Prospect Info: Round 1, Pick #19: Jay O'Brien, C, MA-USHS --> Providence U

[deadhead]

Geez I forgot about Lindblom. Embarassment of riches.

At some point im guessing we will see a quantity for quality trade which will fill a hole and clear up a logjam.

Could see it as soon as this season for a rental goalie.

I think that trade is a year away, for some reason, most prospects value is higher either when they're first drafted or when they're on the verge of the NHL. Right now the Flyers have a lot of prospects in the "in-between" spot, where they didn't do enough in juniors to enhance their value but one good AHL season could redeem them (Rubtsov, Laberge) or prove them to be for real (Twarynski, Bunnaman).

 

[Curufinwe]

Or Hextall is saving the cap space for extensions for Provorov, Konecny and Sanheim.

And maybe Simmonds.

 

[Striiker]

Or Hextall is saving the cap space for extensions for Provorov, Konecny and Sanheim.

And maybe Simmonds.

Patrick in the very near future too

Could be hefty if he looks as good as we hope/expect in the next two years.

 

[Psuhockey]

Or Hextall is saving the cap space for extensions for Provorov, Konecny and Sanheim.

And maybe Simmonds.

There will be another 20+ million in cap space next summer on top of the 10 now if it doesn’t rise. That is more than enough for Provorov, Konecny and Sanheim. Plenty even with saving some for Patrick the next summer. There should be a steady stream of ELCs to fill out the rest of roster the next few seasons unless something has gone horribly wrong.

Resigning Simmonds is stupid and I hope Hextall doesn’t do it.

 

[Curufinwe]

The point is, there doesn't have to be anything big around the corner on the trade front just because the Flyers have cap space.

 

[deadhead]

However, at some point roster limitations will force Hextall to trade a number of prospects, but it can either be for a veteran star or for "futures", say draft picks and prospects with a few more years of control.

Of course, with the ED, Hextall may just package 2-3 prospects and a 2nd rd pick in return for a team not taking Sanheim.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Hextall's been GM for 4 years. I think if he was going to make a "big move" we would have seen hints of it by now. Hell we still have the same assistant coaches minus Mullen since he took the job. Massive change is just not his style.

 

[Curufinwe]

I'd like to see them take Horton's contract from Toronto next season in return for a decent pick.

 

[Rebels57]

Hextall's been GM for 4 years. I think if he was going to make a "big move" we would have seen hints of it by now. Hell we still have the same assistant coaches minus Mullen since he took the job. Massive change is just not his style.

Signing JVR was a pretty big move, no?

 

[FLYguy3911]

Signing JVR was a pretty big move, no?

In some regards, but there were no moving parts. No assets exchanged hands. I just think people waiting for this big fantasy trade are going to be disappointed. He's Cheveldayoff. Build through the draft, develop, wait, extend your own players.

 

[Psuhockey]

Hextall's been GM for 4 years. I think if he was going to make a "big move" we would have seen hints of it by now. Hell we still have the same assistant coaches minus Mullen since he took the job. Massive change is just not his style.

One could argue the pressure to win hasn’t been there up until now. You can only talk about the future for so long in professional sports.

 

[Rebels57]

In some regards, but there were no moving parts.

I think it's safe to say that Hextall turned the page on building this summer. His comments seem to agree. I think the days of being gun shy about trading to improve the team are likely over.

 

[FLYguy3911]

One could argue the pressure to win hasn’t been there up until now. You can only talk about the future for so long in professional sports.

Where is the pressure to win coming from though? The only pressure he really has is to justify his coaching hire and he can avoid that pretty easily by making a change.

I think it's safe to say that Hextall turned the page on building this summer. His comments seem to agree. I think the days of being gun shy about trading to improve the team are likely over.

It's easy to say those things to the media. It's another thing to actually pull the trigger when the time comes. As I added to my last post, he's Cheveldayoff. Slow and steady.

I'm not saying he'll never make a trade, but I don't see him making any blockbusters.

 

[Curufinwe]

Hextall admitted he would have liked to have been in on Tavares. But he didn't consider any Metro teams but the Islanders.

I'd say Hextall is much more likely to use any big cap space on free agents in summer 2019. For instance, he could give Bob two years at $9m.

Browse - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

 

[Phillyfan28]

Hextall's been GM for 4 years. I think if he was going to make a "big move" we would have seen hints of it by now. Hell we still have the same assistant coaches minus Mullen since he took the job. Massive change is just not his style.

Disagree on this one. While I think the 4 years signal his overall philosophy behind the draft and asset management, the team has not been a piece or two away from legitimately competing for the cup. I think I read it as a quote from Hextall but could be mistaken, but maintaining cap flexibility, developing younger players on ELCs, and accumulating assets, allows the team to make a splash when the timing is right.

For example, if this was 3 years down the road or we had a cup contending goalie options today, I could see Hextall making a move for a player like EK who could be the difference between contender and champion. Not ideal example because of our young D pipeline but you get the drift.

 

[Psuhockey]

Where is the pressure to win coming from though? The only pressure he really has is to justify his coaching hire and he can avoid that pretty easily by making a change.

I would imagine a 25% drop in TV viewers from 2017 to 2018 probably didn’t make Comcast happy. He does have the fire the coach card to play, but eventually those television numbers are going to have to go back up.

I am guessing the motivation of Hextalls’ boss but money seems logical.

 

[Rebels57]

Hextall admitted he would have liked to have been in on Tavares. But he didn't consider any Metro teams but the Islanders.

I'd say Hextall is much more likely to use any big cap space on free agents in summer 2019. For instance, he could give Bob two years at $9m.

Browse - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

I have a feeling the Hurricanes and Sabres are going to throw a massive long term deal at Bobrovsky. Im guessing he picks the Sabres if so.

 

[Curufinwe]

The numbers are down for almost all TV sports.

 

[Psuhockey]

The numbers are down for almost all TV sports.

True but 25% is a huge number.

 

[hatcher]

I would imagine a 25% drop in TV viewers from 2017 to 2018 probably didn’t make Comcast happy. He does have the fire the coach card to play, but eventually those television numbers are going to have to go back up.

I am guessing the motivation of Hextalls’ boss but money seems logical.

only 25 LOL. Terrible product and I feel so bad for people that live down there that love the flyers and pay to watch that garbage.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Disagree on this one. While I think the 4 years signal his overall philosophy behind the draft and asset management, the team has not been a piece or two away from legitimately competing for the cup. I think I read it as a quote from Hextall but could be mistaken, but maintaining cap flexibility, developing younger players on ELCs, and accumulating assets, allows the team to make a splash when the timing is right.

For example, if this was 3 years down the road or we had a cup contending goalie options today, I could see Hextall making a move for a player like EK who could be the difference between contender and champion. Not ideal example because of our young D pipeline but you get the drift.

A splash could be the UFA market where it doesn't cost picks or players and just $- JVR. I don't see him as a big wheeler and dealer, especially when it comes to the guys he drafted. That's just the hunch I get.

I would imagine a 25% drop in TV viewers from 2017 to 2018 probably didn’t make Comcast happy. He does have the fire the coach card to play, but eventually those television numbers are going to have to go back up.

I am guessing the motivation of Hextalls’ boss but money seems logical.

As was pointed out, how much of that was Flyers related though? People are cutting the cord and finding other ways to watch games/events. The Flyers fanbase is loyal to a fault. The groans may eventually get a little louder, but they are still filling up the building.

 

[deadhead]

At this point, who are you going to make the big move for?
The top two lines are set, and when Giroux, JVR and Voracek age out, replacements are in place.
The top four defensemen may be set if Sanheim and Myers pan out the next couple years.

So trading/signing top players become marginal improvements at high cost.
Of the top ten skaters, who are you going to upgrade in the next 2-3 years?

And you don't make mega-deals for depth.

So a big move would be more of a lateral/change the composition of the lineup move.
Move Ghost in a package for an elite RHD, or trade JVR and Voracek to make room for Farabee at LW and add a top sniper.
These are hypotheticals, not recommendations, just illustrating the kind of big moves Ron might actually make.

 

[Psuhockey]

As was pointed out, how much of that was Flyers related though? People are cutting the cord and finding other ways to watch games/events.

It’s all Flyers related because it’s local tv viewership from year to year so someone who never watches the Flyers cutting the cord would have no effect. Now Flyers fans watching it via streaming would be a part of that but again 25% is a huge number so there is a significant amount of fans just tuning out.

As far as the building selling out: they might still be selling the tickets but you can see there are empty seats now. That means people aren’t willing to go or can’t move their tickets. Eventually they will stop buying them especially with two other hot tickets in town.

 

[freakydallas13]

Based purely on how his name sounds, I'm picturing an Adrian Aucoin type career for O'Brien. He's got that "journeyman second line center" feel to his name, which is clearly the best metric to judge him by.

 

[FLYguy3911]

It’s all Flyers related because it’s local tv viewership from year to year so someone who never watches the Flyers cutting the cord would have no effect. Now Flyers fans watching it via streaming would be a part of that but again 25% is a huge number so there is a significant amount of fans just tuning out.

As far as the building selling out: they might still be selling the tickets but you can see there are empty seats now. That means people aren’t willing to go or can’t move their tickets. Eventually they will stop buying them especially with two other hot tickets in town.

We'll see but sometimes it's not always the product on the ice causing these things. The Sixers and Eagles being good doesn't really help the Flyers on those things either. I mean to us, yeah the on-ice product is bad, but to the casuals? They still made the playoffs and still have young players to get excited about.