Tried to read Sam Hinkie's 13 page resignation letter....

Couldn't get through the Thinking about thinking part.
- hockeylover

47-195 in his tenure. A job well done.

Bill Meltzer
@billmeltzer
"Very honored and humbled to be presenting Yanick Dupre Award tonight on behalf of Philadelphia PHWA."
- CaptEO

CaptEO, good morning.

I've never played professional hockey, let alone professional goalie, but here is my take:

As a goalie you have to keep your eyes on the puck and pay attention to where it is on the ice at all times. Then while the play is in your zone, you're moving side to side, up and down (whether the shot gets through or not), you're kicking, stretching, and up and down with all the equipment.

I think the mental portion of the position is far more exhausting then the physical which is pretty tough too.

I've had days at the office where I've sat on my a$$ but have gone home more tired than if I was in and out of office all day on jobs. Only because the mental stress of the day was more tiring than the physical.
- hockeylover

I get that, and I've certainly felt the same way some days after work, my point is that I just think the team as a whole is tired. They've played 9 games in 14 nights, have a bunch of back to backs, and earlier in the year had a few stretches they didn't play for almost a week. That and most of these games they have been overachieving. They've gotten screwed with their schedule, can't talk to any other teams but I feel like the league could have figured it out more fairly.

I'm not quite giving up hope yet, but last night hurt, and with the Pens game meaning something I have 0 confidence against that team right now. A smack down on Toronto would make me feel better.

Oilers getting a new building, need another 1st overall pick to christen it.
- blacksheep1

30 first overall picks wont help the oilers if they keep drafting centres...just make sure the flyers win

Here's something I never really got as far as positions and being tired. I played some hockey as a kid, goalie for a bit, but stopped in high school, so guys who have played all their lives might be able to chime in.

The goalie pretty much stands there all game, unless the puck is in their end the entire night, but let's say for the sake of argument the average the time of possession is split between both teams. The players are out there skating and checking and shooting for 18-22 minutes per game, hopefully skating hard and giving it all they got for each shift, so why does a goalie who has played so many games in a row get a pass for being tired but the rest of the team doesn't? There's no back up for Giroux, I'm sure he's played more games in a row than Mason has. Never really made sense to me. Is it because the players are expected to be better conditioned than the goalie?
- Tomfan365

Goalies put a lot more pressure on their knees and hips than skaters. That's why even 70 games out of 82 is a huge workload for a goalie.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/...sPlayed&aggregate=0&pos=G

This game is a total layup. With the flyers playing to make the playoffs and Toronto playing for nothing, this is an easy and guaranteed win tonight.
- rangerdanger94

You neglected to mention that it will be a shutout win.

Ghost fires the puck on his own net with a Redwing crashing the crease and it's MacDonald's fault.
- Feanor

I find it baffling that people are focusing on Read and Macdonald as the problems with last night's line up.

Giroux was not creating space for himself or his line mates. It took Jake half a game and a major gaffe to get into the game. Simmonds was unhinged. Schenn look uninterested and Ghost got burned on some reckless plays.

Read and Macdonald or anyone inserted for them are unlikely to be major difference makers in the remaining 3 games. It's the guys above who need to be better. Heck the only core players that brought their A game last night were Mason, Streit and Couturier.

Here's something I never really got as far as positions and being tired. I played some hockey as a kid, goalie for a bit, but stopped in high school, so guys who have played all their lives might be able to chime in.

The goalie pretty much stands there all game, unless the puck is in their end the entire night, but let's say for the sake of argument the average the time of possession is split between both teams. The players are out there skating and checking and shooting for 18-22 minutes per game, hopefully skating hard and giving it all they got for each shift, so why does a goalie who has played so many games in a row get a pass for being tired but the rest of the team doesn't? There's no back up for Giroux, I'm sure he's played more games in a row than Mason has. Never really made sense to me. Is it because the players are expected to be better conditioned than the goalie?
- Tomfan365

I have never attempted to play a season of professional ice hockey...so really have no idea is what it comes down to.

The workload is just completely different. Going up and down in the butterfly and loading up to push off of each foot. In my opinion, a goalies body is doing more things it shouldn't, if you will. Stretching that quickly and making those type of movements are more taxing and create more strain on the body than skating as hard as possible.

AMac's gaffe came right after the faceoff when he stuttered forward, almost ready to challenge for the puck, then remembered who he was and retreated backwards.
- wolfhounds

In reality he started skating backwards as the puck was being dumped in, something every defensemen in the league would do.

. Heck the only core player that brought their A game last night were Mason.
- Baxter27

FTFY

Id sit Jake for the rest of the stretch. Put Gagner back up in his spot and laughton back on the 3rd line. Jake is struggling to do anything good right now

Anyone who thinks tonight is an easy win is sadly mistaken this team is playing like poop and they tend to play down to bad teams. Also they play awful most of the times there are pregame ceremonies. We have a confluence of bad vibes tonight. Maybe they counteract each other and the Flyers smoke the Leafs but maybe they all add up and the Leafs smoke the Flyers.

FTFY
- dragonoffrost

That's probably more accurate but Couturier and surprisingly Streit had solid games.

Here's something I never really got as far as positions and being tired. I played some hockey as a kid, goalie for a bit, but stopped in high school, so guys who have played all their lives might be able to chime in.

The goalie pretty much stands there all game, unless the puck is in their end the entire night, but let's say for the sake of argument the average the time of possession is split between both teams. The players are out there skating and checking and shooting for 18-22 minutes per game, hopefully skating hard and giving it all they got for each shift, so why does a goalie who has played so many games in a row get a pass for being tired but the rest of the team doesn't? There's no back up for Giroux, I'm sure he's played more games in a row than Mason has. Never really made sense to me. Is it because the players are expected to be better conditioned than the goalie?
- Tomfan365

Because there is a level of concentration for a goalie that cannot quit for the full 60. He has to be alert and aware. It isn't just physical tiredness that's being discussed. When other players are on the bench, they can spend a few moments resting their brains, too. Goalie gets only the TOs for that.

Thanks Bill. The last two games were painful to watch. I don't know why the team has chosen to let the wheels fall off, but they were outplayed in every aspect of the game, except in goal. I really feel bad for Mason, since he has another great season go to waste. If this team does actually back into the playoffs, they really don't have what it takes to take it to the playoff level.
On a different note, it will be interesting to see where Lyon fits in next season. I assume he is going to be sent to LHV. If so, does that mean that Stolarz moves up, or is he still going to be sitting in LHV? If Stolarz moves up, then who will be moved during the off season? More goalie drama to come...lol.

Could be the fact that they have played 14 games in 9 nights.
- jak521

Double headers

I've never played professional hockey, let alone professional goalie, but here is my take:

As a goalie you have to keep your eyes on the puck and pay attention to where it is on the ice at all times. Then while the play is in your zone, you're moving side to side, up and down (whether the shot gets through or not), you're kicking, stretching, and up and down with all the equipment.

I think the mental portion of the position is far more exhausting then the physical which is pretty tough too.

I've had days at the office where I've sat on my a$$ but have gone home more tired than if I was in and out of office all day on jobs. Only because the mental stress of the day was more tiring than the physical.
- hockeylover

You are wearing heavy gear and a mask all game, trying to stay 100 percent focused on the play, no respites between the whistles because play could suddenly swing your way at any time. You are getting bumped around the net numerous times. Have to drop into the butterfly and pop up dozens of times (even if shot attempt, do the splits as needed. Trying to stay hydrated. No "between shift" breaks on the bench, just a few TV timeouts. You're on the ice -- you hope -- for 60 minutes less a few delayed penalties.

In short, it's very, very taxing.

47-195 in his tenure. A job well done.
- PLindbergh31

The Mike Milbury of the NBA

This game is a total layup. With the flyers playing to make the playoffs and Toronto playing for nothing, this is an easy and guaranteed win tonight.
- rangerdanger94

Thank you. Flyers probably see it the same way

Id sit Jake for the rest of the stretch. Put Gagner back up in his spot and laughton back on the 3rd line. Jake is struggling to do anything good right now
- Just5

You don't just sit a key player. Yes, he's struggling. But he is still their best setup man after Giroux. The whole team was varying degrees of lousy the last two games except for the goaltender. Last Saturday, he looked close to being back to himself. All you can do is hope he makes some plays in these last few games.

Gagner and Laughton are downgrades on Voracek even at 70% or whatever he's playing at right now.

You are wearing heavy gear and a mask all game, trying to stay 100 percent focused on the play, no respites between the whistles because play could suddenly swing your way at any time. You are getting bumped around the net numerous times. Have to drop into the butterfly and pop up dozens of times (even if shot attempt, do the splits as needed. Trying to stay hydrated. No "between shift" breaks on the bench, just a few TV timeouts. You're on the ice -- you hope -- for 60 minutes less a few delayed penalties.

In short, it's very, very taxing.
- bmeltzer

Most of us really have no conception of what any of these guys go through. You and I both know that by this point in the season, many of the players are playing through injuries that would have sidelined them earlier in the season. You also cannot underestimate the mental fatigue that is accumulated when every game you play is basically a must win.

For these reasons alone, I'd like to get Laughton in the lineup tonight. A fresh set of 21 year old legs could be huge.

You don't just sit a key player. Yes, he's struggling. But he is still their best setup man after Giroux. The whole team was varying degrees of lousy the last two games except for the goaltender. Last Saturday, he looked close to being back to himself. All you can do is hope he makes some plays in these last few games.

Gagner and Laughton are downgrades on Voracek even at 70% or whatever he's playing at right now.
- bmeltzer

Exactly! If you are going to insert Laughton (which I would), you sit either Read or Gagner.

The Mike Milbury of the NBA
- BiggE

Does this mean Hinkie is going to be sitting in between Barkley & Shaq on Inside the NBA?

I would sit Read for Laughton.
- MBFlyerfan

If it were up to me I would sit either White or VDV

Voracek-G-Schenn
Simmonds-Couts-Cousins
Laughton-Cousins-Raffl
Read-Bellemare-White/VDV

Manning out for Med.

This game is a total layup. With the flyers playing to make the playoffs and Toronto playing for nothing, this is an easy and guaranteed win tonight.
- rangerdanger94

Absolutely incorrect. Leafs had nothing to play for in January and beat us in a critical home game. Boy, those two points would come in handy today.