The Philadelphia Flyers under former GM Paul Holmgren were nothing if not bold. He was always ready to make a blockbuster trade or risky signing.
That era might have ended with Ron Hextall ascension to Holmgren’s former position.
“Sometimes you just have to wait for things to come to fruition,” Hextall told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “On the other hand, there are times you have to look out there for something to make your team better, but I think for the most part I’ll be patient in this job.”
This summer is likely to be the first example of that as Hextall plans to enter the 2014-15 campaign with largely the same team that lost to the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs.
“I like our team, like our youth up front,” Hextall said. “I like a lot of things. In saying that, there are a few things we have to take a peek at. But I’m not expecting anything earth-shattering right now.”
At this point, it looks like Hextall’s biggest goal is the sign a left winger and there are some noteworthy ones that might hit the unrestricted free agent market, like Thomas Vanek and Matt Moulson. That being said, Hextall specified that he’s looking for left wingers in general rather than someone capable of playing alongside Claude Giroux. That might be a nod to the Flyers’ cap situation, as they would probably need to make a trade to fit a guy like Vanek or Moulson under the cap.
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