Philadelphia Flyers Recall Alex Lyon
The Philadelphia Flyers have released updates on three different goaltenders in the organization. Michal Neuvirth has left the team to join his wife who is expecting, Brian Elliott has returned to Philadelphia for a medical appointment, and Alex Lyon has joined the team for the interim. Lyon will pair with Anthony Stolarz at the NHL level for the time being, something the two have done in the minor leagues at times this season.
Seeing Neuvirth and Elliott leave the team at one point might have been tough to swallow, but at this point it might not make much of a difference. Stolarz was the starter last night but allowed the Calgary Flames to make a dramatic comeback that included two goals with their net empty, and has posted just an .889 save percentage on the season. Amazingly, that puts Stolarz ahead of three of the other goaltenders that have suited up for Philadelphia this year, including Neuvirth and Lyon. As the team waits on Elliott—the only one with even respectable numbers—to return from injury they have to hope that someone can step up and carry the load.
That appeared to be Stolarz, who despite the breakdown last night has actually played well in his short stint, but perhaps it could be Lyon instead. The 26-year old has stabilized his season at the minor league level and seems just as likely as any to give the team average goaltending. That’s all anyone in Philadelphia can hope for right now as they try to climb out of a dreadful start to the season.
Philadelphia Flyers Hire Brent Flahr
New Philadelphia Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher has already begun to surround himself with familiar faces, hiring Rick Wilson to serve as an assistant coach while the team evaluates their future. Now he’ll have another trusted advisor in the front office with him, as the team has hired Brent Flahr as vice president and assistant GM. Flahr served in the same role for Fletcher in Minnesota, and will be allowed out of the final year of his current contract with the Wild. Philadelphia had a vacancy in the front office after firing AGM Chris Pryor recently.
Just yesterday it was reported that the Flyers are looking to make some trades, and with Flahr on board Fletcher can really get to work. Hiring an assistant GM to start handling the team’s draft prep was obviously a need, and Flahr handled those duties in Minnesota for the last several seasons. If the Flyers are headed into a short rebuilding phase—something that is by no means clear at this point—they’ll need him to continue to find future talents to help them down the road. Fletcher explained as much in his statement released on the hiring:
Brent brings over 20 years of experience in the National Hockey League and an extraordinary amount of knowledge to our hockey club. I’ve known Brent for many years and his track record speaks for itself as a scout, assistant general manager and even general manager of an AHL team. His expertise of building and growing a strong foundation will be extremely valuable at all levels as we look to take the next step in our path toward winning a championship.
The Flyers are arguably the most interesting team in the league to watch as the holiday trade freeze approaches, given their appetite for change and solid talent levels in the NHL and minor leagues. Already one of the most well-stocked prospect cupboards around, the team could very well sell off their veteran assets in order to give younger players even more opportunity. Alternatively, they could pull from their future assets to help the 2018-19 team compete for the playoffs, something that is still within reach given the struggles of the Metropolitan division.
Chuck Fletcher Hoping To Make Trades Early And Often With Flyers
The overwhelming opinion on the firing of former Phialdelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall was that he was too patient with the roster and too unwilling to make big moves. His replacement, Chuck Fletcher, has a history of being a deal-maker from his time with the Minnesota Wild and is clearly focused on quick and sweeping change as he takes over in Philly. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports in the latest “Insider Trading” segment that Fletcher has already spoken with at least half of the teams in the NHL about a trade. LeBrun adds that Fletcher has not one, not two, but three different areas of the depth chart that he would like to add to and is hoping to make at least one move prior to the holiday roster freeze beginning next week.
The obvious weakness of the Flyers this season, and for some time, is in net. Injuries and poor play from the team’s goaltenders has made it difficult to consistently win games and an established, long-term starter is needed until promising young prospect Carter Hart is ready to take over down the road. Of course, this was understood as the priority for whoever Philadelphia hired as GM and comes as no surprise as one of Fletcher’s three goals. However, LeBrun states that Fletcher would ideally like to add a veteran defenseman to an otherwise very young unit, as well as a top-nine forward. Even if he has had discussions with 15+ teams, adding three starting-caliber players, especially this early in the season, is a tall order. Yet, Fletcher seems up to the task and hopes to have checked off one of those boxes prior to next Wednesday, December 19th, when the holiday freeze begins.
These hypothetical additions are obviously being made in hopes of reaching the postseason this year. It thus makes sense that Fletcher would like to initiate trade talks and get these deals done as soon as possible, as the Flyers currently sit second-to-last in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference overall more than a third of the way through the regular season. However, should Philadelphia still be outside the playoff picture come the Trade Deadline, Fletcher is also unlikely to hesitate when it comes to offloading his impending free agents. Wayne Simmonds would be his most valuable trade chip, while Michael Raffl and Jordan Weal could also draw interest. Should he acquire a starting goaltender in the meantime, Brian Elliott could also become an intriguing trade option. Fletcher could even add a veteran defenseman and/or top-nine forward on expiring contracts only to flip them later on. There are infinite possibilities as to what Fletcher could do to change the team and how those moves will work out, but the one thing that is for sure is that changes are coming in Philadelphia.
Michal Neuvirth Could Be Waived When Brian Elliott Returns
While Blues goaltender Chad Johnson hit the waiver wire today, another veteran netminder could soon join him. Dave Isaac of the Cherry Hill Courier-Post suggests that Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth could be waived once Brian Elliott returns from his groin injury which would pave the way for Anthony Stolarz to remain with the team.
Los Angeles Looking To Make Another Move
When the Los Angeles Kings fired head coach John Stevens on November 4th, the team was 4-8-1 with a points percentage of .346. Since then, L.A. is 7-10-0 with a points percentage of .412. Despite the change behind the bench to Willie Desjardins and also the swap of Tanner Pearson for Carl Hagelin, not much has really changed for the Kings. As such, it’s no surprise that GM Rob Blake is still searching for another trade partner to shake up his roster.
The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the Kings are actively working the phones and are hoping to make another move ahead of the NHL’s holiday roster freeze, beginning on December 19th. That gives Blake ten days to put together another trade. A rumor emerged yesterday that the offensive struggles and hefty contract of Jeff Carter, who lacks any trade protection, could lead the Kings to move the former scoring star this season. However, Garrioch feels that Tyler Toffoli is the more likely name to move next, stating that L.A. is receiving plenty of interest in the young winger. Toffoli’s $4.6MM cap hit is only about $700K less than Carter’s, but expires at the end of next season, whereas the 33-year-old Carter has three years remaining after this season. On top of that, the 26-year-old Toffoli has only two less points than Carter thus far and has the relative youth to change his game on a new team and return to his previous 50-point pace of play. Carter may simply be slowing down and may not be able to make a similar post-trade adjustment. Blake is likely impartial when it comes to moving his disappointing forwards and is likely to get a better return for Toffoli, despite Carter’s name value.
In terms of finding a trade partner, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman hears that the market is active right now. Friedman relayed the opinion that the resolution of the William Nylander situation in Toronto has re-ignited trade interest in other players across the league. In naming a number of teams reportedly looking to make a deal, Friedman not only names the Kings, but also a pair of potential matches in the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild. Both teams have strong rosters capable of competing for the Stanley Cup this season, but have run into struggles lately for one reason or another. Both Boston and Minnesota share a need for secondary scoring and have the intriguing young and fast forwards that L.A. would likely look for in return. The Bruins could move on from a Danton Heinen or Anders Bjork to add Toffoli, while the Wild could part with Charlie Coyle or Joel Eriksson Ek. Other teams that would seem to be fits to add a Kings scoring forward include the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, or Philadelphia Flyers. If Garrioch’s report that Blake is eager to make a move before the Christmas break proves true, a deal involving these players and teams could be on the way soon.
Poll: Will Chuck Fletcher Make A Coaching Change Before The Season Ends?
The Philadelphia Flyers were supposed to be better than this. With a captain coming off his best season as a professional, a top line center worthy of Selke consideration, and a pair of young defensemen who could each challenge for the blue line scoring lead, things were supposed to be headed in the right direction. Philadelphia was jam packed with top prospects, and had pushed hard against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round last season. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone to plan.
In fact that plan, the one that Ron Hextall had put in place by accumulating young talent slowly over the years, was thrown out completely. After struggling out of the gate this season Hextall was fired, along with assistant GM Chris Pryor. You couldn’t shake up the front office more than that, and team president Paul Holmgren didn’t take long to find a new boss for the hockey operations, hiring former Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher to run the Flyers. Before that though, Holmgren made another firing: assistant coach Gord Murphy. Instead of changing the entire coaching staff, Holmgren fired Murphy and made sure to include in the press release that the decision was made “in consultation with head coach Dave Hakstol.” It seemed then that Hakstol was safe, somehow, from the regime change at the top of the Flyers.
So in came Fletcher, whose first order of business was to replace the outgoing Murphy with long-time NHL assistant coach Rick Wilson. Wilson had been with Fletcher previously in Minnesota, and has been on one bench or another around the league since 1988. Usually when a coach with that much experience is brought in to a struggling team he’s a potential threat to current head man, but with Wilson it may very well be another story entirely. The 68-year old has been an assistant for nearly his entire career, only taking over for Ken Hitchcock in 2001-02 for a 32-game stretch. Again, it seems that Hakstol is safe for now and the new management has put their faith behind him.
The Flyers though lost another heartbreaking game last night when they fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime after coming back to tie it late in the third period. That loss combined with the New Jersey Devils’ win, put the Flyers tied for last place in the Metropolitan Division with a 11-12-3 record. It also tied them with New Jersey for the worst goal differential in the division at -13, a far cry from the team’s expectations before the season began.
So what will Fletcher do to turn things around? Does he wait out the season before making a major move, or try to get things moving in the right direction over the next two months? Is it a personnel change on the ice, or behind the bench that’s needed? Something is surely going to happen to spark the Flyers at some point, but will Hakstol face the same fate that others like John Stevens, Todd McLellan and Joel Quenneville have already suffered this season?
Vote below on how you think the situation will turn out, and make sure to leave a comment down below.
Will Dave Hakstol be fired before the end of the season?
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Yes 78% (481)
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No 22% (137)
Total votes: 618
[Mobile users click here to vote]
East Notes: Morin, Shaw, Sabres
Though all of the turmoil that gone on in Philadelphia this season, injuries may be the least appreciated. One of those injuries that has had an effect on the team this year has been that of Samuel Morin, who underwent knee surgery in May and hasn’t been on the ice since. Today that all changed, as according to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Morin got back on the ice with teammates today for the first time.
Morin, 23, was the 11th-overall pick in 2013 but has played just three NHL games so far in his career and saw his 2017-18 season decimated by injury. If he can get back this season—the team expects some time in February—there’s a good chance he would be an immediate upgrade on their blue line and could offer a stylistic counterpoint to some of the team’s more offensive options.
- The Flyers’ opponent tonight will be without one of their leaders, as the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that assistant coach Brad Shaw was hospitalized and will not be at the game. Shaw became ill yesterday, and the team relayed it is an abdominal issue keeping him out. He’ll be replaced by skills coach Kenny McCudden behind the bench tonight, but will rejoin the team when he is able.
- The Buffalo Sabres were missing quite a few players from practice today, but luckily it was just a maintenance day for Zach Bogosian, Jack Eichel and Carter Hutton. Not so lucky were Jake McCabe and Casey Nelson, who have been ruled “week-to-week” in their recoveries from upper-body injuries. The Sabres are back in action on Saturday night when they’ll welcome Philadelphia into town.
Chuck Fletcher's First Priorities Are To Look Into Goalie Upgrades And Evaluate Dave Hakstol
While the expectation in Philadelphia is for them to push for the playoffs this season, TSN’s Bob McKenzie notes in the latest TSN Insider Trading (video link) that their plan isn’t to start trading away high draft picks or top prospects to get the short-term help to put them over the hump. Instead, he reports that the two items on new Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher’s list are to look for an upgrade between the pipes and evaluate head coach Dave Hakstol to see if he should have a long-term future with the team still.
Goaltending has been an issue for Philly all season long and for quite a few years before this one. Brian Elliott has been passable but has had injury troubles while veteran backup Michal Neuvirth has battled numerous injuries. Veteran Calvin Pickard struggled and is now gone after being waived so Anthony Stolarz is currently up in a number two role. None of these players project to be long-term starters for the team so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Flyers target someone who can serve as a reliable starter for a couple of years and serve as a bridge to top prospect Carter Hart.
Snapshots: Luongo, Wilson, AHL
The Florida Panthers have sent Michael Hutchinson back to the minor leagues, indicating that Roberto Luongo is ready to get back into the crease. The veteran goaltender has been dealing with a lower-body injury, and is a huge part of the Panthers’ chances of competing for a playoff spot this year. When he’s healthy and on the ice the team looks almost completely different, despite his .902 save percentage.
Luongo is just 19 games behind Patrick Roy for second on the all-time games played list, and just nine behind Ed Belfour for third on the wins list. Those kind of numbers are going to make him a lock for the Hall of Fame, but it’s the Stanley Cup that remains just out of reach. Luongo will turn 40 in April, but has amazingly only been to the playoffs seven times and has just 70 postseason appearances under his belt. If that number is to increase the Panthers are going to have to put it together in the second two-thirds of the season.
- As expected, the Philadelphia Flyers have hired Rick Wilson as an assistant coach for the remainder of the season. Wilson, a long-time NHL assistant, had previously been hired by new GM Chuck Fletcher in his previous job for Minnesota. Head coach Dave Hakstol‘s job appears to be safe for now, but it seems likely that Fletcher will re-evaluate the entire staff after the season.
- Two players have earned suspensions in the AHL. Dennis Gilbert of the Rockford IceHogs has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head, while Alex Gallant of the Chicago Wolves is out for the next two games after earning a match penalty in Sunday’s game. Gallant, a 25-year old undrafted forward, has been suspended multiple times in the past by the AHL and doesn’t have a single point yet this season. Gilbert on the other hand is a third-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in his first professional season.
Chuck Fletcher Named Philadelphia Flyers GM
The Philadelphia Flyers made quick work of their hiring process after letting Ron Hextall go recently, as the team has hired Chuck Fletcher as their next General Manager.
Fletcher was immediately linked to the Flyers search once Hextall had been relieved of his duties, and would be coming to an organization that is at a crossroads. Philadelphia was expected to compete for a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division and perhaps even the Stanley Cup, but have been plagued once again by inconsistent goaltending and find themselves sitting 15th in the Eastern Conference with a 11-12-2 record. That, combined with Hextall’s notoriously slow developing plan, forced team president Paul Holmgren to make a change.
Bringing in Fletcher makes sense after the report that the Flyers were looking for plenty of experience in their next GM, as he previously ran the Minnesota Wild for nearly a decade. That was the culmination of a lifetime of hockey experience, given that Fletcher’s father Cliff’s legendary history as an executive. Cliff Fletcher was the man behind the 1989 Stanley Cup-winning Calgary Flames team, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. Chuck meanwhile has lifted the Stanley Cup himself, as an assistant GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
Already there are reports of how Fletcher will quickly put his stamp on the team, as Frank Seravalli of TSN tweets that Rick Wilson will be joining head coach Dave Hakstol behind the Philadelphia bench. Wilson has more experience behind a bench than several NHL coaching staffs combined, and worked for Fletcher in Minnesota from 2010-2016. He last worked as an assistant for Ken Hitchcock in Dallas last season, but is currently a free agent.
When Fletcher does take over, it will be interesting to see what kind of changes he implements with regard to the Flyers roster. Best known for his signing of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in Minnesota, he’ll have to deal with a pair of new extremely large contracts in Philadelphia with Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. He’ll also have plenty of tough decisions to make in regards to pending unrestricted free agents, as Wayne Simmonds, Jordan Weal, Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth are all in their final year under contract. It’s hard to expect anything other than big changes coming in Philadelphia, through perhaps they’ll wait until after the season to really shake things up.
Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer broke the news earlier today.