The 2nd round pick traded for Braun, #41, ended up being Kaedan Korczak. Decent prospect, no world beater by any means. The Flyers simply could not afford another non-playoff season after five years of mediocrity under Hextall. They lost fans under Hextall, and you better believe bottom-lines matter to the corporate overlords. It's not a video game where you can turn off the firing option, be 2nd to last in your conference in year 5, and stay in charge. There are people above you whose jobs are on the line, as well.
Nick Robertson went 12 picks later at 53. Hey, I'm a fan. I selected him in the mock draft at 37. But the Flyers made their move for Brink, anyway. Who knows whom the Flyers would have picked at 41. But people forget there's an NHL product. And the Flyers' NHL product had been too bad for too long, and the owners were feeling the repercussions. You can't always just sit back and hope 2nd round picks turn into stars 5 years down the line. More end up duds than studs.
