Quoting: krzyk0
I'd be fine with Risto if they traded some mid round pick for him not a 1st and 2nd rounder for a player with objectively bad stats. I'd be fine if they resigned him for one or two million dollars to play on the third pair. Not a 5x5 for a guy who clearly isn't a top 4 D. You can add physicality and grit without paying a premium for it. I think Clarke and Holgrem are way out of touch with today's game. The team has been terrible for a decade plus. Those old alumni still having a say are a denominator of it. I don't care if players are soft so long as they're good. That's what the flyers need, good players. Not players who would of been good in the 90s.
I think it's more of guys like TK, JVR, Sanheim, etc. who are are good (minus JVR) but not good enough to make up the difference. I didn't mind the Risto trade and then signing, but it would have made more sense if they were closer to contending. Sanheim-Risto pairing was good, the theory that he would do better without playing 25 mins a night did line but he still has his miscues.
They may be out of touch with today's game but they also had a ton of guys who were skilled and could skate back in the 2006-2012 range. Briere, Carter, Richards, Gagne, etc. They had the skill and speed along with the toughness.