Hextall New Flyers GM

[deeshamrock]

Not that it's a surprise, but Ron Hextall will be named GM of the Flyers at a Press Con. at 11:30 today.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/...neral-manager-Paul-Holmgren-to-president.html

Finally, some light on the FLyers Horizon that has been dark for too many years. A smart hockey guy who is a good hockey businessman as well. Somebody who can make the right moves to get this team in the right direction. At that will start with unloading the bad contracts Homer put in place and making trades to improve the D and get a LW for the top line.

Click to read more...

 

[Trolfoli]

All your players are now belong to the Kings!!!!!

Except for B. Schenn.... no returns.

 

[Scottkmlps]

Didn't Snider just say Holmgren was still going to be GM?

 

[Cook24]

Didn't hextall have something against simmonds when he was here for supposedly being a bad influence on doughty for partying too much. I thought I remember there being a rumor of a kings exec wanting simmonds gone for this and we all came to the conclusion that it was hexy. Anyone else remember?

 

[deeshamrock]

Didn't Snider just say Holmgren was still going to be GM?

Said that on Friday with his usual arrogance. Snider? Speak with forked tongue? Say one thing and do the opposite? it's in his DNA.


As someone just pointed out to me, one of the reasons Vinnie L was signed here (other than the fact nobody else would give him a 5 yr deal for tht $$ witha full NMC) was that he wanted to play for Lavvy in Lavvy's system and that Lavvy was a part of that decision. Vinnie didn't fit in any way shape or form in Berube's system and struggled all year. Now that lavvy is in Nashville and they need offense, they might be able to move him there if they agree to eat part of his salary.
I think HExy will take a team that has no identity, one of the oldest (4th or 5th as of January) teams in the NHL at 29.6 age ,cut the fat, build a young team and create an identity. Ask Hartnell for a list of teams , try to move Vinnie, do not resign Kimmo, Grossman, gone, Downie gone, Rinaldo gone, Schenn brothers, gone. Get an LW for G's line and begin to revamp the D.
Don't rush the young D to the parent club, something Homer was notorious for . Leave Haag in the AHl next year and let Ghost finish college. Along with Gus that's a good young trio of D for the future.

 

[Whiskeypete]

doesn't matter at all as long as Snider is still around imo. Ed still drives that organization and the GM is merely his gopher to serve his wishes. Snider is the bigger issue with the PHI front office. if Hexy holds his ground i wonder how long and what type of blow outs will happen withing their front office

 

[deeshamrock]

doesn't matter at all as long as Snider is still around imo. Ed still drives that organization and the GM is merely his gopher to serve his wishes. Snider is the bigger issue with the PHI front office. if Hexy holds his ground i wonder how long and what type of blow outs will happen withing their front office

That's a very good point, and having lived thru the Snider house of horrors for 4 decades now, I wondered why Hexy would agree to come to Philliy , knowing that. The only thing I can think of is that Homer has been awful and the Flyers lack of identify and failings each year, bad contracts , bad trades and most of all (due to his ego) being criticized nationally around the league for those moves has embarrassed ED.
Bringing back a guy who you had i nthe organizaiton and let go, only to see him become part of a winning philopshy and build an elite team that has won a Cup and will continue to be a powerhouse, is the closest you'll get to him admitting he was wrong. That you don't buy a championship, you build one, that swinging for the fences every year gets you more stikeouts than homeruns.Letting Lombardi go was the worst thing Snider did,and watching him turn the Kings into what they became, due to patience and vision and a plan, while the FLyers failed, has to stick in his craw.

 

[TonySCV]

doesn't matter at all as long as Snider is still around imo. Ed still drives that organization and the GM is merely his gopher to serve his wishes. Snider is the bigger issue with the PHI front office. if Hexy holds his ground i wonder how long and what type of blow outs will happen withing their front office

The same 2 headed horseman (Snider and Homgren) are still in positions to question / second guess / overrule anything Hextall does. I give Hextall 2 years tops in that role before he leaves unless other changes are made.

Good for the Kings though - still an open phone line to Kings East and it keeps Hextall out of the West (he would have been an excellent hire for Vancouver).

 

[flyershockey]

Said that on Friday with his usual arrogance. Snider? Speak with forked tongue? Say one thing and do the opposite? it's in his DNA.


As someone just pointed out to me, one of the reasons Vinnie L was signed here (other than the fact nobody else would give him a 5 yr deal for tht $$ witha full NMC) was that he wanted to play for Lavvy in Lavvy's system and that Lavvy was a part of that decision. Vinnie didn't fit in any way shape or form in Berube's system and struggled all year. Now that lavvy is in Nashville and they need offense, they might be able to move him there if they agree to eat part of his salary.
I think HExy will take a team that has no identity, one of the oldest (4th or 5th as of January) teams in the NHL at 29.6 age ,cut the fat, build a young team and create an identity. Ask Hartnell for a list of teams , try to move Vinnie, do not resign Kimmo, Grossman, gone, Downie gone, Rinaldo gone, Schenn brothers, gone. Get an LW for G's line and begin to revamp the D.
Don't rush the young D to the parent club, something Homer was notorious for . Leave Haag in the AHl next year and let Ghost finish college. Along with Gus that's a good young trio of D for the future.

Ghost already signed his ELC. He's either in the AHL or the NHL next year. Hagg stands a good chance to make the jump to the NHL at some point next year. He's been playing professionally in the SHL since he was 17. He's 6'2" and about 200 pounds. He's physically ready as long as he handles the transition to the NA ice.

I agree that Hextall will try to trim some of the fat from the roster. But why Brayden Schenn? He just put in a 41 point performance in his first full season in the NHL while playing basically third line ES minutes and PP time on our garbage second unit.

 

[deeshamrock]

. But why Brayden Schenn? He just put in a 41 point performance in his first full season in the NHL while playing basically third line ES minutes and PP time on our garbage second unit.

Because he's making the same mistakes he did in Juniors with the Wheatkings and Blades in his own end. He's been a terrbile disappointment in his 3 seasons and has not grown or matured , esp in neutral zond and the defensive zone.

He has a caution and hesitation to his game that lead to costly turnovers and goals. His inability to protect himself or the puck leads to him losing him way too often, which leads to turnovers. The only thing he does consistantly in his own end is the indecison that costs the Flyers.

He's weak defensively, just as he was in Juniors and that has not evolved one bit i nthe 3 years he's been on the Flyers. Points are only one small part of his game and he'll never be the complete player Couturier is.

For HOmer to admit on Friday , hwen asked about Schenn's expiring contract, that he'd not talked to his agent in almost a year said a lot. He also pointed out 2 of Schenn's other faults, his inconsistancy for large stretches of ti me and his inability to elevate his game to the next level when needed.

He's not a leader, shrinks in critical situations and is expendable. Couturidr, although 2 years younger, has had the same time on the team and grown in most areas, despite being misused on the 3rd line in a shutdown role.

Giroux-Couturier-Laughlin down the middle is where they are headed

Schenn is the expendable piece , the extra center that they need to flip for a top D, Hexy values D over O and will build that way.

 

[flyershockey]

Because he's making the same mistakes he did in Juniors with the Wheatkings and Blades in his own end. He's been a terrbile disappointment in his 3 seasons and has not grown or matured , esp in neutral zond and the defensive zone.

He has a caution and hesitation to his game that lead to costly turnovers and goals. His inability to protect himself or the puck leads to him losing him way too often, which leads to turnovers. The only thing he does consistantly in his own end is the indecison that costs the Flyers.

He's weak defensively, just as he was in Juniors and that has not evolved one bit i nthe 3 years he's been on the Flyers. Points are only one small part of his game and he'll never be the complete player Couturier is.

For HOmer to admit on Friday , hwen asked about Schenn's expiring contract, that he'd not talked to his agent in almost a year said a lot. He also pointed out 2 of Schenn's other faults, his inconsistancy for large stretches of ti me and his inability to elevate his game to the next level when needed.

He's not a leader, shrinks in critical situations and is expendable. Couturidr, although 2 years younger, has had the same time on the team and grown in most areas, despite being misused on the 3rd line in a shutdown role.

Giroux-Couturier-Laughlin down the middle is where they are headed

Schenn is the expendable piece , the extra center that they need to flip for a top D, Hexy values D over O and will build that way.

That's a bit of an overreaction to say the least. His defensive game is still a work in progress, much the way it is for any player in the first couple of years of his career.

Couturier is not nearly two years younger. If anything it's closer to one year. Couturier is certainly the better defensive player, but he gets much more help from playing with Read and Raffl versus Vinny and Simmonds.

They're not going to trade Schenn to make room for Laughton until Laughton proves that he's capable of replacing Schenn's offense. Laughton's a good prospect, but he wasn't an elite level point producer in the OHL until this year. It's a stretch to say he'll ever be a 40 point player in the NHL, let alone capable of replacing what Schenn could bring in the next couple of seasons as he develops.

The Flyers already have a pretty good stock of defensive prospects that Homer acquired through either the draft or by trades. Morin, Hagg, and Ghost were added within the last couple of drafts, and he turned a nobody into Alt (projects to be an NHL player). It's up to Hextall to expand on Homer's work of building through the draft. It would also help if he could finally find that high level goal scorer to play on Giroux's left side.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Really interesting press conference with Hexy right now. He's using a lot of phrases / topics that remind me of DL. Some that have come up so far:

* He thinks the Flyers need to get younger & better
* He thinks they need to develop a culture where players have a "Flyers logo on their shoulder" (Snider literally just mentioned that Hexy's flyer tattoo is on his ass)
* He thinks the players need to raise their fitness level

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Said that on Friday with his usual arrogance. Snider? Speak with forked tongue? Say one thing and do the opposite? it's in his DNA.


As someone just pointed out to me, one of the reasons Vinnie L was signed here (other than the fact nobody else would give him a 5 yr deal for tht $$ witha full NMC) was that he wanted to play for Lavvy in Lavvy's system and that Lavvy was a part of that decision. Vinnie didn't fit in any way shape or form in Berube's system and struggled all year. Now that lavvy is in Nashville and they need offense, they might be able to move him there if they agree to eat part of his salary.
I think HExy will take a team that has no identity, one of the oldest (4th or 5th as of January) teams in the NHL at 29.6 age ,cut the fat, build a young team and create an identity. Ask Hartnell for a list of teams , try to move Vinnie, do not resign Kimmo, Grossman, gone, Downie gone, Rinaldo gone, Schenn brothers, gone. Get an LW for G's line and begin to revamp the D.
Don't rush the young D to the parent club, something Homer was notorious for . Leave Haag in the AHl next year and let Ghost finish college. Along with Gus that's a good young trio of D for the future.

What's your take on Luke Schenn and Grossman?

 

[ADifferentTim]

I sincerely hope Mr. Snider does not end up pulling off Executive Meddling on Hextall, just like how Dolan is purportedly dong so with Phil Jackson on the Knicks.

 

[BigBrown]

Really interesting press conference with Hexy right now. He's using a lot of phrases / topics that remind me of DL. Some that have come up so far:

* He thinks the Flyers need to get younger & better
* He thinks they need to develop a culture where players have a "Flyers logo on their shoulder" (Snider literally just mentioned that Hexy's flyer tattoo is on his ass)
* He thinks the players need to raise their fitness level

Rings a bell or two

I think the first step in developing a culture of players with Flyer tattoos is not signing players to long term contracts and trading them the next summer. Show some loyalty to the players that showed loyalty to the team. Now personally I'm surprised that culture is a concern for Hextall considering how often him and Lombardi refer to the Flyers when talking about it. Much of the success and culture of the Kings is probably modeled after them.

As for Simmonds, whether the party thing was true or not, being traded was probably a wake-up call for him and made him refocus on his career and take the next step. I'm sure the same is true to some extent for Richards and Carter.

 

[Whiskeypete]

As for Simmonds, whether the party thing was true or not, being traded was probably a wake-up call for him and made him refocus on his career and take the next step. I'm sure the same is true to some extent for Richards and Carter.

i recall that, but at the same time Drew was just as responsible for it. face it we are talking about early 20-year guys, single with money to burn. should it be a surprise?

most of us all did the same thing to some degree

 

[BigBrown]

i recall that, but at the same time Drew was just as responsible for it. face it we are talking about early 20-year guys, single with money to burn. should it be a surprise?

most of us all did the same thing to some degree

Absolutely. Dean Lombardi mentions it from time to time as a phase most young players go through and it doesn't seem like he has a problem with it at all. I remember him in an encouraging fashion say phrases like 'raising hell together' in regards to players and their off ice activities. I guess he likes players who have bonded and are willing to go through a wall for each other, creating that pack mentality and culture within the team.

Now there absolutely comes a time where things have gone too far and potentially becomes a problem but I really doubt Simmonds was traded for his partying ways.

 

[Ron*]

Absolutely. Dean Lombardi mentions it from time to time as a phase most young players go through and it doesn't seem like he has a problem with it at all. I remember him in an encouraging fashion say phrases like 'raising hell together' in regards to players and their off ice activities. I guess he likes players who have bonded and are willing to go through a wall for each other, creating that pack mentality and culture within the team.

Now there absolutely comes a time where things have gone too far and potentially becomes a problem but I really doubt Simmonds was traded for his partying ways.

One party monster traded for another LOL

 

[deeshamrock]

What's your take on Luke Schenn and Grossman?

I was fine with Grossman for the job he did for the money (3.5 for 2 more years) he was was being paid. Mostly to be a dependable stay at home who blocked a lot of shots and was a pretty tough. Which is why signing MacDonald made little sense, esp at 6 yrs x 5 mill. Now that makes Grossman redundant, they don't need 2 of those. So from what I've read, Grossman will most likely be traded.

Schenn is what he is, a 5/6 D who IMO is replaceable. When he's not under prssure or playing vs top lines, he can be okay. But he's not consistant, yoiu never know how he'll do. But too often he makes the wrong decision. The Flyers have D on the PHantoms that can be brought up , should Hexy decide to move Schenn as part ofa trade. But he might not, he might move some of the older D and keep Schenn in that 5/6 role, unless he feels by what he's seen of the PHantoms, Schenn is replaceable.

THey have no top D, not a 1 or 2, and they need that or they'll never get out of the 1st round in the playoffs. It was painfully evident during this playoffs how miuch time they spent in their own end and could not clear the puck out, shift in shift oiut, game in game out. The Rangers D are fast and talented, move the puck out quickly. FLyers left Mason out to dry too often. THey have some talented young D coming (Ghost, Haag, ) but they area few years from developoing into their potential. And Snider isn't the most patient soul. So I'm guessing Grossman , and/or Schenn or Coburn maybe (who came under fire during the last half of the year and the playoffs) and he's been the subject of trade rumors for 2 years now. It's up to Hextall , but I get the sense he has a plan alrady, something Homer never did.

 

[ukyo]

This is awesome for Hextall. I would think that he's always been a Flyer deep down, even when he was working for the Kings. Getting an education in how to be a GM through the transformation of another organization to a Stanley Cup winner is the best apprenticeship he could have had anywhere, because now he gets to take those learnings back home, so to speak.

I personally would not let the Schenns go. Stalling in development is only a fatal for a career if the player doesn't have the character to make changes. I don't think either of those kids have that problem. Their problem is that they aren't in a system that directs them to become better players. I fully expect Hextall to change that immediately.

I wouldn't mind seeing a Flyers-Kings Cup Final or two in the next decade.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Numerous fans in here have brought up Coburn. Would he fit in LA? Admittedly I don't know much about him, but he is young and is left handed which from a distance appears to fit LA's needs this off season. Figured I'd ask you dee because you obviously know him much more about him than me.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

That sucks. I like the flyers being abysmal.

Maybe he can give us some discount and consideration when it comes to trades. That would be cool.

 

[ru4reals]

President and GM! Ummmmm am I the only one that thinks they just changed the name and the role is still the same. So Holmgren is the President and Hextall is the GM. So pretty much Holmgren is still making the decisions. I don't get it. And who is the President of Hockey operations? Or is that the same as the President? Who the heck is the Kings President cuz I know Dean is our GM. Someone enlighten me.

 

[Quattro]

That sucks. I like the flyers being abysmal.

2nd. I hate it when people talk about the Flyers like they are our sister team or something. I like Hextall and all but I can't stand the Flyers.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

So Holmgren is basically Kevin Lowe, and Snider is still a meddling owner....

I hope Hextall does well, but I'm not so sure about this situation