Flyers Off-Season Overview Thus Far
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FrankieAugust 11, 2022 (2:40 PM)
Just one year ago from today, we we're looking at the Flyers offseason moves and predicting a playoff berth of some sort. I had them as a Eastern Conference Semi Final team, and I will eat that one. I would say most people were drastically incorrect on how the Flyers season would turn out. Ryan Ellis was supposed to fill the Matt Niskanen shoes and upgrade the defense. He played less than 10 games. The whole season top to bottom was a nightmare. Fast forward one year, they have a new coach who brings an old school attitude in John Tortorella. I'm curious as to how this team responds to his coaching style, with a good mix of young guys and veterans presumed to be in the starting lineup.
Per Kevin Weekes, Flyers sign John Tortorella as their new head coach. A 4-year, $16 million dollar contract. #HockeyTwitter #NewEra #BringItToBroad� Frankie James 🎙 📸 (@FrankieStesk) June 16, 2022
This Flyers offseason can be summed up in one word: nightmare. The highlight of the offseason was the move that was not made. Johnny Gaudreau, otherwise known as Johnny Hockey, a New Jersey native and child Flyer's fan, essentially got down on his knees and begged the Flyers to sign him this offseason. Chuck Fletcher and the Flyers front office didn't even take a sniff at it. Fletcher was reported very unwilling to give up the no. 5 overall pick along with James Van Riemsdyk to clear up the necessary cap space to sigh Gaudreau to the deal that would have filled the seats on most nights, no matter what the teams record would have been.
The Flyers offseason was a complete disaster. Fletcher did not give this team any real direction or any reason for the fans to show up� Ryan Swift (@RyanBSingSports) August 11, 2022
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The rest of the offseason was equally disappointing. I'll start with the Tony DeAngelo trade. I personally like DeAngelo on the ice. He brings good scoring ability from the blue line and plays a physical brand of hockey. The obvious potential issues of his off the ice character comes into question, as he was basically removed from the Rangers a couple years ago due to a locker room incident. The other issue is the massive overpay it took to acquire him. The 101st overall pick in the 2022 draft, a 2023 3rd round pick and a 2024 2nd round pick is all it took to acquire DeAngelo. That's a lot of capital for a team that isn't going to be very competitive and taking on all of DeAngelo's salary. Good player, but this trade gets a D grade from me.
The free agency period didn't do the Flyers any favors. They brought back Justin Braun, another right-handed defenseman to go with Ristolainen and DeAngelo. This move tells me they do not have confidence Ryan Ellis will suit up this season, and some reports are saying Ellis might not play again. Oscar Lindblom was waived and picked up by the Sharks. I loved Lindblom and his story, but ultimately, he didn't look the same post-recovery. The Flyers made a massive splash (incoming sarcasm alert) by signing left winger Nicolas Deslauriers to a four-year, $7 million contract. I think this was the nail in the coffin for most fans. While this brings some «F-you» that Cam Atkinson said this team needs, that is about all Deslauriers can bring to this team.
I'm very proud and honored to have sign my first NHL contract with the @NHLFlyers� Oskar Lindblom (@oskarlindblom) May 30, 2017
It is not going to be pretty. I'm not even going to try to predict what will happen to the Flyers this year. I whiffed last year worse than Eric Hinske did to end the World Series in 2008. I will be watching though. This is still my favorite hockey team. They might put a new meaning to the name «Legion of Doom» but it's a new season, and hey, crazier things have happenedright?
| POLL | ||
11 AOUT | 47 ANSWERS Flyers Off-Season Overview Thus Far Will the Philadelphia Flyers make the playoffs this season? | ||
| No | 31 | 66 % |
| Yes | 16 | 34 % |
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