Flyers make a number of personnel moves, GM Fletcher meets with the media

Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher and assistant general manager Brent Flahr met with the media via Zoom earlier today to discuss the team's offseason plans and break down just exactly what the team's plan is for 2021-22.

Fletcher was asked specifically what his plans are for the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft later this month and what his plans are for pending free agents like Carter Hart, Travis Sanheim and Nolan Patrick are and what sort of trades we can expect to see from the team this offseason.

Here's some inside info from Charlie O'Connor of The Athletic:

Fletcher says he's open to either just letting Seattle pick and choose from who they leave available, or potentially working out a side deal to steer them into a specific direction (read: specific player(s). So he doesn't rule the latter out.
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) July 13, 2021

Fletcher says that re-signing the RFAs (Hart, Sanheim, Patrick) hasn't been a "front-burner" issue. Says there's plenty of time, they'll be qualified and then negotiations will go from there.
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) July 13, 2021

Interestingly enough, Fletcher did cop to the fact that he has been working the phones trying to make a trade and that the team's 2021 1st round pick (13th overall) is in play in trade discussions.

Fletcher says they certainly won't be making a trade today or tomorrow, unless something unexpected breaks. But they're working the phones.
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) July 13, 2021

Fletcher says their first round pick is in play for a trade. Flahr jokes that it depends who you ask -- as the person who runs the scouting department, he'd love to keep it. Fletcher says you usually keep 1sts, but this offseason he's more willing to move it.
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) July 13, 2021

Even more interestingly though, Fletcher announced that the team has already made "a lot of personnel moves" concerning front office positions and franchise structure.

Again from O'Connor:

Fletcher says they've made a lot of personnel moves that they'll be announcing in short order. That's regarding internal front office positions and structure.
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) July 13, 2021

Interesting. You have to imagine that the team's coaching staff is safe and that Flahr is going nowhere, but I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the team's front office staff including the AHL's Lehigh Valley's staff is gutted and refreshed this offseason. Fletcher is nearly three years into his run with the Flyers and the results have been pretty inconsistent. It's either time to pivot to another GM or to completely commit to Fletcher and have him build a front office as he sees fit. Frankly, the Flyers are probably a little late on making this important franchise decision.

To me, the Flyers will be one of the most fascinating teams to watch this offseason. Fletcher has no big money contracts coming off the books and he'll need to re-sign Sanheim, Patrick and Hart along with another goaltender with the $10+ million he has available to him. A capable veteran backup for Hart will be the team's priority but if Fletcher can find a suitor on the trade market for overpriced veterans like Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek then you have to think that this team will go in a completely different direction. If Fletcher can offload those contracts, you have to imagine that the Flyers will go into a rebuild. But if he's stuck with those two at $8+ million apiece, I could see the Flyers doubling down on trying to push for a playoff spot in 2021-22.