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18 Comments (7 conversations)
Warren Broudy
Charlie is it possible Tippett is hurt and not available for portion of season . Too me the teams biggest need for several years is a pp specialist . If that’s not dealt with it’s unacceptable and DB should take heat . It’s ridiculous how bad the pp has been ..
MarioD
They are now driving right past their window to get to Cup contenders.
Having moved into the mushy middle, they no longer have access to highly valued draft picks that quickly becone trade assets. And they never converted their veteran players (like konecny) into a wave of prospects that would be hitting together right now making a few of them expendable.
They have no surplus assets to make a trade for a Werenski or Matthews.
And the older guys that refused to trade for assets are now declining and have no value.
The total franchise assets peaked last summer and is declining. If a Matthews or Werenski actually shakes loose, there are other teams who can make more valiable offers now.
Vandit Kalia
Oh shut up. They literally have shed tons of picks and prospects to hand out for the right move.
Ed Mutzer
The wise vs the foolish.
The foolish: Our culture of Instant Gratification.
The wise: Experts warn that attempting to “do it all now” in a ‘Culture of Now’ often leads to doing things poorly or total stagnation. The urge for instant results causes people to want milestones to happen immediately, even when slow progress is healthier.
We are reminded that patience, persistence, and avoiding hasty decisions are often rewarded.
GM Briere is impressively wise.
Watch the foolish respond.
MarioD
Except Briere also insisted on competing now at the cost of future by keeping players like Konecny and even Hathaway when they could’ve been traded for greater future value.
They’re not wise and patient. They’re simply afraid to take risks in a league where taking risks are required to contend.
Vandit Kalia
Jesus. Is there a connection between your mind and your fingers?
“A league where risks are required to contend” – what meaningless, facile nonsense!
Michael Curran
Hathaway had no value and hasn’t for a couple of years.
MarioD
He had some value at the deadine in 2024 and would’ve had some decent value at the 2025 deadline if they hadn’t extended him in Summer 2024.
James Borger
Totally agree. I’m maybe in the minority but I’m extremely pleased with how the draft went and how DB is handling free agency.
+ really like the trade for Woll
+ Soko has serious upside in an important role, and Brek seems like a very solid 2nd round pick
+ I didn’t know anything at all about the two Czech goalies but their joint interview with Myrtetus yesterday was really encouraging, they’re good friends with great perspectives and could potentially gel with Vladar as their mentor and arrive to the Flyers shortly after Zavragin
+ love the Acciari signing, Pitt’s fourth line gave us fits in the playoffs and he plays a very hard game with some skill too
+ totally fine missing out on Nurse
+ the Foerster extension will be genius if he stays healthy (admittedly a big if)
+ DB by all reports was very much in our Werenski conversations and hey, guess he’s staying with CBJ so whatever
– I did really want Carlson so that’s disappointing, and the contract TB gave him was very reasonable
Plenty of offseason left but I’m completely fine entering the season with this team as is. Would love to see Giroux come back, think his contributions will greatly outweigh any dressing room dynamics, plus I love G.
Nelly-19075
I’m glad DB, Jonesy, and Hillferty have patience, because the majority of this fanbase does not! Stay the course, boys…a perennial Stanley Cup contender is not created overnight and last season’s success story does not change that fact (and this ridiculously impatient fan base does not either).
Matthew Segal
Carlson signed with Tampa, 2 years and $17M. Charlie, please give me a name of someone, anyone, who can help the PP!
Vandit Kalia
Jiricek. If they develop him properly and he pans out, that’s better for the team long term than Carlson.
I would have like to have them sign Carlson simply to see them be a better team next year. But that wouldn’t have moved the needle to make them Cup contenders. So as far as the rebuild goes, this isn’t a big thing for me.
Developing Jiricek, on the other hand? That does help them long term. The trick is to let him focus on his offensive game and not make him a stay at home D-man.
Vandit Kalia
Rebuilds – especially if teams as bad as the Flyers – don’t get done in a year after bottoming out. I am pretty sure know that as well, Charlie.
Re “doesn’t absolve Briere” – Briere doesn’t need absolution for not getting pressurized into making stupid moves for short term gains. If anything, he deserves praise.
This whole mindset of “do something, anything” is what led them to making bad signifying after bad signing. The fact that they are not falling into the same trap, but are keeping their resources and powder dry, is a very promising sign.
Vandit Kalia
*bad signing after bad signing.
Charlie O'Connor
AuthorHe has to make a big move — likely multiple big moves — at some point for this to work.
If he eventually makes them? He’ll be praised for it. Until then? It’s going to be pointed out that the longer it goes without one being made, the longer this team’s ceiling is capped. And if he never makes one (or makes a bad one in an attempt to make one), then this team’s ceiling will stay capped.
Is it hard to make big moves that resolve the long-term roster issues facing the team? Of course! But they knew that when they embarked on this rebuild strategy. Which is why they don’t get absolved when they don’t make them.
Charlie O'Connor
AuthorAlso, the whole point is that the Flyers didn’t bottom out. They didn’t do a full teardown. Which is why it’s now necessary for them to make a few big moves to get the remaining core pieces that they need in order to contend. Had they bottomed out, they’d likely have those core pieces, and then their biggest challenge would be to develop them/build a quality team around them.
James Borger
I agree with what you’re saying here Charlie, but also when I look across the trades and signings that took place this week, I don’t see any big, splashy moves that DB regrettably missed, other than Carlson. We know DB is comfortable playing the long game, and he has earned my trust with moves like the Zegras trade.
Michael Kulhowvick
Charlie, I can’t blame Danny for not trying to convince Carlson to sign here or for not being able to acquire him. But not having a backup plan to address the PP is entirely on him if nothing else comes to fruition.
This team needs to learn from someone. What other options are out there to make a hockey trade? Is it crazy to think (other than them being trade partners to begin with) that the Devils would try to clear up cap space by moving Hamilton and maybe retain some of the remaining 2 years at $9M?
I’m sure there are better options out there, but this is where we can really measure Danny’s creativity and ability to pivot. Taking a step back is not acceptable when you know full well you’ve had the worst power play for the last half-decade. If you’re not trying to improve that through the draft, then what are you doing? (Other than trying to force Jiricek onto PP2 from the get-go.)