I find that funny too. When you boil down Simmonds' even strength play, he's having just as poor a season as everyone else.
- TobyFlenderson

Well good thing he gets PP time to redeem himself

I think this all stems from him looking like he's working his ass off shift after shift where as you can point to games where the others have looked totally uninterested. I know it's why earlier this season I wanted the C off G and onto Simmer. Now that G is starting look to be turning it back around I am willing to back off on G.
- dragonoffrost

It is truly surprising that G was able to deregress like that. Someone should've pointed out from the beginning that it made no sense and was due for a rebound

Yeah but Simmonds tries hard
- YuenglingJagr

I don't get the Bellemare hate? Guy is a solid veteran, especially as you have kids coming into the lineup as soon as next year. His contract doesn't do anything to affect the future roster moves.
- J35Bacher

Its not hate as much as wanting to see them bring up some of the younger guys...

We're at the end of year three with Hextall and year three with Shannahan. Why do I feel like we're the team standing still/retreating.

The Leafs have a lot of holes and a long way to go and so do we.

My frustration is the lack of forward momentum this season. It's angering.
- mayorofangrytown

I guess I'm just not sure what the Leafs have actually won, and how they're so far ahead of us of in reaching the ultimate goal.


I think if we look at the reasons why the Flyers forward momentum has stalled, I think we can see that it's not due to Hextall's long term vision and how he has gone about building the team since he took over.

Yo, you're forgetting Filppula. Huge addition
- PhillySportsGuy

It was an excellent addition, and it it's a clue to how Hextall sees the immediate future, and how fast he thinks a younger player might be ready to fill that center hole.

Well good thing he gets PP time to redeem himself
- Scoob

As does Schenn. It doesn't really matter, in the grand scheme of things, how goals get scored. As long as they get scored I don't really care. The problem is, when the PP completely dries up (as it does sometimes), those two don't really make a difference at even strength.

We're at the end of year three with Hextall and year three with Shannahan. Why do I feel like we're the team standing still/retreating.

The Leafs have a lot of holes and a long way to go and so do we.

My frustration is the lack of forward momentum this season. It's angering.
- mayorofangrytown

I think a major reason the Leafs seem to look like things are progressing quicker is because of the big three in Matthews, Marner and Nylander.

Flyers are in a totally different boat. They still have guys like G, Jake, Simmer, Schenn and Couts. Ghost last year. TK and Provy this year. Had Laughton lived up to his expectations maybe he adds an element we are missing right now.

Of the next two year we should realistically see the addition of about 7 prospects. Thats pretty significant.

It was an excellent addition, and it it's a clue to how Hextall sees the immediate future, and how fast he thinks a younger player might be ready to fill that center hole.
- MJL

ThIs Is VeRy ExCiTiNg!

It was an excellent addition, and it it's a clue to how Hextall sees the immediate future, and how fast he thinks a younger player might be ready to fill that center hole.
- MJL

I dont understand why people dont like that move. I wanna hear one person give me a valid negative to that trade.

As does Schenn. It doesn't really matter, in the grand scheme of things, how goals get scored. As long as they get scored I don't really care. The problem is, when the PP completely dries up (as it does sometimes), those two don't really make a difference at even strength.
- TobyFlenderson

Simmonds has been doing some yeoman's work on the PK this season. Something we should give Hakstol credit for.

They can gripe all they want but if your team is near the bottom of the league and you aren't significantly turning over your roster you're doing something wrong.

It's illogical to dump all of your players when they have value to the team. You move as much as you can and you bring in new players and adjust your roster.

My problem with the Flyers would be that they aren't turning over enough of the roster.What the Leafs did to the Marlies in one season has taken the Flyers three. They seem to be clinging to role players like they can't be replaced and have invested fairly heavily in core players that can't find a way to win.

Look at the amount of Salary the Leafs had to eat to dig themselves out. They did it and it gutted the team into a last place finish but they did it all at once.

The Flyers will be doing the same thing but we're slowly pulling off band aids down here and it's feeling more like the Burke era Leafs than anything else. None of us want to slog through a decade like Leafs fans did.
- mayorofangrytown

The Leafs tanked a couple seasons. That's not the same as blowing things up. They got lucky with some drafts and made some terrific moves in the process(Babcock & Andersen) but people need to level set themselves thinking they're light years ahead of the Flyers. The majority of the Leafs' top prospects graduated to their NHL roster this year. The Flyers had 2 with arguably 5 or more potentially coming next season. The roster turn over you are looking for is coming. It's doesn't require tanking a couple seasons. There is benefit to having quality players and people on the roster once the kids arrive.

I'm familiar with the Burke era in Toronto and have no idea how you can make that comparison. Hextall has never changed his stance that the future is the priority. One of Burke's first moves was to trade two 1sts and a 2nd for Phil Kessel. Not to mention some of his free agent signings.

Simmonds has been doing some yeoman's work on the PK this season. Something we should give Hakstol credit for.
- dragonoffrost

Definitely. Love him and Coots as a PK duo. Just wish they got more minutes than the other two.

I dont understand why people dont like that move. I wanna hear one person give me a valid negative to that trade.
- jak521

The experts will be a long any moment!

Stay away from Richboro.
- Scoob

Obviously.

Looking forward to being closer to the ocean once NJ drops into the Atlantic

Obviously.

Looking forward to being closer to the ocean once NJ drops into the Atlantic
- mayorofangrytown

Dude that's just wrong!

Simmonds has been doing some yeoman's work on the PK this season. Something we should give Hakstol credit for.
- dragonoffrost

It was a bold move and a good one, which makes you wonder there have been no other bold moves tried with the PK as it sinks towards the bottom of the league.

The Leafs tanked a couple seasons. That's not the same as blowing things up. They got lucky with some drafts and made some terrific moves in the process(Babcock & Andersen) but people need to level set themselves thinking they're light years ahead of the Flyers. The majority of the Leafs' top prospects graduated to their NHL roster this year. The Flyers had 2 with arguably 5 or more potentially coming next season. The roster turn over you are looking for is coming. It's doesn't require tanking a couple seasons. There is benefit to having quality players and people on the roster once the kids arrive.

I'm familiar with the Burke era in Toronto and have no idea how you can make that comparison. Hextall has never changed his stance that the future is the priority. One of Burke's first moves was to trade two 1sts and a 2nd for Phil Kessel. Not to mention some of his free agent signings.
- Baxter27

Paul Holmgren's Flyers were the Burke era I was referring to although he was a much better version of Brian Burke.

Since Hextall has been GM, he's re-signed two players that would be considered core players in Voracek and Schenn. Should he have not re-signed them?
- MJL

You forgot VandeVelde and Couturier

Dude that's just wrong!
- dragonoffrost

Don't you live in the East Coast Dump?

I dont understand why people dont like that move. I wanna hear one person give me a valid negative to that trade.
- jak521

He's been a drag on possession since he joined the club.

It was a bold move and a good one, which makes you wonder there have been no other bold moves tried with the PK as it sinks towards the bottom of the league.
- Feanor

I think it was a move made due to a probable mandate to get G less PK time. I mean he could have used Read with Coots but I'm thinking with the constant wheel of scratches Simmonds got elevated to PK usage.

You forgot VandeVelde and Couturier
- SimmerDown17

Couturier.

Don't you live in the East Coast Dump?
- mayorofangrytown

I may call it a dump but it's not bad enough that I want it sunk under the ocean.

ThIs Is VeRy ExCiTiNg!
- PhillySportsGuy

The veryiest