If the Flyers are looking for another forward in his 20's from the Euro leagues to follow in the footsteps of Raffl and PEB here's a candidate: Derek Ryan. He's American, but was MVP of the Swedish league this season.

http://www.eliteprospects...m/player.php?player=67660
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2...erek-ryan-shl-goal-orebro
- Feanor

He's not available until summer 2016.

Bill reads the pulse of the fan base. I would have to say as a complete whole, Milbury really ticked us all off.
- MBFlyerfan

Pandering to the lowest common denominator of his readership is also not his style.

Pandering to the lowest common denominator of his readership is also not his style.
- Scoob

So in your opinion 99% of us are the lowest common denominator? You being the elite 1% of course.

http://bleacherreport.com...he-nhl-in-2014-15/page/11
T
hey have wayne Simmonds listed in there. Don't agree with them calling hossa, perry, or ovi "power forwards". They're all more kind of hybrid sniper/ power forwards, moreso than true power forwards. I think they call ovi and perry power forwards just because they hit a lot. When I think of power forward, I think of a guy who plays/scores more in front of the net, scores more dirty goals than he does sniping goals, hits, plays in the corners and boards hard. thoughts from anyone else?

He's not available until summer 2016.
- Tomahawk

Shame. He'll still only be 29, though.

Pandering to the lowest common denominator of his readership is also not his style.
- Scoob

elitist

So in your opinion 99% of us are the lowest common denominator? You being the elite 1% of course.
- MBFlyerfan

Nope, I didn't say that. I said a blog like this plays to that segment. Put yourself in whichever segment you like.

Pandering to the lowest common denominator of his readership is also not his style.
- Scoob

Specifically, what did you find so distasteful in the post?

Specifically, what did you find so distasteful in the post?
- johndewar

All of it. Bill generally stays out of the mud.

Shame. He'll still only be 29, though.
- Feanor

That's how old PEB is. FLyers seem to have a knack for signing unnoticed euro league guys.

All of it
- Scoob

Bill had a strong opinion and backed it up with facts. I thought that while it was different than what he usually writes, it was pretty damned good.

My only problem with it is that it gives those that deal in "Hot Takes" like Mike Milbury the attention they crave, but don't deserve.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Take Milbury's Mason Critique with a Fistful of Salt
- bmeltzer

Far too often in today's sports media world, there's a tendency to go the Skip Bayless/Don Cherry route, where you hire a blowhard who will simply shout an opinion loudly enough and not give an inch.

NBC has at least two on their hockey desk in Milbury and Jeremy Roenick. Milbury's idiotic management of the Isles aside, he's a guy that not only assaulted a man with a shoe as a player, but also assaulted a kid while working for NBC.

It's funny how often these "experts" turn out to be wrong. Both milbury and JR on Mason, and Roenick on Patrick Marleau, Johnny Boychuk and recently Minnesota coach Mike Yeo, whom Roenick called for to be fired on air.

I went from being a huge JR fan to quickly hitting the mute button when I see his face on my TV

Far too often in today's sports media world, there's a tendency to go the Skip Bayless/Don Cherry route, where you hire a blowhard who will simply shout an opinion loudly enough and not give an inch.

NBC has at least two on their hockey desk in Milbury and Jeremy Roenick. Milbury's idiotic management of the Isles aside, he's a guy that not only assaulted a man with a shoe as a player, but also assaulted a kid while working for NBC.

It's funny how often these "experts" turn out to be wrong. Both milbury and JR on Mason, and Roenick on Patrick Marleau, Johnny Boychuk and recently Minnesota coach Mike Yeo, whom Roenick called for to be fired on air.

I went from being a huge JR fan to quickly hitting the mute button when I see his face on my TV
- Jsaquella

they're both (frank)ing morons. Can't pick between which one I hate more.

Lately I've been leaving comments but not checking to see what might responses might be but there is something constantly on my mind when I post here.

I can't even begin to explain how useless I feel Andrew MacDonald is at five million a year but I've never seen a collective group more in a hurry to rush Luke Schenn and Nicolas Grossmann out the door. No I don't believe Brandon Manning and Radko Gudas are going to simply step in and do the same job as good or better at a cheaper rate. My mindset isn't in the least is to drop both Schenn and Grossmann. I understand moving on from one but we still need a physical element who can block shots on the back end. From my understanding, Manning is an AHL All-Star. I'm kind of hoping he could step in for MacDonald if a dumb team is willing to take him. Maybe be the Islanders because he's home grown. I just look at a defense that features Streit, Del Zotto, MacDonald, Schultz, Gudas and Manning and ask myself if we've really improved. Even if we are forced to keep MacDonald, he's still our most balanced two way defenseman and we lack serious physicality once we remove both Grossmann and Schenn. This is bothersome to me.

Lately I've been leaving comments but not checking to see what might responses might be but there is something constantly on my mind when I post here.

I can't even begin to explain how useless I feel Andrew MacDonald is at five million a year but I've never seen a collective group more in a hurry to rush Luke Schenn and Nicolas Grossmann out the door. No I don't believe Brandon Manning and Radko Gudas are going to simply step in and do the same job as good or better at a cheaper rate. My mindset isn't in the least is to drop both Schenn and Grossmann. I understand moving on from one but we still need a physical element who can block shots on the back end. From my understanding, Manning is an AHL All-Star. I'm kind of hoping he could step in for MacDonald if a dumb team is willing to take him. Maybe be the Islanders because he's home grown. I just look at a defense that features Streit, Del Zotto, MacDonald, Schultz, Gudas and Manning and ask myself if we've really improved. Even if we are forced to keep MacDonald, he's still our most balanced two way defenseman and we lack serious physicality once we remove both Grossmann and Schenn. This is bothersome to me.
- SuperSchennBros

Trying to figure out how you actually feel about MacDonald as a player. In the beginning of the post, you label him useless, then later call him our most balanced two way defenseman.

Lately I've been leaving comments but not checking to see what might responses might be but there is something constantly on my mind when I post here.

I can't even begin to explain how useless I feel Andrew MacDonald is at five million a year but I've never seen a collective group more in a hurry to rush Luke Schenn and Nicolas Grossmann out the door. No I don't believe Brandon Manning and Radko Gudas are going to simply step in and do the same job as good or better at a cheaper rate. My mindset isn't in the least is to drop both Schenn and Grossmann. I understand moving on from one but we still need a physical element who can block shots on the back end. From my understanding, Manning is an AHL All-Star. I'm kind of hoping he could step in for MacDonald if a dumb team is willing to take him. Maybe be the Islanders because he's home grown. I just look at a defense that features Streit, Del Zotto, MacDonald, Schultz, Gudas and Manning and ask myself if we've really improved. Even if we are forced to keep MacDonald, he's still our most balanced two way defenseman and we lack serious physicality once we remove both Grossmann and Schenn. This is bothersome to me.
- SuperSchennBros

I'd be quicker to move schenn than grossman. When luke is playing his game, he's a great defensive defenseman. The problem is he's so (frank)ing inconsistent. At least with grossman you know what you're getting night in and night out. Grossman brings physicality, shot blocking, crease clearing, and a guy who can knock pretty much anyone off the puck with ease. He does lack a lot of speed, but he just makes smart plays in the d zone, and this year he's made some really timely offensive plays. Mase was quoted earlier this year (not gonna remember when or where) saying that of all the flyer d men, grossman makes his job the easiest. I'd love to get rid of schenn and macdonald this offseason.

Streit Schultz
MDZ Grossman
Manning Gudas

That d unit is not nearly as terrifying (for flyers fans...) as this years was.

Pandering to the lowest common denominator of his readership is also not his style.
- Scoob

Couldn't disagree more.

Bill is taking on the schoolyard bully, in a sense. He's been critical in the past of others, and made a reasoned and fact filled statement that shows that not only is Milbury's analysis completely wrong, the man has a long history of being incredibly incompetent at his job, whether it's as a national hockey analyst for a major network or the GM or head coach of a NHL team.

Bill seems to find it distasteful that this incompetent idiot has a national platform and uses it to shred a guy who has busted his ass to resurrect his NHL career and who has dealt with a lot of difficulty this season in a very professional manner, while putting up a fantastic individual performance.

I applaud Bill for this blog. I thinks it's a great job of showing that Milbury is little more than an ignorant jackass with a loud voice and a bully pulpit to abuse.

I'd be quicker to move schenn than grossman. When luke is playing his game, he's a great defensive defenseman. The problem is he's so (frank)ing inconsistent. At least with grossman you know what you're getting night in and night out. Grossman brings physicality, shot blocking, crease clearing, and a guy who can knock pretty much anyone off the puck with ease. He does lack a lot of speed, but he just makes smart plays in the d zone, and this year he's made some really timely offensive plays. Mase was quoted earlier this year (not gonna remember when or where) saying that of all the flyer d men, grossman makes his job the easiest. I'd love to get rid of schenn and macdonald this offseason.

Streit Schultz
MDZ Grossman
Manning Gudas

That d unit is not nearly as terrifying (for flyers fans...) as this years was.
- benjichronic

It's a LOT more scary. A healthy Braydon Coburn is still better than any of those six. At this stage of his career, it's hard to feel very confident that Grossmann is still a top 4 defenseman. Nick Schultz's play has dipped noticeably as the season has wound down. Even Streit has had his struggles.

Couldn't disagree more.

Bill is taking on the schoolyard bully, in a sense. He's been critical in the past of others, and made a reasoned and fact filled statement that shows that not only is Milbury's analysis completely wrong, the man has a long history of being incredibly incompetent at his job, whether it's as a national hockey analyst for a major network or the GM or head coach of a NHL team.

Bill seems to find it distasteful that this incompetent idiot has a national platform and uses it to shred a guy who has busted his ass to resurrect his NHL career and who has dealt with a lot of difficulty this season in a very professional manner, while putting up a fantastic individual performance.

I applaud Bill for this blog. I thinks it's a great job of showing that Milbury is little more than an ignorant jackass with a loud voice and a bully pulpit to abuse.
- Jsaquella

Mike Milbury makes Don Cherry look like a combination of Mahatma Gahndi, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln and Mother Theresa. Milbury still looks like himself...... How did that guy ever graduate at Colgate?

Lately I've been leaving comments but not checking to see what might responses might be but there is something constantly on my mind when I post here.

I can't even begin to explain how useless I feel Andrew MacDonald is at five million a year but I've never seen a collective group more in a hurry to rush Luke Schenn and Nicolas Grossmann out the door. No I don't believe Brandon Manning and Radko Gudas are going to simply step in and do the same job as good or better at a cheaper rate. My mindset isn't in the least is to drop both Schenn and Grossmann. I understand moving on from one but we still need a physical element who can block shots on the back end. From my understanding, Manning is an AHL All-Star. I'm kind of hoping he could step in for MacDonald if a dumb team is willing to take him. Maybe be the Islanders because he's home grown. I just look at a defense that features Streit, Del Zotto, MacDonald, Schultz, Gudas and Manning and ask myself if we've really improved. Even if we are forced to keep MacDonald, he's still our most balanced two way defenseman and we lack serious physicality once we remove both Grossmann and Schenn. This is bothersome to me.
- SuperSchennBros

Grossmann and LSchenn don't block many shots, (only MDZ and Schultz block much more than one shot per game) and Gudas is more physical than either of them. The good teams have defenses who move the puck accurately and skate well.

Games - Blocks
Schultz 77-113
Del Zotto 61-91
Streit 78-83
LSchenn 58-69
Grossmann 65-64
MacDonald 58-62
Coalaicovo 32-32

Mike Milbury makes Don Cherry look like a combination of Mahatma Gahndi, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln and Mother Theresa. Milbury still looks like himself...... How did that guy ever graduate at Colgate?
- Steelmanpa

We must not thinking of the same Don Cherry

It's a LOT more scary. A healthy Braydon Coburn is still better than any of those six. At this stage of his career, it's hard to feel very confident that Grossmann is still a top 4 defenseman. Nick Schultz's play has dipped noticeably as the season has wound down. Even Streit has had his struggles.
- Jsaquella

Braydon Coburn, even when physically healthy has not had his mind right since he took that puck to the face, 5 -6 years ago. Really he has not been the same and has been less effective and made more errors. Yeah Schultz has worn down and Streit just came back from visiting a presumably ailing grandparent in Europe, so I cut him break for the physical issues of time change and mental changes being about to lose someone in his family.
We all know there is going to be some infusion of youth and a new mix on the back end.
Patience, or we will end up being patients

I'd be quicker to move schenn than grossman. When luke is playing his game, he's a great defensive defenseman. The problem is he's so (frank)ing inconsistent. At least with grossman you know what you're getting night in and night out. Grossman brings physicality, shot blocking, crease clearing, and a guy who can knock pretty much anyone off the puck with ease. He does lack a lot of speed, but he just makes smart plays in the d zone, and this year he's made some really timely offensive plays. Mase was quoted earlier this year (not gonna remember when or where) saying that of all the flyer d men, grossman makes his job the easiest. I'd love to get rid of schenn and macdonald this offseason.

Streit Schultz
MDZ Grossman
Manning Gudas

That d unit is not nearly as terrifying (for flyers fans...) as this years was.
- benjichronic

Well it would have to be

MDZ-Schultz
Grossmann-Streit
MacDonald-Gudas
Manning

Since MDZ and Grossmann can't play the right side and MacDonald won't be traded this offseason. But you are also leaving out Ghost, Morin and Colaiacovo who I think are more likely to play regularly for the Flyers next season than Manning is.

Mike Milbury makes Don Cherry look like a combination of Mahatma Gahndi, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln and Mother Theresa. Milbury still looks like himself...... How did that guy ever graduate at Colgate?
- Steelmanpa

No idea on Colgate, but Cherry's pretty bad himself. Might have been a bit better of a coach than Milbury, but not sold on that. He did well with an extremely talented Bruins team and horrible with an awful Rockies team.

Nope, I didn't say that. I said a blog like this plays to that segment. Put yourself in whichever segment you like.
- Scoob

I watched Milbury play and he was run of the mill