That save against coots was ridiculous

I can’t wait to see Michkov with a true 1C – that’s gonna be a thing of beauty on ice.

At this point, the season should be about trying to see who they want to retain – that includes Cam York, who, in his current avatar, isn’t a needle-mover as a D-man. If a benching lights a fire in his rear that several months of just letting him play didnt, that’s worth it. And if this is who he really is, then that’s also a data point for the Flyers.

I am amazed by the clutching of pearls over “underperforming player gets benched for a game”.

This Flyers team is all background noise. To become a true perennial Stanley Cup contender, they must get stars, get elite players on this team, in key positions, 1-C, 1-D. and Goalie for starters. Championships are won when elite players are acquired at key positions. Evidence is throughout all of sports history, but recently, two great examples are local, the Eagles and the Phillies. Howie Roseman and Dave Dombroski, two future Hall of Fame GMs, built evergreen champion contenders by first getting elite superstars at key positions, then filled in around the edges. The Flyers GMs for the past 15 years have not done this, and it could be argued, did not even try. Instead they relied upon a loyal fan base buying the BS that they are an exciting hard working team to watch that might make the playoffs. DB and Jonesy have continued this failing strategy so far. Maybe successful for selling tickets, but an utter failure to be in the Cup conversation.
So what is the goal here Hilferty? You are a bright guy. Is it to win a Cup or just be on the playoff bubble and sell tickets and watch muckers dance around an ice rink? What is the true mission Hilferty? Is it to become a Cup contender? If so, then order your management group to get serious, and stop messing around the edges with first round draft picks in the 25 to 30 area, and second rounders that only result in more 3rd line players, and no elite stars.
Trades have to be made, smart trades, winning trades with the eye of the tiger, and cap space has to be dumped, not acquired in retained contract obligations from most trades. Look, maybe the problem is hidden in plain site. Roseman and Dombo never played pro sports. Does that give them more insight into what has to be done, than a former player might have in the GM and Prez spots? Do former players have too much “empathy” for the emotions of players? Too much trust in “hard work and development can turn dregs into stars?” Do former players not have the management skills, the analytic skills to run a franchise, to win a negotiation, to be chess players five moves ahead of the opponent?
It is sickening to watch night after night, and read article after article, about how hard the fringe players are working, how these 3rd liners are on occasion showing potential to be a 2nd liner. This is nonsense.
HIlferty, get a real GM in here, with proven experience and authority to get superstars on this Flyers roster at the key tentpole positions. They got lucky with MM, but he is not playing 1-C, 1-D, or goalie. Nice player, may become elite if Flyers ever get him a superstar 1-C to play with.
It’s more than time Hilferty. It has been two years. Here’s an example of a huge mistake by DB and Jonesy. Keeping Torts around has been a killer. Instead of tanking a couple of years for a top five pick back to back, he drives this middling roster to overachieve into the 15 to 20 draft area. Great coach, but he sucks at young player development. You hire Torts after the elite roster is built, not before, not while you need to build an elite roster. This decision is on DB, Jones, and you HIlferty. Erroneous strategy. Look in the mirror, and get real about what the heck your true strategy is and then execute what has to get done. Hard decisions, trading pearls, replacing a junior inexperienced GM, etc… Time for CEO oversight and accountability of the mess still going on in managing this franchise.