After six games and six losses, the finger-pointing in Philadelphia Flyers land is starting and it is already getting vicious.
While blame does need to be heaped upon both the players and the coaching staff, it would be unfair for Flyers general manager Danny Briere to escape without having his decisions questioned under the microscope. He should be given a share of the blame for the downright awful start the Flyers have had this season.
Lets get into the reasons why.
Not trading Rasmus Ristolainen
When the Flyers didn't move Rasmus Ristolainen at the trade deadline, it shocked a few people, but could be explained away since the Flyers were making a push for the playoffs, and giving away one of their best defenders would have put a serious damper on their pursuit. His value was high, but as long as he wasn't injured, it would likely stay that way.
He ended up playing well down the stretch and in the playoffs, and the market was there for a player of his caliber. Instead, Briere passed on making a deal, and against all odds, Ristolainen started the season as a Flyer.
He's already on the IR. The oft-injured Finn is back in the press box for the foreseeable future, and the Flyers have no real way of replacing him. It is a huge loss for a team that is spending more time defending as it is, and makes their unit considerably weaker.
Misuse of Free Agency
Who did the Flyers bring in during free agency this offseason? Noel Acciari. That's at least the only player who is currently on the roster. They've also throw some money at the leftover Michael Bunting who isn't a bad player, but isn't a needle mover.
What they did do was "try". Briere got a lot of credit for taking a big swing and signing Leo Carlsson to a massive RFA contract. Eventually the Anaheim Ducks matched, and the dream of Carlsson to the Flyers was over, and the rest of the free agent market had all found homes.
Briere's error left a team that needed a miracle run the season before to make the playoffs, stranded with no major upgrades.
Extending Cam York
This, on its surface, isn't terrible. York's contract is reasonable, and the term is basically the going rate. The true issue is that it serves as a signal that the players are running the team and locker room, and the coach won't have power.
When York was given his long contract in the wake of his public fued with John Tortarella, which was one of the drivers that helped the latter get fired, it was a signal that Briere was with the players.
Again, this is fine, but it has clearly emboldened them, and they know that if things go sour, the coach will be on the chopping block before they are. If York had received a shorter "prove it" deal, it would've created a bit more urgency for him and the locker room. We're seeing their lack of urgency now. With long contracts handed out to Drysdale, Dvorak, Zegras, Tippett, and Vladar, it is clear that their backs aren't against the wall in any way.
Saying They'd Be Worse
“There’s a chance, a good chance, that we take a little bit of a step back”.
That's the single worst thing Briere could have said. He took the onus off the players and coaches to build on their success and instead gave them an out before training camp even started.
For a city like Philadelphia and a fan base that threw themselves behind the team 100% the previous season, to be told to expect worse was insulting at best and damaging to the franchise at its worst.
Briere will need to act sooner rather than later if he wants to turn this team around, and get himself out of the crosshairs.
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