Nope I said who I believe will be the 1st call up
- ob18

I haven't seen much of Alt

Looking forward to seeing him play sometime, but in about a year or two am drooling thinking about Gostisbehere in orange

Todd Cordell @ToddCordell · 7m 7 minutes ago

Bob McKenzie said he really thinks New Jersey and New York (Islanders) could surpass some teams like Philadelphia in the Metro this year.

Damned pessimist.

I haven't seen much of Alt

Looking forward to seeing him play sometime, but in about a year or two am drooling thinking about Gostisbehere in orange
- Marc D

I'd be mildly surprised if he's not a Flyer by the end of the year.

Todd Cordell @ToddCordell · 7m 7 minutes ago

Bob McKenzie said he really thinks New Jersey and New York (Islanders) could surpass some teams like Philadelphia in the Metro this year.

Damned pessimist.
- Jsaquella

Isn't he the one who said the flyers were trading a dman to make room for Morin?

He might. It would be a huge help if Luke Schenn and Del Zotto can be a consistent pair and not a tire fire.

The forwards will need to play much better in puck support and gap control, something they haven't shown they can do on a regular basis.

I'm not saying they can't be a playoff team. But they'll need a lot to go right to make the playoffs. Just like a lot of other teams in the division
- Jsaquella

After Berube took over, I think the Flyers were something like 43-21-( ). One of the best records in the NHL in that time span. There is the loss of Timonen, and Hartnell for Umberger. Adding Del Zotto and having MacDonald for the entire season. But the rest of the team is back. No reason not to expect B Schenn and Couturier to get better. Raffl to grow as a player. And they've added some speed with a player like Bellmare. I have no doubt that Lecavalier can be better.
So to summarize, sure seems to be a lot of pessimism coming from some fans. No reason why this team shouldn't be a solid playoff team.

Todd Cordell @ToddCordell · 7m 7 minutes ago

Bob McKenzie said he really thinks New Jersey and New York (Islanders) could surpass some teams like Philadelphia in the Metro this year.

Damned pessimist.
- Jsaquella

Could is the key word. And it means squat.

Todd Cordell @ToddCordell · 7m 7 minutes ago

Bob McKenzie said he really thinks New Jersey and New York (Islanders) could surpass some teams like Philadelphia in the Metro this year.

Damned pessimist.
- Jsaquella

NJ is like the Czech national team.

From 1998.

NJ is like the Czech national team.

From 1998.
- Marc D

NJ added some solid scoring, has several good young defensemen and no longer has Brodeur taking starts from Schneider.

Todd Cordell @ToddCordell · 7m 7 minutes ago

Bob McKenzie said he really thinks New Jersey and New York (Islanders) could surpass some teams like Philadelphia in the Metro this year.

Damned pessimist.
- Jsaquella

Isles maybe. NJ no way.

The Devils can only ride Schneider so far and honestly they don't have much in the forward ranks or d core that strikes fear in me. Cammalari was a nice add but Jagr and Elias are as old as dirt. Adam Larsson still doesn't show any signs of the player he was advertised as. Greene is good. Gelinas could be good, but I don't see them doing much this year.

The Islanders are clearly improved. I think Pitt improved too.
NYRs could go either way but I see them as a lock for a playoff spot.
CBJ are up and coming with good speed, and very goaltending

Flyers are counting on improvement for some youngsters and bounce back years from at least three players.

So who knows.

So Ek has CLB winning the metro and our boys in 2nd.

I need to get some of the stuff he's smokin, thats some sweet buds!!

Anywho, heres how I think the Metro goes

Pittsburgh
NY Rangers
Philadelphia
Columbus
NY Islanders
Washington
New Jersey
Carolina

Isn't he the one who said the flyers were trading a dman to make room for Morin?
- JoeRussomanno

Yeah, McKenzie knows nothing. Ek is right, Flyers are a lock for second. We'll waive that magic wand and correct the gap problems and puck support issues that have existed for the last 3-5 seasons, no sweat.

And those 5 on 5 issues, no worry at all. poop, I'm going to get my beach chair set up on Broad St for the parade in June

Todd Cordell @ToddCordell · 7m 7 minutes ago

Bob McKenzie said he really thinks New Jersey and New York (Islanders) could surpass some teams like Philadelphia in the Metro this year.

Damned pessimist.
- Jsaquella

We all are born to be a pessimist, it's just common place....it's our nature.

Yeah, McKenzie knows nothing. Ek is right, Flyers are a lock for second. We'll waive that magic wand and correct the gap problems and puck support issues that have existed for the last 3-5 seasons, no sweat.

And those 5 on 5 issues, no worry at all. poop, I'm going to get my beach chair set up on Broad St for the parade in June
- Jsaquella

TSN has them #25 in their rankings to start the year, perhaps if they had Kimmo they'd have been a bit higher.

TSN has them #25 in their rankings to start the year, perhaps if they had Kimmo they'd have been a bit higher.
- ob18

Thats pretty low, I would have them somewhere tween 14-18

Isles maybe. NJ no way.

The Devils can only ride Schneider so far and honestly they don't have much in the forward ranks or d core that strikes fear in me. Cammalari was a nice add but Jagr and Elias are as old as dirt. Adam Larsson still doesn't show any signs of the player he was advertised as. Greene is good. Gelinas could be good, but I don't see them doing much this year.
- hereticpride

Simply losing the subpar goaltending of Brodeur will give them 5-7 points. That would have been enough to make the playoffs last year.

There's guys who are old, but still effective. Not saying they're a contender, but I think they're a playoff team.

NJ added some solid scoring, has several good young defensemen and no longer has Brodeur taking starts from Schneider.
- Jsaquella

I see the Flyers, NJD, Isles, Detroit, and Caps battling for the 7th and 8th spot.

I think Pitt, NYR, CLB, Tampa, Boston, Montreal will make it.

Yeah, McKenzie knows nothing. Ek is right, Flyers are a lock for second. We'll waive that magic wand and correct the gap problems and puck support issues that have existed for the last 3-5 seasons, no sweat.

And those 5 on 5 issues, no worry at all. poop, I'm going to get my beach chair set up on Broad St for the parade in June
- Jsaquella

I'll give the same reply to what Ek said that I said about what McKenzie said. Doesn't mean squat. Other then pure pessimism, what reason is there that the Flyers can't be a better 5 on 5 team this year? Or is a team just destined to always be what it was for the last 3-5 seasons. Which by the way, were under different coaches. The Flyers had pretty darn good record under Berube after he took over last year. Must have done something right.

Simply losing the subpar goaltending of Brodeur will give them 5-7 points. That would have been enough to make the playoffs last year.

There's guys who are old, but still effective. Not saying they're a contender, but I think they're a playoff team.
- Jsaquella

did they get anyone good at the shoot out? they were 0-13 last yr

Simply losing the subpar goaltending of Brodeur will give them 5-7 points. That would have been enough to make the playoffs last year.

There's guys who are old, but still effective. Not saying they're a contender, but I think they're a playoff team.
- Jsaquella

I think the Devils are relying too much on some seriously aging forwards, but they've seemed done before and bounced back so who knows

We all are born to be a pessimist, it's just common place....it's our nature.
- ob18

I'm not even a pessimist. I said for all of last season they were a playoff team, and stuck by it. I don't even think they're that bad now, but that other teams in the division improved while they pretty much stayed lateral.

The Rangers stayed roughly the same. Columbus looked better but the injuries may hurt them. The Devils and Isles improved.

Havlat and Clowe in their top 9. Zajac as 1C.

Such a shame Lou screwed up Kovalchuk so badly.

TSN has them #25 in their rankings to start the year, perhaps if they had Kimmo they'd have been a bit higher.
- ob18

Good. Give these kids more ammo to start the season with. G plays his best when he's doubted most, and the team usually seems to follow his lead.

That is a ridiculous ranking though. Buff, Car, Fla, Ari, Was, Wpg, Ott, Tor, Van, NJ. All teams that I just can't rank above us.

I'll throw Nashville in too considering Renne is coming off major health issues and played quite poorly when healthy.

Simply losing the subpar goaltending of Brodeur will give them 5-7 points. That would have been enough to make the playoffs last year.

There's guys who are old, but still effective. Not saying they're a contender, but I think they're a playoff team.
- Jsaquella

Maybe, maybe not. And another area of their team play could lose 5-7 points. Which is just a number pulled out of a hat. What formula did you use to come up with that 5-7 point number? That it's the number of points that they missed the playoffs by?

I'm not even a pessimist. I said for all of last season they were a playoff team, and stuck by it. I don't even think they're that bad now, but that other teams in the division improved while they pretty much stayed lateral.

The Rangers stayed roughly the same. Columbus looked better but the injuries may hurt them. The Devils and Isles improved.
- Jsaquella

If B Schenn, Raffl, and Couturier grow as young players. And if Lecavalier bounces back and meshes with Umberger. And if the 4th line is improved, then that will improve the Flyers.
The game is played on the ice, not on paper.