News Article: Part of Voracek's interview on the Flyers.

[renberg]

Simple translation. AV and Flutch handed Hayes the keys. Everyone else got left behind. New team, new leadership. Friendship and comradeship over skill!!

Jake giving Flutch a pass was politeness imo. This was telegraphed from day 1of the Hayes Hayday and all Flutch's moves from that signing point to X. Hell, even JVR had to go before the all too vocal Jake did

Also, we know for a fact Flutch and AV collaborated on every move, they admitted it

Good on Jake for being diplomatic to an extent, but he should have unleashed hell on the Dumb and Dumber tandem

Gives Flutch a pass and then the idiot doubles down on Risto. Bless your heart Jake for trying to spare the fans of more of a shit storm

I don't think that Fetcher deserves a pass. However I don't discount how much of a rat Vigneault is/was. We've all seen guys like him in action. They're after total control. They slip into a job and start to weasel their way around, usually by kissing ass, misleading other ignorant people in order to look good and backstabbing others .
Vigneault loaded his staff with guys who would never go against him. They owed their jobs to him because no one else would hire them. AV targeted Scott has a hockey novice that he could manipulate and it worked. Once Vigneault had Scott snowed, it was easy for him to push around Fletcher.
The best thing that Fletcher could have done was ask to be bought out. That way he might have a future in the game. As it is, the entire league knows what a flunky he is. Who would hire him?
Holmgren also deserves some blame here. He wanted pout and retirement. He should have known what a cancer Vigneault could be. Especially after his mess in Vancouver.
None the less, as Jake indicates, the most important component in the failure that the Flyers have become was the Martini Man.

 

[Bigkarl]

You confuse "defend" with "explain."

I'm an economic policy historian, I'm more interested in why things happen than making value judgments.

I don't think historians should beat their opinions into their readers, if you have respect for your audience, you allow them to draw their own conclusions.

This is a hockey message board

 

[Ghosts Beer]

I don't think that Fetcher deserves a pass. However I don't discount how much of a rat Vigneault is/was. We've all seen guys like him in action. They're after total control. They slip into a job and start to weasel their way around, usually by kissing ass, misleading other ignorant people in order to look good and backstabbing others .
Vigneault loaded his staff with guys who would never go against him. They owed their jobs to him because no one else would hire them. AV targeted Scott has a hockey novice that he could manipulate and it worked. Once Vigneault had Scott snowed, it was easy for him to push around Fletcher.
The best thing that Fletcher could have done was ask to be bought out. That way he might have a future in the game. As it is, the entire league knows what a flunky he is. Who would hire him?
Holmgren also deserves some blame here. He wanted pout and retirement. He should have known what a cancer Vigneault could be. Especially after his mess in Vancouver.
None the less, as Jake indicates, the most important component in the failure that the Flyers have become was the Martini Man.

I'm not buying this. I'll buy that AV had a monster ego. But I'm also believing that JV had a monster ego and that was part of the problem. Honestly, sounds like they've had a ton of clashing egos.

 

[renberg]

I'm not buying this. I'll buy that AV had a monster ego. But I'm also believing that JV had a monster ego and that was part of the problem. Honestly, sounds like they've had a ton of clashing egos.

AV’s is more than ego. His actions show him to be a devious power hungry person. We’ve seen coaches who really wanted to get positions higher in the front office. Vigneault is one of those types. He’s been in enough FOs to know how to play that game. Once he got that 5X25 contract, he started dictating everything including roster moves. From the interview above, it’s safe to say that if not for AV, Jake would still be here. Probably Ghost as well and possibly the club would be strong enough that G would not have wanted to leave. Then there are AV’s pets that are here and are poor player’s.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

AV’s is more than ego. His actions show him to be a devious power hungry person. We’ve seen coaches who really wanted to get positions higher in the front office. Vigneault is one of those types. He’s been in enough FOs to know how to play that game. Once he got that 5X25 contract, he started dictating everything including roster moves. From the interview above, it’s safe to say that if not for AV, Jake would still be here. Probably Ghost as well and possibly the club would be strong enough that G would not have wanted to leave. Then there are AV’s pets that are here and are poor player’s.

I don't have it in me to argue on the internet with people I'd probably like in real life.. So, to quote the original Arthur Bach, "You may be right, I can't decide."