NHL Analyst: Flyers Will 'Absolutely' Contend For Playoffs In 2015-16
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Flyers general manager Ron Hextall is receiving a ton of praise for his team's 2015 draft and some of the recent trades he has made, most notably moving the contract of Chris Pronger.
Former NHL executive and now TSN NHL analyst Craig Button is optimistic about the direction of the franchise under Hextall.
"You can put me in the cheering fans category," Button told Josh Innes and Tony Bruno Tuesday on the 94WIP Innes and Bruno Show. "Ron Hextall understands what a winning team looks like. He understand that you don't just go out and find players very easily. So, he's taking care of the one part of it through the draft.
"You got a star in Giroux, you got a star in Voracek. To finish this, I will say that I think the Flyers will be absolutely contending for a playoff spot next season."
Button, who won a Stanley Cup in 1999 as the Director of Player Personnel for the Dallas Stars and is credited for building the Calgary Flames' 2003-04 Western Conference Finals championship team serving as Flames GM from 2000-2002, knows personnel.
Button raved about the Flyers' first round pick, defenseman Ivan Provorov.
"An elite number one defenseman," Button said of Provorov. "There's a couple of things we know, you cannot acquire number one elite defenseman through trades or through free agency. And, number two, you can't win without them. So, to me, the Philadelphia Flyers with [their 17th overall pick in 2014 Travis] Sanheim and certainly with Provorov this year, I think they got cornerstone defenseman that are gonna be a big part of their team for years to come."