Flyers Daily with Jason Myrtetus: Friday Edition and a frank discussion on the State of the Rebuild based on what has and has not taken place this offseason. Plus 22nd overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft Defensemen Oliver Bonk joins to discuss his BIG year with the London Knights, developing as an NHL D prospect, Year 2 of Development camp and much more.
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Good interview. Jason one of your best qualities is you understand who you are talking to. You kinda of guided this 19 year old, and made him at ease. He seemed to open up as the interview went along. I feel for you continually having to explain the rebuild as the "middle man" between the Management and fans on being patient. God Bless.
Completely agree. So funny because almost all of the flyers “trade targets” haven’t been moved to anyone. Like what deal have the flyers missed out on lol. So many people think the 2028 flyers need to be all under 30 years old.
If we had a good powerplay, I could understand not putting bonk in that position. But we have the worst powerplay in the league. If someone had success in a peculiar spot in juniors, why not try it out? Can’t make the powerplay any worse.
Jason, this has nothing to do with cap space and free agents. Briere has said the 2025 draft is a top heavy draft. Jones has stated that the 2025 draft is a very important draft and they need to get it right. The Flyers have 6 picks in the first two rounds in the 2025 draft, supporting what Jones said, all good. But then Briere makes hardly any roster changes this off-season so it looks like he is rolling back the same team, thus most likely another year of being a playoff bubble team. This is not a rebuild, this is called purgatory! You cannot rebuild this team picking 15th, 23rd and 27th in the 1st round. This does not move the needle. We have learned the past few drafts that teams in the top 10 are not trading out of the top 10. The only way the Flyers can take advantage of a top heavy draft is to pick at the top of the draft, and the only way to do that is to trade players like TK, Laughton and Farabee (all of whom would fetch a good return), open up cap space and roster spots for younger players and finish in the bottom 10. Doesn't mean the players don't play hard, or Torts doesn't coach to win, or the culture suffers. You can have the culture and get a top 10 pick that will move this rebuild forward. If Briere comes back with the same veteran laiden team, I just can't support this plan because to me, there is no plan.
I fully agree that there is little to nothing we can do as far as this off-season. To call this off-season a failure or want Danny fired is outrageous. The only critique I have is that since we are in a rebuild, giving TK does not make sense, given we’re not in a win now mode. By the time the 2025 draft class develops and Michkov is hitting his prime, TK will be on the wrong side of 30 potentially taking up more cap space than we’re comfortable with. If you trade him and acquire assets (such as a first round pick, prospect, and a mid round pick), you now have more ammo to build a team with. Not to mention you put yourself under the cap ceiling and don’t have to tap into LTIR (providing you don’t take a bad contract back, which you shouldn’t have too). And I believe another team shouldn’t be too hard to make a deal with since he’s somebody who’s shown to be a difference maker and plays every game like it’s the playoffs. I love TK but I just don’t believe he fits the timeline
Hathaway brings two important things… professionalism and work ethic. He's not going to teach skills, but he's going to be example to the many young kids coming up in those two areas. That's why they extended him. It's REALLY simple Jason. Laughts is a leader and will teach the Flyer way to young guys. Again, he's a guy that is needed in a rebuild. In a rebuild, players need time to grow and show what they are. It doesn't happen overnight.
Finally, it's a rebuild plan and simple. They have several guys in the last year of a deal who have not really grown that much. They have another season to prove themselves. There are a few guys that are on the block but they aren't getting offers that they feel are fair for the player… so they are waiting. I guarantee, at the trade deadline, you'll see 3-4 players going to other teams because teams will pay the right price or the Flyers will be done with the player and want to get SOMETHING for them.
PS – I loved the Hextall era. We were going in the right direction… just missing a good coach to help develop all the young players Hexy was getting.
I am fine with where everything is right now. The team has clear purpose and direction. Let's hope camp goes well no serious
injuries maybe even a pleasant surprise in goal. You never know maybe MM mixes well with someone who finds a passing game….maybe not….I'm going to be watching anyway because there is hope….. like andy says in shawshank hope is a good thing….maybe the best of things…i hope the flyers are as good as they are in my dreams…..I hope!
Maybe another Cam York on the right Side bigger and stronger
Oliver Bonk seems like a class act! He’s going to be a good player for us. People that are upset with this off-season just because Danny didn’t make any blockbuster trades or what not, relax! Danny B def tried a few things, it just wasn’t worth it, I imagine the cost to move up in the top ten at the draft, especially top 5 was more than Danny was comfortable with. I believe with their assets The Flyers are going to get a number 1 center and another franchise player.Danny is sticking to the timeline and as much as I love TK, I believe he’ll be traded. They can’t go in the media saying that they’re going to trade him. He is our best chance to gat a haul. And Danny knows this, he is in his prime and doesn’t fit our timeline. If we didn’t have have Coots contract on the books maybe I’d resign him alas we do and can’t have another albatross. We have 3 picks possibly in the top 40 next year. I tired of writing.
With all the draft picks in 2025, some cap coming off the books + the flat increase, and one full season of Michkov visibility .. I figure next offseason will be quite spicy. But not yet.