No guarantees that there is going to be a talented deep lineup here anytime soon.
Hextall has drafted well, but he's done nothing to improve the team in FA or the trade market. You aren't building a championship level team strictly drafting from the 10-15 range.
- PLindbergh31

Agree, and the only way that will happen is if a change to the main group is made.
Let's see if Hextall can do something this off season, cause another year of this boring hockey will be painful

Difference is Toronto now has not one but two true future stars in Matthews and Marner. Nylander is pretty good too! They are an exciting team to watch and that is very painful to admit .
- 3flyerkids

A #1 and a #4 overall pick. Nylander was pretty high too. Toronto has picked forwards the last few years. The Flyers went the defensemen route and who can blame them with the D they've had recently. It's going in the right direction. Just not as quickly as everyone wishes.

No guarantees that there is going to be a talented deep lineup here anytime soon.
Hextall has drafted well, but he's done nothing to improve the team in FA or the trade market. You aren't building a championship level team strictly drafting from the 10-15 range.
- PLindbergh31

Absolutely. No every pick is gonna workout. The Toronto Maple Leafs look great right now with Matthews, Marner and Nylander but they already had pieces in JvR and Kadri. The Flyers have what they have at forward in terms of anything with seasoning. We don't have another forward in the pipeline who is gonna be the savior of this team anytime soon without a trade.

Agree, and the only way that will happen is if a change to the main group is made.
Let's see if Hextall can do something this off season, cause another year of this boring hockey will be painful
- 3flyerkids

First thing first, lets see him add some assets in the next few days. Get creative, do something to infuse some talent.

Claude Giroux's ineffectiveness is the biggest problem with this team right now. Not the only problem, but the biggest in my opinion.
- MJL

I cant agree with that.

Biggest problem to me this season has been the goaltenders followed closely by inability of team to score followed by G.

All that being said I think we are looking at problems like 1A, 1B and 1C.. Fixing any one of those 3 problems would have a substantial uptick in team performance.

Couturier is in the same boat as the entire team offensively. Not good enough. They don't finish chances, and the opposition does. Of course it helps the other team to face lousy goaltending. I've never been a fan of Neuvirth, and I'm still not. If he was playing lights out I would understand it, but I don't understand why Mason has not played more.
- MJL

Your always backing this coach, so?

Absolutely. No every pick is gonna workout. The Toronto Maple Leafs look great right now with Matthews, Marner and Nylander but they already had pieces in JvR and Kadri. The Flyers have what they have at forward in terms of anything with seasoning. We don't have another forward in the pipeline who is gonna be the savior of this team anytime soon without a trade.
- SuperSchennBros

Konecny and Lindblom look promising, but they are more likely complimentary pieces, not lead dogs. The premature regression of Giroux is something that is really going to set this franchise back.

Agreed. I want to see what Hak can do with a talented, deep lineup before I make a final decision on him.
- BiggE

thing is good coaches draw more out of players. Not saying Hakstol can't do that but I am just unsure. I'm not on the fire Hakstol wagon yet. I do want to see kids injected in the lineup to add energy.

I cant agree with that.

Biggest problem to me this season has been the goaltenders followed closely by inability of team to score followed by G.

All that being said I think we are looking at problems like 1A, 1B and 1C.. Fixing any one of those 3 problems would have a substantial uptick in team performance.
- opeth_pa

Last night they played well enough to if not win, tie by games end.
I don't get why this coach hates Mason so much, remember the last coach du jour who hated our goalie, and they moved him?
Lavalette/Bobrovsky

I guess a certain someone in here will tell me I'm wrong again.

Last night they played well enough to if not win, tie by games end.
I don't get why this coach hates Mason so much, remember the last coach du jour who hated our goalie, and they moved him?
Lavalette/Bobrovsky

I guess a certain someone in here will tell me I'm wrong again.
- puckhead17

Yup, when you look at it..The Flyers played a pretty solid road game last night but subpar goaltending cost them the game..

I cant figure this out with Neuvy getting 6 games in a row.

Konecny and Lindblom look promising, but they are more likely complimentary pieces, not lead dogs. The premature regression of Giroux is something that is really going to set this franchise back.
- PLindbergh31

The coach has him collapsing in the defensive zone, can you ever remember him on a breakaway?

Last night they played well enough to if not win, tie by games end.
I don't get why this coach hates Mason so much, remember the last coach du jour who hated our goalie, and they moved him?
Lavalette/Bobrovsky

I guess a certain someone in here will tell me I'm wrong again.
- puckhead17

I don't get why Hakstol has moved away from Mason. if anything Hakstol has typically gone with the hot hand up until this stretch.

The coach has him collapsing in the defensive zone, can you ever remember him on a breakaway?
- puckhead17

Centers are supposed to collapse in the defensice zone. His lack of exposivnesa and ineffectiveness is why he doesnt get breakaways or really do much at 5v5

The coach has him collapsing in the defensive zone, can you ever remember him on a breakaway?
- puckhead17

Good point but regardless his game has dropped off and I would like to see Hextall pull off a trade for another good centre to help balance out this team. Duchene or someone like that...( easier said than done) A more balanced attack could help Giroux's game

Centers are supposed to collapse in the defensice zone. His lack of exposivnesa and ineffectiveness is why he doesnt get breakaways or really do much at 5v5
- J35Bacher

Then you play a left wing lock, and collapse a winger, and utilize Giroux's abilities, and strengths.
Granted he's not the same player, no.
But you are limiting what abilities he has left as a player.
If I have a high scoring center who's struggling badly, but still has offensive abilities I'm not collapsing him in my slot while the opposition plays keep away.
Do, try something different, not the same thing loss, after loss.

Honestly going into the two games against Washington and the Pens, the two top Eastern teams, the Flyers did exactly what I expected. Played hard and fairly well but didn't get great goaltending or finish on their chances.

Honestly going into the two games against Washington and the Pens, the two top Eastern teams, the Flyers did exactly what I expected. Played hard and fairly well but didn't get great goaltending or finish on their chances.
- nastyflyergirl

Pretty much..
You played the best team in the league followed by another top team in the league.
The Flyers , minus goaltending, played okay in those two games but Neuvy and the inability to score cost them the games.

Pretty much..
You played the best team in the league followed by another top team in the league.
The Flyers , minus goaltending, played okay in those two games but Neuvy and the inability to score cost them the games.
- opeth_pa

Yeah, Mason has been your starter the last 4/5 years, but now he's trash because this College master mind thinks so.
Unless it's Dean Lombardi Jr. in the press box who doesn't want him in, who knows?

Honestly going into the two games against Washington and the Pens, the two top Eastern teams, the Flyers did exactly what I expected. Played hard and fairly well but didn't get great goaltending or finish on their chances.
- nastyflyergirl

They have averaged well under 2 goals a game for 30+ games now, they still have allowed the most goals in the Eastern Conference. This is an NHL bottom feeder in every aspect of the game.

What is this teams identity? They are small, slow, play with little physicality, lack skill and speed, and have rotten goaltending. It is a train wreck.

First thing first, lets see him add some assets in the next few days. Get creative, do something to infuse some talent.
- PLindbergh31

We will see franchise altering moves. Streit for a 3rd, MDZ for a 4th and Schultz for a 5th

They have averaged well under 2 goals a game for 30+ games now, they still have allowed the most goals in the Eastern Conference. This is an NHL bottom feeder in every aspect of the game.

What is this teams identity? They are small, slow, play with little physicality, lack skill and speed, and have rotten goaltending. It is a train wreck.
- PLindbergh31

Unfortunately I think you have given a bang on description of this team

We will see franchise altering moves. Streit for a 3rd, MDZ for a 4th and Schultz for a 5th
- PhillySportsGuy

Probably so. But I'd make anyone and everyone not named Provorov available.

First thing first, lets see him add some assets in the next few days. Get creative, do something to infuse some talent.
- PLindbergh31

What franchise-altering moves should terrible GM Hexy make in the next 3 days? Just list a small example.

Probably so. But I'd make anyone and everyone not named Provorov available.
- PLindbergh31

I just dont think Hexy is at that point in his plan yet.
At the end of next season I can see him being willing to move a major piece.

As painful as it is to say, I am okay with that. The previous approach the FLyers have taken over the past 35 years has resulted in 0 cups, time to try a different way even if it means some pain right now.

They have averaged well under 2 goals a game for 30+ games now, they still have allowed the most goals in the Eastern Conference. This is an NHL bottom feeder in every aspect of the game.

What is this teams identity? They are small, slow, play with little physicality, lack skill and speed, and have rotten goaltending. It is a train wreck.
- PLindbergh31

this is the same team as last year except they added two talented kids in Konecny (granted hurt now) and Provorov and Weise over White. In today's NHL with a salary and a lot of parity they were a bubble team that made the playoffs last year. I expected more of the same this year. maybe slightly better. we all know they are a flawed lineup that still needs work but I am somewhat baffled at the drop off.