Give me Oliver, Gus and Alt every night so they can learn and grow for next season...
- JW98FlyerFan

And watch their confidence evaporate as they're asked to play upwards of 15-18 minutes a night over the last 60+ games of an 82-game season. But yeah, let's do that.

This.

Something isn't right with Giroux and it can't be just a crisis of confidence.
- johndewar

Wait, doesnt every player that signs a large long tern contract do the same thing?

The Flyers are trying the novel approach of increasing Luke Schenn's trade value by benching him.
- Jsaquella

I don't know, he was so good last year and has had a bad 10 games or so and now the FLyers are trying to move him? that frustrates me but what do I know

well at least he's not gettin hurt
- 2Real

Depending on what they're trying to get in return it could hurt (assuming he'd play well)

And watch their confidence evaporate as they're asked to play upwards of 15-18 minutes a night over the last 60+ games of an 82-game season. But yeah, let's do that.
- jmatchett383

Bruno G is in the AHL right now and he and Huskins we pretty good with the additional ice time at the end of last year...My point is, this team is garbage...we have to stop fooling ourselves that they are going to gel...they are just bad...Oliver played most of the games to end the season...pretty sure they will man up, like McGinn does when he plays...hell they are not going to make more mistakes than the over paid vets...and they might learn from them...and they will probably need to play next year unless we are going to overpay for Dion P ..otherwise there are no D men that are quality UFAs...

If and when Berube wants to put Schenn back in the lineup, I hope it's to replace Timo, not Gill. I love the guy, but it's downright painful watching him play these days.

I don't know, he was so good last year and has had a bad 10 games or so and now the FLyers are trying to move him? that frustrates me but what do I know
- nastyflyergirl

I don't even know that they are trying to move him, but I'm not sure what scratching him accomplishes.

I'd rather see both him and Gustafsson play through the pains, because we know the alternative sucks. Coburn has a star player's skills and the hockey sense of a Paraguayan librarian. Grossmann is immobile and has below average puck skills. Meszaros was never especially fast, and has lost a step or two with the injuries-and was never much more than a decent second pair guy, anyhow.

There's nobody that's that much better than Schenn or Gustafsson right now

Wasn't impressed in the slightest with that New Jersey game. Jersey is a freaking mess. I dont know what the fix is. I just know that the fix, if done right, will take a long time
- Just5

I dont know if this has to be the case. If you can get a young top line quality guy right now like Yakupov, and address a top defender by using Simmonds, Laughton, and Coburn then I think we still have a lot of potential in the future, plus enough talent to win now. THe below team is still young, and you still hold onto your young defensive prospects.

Downie-Giroux-Yakupov
Hartnell-Lecavalier-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Hemsky
Raffl-Hall-Rinaldo

Timonen-Buff
Streit-Meszaros
Grossmann-Gustefsson

Mason
Emery

I don't even know that they are trying to move him, but I'm not sure what scratching him accomplishes.

I'd rather see both him and Gustafsson play through the pains, because we know the alternative sucks. Coburn has a star player's skills and the hockey sense of a Paraguayan librarian. Grossmann is immobile and has below average puck skills. Meszaros was never especially fast, and has lost a step or two with the injuries-and was never much more than a decent second pair guy, anyhow.

There's nobody that's that much better than Schenn or Gustafsson right now
- Jsaquella

I like the fact that Coburn is carrying the puck up the ice more under Berube than he did under Lavy. He can still be aggravating, but at least he seems to be making better use of his strengths.

I don't even know that they are trying to move him, but I'm not sure what scratching him accomplishes.

I'd rather see both him and Gustafsson play through the pains, because we know the alternative sucks. Coburn has a star player's skills and the hockey sense of a Paraguayan librarian. Grossmann is immobile and has below average puck skills. Meszaros was never especially fast, and has lost a step or two with the injuries-and was never much more than a decent second pair guy, anyhow.

There's nobody that's that much better than Schenn or Gustafsson right now
- Jsaquella

I agree with that. I wish they would let the young guys play through their funk instead of scratching them the moment they stumble.

I dont know if this has to be the case. If you can get a young top line quality guy right now like Yakupov, and address a top defender by using Simmonds, Laughton, and Coburn then I think we still have a lot of potential in the future, plus enough talent to win now. THe below team is still young, and you still hold onto your young defensive prospects.

Downie-Giroux-Yakupov
Hartnell-Lecavalier-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Hemsky
Raffl-Hall-Rinaldo

Timonen-Buff
Streit-Meszaros
Grossmann-Gustefsson

Mason
Emery
- youarewrong

Unfortunately in the infinite wisdom for Flyer contracts, both Coburn and Simmonds have modified NMC's...so the team is handcuffed a bit...

I'm feeling a schenn and Schenn for Yakupov and Hemsky deal coming....
- youarewrong

It's been a while since you proposed a hemsky deal I was getting worried

Bruno G is in the AHL right now and he and Huskins we pretty good with the additional ice time at the end of last year...My point is, this team is garbage...we have to stop fooling ourselves that they are going to gel...they are just bad...Oliver played most of the games to end the season...pretty sure they will man up, like McGinn does when he plays...hell they are not going to make more mistakes than the over paid vets...and they might learn from them...and they will probably need to play next year unless we are going to overpay for Dion P ..otherwise there are no D men that are quality UFAs...
- JW98FlyerFan

The fact that BRUNO GERVAIS played well at the end of last season should tell you something about Lauridsen in the same situation. The coach changed his system to protect the D/goalie at all costs.

There's a difference between taking a young forward like McGinn and telling him to skate hard to net and look for rebounds and taking a player like Lauridsen and asking him to play 18 minutes a night against NHL competition for a full season with, what, 1 full AHL season under his belt?

I get what you're getting at. But there's a reason why bad teams don't just sit their entire roster and play the AHL squad. It can actually be more detrimental to them if they get over-exposed. It has nothing to do with "manning up" it has to do with development, confidence, match-ups, and skillset. It's why they let Laughton go back to juniors, so he can continue to develop, increase his confidence and work on his skills so that, when he DOES make the Flyers, he's not going to get engulfed and destroy his game.

I like the fact that Coburn is carrying the puck up the ice more under Berube than he did under Lavy. He can still be aggravating, but at least he seems to be making better use of his strengths.
- FlyerGuy

He's still plays like a guy who took up hockey as a hobby and has not mastered the nuances yet. It's staggering just how bad his hockey sense & smarts make him look at times

I agree with that. I wish they would let the young guys play through their funk instead of scratching them the moment they stumble.
- nastyflyergirl

I'm also not on the "keep Schenn at all costs because we traded JvR for him" bandwagon. I like him, and think he can be a good top 4 defenseman...but he's got to play.

I don't know, he was so good last year and has had a bad 10 games or so and now the FLyers are trying to move him? that frustrates me but what do I know
- nastyflyergirl

Well, at least according to Ek, it's that other teams are asking what it would take to get him.

So not quite the same thing.

I'm also not on the "keep Schenn at all costs because we traded JvR for him" bandwagon. I like him, and think he can be a good top 4 defenseman...but he's got to play.
- Jsaquella

I think the flyers knew JVR had high potential but I think their abundance of youth would eventually offset that and right everyone is struggling

Well, at least according to Ek, it's that other teams are asking what it would take to get him.

So not quite the same thing.
- Atomic Wedgie

Well they're scratching him to wake him up or trade him. Well see soon which happens I guess

I think the flyers knew JVR had high potential but I think their abundance of youth would eventually offset that and right everyone is struggling
- funmaster18

My issue with that trade is still mainly that they traded the best asset they were willing to part with and failed to acquire what they needed. Yes, they did need young defensemen, but they had three guys who are similar to Schenn in Grossmann, Meszaros and Coburn.

They had a 36 year old Timonen and a soon to be UFA Timonen...they needed a more mobile guy who could move the puck if they were dealing away JvR

I think the flyers knew JVR had high potential but I think their abundance of youth would eventually offset that and right everyone is struggling
- funmaster18

Also, during the 11/12 season, he didn't play much (remember how he faked that broken leg to not get traded), and they did pretty well offensively without him. So they probably figured, hell, we have an abundance of offense without him, we just need better defense. It just hasn't worked out like that.

And watch their confidence evaporate as they're asked to play upwards of 15-18 minutes a night over the last 60+ games of an 82-game season. But yeah, let's do that.
- jmatchett383

I dont know... I'm not worried about confidence. A few years ago Gus and Bourdon handled it pretty well IMO.

I dont know... I'm not worried about confidence. A few years ago Gus and Bourdon handled it pretty well IMO.
- youarewrong

So well that the Flyers traded 2 second rounders, a third rounder and a 4th rounder for Grossmann and the corpse of Pavel Kubina

My offer. I'll even throw in a nice steak dinner and a truck that gets 7 or less MPG (Texas, so...yeah).
- jmatchett383

Wish I had the link to the article.. but the north eastern states drive the worst MPG vehicles along with California. Do I say, not as I do.

Bill - if this continues what are your thoughts on the Flyers trading Lecavalier for something? He was free and could bring back some assets.

It's been a while since you proposed a hemsky deal I was getting worried
- funmaster18

I dont post on the weekends. Too much to do then waste my day with your tools.

But serisously, its just the most likely throw in Edmonton has. UFA, massive contract. Not that I want him, but I feel any deal that Edmonton takes salary, Hemsky will be included the other way.