Confirmed Signing with Link: [PHI] Scott Laughton signs extension with the Flyers (5 years, $3M AAV)

[Maurice of Orange]

I like that contract. Middle six guy that can play all positions in the lineup. Don't mind this at all.

Doesn’t play RW and have never seen him on the RW.

LW is Laughton’s best position and can also play at C although lower in the lineup at C.

 

[Boxscore]

I think Flyers could have gotten a 2nd/3rd for him

Considering what the Caps paid for Mantha, the Flyers could likely have traded Laughton for two 2nds--and they should have.

After the way this team has played, it should be completely gutted except for a few players like Hart, Farabee, Provorov and York. Anyone else should have been shopped heavily, including Giroux, Couturier and Konecny. The last thing we should have been doing is rewarding players with 5 year deals. But Fletcher will Fletcher.

 

[mriswith]

Remember when Fletcher sucked in Minnesota and created the most middling team ever.

I always thought it was dumb to fire Hextall who imo is a top 10 GM (hakstol wasn't lasting another season), dumber to put Fletcher in his spot, and dumbest to leave Paul Holmgren in charge of the whole operation. That opinion hasn't changed.

 

[UrbanImpact]

Considering what the Caps paid for Mantha, the Flyers could likely have traded Laughton for two 2nds--and they should have.

After the way this team has played, it should be completely gutted except for a few players like Hart, Farabee, Provorov and York. Anyone else should have been shopped heavily, including Giroux, Couturier and Konecny. The last thing we should have been doing is rewarding players with 5 year deals. But Fletcher will Fletcher.

I would have loved to make an offer on Couturier.

I think Flyers would get a kings ransom for him.

It doesn't seem like there a plan on how to build and build around the team though.

 

[FlyguyOX]

5 year term in not.

All these deals are "chump change" until the fans want the Flyers to make an impact trade and they have zero cap room left. Then these Braun, Hagg, Laughton, JVR, Hayes deals all start adding up.

Oh yeah damn that Hagg deal for 1.6 is a back breaker

 

[FlyguyOX]

I always thought it was dumb to fire Hextall who imo is a top 10 GM (hakstol wasn't lasting another season), dumber to put Fletcher in his spot, and dumbest to leave Paul Holmgren in charge of the whole operation. That opinion hasn't changed.

Hextall is a horrible, horrible GM. Doing a half-ass rebuild is why the flyers are where they are. He was rightly fired.

 

[FlyguyOX]

I would have loved to make an offer on Couturier.

I think Flyers would get a kings ransom for him.

It doesn't seem like there a plan on how to build and build around the team though.

Any big moves are happening in the offseason. Not at a trade deadline.

Btw the only flyers poster I can stand on this site is tripod. Terrible toxic echochamber over there so take anything the flyers forum says with a grain of salt.

 

[TheKingPin]

Something to be said for a bottom 6 player that chips in production wise. Leads the team in +/-. Term is probably a year too long but at that price it's not hard to swallow.

Surprising the Flyers aren't going for at least a medium sized shakeup move though.

I think the shake up is coming in the off-season. And I think it’s Voracek who is gone.

This Laughton move is kind of illogical. It could be part of a long term plan but I really don’t think Fletcher has one.

 

[Boxscore]

I always thought it was dumb to fire Hextall who imo is a top 10 GM (hakstol wasn't lasting another season), dumber to put Fletcher in his spot, and dumbest to leave Paul Holmgren in charge of the whole operation. That opinion hasn't changed.

IMO...

1. Hextall's firing was premature but that's what happens when you don't pick a lane. Hextall tried to "retool" the Flyers and that option doesn't exist in today's NHL--you either "go all in" or you "rebuild the right way." Hexy's biggest blunders were not trading Giroux and Voracek when he could have received a fortune for them.

I never understood that. The way the Flyers were built, they weren't going to be a legit contender for 5-6 years at best, so why not trade Giroux and Voracek for high-quality picks and prospects that would gel perfectly with Provorov, Sanheim, Hart, Myers, Konecny, Frost, etc.? Look at the Sens--when they decided to rebuild, they traded Karlsson who ended up netting them a return of Norris, DeMelo, and, ugh, Tim Stutzle.

At the time, Hextall could have cashed in Giroux for two 1sts, a young depth player, and a high-end prospect. For Jake, he easily could have received a 1st, 2nd and very good prospect. If you make those trades, not only do you have (3 more) 1st rounders, a 2nd, and two awesome prospects to play with, you are even worse in the standings for 3 years so you are consistently drafting in the Top-5. You also have tons of cap room that gives you flexibility to eat a couple awful contracts that come with additional, quality picks. If Hextall did that, today the Flyers would be a young, emerging powerhouse that could seriously contend for 8-10 years... but he didn't. He wanted to ride both sides of the street.

2. As for Fletcher--I agree with you 100%. I never liked Fletcher, in fact, going back to his Minny days, I considered him a terrible, no-frills GM. What he did to that organization was pathetic--they were the definition of boring mediocrity. The minute Fletcher overpaid for Hayes, we knew we were doomed with him. Last trade deadline and this offseason were simply inexcusable. This deadline was a joke from the other direction--Fletcher should have SOLD everything in the store that had value and he didn't.

Fletcher will make a lateral move in the offseason--just enough to keep his job without rocking the boat--and when the Flyers stink it up again, the coaching staff will ultimately take the fall and Fletcher will live to see another day. The season after that, he'll make a costly move around the deadline to "show he's doing something" and the Flyers will remain mid-pack-ish once again. After that, if he is still employed, he'll make a horrific trade that haunts the Flyers for years. At that point, we're the Minnesota Wild of the last 10-12 years... just blah... never awful enough to draft a Crosby, Ovechkin, MacKinnon, McDavid, Matthews, Eichel, etc... but never good enough to make it to the dance. This is what Chuck Fletcher does.

3. I disagree about Holmgren. At this point, Holmgren is a title with zero power or influence. He's getting the "loyal soldier" treatment like Clarke did before Comcast phased him out completely. Holmgren is just collecting a paycheck out of loyalty... and that line will be cut soon enough. Fletcher, and ultimately know-nothings at Comcast, are running this show. For all his faults, we can't blame ANY of this on Holmgren.

I've been watching this team since the 70's and we are entering the "Pre-Lindros years" in terms of mediocrity and no identity. Funny how Ghost publicly said this team "has no identity" and was waived a day or two later. The truth must hurt. But Comcast isn't going to let an employee badmouth the company. This is no longer the great Flyers under Mr. Snider.

 

[Boxscore]

It could be part of a long term plan but I really don’t think Fletcher has one.

He absolutely does not, that much is clear.

You have a franchise icon like Giroux on the downswing. You either trade him for young assets and picks, or you make power moves to try to win it all with him. Last season the Flyers got red hot and Fletcher did NOTHING to address the immediate needs the club had heading into the deadline. In turn, they were exposed by the speedy Habs and bounced by the tenacious Islanders. This offseason, he did nothing except sign the two worst defensemen on the roster in the playoffs... then sign a UFA who the coach scratched religiously. Today, he traded his only UFA addition for a 7th round pick and ate half the contract. If this isn't proof of a man with no plan or long-term vision whatsoever, I don't know what it.

Then today, he signed a bottom six player to a 5 year deal lol. If he had a legit plan to make impact moves in the offseason, the last thing you do is commit 5 years and 3 mil to a player who's role will be undefined after such a "shake up." This Laughton signing tells me one thing--Fletcher obviously has no true plan--he's just making convenient, safe plays that fall into his lap and don't move the club forward.

Fletcher has been here for 2 seasons and his biggest trades to date involve a couple of 4th line, fringe rentals. His signings include an overpayment in dollars and term for Hayes, Braun, Hagg, Laughton, and a UFA in Gustafsson who was a joke.

He also let Ghost flap away in the breeze for 2 seasons. A couple weeks after AV became coach, Anthony SF went public with a piece that said, "AV doesn't think Gostisbehere can be fixed". Anthony heard this from a direct source and it obviously proved legit. This kid was coming off a 65 point season a year prior. If your new coach does not trust the player, you should do everything in your power to move him for assets--that's your job. Instead, he let the coach yo-yo him for 2 seasons and then waived him for nothing.

Fletcher has no plan or vision. To him, this is nothing more than a job, and he'll always make the safe (no risk) play so he can be competitive enough to keep his job. He's the last type of GM you want leading the organization.

 

[eramosat]

happy with the Laughton signing

 

[mriswith]

Hextall is a horrible, horrible GM. Doing a half-ass rebuild is why the flyers are where they are. He was rightly fired.

IMO...

1. Hextall's firing was premature but that's what happens when you don't pick a lane. Hextall tried to "retool" the Flyers and that option doesn't exist in today's NHL--you either "go all in" or you "rebuild the right way." Hexy's biggest blunders were not trading Giroux and Voracek when he could have received a fortune for them.

I never understood that. The way the Flyers were built, they weren't going to be a legit contender for 5-6 years at best, so why not trade Giroux and Voracek for high-quality picks and prospects that would gel perfectly with Provorov, Sanheim, Hart, Myers, Konecny, Frost, etc.? Look at the Sens--when they decided to rebuild, they traded Karlsson who ended up netting them a return of Norris, DeMelo, and, ugh, Tim Stutzle.

At the time, Hextall could have cashed in Giroux for two 1sts, a young depth player, and a high-end prospect. For Jake, he easily could have received a 1st, 2nd and very good prospect. If you make those trades, not only do you have (3 more) 1st rounders, a 2nd, and two awesome prospects to play with, you are even worse in the standings for 3 years so you are consistently drafting in the Top-5. You also have tons of cap room that gives you flexibility to eat a couple awful contracts that come with additional, quality picks. If Hextall did that, today the Flyers would be a young, emerging powerhouse that could seriously contend for 8-10 years... but he didn't. He wanted to ride both sides of the street.

2. As for Fletcher--I agree with you 100%. I never liked Fletcher, in fact, going back to his Minny days, I considered him a terrible, no-frills GM. What he did to that organization was pathetic--they were the definition of boring mediocrity. The minute Fletcher overpaid for Hayes, we knew we were doomed with him. Last trade deadline and this offseason were simply inexcusable. This deadline was a joke from the other direction--Fletcher should have SOLD everything in the store that had value and he didn't.

Fletcher will make a lateral move in the offseason--just enough to keep his job without rocking the boat--and when the Flyers stink it up again, the coaching staff will ultimately take the fall and Fletcher will live to see another day. The season after that, he'll make a costly move around the deadline to "show he's doing something" and the Flyers will remain mid-pack-ish once again. After that, if he is still employed, he'll make a horrific trade that haunts the Flyers for years. At that point, we're the Minnesota Wild of the last 10-12 years... just blah... never awful enough to draft a Crosby, Ovechkin, MacKinnon, McDavid, Matthews, Eichel, etc... but never good enough to make it to the dance. This is what Chuck Fletcher does.

3. I disagree about Holmgren. At this point, Holmgren is a title with zero power or influence. He's getting the "loyal soldier" treatment like Clarke did before Comcast phased him out completely. Holmgren is just collecting a paycheck out of loyalty... and that line will be cut soon enough. Fletcher, and ultimately know-nothings at Comcast, are running this show. For all his faults, we can't blame ANY of this on Holmgren.

I've been watching this team since the 70's and we are entering the "Pre-Lindros years" in terms of mediocrity and no identity. Funny how Ghost publicly said this team "has no identity" and was waived a day or two later. The truth must hurt. But Comcast isn't going to let an employee badmouth the company. This is no longer the great Flyers under Mr. Snider.

I agree with you that going scorched earth rebuild - trading Giroux and Voracek - would have been better. I also share your view on Fletcher.

But no GM gets the green light to go scorched earth on the first rebuild. Scorched earth is what happens after your first rebuild fails, Flyers weren't there yet, and judging by how he got fired due to impatience there was never going to be a green light from ownership to go scorched earth in Philadelphia. I don't consider it a legitimate criticism to blame Hextall for not going scorched earth rebuild since he got fired out of impatience with the fast/shortcut version of a rebuild. The only exception to the "scorched earth is the second rebuild" in the cap era that I can think of is Melnyk and that was due to financial reasons not hockey reasons, which are also the worst reasons.

Hextall did a great job of clearing out bad contracts and building from the net out, and was doing his rebuild without taking shortcuts in the form of selling futures to compete faster or signing big UFA contracts, he just kept stockpiling assets while the team naturally moved from being bad towards being a bubble team. I always suspected that last year with Hakstol was a stealth tank year - can't get the green light from ownership to actually tank so you hang on to the bad coach for one last high draft finish, also an explanation for keeping Hart away from the last tank year. You'd probably still be a middling team under hextall right now but you'd have twice the farm, ready to deal assets to make the next jump.

Fair enough on Holmgren - I have no idea what his role is these days. I just remember being shocked he got put in charge after Hextall was fired for what I saw as doing a great job cleaning up Holmgren's mess.

 

[Rebels57]

Really like him. But us it bit high money?

The $$$ isnt the issue. He's well worth $3 million. The term is 1-2 years too long and they should have waited until after the Expansion Draft.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

IMO...

1. Hextall's firing was premature but that's what happens when you don't pick a lane. Hextall tried to "retool" the Flyers and that option doesn't exist in today's NHL--you either "go all in" or you "rebuild the right way." Hexy's biggest blunders were not trading Giroux and Voracek when he could have received a fortune for them.

I never understood that. The way the Flyers were built, they weren't going to be a legit contender for 5-6 years at best, so why not trade Giroux and Voracek for high-quality picks and prospects that would gel perfectly with Provorov, Sanheim, Hart, Myers, Konecny, Frost, etc.? Look at the Sens--when they decided to rebuild, they traded Karlsson who ended up netting them a return of Norris, DeMelo, and, ugh, Tim Stutzle.

At the time, Hextall could have cashed in Giroux for two 1sts, a young depth player, and a high-end prospect. For Jake, he easily could have received a 1st, 2nd and very good prospect. If you make those trades, not only do you have (3 more) 1st rounders, a 2nd, and two awesome prospects to play with, you are even worse in the standings for 3 years so you are consistently drafting in the Top-5. You also have tons of cap room that gives you flexibility to eat a couple awful contracts that come with additional, quality picks. If Hextall did that, today the Flyers would be a young, emerging powerhouse that could seriously contend for 8-10 years... but he didn't. He wanted to ride both sides of the street.

2. As for Fletcher--I agree with you 100%. I never liked Fletcher, in fact, going back to his Minny days, I considered him a terrible, no-frills GM. What he did to that organization was pathetic--they were the definition of boring mediocrity. The minute Fletcher overpaid for Hayes, we knew we were doomed with him. Last trade deadline and this offseason were simply inexcusable. This deadline was a joke from the other direction--Fletcher should have SOLD everything in the store that had value and he didn't.

Fletcher will make a lateral move in the offseason--just enough to keep his job without rocking the boat--and when the Flyers stink it up again, the coaching staff will ultimately take the fall and Fletcher will live to see another day. The season after that, he'll make a costly move around the deadline to "show he's doing something" and the Flyers will remain mid-pack-ish once again. After that, if he is still employed, he'll make a horrific trade that haunts the Flyers for years. At that point, we're the Minnesota Wild of the last 10-12 years... just blah... never awful enough to draft a Crosby, Ovechkin, MacKinnon, McDavid, Matthews, Eichel, etc... but never good enough to make it to the dance. This is what Chuck Fletcher does.

3. I disagree about Holmgren. At this point, Holmgren is a title with zero power or influence. He's getting the "loyal soldier" treatment like Clarke did before Comcast phased him out completely. Holmgren is just collecting a paycheck out of loyalty... and that line will be cut soon enough. Fletcher, and ultimately know-nothings at Comcast, are running this show. For all his faults, we can't blame ANY of this on Holmgren.

I've been watching this team since the 70's and we are entering the "Pre-Lindros years" in terms of mediocrity and no identity. Funny how Ghost publicly said this team "has no identity" and was waived a day or two later. The truth must hurt. But Comcast isn't going to let an employee badmouth the company. This is no longer the great Flyers under Mr. Snider.

I agree with Hextall, but that's no surprise.

I think he left those guys on the roster because they're still at a fine age when we're ready to compete.

Giroux and Voracek specifically aren't problems - they're still 2 of the best players. The issue with the team is way larger than them...people forget we were a Top 2 team for most of the year last season.

The team as it's been constructed isn't a failure. I think Hextall did fine keeping those 2. They aren't "old" yet and we're theoretically in our competitive window (I say theoretically because we've been bad this year, but there's talent everywhere).

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Remember when Fletcher sucked in Minnesota and created the most middling team ever.

I thought we had an understanding that you’d stop targeting us

 

[Gurglesons]

I thought we had an understanding that you’d stop targeting us

Sorry. All bets are off when dunking the Flyers.

 

[phlocky]

I actually like this signing and I think Fletch is a moron

 

[phlocky]

Jesus, I see hindsight is 20/20 with Flyers fans. So many of you wanted to string me up 5 or 6 years ago because I said we should trade G and V because by the time our defense was ready to carry our blueline our forwards would be past their prime (this was just after we drafted Sanheim and a year before drafting Provo). I wanted to trade Simmons too and everyone wanted my head.

Bo, in hindsight you are calling it a mistake to not having traded them 5 years ago??? Just wow.

 

[Revelation]

Should've traded him then brought him back in the offseason. Good contract though, if Laughton keeps improving might become a huge steal

 

[Tripod]

Any big moves are happening in the offseason. Not at a trade deadline.

Btw the only flyers poster I can stand on this site is tripod. Terrible toxic echochamber over there so take anything the flyers forum says with a grain of salt.

Great post!

To those above talking about "should have traded Giroix", he has a NMC. They were never trading him. The big miss by Hextall was not trading Simmonds. When he traded Schenn, it was a sign that the next few years meant less than the future. Well he kept Simminds until he was worth nothing. That was a big missed opportunity. Oh, and not firing Hak. Had he done those 2 things, he likely doesn't get fired.

As for the Laughton deal, I don't like giving out term to depth guys....3 years would obviously been better. But there was a a compromise of cap hit and term. Reminder that a 27 Brandon Tanev got 6 years at 3.5 million and a 10 team NTC. So Laughton signed for less term, less cap hit, and less protection. Oh, and Tanev signed his deal coming off a 29 point season with the next best being 18. Laughton has paced for 36 ES points over the last 3 years. He should be in the 30-35 point range during the contract...and all at ES.

And the part people forget, is in 2 years, IF the kids prove they are much better than him, they can still always trade him. But so far, the kids have not proven they are. It's on them to do it.....not just be gifted the position. Competition is good.

 

[Hockeypete49]

So happy to hear this. Scott and Hagg bring it every shift not like other high paid players.

 

[duffy9748]

Regardless of what happens in the offseason, the last 2-3 years have been a waste. You either trade for some help(like the Rangers) and give 28/93 a chance to win, or you move them years ago to acquire more assets.

They totally missed out capitalizing on having a selke winner locked up at 4.3 million and several key contributors on bridge/entry level deals.

Thank god we held onto ALL of those picks and prospects instead of acquiring NHL talent. At least we have 10 forwards though who can compete for 1-2 bottom 6 roles in 2022.

 

[Curufinwe]

Jesus, I see hindsight is 20/20 with Flyers fans. So many of you wanted to string me up 5 or 6 years ago because I said we should trade G and V because by the time our defense was ready to carry our blueline our forwards would be past their prime (this was just after we drafted Sanheim and a year before drafting Provo). I wanted to trade Simmons too and everyone wanted my head.

Bo, in hindsight you are calling it a mistake to not having traded them 5 years ago??? Just wow.

Were you the one who made all the Giroux for Galchecnyuk threads?

 

[Curufinwe]

I always thought it was dumb to fire Hextall who imo is a top 10 GM (hakstol wasn't lasting another season), dumber to put Fletcher in his spot, and dumbest to leave Paul Holmgren in charge of the whole operation. That opinion hasn't changed.

Holmgren isn't in charge anymore.

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

As a Caps fan, I think Laughton is so f***ing good and underrated - he can play any role, in any position, and excel. I think this contract and term will look like a steal for the duration of it, unless his play somehow falls of a cliff, but, he's still young, heathy, and has room to still develop as a player. It's one of those team-friendly deals at such a low $AAV that gives teams flexibility to spend more on a player, in other areas. Well done, Flyers.