Better off for the mcdavid sweeps to keep gimpy in the lineup
- Just5

Excellent point. Give Umberger more minutes!

Good god, who is the girl on Comcast right now? This girl has a terrible voice to be reporting anything.
- hereticpride

Probably a flyers exec daughter

Can't be scared to scratch Read with how he's played all season -- I give him credit for his zone starts, because he is right there with Couturier, but Read's not passing the eye test far too often this season

I don't expect him to be extremely physical, don't expect him to score 30 goals

I did kinda expect him to score 20 goals and at least look dangerous off the rush and on counterattacks, and be a strong penalty killer and two-way player

That guy's shown up for maybe three games this season
- AllInForFlyers

Read looks like dreck. He has to be playing through a nagging injury or something. He looks absolutely brutal. But even then that's not entirely it. He's been making a ton of mental errors as well. Is it him? What coaching is asking of him? I have zero friggin clue.

But I have to say he's getting dangerously close to my breaking point with him. If he plays like this much longer you just cant justify the contract moving forward.

Excellent point. Give Umberger more minutes!
- wolfhounds

Put him on Vinny's line

Read looks like dreck. He has to be playing through a nagging injury or something. He looks absolutely brutal. But even then that's not entirely it. He's been making a ton of mental errors as well. Is it him? What coaching is asking of him? I have zero friggin clue.

But I have to say he's getting dangerously close to my breaking point with him. If he plays like this much longer you just cant justify the contract moving forward.
- hereticpride

To be honest, I'm sick of the injury speculation/excuse. Is Lecavalier hurt? He's already sat two weeks. Is Umberger hurt? I've watched Umberger for a fact block a shot at least twice with his hands this season. Whether or not they are hurt though, nobody cares, nor gives them a pass.

To be honest, I'm sick of the injury speculation/excuse. Is Lecavalier hurt? He's already sat two weeks. Is Umberger hurt? I've watched Umberger for a fact block a shot at least twice with his hands this season. Whether or not they are hurt though, nobody cares, nor gives them a pass.
- SuperSchennBros

it is annoying. and not a total excuse. but it is somewhat of a justification. if he is playing through a wrist injury, his shot (which was one of his best attributes) is greatly diminished. or say if its a nagging groin injury. read wasnt a speed demon in a grabner sense, but it could make acceleration or gaining separation very difficult.

id still take him

Buffalo won. Devils got a point. And of course CBJ picked up 2. The race for the bottom is tight.

Kevin Weeks is a worse commentator than was a goalie

To be honest, I'm sick of the injury speculation/excuse. Is Lecavalier hurt? He's already sat two weeks. Is Umberger hurt? I've watched Umberger for a fact block a shot at least twice with his hands this season. Whether or not they are hurt though, nobody cares, nor gives them a pass.
- SuperSchennBros

Because Read has been here for 3 highly effective seasons as a key forward. He's scored 20+ goals twice, and was on pace for that many in the lockout shortened season.

He's generally been a positive player in terms of two way play and a decent 5 on 5 player for the majority of his career.

Lecavalier, outside of brief stretches, has been awful as a Flyer. When he has dressed this season, he's seemed about as energetic as a corpse. Outside of a handful of games, Umberger has been just as bad in his second stint, and is coming off a bad season in Columbus.

That's why Read gets the benefit of the doubt more than Vinny or Umberger.

it is annoying. and not a total excuse. but it is somewhat of a justification. if he is playing through a wrist injury, his shot (which was one of his best attributes) is greatly diminished. or say if its a nagging groin injury. read wasnt a speed demon in a grabner sense, but it could make acceleration or gaining separation very difficult.

id still take him
- stayinthefnnet

of course....like you took downie......(frank)ing guy looked like he was about to skate into the grave all last year and now he looks just fine.....amazing

of course....like you took downie......(frank)ing guy looked like he was about to skate into the grave all last year and now he looks just fine.....amazing
- hogweed

i do think downie was experiencing some health problems when he was with the flyers.

although during his second stint with the flyers, i have to say, while he was ineffective, he really did seem to clean up his game a lot as far as being a scumdouche.

with the pens. he has been a somewhat decent player for what he is. and while he doesnt have it as bad as he used to, i am a little disappointed to see that every now and then he sneaks in some unnecessary bullpoop.

And tonight shows exactly why making up ground in the playoff race is going to be brutal.

A few days ago, the Flyers were only six points out of a spot, trailing the New York Rangers. They won a game, then got a point tonight. Took three of four possible points.

And are now trailing the Washington Capitals by SEVEN points.

Pissing around for those eight games hurt.

Thursday's game is a big effing deal -- yeah, it's the 28th game of the season. But if they lose in regulation to New Jersey...man. They really need to not let that happen -- yeah, I know that's implied, but it really behooves the Flyers to find a way to win in regulation on Thursday.

The problem is, if they scratched everyone that deserves it, they might not be able to fill out two lines.
- FlyerFan16

I hear you, brother. Just when you think they might have snapped out of it, back to relying on the PP and Giroux/Voracek to be in on the only goals they score.

And tonight shows exactly why making up ground in the playoff race is going to be brutal.

A few days ago, the Flyers were only six points out of a spot, trailing the New York Rangers. They won a game, then got a point tonight. Took three of four possible points.

And are now trailing the Washington Capitals by SEVEN points.

Pissing around for those eight games hurt.

Thursday's game is a big effing deal -- yeah, it's the 28th game of the season. But if they lose in regulation to New Jersey...man. They really need to not let that happen -- yeah, I know that's implied, but it really behooves the Flyers to find a way to win in regulation on Thursday.
- AllInForFlyers

just let it go. they're not going to make the playoffs.

just let it go. they're not going to make the playoffs.
- hammarby31

thats just a poopty realization to have to come to though. as a fan. its worse than a bad loss. because this team should be better.

with the phillies coming up. i have absolutely 0 expectations or hope. and in fact i hope they suck so bad that they realize its time to blow it up.

i know its whats best. but it just feels so empty and wrong.

just let it go. they're not going to make the playoffs.
- hammarby31

Man, there's so many games left. If I let myself believe that right now, I'd be so outraged at that entire (frank)ing roster except for Giroux, Voracek and Mason, with a little wiggle room for B. Schenn, Streit and Del Zotto, I'd get into some Internet Slapfight on here that would last for pages and get banned.

thats just a poopty realization to have to come to though. as a fan. its worse than a bad loss. because this team should be better.

with the phillies coming up. i have absolutely 0 expectations or hope. and in fact i hope they suck so bad that they realize its time to blow it up.

i know its whats best. but it just feels so empty and wrong.
- stayinthefnnet

it does feel empty and wrong. it sucks. but it is what it is. i can accept that.

thats just a poopty realization to have to come to though. as a fan. its worse than a bad loss. because this team should be better.

with the phillies coming up. i have absolutely 0 expectations or hope. and in fact i hope they suck so bad that they realize its time to blow it up.

i know its whats best. but it just feels so empty and wrong.
- stayinthefnnet

I'm still in the denial stage of grief

Man, there's so many games left. If I let myself believe that right now, I'd be so outraged at that entire (frank)ing roster except for Giroux, Voracek and Mason, with a little wiggle room for B. Schenn, Streit and Del Zotto, I'd get into some Internet Slapfight on here that would last for pages and get banned.
- AllInForFlyers

i'm just over it. of course i want them to win, i want them to make the playoffs, but if they don't, it's not the end of the world. i've waited 34 years. what's another one. i can do this in my sleep.

i'm just over it. of course i want them to win, i want them to make the playoffs, but if they don't, it's not the end of the world. i've waited 34 years. what's another one. i can do this in my sleep.
- hammarby31

Ugh. When I start thinking about how long it's been...ugh.

Been a decade since they had a powerhouse squad, though the 2010 team was better than their record

But yeah, it's been a little while since they clearly had one of the four or five best teams in the league and you knew they were gonna be right there

I'm still in the denial stage of grief
- AllInForFlyers

Next week it'll be the "Hanging with Ravi Shankar" stage of denial

Ugh. When I start thinking about how long it's been...ugh.

Been a decade since they had a powerhouse squad, though the 2010 team was better than their record

But yeah, it's been a little while since they clearly had one of the four or five best teams in the league and you knew they were gonna be right there
- AllInForFlyers

yep. 95-2004 they were always right there. 2005- it's been all over the place. it (frank)ing sucks.

i'm just over it. of course i want them to win, i want them to make the playoffs, but if they don't, it's not the end of the world. i've waited 34 years. what's another one. i can do this in my sleep.
- hammarby31

Right? Who gives a (frank). When your top line has to work their asses off and their best passing option is Nik (frank)ing Grossmann your (frank)ed. wake me up when we get to the podium.

thats just a poopty realization to have to come to though. as a fan. its worse than a bad loss. because this team should be better.

with the phillies coming up. i have absolutely 0 expectations or hope. and in fact i hope they suck so bad that they realize its time to blow it up.

i know its whats best. but it just feels so empty and wrong.
- stayinthefnnet

I'm with you on the Phillies front. So much so it's starting to bleed into my Flyers stance.

I'm with you on the Phillies front. So much so it's starting to bleed into my Flyers stance.
- TobyFlenderson

exactly. hockey is by far my favorite sport. but baseball just has such an indelible nature with summer and just childhood memories that it will always mean more to me than just the game itself. and i grew up with the phillies sucking. im too young to remember the 93 team. its weird. i loved them when they sucked, and i still got fulfillment out of them. but now after tasting what winning baseball is, its hard to go back. but they are a rotting corpse, and they need to realize that right now.

maybe its because i am not a flyers fan, so i dont have the bitterness that many understandably have. but i dont look at the flyers team as something that needs to be slashed and burned. they have A LOT there.