I’m grateful for only 7 redirects today as I powered through the article on my phone
- mayorofangrytown

I know, that MJL is rather annoying, haha It is too bad you do not know the game and are stuck in never never land and may never get this message. Be Happy

I hope you are right but I see the wheels falling off this buggy, I am a positive person but also a realist and there are too many negatives going on. I would be thrilled to wrong about this, honestly I want wins more than Hakstol.
- joegreif17

The Flyers are paper thin up front. Unfortunately, I think it only takes one wheel falling off the wagon to bring the whole thing down for this team. They were consistently looking pretty good for a nice stretch early, then started going in the wrong direction when AMac and Patrick got hurt. The D group seems to have stabilized which speaks well to the depth at that position but the middle six scoring among the forwards has tanked.

http://www.espn.com/nhl/t...stats/_/name/phi/split/43

Hopefully, Patrick getting back to form helps that but I'd give thought to giving Vecchione or Martel a crack soon. The home and home with the Fishsticks this week will be huge.

Have a great Thanksgiving weekend with the Fam Bill!

Your passion comes through in your words everyday.
You always deliver insightful behind the curtain unbiased views that keeps me coming back every morning.


Thanks for the great overview of Sanheim's game.
Thanks for always giving updates on our pipeline which has become so deep I'm sure it is the most you have had to cover in quite some time.
Thanks for always being the voice of reason when some of our passion for Flyers hockey gets clouded with our own misguided thought processes.

Thanks again for all you do to bring us accurate and unbiased journalism about the team we love.

Fantastic stuff as always Bill, thanks!

Re the advance stat info you are looking for:

My guess, is that all of these things are already being tracked, at least to some degree, by the team. This is why player usage may not always correspond to what Corsi or Fenwick tells us. These other stats, regular scoring stats and, of course, the eye test is what will determine a players usage. IMO, Hagg is doing a solid job on the top pair with Provorov and should remain there when AMac returns. I like the physical element that he has added to the pairing and the way he uses his strength and reach to his advantage while also staying out of the penalty box.

FWIW, here are my positives/negatives at the quarter pole:

POSITIVES:

Obviously the top line, and especially Couturier breakthrough offensively. I have always been a Couturier supporter, so it's just that much more gratifying to see!

The goaltending, for the most part, has been solid and good enough to win on most nights. That's the most you can ask for from this tandem

Ivan Provorov. He is doing a phenomenal job, it's hard to believe he's only 20 years old

Andrew MacDonald coming out and playing the best he has since he's been in Philly. Good for him!

Nolan Patrick looking fully healthy and having perhaps his strongest game of the season last night. On a team desperately looking for secondary scoring, this is really important.

Sanheim's consistent improvement as the season has gone on and the relatively steady and solid play of Manning are both pluses.

NEGATIVES

Dear lord, this team needs to find secondary scoring and fast if they want to stay in the playoff hunt. Konecny is really pressing, and, if Weal was healthy, I'd be calling for him to sit for a game. He needs to relax and just play his game.

After getting off to quick starts, both Simmonds and Filppula have been disappointing. Filppula hasn't been terrible, but he is not contributing much right now. Simmonds had a stretch where he just looked awful over the last 3-4 weeks. He looked better against the Jets and so-so yesterday. Either way, they need more from him and they need it fast.

The second team pp, again after a decent start, has once again gone dry. Perhaps it's time to try 2 Dmen and start giving Sanheim a look? Hopefully a healthy Nolan Patrick can jump start this unit. On a side note, Dale Weise should never be on the pp. More on him later.

Ghost started the season playing very well, but his play has really tailed off the last few weeks. He needs to play better, and he needs to learn from his loss of control yesterday and keep his cool from here on in.

Radko GUdas has pretty much been the worst Dman on this team all season. When you now factor in his upcoming suspension and his general stupidity, well, lets just say I wouldn't be upset to see him go.

Lehtera and Weise. Lehtera has actually been the better of the 2. He can at least win a faceoff and make a play once in a while, but his overall lack of speed is not helping a team that can use all the speed they can get. Weise, OTOH, is basically just a body that can skate fairly well. I just don't see him bringing anything else to the table. Right now, at LHV, I don't know what else Vecchione needs to still "develop". But if it was up to me, REad would be waived, Weise would be scratched and Filppula would be moved to wing to get Vecchione into the lineup. If they need to make room for a 7th Dman, they can just waive Weise. He won't be missed.

NEITHER POSITIVE or NEGATIVE

Coaching: The coaching has been ok. Kudos for putting Coots on the top line and for moving G to wing. Could be doing a a bit better job of juggling the lines to get more secondary scoring and I just don't get what he sees in Dale Weise. Overall I'll reserve judgement on the coaching for now.
- BiggE

Thanks to you too Bigg E you always seem to be pragmatic in your approach to Flyer Fandom.

I know, that MJL is rather annoying, haha It is too bad you do not know the game and are stuck in never never land and may never get this message. Be Happy
- joegreif17

gotta say I disagree with you. Couturier is your shutdown center and see no issue with going at their top line with the Flyers top line.

They simply need more from some players.

Some of those players they need more from are younger players and are still adjusting to the league.

We talked about Jordan Weal around here like he was a 5 time all-star. Dude has played just over 50 games.

Travis Konecny is a 2nd year player.

Nolan Patrick isn't old enough to drink yet and has been hurt.

These are some of the guys that are being counted on for secondary scoring and, frankly, they have either been hurt or not scoring. It's going to take time for some of the guys to adjust to being counted on in this way at the NHL level.

As for some of the other guys on this team, Simmonds will come around.

For better or worse, this is a playoff bubble team, at best, when everything is going their way.

What I would like to see is just improvement from some of the younger players I mentioned earlier, along with positive development from the young blueliners on the team.

You have to be the most troublesome person I have ever encountered on here and most likely in real life. I will say you make sense on occasion but your argumentive personality and know it all attitude is beyond comprehensible.
- joegreif17

You're being hyperbolic, speculative and downright grammatically incorrect in your "BLOG COMMENT" post without absolute concrete evidence of the aforementioned statement. Please, in the future, document all sources and how information was acquired so you are accurate.

gotta say I disagree with you. Couturier is your shutdown center and see no issue with going at their top line with the Flyers top line.
- nastyflyergirl

Your shutdown center is normally not on your first line, however Couter has proven he can score when placed in a position to score and he is just what the free lancers Giroux and Voracek need and that is why it works so well. Kudos to Couturier who I take my hat off to, it was a bold move by Hakstol and a brilliant move, probably the only move I approve of, lol. It is healthy to disagree once in awhile but awesome to debate. Thank you nastyflygirl for your opinion.

You're being hyperbolic, speculative and downright grammatically incorrect in your "BLOG COMMENT" post without absolute concrete evidence of the aforementioned statement. Please, in the future, document all sources and how information was acquired so you are accurate.
- Konalover

LOL

Konecny is a 2nd year 20 year old player. Seriously on one hand people want kids in the lineup but then overreact when they don't produce at times.

Your shutdown center is normally not on your first line, however Couter has proven he can score when placed in a position to score and he is just what the free lancers Giroux and Voracek need and that is why it works so well. Kudos to Couturier who I take my hat off to, it was a bold move by Hakstol and a brilliant move, probably the only move I approve of, lol. It is healthy to disagree once in awhile but awesome to debate. Thank you nastyflygirl for your opinion.
- joegreif17

always happy to discuss. i enjoy constructive convos agree or not

Konecny is a 2nd year 20 year old player. Seriously on one hand people want kids in the lineup but then overreact when they don't produce at times.
- nastyflyergirl

Flyersbuzz is consistent.
Play the kids.
This kid that is playing isnt doing anything..sit him.

Konecny is a 2nd year 20 year old player. Seriously on one hand people want kids in the lineup but then overreact when they don't produce at times.
- nastyflyergirl

Totally agree.

It's gonna take time for some of these younger guys to become consistent producers in their given role.

gotta say I disagree with you. Couturier is your shutdown center and see no issue with going at their top line with the Flyers top line.
- nastyflyergirl

Actually, I think the Flyers have been winning to that matchup on most nights.

And if I'm not mistaken, Couturier is either at the top of the league or close to it, in even strength scoring.

Flyersbuzz is consistent.
Play the kids.
This kid that is playing isnt doing anything..sit him.
- opeth_pa

The goalie carousel has moved on to the rookie carousel.

always happy to discuss. i enjoy constructive convos agree or not
- nastyflyergirl

Everyone join hands and send the Flyers some positive vibes to win out Mouvember. We can also sing Kumbyya.

Very nice write up BiggE, you pretty much nailed it. The key point is Simmonds is skating in quick sand and his reaction to the play is way off. Weise should not be on the team period and the only thing I have to disagree on is coaching being okay. Yes the Couturier move was bold and outstanding and the coaches challenge recenty was great, however overall his line matching and line juggling is really bad.
- joegreif17

Yeah he could do better, but in his defense when his lineup includes players like Weise, Lehtera, Laughton, Leier, Raffl, Filppula, a pressing Konecny and a struggling Simmonds, there is only so much you can do. None of those guys are the type of snipers who can both find open ice and just blow one by the goaltender. I suppose you could move one of the guys off the top line and put him with Patrick to try and get 2 lines going that can score, but it's a big risk to break up your only consistent offensive line when you are struggling to score goals.

I’m grateful for only 7 redirects today as I powered through the article on my phone
- mayorofangrytown

You can get Adblock for safari extension. No more redirects for me!

This was the original comment.

"It really does bother me that the Flyers feel the need to validate signings and trades by overplaying guys rather than just admitting they made a mistake"

You discussed whether the moves should've been made in the first place which is a different discussion that the team overplaying players to validate the moves, which was proven to be a false narrative. It's not criticism, it's just a fact.
- MJL

This...

"VLC...The fact that he played as long as he did and was tried everywhere substantiates the belief that they wanted to make this move work despite the obvious to all but the brass."

And...

"The Weise move...has been apparent since shortly after the move that he doesn't add much of what was expected yet he continues to play not only a regular shift, but now has been given PP time. Very strange."

Finally...

"Lehtera...was just the cost of picking up the second 1st rounder. A strict salary dump on StL's part. It still didn't mean he had to play, yet he has of late providing, as expected, very little..."

See. Instead of looking for false facts, if you would take your time and read the entire narrative to try and understand the point, you wouldn't have these misconceptions. Or maybe I'm just not being clear enough, which is a possibility.

Thanks to you too Bigg E you always seem to be pragmatic in your approach to Flyer Fandom.
- Konalover

You are very welcome. Following a team for nearly half a century tends to allow you to put things in perspective. Going into the season, most experts had the Flyers coming close but still missing the playoffs. I think that's what they are. They are a team that can get in if everything goes well and they get lucky in regards to injury. Their goalies are streaky, they still need more secondary scoring and their D is very young. In a deep 16 team conference, they will be fortunate to make the playoffs.

It is what it is and I'm ok with it. Now, if they continue to add more pieces and still miss the playoffs next year (assuming the reason isn't a rash of key injuries at the same time which can derail any team), then I will be calling for a coaching change and I will probably start to question Hextall more. So far though, he's drafted very well, hasn't made any huge dollar FA signings that will haunt us for years and he hasn't made any short sighted trades for a quick fix that we could end up regretting later. The Schenn deal could go down as a big mistake, but we can't know that today. Anyone who says differently, either way, is fooling themselves.

Konecny is a 2nd year 20 year old player. Seriously on one hand people want kids in the lineup but then overreact when they don't produce at times.
- nastyflyergirl

I think Konecny is one of the last guys to take any blame on this. It's been a bad stretch. Patrick has been out, Simmonds is dinged, Weal has been dinged and the other guys haven't picked up any slack. It's a team effort and outside of the top line, no one has stepped up and gotten them a win or two. I think they're a proven top 9 forward shy of being a pretty good team.

Flyersbuzz is consistent.
Play the kids.
This kid that is playing isnt doing anything..sit him.
- opeth_pa

It seems that way at times.

But if we're talking about a near bottom feeding team and the choice between icing a vet who reached his ceiling and is not producing, and giving a younger player who has shown promise but is not given a chance, I'd opt for giving the kid a chance.

That said, patience is key. Plus you need to place the kid in a position that would accelerate his growth curve.

You are very welcome. Following a team for nearly half a century tends to allow you to put things in perspective. Going into the season, most experts had the Flyers coming close but still missing the playoffs. I think that's what they are. They are a team that can get in if everything goes well and they get lucky in regards to injury. Their goalies are streaky, they still need more secondary scoring and their D is very young. In a deep 16 team conference, they will be fortunate to make the playoffs.

It is what it is and I'm ok with it. Now, if they continue to add more pieces and still miss the playoffs next year (assuming the reason isn't a rash of key injuries at the same time which can derail any team), then I will be calling for a coaching change and I will probably start to question Hextall more. So far though, he's drafted very well, hasn't made any huge dollar FA signings that will haunt us for years and he hasn't made any short sighted trades for a quick fix that we could end up regretting later. The Schenn deal could go down as a big mistake, but we can't know that today. Anyone who says differently, either way, is fooling themselves.
- BiggE

As I get older I think my patience is just wearing (Hey you kids get off of my lawn). Trying not to be so judgmental moving forward, and truly realize "It is what It is"....My impatience stems from being closer now to a dirt nap then our last Cup....My decades of optimism window is closing too frigging fast, thus causing skewed impatient vision at times...

As I get older I think my patience is just wearing (Hey you kids get off of my lawn). Trying not to be so judgmental moving forward, and truly realize "It is what It is"....My impatience stems from being closer now to a dirt nap then our last Cup....My decades of optimism window is closing too frigging fast, thus causing skewed impatient vision at times...
- Konalover

Jeez when you put it that way.....

Jeez when you put it that way.....


- MBFlyerfan

Yeah it is a sobering thought. I was 9 when they clinched in 75 and now I just turned 52. Its been a damned long wait.