The biggest issue with this team, personnel wise, is still the blue line. The second biggest is redundant player types.

The defensemen lack speed and puck skills. The forwards who are skilled are primarily pass first, rather than shoot first. The other forwards rely on grinding it out and scoring "dirty" or garbage goals more than being out and out snipers.

The biggest issue of all, is a marked lack of hockey sense. They didn't lose last night because the Jackets were more skilled. They lost because they made mistakes, simple, fundamental mistakes. In a lot of the games they have lost, it's been a fundamental error that has led to the winning goal against-a needless icing, a blown coverage or read, an ill advised high risk pass...

The biggest issue with this team, personnel wise, is still the blue line. The second biggest is redundant player types.

The defensemen lack speed and puck skills. The forwards who are skilled are primarily pass first, rather than shoot first. The other forwards rely on grinding it out and scoring "dirty" or garbage goals more than being out and out snipers.

The biggest issue of all, is a marked lack of hockey sense. They didn't lose last night because the Jackets were more skilled. They lost because they made mistakes, simple, fundamental mistakes. In a lot of the games they have lost, it's been a fundamental error that has led to the winning goal against-a needless icing, a blown coverage or read, an ill advised high risk pass...
- Jsaquella

i couldn't agree more with you right now

The biggest issue with this team, personnel wise, is still the blue line. The second biggest is redundant player types.

The defensemen lack speed and puck skills. The forwards who are skilled are primarily pass first, rather than shoot first. The other forwards rely on grinding it out and scoring "dirty" or garbage goals more than being out and out snipers.

The biggest issue of all, is a marked lack of hockey sense. They didn't lose last night because the Jackets were more skilled. They lost because they made mistakes, simple, fundamental mistakes. In a lot of the games they have lost, it's been a fundamental error that has led to the winning goal against-a needless icing, a blown coverage or read, an ill advised high risk pass...
- Jsaquella

This!
Sometimes I think Couturier is the only forward on this team who plays intelligently in all 3 zones, maybe VL and Read too but thats it.

Looks for sure like this Sweden is the power house for this WJC

Currently 3 - 0 over Canada early 3rd

The biggest issue with this team, personnel wise, is still the blue line. The second biggest is redundant player types.

The defensemen lack speed and puck skills. The forwards who are skilled are primarily pass first, rather than shoot first. The other forwards rely on grinding it out and scoring "dirty" or garbage goals more than being out and out snipers.

The biggest issue of all, is a marked lack of hockey sense. They didn't lose last night because the Jackets were more skilled. They lost because they made mistakes, simple, fundamental mistakes. In a lot of the games they have lost, it's been a fundamental error that has led to the winning goal against-a needless icing, a blown coverage or read, an ill advised high risk pass...
- Jsaquella

?-Giroux-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Lecavlier
(Raffl?)-Laughton-Simmonds
?-?-?

Coburn-?
Streit-?
Schenn/Grossman-Gustafson

This is realistically what we should be looking at filling long term

EDIT: I move both Schenn's in a heart-beat if it means a legit, puck moving defensemen who can skate. I think you have to pick between Schenn and Grossman, can't use both in one line-up in todays NHL if you want to be an elite team.

This!
Sometimes I think Couturier is the only forward on this team who plays intelligently in all 3 zones, maybe VL and Read too but thats it.
- BiggE

It's just that the fundamental flaws rear their heads at the worst possible times.

The puck is behind the net. two defensemen go to the same side, leaving a wide open one timer. Or a defenseman out front has good coverage, but rather than sitting back, he slides towards the puck to force the issue-leaving a guy wide opn in the low slot for a one timer.

?-Giroux-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Lecavlier
(Raffl?)-Laughton-Simmonds
?-?-?

Coburn-?
Streit-?
Schenn/Grossman-Gustafson

This is realistically what we should be looking at filling long term

EDIT: I move both Schenn's in a heart-beat if it means a legit, puck moving defensemen who can skate. I think you have to pick between Schenn and Grossman, can't use both in one line-up in todays NHL if you want to be an elite team.
- mochoson

There's a lot of options, but they need a team willing to make a deal.

I'm not preaching for a "tear down the walls" rebuild, I just don't like the overall mix.

There's a lot of options, but they need a team willing to make a deal.

I'm not preaching for a "tear down the walls" rebuild, I just don't like the overall mix.
- Jsaquella

Exactly my point. The main pieces are intact, with the exception of a top pairing Dman.

We need better complimentary players. This team has too many players that think they're here for the long haul but aren't playing like it.

The biggest issue with this team, personnel wise, is still the blue line. The second biggest is redundant player types.

The defensemen lack speed and puck skills. The forwards who are skilled are primarily pass first, rather than shoot first. The other forwards rely on grinding it out and scoring "dirty" or garbage goals more than being out and out snipers.

The biggest issue of all, is a marked lack of hockey sense. They didn't lose last night because the Jackets were more skilled. They lost because they made mistakes, simple, fundamental mistakes. In a lot of the games they have lost, it's been a fundamental error that has led to the winning goal against-a needless icing, a blown coverage or read, an ill advised high risk pass...
- Jsaquella

Correct-amundo. The makeup of this team is, and has been, awful.

If it wasn't apparent that the Flyers rarely had enough skilled players - and by that I mean those who had offensive creativity, who could control a puck in tight spaces, who could make a play out of seemingly nowhere - then all you had to do was look at their SO record since it came into existence. After one or (at best) two gifted shooters, the strategy was to send out whoever had a decent game that night, forward or defenseman, and hope for the best.

As for the defense, it's a double whammy here. We are stacked with d-men with below average foot speed and below average ability to make the quick, accurate outlet pass.

Couple that with forwards who play mainly up and down the boards, who have difficulty playing without the puck, have trouble finding open areas in the offensive zone or helping by picking up the dangerous shooter in the defensive zone, you have what you have - a .500 team at best.

Now the question to me is, has Homer assembled a group who has a low hockey IQ and/or overrated talent to compete as a playoff team, or is it also a product of faulty coaching?

Holmgren had his second consecutive monster summer.


- PLindbergh31

Even though Vinny has gotten hurt a few times this year he is still by far the best transaction we have made in the off season.. I like that we picked him up... Emery needs to go... He makes the initial save leaves a rebound to the other team, and is slow to go post to post... The only thing Streit has going for him is his shot... He has one hell of a shot from the point but everything else has been poor... Flyers havent been great since 2010... and ever since we lost Richards, Carter, Gagne, and Pronger this team hasnt been able to fill those holes in... Go out spend some money on a proven A class Scorer... Either go balls to the wall for big buff or bring Morin up to fill pronger...

Even though Vinny has gotten hurt a few times this year he is still by far the best transaction we have made in the off season.. I like that we picked him up... Emery needs to go... He makes the initial save leaves a rebound to the other team, and is slow to go post to post... The only thing Streit has going for him is his shot... He has one hell of a shot from the point but everything else has been poor... Flyers havent been great since 2010... and ever since we lost Richards, Carter, Gagne, and Pronger this team hasnt been able to fill those holes in... Go out spend some money on a proven A class Scorer... Either go balls to the wall for big buff or bring Morin up to fill pronger...
- Flyers-All-Day

The biggest issue I have with Streit is that he makes way too many high risk-low reward plays in dangerous spots. He does that damned spin o rama at the blue line when he is last man back way too often for my sanity.

He's not a good defender, I get that. But he can't hurt the team with his supposed strengths, either. That happens far too often.

It's just that the fundamental flaws rear their heads at the worst possible times.

The puck is behind the net. two defensemen go to the same side, leaving a wide open one timer. Or a defenseman out front has good coverage, but rather than sitting back, he slides towards the puck to force the issue-leaving a guy wide opn in the low slot for a one timer.
- Jsaquella

Whats frustrating is that they constantly make basic coverage/position mistakes that I wouldn't expect a junior player to make.

Correct-amundo. The makeup of this team is, and has been, awful.

If it wasn't apparent that the Flyers rarely had enough skilled players - and by that I mean those who had offensive creativity, who could control a puck in tight spaces, who could make a play out of seemingly nowhere - then all you had to do was look at their SO record since it came into existence. After one or (at best) two gifted shooters, the strategy was to send out whoever had a decent game that night, forward or defenseman, and hope for the best.

As for the defense, it's a double whammy here. We are stacked with d-men with below average foot speed and below average ability to make the quick, accurate outlet pass.

Couple that with forwards who play mainly up and down the boards, who have difficulty playing without the puck, have trouble finding open areas in the offensive zone or helping by picking up the dangerous shooter in the defensive zone, you have what you have - a .500 team at best.

Now the question to me is, has Homer assembled a group who has a low hockey IQ and/or overrated talent to compete as a playoff team, or is it also a product of faulty coaching?
- 77rams

I don't think that talent is an issue. I think that they have a good talent level. But the pieces simply don't fit together right. Combine that with the repeated fundamental mistakes and lack of overall hockey smarts & you have a .500 team.

Why does everyone think last nights loss is on Emery?

The biggest issue I have with Streit is that he makes way too many high risk-low reward plays in dangerous spots. He does that damned spin o rama at the blue line when he is last man back way too often for my sanity.

He's not a good defender, I get that. But he can't hurt the team with his supposed strengths, either. That happens far too often.
- Jsaquella

Exactly. Streit getting out muscled in the D zone I expect. Streit coughing up the puck again and again just inside the opponents blue line is completely unacceptable!

Why does everyone think last nights loss is on Emery?
- Pixote Andolini

I don't blame last night on Emery, I think Razor is a perfectly acceptable backup goalie

Exactly. Streit getting out muscled in the D zone I expect. Streit coughing up the puck again and again just inside the opponents blue line is completely unacceptable!
- BiggE

Imagine the defense if Coburn were to get injured

Why does everyone think last nights loss is on Emery?
- Pixote Andolini

I don't think he played especially well, but he was hardly the primary one at fault.

Why does everyone think last nights loss is on Emery?
- Pixote Andolini

he looked like leighton out there. he was that bad.

lets hope washington beats dallas

Imagine the defense if Coburn were to get injured
- puckhead17

nothing cause he's not that great

What I see posted here, the complaints, are a lot of those made by fans of other teams when they lose. We are not alone in terms of questioning effort, heart, etc.

What I see as the bigger issue here, is that things are partially stagnant, and there is a stench from the management side of things.

Hitchcock fired in 2006
Stevens fired in 2009
Laviolette fired in 2013
Berube?

Coaching is not an issue. This team has been run like a bunch of headless chickens, and that is what we have here today. There was a complete re-build after the season that shall not be named. A new core was identified. A few years later, we have the same situation, with the old core players being shipped out, and another rebuild in place.Only a handful of guys remain from that SCF team a few years ago.

For years now, we have seen a team hit by hot streaks, and cold streaks. An organization that has lived and died by them. We have not seen a clear sign of growth. Its been up and down, ship their ass to Chinatown.

For me personally, I don't care about anything else at this point, except those in power of evaluating the players to build around, and those running this team.

Looking at the big picture, from the days where Hitchcock was fired, this team has been behind the 8 ball in terms of developing its own, relying too much on FA, and improperly evaluating players at a realistic level.

Need a change up top, first and foremost.

In terms of solutions, you have short term and long term things to look at.

In the short term, I would be largely in favour of increasing the ice team of Luke Schenn, and Guss. You need to properly have the opportunity to evaluate who has that ability to be more than a bottom pairing d-man. Guss is 25 years old, and its make it or break it time for him.

As well, you have to start bringing up Lauridsen, or Alt if injuries hit on the back end. Hall Gill provides stability, but its just another moronic move to try and win at all cost, instead of giving the youth a chance, and yourself more of a chance to evaluate them.

For the forward ranks, its the same situation. You have available call-ups in McGinn, Akeson and Cousins. VDV is 26 years old I believe, and I would rather have given the opportunity to the youth instead of a player who will more than likely be a career AHL guy.

There is zero reason to give any ice-time to Rosehill, and Rinaldo deserved to be benched many times this season. Now none of those kids are really projected to be all stars, but you need to give yourself a proper chance to evaluate them. The notion that the team doesn't lose because of the fourth liners is BS to me, every player matters to some degree.

?-Giroux-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Lecavlier
(Raffl?)-Laughton-Simmonds
?-?-?

Coburn-?
Streit-?
Schenn/Grossman-Gustafson

This is realistically what we should be looking at filling long term

EDIT: I move both Schenn's in a heart-beat if it means a legit, puck moving defensemen who can skate. I think you have to pick between Schenn and Grossman, can't use both in one line-up in todays NHL if you want to be an elite team.
- mochoson

i feel as though grossman is the better of those two as far as meeting the requirements of that type of guy. schenn is pretty redundant. that being said, i would be curious to see what you guys would be willing to move to acquire a good puck moving dman

lets hope washington beats dallas
- 2Real

I'd rather see an Eagles/Dallas throwdown next week.