He was brutal. I'd think long and hard about making him a healthy scratch against the Blackhawks, at least.
- Jsaquella

That's...that's a big step. I'm not sure I'm ready to go that far, because again, to me...I think Tomahawk had it pegged when he said Streit's been brutal for the last 4, 5 periods of play.

By my rough count, I think I had Streit either average or slightly above for maybe...23, 24 or the 30 games we've played? Not great, by any stretch, and I admit that...but I think basically two bad games against what he's been over the course of the season...that might not be what I'd do, for the next game.

That being said: Mark Streit's a bad defenseman when his compete level isn't high. When he's adequate defensively, he's competing for pucks and not just letting himself get blown off them, letting guys blow by him or walk off the wall, and focusing on what the hell he's doing when he has the puck.

That lack of focus nearly got his arse killed in Carolina, when Manny Malhotra stopped him cold in the neutral zone. And he clearly wasn't concentrating in Dallas, on the shorthanded goal.

And yes: He needs to compete better than he did tonight.

That's...that's a big step. I'm not sure I'm ready to go that far, because again, to me...I think Tomahawk had it pegged when he said Streit's been brutal for the last 4, 5 periods of play.

By my rough count, I think I had Streit either average or slightly above for maybe...23, 24 or the 30 games we've played? Not great, by any stretch, and I admit that...but I think basically two bad games against what he's been over the course of the season...that might not be what I'd do, for the next game.

That being said: Mark Streit's a bad defenseman when his compete level isn't high. When he's adequate defensively, he's competing for pucks and not just letting himself get blown off them, letting guys blow by him or walk off the wall, and focusing on what the hell he's doing when he has the puck.

That lack of focus nearly got his arse killed in Carolina, when Manny Malhotra stopped him cold in the neutral zone. And he clearly wasn't concentrating in Dallas, on the shorthanded goal.

And yes: He needs to compete better than he did tonight.
- AllInForFlyers

He hasn't been horrid all season long, but the high risk, low percentage plays have been an issue all season. He's a veteran, he can't be making those kind of mistakes as regularly as he has been thus far.

I'm very slowly souring on the mix of players. There's a lot of individual talent, but the mix really isn't working for me. The pieces just aren't clicking right now.

I don't know...It's hard when you have 3 or 4 defensemen you want to "hide" against weaker competition.

There might be a little regression on Mason's part, but he really didn't have much chance on the goals he's allowed the last two games. That said, he looked a bit shaky tonight on a couple rebounds and had a few sequences where he wasn't tracking the puck well.

I assume Emery will start against the Blackhawks, and then Mason will get the Habs.
- Jsaquella

Agreed. Mason has been phenomenal, best player on the team by far. And he didn't look bad by any stretch, but he definitely looks like he's getting just a little rattled. Maybe it's a bit body language or something. And who could really blame him with the team he's got playing in front of him.

Isn't it sad that when I see Couts back in the defensive zone I breathe a little bit easier and assume everything is going to be alright?

He hasn't been horrid all season long, but the high risk, low percentage plays have been an issue all season. He's a veteran, he can't be making those kind of mistakes as regularly as he has been thus far.

I'm very slowly souring on the mix of players. There's a lot of individual talent, but the mix really isn't working for me. The pieces just aren't clicking right now.

I don't know...It's hard when you have 3 or 4 defensemen you want to "hide" against weaker competition.
- Jsaquella

Streit started to look better toward the end of the 3rd, but unfortunately that wasn't nearly enough to make up for the first 45 minutes or so.

He hasn't been horrid all season long, but the high risk, low percentage plays have been an issue all season. He's a veteran, he can't be making those kind of mistakes as regularly as he has been thus far.

I'm very slowly souring on the mix of players. There's a lot of individual talent, but the mix really isn't working for me. The pieces just aren't clicking right now.

I don't know...It's hard when you have 3 or 4 defensemen you want to "hide" against weaker competition.
- Jsaquella

The mix is wrong -- it is. None of us want to carve this team every day, because there are some good things happening, especially with how Sean Couturier's playing right now.

But yeah: The mix is bad. And it's not "being negative" for anyone to say that -- we're fairly slow, our puck skills are below average, our hockey sense is average at best.

We've had well-above average play from our goaltenders, the PK has been fairly consistent as a result, Couturier is clearly developing, and despite what I consider to be Scott Hartnell and, to a lesser degree, Jake Voracek "black holing" Claude Giroux, he has been getting points after that horrific start to the season.

But yeah. Overall, the mix is bad. It just is, but since I don't want to get yelled at for being "too negative," I guess I'll stop there.

The mix is wrong -- it is. None of us want to carve this team every day, because there are some good things happening, especially with how Sean Couturier's playing right now.

But yeah: The mix is bad. And it's not "being negative" for anyone to say that -- we're fairly slow, our puck skills are below average, our hockey sense is average at best.

We've had well-above average play from our goaltenders, the PK has been fairly consistent as a result, Couturier is clearly developing, and despite what I consider to be Scott Hartnell and, to a lesser degree, Jake Voracek "black holing" Claude Giroux, he has been getting points after that horrific start to the season.

But yeah. Overall, the mix is bad. It just is, but since I don't want to get yelled at for being "too negative," I guess I'll stop there.
- AllInForFlyers

It's not being negative if you're rational about it. It's if every post is Giroux Sucks and Schenn is a hunk of poop and etc.

Hell, I'm frustrated. I don't see a need for a blow up, but there's a need for more speed and a tweak to the mix of players.

Agreed. Mason has been phenomenal, best player on the team by far. And he didn't look bad by any stretch, but he definitely looks like he's getting just a little rattled. Maybe it's a bit body language or something. And who could really blame him with the team he's got playing in front of him.

Isn't it sad that when I see Couts back in the defensive zone I breathe a little bit easier and assume everything is going to be alright?
- wolfhounds

Couturier has been fantastic, for sure. It's got to be hard on Mason. He's getting little support.

blah blah blah team sucks lather rinse repeat

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Goin to the Sharks game on the 21st against the Stars!

Bill, you going

It's not being negative if you're rational about it. It's if every post is Giroux Sucks and Schenn is a hunk of poop and etc.

Hell, I'm frustrated. I don't see a need for a blow up, but there's a need for more speed and a tweak to the mix of players.
- Jsaquella

It's frustrating cause there's a boatload of talent on this team - how many top 10 picks are currently playing for the Flyers - and they are getting incredibly good goal-tending. But inconsistency is one of the hardest things to stomach.

The mix is wrong -- it is. None of us want to carve this team every day, because there are some good things happening, especially with how Sean Couturier's playing right now.

But yeah: The mix is bad. And it's not "being negative" for anyone to say that -- we're fairly slow, our puck skills are below average, our hockey sense is average at best.

We've had well-above average play from our goaltenders, the PK has been fairly consistent as a result, Couturier is clearly developing, and despite what I consider to be Scott Hartnell and, to a lesser degree, Jake Voracek "black holing" Claude Giroux, he has been getting points after that horrific start to the season.

But yeah. Overall, the mix is bad. It just is, but since I don't want to get yelled at for being "too negative," I guess I'll stop there.
- AllInForFlyers

I was just about to yell at you...

It's frustrating cause there's a boatload of talent on this team - how many top 10 picks are currently playing for the Flyers - and they are getting incredibly good goal-tending. But inconsistency is one of the hardest things to stomach.
- wolfhounds

It'd be less frustrating if they were routinely getting clobbered. Games like the Dallas game are the exception, rather than the rule. If they were getting clubbed like baby seals, it'd be easy to say lob a grenade in the room

It's not being negative if you're rational about it. It's if every post is Giroux Sucks and Schenn is a hunk of poop and etc.

Hell, I'm frustrated. I don't see a need for a blow up, but there's a need for more speed and a tweak to the mix of players.
- Jsaquella

For me, it's this simple:

1. I have all the respect in the world for fighters. But right now...my gosh. Every time we play Rosehill-Hall-Rinaldo, with Rinaldo playing like he has for much of the season, we're playing with basically 10.5 forwards. At best. That...damn it. I hate to keep bringing it up, but it's the damn truth. For how this team is constructed, I'd probably kill somebody to have Eric Wellwood and Andreas Nodl out there, on that fourth line. We need speed, the ability to forecheck and backcheck, in the worst way. It'd be even nicer if we could get some serious PK ability there.

2. Scott Hartnell...he's in better condition than last year. But he might have lost a half-step from the 37-goal year, and without Jagr to hold the puck as long as he did, Hartnell's just not getting to the net to score. Combine that with Voracek's ongoing struggles as to when to shoot and when to pass, and to me, those two are black-holing Claude Giroux every bit as much as Michael Raffl was earlier this year.

3. I hate the NHL right now that the prices for defensemen are so damn inflated that no one, no one at all, is out there that can help this team. When we ice the defense we have with Erik Gustafsson on the bench...we're the slowest defense in the league. It's not even close. I've seen every team this year, and we are painfully slow on the back end. I don't even know what you do about it, because no one will trade anybody who can freaking skate or do anything with the puck.

4. Brayden Schenn...needs to be more involved. I've seen him play better than this. He can play better than he's been playing.

For me, it's this simple:

1. I have all the respect in the world for fighters. But right now...my gosh. Every time we play Rosehill-Hall-Rinaldo, with Rinaldo playing like he has for much of the season, we're playing with basically 10.5 forwards. At best. That...damn it. I hate to keep bringing it up, but it's the damn truth. For how this team is constructed, I'd probably kill somebody to have Eric Wellwood and Andreas Nodl out there, on that fourth line. We need speed, the ability to forecheck and backcheck, in the worst way. It'd be even nicer if we could get some serious PK ability there.

2. Scott Hartnell...he's in better condition than last year. But he might have lost a half-step from the 37-goal year, and without Jagr to hold the puck as long as he did, Hartnell's just not getting to the net to score. Combine that with Voracek's ongoing struggles as to when to shoot and when to pass, and to me, those two are black-holing Claude Giroux every bit as much as Michael Raffl was earlier this year.

3. I hate the NHL right now that the prices for defensemen are so damn inflated that no one, no one at all, is out there that can help this team. When we ice the defense we have with Erik Gustafsson on the bench...we're the slowest defense in the league. It's not even close. I've seen every team this year, and we are painfully slow on the back end. I don't even know what you do about it, because no one will trade anybody who can freaking skate or do anything with the puck.

4. Brayden Schenn...needs to be more involved. I've seen him play better than this. He can play better than he's been playing.
- AllInForFlyers

Not to belittle your points-all are valid and I agree with them-but the bottom line this is a team that seems to be trying to decide what their identity is.

They sometimes want to grind it out, and other games they want to be the 1980's Oilers and other times they want to be the 1990's Devils and nurse a one goal lead.

They have to figure out what they are, because there's a lot of times they're not on the same page.

Not to belittle your points-all are valid and I agree with them-but the bottom line this is a team that seems to be trying to decide what their identity is.

They sometimes want to grind it out, and other games they want to be the 1980's Oilers and other times they want to be the 1990's Devils and nurse a one goal lead.

They have to figure out what they are, because there's a lot of times they're not on the same page.
- Jsaquella

I don't even know what they should be -- they don't have the raw size to grind teams down, or the skill to outscore teams, or the speed/hockey sense to play like the Devils.

They could maybe be a two-way team, and I think that's probably what Paul Holmgren would like to have, but the defense is so slow and we pass so poorly, we can't transition from defense to offense well enough to capitalize on strong two-way play.

blah blah blah team sucks lather rinse repeat
- 2Real

I hate to say it but the Flyers remind me of the Dallas Cowboys in a lot of ways.

I hate to say it but the Flyers remind me of the Dallas Cowboys in a lot of ways.
- Just5

current cowboys?

current cowboys?
- 2Real

I might have to go blow people up in SWTOR and listen to the rest of the game on the radio, since I've ruled out taking up drinking again as a solution for dealing with the Flyers.
- Doc_Sarcasm

Missed this last night I was passed out drunk by this point... sigh...

Has BSchenn been in the shootout this season?

It's time to start trying new people for this.
- Yosimar89

They are - Couturier.

Read and Giroux both have great all-time shootout records. There's no one better than them on the team.

He hasn't been horrid all season long, but the high risk, low percentage plays have been an issue all season. He's a veteran, he can't be making those kind of mistakes as regularly as he has been thus far.

I'm very slowly souring on the mix of players. There's a lot of individual talent, but the mix really isn't working for me. The pieces just aren't clicking right now.

I don't know...It's hard when you have 3 or 4 defensemen you want to "hide" against weaker competition.
- Jsaquella

I believe we don't really have a single top pair defenseman on this team. Streit would be best served as 5/6 power play specialist. I think as a whole the defensive corps is being asked to do more than they are capable of doing. The problem is that most of them are being paid to be upper echelon defensemen.

We stay at this pace and I have no doubt that Holmgren is going to start making moves. What remains to be seen is whether or not they try (once again) to make it into the play-offs by making some aggressive moves well before the trade deadline or if they are sellers at the deadline and begin to re-stock for next season.

EDIT: Considering we are only 3 points (to break tie) out of a play-off spot I don't hold out much hope for the stock up for next season option.
That of course can change.

We stay at this pace and I have no doubt that Holmgren is going to start making moves. What remains to be seen is whether or not they try (once again) to make it into the play-offs by making some aggressive moves well before the trade deadline or if they are sellers at the deadline and begin to re-stock for next season.

EDIT: Considering we are only 3 points (to break tie) out of a play-off spot I don't hold out much hope for the stock up for next season option.
That of course can change.
- FlyersGrace

A trade chip like Streit could bring back a Kings ransom.

A trade chip like Streit could bring back a Kings ransom.
- PLindbergh31

Didn't like the signing from the start and still don't.

Didn't like the signing from the start and still don't.
- stveshdy

I didn't like the length of the contract, or the cap hit, but I thought Streit would be able to improve the teams ability to move the puck, and boost the PP. Not so much.

He's been a colossal failure in every facet of the game.