Ive looked at the Corsi and the Fenwick and I can see a downturn in the Flyers play coming up. There getting outFenwicked and Corsified in most recent games

f'ng rags and caps.

why do you say mason's due? goalies can go through a season pretty much hot from start to finish. season is half over, and aside from a little blip, he's been the most consistent, top performing player. now that the team has come around as a whole, i see even less "reason" for him to regress.
- hammarby31

I mean regress statistically back to the mean, not regress developmentally. Think he'll end up at .915 to .920 when all is said and done.

Underlying possession numbers from this last little run haven't been great... and it's unlikely that Hartsy/Schenn/Simmonds will stay hot for much longer. And, as you mentioned, the stars have been relatively healthy... can't bank on that either. Mason's probably due for a bit more regression, too.

I don't think this team is bad, but I also don't believe they're anywhere close to being at that 'one piece away' stage, either. That hopeless/clueless group we saw at the beginning of the season still rears it's head from time to time.
- Tomahawk

Ha! If this team gets a defenseman who can skate with the puck, I think we both know some of the possession numbers could skyrocket -- Giroux, Voracek, Couturier, Hartnell...those guys' zone entries are good enough where you should be able to do some things, if they even had one more defenseman to help them break a forecheck.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: We might not even recognize this team if they had even one more defenseman who could skate with the puck.

I wake up in a cold sweat at the though of if they somehow found a way to get two, whether that be through the development of Ghost or someone -- not saying you can trade for two, because I realize you can't.

I mean regress statistically back to the mean, not regress developmentally. Think he'll end up at .915 to .920 when all is said and done.
- Tomahawk

Agreed -- hoping it's more the .920, but yeah, it could get to .915 and I wouldn't be shocked if it did.

f'ng rags and caps.
- hammarby31

Yeah...I think both of those teams are going to be pains in the arse in the second half.

Ha! If this team gets a defenseman who can skate with the puck, I think we both know some of the possession numbers could skyrocket -- Giroux, Voracek, Couturier, Hartnell...those guys' zone entries are good enough where you should be able to do some things, if they even had one more defenseman to help them break a forecheck.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: We might not even recognize this team if they had even one more defenseman who could skate with the puck.

I wake up in a cold sweat at the though of if they somehow found a way to get two, whether that be through the development of Ghost or someone -- not saying you can trade for two, because I realize you can't.
- AllInForFlyers

I won't dispute that this team needs help on D and that it would dramatically improve the overall picture.

I guess the point I'm making is, often the worst moves are the obvious/bold ones, and the best moves are born from patience/opportunity.

Take our familiar goaltending conundrum... instead of moving heaven and earth for the best UFA in the land, who knew all they needed to do was package Leighton with a 3rd to solve the problem flat out.

Ive looked at the Corsi and the Fenwick and I can see a downturn in the Flyers play coming up. There getting outFenwicked and Corsified in most recent games
- Just5

Huh...I haven't looked lately, but you could kinda feel that -- while they certainly got the job done on the road trip, Mason was outstanding and they did win some shootouts.

The PK won't stay as hot as it is now, either.

That being said, you'd think that the home PP would improve some...see, that's where I think a move or two could help. To me...they're so close to evening out some of the weaknesses they have.

So close.

I won't dispute that this team needs help on D and that it would dramatically improve the overall picture.

I guess the point I'm making is, often the worst moves are the obvious/bold ones, and the best moves are born from patience/opportunity.

Take our familiar goaltending conundrum... instead of moving heaven and earth for the best UFA in the land, who knew all they needed to do was package Leighton with a 3rd to solve the problem flat out.
- Tomahawk

True enough, and fair enough -- and on that note, I'm heading to bed, as well.

Loved the hockey talk this evening, and Tomahawk, I'm holding you personally accountable for a Cup in 2016 if they stay patient and don't make a move!

Ive looked at the Corsi and the Fenwick and I can see a downturn in the Flyers play coming up. There getting outFenwicked and Corsified in most recent games
- Just5

Not to mention all those 3rd-period comebacks and actually winning games by MF'ing SOs.... how long can they keep that up for?

f'ng rags and caps.
- hammarby31

The metro spoke loudly tonight. Like a wicked new pair of ripped jeans from Abercrombie

I mean regress statistically back to the mean, not regress developmentally. Think he'll end up at .915 to .920 when all is said and done.
- Tomahawk

ah. he might. my gut says he stays around the .930 mark. and i have no idea what his actual save pctg is right now.

Huh...I haven't looked lately, but you could kinda feel that -- while they certainly got the job done on the road trip, Mason was outstanding and they did win some shootouts.

The PK won't stay as hot as it is now, either.

That being said, you'd think that the home PP would improve some...see, that's where I think a move or two could help. To me...they're so close to evening out some of the weaknesses they have.

So close.
- AllInForFlyers

the odd thing about the PP, at least on the surface, is that their almost dead last at home, and near first on the road, and yet they have a much better home record than road record. you figure if you're winning the special teams battle, most nights you come out with a win, esp on the road. not here. i'm not going to dig deeper, i just find the inverse relationship odd in this case.

if meszaros and streit can get consistently better, and that includes putting up points, but more importantly better in their own end, it would make a big difference.

The metro spoke loudly tonight. Like a wicked new pair of ripped jeans from Abercrombie
- Just5

i'm really not sure how to respond to this.

ah. he might. my gut says he stays around the .930 mark. and i have no idea what his actual save pctg is right now.
- hammarby31

He's been holding steady at .922 for awhile now.

He's been holding steady at .922 for awhile now.
- Tomahawk

i think he was around 935 earlier in the year. didn't realize he slipped that much.

i think he was around 935 earlier in the year. didn't realize he slipped that much.
- hammarby31

Yeah, luck caught up to him for a stretch... he's stabilized though, which was a huge relief.

Yeah, luck caught up to him for a stretch... he's stabilized though, which was a huge relief.
- Tomahawk

december wasn't very kind to him, but it didn't get out of hand. he seems to have reversed the situation. definitely a relief.

My question to anybody who cares to answer:

Do you think, based on the Flyers' play over the last six weeks, that they could win the Eastern Conference with the roster they have right now?
- AllInForFlyers

As the NHL has shown and part of the reason it has the most exciting post season around rivaled by maybe march madness? Is the fact that if you can get in anything can happen.

So if and this is a big IF especially when it comes to the Flyers, if everybody manages to stay healthy or at least the main pieces of this team right now then yes i could very well see them in the Finals again.

*probably some homerism in there*

Yeah...I think both of those teams are going to be pains in the arse in the second half.
- AllInForFlyers

Just go to keep winning and it won't matter what those culls do.

Malkin has James Neal and Crosby has Kunitz. They seemed to have solved that problem.

And, yes, our prospect pool is one of the worst in the NHL.
- PhillySportsGuy

two guys doesnt make a line though, as good as the other 2 are. things can always be better. not to sound greedy, but as nice a little player as dupuis is, having the crosby kunitz neal line together was downright ridiculous. it solidified my desire to have another top 6 winger into the fold.

What I'm saying is the Flyers cannot obtain a defenseman that will make a huge difference without parting with Couturier or B. Schenn.
- PhillySportsGuy

i agree with this a lot.

Eleven hours till game time, Go Flyers

Re Bigg Buff:
There is NO doubt he would significantly help this team. While I'm not willing to offer the Jets a blank check for his services, if I could get him for Read, Laughton, Grossmann and this years 1st, thats a deal I'd make. It may seem like a lot, but any deal to add a top pair dman in which they don't have to move a top line forward, Coots or B Schenn or their 2015 1st is a good deal to me.

I'm not so sure about that. Remember that they need to re-sign schenn as well. He will be an rfa
- PhillySportsGuy

I cant see schenn getting all that much. Flyers have the leverage since he is a rfa and his brother plays on the team.

No more than read, but start neg at like 1.8mil.