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Hextall likes ‘young players’ and ‘draft picks’

Ron Hextall

New Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall laughs during an NHL hockey news conference, Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Philadelphia. Hextall is Philadelphia’s all-time winningest goalie and served as assistant GM last year before being promoted. He replaces Paul Holmgren who was elevated to president. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

AP

“I like young players and I like draft picks.”

If there was one notable thing Ron Hextall said today at his first press conference as Flyers general manager, that might’ve been it.

Philadelphia, after all, was home this season to a number of high-priced veterans in the latter stages of their careers, like Vincent Lecavalier (34 years old), Kimmo Timonen (39), and Mark Streit (36).

And outside of Sean Couturier, the Flyers don’t have a player they drafted after 2006 that’s played a significant role with the club. The young roster players they do have -- like Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek, and Brayden Schenn -- were acquired by Paul Holmgren, now Philadelphia’s president, in trades.

“My vision is to build this team and to continue to make this team better through the draft,” said Hextall, per CSN Philly. “That doesn’t mean we won’t make trades. At some point if it’s a good enough player, and we’ve got to trade a young player, we may look at that. But it’s not a vision of mine to trade young players for older players. It would have to be a really, really strong deal for us.”

Related: Welcome Vincent Lecavalier to the trade rumor mill