With the state of this team's play overall, it's not suprising that Couturier is struggling. Still a very young player, who is trying to find his way through something he hasn't experienced in a while.
So to bring in some speculations. Switch Hamilton and Couturier. Hamilton to the Flyers and Couturier to the Bruins. Think the possibility exists that Couturier would be flourishing there, and Hamilton struggling with the Flyers?
- MJL

That possibility absolutely exists. My comment was more to the teams positional needs. As I said, Couturier was probably just too good to pass up. This season does not change that one bit. His play last season was no fluke. I just think that Hamilton would have also been a serious building block - that's all.

I have a really bad cold and I'm having issues with my medicine. I've had about 4 hours of sleep the last 24-48 hours, so I'm testy and not on my game.
- Jsaquella

Try decaffeinated tea mixed with a large shot of whiskey or brandy. Works for me every time!

I don't know if it's the recovery from the broken foot or what, but Hartnell has not been able to keep up with the play in the offensive zone. He always seems to be arriving too late or failing to find the seams. Add into that his tendency to take bad penalties, and it's been pretty ugly for him.

Of course, you could say the same thing about a lot of players on the Flyers.
- bmeltzer

I would be amazed if he's 100% right now. He seems frustrated and a lot of the bad penalties seem to be born of that.

That's shopped. A right handed defenseman on the Flyers before this year? That's unpossible
- Jsaquella

I couldnt get passed that mustachio

\NyGuil is cheaper than the good tequila.

Cabo Wabo is like $50 for a bottle.
- Jsaquella

You can go lower-level 'good' tequila; why waste the good stuff on a cold?

Go with Cuervo (or, better yet, really do a number on the cold and drink Mezcal - and don't forget to munch on the worm).

Seguin had a worse 1st regular season than Couturier though. Obviously their second years were vastly different.
- NickTheKid87

Couturier's regression this year is just one of the nut punches in a season that has been full of them.

Try decaffeinated tea mixed with a large shot of whiskey or brandy. Works for me every time!
- BiggE

I have some good strong coffee and my wife has a bottle of Bailey's...at this point, I'd settle for being able to sleep.

I agree, I would not be looking to move Talbot. Also interested in bringing Gagne back.
- MJL

I'm happy to see Gags still has a bit of tread left, wouldn't mind giving him another year.

I don't know if it's the recovery from the broken foot or what, but Hartnell has not been able to keep up with the play in the offensive zone. He always seems to be arriving too late or failing to find the seams. Add into that his tendency to take bad penalties, and it's been pretty ugly for him.

Of course, you could say the same thing about a lot of players on the Flyers.
- bmeltzer

IMO this a very talented team still yet they are underperforming. These players are capable of playing better. I'd write it off as just a bad season but this team has showed signs of this pattern going back to 2011. For that I lay the blame at the coach's feet.

Ever read the comment section in Philly.com or any newspaper website?

Yowsa, is it bad.
- johndewar

This loss will linger like egg salad gas.

-philly.com comment

CROSBY CONSPIRACY
- NickTheKid87

Yuuuuuup.

Oh absolutely, although that isnt unusual to me. Teams get jacked up to play certain teams all the time.. The Flyers problem is that they seriously lack swagger.

Prime example.. Ryan Carter throws a dirty knee to knee last week and flips Rinaldo. Not a single player goes to his defense.


No had that been the Pens.. and Neal or Cooke or BATFACE or, whoever... there would have been mayhem. They seem to lack that piss and vinegar that is needed.
- jak521

It's all a microcosm of a dead team. They are so frustrated and unable to come out of it. The confidence of the team has been destroyed. They play with effort and play hard, but lack that extra gear. Because the more they try, the more that goes wrong. And it all starts with the structure of the team and how they've played all year. They are so poor defensively as a team. That's where it all starts.

DFT
- Duane B

duane, what is shaking my friend.

perhaps.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

gddamnit.

You can go lower-level 'good' tequila; why waste the good stuff on a cold?

Go with Cuervo (or, better yet, really do a number on the cold and drink Mezcal - and don't forget to munch on the worm).
- tangent_man

If I started drinking Mezcal, the cure would be worse than the cold....I've had nights where I woke up in new and exciting places and had zero idea how I arrived at said place.

We ended up at Drexel one night, sleeping in the lounge at a dorm. The night started in Bell Mawr at the old Pennant East. To this day we have no clue how we ended up at Drexel.

He's not disputing draft position. You guys like to conveniently remember that the Pens just traded all their talent away so they could lose, when in fact the reason they traded what talent they had left away was because they couldn't afford to pay them. So make jokes about poor attendance or moving the team, those make more sense.
- canadianpenfan

Heres the thing that always burns me up about most pens fans, they gave up on the team. Ten years removed from 2 cups and the can't support the team?

IMO this a very talented team still yet they are underperforming. These players are capable of playing better. I'd write it off as just a bad season but this team has showed signs of this pattern going back to 2011. For that I lay the blame at the coach's feet.
- JoeRussomanno

Too much dumb to blame the coach. Time and time again we have seen this team take the most undisciplined of penalties, constant shooting and missing the net. Sure Laviolette is culpable to some degree of blame. But this is a classic case of a team underachieving and playing stupid hockey. Players are the most accountable for this current mess.

I agree, I would not be looking to move Talbot. Also interested in bringing Gagne back.
- MJL

Agree 100%. Gagne can still play and is a good veteran forward. His 30-goal years are gone but they don't really need that from him. The lone bright spot recently has been the team's penalty killing and Talbot has had a huge hand in that.

I agree, I would not be looking to move Talbot. Also interested in bringing Gagne back.
- MJL

Couturier's regression this year is just one of the nut punches in a season that has been full of them.
- PLindbergh31

Sophomore slumps happen. I'm not too concerned. If this continues into next year+, then I'll worry.

In the meantime, while everyone is whipping on Couturier, fellow 2nd year player Brayden Schenn is back to scuffling again offensively, too. Pointless in his last seven games, two points (assists) in the last 10 games, hasn't scored a goal since Feb 23. He's minus-10 over that span, and also took that awful penalty in the New Jersey game.

One of grossman, schenn, coburn needs to go. For the first time ever I think coburn could get moved. He would bring back far more than the other two. It's just not a good mix right now. Coburn will bring back a mid to late #1 at the very least.

gddamnit.
- hammarby31

gotta admit the fact that you believed i would actually say "would of" has me a little depressed.

i might need to rethink my whole internet persona

Agree 100%. Gagne can still play and is a good veteran forward. His 30-goal years are gone but they don't really need that from him. The lone bright spot recently has been the team's penalty killing and Talbot has had a huge hand in that.
- BOSS_TWEED

Gags would be a valuable depth player plus he could probably be re-signed for cheap.

One of grossman, schenn, coburn needs to go. For the first time ever I think coburn could get moved. He would bring back far more than the other two. It's just not a good mix right now. Coburn will bring back a mid to late #1 at the very least.
- Just5

Coburn has been stellar this year. Here is one example.