Wednesday, December 27, 2006
10 and Counting
The Flyers fell again tonight. This time they lost to the Florida Panthers. Tonight saw Peter Forsberg return to the lineup and Forsberg played well setting up a few scoring chances. Robert Esche also returned to the game for the first time since November 29. Esche replaced Antero Nittymaki in the third period. The Flyers fell for a record tenth straight game. They have struggled mightily this season and their seems to be no answer.
I think it is time to take Ed Snider to task. He prematurely fired Ken Hitchcock, a Stanley Cup winning coach. Hitchcock has meanwhile helped to get the Columbus Blue Jackets on the winning track. It is not that I don't like John Stevens because I do. I think he will be a great NHL coach but right now may be in over his head. The only person leaving their job, during the early season struggles should have been Bobby Clarke. Clarke was burned out and has never been a great GM. He has covered up mistakes by spending more than other teams but the new salary cap exposed his flaws. I am also not sold on Paul Holgrem as replacing him. I would prefer the Flyers go out during the off-season and bring in a proven GM just as the Phillies brought in Pat Gillick.
Ed Snider has always been dedicated to winning. This year he overreacted. Snider would have been better off letting Clarke walk and giving full control of the franchise to Hitchcock. Snider fired the best coach this town has seen since Larry Brown departed. Snider threw all that under that road when he dismissed Hitchcock in October. He thought a change in coach could spark a turn around. He was wrong. The problem was with the team that Clarke and Holmgren had assembled not with Hitchcock's coaching.
The Flyers are in a rut and will be playing out the string just like their building mates, the Sixers. Ed Snider is presiding over two collapsing franchises. He has mismanaged the Flyers and should have provided more oversight on the Sixers as Billy King failed to build a winner around Allen Iverson.
I think it is time to take Ed Snider to task. He prematurely fired Ken Hitchcock, a Stanley Cup winning coach. Hitchcock has meanwhile helped to get the Columbus Blue Jackets on the winning track. It is not that I don't like John Stevens because I do. I think he will be a great NHL coach but right now may be in over his head. The only person leaving their job, during the early season struggles should have been Bobby Clarke. Clarke was burned out and has never been a great GM. He has covered up mistakes by spending more than other teams but the new salary cap exposed his flaws. I am also not sold on Paul Holgrem as replacing him. I would prefer the Flyers go out during the off-season and bring in a proven GM just as the Phillies brought in Pat Gillick.
Ed Snider has always been dedicated to winning. This year he overreacted. Snider would have been better off letting Clarke walk and giving full control of the franchise to Hitchcock. Snider fired the best coach this town has seen since Larry Brown departed. Snider threw all that under that road when he dismissed Hitchcock in October. He thought a change in coach could spark a turn around. He was wrong. The problem was with the team that Clarke and Holmgren had assembled not with Hitchcock's coaching.
The Flyers are in a rut and will be playing out the string just like their building mates, the Sixers. Ed Snider is presiding over two collapsing franchises. He has mismanaged the Flyers and should have provided more oversight on the Sixers as Billy King failed to build a winner around Allen Iverson.
Labels: Flyers
