I see Boston getting passed by Toronto. But I still see us being the 8 seed. Of the teams battling for that last spot, they all have warts. The Flyers warts are self inflicted where most of the others have roster flaws or major injury woes (Florida and Tampa). If the Flyers can consistently (I know) give the effort last night they'll be fine. It's really a mental block this team has and last night all the bad happening finally got brushed aside and they rallied back. Mase even admitted post game he felt good that he didn't deflate the team.

Last night aside, this season has just been so damn frustrating. At this point, only one player on the entire roster has exceeded my expectations going into the season and that would be Provorov. While Konecny has overall played pretty well, it's basically what I expected to get out of him. The only other players who have even met my expectations consistently are: Simmonds, Voracek, Schenn, PEB, VdV and Lyubimov up front and Gudas and AMac on D. However, when it comes to PEB, VdV, and AMac my expectations weren't all that much to begin with.

The rest of the roster have all underachieved IMO. At the start of the season I, like most of us, thought they were a bubble team. However, this assessment was based on: getting consistently good goaltending, Ghost likely seeing a drop off in numbers, but still providing good overall play and good numbers on the pp, MDZ continuing to play like a legit #2/3 Dman, Claude Giroux being much more effective at ES, Matt Read having at least a somewhat better season than last year and Sean Couturier settling in as a solid 2C.

At this point, the only way I see them making the playoffs will be with a lot of luck and if one of the goalies gets red hot.

All in all, it's been a very disappointing season so far.
- BiggE

Pretend its August. Now look at their record. For me I nod and say yup this is them.

Its the streakiness that has you all flustered

I see Boston getting passed by Toronto. But I still see us being the 8 seed. Of the teams battling for that last spot, they all have warts. The Flyers warts are self inflicted where most of the others have roster flaws or major injury woes (Florida and Tampa). If the Flyers can consistently (I know) give the effort last night they'll be fine. It's really a mental block this team has and last night all the bad happening finally got brushed aside and they rallied back. Mase even admitted post game he felt good that he didn't deflate the team.
- dragonoffrost

What scares me is that even when they play well and with advantage of playing a team playing their 3rd game in 4 nights, they still gave up a bunch of quality chances against. I really can't remember the last time they went out and played a full 60 minute effort with good play in all 3 zones.

Pretend its August. Now look at their record. For me I nod and say yup this is them.

Its the streakiness that has you all flustered
- Just5

I disagree, I thought they'd have a few more points at by now. They had 96 last year and I thought finishing somewhere between 96-100 was a reasonable expectation. At this point, I doubt they exceed 90.

I disagree, I thought they'd have a few more points at by now. They had 96 last year and I thought finishing somewhere between 96-100 was a reasonable expectation. At this point, I doubt they exceed 90.
- BiggE

Did you expect .900 Goaltending? I sure didn't.

I see Boston getting passed by Toronto. But I still see us being the 8 seed. Of the teams battling for that last spot, they all have warts. The Flyers warts are self inflicted where most of the others have roster flaws or major injury woes (Florida and Tampa). If the Flyers can consistently (I know) give the effort last night they'll be fine. It's really a mental block this team has and last night all the bad happening finally got brushed aside and they rallied back. Mase even admitted post game he felt good that he didn't deflate the team.
- dragonoffrost

To be fair, the Flyers have roster flaws. MacDonald is playing on the top pairing for the Flyers.

Did you expect .900 Goaltending? I sure didn't.
- Feanor

The sub 900 save percentage can be aimed at the number of insanely high quality chances this team is giving up. I don't think they've given this quality of shots against in a long time.

Pretend its August. Now look at their record. For me I nod and say yup this is them.

Its the streakiness that has you all flustered
- Just5

Yes, instead of being consistently average, they've been at both ends of the spectrum.

To be fair, the Flyers have roster flaws. MacDonald is playing on the top pairing for the Flyers.
- MJL

I know we have a few flaws but they should be compensated for by things like forwards backchecking, better pass selection, better selection of when to go for a hit or a pinch and such. The Flyers bleed odd man chances most games this season and it's haunting them.

I see Boston getting passed by Toronto. But I still see us being the 8 seed. Of the teams battling for that last spot, they all have warts. The Flyers warts are self inflicted where most of the others have roster flaws or major injury woes (Florida and Tampa). If the Flyers can consistently (I know) give the effort last night they'll be fine. It's really a mental block this team has and last night all the bad happening finally got brushed aside and they rallied back. Mase even admitted post game he felt good that he didn't deflate the team.
- dragonoffrost

The real race is with Carolina and the Islanders

Boston has played 50 games and Toronto is easily ahead of them in points percentage. I think there will be 5 metro teams

I know we have a few flaws but they should be compensated for by things like forwards backchecking, better pass selection, better selection of when to go for a hit or a pinch and such. The Flyers bleed odd man chances most games this season and it's haunting them.
- dragonoffrost

I think the same applies to the other teams as well. The checkmark for roster flaws is firmly checked in the Flyers column.

I know we have a few flaws but they should be compensated for by things like forwards backchecking, better pass selection, better selection of when to go for a hit or a pinch and such. The Flyers bleed odd man chances most games this season and it's haunting them.
- dragonoffrost

What drives me nuts is seeing so many mistakes by veteran players that should know better. I can excuse young players making mistakes, it's expected and a normal part of the development process.

However, when I see AMac make just an awful and unforced weak outlet pass to Jake which led to a goal last night, when I see 2 veteran Dmen both chasing the puck carrier to the same side of the ice, when I see Claude Giroux gliding casually back on defense, when I see a Dman pinch and the veteran winger on that side not drop back and when I see veteran players time after (frank)ing time try to force a play at the opponents blue line which leads to turnover and an odd man rush, I get infuriated.

I can understand their relatively small and not very physical D getting out muscled in front of the net and along the wall in the D zone, I can understand a guy like Giroux starting to reach the point in his career where he is beginning to slow down and I can understand some PK struggles mainly because they have a mediocre D group and the goalies are struggling. But everything in the preceding paragraph is fixable and needs to stop.

I've said this before, I can live with giving a good effort and losing to a better team, that stuff is going to happen. What I will never excuse is veterans making bonehead plays and any lack of effort.

Same. The problem is, Max Talbot was at least a penalty killer, he wasn't forced all over the line up and didn't receive undeserved Power Play over proven point producers such as Matt Read and Michael Raffl.
- SuperSchennBros

Out of curiosity, how did you feel when 4th line grinder Ryan White was getting 2nd unit PP time last year ahead of those 2?

Out of curiosity, how did you feel when 4th line grinder Ryan White was getting 2nd unit PP time last year ahead of those 2?
- jmatchett383

ugh I MISS RYAN WHITE. He is exactly what we need. Did you know he scored against the Flyers?

What drives me nuts is seeing so many mistakes by veteran players that should know better. I can excuse young players making mistakes, it's expected and a normal part of the development process.

However, when I see AMac make just an awful and unforced weak outlet pass to Jake which led to a goal last night, when I see 2 veteran Dmen both chasing the puck carrier to the same side of the ice, when I see Claude Giroux gliding casually back on defense, when I see a Dman pinch and the veteran winger on that side not drop back and when I see veteran players time after (frank)ing time try to force a play at the opponents blue line which leads to turnover and an odd man rush, I get infuriated.

I can understand their relatively small and not very physical D getting out muscled in front of the net and along the wall in the D zone, I can understand a guy like Giroux starting to reach the point in his career where he is beginning to slow down and I can understand some PK struggles mainly because they have a mediocre D group and the goalies are struggling. But everything in the preceding paragraph is fixable and needs to stop.

I've said this before, I can live with giving a good effort and losing to a better team, that stuff is going to happen. What I will never excuse is veterans making bonehead plays and any lack of effort.
- BiggE

Yep we are on the same page. It's not that what is wrong is unfixable it's just continuously happening. It might be that the compressed schedule with less practice time is also a factor. But every team is facing that so I won't use it as a reason for the flop.

Last night post game the interviews seemed to be more to the point of understanding what is causing the slide. G's and Mase's interviews especially seemed to point that direction. Now hopefully they correct it.

Out of curiosity, how did you feel when 4th line grinder Ryan White was getting 2nd unit PP time last year ahead of those 2?
- jmatchett383

I didn't mind White there because his job was to screen the goalie. When you scratch Weise for Cousins who's the guy who now takes that net front position on PP2?

ugh I MISS RYAN WHITE. He is exactly what we need. Did you know he scored against the Flyers?
- YuenglingJagr

Of course he did, he's an ex-Flyer. Every ex-Flyers scores against them every time they play, while no player in Flyers history has ever scored against their former team.

I didn't mind White there because his job was to screen the goalie. When you scratch Weise for Cousins who's the guy who now takes that net front position on PP2?
- dragonoffrost

White is a much better value than Weise. Cost and level of play

I didn't mind White there because his job was to screen the goalie. When you scratch Weise for Cousins who's the guy who now takes that net front position on PP2?
- dragonoffrost

If you're putting guys like White and, to a worse extent, Weise, on the PP, I don't think having Nick Cousins out there is the big issue.

White is a much better value than Weise. Cost and level of play
- 3flyerkids

I can't even imagine Hextall's frustration with Weise at this point. You sign the guy to a 4 year deal and he can't even crack the lineup on a regular basis. When you are getting scratched for guys like Cousins and Lyubimov, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Also, if you switch JT's OT for Giroux's last night, G is getting ripped apart.

1) At the end of a shift, attempts to carry the puck up the wall and turns it over.
2) After the turnover, wearily/lazily sort of skates back towards his goal.
3) Goes to the far post to cover no one, making the defender try to take away the wrap-around, pass, and shooter at the goal.

When it's JT, we all say, "Yeah, but he was at the end of a long shift, he was gassed." If it was Giroux doing it, we'd be talking about how lazy he is and what a terrible sequence it was.

I can't even imagine Hextall's frustration with Weise at this point. You sign the guy to a 4 year deal and he can't even crack the lineup on a regular basis. When you are getting scratched for guys like VandeVelde, you should be ashamed of yourself.
- BiggE

ftfy

Also, if you switch JT's OT for Giroux's last night, G is getting ripped apart.

1) At the end of a shift, attempts to carry the puck up the wall and turns it over.
2) After the turnover, wearily/lazily sort of skates back towards his goal.
3) Goes to the far post to cover no one, making the defender try to take away the wrap-around, pass, and shooter at the goal.

When it's JT, we all say, "Yeah, but he was at the end of a long shift, he was gassed." If it was Giroux doing it, we'd be talking about how lazy he is and what a terrible sequence it was.
- jmatchett383

LOL, probably. All kidding aside, I never question players efforts in OT. It is way to easy to get gassed playing 3 on 3 and sometimes you just can't get to the bench for a change. That stuff happens all the time and it's part of what makes 3 on 3 so unpredictable.

I didn't mind White there because his job was to screen the goalie. When you scratch Weise for Cousins who's the guy who now takes that net front position on PP2?
- dragonoffrost

Cousins has played well since being inserted into the lineup. He won a lot of battles along the walls last night, I like his effort to be a little more creative with the puck.

Missed the game because I had my own game.

Glad to see that Bill thought they played well but I'm not going to get overly excited about it because, well, it was the Islanders and because they were horrible on Saturday.

Need to see some consistently good effort.