Gagne, Richards, Downie, Giroux.

Not bad late 1st rounders if I say so.
- flyguy12

I guess but I look at 2nd and 3rd round bad picks like Kevin Marshall, Garrett Klotz,Andreas Nodl, Mike Ratchuk, Denis Bodrov all taken by pick 66. That said, Bourdon looked like he could have been a nice player if the concussions didn't side line him. Hopefully some of the current picks taken since 2011 blossom

I guess but I look at 2nd and 3rd round bad picks like Kevin Marshall, Garrett Klotz,Andreas Nodl, Mike Ratchuk, Denis Bodrov all taken by pick 66. That said, Bourdon looked like he could have been a nice player if the concussions didn't side line him. Hopefully some of the current picks taken since 2011 blossom
- nastyflyergirl

It's like the good scout goes out for a smoke during the second rounds

Holmgren has acquired talented players but hasn't put together a team.
- psuhockey

You said lots of good things in that post, but I wanted to emphasize this part because I think it most accurately sums up how I feel about Paul Holmgren right now.

Holmgren denied the broken orbital bone report a few days ago, only listed as having a concussion
- Jsaquella

I've been thinking about why they kept Downie overnight for observation.

One reason to do that would be if he had a small traumatic hemorrhage on the CT scan. If that was the case he would have to be shut done long term. So that is doubtful.

The other reason to keep him if he had continued vomiting after the head injury.

Also if his mentation/thinking had not cleared promptly they may keep him overnight.

Hopefully its #2 or 3 and not the first.

I've been thinking about why they kept Downie overnight for observation.

One reason to do that would be if he had a small traumatic hemorrhage on the CT scan. If that was the case he would have to be shut done long term. So that is doubtful.

The other reason to keep him if he had continued vomiting after the head injury.

Also if his mentation/thinking had not cleared promptly they may keep him overnight.

Hopefully its #2 or 3 and not the first.
- Marc D

I've experienced #2 and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. No fun vomiting after a head injury...

honestly forgot he existed
- Crimsoninja

I missed the Caps game (was out of town) and watched the first period on DVR yesterday. I think Downie if healthy will definitely help them.

The other side of no Max is I saw Rinaldo being used on PK, which looked ugly.

Holmgren has acquired talented players but hasn't put together a team.
- psuhockey

He's also been pretty good at dealing talented players away.

I've experienced #2 and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. No fun vomiting after a head injury...
- FlyersGrace

uncontrolled vomiting brings a lot of people to the ER

He's also been pretty good at dealing talented players away.
- Tomahawk

whose next is the big question

uncontrolled vomiting brings a lot of people to the ER
- Marc D

That's not the kind of milkshake you want to bring the boys to the yard...


And ignore me, I'm in a BIZARRE mood today.

whose next is the big question
- Marc D

I have yet to replace my Briere jersey because of this exact question.
Sigh...

That's not the kind of milkshake you want to bring the boys to the yard...


And ignore me, I'm in a BIZARRE mood today.
- FlyersGrace

what makes this day different from all others?

whose next is the big question
- Marc D

Who isn't... there's only four players left from that team that made the Cup Finals in 2010... FOUR. You can bet in 3-4 years, that only 3-4 members of this current squad will be Flyers. It doesn't take a genius to realize that there's something fundamentally wrong with that.

My impression of the Flyers are that they are an organization that overvalue heart and are low on smarts.
1. They always think a high profile signing in an area of need solves problems, rather than taking a more systematic team-wide approach to it. Trouble getting the puck through neutral zone? Hire Streit: an aging, suspect defensive player now projected to score 24 points and be -50 for the season.
2. Simmonds: feisty, reasonably good around the paint, but perhaps a product of Lavy's system where forwards put up higher numbers than their true worth. Horrible defensive instincts. If he receives a pass near our blue line its a good bet he will turn it over. If he is going down the line his sole move is to chip it in and sprint. Horrible passer. But he can drop em: sigh him up for a long term deal.
3. Couturier: from an early age, hammered into a defense first mentality. If he is in the offensive zone I often see him peel back, like he is more scared of being caught out of position than taking a risk. I know he is not the fastest skater but how come he is never on a short-handed breakaway with all the pk time?
4. I find the post-game interviews of Giroux more revealing than his play. He looks like he has the world on his shoulders. There is the same sort of passive aggressive truculence I saw in Richards. What made Richards stop smiling and stop having fun? Hey: it did not work once, lets try it again. Give the kid a young team and say, captain, its Iwo Jima time: bail her out!
5. Hartnell: a power forward with a lot of tread in his tires. Was his last season because of missing training camp or starting show some wear? Never mind, he plays with an edge. What do we care about the bad defensive instincts? Another long term deal, with a NTC! Lets have both simmer and Harts in top 6 and play a dogged back-checking style!
6. In line for a high draft pick? No need to tell players to tank. Just shuffle pp units, tryout AHL players, give creaking bones a rest. Nah: go down guns blazing. Wisdom and valor are enemies!
7. Every time there is an injury, there seems to be some pressure to return ahead of projected date. Is Giroux fully healed? Was it his finger or his wrist? Why isn't he taking slapshots like he used to? This is the face of the franchise: would it be wise to not rush him, give him as much time as he needs, like Pens did with Crosby? Nah: bring him back as soon as he says he is ok. After all, we can always trust the judgement of a very young just appointed captain who is probably feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.
8. No one seems to be having any fun: sit everybody!trade everybody!bag skate everybody! Never mind that this is a year where we have no chance anyway to contend. Its a time where building good habits is more important than winning. Nah: crucify the players till they are so beaten down that they just want to be relieved of pressure and go play for another team with less of the guts and glory philosophy. And win there.
We don't need a fresh perspective. Thats our culture.

Steve Downie was skating today, officially listed as day to day. Holmgren says he feels good.
- Jsaquella

Coincidentally, I've been listening to Rush today.

Who isn't... there's only four players left from that team that made the Cup Finals in 2010... FOUR. You can bet in 3-4 years, that only 3-4 members of this current squad will be Flyers. It doesn't take a genius to realize that there's something fundamentally wrong with that.
- Tomahawk

Personally I am in favor of identifying what they want their identity to be, pick out the core guys, and build something good around them. I don't care if they have to suck for the next 2-3 years, I actually expect that.

I am pretty sick of the constant trading away of players and draft picks.

Stop with the long term deals for guys 34+ years old, and a severe drastic cut back on the NTC/NMC deals.

Back after a 1 week ban.
- SMS4016

Ha! I figure when I get it, it's gonna be a hell of a lot longer than a week.

Got banned for making joke about posters calling someone a female washing product. and of course next day a trade goes down then a brawl
- SMS4016

Steve Downie was skating today, officially listed as day to day. Holmgren says he feels good.
- Jsaquella

stuff
- SMS4016

I've been banned for 6+ months before. Step up your game junior

Personally I am in favor of identifying what they want their identity to be, pick out the core guys, and build something good around them. I don't care if they have to suck for the next 2-3 years, I actually expect that.

I am pretty sick of the constant trading away of young players and draft picks.

Stop with the long term deals for guys 34+ years old, and a severe drastic cut back on the NTC/NMC deals.
- Marc D

Yeah, 100% agree. Find a group, stick with it through thick and thin.

Pittsburgh's still got 9 members from that Cup winning team 2009... Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, Letang, Orpik, Kunitz, Dupuis, Adams, Scuderi... and Byslma... even though they've experienced some ups and downs, there's continuity there... as a group, they have a wealth of past experience to draw from.

He's also been pretty good at dealing talented players away.
- Tomahawk

Looking back, and there were some fans who also questioned it at the time, was that he messed up the returns on Richards and Carter deal getting two centers in the end when he needed only one. How much different would this team be if it had Slava Voynov instead of B. Schenn? Schenn was the "better" player but Voynov was a higher need. And if you are going to get B. Schenn in the deal, then use the 8th overall on Hamilton or Brodin, the hugely needed two-way defensemen not the defensive dmen Siemens, instead of Couturier even though couturier was ranked higher. Holmgren has gone best player too often in both the draft and trades leaving huge holes to be filled.

Coincidentally, I've been listening to Rush today.
- Flyskippy

Are you near Lakeside Park?

Yeah, 100% agree. Find a group, stick with it through thick and thin.

Pittsburgh's still got 9 members from that Cup winning team 2009... Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, Letang, Orpik, Kunitz, Dupuis, Adams, Scuderi... and Byslma... even though they've experienced some ups and downs, there's continuity there... as a group, they have a wealth of past experience to draw from.
- Tomahawk

well when you have crosby malkin and fleury all top picks it's easy

I missed the Caps game (was out of town) and watched the first period on DVR yesterday. I think Downie if healthy will definitely help them.

The other side of no Max is I saw Rinaldo being used on PK, which looked ugly.
- Marc D

OK. I'm gonna just say it, knowing full well this one's gonna bite me in the arse:

I think it's...not such a bad thing for Zac Rinaldo to be on the PK.

We talk a lot about the development of young players like Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier, and how Luke Schenn needs to progress.

Rinaldo's...he can actually skate. And he's fearless. We all know those things. Isn't it fair to give him the opportunity to become a better hockey player? Just like the other young players?

I think...it is. He's a Flyers draft pick, too. And I say that fully realizing that there will likely be some...interesting...times ahead if he starts getting more PK minutes.

But he deserves chances to improve his ability to contribute to the team. One day, I'd love to have to write something different than "Zac Rinaldo shouldn't even be playing, because all he does is hit, and when you hit all the time, that simply means you don't have the puck."