Philadelphia Flyers
After Dismaying Day, Flyers’ GM Points Finger at Himself
Other NHL teams are able to clear cap space to sign key players. Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher didn’t do that last summer, and was unable to offer star left winger Johnny Gaudreau a contract — even though he wanted to come here.
Other teams are able to trade players with a lot less ability than James van Riemsdyk. Fletcher was unable to deal van Riemsdyk at Friday’s trade deadline.
He insisted he tried everything in his power to get a draft pick for the pending free agent, but the interest, oddly, just wasn’t there.
“The market spoke,” he said.
Under Fletcher, the Flyers have become irrelevant the last three years. He needed to make some shrewd trades before and at the deadline, but he only managed to acquire fifth- and sixth-round draft picks.
Toward the end of his news conference Friday, Fletcher took responsibility for the Flyers’ struggling times. They will miss the playoffs for the third straight year — and that hasn’t happened since the early 1990s.
“Look, I understand the fans are really disappointed,” he said in a massive understatement. “The last two or three years, there’s no question we’ve been trying to be a competitive team. We’ve been trying — particularly two years ago — to maximize (Claude) Giroux on the last year of his contract. And to be a team that could compete for a playoff spot.”
Fletcher stunned by lack of interest in JVR. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/iKb4IEIrJF
— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) March 3, 2023
Short-sighted goals
As this space has said repeatedly, that is the problem in a nutshell. The Philadelphia Flyers have been trying to compete “for a playoff spot.” What a lame goal. The goal should be to compete for the Stanley Cup, not just sneak into the playoffs.
If that takes tearing down the team to the core and a total rebuild, that’s what needs to happen.
The Flyers have not done that, so they hang around in the playoff race, fall out of contention, and think they are “close to turning things around.”
They are not.
To his credit, Fletcher pointed a finger at himself Friday.
“Clearly, I haven’t done it. I haven’t done that job,” Fletcher said. “And there’s no doubt.”
He mentioned how injuries to Ryan Ellis, Kevin Hayes and Sean Couturier slowed down the Flyers last season. And how injuries this season — Couturier, Ellis and Cam Atkinson have not played a game — have made it “difficult. But that’s not the only reason. We need more talent, and that’s on me. I get it.
My lord this was awful . Been a Flyer fan for many years but they are making it hard to stay a fan . Can somebody please make a difference
— Mike Desbois (@desbois_mike) March 3, 2023
“Last summer, I think we were a little tepid. We didn’t want to be overly aggressive, I guess, in pursuit of talent because we did have some concerns about Couturier in particular. And (Joel) Farabee had been hurt, and we didn’t know exactly what we were going to have for the year. So we put some kids on the team and gave them the opportunity.”
Added Fletcher:Â “As we move forward, we recognize we need more talent, and we are going to build it.”
As for his future, Fletcher said, “I’m not worried about my job. Whatever happens with me, will happen with me. That’s up to Dave Scott.”
He said he wasn’t going to take “shortcuts” in the trade market.
“The deals that were presented were not good deals for the Philadelphia Flyers,” he said. “… We don’t want Band-Aids. I want to build this the right way. Those are my words, and my actions have to back it up.”
It seems like it doesn’t matter what the gm does,who is gonna hold him responsible for any of his actions good or bad.The stories i read seem to convey that him and his (boss) dave scott are joined at the hip.I guess as long as more fans come to the games than do not,than that seems to be okay.The sad part is more of those fans are going to come disguised as empty seats.The one good part about today’s trades is at least Zack MacEwen and Patrick Brown can enjoy hockey a little more now.I feel for flyer fans who spend their hard earned money to watch this.
The GM needs to go. Hextall for all his flaws left the team in a better shape and Fletcher just ruined it.
#FireFletcher it’s all that needs to be said.
worst GM in the league. Makes Mike Millbury look great!
No he doesn’t make dingleberry look good. Fletcher is the worst today but dingleberry is the all time wrost.
Fletcher’s inability to get some trades done today is representative of his performance as Flyers GM…. he just doesn’t get the job done…. period!
The Flyers will reward him with a 5-year extension because he has been able to identify the team’s problems.
LOL cause he created them? No, someone told him.
look at fletcher’s record as a GM ,he stinks.He got he got the job because Clarke loved his dad.Time to clean house!
Pointless to waste time commenting. This management group will never hear the fans while they are too busy chasing their tale.
#FireFletcher He has to be the worst GM in the league. I love the Flyers, but I’m like everyone else, it’s getting to the point where I can’t follow this sh*t show anymore. This whole organization talks out of both sides of their mouths. They either don’t have a plan or don’t know what they are doing. I don’t know what’s worse. If they don’t know what they are doing, you would think they would at least hit on a move or two. Oh wait they did hit on Niskanen back in ’19 and may be Tippet. Yup, seems like they don’t know what they are doing. They tell us we are 2-3 pieces away last off season, and now say we need to “build it right”. This whole regime has set up back 4 years. The only good thing I like about this team is Torts and in classic Flyers fashion they brought him in at the wrong time. He makes us just good enough to not get a top pick this years sweapstakes.
Fletcher forgot to add “as long as it takes” to every sentence because he seems to have unlimited and indefinite patience. Maybe he forgot what city he works in.