So a team that wins 10 in a row in todays parity filled NHL, employing shutdown systems is just a fluke. Like it really never happened.

That may be the dumbest thing you ever said.
- puckhead17

I don't agree with a move now, but I do agree with moves needing to be made.

The bottom 6 needs to be fixed this off season. That shouldn't be rocket science.

They also need to find that young center that has potential to grow into the #1. I see a lot of posts about finding a 3C. Could not disagree more. Another defensive center is the last thing this team needs. Waste of assets.

I don't agree with a move now, but I do agree with moves needing to be made.

The bottom 6 needs to be fixed this off season. That shouldn't be rocket science.

They also need to find that young center that has potential to grow into the #1. I see a lot of posts about finding a 3C. Could not disagree more. Another defensive center is the last thing this team needs. Waste of assets.
- flyer_nutter

People looking for a 3C aren't looking for a defensive center. They're looking for a 2 way center.

At what point this season have the Flyers played shutdown hockey? They were extremely fortunate during the 10 game win streak. What happened to that powerhouse that won 10 games lately?

- MJL

i didn't say we employed shutdown hockey, I said playing against teams with defensive systems, and shutdown capable players.

look at the games. mason went from crap, to player of the week, to back to crap again.

Good thing we sat Ghost yesterday so that our more consistent D showed what they're made of.

i didn't say we employed shutdown hockey, I said playing against teams with defensive systems, and shutdown capable players.

look at the games. mason went from crap, to player of the week, to back to crap again.
- puckhead17

I don't want to misread your comments, but do you really think the current poor play of the team is all about goaltending? Certainly Mason's play has been up and down, but there's a lot more to it then that.

I don't agree with a move now, but I do agree with moves needing to be made.

The bottom 6 needs to be fixed this off season. That shouldn't be rocket science.

They also need to find that young center that has potential to grow into the #1. I see a lot of posts about finding a 3C. Could not disagree more. Another defensive center is the last thing this team needs. Waste of assets.
- flyer_nutter

They need to fix the bottom 6 but don't need another defensive center?

I'll help you out. The top 6 needs to be improved. That's only going to happen over time. They have plenty of bottom 6 players. A rookie konecny, raffl, couturier should compromise a 3rd line in a perfect contending world

They need to fix the bottom 6 but don't need another defensive center?

I'll help you out. The top 6 needs to be improved. That's only going to happen over time. They have plenty of bottom 6 players. A rookie konecny, raffl, couturier should compromise a 3rd line in a perfect contending world
- Just5

They don't may not need a centre for that bottom 6.

They have one in Couturier.

VDV, Belle, Weise, Read, Cousins. That's currently a trash bottom 6.

People looking for a 3C aren't looking for a defensive center. They're looking for a 2 way center.
- MJL

Everyone wants a 2 way center that is strong in both ends?

Everyone wants a 2 way center that is strong in both ends?
- flyer_nutter

I can't speak for everyone, but the posts I have read here about what the Flyers need, in terms of a 3C, has intimated they want a 2 way player. Other posters have posted that the Flyers need a #1 center better at ES.

In my opinion, yes, I think Giroux can play better at ES then he is now. I agree, there is concern over the team's offensive output at ES. Looking at the stats, if the Flyers would've scored 8 more goals at ES over the previous games, they'd be a top 10 scoring team at ES. They're mediocre overall at ES, and lately, they've been terrible at ES.
- MJL

We need him to play better at ES that is for sure. But this lack of punch from G at ES has been going on for close to 2.5 seasons. Its hard to believe that he is going to magically come out of it.

I was really struck by that vid of him from 2011 and how different a player he is now. Its not just his speed and explosiveness that seems to be disappearing, but also his willingness to go to the hard areas like in front of the net. He is a perimeter player now. I don't know if that is a system thing, but it is a thing.

He is a small guy and playing the way he once did takes a toll, and it takes it fast (see Mike Richards) Only Richards didn't have the skill level that Giroux has to overcome that very important facet of his game.

We need him to play better at ES that is for sure. But this lack of punch from G at ES has been going on for close to 2.5 seasons. Its hard to believe that he is going to magically come out of it.

I was really struck by that vid of him from 2011 and how different a player he is now. Its not just his speed and explosiveness that seems to be disappearing, but also his willingness to go to the hard areas like in front of the net. He is a perimeter player now. I don't know if that is a system thing, but it is a thing.

He is a small guy and playing the way he once did takes a toll, and it takes it fast (see Mike Richards) Only Richards didn't have the skill level that Giroux has to overcome that very important facet of his game.
- MBFlyerfan

His drop in ES production is more dramatic this season then in previous seasons, which is alarming. In the two previous seasons to the current season, Giroux was ranked around 30th among NHL centers in ES points. This season, he's 45th. I agree completely and posted as such, that the Giroux we saw in that video, is not the same player we see today. I also agree that I think the years have taken a physical toll on him. I still think there is room for improvement though. With that said, there is only so much room there, and the days of Giroux as a star player are pretty much over. He's still a pretty good player though. He can't carry the team anymore like he was able to in the past, so they need a better surrounding cast around him.

The alumni skated to a 3-0 tie? Lol, drink some coffee Bill.

All kidding aside, Desjardins seemed to play a better positional game than half of our current D. I want to laugh, but it's just too sad.

I hope they can dig deep and put together a strong effort today, because if they don't, they're looking at a blowout loss.

What frustrates me is:
Veteran players gliding back on D
Veteran players taking lazy penalties
Hak's lineup choices and line combos
Giroux's apparent decline at ES
Too many soft goals given up by both goalies

However, there are some positives:
The rapid development of Provorov as a top pair Dman
The obvious talent of Konecny
Schenn being a force on the pp
The overall play of Simmonds and Voracek

It's a work in progress, and there will be ups and downs during the process, I get that. However, for this team to take the next step they badly need to find another quality center. IMO, this is by far their biggest need.
- BiggE

Either find a balanced attack or find a realistic balance throughout the line up.

Schenn-Giroux-Simmonds
Konecny-Couturier-Voracek

This says to me you are pushing hard at an offensive attack, which is fine.

Raffl-Giroux-Voracek
Konecny-Schenn-Simmonds
Read-Couturier-Weise

This says you are looking for a balance throughout the entire line up, which is alright too. With this said, a top line of Raffl, Giroux and Read is never acceptable to me because it's not realistic to last. They're not wingers who can help G anymore than he can help them.

They don't may not need a centre for that bottom 6.

They have one in Couturier.

VDV, Belle, Weise, Read, Cousins. That's currently a trash bottom 6.
- flyer_nutter

I get it but concentrating fixing this bottom 6 is like puddying up a rusty classic car

I get it but concentrating fixing this bottom 6 is like puddying up a rusty classic car
- Just5

Improving the depth and quality of play in the lower lines is very important moving forward.

@PSG

I'm pretty excited about the young D core they are assembling.
D guys can be traded at a premium, and if they need a two way center, Hexy can deal from a position of strength.

Plus I see them drafting and developing forwards now, and hopefully one of these picks will hit.

So a team that wins 10 in a row in todays parity filled NHL, employing shutdown systems is just a fluke. Like it really never happened.

That may be the dumbest thing you ever said.
- puckhead17

12-17-6 minus those 10 games. that was a stretch where everything went right. I came into this season feeling like they were a 7/8 bubble playoff team much like last yr and its a disappointment if they don't make it. but that said they are not as good as what a 10 game win streak implies in my opinion

@MJL
I re watched the lowlights from yesterday.

I still don't like the way Streit played it on the Krug goal, but the weak back check from Weise was very much a big part of why the goal was scored.

Streit was neither up on his man, nor back far enough to defend Krug. As the last line of defense, I think he got caught in no man's land. If Weise hustles his butt off, he might get back, but Krug is a speedster and not sure he even gets there with a better effort. But his gliding back was awful.

@PSG

I'm pretty excited about the young D core they are assembling.
D guys can be traded at a premium, and if they need a two way center, Hexy can deal from a position of strength.

Plus I see them drafting and developing forwards now, and hopefully one of these picks will hit.
- Marc D

I hope you're right. I'm not saying German Rubtsov can't be a number one center for the Flyers but if they're questions of whether or not this is possible, I would find a back up plan. Scott Laughton to me is already reaching closer to being a bust. If Konecny's skill could be translated to the middle like a Giroux as a young player, we might have a solution. My issue is, we don't know who the torch will be passed to as of now. Right now I'm not OK with Rubtsov's development process.

@MJL
I re watched the lowlights from yesterday.

I still don't like the way Streit played it on the Krug goal, but the weak back check from Weise was very much a big part of why the goal was scored.

Streit was neither up on his man, nor back far enough to defend Krug. As the last line of defense, I think he got caught in no man's land. If Weise hustles his butt off, he might get back, but Krug is a speedster and not sure he even gets there with a better effort. But his gliding back was awful.
- Marc D

a gliding backchecker. seems like that is being said a lot since this season.

Improving the depth and quality of play in the lower lines is very important moving forward.
- MJL

I get it what I'm trying to say is we have bottom 6 forwards signed for the next few years. They are just not playing in those roles.

@MJL
I re watched the lowlights from yesterday.

I still don't like the way Streit played it on the Krug goal, but the weak back check from Weise was very much a big part of why the goal was scored.

Streit was neither up on his man, nor back far enough to defend Krug. As the last line of defense, I think he got caught in no man's land. If Weise hustles his butt off, he might get back, but Krug is a speedster and not sure he even gets there with a better effort. But his gliding back was awful.
- Marc D

Interesting. Not sure how you could expect Streit to be any closer to Bergeron, who was the puck carrier, with Bergeron's speed. When Bergeron made the pass across ice, Streit's stick was about a foot away from Bergeron's stick. If he was any closer, he would've had even less of a chance to get back to the net. That close to the puck carrier is not no man's land. While we disagree, I respect your opinion.

I get it what I'm trying to say is we have bottom 6 forwards signed for the next few years. They are just not playing in those roles.
- Just5

Agreed to a point, but they still have some spots to improve.

Why God why the babypoop jerseys? Why?

Interesting. Not sure how you could expect Streit to be any closer to Bergeron, who was the puck carrier, with Bergeron's speed. When Bergeron made the pass across ice, Streit's stick was about a foot away from Bergeron's stick. If he was any closer, he would've had even less of a chance to get back to the net. That close to the puck carrier is not no man's land. While we disagree, I respect your opinion.
- MJL

After thinking about it more, that goal and the Chara one was a failure of team D.
Guys not covering each other and being out of position.

After thinking about it more, that goal and the Chara one was a failure of team D.
Guys not covering each other and being out of position.
- Marc D

Failure of overall team D happens way too much with this squad, I'm tired of it