Photo Credit: Zack Hill | Philadelphia Flyers
E138 – Who Is Going To Fix The Flyers? (Ft. Jordan Hall)
As the losses continue to pile up, its a bit surprising that the Flyers fanbase are not up in arms over the persistent losing. However, if you’re watching the team on a regular basis, it’s hard to question their effort or drive to win. Regardless of the outcome, this team has learned to play for the emblem on the front and not the name on the back. It’s a work in progress, but the standard of effort that is expected on a nightly basis has clearly gone up. This biggest issue now, is the absence of key forwards Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson. While the Flyers are low on scoring talent at the NHL level, losing their two best veterans for the entire season has definitely affected the teams ability to ice a competent NHL lineup. Add the plethora of injuries that have come along the way, and the scoring troubles are predictable. It’s also easy to forget the top forward prospect, Bobby Brink, has also been sidelined all season as well. Brink was coming into this season with a successful NHL stint in his previous season. it could be anticipated that Brink would have played a key role in improving the Flyers dreadful powerplay this season. The Flyers were never in a position to lose this much talent coming into the season and without it, despite the best efforts, they aren’t able to produce enough offense to win on a regular basis.
This is where the fingers need to be pointed at Chuck Fletcher, where he has not given the team any real creative or opportunistic progress in turning the ship around. It’s not that he’s made an endless slew of incompetent moves, but it’s more of lack of any splash that would bring hope to the fanbase. While he could be working on something, there has been some time where Fletcher has not been able to improve the hockey team and many of his recent moves have been lack luster from an outside view. Never has there ever been a GM of the Flyers who had three consecutive 10 game losing streaks and it’s not that it signify’s the end his time as GM entirely, but it does indicate that he is unchartered territory. I said in the offseason that it would take the Flyers making the playoffs to keep his job as General Manager of the Philadelphia Flyers and that does not seem likely at this point in the season that will happen. Unless Fletcher can make some moves to turn this team’s fate, the walls could be closing in. It’s not that this team is running on empty or that there is no promise within the organization, but it’s a similar reason the Flyers brought in Tortorella. This team need someone to get the most of what they have. That has not happened here for going on three NHL seasons and that, is for sure, unchartered territory.
On this episode of Gettin Gritty Wit It, Yariv and Vasili welcome on Jordan Hall from NBC to the show. Jordan is one of the main writers covering the team along with his official NBC podcast, Flyers Talk. Jordan joins us to talk all about the Flyers season and what we think we can expect moving forward as the team looks to change their fate.
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Are you kidding? not up in arms? I hear nothing but complaining about this team and fletchers mismanagement. If you are not hearing things from people then it’s even worse than anger. Apathy has set in.
The apathy should be the biggest concern for the team. The home games have the atmosphere of a funeral. The 10 seasons of mediocrity followed by 3 years of brutality are just too much. And the die hard fans have been reduced “Well at least they are trying hard.” The Flyers leading the league in Loser Points seems appropriate. Fletcher has been in charge for 4 years. The team is in the worst shape I have ever seen in my life.
Who wants to watch and root for a team that can’t score and lose to their opponent’s second string goalie? I am tired of OT losses and shootout incompetence. I do not trust the Floppers management to draft and develop players. I have been a fan since the beginning and seeing expansion teams surpass the Floppers is too much to take.