Dude.. he has 1 goal since mid november. Forget the advanced metrics and look at his actual production. He hasnt been cutting it for nearly 3 months.
- jak521

the corsis predicted he would score

One of the things about guys like Gostisbehere is that he's got to take chances at times to be effective. Sometimes, you're gonna get burned on them. I agree that it's been too famine and too little feast lately, but he's always gonna be a guy who's gonna have a few plays come back and bite him in the ass. The hope is that more go in his favor, that just hasn't been the case lately.
- jmatchett383

Not all chances are created equal. There is a right and a wrong time to take chances. There's been far more than a few coming back to bite him. His execution on simple plays and routine reads and coverages has been poor. Nobody including Hakstol wants to take away the skill and creativity from his game.

Agreed, once Ghost takes all offensive flair out of his game and emulates Nick Schultz, he'll be a much better player for this team's style. Don't ever rush the puck, stay at your own blue line, just chip it out whenever you have it. That's Hak's dream player.
- jmatchett383

no....you can't and shouldn't take that part of the game away. But some of his decisions on pinching in the offensive zone have been atrocious. He always was a work in progress in his own zone, but the guy has only played in the league for just over a year. Ghost will be fine.... just a bump in the road.

Didnt they win last time Ghost was scratched and he got put back in?

They really need to trade a defenseman
- YuenglingJagr

Okay, he has. It seems like he rarely likes to change the lineup after a win.

Great too get the two points....But I'm sure Montreal is calling that game one of their worst efforts of the year. There is still barely anything happening 5 on 5 from an offensive standpoint. But the habs seemed disinterested last night....(boy do they miss Gallagher)... What they did last night was take two of the most offensively gifted players out of the line up and replaced them with less talented guys that don't cheat on the defensive side of the puck.
Both Konecny and Ghost hopefully looked at the simple plays some of these guys made last night....the ones that don't come back to bite ya. They have both shown they are capable of playing smart hockey.
Lets not kid our selves ....the Flyers are a better team with those two playing, but you can't win taking short cuts in this league.
- landros 2

The next 3 games should be a real test and will let us see where this team really is.
The Kings are desperate for points. The Blues seemed pretty fired up with the recent coaching change and also need to pick up points, and the Isles need to start winning if they want to make a run at a playoff spot. Montreal is sitting pretty right now and a letdown in a road game against a mediocre non-rival opponent is no surprise.

Glad Coots scored to shut up the haters
- YuenglingJagr

CCCouturier can only be the 3C on this team. Just ignore the fact the 1C and supposed 2C are the core forwards really struggling to score 5 on 5 this season, even though they've been healthy the whole time.

http://stats.hockeyanalys...p=1&sort=PCT&sortdir=DESC

Sorry but the bolded part really isn't true. He was awful at pretty much everything the first couple of months of the season, and then started playing better away from the puck. However, it all comes down to the contract in a league with a salary cap. At 4 years, and 2.35 million per, he needs to chip in at the very least 10+ goals and 20+ points or he is simply not succeeding in his role. 2 goals and 5 points in 42 games is pathetic.
- BiggE

I disagree. Weise has played well away from the puck pretty much all season. The issue was that his offense, not just production, but also chances has been the dead sea all season. I agree he needs to provide some offense.

Not all chances are created equal. There is a right and a wrong time to take chances. There's been far more than a few coming back to bite him. His execution on simple plays and routine reads and coverages has been poor. Nobody including Hakstol wants to take away the skill and creativity from his game.
- MJL

Which is why I said that, lately, there's been far too many going the wrong way. I just don't know that making him miss a game (or possibly more) is the best way to go over something that can hopefully be shown to him on video.

Dude.. he has 1 goal since mid november. Forget the advanced metrics and look at his actual production. He hasnt been cutting it for nearly 3 months.
- jak521

For a bottom-6 forward on a team that struggles mightily at 5v5, I'd say that's pretty great. Sure it would be nice for him to score more, but he shouldn't be getting poop by the fan base like he has been.

The next 3 games should be a real test and will let us see where this team really is.
The Kings are desperate for points. The Blues seemed pretty fired up with the recent coaching change and also need to pick up points, and the Isles need to start winning if they want to make a run at a playoff spot. Montreal is sitting pretty right now and a letdown in a road game against a mediocre non-rival opponent is no surprise.
- BiggE

We said that about last week, and then decided that we need to trade some of our best players and tank after the Carolina loss despite winning both games.

One of the things about guys like Gostisbehere is that he's got to take chances at times to be effective. Sometimes, you're gonna get burned on them. I agree that it's been too famine and too little feast lately, but he's always gonna be a guy who's gonna have a few plays come back and bite him in the ass. The hope is that more go in his favor, that just hasn't been the case lately.
- jmatchett383

Ghost needs to improve his decision making and his defensive game, no one is denying this. However, it's hard to improve when you aren't playing. THey are not a Cup contender, the kids need to and should be playing.

Didnt they win last time Ghost was scratched and he got put back in?

They really need to trade a defenseman
- YuenglingJagr

Ghost was scratched for the Winnipeg game in November which they won. He came back in for the next game against Tampa, which they lost.

Didnt they win last time Ghost was scratched and he got put back in?

They really need to trade a defenseman
- YuenglingJagr

They got wrecked by Boston his last scratch (2nd). They won the first time he was scratched.

Ghost was scratched for the Winnipeg game in November which they won. He came back in for the next game against Tampa, which they lost.
- Feanor

Sounds like we need to ship him out of town. Nick Schultz is obviously a much better player for this team.

Which is why I said that, lately, there's been far too many going the wrong way. I just don't know that making him miss a game (or possibly more) is the best way to go over something that can hopefully be shown to him on video.
- jmatchett383

I don't have an issue with him sitting out, but I agree that the scratch isn't going to be a miracle cure. Just as before sitting out, it is ultimately up to Gostisbehere to improve.

Ghost was scratched for the Winnipeg game in November which they won. He came back in for the next game against Tampa, which they lost.
- Feanor

Hopefully Hakstol has learned his lesson there.

For a bottom-6 forward on a team that struggles mightily at 5v5, I'd say that's pretty great. Sure it would be nice for him to score more, but he shouldn't be getting poop by the fan base like he has been.
- JFlyers00

I agree with you somewhat. If Read was a 4th line forward, making 1M, his play would be solid. He's making 3+M and not producing enough. This team has too many players right now that just help you not lose, rather than players that help you win.

I agree with you somewhat. If Read was a 4th line forward, making 1M, his play would be solid. He's making 3+M and not producing enough. This team has two many players right now that just help you not lose, rather than players that help you win.
- MJL

That's the kind of play that got Nick Schultz his 2-year extension. During 14/15, he was "not quite as terrible as everyone else," and was rewarded.

(this is also sarcasm, somewhat).

I agree with you somewhat. If Read was a 4th line forward, making 1M, his play would be solid. He's making 3+M and not producing enough. This team has two many players right now that just help you not lose, rather than players that help you win.
- MJL

Agreed. Like it or not, in today's NHL, to be successful, players need to at least live up to, if not exceed their contracts. Very few Flyers are doing either at the present. In fact, I would say that Provorov and Simmonds are the only 2 that are really exceeding their deals at the present time.

Hopefully Hakstol has learned his lesson there.
- MJL

The lesson is play Ghost with Streit on a sheltered 3rd pairing, not with Manning!

They always go on about what a strong, calming veteran presence Streit is. But then when their young offensive dymano dman is having a mid-season sophmore slump, they pair him with Brandon "Pinchy" Manning.

Ghost was scratched for the Winnipeg game in November which they won. He came back in for the next game against Tampa, which they lost.
- Feanor

Yes that Tampa game was the only one this season that I have been to. It was my fault

For a bottom-6 forward on a team that struggles mightily at 5v5, I'd say that's pretty great. Sure it would be nice for him to score more, but he shouldn't be getting poop by the fan base like he has been.
- JFlyers00

The only reason his numbers are the way they are is because of his red hot start early on and because he is a very good 4th line forward defensively.

The lesson is play Ghost with Streit on a sheltered 3rd pairing, not with Manning!

They always go on about what a strong, calming veteran presence Streit is. But then when their young offensive dymano dman is having a mid-season sophmore slump, they pair him with Brandon "Pinchy" Manning.
- Feanor

I'd get Manning and Schultz out of the lineup asap.

I agree with you somewhat. If Read was a 4th line forward, making 1M, his play would be solid. He's making 3+M and not producing enough. This team has too many players right now that just help you not lose, rather than players that help you win.
- MJL

The only reason his numbers are the way they are is because of his red hot start early on and because he is a very good 4th line forward defensively.
- jak521

He'd actually be on the 4th line if Weise hadn't been ice cold all season.