Very true. Pronger could make Gervais look good.
- GOA88

LOL, well that would be a miracle, but yeah, at least he could have made him look adequate!

Can't see a guy the size of Ghost ever playing on the top pairing against top lines. Timonen has a much thicker build than Ghost who I don't think will ever be more than 180-185 lbs.

If MDZ is still with the Flyers in 2017 and playing in their top 4, well, that would either be incredible or it means the Flyers are god awful in 2017!
- BiggE

For better or worse, I think we know what the deal is with MDZ and he probably/hopefully does, too.

He either makes the commitment to being adequate in his own zone and adhering to the system, being competent defensively, or he becomes a guy like a Nolan Baumgartner.

I hate to see guys go bust. But it happens. Tomahawk mentioned Karlsson earlier, and the difference between Karlsson and Del Zotto is simple: Karlsson is adequate in his own zone. No more, no less. You can be that when you are dominant offensively.

But this league now, for defensemen, you have to be rock-solid. You can be beaten physically from time to time, but you can't bust coverages, you have to make the right reads defensively. I don't think there's a coach in the league who will put a defenseman out on the ice who is simply below the bar defensively, game in and game out.

I don't know if Del Zotto gets that, or not. I haven't seen him enough to know exactly what his issues are, but I've been thinking about watching a couple of Rags games and Predators games over the next few days so I can get a better feel. Might as well put the archive feature to use, right?

I do think that sometimes, it's easy to be really hard on young defensemen. But I do believe that if he's not able to be trusted defensively, Del Zotto's stay in Philadelphia, and maybe in the NHL, won't last long. Because there's something about his game that two organizations and coaches have soured on in 18 months, and that's saying something, in a league where defensemen are ridiculously overvalued.

I'm willing to try:
Coburn-Schenn
Grossmann-Streit
AMac-MDZ

I know I'm in the minority, but I think if you pair Schenn with Coburn, and give him lots of ice time, he can be part of a very effective shutdown pair. They won't generate much offense, but I think they can shut down the other teams top lines.
- BiggE

We need someone to move the puck to our top forwards. I think Streit-Coburn needs to happen.....

All of those guys, except for Krug, are bigger than Ghost.
- BiggE

I imagine Ghost will end up in the 185-190 range... that should put him in the same league with those other guys. I think he's got the savvy, skating and stick to do some damage defensively -- a la Duncan Keith.

And, last time I checked, Boston isn't using Krug on their top shutdown pair.
- BiggE

True enough... they've sheltered him thus far, but the guy has the heart of a lion.

Grossmann/Schenn with Vinny/Rinaldo/Rosehill all on the ice at once... the spreadsheets would catch on fire, databases would crash.
- Tomahawk

I would imagine all players on the ice would be sucked into a vortex that would form at center ice.

I think the Flyers entered 2008 without a first round pick. Once the season starts, they will have had 3, 2008, first round defenseman play for them.

I imagine Ghost will end up in the 185-190 range... that should put him in the same league with those other guys. I think he's got the savvy, skating and stick to do some damage defensively -- a la Duncan Keith.
- Tomahawk

Hopefully not this kind of damage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49YHRW0ve0k

Morin is a left side only guy. Probably always will be.



Maybe they will reunite the Grossmann-Coburn pairing from 12-13.

If Grossmann and Schenn are playing together at ES then we are (frank)ed.
- Feanor

Never, ever, ever should that pairing be even whispered, let alone typed/published, lest someone see it and wonder "what's the worst that can happen?"

I would imagine all players on the ice would be sucked into a vortex that would form at center ice.
- johndewar

Not sure that quintet could make it to center ice... the vortex would have to be in their own zone.

We need someone to move the puck to our top forwards. I think Streit-Coburn needs to happen.....
- GOA88

Streit-Coburn
Grossmann-MacDonald
MDZ-Schenn

I'm not sure if Mac has played the right side much, but being over there might actually help him defend the zone better.

I think the Flyers entered 2008 without a first round pick. Once the season starts, they will have had 3, 2008, first round defenseman play for them.
- PhillySportsGuy

Del Zotto, Schenn, .......

Hopefully not this kind of damage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49YHRW0ve0k
- Feanor

Carter had it comen'

Del Zotto, Schenn, .......
- KGBflyers10

Cuma and Beach are UFA's... soon.

Never, ever, ever should that pairing be even whispered, let alone typed/published, lest someone see it and wonder "what's the worst that can happen?"
- AllInForFlyers

I was thinking the same thing for MDZ/Streit... Talk about a defensive liability.

Del Zotto, Schenn, .......
- KGBflyers10

Sbisa

I imagine Ghost will end up in the 185-190 range... that should put him in the same league with those other guys. I think he's got the savvy, skating and stick to do some damage defensively -- a la Duncan Keith.




True enough... they've sheltered him thus far, but the guy has the heart of a lion.
- Tomahawk

I truly hope you are right!

What about Nick Schultz??? I haven't read anything about him since he signed... AHL, 7th defenseman, or does he crack the line up?

We need someone to move the puck to our top forwards. I think Streit-Coburn needs to happen.....
- GOA88

Actually Schenn makes a very nice first pass out of his zone, it's when he tries to skate it out that he gets in trouble. If he is paired with a strong skater like Coburn, I think he can be very successful.

Never, ever, ever should that pairing be even whispered, let alone typed/published, lest someone see it and wonder "what's the worst that can happen?"
- AllInForFlyers

Well, its better than Foster-Gervais at least

What about Nick Schultz??? I haven't read anything about him since he signed... AHL, 7th defenseman, or does he crack the line up?
- leon neon

Put Schultz in for Grossmann... MDZ... the top-6 is suddenly fast.

What about Nick Schultz??? I haven't read anything about him since he signed... AHL, 7th defenseman, or does he crack the line up?
- leon neon

7th dman unless there are injuries or major form issues with the top 6. They got him specifically so they don't have to have a young player in the press box. It's also a pretty clear indication they don't rate Lauridsen (who is 25 and not really young anymore).

What about Nick Schultz??? I haven't read anything about him since he signed... AHL, 7th defenseman, or does he crack the line up?
- leon neon

7th dman, IMO

Sbisa
- TobyFlenderson

Oh yeah. I thought he meant on the current roster. My bad.

Del Zotto, Schenn, .......
- KGBflyers10

Sbisa

Edirt: Leight

Maybe next time we go after the good ones.

I find it funny that even in Bill's writeup Schenn is compared to Komisarek. I know Komisarek was a good dman at one point, but a top 5 pick on a Mike Komisarek?

What about Nick Schultz??? I haven't read anything about him since he signed... AHL, 7th defenseman, or does he crack the line up?
- leon neon

Let me try this again.

So when it comes to Nick Schultz, would you say that... you know nothing?