It is just a few players. Over 900 players played in the NHL last season. It's a few players. There are already ways to deal with this in the CBA. There can't be a guarantee where a player is held at gunpoint and forced to play.
- MJL

Teams could just say, you don't want to sign with us? Well, fine, stay in college for all 4 years and lose out on all that income until your rights expire, if you want to go that route.

Its problematic because it doesn't look good for the team or the player. To the team its a distraction and a precedent that other players see. For the player it risks the possibility of losing out on lots of potential income, service time, and even a hostile fan base if he does decide to come in from the cold.

I understand why the Flyers kept it quiet until the Gauthier deal was made. The full court press they put on afterwards was questionable but whatever.

Teams could just say, you don't want to sign with us? Well, fine, stay in college for all 4 years and lose out on all that income until your rights expire, if you want to go that route.

Its problematic because it doesn't look good for the team or the player. To the team its a distraction and a precedent that other players see. For the player it risks the possibility of losing out on lots of potential income, service time, and even a hostile fan base if he does decide to come in from the cold.

I understand why the Flyers kept it quiet until the Gauthier deal was made. The full court press they put on afterwards was questionable but whatever.
- MBFlyerfan

Yes, exactly. The Flyers were not forced to trade Gauthier. They made that decision. They have rights and the player has rights. Both exercised them. The Flyers caused the Gauthier issue. I disagree with Gauthier's scorched earth approach but that was his right. Some times not being truthful is warranted. That was one of those times.

Teams could just say, you don't want to sign with us? Well, fine, stay in college for all 4 years and lose out on all that income until your rights expire, if you want to go that route.

Its problematic because it doesn't look good for the team or the player. To the team its a distraction and a precedent that other players see. For the player it risks the possibility of losing out on lots of potential income, service time, and even a hostile fan base if he does decide to come in from the cold.

I understand why the Flyers kept it quiet until the Gauthier deal was made. The full court press they put on afterwards was questionable but whatever.
- MBFlyerfan

Realistically they had to trade him though. No matter what the team does, its not going to work for them

They can call his bluff and if he stays in college until the Flyers lose his rights they lose a top prospect for nothing. Flyers lose his rights two years after he is drafted or after NCAA eligiblity is exhausted

If he caves and signs then what? Do you believe he is still not going to be looking to leave the 1st chance he gets? At best we get him until hes a UFA.

There is maybe a small chance that maybe his issues could have been mended over time but that is not a guarantee. Chances are Gauthier probably would have held out long enough for the Flyers to lose his rights and as that deadline nears, the Flyers lose leverage in a trade due to how desperate they would be to move him and get something back.

Trading him was the safest option. Especially when not much was known about the situation

Realistically they had to trade him though. No matter what the team does, its not going to work for them

They can call his bluff and if he stays in college until the Flyers lose his rights they lose a top prospect for nothing. Flyers lose his rights two years after he is drafted or after NCAA eligiblity is exhausted

If he caves and signs then what? Do you believe he is still not going to be looking to leave the 1st chance he gets? At best we get him until hes a UFA.

There is maybe a small chance that maybe his issues could have been mended over time but that is not a guarantee. Chances are Gauthier probably would have held out long enough for the Flyers to lose his rights and as that deadline nears, the Flyers lose leverage in a trade due to how desperate they would be to move him and get something back.

Trading him was the safest option. Especially when not much was known about the situation
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Realistically they had to trade him though. No matter what the team does, its not going to work for them

They can call his bluff and if he stays in college until the Flyers lose his rights they lose a top prospect for nothing. Flyers lose his rights two years after he is drafted or after NCAA eligiblity is exhausted

If he caves and signs then what? Do you believe he is still not going to be looking to leave the 1st chance he gets? At best we get him until hes a UFA.

There is maybe a small chance that maybe his issues could have been mended over time but that is not a guarantee. Chances are Gauthier probably would have held out long enough for the Flyers to lose his rights and as that deadline nears, the Flyers lose leverage in a trade due to how desperate they would be to move him and get something back.

Trading him was the safest option. Especially when not much was known about the situation
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Trading him was the safest option but how realistic would it have been that Gauthier would hold out long.enough for the Flyers to lose his rights? Unlikely as it would cost Gauthier years and millions. The Flyers could have easily avoided it all by signing him in March of 23. They were incompetent.

My read on this is that this is not against the Flyers specifically. I just think he's not ready to play in NA
- MJL

What do you know? We actually agree on something. I just think the kid was in over his head living in a new world and culture. It happens. Why do people think many AHL players stay in NA when they could make more money plying their trade in Russia? They simply don't want to deal with the culture shock in most cases. Some can handle it and some can't. I just think this kid couldn't handle it.

What do you know? We actually agree on something. I just think the kid was in over his head living in a new world and culture. It happens. Why do people think many AHL players stay in NA when they could make more money plying their trade in Russia? They simply don't want to deal with the culture shock in most cases. Some can handle it and some can't. I just think this kid couldn't handle it.
- Phillywhiteout

I could easily understand that if that is what’s going on with the kid. What I don’t understand is the Flyers claiming they don’t know what’s going on. Why don’t they ever know what’s going? Why do they seem to be incapable of having a conversation with their draft picks or their agents?

Right, but he has turned his back on the Flyers, so therefore he's not any good, right? Same as you did with Gauthier. As for how the Flyers should handle it, you're right. That is exactly what they should do. It's why they brought in Makiniemi on PTO
- MJL

For the record, I never said Gauthier was not a good player. I only stated he was not the best player on his BC team. I posted that I was more impressed with Will Smith and I thought Leonard was more noticeable. However I also posted that I thought Gauthier was being held back by not playing with better linemates. And I posted all this before it came out he did not want to play for the Flyers! My problem with Gauthier is how he handled the break-up, not his play.

Trading him was the safest option but how realistic would it have been that Gauthier would hold out long.enough for the Flyers to lose his rights? Unlikely as it would cost Gauthier years and millions. The Flyers could have easily avoided it all by signing him in March of 23. They were incompetent.
- MJL

Hindsight is 20/20 isn't it? Put yourself in Briere's shoes. Your boss (the POHO and GM) just got fired and you are now the interim GM. There are a 1000 fires to put out across the organization as a result of the change. Are you really going to think that I must immediately sign our top prospect and get him into a NHL game to burn 1 year of his ELC because otherwise he will refuse to play for us and demand a trade? There is no way you could truthfully answer "yes" to this question. From what Briere told us, he was prepared to offer an ELC to Gauthier in the May meeting and get him into camp to compete for an NHL roster spot. That is when he was told Gauthier wanted out. Briere to my knowledge got ZERO indication from the player or agent that this could or would happen. For you to call Briere, and by saying "they" you mean Briere, incompetent in this siutation is just so wrong to me.

Trading him was the safest option but how realistic would it have been that Gauthier would hold out long.enough for the Flyers to lose his rights? Unlikely as it would cost Gauthier years and millions. The Flyers could have easily avoided it all by signing him in March of 23. They were incompetent.
- MJL

You (we) have no idea why he did not want to come here. Would be easier if he just came out and said he wanted to be moved because he felt he was ready to come out of college and the flyers did not agree. Then at least you have more information and can judge the flyers (right or wrong). As of now we are just making assumptions. Also, Briere did not draft him. If there were character issues with Quitter, that blood is not on Briere's hands. Same with Kolosov. Briere is just cleaning up someone else's mess.

Teams could just say, you don't want to sign with us? Well, fine, stay in college for all 4 years and lose out on all that income until your rights expire, if you want to go that route.

Its problematic because it doesn't look good for the team or the player. To the team its a distraction and a precedent that other players see. For the player it risks the possibility of losing out on lots of potential income, service time, and even a hostile fan base if he does decide to come in from the cold.

I understand why the Flyers kept it quiet until the Gauthier deal was made. The full court press they put on afterwards was questionable but whatever.
- MBFlyerfan

I just think it's completely fair to place in a rule that states if the team that drafts a player wants to sign that player to an ELC before that player finishes his college career, that player has to fulfull that ELC contract. You could even add in one stipulation, a draft elegibile player can inform any team in writing, at least 30 days before the draft, he is not willing to play for that team. Thus if a player really feels strongly about not playing for certain teams, he doesn't have to play for them. But if he doesn't inform that team and gets drafted by that team, he plays for that team for at least the ELC. This seems fair and reasonable to both sides.

I just think it's completely fair to place in a rule that states if the team that drafts a player wants to sign that player to an ELC before that player finishes his college career, that player has to fulfull that ELC contract. You could even add in one stipulation, a draft elegibile player can inform any team in writing, at least 30 days before the draft, he is not willing to play for that team. Thus if a player really feels strongly about not playing for certain teams, he doesn't have to play for them. But if he doesn't inform that team and gets drafted, he does for at an ELC. This seems fair and reasonable to both sides.
- jd250

You are correct in that players dictating their destination is contradictory to a salary cap. You can certainly make the argument that a rule to address the issue makes sense. The actual idea of a draft is already dictatoresque.

Also, no one in their right mind would have held onto that asset. You gotta move him - when it gets out his value immediately decreases.

You (we) have no idea why he did not want to come here. Would be easier if he just came out and said he wanted to be moved because he felt he was ready to come out of college and the flyers did not agree. Then at least you have more information and can judge the flyers (right or wrong). As of now we are just making assumptions. Also, Briere did not draft him. If there were character issues with Quitter, that blood is not on Briere's hands. Same with Kolosov. Briere is just cleaning up someone else's mess.
- 26912 PP

I agree, I just don't see any basis to call Briere incompetent in this case. He could not have foreseen a prospect behave like this simply because he didn't burn a year of ELC. Especially one that stated just a few months before that "he was born to be a Flyer". I'm sure there are other ways Briere could have worked out compensation through bonuses and such.

For the record, I never said Gauthier was not a good player. I only stated he was not the best player on his BC team. I posted that I was more impressed with Will Smith and I thought Leonard was more noticeable. However I also posted that I thought Gauthier was being held back by not playing with better linemates. And I posted all this before it came out he did not want to play for the Flyers! My problem with Gauthier is how he handled the break-up, not his play.
- jd250

You have repeatedly criticized him as a prospect once the news came out. If those other players are better, why didn't they win the Hobey Baker instead of Gauthier?

Hindsight is 20/20 isn't it? Put yourself in Briere's shoes. Your boss (the POHO and GM) just got fired and you are now the interim GM. There are a 1000 fires to put out across the organization as a result of the change. Are you really going to think that I must immediately sign our top prospect and get him into a NHL game to burn 1 year of his ELC because otherwise he will refuse to play for us and demand a trade? There is no way you could truthfully answer "yes" to this question. From what Briere told us, he was prepared to offer an ELC to Gauthier in the May meeting and get him into camp to compete for an NHL roster spot. That is when he was told Gauthier wanted out. Briere to my knowledge got ZERO indication from the player or agent that this could or would happen. For you to call Briere, and by saying "they" you mean Briere, incompetent in this siutation is just so wrong to me.
- jd250

This is pretty funny. Briere was not hired from the outside. He was in the organization and aware of what was going on. If he had any sense whatsoever, with the full power he had as interim GM. He should of advocated to immediately sign Gauthier in March of 23. The Flyers as a whole were incompetent. Your refusal to accept it is naive. Every other team with top NCAA players is doing one thing while the Flyers do something else. You will never learn

You (we) have no idea why he did not want to come here. Would be easier if he just came out and said he wanted to be moved because he felt he was ready to come out of college and the flyers did not agree. Then at least you have more information and can judge the flyers (right or wrong). As of now we are just making assumptions. Also, Briere did not draft him. If there were character issues with Quitter, that blood is not on Briere's hands. Same with Kolosov. Briere is just cleaning up someone else's mess.
- 26912 PP

Of course we know. It's not difficult to figure out.

I agree, I just don't see any basis to call Briere incompetent in this case. He could not have foreseen a prospect behave like this simply because he didn't burn a year of ELC. Especially one that stated just a few months before that "he was born to be a Flyer". I'm sure there are other ways Briere could have worked out compensation through bonuses and such.
- jd250

A player like Gauthier is already going to get pretty much the max bonus structure allowed in a ELC. He can't make up getting to the 2nd contract later by not burning the 1st year with bonuses.

You are correct in that players dictating their destination is contradictory to a salary cap. You can certainly make the argument that a rule to address the issue makes sense. The actual idea of a draft is already dictatoresque.

Also, no one in their right mind would have held onto that asset. You gotta move him - when it gets out his value immediately decreases.
- 26912 PP

Players reach UFA status in a salary cap and dictate where they want to play.

Sure. There's no history between the Flyers and Kolosov that would lead anyone to that conclusion.

Maybe he'll just oversleep and miss his plane, again.
- Flyers_01

You are really going to push "Flyers bad" narrative despite not having any facts in hand. At what point are you going to have Kolosov accountable for his decision not to play anywhere?

Trading him was the safest option but how realistic would it have been that Gauthier would hold out long.enough for the Flyers to lose his rights? Unlikely as it would cost Gauthier years and millions. The Flyers could have easily avoided it all by signing him in March of 23. They were incompetent.
- MJL

He didnt sign with the ducks until after year 2. He was already half way there. I doubt he would have caved. A smart player woiuld continue his career in NCAA for two more seasons while working on getting an education for his time after hockey.

He didnt sign with the ducks until after year 2. He was already half way there. I doubt he would have caved. A smart player woiuld continue his career in NCAA for two more seasons while working on getting an education for his time after hockey.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

An absolutely asinine decision would be staying in school two additional seasons. You’re significantly cutting into your career earnings at that point and the risk of injury added on there.

You are really going to push "Flyers bad" narrative despite not having any facts in hand. At what point are you going to have Kolosov accountable for his decision not to play anywhere?
- missingmike

This one is all on Kolosov. Flyers loaned him as he asked with the promise of him coming over. Kolosov is the one that signed the contract and took the signing bonus. The Flyers held up their end of the deal. It is up to Kolosov to hold up his. I get that is going to suck but its always going suck moving and adjusting to a new country. Everything I have heard has suggested the Flyers are doing everything they can to make the transition easier for him, ex. offering to bring his girlfriend over as well. Its not going to be any easier for him to come over next season.

This is textbook procrastination

Perhaps the adjustment issue could be helped if the Flyers could get the Phantoms back to Philly. Its easy to get Michkov a bunch of russian team mates but Im not so sure thats an easy thing to do in the AHL. Are there even many russians in the AHL? I figure most would be in the KHL unless they were young prospects still trying for the NHL

An absolutely asinine decision would be staying in school two additional seasons. You’re significantly cutting into your career earnings at that point and the risk of injury added on there.
- ClaudeFather

I dont agree. The majority of his earnings will be gained after he becomes a UFA. That will be when he gets the big $$. Hes losing 2 years worth of salary on an entry level deal. If I really dont want to play thereI dont think its a huge leap to sacrifice 2 years over committing to 5/6 years to a team you dont want to play for

I think this is a case of Gauthier may think hes better than he actually is. Not to say he isnt going to be a great player but perhaps he thinks he is a franchise player where as he probably like a tier or two below that. Kind where someone like Kreider would be.

You are really going to push "Flyers bad" narrative despite not having any facts in hand. At what point are you going to have Kolosov accountable for his decision not to play anywhere?
- missingmike

You are really taking this personally.

I said it looks like he would rather not play anywhere professionally than play for the Flyers and I have yet to see anything contradicting that statement.

While MJL contends that maybe Kolosov isn't ready to play in North America that is still where the Flyers play hockey and it is the Flyers that hold his rights.

He had a horrible experience with the Phantoms (due to him feeling lonely/homesick), which DB admitted he could've supported him better. I'm sure the lack of playing time didn't help either.

With those facts in mind Kolosov made a decision.

He didnt sign with the ducks until after year 2. He was already half way there. I doubt he would have caved. A smart player woiuld continue his career in NCAA for two more seasons while working on getting an education for his time after hockey.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

I think he would've. 2 more years before getting to the big money as a UFA. He would have all Summer long to take classes and work on his education. He is going to make millions. He doesn't need the degree. There is risks to both sides/