Ron Hextall
Sam Ersson has been in the spotlight in net since Carter Hart’s leave of absence. Now, Dan Vladar has taken over. Is there more goalie trouble ahead for the Flyers?
40 years ago, tragedy struck for the Philadelphia Flyers when Pelle Lindbergh died at age 26 on Nov. 11, 1985. Remembering Lindbergh’s passing and the legacy he continues to leave.
On the ice as a top goaltender for the Flyers and off it as an ambassador of the game, Bernie Parent lived and met the magnitude of his legendary status.
The Flyers got their guy in Rick Tocchet. Whether it’s the right fit remains to be seen. But for Keith Jones and Danny Briere, it needs to be the first in a series of right decisions.
For as much scrutiny as Chuck Fletcher faces, Ron Hextall’s drafts have shown the Flyers inability to build a core that lasted well into the future. The minor trade involving Isaac Ratcliffe was further proof.
One day prior to the four-year anniversary of Ron Hextall’s firing as Flyers GM, chants of “Fire Fletcher” could be heard at Wells Fargo Center. Chuck Fletcher’s time should be running out, but it’s not the only change that needs to be made.
If you were wondering just what the Flyers were going to try to do with this offseason or questioning if they were serious about an aggressive approach, you got your answer on Thursday. Tortorella is only the first piece of what could be a very busy offseason that features equally as many changes and moves as the last, likely even more aggressive than ever before.
The offseason will present its challenges for a team in need of an overhaul and massive improvements at every level of the organization. There will be plenty of stories to come as next season’s team is constructed. For now, here’s one last look at the 2021-22 season with five takeaways from the season.
“We signed Claude eight years ago to a lengthy, superstar type of contract, which he earned, and as part of that contract he had a no move clause and he earned that right to decide, to have a big say in where he would go, I think is the best way to put it,” Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher said. “I did have a very limited market in terms of the teams I could speak with.”
In the end, Giroux ultimately held the keys to his destination. Florida was where he wanted to be. That left the Flyers limited in what they could get in return. If nothing else, the return in the Giroux deal is more of a reality of what the state of the Flyers is and remains after this trade, and the result of years of shortcomings by the organization.
