Flyers Daily host Jason Myrtetus underwent his final chemotherapy treatment on Thursday. He didn’t feel well at all on Sunday. Being the warrior that he is, Jason prepped and recorded our usual Mondays with Meltzer episode nonetheless.I am proud to call Jason a friend as well as a colleague.
Often, right before he tapes Flyers Daily, Jason plays guitar or listens to music. It get himself psyched and energized for the podcast recording. Some of my favorite conversations with Jason are pre-show music conversations. Last night, we listened to some of System of a Down’s debut album.
Anyway, I digress.
This week’s Mondays with Meltzer episode (23:13 in length) looks at general manager Danny Briere’s offseason to-do list. There are probably too many things that need to get done to realistically accomplished all of them by the end of the summer. Deciding on the next coach is clearly the first item of business. Another must-address issue: goaltending. There’s still a much-discussed need for a first-line caliber center.None of these needs are a secret, but they are also not the full extent of the club’s issues.
For example, the Flyers have to re-sign their key internal restricted free agents. While much of the public focus is on RFAs from other organizations, the Flyers must guard their own flanks, too. It is possible, for example. that another organization could target Tyson Foerster for an offer sheet if the Flyers do not cannot sign him to extension before July 1. Philly must also re-sign Cam York (potential trade bait?) and Noah Cates. Specific to a York extension, what’s a realistic contract and term?
Jason and I discuss what the Flyers have on hand in terms of trading capital: stockpiled Draft picks, organizational depth at certain positions, moderate available salary cap space. Next, we shift gears to talk about the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. What will it take to beat two-time defending Calder Cup champion Hershey in the upcoming best-of-five series. Will Alex Bump make the NHL roster next season? How about Jett Luchanko? Perhaps Helge Grans or Hunter McDonald? What about prospects who are still playing junior hockey at present, such as Denver Barkey (nursing a lower-body injury) or Oliver Bonk?
are we looking at 5 years of Tocchet?
I could be proven totally wrong (wouldn’t be the first or last time). But I don’t think it will be Tocch when all is said and done. I keep coming back to Woodcroft.
Personally would like to see Shaw get the job for the upcoming season. I think they are still a year away from making that push to “contender” and he’s the right guy to guide them along the path to get there. Smart, well-respected, patient, and a guy who played almost 400 games in the NHL and also played almost 600 in the AHL/IHL, so he’s walked the walk. Give him the chance.
No thanks — hire someone with NO ties to the organization whatsoever. They need to stop with “the Flyers way”, it has not worked for the last quarter century
Including interim head coaches (Gordon. Yeo, Shaw), none of the last six Flyers head coaches ever worked or played a day for the Philadelphia Flyers prior to their hire. If Berube wins the Cup in Toronto this spring, he’ll become one of the relatively few head coaches to coach two different teams to a Stanley Cup championship. Point being, I don’t think there is a stigma in having been a Flyers player/coach except among a portion of the fanbase. Not within the league itself.
Woohoo Its finally working. Though Im a bit miffed someone either stole my original screen name or used it to register with a different email. Oh well
I wouldn’t mind seeing Shaw become the phantoms coach. Maybe Lappy moves up to an assistant again with a new coach, possibly Ferschweiler. This may give us the best of both worlds keeping Shaw teaching plus getting more head coach experience, and if Ferschweiler doesn’t work out, his replacement is in the system. Possibly Lappy is a better assistant this time around.
Truth be told, at age 61, I think Shaw would prefer being an NHL assistant with some job security to Phantoms HC.