You Are The GM Fill in the ? _____ needs

deadhead

Registered User
Feb 26, 2014
49,215
21,617
The reality is we have a 20 yr old dmen that's going to be asked to play 22+ minutes. We have Macdonald that is horrible defensively.... We have Gudas who is decent defensively but error prone and Ghost who was a disaster defensively but has been improving + 2 rookies who are likely to make a ton of mistakes + 2 inconsistent goalies. How this team plays defensively will tell the tale. It could be a disaster and we could easily finish bottom 5 in the league or we can somehow surprise and we could have a huge turn around season. Its going to be interesting and will really show how Hexy and Hakstol have been progressing

You mean the 19 year old defenseman who was our minutes leader LAST season?

Gudas is "decent" defensively? By what standard? I mean 23 ES points, 280 hits, only 40 turnovers, CorsiRel of 2.1, E +/1 5.1, our most reliable D-man on the PK. What exactly is "good?"

Ghost was hobbled by injuries but is one of the best offensive defensemen in the game. He needs to work on his defense, but he's not horrible, just inconsistent and limited physically.

Morin, Hagg and Sanheim aren't raw rookies coming out of juniors with no pro experience. They're big and can skate. They'll make mistakes, but it's not like throwing some limited kid out there for 18 minutes a night.

I think you're being incredibly pessimistic.
 

Philly Fanatik

"They're going home!"
Jun 24, 2017
2,513
1,773
Clarenville,NL,Canada
Pellelindbergh.jpg
...I would be hoping and praying for a goalie like PELLE!;)
 

phil162888

Registered User
Jul 28, 2012
2,767
1,581
You mean the 19 year old defenseman who was our minutes leader LAST season?

Gudas is "decent" defensively? By what standard? I mean 23 ES points, 280 hits, only 40 turnovers, CorsiRel of 2.1, E +/1 5.1, our most reliable D-man on the PK. What exactly is "good?"

Ghost was hobbled by injuries but is one of the best offensive defensemen in the game. He needs to work on his defense, but he's not horrible, just inconsistent and limited physically.

Morin, Hagg and Sanheim aren't raw rookies coming out of juniors with no pro experience. They're big and can skate. They'll make mistakes, but it's not like throwing some limited kid out there for 18 minutes a night.

I think you're being incredibly pessimistic.

I think its realistic to say that our defense is a huge question mark. I think its naïve to think everything is going to be great with our defense this season. 2018 and beyond that hopefully will be least of our worries but this season is still a transition and learning year for our young defense. I would look at it similar to what the Leafs went through with their forwards this season. If the youngsters overproduce then we will be a team on the rise, if it falters or struggles it could be a tough season that's realistic IMO especially if we are going to be relying on Macdonald to play 20+ minutes
 

Rebels57

Former Flyers fan
Sponsor
Sep 28, 2014
76,383
122,700
The Flyers defense is virtually guaranteed to be a better performing unit next season than last season. Three very talented rookies, mistakes and all, cannot possibly perform worse than the sad excuse for hockey that Del Zotto, Manning, Streit, Schultz, and MacDonald treated us to last season.
 

Captain Dave Poulin

Imaginary Cat
Apr 30, 2015
68,015
199,723
Tokyo, JP
Talent wins. Experience is important but overrated.

The other thing that should help them is that expectations will still be relatively reasonable (outside Facebook), so the pressure shouldn't be too huge. I think even idiots have been worn down by our D corps the past several years and will appreciate the freshness.
 

phil162888

Registered User
Jul 28, 2012
2,767
1,581
Talent wins. Experience is important but overrated.

On defense experience is huge don't kid yourself. Its easy to play forward as a player under 23 but defense especially when the entire group is young could be a disaster (hope not but it very well could). Can't think of many teams that have had such an inexperienced defense gel so quickly especially in their own end. Hopefully these guys blow the doors wide open. It would definitely signal a huge leap in performance if our young defense can produce. Our Forwards are going to be strong if we stay clear of the injury bug
 

LegionOfDoom91

Registered User
Jan 25, 2013
81,648
138,660
Philadelphia, PA
They might not play right away or play as teenagers as much but the development curve still isn't that different for defensemen. You basically start to see what you have at ages 22-23 with defensemen in the NHL too. Of course there's some later bloomers who may take another year or two after those years but that's more of the outlier side.

Even Chara's development curve as an outlier wasn't as outrageous as people claim it to be. He was averaging 20+ minutes at 22 years old with New York. His offense just didn't start to come until he was 24 in Ottawa.
 

NYCFlyer

Registered User
Nov 23, 2002
1,364
400
NYC
Talent wins. Experience is important but overrated.

True in the long run and for exceptional talents. How many young players on D come right in and excel. Very very few. It's a big jump to the NHL. Center is also very difficult, only the Mathews and Mc Jesus types can really come in and star right away. Another aspect is teamwork. Rookies have to adjust to new teamates, systems, coaches and off the ice issues. It would be great if the new guys hit the ground running but more likely is a minimum 20 to 40 game adjustment period.
 

Delete99991

Registered User
May 9, 2013
1,173
278
"Experience" and "leadership" are overrated in modern hockey, I agree.

Look at the Pens' young guys last year.
 

NYCFlyer

Registered User
Nov 23, 2002
1,364
400
NYC
"Experience" and "leadership" are overrated in modern hockey, I agree.

Look at the Pens' young guys last year.

Take Crosby off that team and those young guys are playing golf in April. If anything leadership is underrated not just on the ice but throughout the organization.
 

Newest sens fan

My uncle owns Nintendo 64
Feb 13, 2014
852
90
Connecticut
The other thing that should help them is that expectations will still be relatively reasonable (outside Facebook), so the pressure shouldn't be too huge. I think even idiots have been worn down by our D corps the past several years and will appreciate the freshness.

Oh god. I forgot about Flyers facebook. People still go there?
 

deadhead

Registered User
Feb 26, 2014
49,215
21,617
Experience matters more for average talents who need to be physical mature and polished to compete in the NHL. Top talent can play at a younger age because they have a larger margin for error.

Sanheim, Hagg and Morin are not inexperienced, few top four defensemen spend more than a year in the AHL. the ones that due tend to be later draft picks. Most D-men start by 21, almost all by 23-24 years old.

A quick glance:

Karlson - #15 - started at 19, hit his stride at 21
Ceci - #15 - started at 20, hit his stride at 21
Phaneuf - #9, started at 20, hit his stride at 21
Methot - #168, started at 23, 3 AHL seasons
Chara - #56, 73 AHL games, started at 22, hit his stride at 24
Carlo - #37, started at age 20
Krug - UDFA, 3 year college, 63 AHL games, started at 22
Reilly - #5, started at 19
Gardiner - #17, started at 21, sent down at 22, up at 23
Carrick - #137, 2 years AHL, started at 22
Hedman - #2, started at 19
Stralman - #216, started at 21, hit his stride at 23
Dotchin - #161, 2 1/2 AHL seasons, started at 22
Orlov - #55, started at 20, back up at 22, hit his stride at 24
Niskanen - #28, started at 21 out of college
Carlson - #27, 48 AHL games, started at 21
Alzner - #5, 2 AHL seasons, started at 22
Shattenkirk - #14, started at 22 after college
Letang - #62, started at 20, hit his stride at 23
Hainsey - #13, 3 AHL seasons, started at 24
Schultz - #43, college, half a year AHL, started at 22, hit his stride at 23
Cole - #18, college, 3 AHL years, started at 24
Jones - #4, started at 19
Svard - #94, 3 AHL seasons, started at 23

This matches studies that find that defensemen perform within 90 per cent of their peak from 24 to 34 years old - that is, by 24 you should already have "arrived." Given that Morin, Sanheim and Hagg are all 22-23 years old, time to play them is NOW. Same with Myers and Friedman next year.
 
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PHILOUDELPHIA

Registered User
Feb 29, 2012
9,244
7,340
South Jersey NJ
What will be your first move the moment the offseason starts after cup final.

I'm not sure who will be free agents this year who we can get, how much money will have.

What trades should we make?
 

PHILOUDELPHIA

Registered User
Feb 29, 2012
9,244
7,340
South Jersey NJ
I'd try to get rid of Hagg as much as possible

Trade him for whatever you can get. If possible trade Amac even if we eat half of his final 5. Just to get him off the team and books permenantly
 

Maurice of Orange

Wahatquenak
Feb 5, 2016
10,125
6,737
At seasons end as Owner.
Fire Paul Holmgren and have Dean Lombardi replace him as President of hockey operations.

Keep Chuck Fletcher as general manager.

Fire Brent flathead Flahr (Flahr can go crawl back under the rock he was hiding under) and replace him with Ron Hextall as Assistant GM and Vice President of hockey ops, I’d also bring back Chris Pryer.

As General Manager
fire up the entire coaching staff, except for Knob.

Knob would be demoted to coach the phantoms next season under a new system for both the Flyers and Phantoms, not sure about Phantoms or Flyers assistants.
I need suggestions for assistant coaches but I would hire Qunneville as head coach of the Flyers.

Id resign all RFAs except that Graves kid, he wouldn’t be qualified.

Let all UFAs walk with the exception of Cam Talbot (for PHI) Greg Carey and Mike Vecchione for Phantoms.
Would also try to sign D Linus Hogberg over from Sweden to Phantoms.
Also bring Sandstrom over for Lehigh.

Trade: Hagg for a draft pick if I could.
Keep Amac for phantoms and keep buried all of next season, gets off the books sooner that way.

Free agents I’d target for defense would be Erik Karlsson if that’s not possible which is a very long shot, then I’d try to swing a trade with Carolina for Brett Pesce (Flyers 1st would be in play and a prospect not named Frost or Farabee) and if that wouldn’t work then my next option would be to add Tyler Myers. Need size on the backend with Morin and Myers.

As a GM I’m not looking to kill as the cap space at once but I am keeping options open to improve the defense and bring in a forward via FA or trade but am also mindful of the expansion draft coming up and may have to make a deal or leave a player unprotected so can’t go too hog wild on moves as it’s not good business to lose valued assets for nothing.
Also keeping in mind that Patrick, Lindblom and Phil Myers would be up for new contracts in 20-21.
 

Maurice of Orange

Wahatquenak
Feb 5, 2016
10,125
6,737
stopped reading after this, but thanks for your input
Lombardi is a 2x Stanley Cup champ as President of hockey ops for the LA Kings. He knows was it takes to build a winning team from the front office.

Lombardi also is someone that seems to be good at listening to suggestions and is someone that thinks outside the box. Philadelphia needs that instead of the same old bone headed stubbornness.

Holmgren may have got the Flyers close to winning in 2010 but he scares me when it comes to being involved in contract negotiations (see MacDonald for reference).
 

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