Fletcher in the dark on future of season
As part of an NHL initiative to have at least some players and executives available to talk about everyone’s sense of nothingness, Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher raised his hand on a Monday media conference call to weigh in on the important issues of the hockey day.
Naturally then, he had few answers to various predict-the-future questions, such as if there’s going to be a remainder of the season, when a re-start might occur, and how his players might do to remain at least in a semblance of playing shape.
It was encouraging, however, that he managed to fill up his preferred 15 minute slot. He even wished everybody well in doing so.
“We’re in different times right now and want to certainly mention that our entire organization, and certainly my family and I, we want to thank all the people working on the front lines of this pandemic,” Fletcher said. “The doctors, nurses, hospital workers, our first responders and everyone working hard to keep our essential services operating for the benefit of all of us.”
As far as all of his players, Fletcher said, “most of them have returned to their offseason homes. A lot of them have the ability to work out there. I don’t think anybody is skating, obviously, at this point. I think guys are doing the best they can to stay in shape and they are all hopeful that in time we get to a better place in this world, where we’ll be able to come back and play hockey.”
If (and OK, maybe when) that happens under a 2020 timeline, Fletcher espoused the theory that nothing more than a twoweek mini-training camp could suffice for the best players in the world to be ticket-money-worthy.
“Guys take care of themselves,” said Fletcher, not mentioning how tough that is to do that now with workout facilities closed. “We have had other instances where we have had work stoppages and we’ve had shorter training camps to get ready for the season. Players have been able to manage it. These guys are tremendous athletes and they take care of themselves.
“Certainly two weeks, in my opinion, would be sufficient to get guys up to speed.”
With wins in nine of their last 10 games, the Flyers were certainly up to speed when it came to tracking a high seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Kind of a shame if they couldn’t come back and try to capitalize on that.
“I think all of us are concerned about everyone’s health and wellbeing and trying to take all the precautions we can,” Fletcher said. “Everybody (has) tried to heed the advice of the NHL and self-isolate and do what we can to keep ourselves and our families safe. Be smart members of the community and try to stay out of everyone’s way.”
Fletcher has had regular conferencing with assistant GMs Brent Flahr and Barry Hanrahan, who in recent days helped get two recent college draft picks,
Tanner Laczynski and Wade Allison, signed to pro entry deals. Flahr and the team scouts are also busy preparing reports — albeit with less research info than in any other year — for whenever an NHL Draft will be held.
As far as a season resumption, however, Fletcher said he’s “fine with anything the league puts forward.
“To me, the more hockey the better,” Fletcher said. “Whatever it ends up being, it ends up being. There’s a lot of ideas out there. A lot of creative solutions. It’s a good way to pass the time right now, but until things change and we have more information, it’s going to be hard to know what will happen.
“I just think there’s no sense in making any decisions until you have to make them. If we’re able to come back and play, that means the world is at a much better spot than it is right now. I think that would be a tremendous sign.”
•••
NOTES » Fletcher said Nolan Patrick has returned home and is “feeling well in terms of where he has been over the past few months” with his migraine issues. “That’s hard to say what exactly it will mean when we do come back to play,” Fletcher added . ... Allison (Western Michigan, second round in 2016) and Lyczynski (Ohio State, sixth round in 2016) are both 22 and have a wealth of college experience and plenty of size. Said Fletcher: “I expect that they’ll challenge for spots right away.”