Kinda glad I didn't go to the practice last night. Seemed like a snooze fest. I'll just wait for the real games.

in hindsight, to trade richards/carter and not get a dman out of it is a fail. when you are making a major course correction, you have to address a pressing need. w/ pronger and kimmo at that point....
- isaiah520

In hindsight I wish they had obtained a quality defenseman in one of those deals. But it also has to be available.

A few things i noticed in practice last night...

1. Meszaros looked pretty comfortable out there, although at times it was noticable if you were paying attention.

2. Luke Schenn is a big boy..a few suspect passes right out in front of the net that I didnt like when Timmo was open in the corner.

3. Foster skated well and has one hell of a shot even for "taking it easy."

4. It looked as if the five guys on the ice were skating as one unit instead of the forwards pushing up which will promote better team defense.

5. Ruslan Fedotenko looked very good, obviously better conditioning than some others because of his ice time in Europe.

6. Sean Couturier's shot looked deadly last night as well as his shootout attempts.

7. Grossman and Coburn looked very good together with there defensive responsiblities. Grossman looked to be skating fine.

8. Rinaldo looked great on the PK unit he was practicing with.

9. Ilya Bryzgalov looked phenominal in net. Very relaxed and poised. He was not second guessing things and made some great stops in the 5 on 0 rushes... although at the beggining of the session he had a couple stick handling errors but im assuming that was nerves, he looked great the rest of the night.

10. Scott Laughton did not look out of place. Kept things simple and he seemed focused considering the atmosphere last night.
- BernieKorch

Hopefully the news that Foster is feeling more mobile than ever is true. I have been hearing some encouraging things like you pointed out. Also, this isn't the first time I've heard that Laughton doesn't look out of place. That's good to here but I still don't think he lasts past the trial period with Briere coming back and Sestito still available as a scratch.

In hindsight I wish they had obtained a quality defenseman in one of those deals. But it also has to be available.
- MJL

lets have one draft where the flyers concentrate on D and goaltender

they never learn...
- isaiah520

They were right about Couturier.

lets have one draft where the flyers concentrate on D and goaltender
- vejim

Flyers are always going to take the best player available. Can't say I disagree with them.

Bryz better have his A game in the early going with this defense

In hindsight I wish they had obtained a quality defenseman in one of those deals. But it also has to be available.
- MJL

Columbus doesn't have many quality defenders but I think we could've gotten Jack Johnson from LA. Of course, Pronger & Carle were both healthy & on the team so we didn't particularly need a defensemen at the time. Voynov would have been nice to get though but I would have taken Schenn & Simmonds when the deal was made.

Bryz better have his A game in the early going with this defense
- vejim

See, I don't think the defense is bad at defending, they are just poor at moving the puck. I think the offense will hurt more than the defense. But if Lavy roles out his system with the same tempo as last year, the dmen are screwed given their lack of speed.

They were right about Couturier.
- MJL

we'll see...and if doug hamilton is a stud...

Columbus doesn't have many quality defenders but I think we could've gotten Jack Johnson from LA. Of course, Pronger & Carle were both healthy & on the team so we didn't particularly need a defensemen at the time. Voynov would have been nice to get though but I would have taken Schenn & Simmonds when the deal was made.
- NickTheKid87

pronger and kimmo were old then and foresight dictated that we get someone w/ real top pair potential.

Columbus doesn't have many quality defenders but I think we could've gotten Jack Johnson from LA. Of course, Pronger & Carle were both healthy & on the team so we didn't particularly need a defensemen at the time. Voynov would have been nice to get though but I would have taken Schenn & Simmonds when the deal was made.
- NickTheKid87

Even when Pronger and Carle were here, there was still an Organizational need for young NHL quality defenseman. I don't know if Johnson or Voynov were available to the Flyers, or if they were interested in either player. To speculate, I would guess that if the Flyers wanted Schenn, then LA was not willing to also include either young defenseman.

we'll see...and if doug hamilton is a stud...
- isaiah520

I won't be the first time a team passed over a better player in the long run in the draft.

we'll see...and if doug hamilton is a stud...
- isaiah520

even if he is a stud.. We potentially got the best all around player in that draft.. I think people often dismiss how important a great defensive forward is.

Couts looks to be a future Selke type player who could also put up 60+points.. Thats a rare player.

Even when Pronger and Carle were here, there was still an Organizational need for young NHL quality defenseman. I don't know if Johnson or Voynov were available to the Flyers, or if they were interested in either player. To speculate, I would guess that if the Flyers wanted Schenn, then LA was not willing to also include either young defenseman.
- MJL

That would not surprise me. Either way, I think we made out like bandits overall (especially for Carter). It would have been nice to get Voynov but I can understand why LA wouldn't be keen to move him.

See, I don't think the defense is bad at defending, they are just poor at moving the puck. I think the offense will hurt more than the defense. But if Lavy roles out his system with the same tempo as last year, the dmen are screwed given their lack of speed.
- NickTheKid87

Moving the puck has just as much to do with defense as it does offense. Quick outlet passes under pressure from defense to forwards is one of the most effective ways to defend. This is a passing, skating game. The Flyers are going to miss both Pronger and Carle in that regard.

I won't be the first time a team passed over a better player in the long run in the draft.
- MJL

Markstrom and Hamilton would have been nice....oh well

pronger and kimmo were old then and foresight dictated that we get someone w/ real top pair potential.
- isaiah520

Like MJL said, they might not have been available to the Flyers at the time. I could see why LA wanted to keep Voynov over Schenn if they were getting Richards & who knows about Johnson. Maybe he wasn't available or the Flyers didn't like what they saw in him. He's not great in his own end & I think they figured they could lock up Carle at the time.

Moving the puck has just as much to do with defense as it does offense. Quick outlet passes under pressure from defense to forwards is one of the most effective ways to defend. This is a passing, skating game. The Flyers are going to miss both Pronger and Carle in that regard.
- MJL

True, but I think the big bodies, when placed in a hopefully adjusted Lavy system, can still be effective regardless if they don't have a puck mover like Carle. As for Pronger, you can't replace but with a few players in the league.

True, but I think the big bodies, when placed in a hopefully adjusted Lavy system, can still be effective regardless if they don't have a puck mover like Carle. As for Pronger, you can't replace but with a few players in the league.
- NickTheKid87

other than Coburn, they are all slow skaters

ok for our cap specialists here.....if Schenn's cap hit is $3,110,000 but his bonus is $2,255,000, what is his actual cap hit if there is a bonus cushion?

other than Coburn, they are all slow skaters
- vejim

Depends on how Mesz & Timonen hold up. Both can skate well enough. Schenn, Grossmann and Foster aren't going to beat anybody in a race though.

ok for our cap specialists here.....if Schenn's cap hit is $3,110,000 but his bonus is $2,255,000, what is his actual cap hit if there is a bonus cushion?
- nastyflyergirl

There's a bonus cushion in every year of the new CBA, including the LAST year, so his cap hit should be $900K

There's a bonus cushion in every year of the new CBA, including the LAST year, so his cap hit should be $900K
- Jsaquella

thanks

Markstrom and Hamilton would have been nice....oh well
- vejim

But we ended up with the HOFer that is Steve Eminger.