Hard not to like last nights game, but, as always in the preseason, you can't read too much from it. That being said though, here are some observations.

Zepp-looked pretty solid, especially in the 3rd when he was actually tested a bit. Seems more than capable to be #3 on the depth chart going into the season and it looks like Zepp/Stolarz should be an excellent AHL tandem this season.

Morin-Been impressed with both his mobility and positioning. I think he his going to push very hard for a spot in the top 6 next year.

Laughton-Good wheels, got some nice sandpaper in his game and some pretty solid skills and hockey sense. He will likely start the season in the AHL but I think he's on the main roster by mid season or so.

Leier-kid can fly and has a nice nose for the puck. At worst he will be a solid 4th line/PK guy. Will be interesting to watch his development in Lehigh Valley this year.

Ghost-He already has above average NHL skills, but he does need to get stronger and work on his play away from the puck before he will be ready to play in the NHL. However, should Streit go down at any point during this season, he is already more than capable of coming up and being the #1 pp qb.

Voracek-Looks to be in excellent shape and mid season form. I think he is going to have a huge season, 30 goals and 70+ points are not out of the realm of possibility

VLC-He is going to excel on the top pp unit. If he stays healthy, 30 goals (15+ on the pp) is not out of the question
- BiggE

I can't believe how good the PP has looked so far.. especially at home.. wow.

Some were drafted when Hextall came on board. Also, the philosophy has changed as far as I can tell. Not as much emphasis on trading picks for vets or signing UFAs. I have no hate for Homer, but I think Hextall is bringing of his experience from LA and helping to build a really strong team.
- Hextall271

I could be mistaken, but I don't think there was a single player in the lineup last night that was drafted by Hextall.

I do. He's still pretty raw. Sitting in the pressbox would be the absolute wrong path. He needs to play and play a lot of minutes. Ideally it would be at the AHL level, but I'd rather him playing 20 minutes a night in Rimouski than sitting in the NHL
- Jsaquella

If he's a healthy scratch for 9 games, just being around the team and seeing how the pros do it day in and day out would help (preferably he'd play a game or 2 or more). But I wouldn't carry him as a season-long healthy scratch/7th defenseman and burn an ELC year.

is it hockey yet?

If he's a healthy scratch for 9 games, just being around the team and seeing how the pros do it day in and day out would help (preferably he'd play a game or 2 or more). But I wouldn't carry him as a season-long healthy scratch/7th defenseman and burn an ELC year.
- jmatchett383

The trouble is, he needs to play. If he's sitting around for a month and plays 3 games, I doubt it'd be as beneficial as him playing 15 games in the QMJHL. It's a similar situation to Laughton last year. Morin's probably ready for the AHL, and would benefit more from that level.

I could be mistaken, but I don't think there was a single player in the lineup last night that was drafted by Hextall.
- MJL

Yes and no. He didn't say drafted, he said when Hextall came on board (assistant GM in July 2013). But you're correct, none of the players on the ice were drafted by him (although several of them were UFA signings by him).

is it hockey yet?
- BulliesPhan87

The trouble is, he needs to play. If he's sitting around for a month and plays 3 games, I doubt it'd be as beneficial as him playing 15 games in the QMJHL. It's a similar situation to Laughton last year. Morin's probably ready for the AHL, and would benefit more from that level.
- Jsaquella

Yeah, he's definitely AHL material. I just think that getting a taste of regular season pro hockey would do enough for his mentality as a player to outweigh a few (8) games against 18 year olds. Just my take.

I don't know if you watched last night's game or not, but if you did. Did you notice the puck pressure the Flyers had in all 3 zones? The consistent back pressure through the neutral zone, and solid d zone coverage? Did the Devils have a single odd man rush all game?
- MJL

It is what I have been telling a buddy of mine for the past few years...they are finally attacking the puck and they fear playing without puck control...it is what teams like Chicago and LA do, they battle you to get the puck back, they don't want you to have any time with it...seeing that agressiveness in the games to come would be a huge step forward for the club...

[quote=Streit2ThePoint]

I could be mistaken, but I don't think there was a single player in the lineup last night that was drafted by Hextall.
- MJL

I know the GM gets to go up and make the pick, but Chris Pryor and the am scouts do almost all of the work, no?

As Flight Plan seemed to indicate, the GM just tends to drop by and check on progress and direction from time to time.

I'd wager that Homer was a lot more involved w/ the minutiae of the draft when he was asst. GM under Clarke, and head of player personnel. I'm guessing Hexy was sitting in a lot more of these draft meetings as asst as well, and probably doesn't have the same time for it now that he's the big cheese.

Remember when ppl wanted to trade him, read and simmonds for Ryan?
- JoeRussomanno

I remember telling them they were idiots.

I could be mistaken, but I don't think there was a single player in the lineup last night that was drafted by Hextall.
- MJL

Well, Sanheim and Aube-Kubel were and I didn't reference last night's roster as an example. What I am talking about is the organizational philosophy seems to have changed from signing UFAs or trading picks etc to keeping them and letting them grow. Looks to me also that Hexy has made a real effort to re stock the farm team. No hate for Homer, but there seems to be an organizational philosophy change to be more patient.

The trouble is, he needs to play. If he's sitting around for a month and plays 3 games, I doubt it'd be as beneficial as him playing 15 games in the QMJHL. It's a similar situation to Laughton last year. Morin's probably ready for the AHL, and would benefit more from that level.
- Jsaquella

Morin should be sent back with the goal of playing well enough to make the Canada U20 squad. He can join the Phantoms in the spring and take that leap forward then.

Right now, there's tantalizing flashes, but he's got a lot to work on still at the junior level.

Yes and no. He didn't say drafted, he said when Hextall came on board (assistant GM in July 2013). But you're correct, none of the players on the ice were drafted by him (although several of them were UFA signings by him).
- jmatchett383

Exactly. I wasn't saying drafted or on last nights team.

Agreed. Voracek is on the verge of becoming an elite player.
- PLindbergh31

Verge? He's already there.

I know the GM gets to go up and make the pick, but Chris Pryor and the am scouts do almost all of the work, no?

As Flight Plan seemed to indicate, the GM just tends to drop by and check on progress and direction from time to time.

I'd wager that Homer was a lot more involved w/ the minutiae of the draft when he was asst. GM under Clarke, and head of player personnel. I'm guessing Hexy was sitting in a lot more of these draft meetings as asst as well, and probably doesn't have the same time for it now that he's the big cheese.
- Tomahawk

You're right, but Hextall was only involved with the Flyers for the 2014 Draft, as he didn't become Flyers Assistant GM until after the 2013 draft.

I can't believe how good the PP has looked so far.. especially at home.. wow.
- Hextall271

Just a quick tally (4GP):

GF: 3ES 8PP
GA: 5ES 4PP 1SH

Well, Sanheim and Aube-Kubel were and I didn't reference last night's roster as an example. What I am talking about is the organizational philosophy seems to have changed from signing UFAs or trading picks etc to keeping them and letting them grow. Looks to me also that Hexy has made a real effort to re stock the farm team. No hate for Homer, but there seems to be an organizational philosophy change to be more patient.
- Hextall271

It remains to be seen what Hextall does when he has cap space during the summer. Technically he could have gone out and added a big FA, but he would have had to do some work to fit the deal under the cap and might not have been able to add the AHL veteran types he wanted to create a culture of success with the Phantoms.

The biggest shift looks to be, on the surface, that Hextall really wants the Phantoms to develop guys, and that he's willing to park a 1st rounder there if he feels it's best for the developmental curve. Under Holmgren, and even Clarke to a large extent, young guys were often brought up to the Flyers to sink or swim.

Going back as far as Dainius Zubrus and Justin Williams, guys would be drafted as first rounders and spend very little time in the AHL, unless there was a lockout.

Going back to 1995, the only non-goaltender 1st round picks that played more than 30 games with the Phantoms are Joni Pitkanen, Claude Giroux, Steve Downie and Sean Couturier.

The only reason Couturier or Pitkanen played a single game for the Phantoms is due to lockouts. Hextall seem more than willing to send guys like Laughton, Morin and Sanheim to the AHL if he feels they're not ready for the NHL. That usually has not been the case.

You're right, but Hextall was only involved with the Flyers for the 2014 Draft, as he didn't become Flyers Assistant GM until after the 2013 draft.
- jmatchett383

Yeah, but you have to admit the 2014 class looked a lot different than past drafts, namely no inexplicable/throwaway picks. Maybe that's Hexy being in on the process for a full year, maybe it's something else, but whatever it is I hope it continues.

It remains to be seen what Hextall does when he has cap space during the summer. Technically he could have gone out and added a big FA, but he would have had to do some work to fit the deal under the cap and might not have been able to add the AHL veteran types he wanted to create a culture of success with the Phantoms.

The biggest shift looks to be, on the surface, that Hextall really wants the Phantoms to develop guys, and that he's willing to park a 1st rounder there if he feels it's best for the developmental curve. Under Holmgren, and even Clarke to a large extent, young guys were often brought up to the Flyers to sink or swim.

Going back as far as Dainius Zubrus and Justin Williams, guys would be drafted as first rounders and spend very little time in the AHL, unless there was a lockout.

Going back to 1995, the only non-goaltender 1st round picks that played more than 30 games with the Phantoms are Joni Pitkanen, Claude Giroux, Steve Downie and Sean Couturier.

The only reason Couturier or Pitkanen played a single game for the Phantoms is due to lockouts. Hextall seem more than willing to send guys like Laughton, Morin and Sanheim to the AHL if he feels they're not ready for the NHL. That usually has not been the case.
- Jsaquella

Well, look how all those "sink or swim" players turned out.... Not too shabby huh?

Just a quick tally (4GP):

GF: 3ES 8PP
GA: 5ES 4PP 1SH
- Tomahawk

So is that a -2 for even strength goal differential? Even strength goal differential is the most important stat as the top 8 teams in each conference in that stat made the playoffs last year. The year before it was 8 for 8 in the east and 7 of the top 8 in the west.

Good thing Laughton read Panaccio's blog about it being now or never for him.

So is that a -2 for even strength goal differential? Even strength goal differential is the most important stat as the top 8 teams in each conference in that stat made the playoffs last year.
- psuhockey

I wouldn't read to much into the differential, especially since a lot of these games were split squad, against other split squads, and G and Voracek dressed for a possible combined 2 out of 8 games.

What you can say is that tactically the PP is still awesome/unstoppable. It doesn't seem like they miss Hartsy at all a man up. And 2nd-unit personnel are producing consistently, which didn't happen last year. All great signs.

Good thing Laughton read Panaccio's blog about it being now or never for him.
- Streit2ThePoint

It was washed up alcoholic car wash attendant at 21 for sure if he didn't step up.