Never make another trade please

From Carter Hart to Cal Peterson...that's a bold strategy Cotton, let's see how that turns out for them

"i don't know how you fix this"

First, get rid of TDA - can't have locker room issues with a young group.

I would start by getting out of the long term deals even if I'm getting ripped off. Risto if possible, Couturier and Sanheim (tough pill to swallow and may have to accept cheap offer but is what it is). Could take on shorter term bad contracts to offset, as long as its no long term deals and no retention coming back.

Next, look for the mid-term vets that could still return considerable value - guys like Hayes, Atkinson, Laughton even, etc. I don't think all of them will/should get traded, you need some good pros around the young team you're building. Retain on these types of guys if needed to maximize returns.

Last, I'd look to the young-ish guys, that don't have enough term to be a part of the long term fold, assuming they don't want to stay after a tumultuous experience with this franchise. I'm looking at guys like Konecny and Provorov, namely. I'd move Konecny now after the incredible season he had - sell high. I'd let Provorov play top minutes and really set him up for success as best you can in the first half of the season, then look to flip him and maybe even retain at TDL to maximize returns.

In the end, not all of these guys go - I think you won't be able to move Risto, Atkinson's return probably isn't worth a move either. Hayes I think you could get a great package if you retain and they should consider it. From there, sign a stopgap vet C, don't care what you have to pay him in UFA as long as its a 1-3 year deal, and run Stopgap - Frost - Cates - Laughton (or a signed vet if he's dealt) down the middle. Same idea on D - stopgap to make sure you don't rush anyone but give the Yorks and Zamulas of the system as much opportunity as possible. Take on 1-3 year term cap dumps, emphasize scouting, and try to build something for the future. Draft emphasis should be almost exclusively at C and D, Flyers will be fine on the wing and in net in the long run.

Pain for gain. Not that it's not already pain. Hire me Philly.

Thats gonna be a no from me dog.

ok then stay in at best mediocrity for 10 years, fine by me. Never going to build a contender with the pieces you have short of a draft lottery miracle.

For that much of a return on Hayes there better be 50% retention and mid rounder added.

Also gonna be a no from me. It's not like your blueprint is the only one. Maybe some of that is done, but I doubt they move on from TK or Coots, and they like Risto and Cam (who only has another year left on his deal after this year). Sure, Hayes is probably gone, maybe even Provy too, which are all the right steps. Sanheim isn't going anywhere with that contract, it's more worth while to hope he rights himself and gets back to the level he was at the year prior. A new system sometimes takes a bit, and add in the entirety of the ****show that was the 22-23 Flyers, it's not hard to see it affect people.

we've seen time and time again teams try to hold on to the hope with players they have when they probably could've sold them off for a return get burned so badly when those contracts continue to age and become immovable all while there isn't enough flexibility to make the changes needed to not be mediocre, and the team isn't good enough to contend for anything but also isn't bad enough to get the top end picks that they need to properly build an elite team. Same can be said about keeping players in their prime who are UFA bound before the team will get any good rather than getting a nice futures return for them or, even worse, overpaying those players terribly so they stay with your franchise after years of gutter hockey. So yes actually, I'm not sure how likely it is that they actually do it but the Flyers should look to sell as much as possible before it's too late and they have bad contracts and nowhere to go with it

San Jose and their denial of being out of their window over the last few years would be a prime example. Nashville as well. Good teams, but not good enough to do any damage whatsoever and as of result they get no top end players in their system and are perpetually mid and have zero cap flexibility or top picks to change that.

Believe me, I wanted them to sell as much as possible at the beginning of this year, and at the TDL, it just doesn't work like that. Fire sales rarely happen anymore, even with teams like San Jose, Columbus, and Arizona this year. I think some moves will be made, but it's highly unlikely 50% of the starting roster will be moved before training camp begins.

it's rare because teams hold out hope too much. And I agree this isn't all immediate.

I'd do this:
Summer 2023 --> Hayes, DeAngelo, Konecny dealt. If possible, deal Sanheim. If possible, deal Risto.
Deadline 2024 --> Provorov dealt after given the best opportunity to succeed and drive up value. Listen to offers on Coots, Laughton, Sanheim/Risto if not already dealt. Of those I think finding a deal for Laughton sounds realistic.
Summer 2024 --> Hope Coots has a bounce back year after the injury and deal him to a contender willing to accept that long contract to win now. Again if possible deal Sanheim and/or Risto. I think if you took back a short term bad contract you could maybe find interest in Sanheim.

Realistically leaves you with

Dealt: Hayes (s23), DeAngelo (s23), Konecny (s23), Provorov (d24), Laughton (d24), Coots (s24) - and if you're lucky you find a deal for Sanheim, I'll assume not as thats a hefty deal. Same for Risto.

Of the non-dealt vets, I'd be surprised to see a deal for Sanheim, Risto, Atkinson, that doesn't involve the Flyers paying to dump or taking an equally bad contract back, so keep them. Sanheim might be an exception if some team wants him though that contract is awful.

Really only dealt 6 players here. Maybe 5 if you can't find a deal for everyone or maybe 7/8 if the stars align. But that's really not a crazy amount of movement in 2 offseasons and a deadline for what should definitely be a rebuilder.

Also it's a bit different - AZ doesn't really have bad contracts right now and is on the upswing of a rebuild, just a piece or two away from ascension really, especially in the west. CBJ is most definitely just a piece away - missing their #1D hurt, off years from actual star players and their goalie. Just one good C away which they are likely to get in this draft. San Jose should also be trying to move guys like Couture and Hertl if possible. Their situation is trickier because moving guys like Vlasic or even Karlsson at 11.5M despite his incredible season will be way more difficult than moving some of the pieces on Philly.

remove everything in the OTT trade and add a 4th or 3rd and its a fair deal, Hart has not been any better than Forsberg the last 2-3 years

This is one of the most laughable takes I've ever seen on this site. And yes, he has been better than Forsberg, and is also 6 years younger. GTFOH

he's a massive sens homer. claims saros is only worth a second, and also once said ottawa wouldn't move their first round pick this year under ANY circumstances. look how that went.

he's becoming the ottawa equivalent of windjammer lmfao