Yup. Detroit looks tough. Erased a 2 goal deficit in the final 3 minutes last night against the Pens, and won in overtime.

Considering Coburn has been out every game except one, and the murderous schedule they have played thus far, the record isn't that bad. They've been competitive in every game except the Chicago game, and frankly should have beaten Montreal. Is this a great team? No, but it's not as terrible as everyone (including me) makes them out to be.
- PLindbergh31

No, they're not, but there are times when they certainly don't help themselves. Getting Coburn back should help stabilize the D pairings a bit. The forwards are still going to have to pay attention to their play in their own zone.

Good read, Bill. If the Flyers have 2 of MacDonald, Coburn, Streit and Grossmann out at once, that defense will be a scary thing for the team. The opposition will love it though.

No surprise given that D core. His system is awesome provided he had a solid mobile d core
- Just5

They have Anton Volchenkov now

He is less then awesome

The rest are v good.

Such a funny mix of forwards on that team. Neal. Roy, olli Jokinen, Ribiero

Lavi has his work cut out for him with that group

Is this a great team? No, but it's not as terrible as everyone (including me) makes them out to be.
- PLindbergh31

The problem is they are not terrible enough. They are stuck in the middle like Winnipeg, not good enough to win the cup and not bad enough to get a franchise changing player in the draft.

HACKED! HACKED!!!!!

They won't be in the McDavid/Eichel sweepstakes, but still could easily miss the post season. The East is wide open. Even before the Pens game I was happy with how competitive they have been.
- Jsaquella

The Flyers will be the last team out of the playoffs and will be pegged to select 14th. And on the day of the Draft Lottery, a rainy day, the clouds shall part and a beam of sunlight so bright that all the attending GMs will have to look away. Except for Hextall, who will bathe in the warm glow of the Hockey Gods' beacon. In that moment, it will be announced by Fabio atop his majestic stallion, that the Flyers, with a 1.0% chance of winning the Draft Lottery, will be selecting first overall. They will select Connor McDavid on the day of the draft and the city of Philadelphia will be filled with such ecstasy as has not been seen since the 1975 Stanley Cup Victory. The next day, McDavid will be swimming off the coast of Wildwood and his leg will be torn off by a Great White.

The problem is they are not terrible enough. They are stuck in the middle like Winnipeg, not good enough to win the cup and not bad enough to get a franchise changing player in the draft.
- psuhockey

This I agree with. The odds are probably fairly high that either they miss the playoffs by a narrow margin, or lose in the first round. That said, at least they are building up a solid prospect pool.

Sitting through watching a season like the one Buffalo is going to endure, would be tough to swallow. They aren't even guaranteed to land McDavid.

Was looking up Paslawski's stats and realized that he played 2 seasons in RHI. This got me looking up the Bulldogs' stats for their finest season (95/96). Here are the stats:

http://www.hockeydb.com/i...ons/teams/0017671996.html

I like the fact that "Bench" was able to score 3 goals that year.

No, they're not, but there are times when they certainly don't help themselves. Getting Coburn back should help stabilize the D pairings a bit. The forwards are still going to have to pay attention to their play in their own zone.
- tangent_man

Agreed. When Coburn comes back I'm going to be annoyed if they take Schultz out of the lineup. (Never would have imagined saying that).

The problem is they are not terrible enough. They are stuck in the middle like Winnipeg, not good enough to win the cup and not bad enough to get a franchise changing player in the draft.
- psuhockey

Agreed. Players like Claude Giroux and Shea Weber are only available with top-end lottery picks.

After the Flyers made the blockbuster trade for Eric Lindros in the summer of 1992, the club was in need of forward depth beyond Lindros, Mark Recchi, Rod Brind'Amour and Kevin Dineen. The team signed Paslawski, a five-time 20-goal scorer in the NHL, as a free agent on Aug. 25, 1992 (his 30th birthday). Later, the club acquired Brent Fedyk via trade.

During his brief stint with the Flyers, Paslawski scored 14 goals and 33 points in 60 games. Before head coach Bill Dineen put together the Crazy Eights line of Lindros, Recchi and Fedyk, Paslawski was the third member of Philadelphia's top line. Most notably, Paslawski scored a hat trick in a wild 7-6 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 24, 1992. Lindros assisted on all three goals, whileecchi assisted on Paslawski's second and third tallies.

Before long, however, Paslawski was moved down in the lineup. On Dec. 5, 1992, Paslawski suffered a sprained knee in a 3-2 loss to the lowly Ottawa Senators. He was ineffective in his return to the lineup, going pointless in five of his next seven games. Paslawski was a healthy scratch for four straight games in early February amidst a two-week long slump.

Upon his return to the lineup, Paslawski scored goals in two of his next four games. He then hit the skids -- although the team had started winning with some regularity -- and ended up spending another four-game stint as a scratch. Finally, on March 18, the Flyers accepted a ninth-round 1993 pick (University of Wisconsin center E.J. Bradley) from the Calgary Flames and traded Paslawski.

Paslawski played well for the Flames down the stretch, posting four goals and nine points in 13 games. He scored three goals in Calgary's six-game loss to Los Angeles in the first round of the playoffs.
- bmeltzer

Thanks!

I was living in Denver at the time and without NHL center ice and easy Internet I could not follow the Flyers that closely.

So happy to have the technology to watch all the games these days!

The Flyers will be the last team out of the playoffs and will be pegged to select 14th. And on the day of the Draft Lottery, a rainy day, the clouds shall part and a beam of sunlight so bright that all the attending GMs will have to look away. Except for Hextall, who will bathe in the warm glow of the Hockey Gods' beacon. In that moment, it will be announced by Fabio atop his majestic stallion, that the Flyers, with a 1.0% chance of winning the Draft Lottery, will be selecting first overall. They will select Connor McDavid on the day of the draft and the city of Philadelphia will be filled with such ecstasy as has not been seen since the 1975 Stanley Cup Victory. The next day, McDavid will be swimming off the coast of Wildwood and his leg will be torn off by a Great White.
- NickTheKid87

Nonsense. The sun is banned from Buffalo.

Nonsense. The sun is banned from Buffalo.
- jmatchett383

Making the experience all the more divine! Probably going to be a bull or tiger shark also, poor guy.

The problem is they are not terrible enough. They are stuck in the middle like Winnipeg, not good enough to win the cup and not bad enough to get a franchise changing player in the draft.
- psuhockey

No they are not a terrible team, but they can be improved with a couple " smart" trades. I would look to a team like Winnipeg to make a deal. I would gladly take Buf or Bogo on this team.

The next Preds game is James Neal bobble head night

Which I find hilarious for some reason
- Marc D

More legit: preds or Isles?

More legit: preds or Isles?
- PhillySportsGuy

The Predators because of Pekka

More legit: preds or Isles?
- PhillySportsGuy

Predators. Earth Overlord Weber will not fail.

More legit: preds or Isles?
- PhillySportsGuy

Preds, their goaltending and defensive core is fantastic

Making the experience all the more divine! Probably going to be a bull or tiger shark also, poor guy.
- NickTheKid87

Watched a few minutes of Jeopardy last night. One of the answers was "Odin." None of the contestants knew the answer. I was displeased.

The Predators because of Pekka
- Giroux_Is_God

Tougher division and conference though

Agreed. When Coburn comes back I'm going to be annoyed if they take Schultz out of the lineup. (Never would have imagined saying that).
- PLindbergh31

you certainly are full of surprises today

you certainly are full of surprises today
- BulliesPhan87

Master Baggins

Tougher division and conference though
- PhillySportsGuy

Goalies and defense go a long way. I think the Isles come back to Earth, but I think the Press can make some noise.

you certainly are full of surprises today
- BulliesPhan87

Well don't you agree based on his play, Schultz should remain in the lineup?

They have Anton Volchenkov now

He is less then awesome

The rest are v good.

Such a funny mix of forwards on that team. Neal. Roy, olli Jokinen, Ribiero

Lavi has his work cut out for him with that group
- Marc D

Volchenkov is prob still capable as a 3rd pairing shutdown. But watching that game last night. Just crazy how good some of these dmen are around the league. grossman and schenn are just very limited players even playing to their potential

Goalies and defense go a long way. I think the Isles come back to Earth, but I think the Press can make some noise.
- Giroux_Is_God

I think both are legit. Not cup contenders but playoff caliber

I would say Isles more likely because the east is much weaker