Drawing The Line With Ron Hextall

If Tuesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning proved anything about the Philadelphia Flyers, it’s that they are one of the most disorganized teams in the entire NHL.  Shift after shift the lack of chemistry was evident, and with every game that follows, we become more and more disillusioned.

Are the Flyers really that good?  Is the product we see on the ice one that can actually make it, or is it one that only appears like it can?  Have we been too kind-hearted towards Ron Hextall?

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The list of questions that we keep asking ourselves just keeps getting, well, longer.

A wise man mentioned a few things to me the other night that sparked my attention.  The first, had Paul Holmgren been the one to pull the trigger on the Umberger/Hartnell deal, wouldn’t we be ripping him to shreds right now? I’d be willing to bet that we would be.  Instead, it was Hextall that made the move.  So what?  That means he gets a free pass?

Bologna!

Hextall insisted that the trade was made specifically for long-term cap relief.  However, with a core group of guys that are in their prime right now, shouldn’t the push to make even more cap space available be happening a little sooner?

This brings me to my next point.

Wasn’t Vinny Lecavalier a guy that was brought in for a Peter Laviolette-styled system?  Now, we all know Craig Berube hasn’t blatantly come out and said that he dislikes No. 40 in any way, but that might as well be the case.  Lecavalier is a guy who is used to seeing time on the top line.  Since he’s come over to Philadelphia, he’s done nothing but skate through the shaved frost from the first two, and yes, sometimes the first three lines.  Lecavalier is currently averaging his fewest amount of average ice time in his career (13:28).  Yes, that’s fewer than his rookie season.  We all know he doesn’t have much left in the tank, but don’t insult the guy.

Again, that’s more or less on Berube.  Hextall comes into play with the whole “cap space” situation.  If Lecavalier is no longer a vital aspect to the vision you once had, and the Flyers are clearly performing better without him in the line up (4-10-2 with, 7-4-3 without), how about you really try to make a push for a trade.  Yes, I know that his contract is atrocious, but there has got to be a way to make out a deal with a team looking to add veteran help.  If Hextall is so gung-ho over prospects, why not try to bring in a late pick or two in exchange for Lecavalier?  Even though it probably will not happen, trying never hurt anyone.

These are just a few of the many examples we could dish out.

Perhaps it’s time we start to question the early efforts of the GM?  When it comes to sports, I feel as if we get attached too easily in this city. Greatness from individuals has substituted for our lack of championship glory.  Maybe that’s the case with Hextall.

We’re so quick to blame the players and/or Berube.  Maybe it’s time we start to point our fingers in Hextall’s direction.  It’s not like an office position is something new to him.  What are your thoughts on Hexy?  Does he need to make a move, or do you think he’s doing the best he can?  Are we giving him too much of a break, or should we start showing some displeasure?