Let’s get meta.

One of the reasons Peter Laviolette got fired is because the young players that the Flyers acquired two summers ago haven’t, as of yet, lived up to their billing. One can blame the GM for trading away three players that were given long-term contracts by the Flyers for the yet unproven talent… or, if you’re the Flyers, you can blame Laviolette for the fact that said unproven talent hasn’t really developed as expected. I’m going to steal this fine painting. But here’s some canvas, a few Crayolas, and an oversized dad shirt out of which you can make a smock. Now, paint me a masterpiece, Picasso!

It seems Paul Holmgren did like Lavs’ artwork.

On TSN in Toronto yesterday, Darren Dreger said that at least one Flyers source worries if Luke Schenn (acquired by Holmgren for James van Riemsdyk– a thus far mostly disappointing talent in his own right) can play at all:

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I tried to find the audio of the podcast, but it doesn’t seem to exist (if you find it, do let me know).

Dreger responded to Arthur’s Tweet with what seemed to be a slight clarification:

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That’s slightly confusing, but I read that as: Yes, there is some concern over Schenn. And his lack of development, along with the lack of the development of the Flyers’ other young players, is a priority in Philadelphia that management felt wasn’t being properly addressed by Laviolette.

That’s one way of looking at it.

The other way is: Paul Holmgren dismantled a very good team (the Flyers finished the 2010-2011 season with the third most points in the league, and Bob had yet to develop into the Vezina winner he is today) and rebuilt it with unproven youngsters. Have those guys not developed yet, or are they just not that good and perhaps you shouldn’t trade proven talent for prospects and draft picks just because your owner is an overreactive nut who’s been known to cut bait too early on his homegrown guys?

That is the question, I suppose.

Anyway, there is some worry about Luke Schenn and other Flyers youngsters. And, obviously, we should blame the coach for that.