Former Philadelphia Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher has officially joined the front office of the New Jersey Devils, becoming Senior Advisor to the President, Hockey Operations and General Manager.
He became the Flyers’ general manager in 2018, taking over for Ron Hextall, who had been fired in November of that year. Fletcher himself was fired in March 2023, succeeded by current GM Danny Briere.
Fletcher’s tenure as GM is not remembered fondly by many Flyers fans, with many blaming him for making a series of decisions that screwed over the team not just during his tenure, but also had a negative ripple effect into the current organization.
One of the most heavily criticized deals Fletcher negotiated was giving away some very solid draft picks in exchange for players who ended up not having much of a positive impact on the Flyers.
He traded away defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who would go on to have some great seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, Detroit Red Wings, and Carolina Hurricanes following his departure from Philadelphia. He also sent fan-favorite Wayne Simmonds to the Nashville Predators in 2019.
Related: ‘I Loved Every Second Of It’: Wayne Simmonds Reflects On His Retirement, Career With Flyers
He traded for Rasmus Ristolainen in 2021, giving the Buffalo Sabres Robert Hagg, a first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, and a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Ristolainen spent most of last season injured, with no solid timeline of when he’ll return. There is belief that the Flyers will be looking to trade the Finnish defenseman once he is back to being fully healthy.
Another widely lambasted deal was when Fletcher signed Tony DeAngelo in 2022, giving the Carolina Hurricanes a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, a third-round pick in the 2023 draft, and a second-round pick in the 2024 draft. DeAngelo, a controversial figure both on and off the ice, was eventually placed on waivers for the purpose of a buyout, making him the first player in the history of the NHL to be bought out more than once.
He also dealt Jakub Voracek to the Columbus Blue Jackets and received Cam Atkinson, whose contract was bought out at the end of the 2023-24 season following a stretch of inconsistent performances on the ice.
Related: BREAKING: Flyers To Buy Out Cam Atkinson
Fletcher is additionally responsible for signing Ryan Ellis, an impressive defensive talent whose Flyers career has been unfortunately marred by injury problems, leading him to have only suited up for four games since signing to Philadelphia in 2021.
Despite his costly missteps, Fletcher did make some moves that have worked out positively for the Flyers.
He drafted Cam York in 2019, which received some sideways looks at the time because it meant passing on Cole Caufield, but York has made incredible strides as a player in his career, becoming a top-pair defenseman last season and proving, at just 23 years old, that he has all the attributes to become a leader on the ice and in the locker room.
Related: Cam York Is The Heir To The Flyers’ Top Defenseman Spot
He also locked down Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton, both of whom were named alternate captains in February 2024, and both of whom are highly-respected players and people in the Flyers organization, to long-term deals (which Konecny recently extended in July).
While Fletcher will not have the same level of power with the Devils that he held with the Flyers, it will be interesting to see how his influence as an adviser will affect Philadelphia’s divisional rivals this upcoming season as they look to retool their team following a chaotic and largely disapponting 2023-24 campaign.
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