It's just a bad mix. Jake, G and Coots are all pass first players while Schenn and Simmonds are PP horses but average at best at ES. The forward group needs an injection of speed, skill, size and overall hockey sense. Changes need to be made
- BiggE

I think the fans crave that dynamic player that spits out highlight reel goals, but tends to be a defensive liability.

I think the fans crave that dynamic player that spits out highlight reel goals, but tends to be a defensive liability.
- Glak18

I just want to see forwards with skill, that skate well, and can generate offense at ES. A pure sniper or 2 wouldn't hurt either and finding skilled players with the size and strength to win one on one puck battles would be nice too

Happy St. Patty's day! May the flyers fortunes be like a pot of gold on the other side of the rainbow!

I think the fans crave that dynamic player that spits out highlight reel goals, but tends to be a defensive liability.
- Glak18

I want my forwards to be rod brind'amours and my d-men to be chris prongers and brad mccrimmons

I just want to see forwards with skill, that skate well, and can generate offense at ES. A pure sniper or 2 wouldn't hurt either and finding skilled players with the size and strength to win one on one puck battles would be nice too
- BiggE

I think you have covered everything that is desperately neede up front for this team

I think the fans crave that dynamic player that spits out highlight reel goals, but tends to be a defensive liability.
- Glak18

I don't think anyone craves a defensive liability but this team has lacked a shoot first, sniper threat for a while. Since Briere probably.

Watching Taylor Hall last night. Someone like that who just drives the puck to the net at all costs. We definitely don't have that guy.

I'm really starting to question the coaching of this team. The handling of the goalies, especially Mason, has been puzzling to say the least. The massive amount of PK time given to PEB and VdV is also hard to explain as is his willingness to bench kids for making mistakes while veterans seem to go unpunished.

As I've said before, I like his system of play, but it takes more than a grasp of X's and O's to be a successful NHL coach. More and more I see a team devoid of heart and passion and I have to wonder why so many players seem to be having poor seasons.

I'm not calling for Hak to be fired, but I would like to see changes made in regards to some or all of the assistants following this season. That being said, I do believe that 17-18 needs to be a make or break season for Hak. Not so much in regards to wins and losses, but more importantly for a rebuilding club, I want to see players improving and a team that competes hard and shows some fire every night.

What we saw last night is not Flyers hockey and should be unacceptable in the eyes of Hextall.
- BiggE

Agreed. Well said.

I don't think anyone craves a defensive liability but this team has lacked a shoot first, sniper threat for a while. Since Briere probably.

Watching Taylor Hall last night. Someone like that who just drives the puck to the net at all costs. We definitely don't have that guy.
- hereticpride

Really consider Briere as a shoot first player? I would say the last one was Carter then before was Gagne. They would shoot from everywhere, even the bench.

I want my forwards to be rod brind'amours and my d-men to be chris prongers and brad mccrimmons
- JoeRussomanno

The 80's called and they are scared.

I just want to see forwards with skill, that skate well, and can generate offense at ES. A pure sniper or 2 wouldn't hurt either and finding skilled players with the size and strength to win one on one puck battles would be nice too
- BiggE

This pretty much sums up the issues with the team. Unfortunately, it seems like current management is enamored with the "200 ft" player. IMO sometimes you need guys like Pavel Bure or Teemu Selanne that simply score goals and playing defense is secondary.

This pretty much sums up the issues with the team. Unfortunately, it seems like current management is enamored with the "200 ft" player. IMO sometimes you need guys like Pavel Bure or Teemu Selanne that simply score goals and playing defense is secondary.
- aantny88

Players like Pavel Bure and Selanne are dime a dozen players...

*I was being sarcastic*

Edit: I think the Flyers would take 4 of them without hesitation, every team would.

This pretty much sums up the issues with the team. Unfortunately, it seems like current management is enamored with the "200 ft" player. IMO sometimes you need guys like Pavel Bure or Teemu Selanne that simply score goals and playing defense is secondary.
- aantny88

Selanne actually became pretty decent defensively as his career rolled along. Ron Wilson once said of him that in the final 10 minutes with a one-goal lead, Teemu became one of the best two-way players on the ice.

Selanne actually became pretty decent defensively as his career rolled along. Ron Wilson once said of him that in the final 10 minutes with a one-goal lead, Teemu became one of the best two-way players on the ice.
- bmeltzer

With Anaheim, correct?

Edit: But his offensive production did decline, the same could be said about Yzerman.

With Anaheim, correct?

Edit: But his offensive production did decline, the same could be said about Yzerman.
- Glak18

I guess when you start with 76 goals as a rookie, it's downhill from there.

I guess when you start with 76 goals as a rookie, it's downhill from there.
- MJL

Well 30+ goals is nothing to sneeze at when you become more defensively responsible too.

I'm really starting to question the coaching of this team. The handling of the goalies, especially Mason, has been puzzling to say the least. The massive amount of PK time given to PEB and VdV is also hard to explain as is his willingness to bench kids for making mistakes while veterans seem to go unpunished.

As I've said before, I like his system of play, but it takes more than a grasp of X's and O's to be a successful NHL coach. More and more I see a team devoid of heart and passion and I have to wonder why so many players seem to be having poor seasons.

I'm not calling for Hak to be fired, but I would like to see changes made in regards to some or all of the assistants following this season. That being said, I do believe that 17-18 needs to be a make or break season for Hak. Not so much in regards to wins and losses, but more importantly for a rebuilding club, I want to see players improving and a team that competes hard and shows some fire every night.

What we saw last night is not Flyers hockey and should be unacceptable in the eyes of Hextall.

Hextall always seems so supportive of the coach that it would be a shock to me if he fired him after 2 years out of 5.

A few of the things Hak is questioned most about, like playing Neuvirth 9/10 games in February and how much he counts on Bellemare, seemed to have the total support of management based on the contracts Hextall signed those guys to.

Well 30+ goals is nothing to sneeze at when you become more defensively responsible too.
- Glak18

True, unfortunately he missed a lot of games in his career, or his goal scoring totals would've been much higher.

True, unfortunately he missed a lot of games in his career, or his goal scoring totals would've been much higher.
- MJL

Common factor between the two players I mentioned...they both won cups when offense declined while playing better team defense.

Hextall always seems so supportive of the coach that it would be a shock to me if he fired him after 2 years out of 5.

A few of the things Hak is questioned most about, like playing Neuvirth 9/10 games in February and how much he counts on Bellemare, seemed to have the total support of management based on the contracts Hextall signed those guys to.
- Feanor

One of the criticisms I have of Hakstol and which I can't understand is his goalie rotation. It seems like he gets hung on one, and just keeps playing him until something changes his mind.

One of the criticisms I have of Hakstol and which I can't understand is his goalie rotation. It seems like he gets hung on one, and just keeps playing him until something changes his mind.
- MJL

His way of finding out who can carry the load in different circumstances?

Selanne actually became pretty decent defensively as his career rolled along. Ron Wilson once said of him that in the final 10 minutes with a one-goal lead, Teemu became one of the best two-way players on the ice.
- bmeltzer

Teemu Selanne was always one of my favorite players who didn't play on the Flyers.

Also, this celebration is an all-timer:

His way of finding out who can carry the load in different circumstances?
- Glak18

Kind of like an audition before a contract gets signed.

I don't like starting NHL goalies back to back but overall I can't put much of the goalie struggles this year on the coach. You don't drop from .920 as a team to .900 based on a few questionable starting decisions.

I just want to see forwards with skill, that skate well, and can generate offense at ES. A pure sniper or 2 wouldn't hurt either and finding skilled players with the size and strength to win one on one puck battles would be nice too
- BiggE

They're not going to have a lot of salary cap space this offseason, so the question is, who are you going to have to part with in order to make a trade or two? Schenn's looks to be the their most trade-able piece based on age, production, and contract status.

The reason behind being embarrassed by a bottom feeder like the Devils is what?
Outscored 14-3 dismantled in all 3 games. Non competitive trash. Hakstol said the team didn't quit. He must have been watching a different game.

ttt