Oh - and I hope the Flyers win but Johansen gets four points. (Pool)
- LeftCoaster

I hope Giroux gets 5 and Raffl gets another.

I wouldn't wait til VL gets back, I'd move Hartnell to the 4th line now. Schenn and Simmonds need to skate with a playmaker, so I'd waive Mez (who would likely clear) and let him go down and get some playing time. Bring up Cousins or Akeson for a shot with Schenn and Simmonds, and let Hartnell skate with Hall and either Rinaldo or VDV.

For all those going to the game today, enjoy! The thought of being in or near Ohio sends me into seizures...

For all those going to the game today, enjoy! The thought of being in or near Ohio sends me into seizures...
- Flyersgod

Columbus is a really fun town. Lived there for a while. Great for people around 18-23. I actually went to the first blue jackets home game.

I wouldn't wait til VL gets back, I'd move Hartnell to the 4th line now. Schenn and Simmonds need to skate with a playmaker, so I'd waive Mez (who would likely clear) and let him go down and get some playing time. Bring up Cousins or Akeson for a shot with Schenn and Simmonds, and let Hartnell skate with Hall and either Rinaldo or VDV.
- BiggE

I'm a big cousins fan but he is not ready yet. I hope the nhl moves away from fourth lines of goons and teams start having four quality lines. I would way rather have a guy like akeson on the fourth line playing 5-10mins and be available for moments like 4 on 4 and SO's. However I know it won't happen anytinme soon esp wit the flyers

I wouldn't wait til VL gets back, I'd move Hartnell to the 4th line now. Schenn and Simmonds need to skate with a playmaker, so I'd waive Mez (who would likely clear) and let him go down and get some playing time. Bring up Cousins or Akeson for a shot with Schenn and Simmonds, and let Hartnell skate with Hall and either Rinaldo or VDV.
- BiggE

Maybe switch up Hartnell and VandeVelde to start the game see how that works. I wouldn't screw around with the 1st and 3rd lines.

Since the 1-7-0 start, this team is 15-8-4.

I have hope for continued success as long as they can be more consistent from an effort standpoint.

I wouldn't wait til VL gets back, I'd move Hartnell to the 4th line now. Schenn and Simmonds need to skate with a playmaker, so I'd waive Mez (who would likely clear) and let him go down and get some playing time. Bring up Cousins or Akeson for a shot with Schenn and Simmonds, and let Hartnell skate with Hall and either Rinaldo or VDV.
- BiggE

This, except Id waive Gill and Rosehill.

Raffl-Giroux-Voracek
Schenn-Lecavlier-Simmonds
Read-Couturier-Downie
Hartnell-Hall-Akeson/McGinn

Contrary to most knee-jerk reactions, I think that 4th line would be better than any other version of that line we've iced all season whether its Akeson or McGinn

I don't like the combination of 19-10-17 anyway. Not enough diversity of abilities on that line.
- bmeltzer

And yet Hartnell and Simmonds still sit on the first PP unit.....both Guys handle the puck like a granade in the offensive zone....one of them on the unit in front of the net...ok...both is just a bad sceme.

Where are all the "Fraud" Giroux name callers now? He put the team on his back in that period last night like an elite player captain should!
Look at his stats ... he is getting close to being a point per game player. I would be willing to bet that he finishes the season above that. Which would be remakable considering how unproductive he was in the first month of the season!
I will never call him Fraud ... I am a real fan and to me he is the real deal!
- Cable2k

Nice to see him gain some confidence.....this team needs "that" Giroux in order to make the playoffs.

Canes lost, Jersey lost, Rangers lost. Time for us to get ahead a bit more on them now.

My issue with Hartnell is, in the past when he's struggled, he'd still be active. getting under skin, going to the net working along the walls...I'm not noticing that sort of play enough, pretty much since he signed the new deal.
- Jsaquella

Thats my issue as well. He is playing so tentative which is a complete 180 of what got him that contract.

Since the 1-7-0 start, this team is 15-8-4.

I have hope for continued success as long as they can be more consistent from an effort standpoint.
- MBFlyerfan

+1 for Homer making the coaching change. Berube seems to have remotivated the team.

I'm a big cousins fan but he is not ready yet. I hope the nhl moves away from fourth lines of goons and teams start having four quality lines. I would way rather have a guy like akeson on the fourth line playing 5-10mins and be available for moments like 4 on 4 and SO's. However I know it won't happen anytinme soon esp wit the flyers
- AGL_91

Most good teams already have solid fourth lines. But they usually are responsible defensively guys who can bump up to third line if needed. Ideally you'd like 4th liner that can play 8-10 minutes a night, help out on the PK and basically play solid hockey and not hurt the team. That's definitely not what they have when the dress Rinaldo & Rosehill.

It's probably not what they'd get from Akeson & McGinn, either. As it stands now, when Lecavlier returns, I'd drop Hartnell to 4th line with Hall & either VandeVelde or Rinaldo. Hartnell doesn;t deserve top line minutes. It's that simple.

Maybe switch up Hartnell and VandeVelde to start the game see how that works. I wouldn't screw around with the 1st and 3rd lines.
- LJF

VDV isn't the playmaker that Schenn and Simmonds need

This, except Id waive Gill and Rosehill.

Raffl-Giroux-Voracek
Schenn-Lecavlier-Simmonds
Read-Couturier-Downie
Hartnell-Hall-Akeson/McGinn

Contrary to most knee-jerk reactions, I think that 4th line would be better than any other version of that line we've iced all season whether its Akeson or McGinn
- mochoson

I wouldn't waive Gill. I know he's barely played but if Grossmann goes down, he is the perfect replacement, especially in the playoffs.

And yet Hartnell and Simmonds still sit on the first PP unit.....both Guys handle the puck like a granade in the offensive zone....one of them on the unit in front of the net...ok...both is just a bad sceme.
- landros 2

Hopefully they will consider changing that up when VL returns

My issue with Hartnell is, in the past when he's struggled, he'd still be active. getting under skin, going to the net working along the walls...I'm not noticing that sort of play enough, pretty much since he signed the new deal.
- Jsaquella

He's caught a bad case of Ryan Clowe syndrome.

He's caught a bad case of Ryan Clowe syndrome.
- Tomahawk

That might not be far off. There's far too many nights that he's simply not engaged. If he was playing bad, it'd be one thing, but too many nights he's just an empty uniform

It's strange, but early in his Flyers tenure, Hartnell would generally end up on one of the Flyers best producing lines. He played well with Carter & Lupul, then had that very good playoff run with Briere & Leino, and finally, with Giroux and Jagr.

Now it seems that the line he ends up on struggles. As soon as he got replaced on the Giroux line, both G & Voracek started finding the net, and Michael Raffl's played well with them...and Brayden Schenn & Wayne Simmonds haven't been producing much since Hartnell joined them on the "second" line.
- Jsaquella

like i said the other day, hartnell just doesn't bring himself down anymore. hartnelldown is whatever line he's skating with at the present time.

like i said the other day, hartnell just doesn't bring himself down anymore. hartnelldown is whatever line he's skating with at the present time.
- hammarby31

Lol. Nice one.

I wouldn't waive Gill. I know he's barely played but if Grossmann goes down, he is the perfect replacement, especially in the playoffs.
- BiggE

Lauridsen

I don't see Gill getting claimed either

Though we are not quite there yet, I'll be in Key West and most likely extremely inebriated at the mid season point, so here is my Flyers mid season report card for any who may be interested.

First the dmen and goalies

G Steve Mason: A
You were expecting a lower grade?? While his play has slipped a bit in December, he completely carried the club the first 2 months of the season. Without Mase, this team would be battling the Islanders for last in the Metro.

G- Ray Emery: B-
His play has ranged from mediocre to very good in a small sampling, however he gets extra credit for his pounding of Holtby. Yes, I know many folks hated his actions that evening, but the team has played much better since the incident and that's all that matters to me.

D- Kimmo Timonen: B-
If you had asked me at the end of October, this would have been a D. Timonen had a very rough start to the season to say the least. However he has played very well over the last few weeks and I also take into consideration the leadership and character he brings to the team behind the scenes.

D-Braydon Coburn: A-
Lots of people don't like the Nose. Beats me why. Night in, night out, he's the Flyers best dman and he is always on the ice to protect a lead in the last minute of the period or game. Perhaps it's because people look at his size and skating and expect him to be a prototypical #1 guy, but for what he is, he does it very well. Plus he has been very consistent this year as well.

D-Mark Streit: C-
Yes, he's played 2 very good games in a row, but that doesn't excuse the fact that he had been average or worse nearly every other game. However if he keeps playing the way he did the last 2 games, this grade will quickly improve.

D-Nik Grossmann: B
Nik is what he is: a big, tough, strong as an ox, shot blocking machine of a defensive defenseman. He can occasionally make some god awful plays with the puck, but when it comes to pure D, he's pretty damn good.

D-Luke Schenn: C-
Terrible start to the year, been better of late. Luke has potential, we all saw it at the end of last season. He looked pretty good the last 2 games much like Streit. Hopefully he can keep up the good work.

D-Erik Gustafsson: C
Its still a relatively small sample size, but Gus has really been hot or cold. He can look very good at times, he can also make some really bad decisions at times. He is still gaining experience though, and I'm glad he's finally getting a chance to play on a regular basis

D-Hal Gill: Incomplete
Hard to grade a guy on 2 or 3 games. He is basically an even slower, slightly bigger version of Grossmann. However vets like Gill have a way of contributing in the playoffs and from all reports he sets an excellent example to the younger players on how to be a pro.

Coming in a few, the forwards

That might not be far off. There's far too many nights that he's simply not engaged. If he was playing bad, it'd be one thing, but too many nights he's just an empty uniform
- Jsaquella

Doing the little things and being willing to grind got him on lines with good players... he put up some good numbers and now he seems to have gotten it into his head that he's a skill player who can set up in soft spots and no-look-pass his way to success.

Classic Ryan Clowe syndrome.

Lauridsen

I don't see Gill getting claimed either
- mochoson

Lauridsen be fine if its long term during the reg season, but for a game or 2 or in the playoffs I'd rather have Gill.