Has anyone see Ryan Pulock play? I don't know much about him, but I do love big strong WHL defensemen. Just wondering if he projects as more of a 2-way player who uses his size to play with a physical side or more of a player who simply uses his size only offensively on smaller opponents and could struggle int he NHL.

They have a lot of talent. Enough to where I could see them going slightly below .500 the rest of the way. If any of the teams below them like the Flames and Bolts start selling, I think the Flyers get blocked from the top 3.
- NickTheKid87

The thing is, most of the teams they face after the TDL are going to be battling for position or simply to make the playoffs.

I also could see guys sitting out with "nagging" injuries when the games don't matter anymore.

Briere to Habs would strictly be a TDL deal

A Couturier for Ryan swap would have to have more moving pieces and doesn't address the need for a defenseman. Unsure how they'd address that.
- Jsaquella

I could see a Couturier/Ryan trade tabled for now until Flyers see where they are drafting. As you stated earlier, if they made that trade, I could see following up with Read, Simmonds, or Hartnell for Bouwmeester and buying out Briere.

Some feel that Bryz will be one. I think it's possible, but not until 2014
- Jsaquella

I doubt it. Bryz has been pretty good on an underachieving team. (It's been nice not feeling like every breakaway coming at our net is going to be a goal.)

If the Flyers DO decide to buyout Bryz, we will know it because they will secure his replacement first.

Has anyone see Ryan Pulock play? I don't know much about him, but I do love big strong WHL defensemen. Just wondering if he projects as more of a 2-way player who uses his size to play with a physical side or more of a player who simply uses his size only offensively on smaller opponents and could struggle int he NHL.
- jmatchett

The book on him is that he's very smart, two way player. Great shot, not mentioned as overly physical, but doesn't shy away from it, He picks and chooses when to use his size.

I doubt it. Bryz has been pretty good on an underachieving team. (It's been nice not feeling like every breakaway coming at our net is going to be a goal.)

If the Flyers DO decide to buyout Bryz, we will know it because they will secure his replacement first.
- flyler

I think that is a factor, but not the sole one.

But I do feel like every breakaway will end with a goal, despite his strong play otherwise. He's been bad on breakaways

I could see a Couturier/Ryan trade tabled for now until Flyers see where they are drafting. As you stated earlier, if they made that trade, I could see following up with Read, Simmonds, or Hartnell for Bouwmeester and buying out Briere.
- sulshawn

I still think Briere could get moved in the offseason. Not the return that you'd get now, but maybe something.

I wonder how boring the game will be.

I still think Briere could get moved in the offseason. Not the return that you'd get now, but maybe something.
- jmatchett

If he gets moved in the off season it'll be via buyout

The thing is, most of the teams they face after the TDL are going to be battling for position or simply to make the playoffs.

I also could see guys sitting out with "nagging" injuries when the games don't matter anymore.
- Jsaquella

I hope you're right. I just feel like Calgary, Florida, Colorado and Buffalo are worse than the Flyers and they'll end up losing more. I'm on the fence with Tampa. We'll see how things go with the new coach but they may get even worse.

I could see a Couturier/Ryan trade tabled for now until Flyers see where they are drafting. As you stated earlier, if they made that trade, I could see following up with Read, Simmonds, or Hartnell for Bouwmeester and buying out Briere.
- sulshawn

I don't know how much you'd get for Hartnell.

His contract is pretty heavy. Not sure how many teams would want to take a risk on that.

I could see a Couturier/Ryan trade tabled for now until Flyers see where they are drafting. As you stated earlier, if they made that trade, I could see following up with Read, Simmonds, or Hartnell for Bouwmeester and buying out Briere.
- sulshawn

It's possible, but I doubt they trade a top ten pick, even to get Ryan.

Has anyone see Ryan Pulock play? I don't know much about him, but I do love big strong WHL defensemen. Just wondering if he projects as more of a 2-way player who uses his size to play with a physical side or more of a player who simply uses his size only offensively on smaller opponents and could struggle int he NHL.
- jmatchett

Starts at about the 2:00 mark

I wonder how boring the game will be.
- Pixote Andolini

I'm not sure if the Flyers get a shot on goal, tbh.

If the Ducks want Couturier and this year's 1st in the package for Ryan, no thanks.

Same goes for Yandle. Read, this year's 1st, and whatever else, no thanks.

That's why Homer should wait until after we draft in the top 10 to make either deal. This Sean Monahan kid is legit if he falls out of the top 5 and we pick between 5-10. He would definitely ease the pain of dealing Couturier for Ryan. Obviously Nate MacKinnon or Seth Jones would REALLY be nice to snag.
- Rocktane

The Flyers would be complete fools to trade Couturier for Ryan.

Starts at about the 2:00 mark
- Tomahawk

Yeah, getting an Al MacInnis would not suck in the least

Everyone raves about his IQ on the ice. That's something that the Flyers need.

Overall, the Rangers and controversial head coach John Tortorella have more or less owned Peter Laviolette's Flyers in recent seasons. Over the last 11 games between the teams, the Flyers have a 1-9-1 record against the Blueshirts.

That somebody can read that, and still defend the coaching of Laviolette, is beyond me. When combined with the record against the Devils, it's staggering to me that the Flyers still employ him as coach.
- Jsaquella

True but that sort of happens when the team sucks, Last years team wasn't to great either. We had a bunch of players who over achieved plus D got worse. This to me is on Homer. He didn't get the necesarry pieces to make this team a contender. Sure Coburn, Grossman, Meszaros and Schenn are good-decent defencmen but they are not top pairing material, these arent guys you can depend on to play 20+ mins a game. Schenn I think is capable of becoming that top Dman but he isn't there yet.

Giroux also is missing a top line LW. Hartnell and Read are not top line players. Vorachek is playing very well and hope he can play like this consistantly. Lastly Bryzgalov is going to need a back up next year. He has played 93.5% of Phillys games

True but that sort of happens when the team sucks, Last years team wasn't to great either. We had a bunch of players who over achieved plus D got worse. This to me is on Homer. He didn't get the necesarry pieces to make this team a contender. Sure Coburn, Grossman, Meszaros and Schenn are good-decent defencmen but they are not top pairing material, these arent guys you can depend on to play 20+ mins a game. Schenn I think is capable of becoming that top Dman but he isn't there yet.

Giroux also is missing a top line LW. Hartnell and Read are not top line players. Vorachek is playing very well and hope he can play like this consistantly. Lastly Bryzgalov is going to need a back up next year. He has played 93.5% of Phillys games
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Homer shoulders some of the blame but Lavy has done his job worse than Holmgren.

True but that sort of happens when the team sucks, Last years team wasn't to great either. We had a bunch of players who over achieved plus D got worse. This to me is on Homer. He didn't get the necesarry pieces to make this team a contender. Sure Coburn, Grossman, Meszaros and Schenn are good-decent defencmen but they are not top pairing material, these arent guys you can depend on to play 20+ mins a game. Schenn I think is capable of becoming that top Dman but he isn't there yet.

Giroux also is missing a top line LW. Hartnell and Read are not top line players. Vorachek is playing very well and hope he can play like this consistantly. Lastly Bryzgalov is going to need a back up next year. He has played 93.5% of Phillys games
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Hartnell scored 37 goals last Season playing on the top line. Along with 16 PP goals.

Hartnell scored 37 goals last Season playing on the top line. Along with 16 PP goals.
- MJL

Don't those goals count for less because Hartnell isn't a "pure scorer"?

Its funny cause honestly everything I heard about L Schenn from Leafs fans on here was completely true....and JVR is exactly how we described him to you guys....he does this....very streaky, but as long as he stays healthy you guys should be fine with him
- nonpoint22

I don't agree with Schenn at all.

Everyone raves about his IQ on the ice. That's something that the Flyers need.
- Jsaquella

Here's MacKinnon and Drouin reports...

Giroux also is missing a top line LW. Hartnell and Read are not top line players. Vorachek is playing very well and hope he can play like this consistantly. Lastly Bryzgalov is going to need a back up next year. He has played 93.5% of Phillys games
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Please tell me how Hartnell has not been a top line player over the past 2 seasons?

37 and 24 goal plus the only constant on the top line.

Right now he is not but that could have a lot to do with missing 20 games or whatever it was to injury,.

Here's MacKinnon and Drouin reports...



- Tomahawk

I think MacKinnon will be better than Drouin.

True but that sort of happens when the team sucks, Last years team wasn't to great either. We had a bunch of players who over achieved plus D got worse. This to me is on Homer. He didn't get the necesarry pieces to make this team a contender. Sure Coburn, Grossman, Meszaros and Schenn are good-decent defencmen but they are not top pairing material, these arent guys you can depend on to play 20+ mins a game. Schenn I think is capable of becoming that top Dman but he isn't there yet.

Giroux also is missing a top line LW. Hartnell and Read are not top line players. Vorachek is playing very well and hope he can play like this consistantly. Lastly Bryzgalov is going to need a back up next year. He has played 93.5% of Phillys games
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

The fact is the Flyers have enough talent to be a playoff team. That they are not falls mainly on the coach. I see several teams above them doing a lot more with a lot less.

Look at Ottawa. They're still battling with basically an AHL level roster. The Devils are ahead of them despite having every bit as bad a defense corps as the Flyers do.

The difference in those cities is, the coach recognized that without a disciplined system and good team defense, that those teams weren't going anywhere. So, while Laviolette played his precious system, the Sens and Devils adjusted for what they had on hand.

Laviolette knew last summer he wasn't going to have Pronger, Carle, Weber or Suter. He didn't make enough effective adjustments to fit his system to the roster and has utterly failed to instill discipline. Conversely, any team that uses a disciplined approach and plays solid defense gives the Flyers a hard time.