at around $4-4.5m if he plays the way he has so far as a Flyer and they want to keep him on... if he asked for more than that I imagine the Flyers just let him walk... as they should really.


Gostisbehere: If he has another even 40-50 point year he will be getting $5m+. Jones, Vatanen & Krug all just went in the $4.8-5.4m range. Hamilton $5.75m the year before. I think the best we could realistically hope for salary wise if he does not have a massive slump is $5m... I mean, I would love a Klingberg/Klefbom/Larsson typ deal instead... but it aint going to happen in my mind. $5-6m x 5-6 years is my bet.

 

[McNasty]

What on earth did Brandon Manning do last season to deserve 2 years.

 

[Jack de la Hoya]

What on earth did Brandon Manning do last season to deserve 2 years.

He's probably well liked in the locker room. He's fine as a #7. This allows them a little more flexibility with the expansion draft.

It would have been nice if he had come in just a bit lower so that he could be sent tot the AHL without penalty, but whatever.

 

[Curufinwe]

The penalty this season would only be $25,000, and Hextall seems loathe to demote Manning and risk him being claimed so it doesn't really matter.

 

[Rebels57]

What on earth did Brandon Manning do last season to deserve 2 years.

Read the signing thread. It's all about meeting the expansion exposure requirements.

 

[Pantokrator]

Random list of thoughts:

I have loved Hextall's moves because they show his patience. Philly is a rough town. People say they want to rebuild and then jump at the next free agent. It seems most of the bad signings are UFA signings when the competition is at it's peak for the player's services, and often, it ends up biting the team in the end, like MacDonald's contract is doing to us right now.

The only way to win consistently in a cap world is to maintain cap flexibility (or be really bad for a while and get supercharged picks and win before they demand too much money (which doesn't always work)).

Not buying any substantial UFA and not trading away picks and prospects at the trade deadline are arguably the best things Hextall has done (well, and along with getting rid of cap-sucking players that he inherited).

In order for a team to compete, they need defense. Acquiring #1 d-men through trade or signing is almost impossible (Subban for Weber was a #1 for a #1). So logic says you have to draft one. No team in the past decade has won the Cup without a serious #1 d-man. The Canes (2006) did it by committee with no #1. But since then Anaheim (2007) had Pronger and Niedermayer, Detroit (2008) had Lidstrom, Pens (2009) had supercharged once in a lifetime offense along with Letang, Chicago (2010, 13, 15) has Keith, Boston (2011) has Chara, LA (2012, 14) has Doughty, and Pens (2016) have Letang, who should have received Norris consideration.

Logic suggests the only way for the Flyers to contend is to have a #1 d-man. There is no player the Flyers can realistically acquire that will be this player, so we have to hope one of our prospects becomes a real #1 D-man.

All of these thoughts to suggest that Hextall worrying about defense first and shedding cap is the way to build a long term contender. I agree, it is disconcerting that our best offensive players will be in their 30s when our D matures (should our D actually pan out), but I think Hextall is doing what it takes to make us long-term contenders. It might not work, but he is going through the proper process.

 

[Rebels57]

Random list of thoughts:

I have loved Hextall's moves because they show his patience. Philly is a rough town. People say they want to rebuild and then jump at the next free agent. It seems most of the bad signings are UFA signings when the competition is at it's peak for the player's services, and often, it ends up biting the team in the end, like MacDonald's contract is doing to us right now.

The only way to win consistently in a cap world is to maintain cap flexibility (or be really bad for a while and get supercharged picks and win before they demand too much money (which doesn't always work)).

Not buying any substantial UFA and not trading away picks and prospects at the trade deadline are arguably the best things Hextall has done (well, and along with getting rid of cap-sucking players that he inherited).

In order for a team to compete, they need defense. Acquiring #1 d-men through trade or signing is almost impossible (Subban for Weber was a #1 for a #1). So logic says you have to draft one. No team in the past decade has won the Cup without a serious #1 d-man. The Canes (2006) did it by committee with no #1. But since then Anaheim (2007) had Pronger and Niedermayer, Detroit (2008) had Lidstrom, Pens (2009) had supercharged once in a lifetime offense along with Letang, Chicago (2010, 13, 15) has Keith, Boston (2011) has Chara, LA (2012, 14) has Doughty, and Pens (2016) have Letang, who should have received Norris consideration.

Logic suggests the only way for the Flyers to contend is to have a #1 d-man. There is no player the Flyers can realistically acquire that will be this player, so we have to hope one of our prospects becomes a real #1 D-man.

All of these thoughts to suggest that Hextall worrying about defense first and shedding cap is the way to build a long term contender. I agree, it is disconcerting that our best offensive players will be in their 30s when our D matures (should our D actually pan out), but I think Hextall is doing what it takes to make us long-term contenders. It might not work, but he is going through the proper process.

Well said. This is exactly why a faction of this forum scoffs at the suggestion of trading prospects like Sanheim and Morin before any of our eggs even hatch.

 

[CodyTheHuman]

The next move I want Hextall to make is getting new assistant coaches. I'm tired of the special teams playing below what they should be doing.

 

[Tripod]

Well said. This is exactly why a faction of this forum scoffs at the suggestion of trading prospects like Sanheim and Morin before any of our eggs even hatch.

I said it before, the Flyers winning a cup will be on the backs of our future D, not on our current forward core.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

I said it before, the Flyers winning a cup will be on the backs of our future D, not on our current forward core.

I don't think there really can be any other way to think. If the latter were the case, we'd be contending right now.

 

[Irwin]

Hextall's first seasons as a GM have some similarities to Paul Holmgren's first 2 or 3 seasons as a GM, in my opinion.

I always liked Homer, still do. The lackluster 2006-07 season was the first of his regime if i remember correctly. In his first season he traded Zhitnik for Coburn, Forsberg for 1st rounder, etc. We had Rathje and Hatcher in our TOP 6 d-corps. We entered in a fast paced, salary capped hockey era with a slow team.

Just in a couple of years after that season, with his trades and key FA-signins (Timonen and Hartnell, Briere), we were again contending. Flyers avoided the limbo of mediocre/straight up losing seasons that Edmonton and/or Toronto are in.

It could have easily gone down south quickly with wrong moves, but i believe that Homer had a clear strategy what to do with the core of the team. The thing i like about him was that he was bold. However that was also his downfall with the stupid FA signins afterwards and also trading away the precious 1st and 2nd rounders.

When Hextall started as a GM, the cap situation was horrible, we were yet again a slow team (in todays standards). Maybe Homer had a better prospect situation when he started (debatable), but it is for sure that when Ron started as a vice GM, we were in a miserable place with prospects.

Hextall himself said in one of his first press conferences, that building a contender in Philly will be a five year process. He had a strategy planned out that from the day one he started to execute it. Get the ugly contracts away, refill prospect pool, hire professionals to organization etc.

He is a GM that is calm and collective first and foremost. You can see it in his press conferences, he oozes professionality and says always the right things. I believe we are on a brink of years of contending for a Stanley Cup and we have the right man making all the decisions as a GM.

 

[OzFlyers]

A full roster signed and still under the cap before camp starts is a good sign!

 

[BillDineen]

He'll be an expensive, but effective AHLer by the end of this season and all of next.

 

[dats81]

Hextall's first seasons as a GM have some similarities to Paul Holmgren's first 2 or 3 seasons as a GM, in my opinion.

I always liked Homer, still do. The lackluster 2006-07 season was the first of his regime if i remember correctly. In his first season he traded Zhitnik for Coburn, Forsberg for 1st rounder, etc. We had Rathje and Hatcher in our TOP 6 d-corps. We entered in a fast paced, salary capped hockey era with a slow team.

Just in a couple of years after that season, with his trades and key FA-signins (Timonen and Hartnell, Briere), we were again contending. Flyers avoided the limbo of mediocre/straight up losing seasons that Edmonton and/or Toronto are in.

It could have easily gone down south quickly with wrong moves, but i believe that Homer had a clear strategy what to do with the core of the team. The thing i like about him was that he was bold. However that was also his downfall with the stupid FA signins afterwards and also trading away the precious 1st and 2nd rounders.

When Hextall started as a GM, the cap situation was horrible, we were yet again a slow team (in todays standards). Maybe Homer had a better prospect situation when he started (debatable), but it is for sure that when Ron started as a vice GM, we were in a miserable place with prospects.

Hextall himself said in one of his first press conferences, that building a contender in Philly will be a five year process. He had a strategy planned out that from the day one he started to execute it. Get the ugly contracts away, refill prospect pool, hire professionals to organization etc.

He is a GM that is calm and collective first and foremost. You can see it in his press conferences, he oozes professionality and says always the right things. I believe we are on a brink of years of contending for a Stanley Cup and we have the right man making all the decisions as a GM.

Not that far off.
It's a similar cycle for every GM: First clean out the house and re-stock assets, sign free agents to fill some holes and at some point the team turns competitive and sooner or later they go all-in and that is where it gets ugly. Like a candle burning from both sides.

 

[Tripod]

Not that far off.
It's a similar cycle for every GM: First clean out the house and re-stock assets, sign free agents to fill some holes and at some point the team turns competitive and sooner or later they go all-in and that is where it gets ugly. Like a candle burning from both sides.

Problem is, Holmgren forgot the re-stock assets part from the draft so we were not able to sustain being good. A team like Chicago has though. And they continue to trade off non-core guys when they become expensive and replace them with cheaper options.

I don't for see us using up a lot of assets this coming year and we will still sell some guys off and replace with home grown talent. So next years draft will further deepen our prospect pipeline which should really set things up nicely to add pieces if Hextall wants to.

Hextall has done excellent at selling guys off. If he can continue that as a buyer, we could be a contender quite soon.