No results found for ""

Type at least 3 characters to search

Upgrade Your Fandom

Join the ultimate Philadelphia Flyers Community!

Diehard Level

Philadelphia Flyers end-of-season report cards: The defensemen and goalies

Charlie O'Connor
Charlie O'Connor
April 24, 2025
Philadelphia Flyers end-of-season report cards: The defensemen and goalies
Mar 9, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Jersey Devils right wing Timo Meier (28) and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) battle for the puck in front of goaltender Ivan Fedotov (82) during the second period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Author

Charlie O'Connor avatar
Charlie O'Connor

Share this post

Comments

Leave a comment

8 Comments (3 conversations)

luketd

luketd

April 24, 2025

Agree pretty much with everything. With York being a more traditional defenseman is funny. I think a York – Drysdale pairing could be a very interesting pairing next year.

DA-FlyersMan

DA-FlyersMan

April 24, 2025

I keep hoping that Kolosov’s terrible play in the NHL might convince him that he needs seasoning in the AHL…but sadly I doubt it.

Bob MCH

Bob MCH

April 24, 2025

Frist, The Fedotov and Kolosov failures speak volumes to how poor the Flyers scouting was in bring them on in the first place. Brutal, and DB and Jonesy have to address this scouting failure. Second, So the Flyers (DB and Jonesy huge failure) is they traded a first line wing/center in Gauther who is likely going to be a 35 to 45 goal per season all-star for a diminutive 3rd line defenseman in Drysdale. That is some poor trading right there. This is what happens when the reins to the team are handed to two completely inexperienced front office people. DB is really showing signs of being the real life Jeff Carsen from the movie Draft Day. He sure got fleeced on this one. A great GM does not let this happen. An average GM does not let this happen. Grade for DB and Jonesy this year: “D” It would be an “F” but they lucked out into 4th spot for first round draft lottery odds.

Bob MCH Replying to Bob MCH
Charlie O'Connor

Charlie O'Connor

Author
April 25, 2025

Neither Gauthier becoming a 35-45 goal scorer or Drysdale topping out as a 3rd pair defenseman are anywhere near the certainties that you present them to be.

Gauthier scored just 20 goals as a rookie. Could he reach that lofty plateau? Sure. But it’s a best case scenario, not a foregone conclusion.

As for Drysdale, he is a quality third-pair defenseman right now. Is it possible that’s all he’ll stay? Sure. It’s also very possible, given the clear improvements he made to his game this season, that he’ll improve further in the coming years and become far more than that.

I disagree with your framing of both players and the trade as a whole.

Charlie O'Connor Replying to Charlie O'Connor
Bob MCH

Bob MCH

April 25, 2025

Most of Gauthier’s goals came in the second half of the year, so he does project to 35 to 40 per year. Could you imagine a first line of Gautheir, Misa, and Michkov? That would be Cup Champion caliber.

Bob MCH Replying to Bob MCH
Charlie O'Connor

Charlie O'Connor

Author
April 25, 2025

Tyson Foerster scored 15 goals in the second half of his rookie season last year. That didn’t mean that he’s destined to jump into the 35-45 goal range; thus far he has not.

Not saying Gauthier can’t. He has big plausible upside. But you’re stating things as if they’re certainties when they very much are not, seemingly because it fits your current preferred narrative that the Gauthier/Drysdale trade was terrible.

Charlie O'Connor Replying to Charlie O'Connor
Bob MCH

Bob MCH

April 25, 2025

I appreciate you opinion Charlie, but we disagree. Your preferred narrative is different than mine. Time will tell which perspective ends up correct. So far, Gauthier is ahead of Drysdale. By quite a bit IMO.

Bob MCH Replying to Bob MCH
Charlie O'Connor

Charlie O'Connor

Author
April 25, 2025

I’m not presenting a “preferred narrative,” though. All I’m saying is that neither Gauthier or Drysdale are finished products, so why not wait and see what they become before making final judgments not only on the trade, but also on Briere and Jones?

You’re essentially saying that Gauthier is absolutely going to hit his best-case scenario ceiling, while Drysdale will absolutely end up a worst-case scenario (not get any better than what he already is right now). It could play out that way, sure. But you speak like it’s GOING to happen, which is my issue.

PHLY Flag

Scroll for next article