He's afraid to make a mistake because as soon as he does his ass gets nailed to the bench. That's a prime reason to fire the coach. Veterans can make mistake after mistake, but when Couturier makes one mistake, he's buried.

Then he starts pressing and the next thing you know, he's making mistakes.
- Jsaquella

its been infuriating to watch. Jake time and time again turned the puck over. SImmonds has been a turnover just waiting to happen in the neutral zone. Briere has been a hot mess all but for maybe a stretch of 5 games. Hartnell putrid since coming back. last night was the first time Hartnell sat. guys go out shift after shift. Couturier sits. I believe by the time they play again sunday they will almost out of it. then a stretch of games against the Pens, Boston and Rangers. I would hope at that point the kids just get to play.

Yep, he did. But now when he makes a mistake he's buried, which compounds the issue. Now he's playing scared, worried about making a mistake. When that happens to a guy he's bound to make a mistake.
- Jsaquella

Right now Laviolette is in try and save his job mode.

I don't know, doesn't sound that serious but not alot of info has come out yet. The good old LBI.

I'm on record as saying Letang won't be a Pen by the end of next season, I truly believe that but I really, really hope he lands out west if he doesn't resign.

That proposal is almost as bad at the one I saw a certain someone in here make a few days ago.
- canadianpenfan

Yeh it was a joke proposal. Was impressed by the game against Boston (again).
Bennet looks like he will stick as the 2nd line wing so far.

Pens need to re sign Letang, imo. Those kind of players are the hardest to replace.
Plus Crosby is showing that he doesn't need $5M wingers to center an effective top line.
Taking nothing away from Kunitz and Dupuis, but they aren't Hossa or Neal.

Thats typical Briere.. its not May yet.
- jak521

May isn't coming this year.

its been infuriating to watch. Jake time and time again turned the puck over. SImmonds has been a turnover just waiting to happen in the neutral zone. Briere has been a hot mess all but for maybe a stretch of 5 games. Hartnell putrid since coming back. last night was the first time Hartnell sat. guys go out shift after shift. Couturier sits. I believe by the time they play again sunday they will almost out of it. then a stretch of games against the Pens, Boston and Rangers. I would hope at that point the kids just get to play.
- nastyflyergirl

By the time they take the ice Sunday, they will be so buried you will need a microscope to find Coburn's nose.

Pittsburgh will be vomiting in stanzas, as Letang dons an orange and black NWO jersey.
- BulliesPhan87

I can't even imagine. He will go from elite to an overpaid bum so fast.

Yeah. No issue with that. But it's more about him playing against competition he can thrive against right now. It will boost his confidence.
- PLindbergh31

I just wish it could be up here. I'd prefer he's struggling to make things work against NHL competition, rather than either cleaning up against weenies or being staple gunned to the bench.

its been infuriating to watch. Jake time and time again turned the puck over. SImmonds has been a turnover just waiting to happen in the neutral zone. Briere has been a hot mess all but for maybe a stretch of 5 games. Hartnell putrid since coming back. last night was the first time Hartnell sat. guys go out shift after shift. Couturier sits. I believe by the time they play again sunday they will almost out of it. then a stretch of games against the Pens, Boston and Rangers. I would hope at that point the kids just get to play.
- nastyflyergirl

Whether they send Couturier down or keep him up, the kid needs to play. He needs to know that a mistake won't mean that he spends most of the rest of the game on the bench.

By the time they take the ice Sunday, they will be so buried you will need a microscope to find Coburn's nose.
- PLindbergh31

that's pretty buried

Whether they send Couturier down or keep him up, the kid needs to play. He needs to know that a mistake won't mean that he spends most of the rest of the game on the bench.
- Jsaquella

agreed

Right now Laviolette is in try and save his job mode.
- PLindbergh31

Yet another argument in favor of an interim coach, whose main consideration will be what's best for the future of the team and not what's best for the future of the coach.

Yeh it was a joke proposal. Was impressed by the game against Boston (again).
Bennet looks like he will stick as the 2nd line wing so far.

Pens need to re sign Letang, imo. Those kind of players are the hardest to replace.
Plus Crosby is showing that he doesn't need $5M wingers to center an effective top line.
Taking nothing away from Kunitz and Dupuis, but they aren't Hossa or Neal.
- Marc D

All true but the pipeline is filled with puck moving defensemen and we need to resign Geno. If it comes down to him or Letang the choice is easy.

And Kunitz and Dupuis don't need to be Hossa or Neal, the chemistry those 3 have together is amazing.

Right now Laviolette is in try and save his job mode.
- PLindbergh31

This is the big problem with Lavi and Couts, imo. Lavi's trying to make magic happen, when right now he should be using the garbage time to get the young core of the team on track. Self-preservation is getting in the way of doing the job right.

May isn't coming this year.
- bodiva88

How's bo? Life slowing down yet?

Yet another argument in favor of an interim coach, whose main consideration will be what's best for the future of the team and not what's best for the future of the coach.
- Jsaquella

You got me there.

its been infuriating to watch. Jake time and time again turned the puck over. SImmonds has been a turnover just waiting to happen in the neutral zone. Briere has been a hot mess all but for maybe a stretch of 5 games. Hartnell putrid since coming back. last night was the first time Hartnell sat. guys go out shift after shift. Couturier sits. I believe by the time they play again sunday they will almost out of it. then a stretch of games against the Pens, Boston and Rangers. I would hope at that point the kids just get to play.
- nastyflyergirl

To take the side of Lavi in this, he has very little options to sit guys when he is trying to win games.

Jsaq mentioned Coburn leading the D in ice time even though he has been off his game.
What other options does Lavi have? Foster, Gusty, etc? Lavi would be killed if he benched Coburn for them.

I think on forward he has some slightly better options, but not really a whole lot.
There have been games where Briere played under 10 minutes. Not enough of them, to be sure, but some.

McGinn, Harry Z, Wellwood. And McGinn would likely still be here if he was healthy.

When the flyers stunk from 89 to 95 the building was still full of hockey fans not eagles fans with nothing to do. There also was never any danger of the team having to relocate.
- twotoekenn

Yup

that's pretty buried
- nastyflyergirl

indeed it is. If they manage a top 5 pick it will soften the blow of this season from hell.

Frank Seravalli ‏@DNFlyers
What can Flyers do between now and Sunday? "Hope other teams lose and there aren't a lot of 3-point games," Scott Hartnell said.

He's afraid to make a mistake because as soon as he does his ass gets nailed to the bench. That's a prime reason to fire the coach. Veterans can make mistake after mistake, but when Couturier makes one mistake, he's buried.

Then he starts pressing and the next thing you know, he's making mistakes.
- Jsaquella

For all the benching he's getting top six minutes on this team.

He's been struggling all season. This isn't new, but in the last couple weeks there's also been a lack of effort and responsibility with the puck. You can't just keep running him out there when he's a liability.

Hell, Hartnell was benched for taking that stupid penalty and barely saw the ice until they were behind in the third.

How's bo? Life slowing down yet?
- canadianpenfan

No.

All true but the pipeline is filled with puck moving defensemen and we need to resign Geno. If it comes down to him or Letang the choice is easy.

And Kunitz and Dupuis don't need to be Hossa or Neal, the chemistry those 3 have together is amazing.
- canadianpenfan

That is kind of what I was saying, plus how Crosby's game elevates them, and to their credit, they have learned how to play with him really well.

As to the pipeline I don't follow that, but if the Pens really have a young guy or guys to replace what Letang brings, then they are in great shape going forward. Scary.

Frank Seravalli ‏@DNFlyers
What can Flyers do between now and Sunday? "Hope other teams lose and there aren't a lot of 3-point games," Scott Hartnell said.



- Philly1980

That is kind of what I was saying, plus how Crosby's game elevates them, and to their credit, they have learned how to play with him really well.

As to the pipeline I don't follow that, but if the Pens really have a young guy or guys to replace what Letang brings, then they are in great shape going forward. Scary.
- Marc D

they have beend drafting pooploads of defenseman.

its been infuriating to watch. Jake time and time again turned the puck over. SImmonds has been a turnover just waiting to happen in the neutral zone. Briere has been a hot mess all but for maybe a stretch of 5 games. Hartnell putrid since coming back. last night was the first time Hartnell sat. guys go out shift after shift. Couturier sits. I believe by the time they play again sunday they will almost out of it. then a stretch of games against the Pens, Boston and Rangers. I would hope at that point the kids just get to play.
- nastyflyergirl

Exactly my point.

Rinaldo has played better than ANYONE could have predicted. WAY better. Yet last night was the first time he say any sort of extended time... and yet he still only got 10 minutes.

Here is the perfect example of where Lavi has made huge mistakes..

Flyers lead 4-1 going into the second period. Rinaldo is coming off of his most productive period of his career.. forchecking with aplomb, hitting everything.. a goal and an assist... Couts has been great against the Pens in his career... and is coming off of a game against the Pens in which he played very well.. got into Malkins head again.

So what does Lavi do? He shortens the bench. Briere ends up getting nearly 18 minutes of ice time... Rinaldo AND Couts combine for a total of 18 minutes of ice time. Danny ends the game with 0 points and a -3. Couts and Rinaldo combine for a goal, an assist, and a +1.

Its 4-1.. you have a chance to let some of your more energetic guys of the game get some time, and give your better players some down time.. and instead you double shift? AND LOSE?