Im going to make a bit of a crazy statement here.

I don’t think Hextall gives a (frank) about what the fans generally think. That’s good to a degree, but a dangerous game to play.
- flyer_nutter

I think this is true.

I also think it's generally a good attribute.

Otherwise, you end up like Montreal.

They don't have one. They haven't for a few years now.

At least when the PP was at the top of the league, you could depend on that (even if that's no way to live).

Now, there is not that one thing the team can rely on to pull them out of a funk. They aren't particularly good at anything. They aren't fast. They aren't physical. Their special teams, on a good day, are mediocre.

That's partly on Hextall and partly on the coach. I get that this is part of the rebuild, such as it is, but this team really isn't good at anything.

Unless you start seeing some progress from secondary guys like Patrick, Konecny, and even dudes like Weal, this is a lottery team.
- johndewar

if teams hold Giroux, Coots and Jake off the scoreboard this team loses.

Bill,

I'm not asking for Jody Shelly, but can you speak to why this team seems so soft. Guys like Weise and Simmonds just don't seem to bring really any physical presence. Or am I just totally wrong?

Gudas i can understand in a way because of already having a big suspension this year.

Not just fighting but this team doesn't seem to really even hit much or provide a physical presence.

Is it because the pk is so bad they are afraid to take penalties? Is it something the coach preaches? is it just the roster construction?

just trying to get an idea why this teams lacks any physical play this year.
- J35Bacher

100%....I get that fighting is no longer as large a part of the game as it used to be, but that doesn't mean you can't have some big, physical players who can wear down the other team. to have a guy Manning's size have to step up and Fight that guy last night is embarrassing.

at one point, was it last year or early this year, they seemed to pressure a lot more but now are sitting back again.
- nastyflyergirl

One only needs to look at the Capitals series from a few years ago. They were passive AF and getting torched left and right.

They switched mid-series to a very aggressive PK and were much more successful.

I hate the way they sit back and allow the opposition to move the puck seemingly at will.

if teams hold Giroux, Coots and Jake off the scoreboard this team loses.
- nastyflyergirl

Same song and dance since 2011 or 2012. Except now Coots is more offensively invovled.

if teams hold Giroux, Coots and Jake off the scoreboard this team loses.
- nastyflyergirl

Absolutely correct.

if teams hold Giroux, Coots and Jake off the scoreboard this team loses.
- nastyflyergirl

true. Secondary scoring continues to be a major issue.

I think this is true.

I also think it's generally a good attribute.

Otherwise, you end up like Montreal.
- johndewar

Don’t get me wrong I don’t want him to be solely reactionary to his customer base.

5) The Flyers penalty kill went 0-for-2 last night to fall to an atrocious 75.6 percent on the season. Only the Islanders (74.6) and Oilers (70.8 percent) have been worse percentage wise.

And yet the guy coaching the PK remains in place. Why?
- PLindbergh31

Because this GM moves slowly, cautiously. Similar to the guys he signs and trades for.

Im going to make a bit of a crazy statement here.

I don’t think Hextall gives a (frank) about what the fans generally think. That’s good to a degree, but a dangerous game to play.
- flyer_nutter

In all honesty, I don't think it would be a good idea for Hextall to worry about what the fans think and or make his signings, draft picks, or trades based on what he thinks would be popular from a fan standpoint.

If he does that, he'll be one himself. As passionate as we all are about this team (that I think we can at least all agree on), we are not NHL GM's. I'm frustrated. I get the patience police on here, I get the trade everyone people on here, I will never get the suck and are inept people on here, yet I realize that this is never a straight line process.

Yet, as Boucher pointed out on his interview on the radio this morning, you take a team like Boston and they work. Far too often the Flyers seem to just go through the motions. That to me is more the issue then specific individual players on this team.

Hagg has been hot garbage the past 10 games. I didnt really like his play before that either but lately its been atrocious.

Other hot garbage players lately: flip, weise, patrick, and the macdaddy

I'll give provy a pass as even the best dmen have bad night but last night was the worst he played since that game in chicago last year...he needs to right the course and quickly

Brian Boucher was on WIP this morning. He mentioned Boston and how, beyond the top 3 players, the team is full of mostly no name players and they just work their asses off. the young players.

I know its been talked about at length but once again what is the identity of this team? not slow but not nearly fast or quick enough and not big. they are certainly not consistent. I get the makeover of the team and I support that but I just want to see this move along a little faster. I want to see young players play more. I know, I know, they aren't ready blah blah blah
- nastyflyergirl

they have none. i'm tired of the not ready excuse too. vegas is a rag tag team of decent players and they're schmightzing the poop out of everyone. overnight, jersey is a very good team. there are a lot of good pieces on the flyers, and i don't want to hear anybody blame the stopgap goaltending. once again, overall, it's been pretty good and not the problem.

just (frank)ing sick to death of the boring mediocrity in team play. jfc.

Im going to make a bit of a crazy statement here.

I don’t think Hextall gives a (frank) about what the fans generally think. That’s good to a degree, but a dangerous game to play.
- flyer_nutter

that's fine he shouldn't. He should do what he thinks is best for the team today and for the future and I'm sure he does. But when the team sucks he should and will be called out by those fans. Know-it-alls like me.

The amazing thing about this season so far is this...

The Flyers top 6 players (I think we would all agree) Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds, Couturier, Provorov, and Ghost have combined to miss 3 games this year. (Ghost missed 3 with an UBI).

So they've essentially played half a season with all of their top players playing every game and still have had dismal results. Shows you how awful the rest of the roster is.

if teams hold Giroux, Coots and Jake off the scoreboard this team loses.
- nastyflyergirl

and thats when you get the one goal by weal or tk that ends up meaning Richard.

do you use something else? I don't think I have ever typed on anything else
- YuenglingJagr

I don't despise the use of a QWERTY keyboard, just when stuff is typed, such as "asdf" and other nonsensical QWERTY-related things. Also despise the term "L33t" and its variants.

I think this is true.

I also think it's generally a good attribute.

Otherwise, you end up like Montreal.
- johndewar

or you trade a future vezina goalie to sign a "today's flavor of the year" free agent.

In all honesty, I don't think it would be a good idea for Hextall to worry about what the fans think and or make his signings, draft picks, or trades based on what he thinks would be popular from a fan standpoint.

If he does that, he'll be one himself. As passionate as we all are about this team (that I think we can at least all agree on), we are not NHL GM's. I'm frustrated. I get the patience police on here, I get the trade everyone people on here, I will never get the suck and are inept people on here, yet I realize that this is never a straight line process.

Yet, as Boucher pointed out on his interview on the radio this morning, you take a team like Boston and they work. Far too often the Flyers seem to just go through the motions. That to me is more the issue then specific individual players on this team.
- hockeylover

What I am getting at is he seems content with putting out a product that fans, at least it seems so - are being increasingly put off by.

This team is boring as hell in how it plays the game.

Im going to make a bit of a crazy statement here.

I don’t think Hextall gives a (frank) about what the fans generally think. That’s good to a degree, but a dangerous game to play.
- flyer_nutter

I think as a human he does care. I think as a GM he doesn't care and doesn't act based on fan sentiment. Imho that's how a GM should be.

Hagg has been hot garbage the past 10 games. I didnt really like his play before that either but lately its been atrocious.

Other hot garbage players lately: flip, weise, patrick, and the macdaddy

I'll give provy a pass as even the best dmen have bad night but last night was the worst he played since that game in chicago last year...he needs to right the course and quickly
- bulet13

i think provorov has been having a rough time too lately. i can't put a game number on it, but i just see him getting beaten and making mistakes. not killing him. he's their best goddamn dman and he plays 9838390 minutes a night. it just sucks watching him struggle a bit.

they have none. i'm tired of the not ready excuse too. vegas is a rag tag team of decent players and they're schmightzing the poop out of everyone. overnight, jersey is a very good team. there are a lot of good pieces on the flyers, and i don't want to hear anybody blame the stopgap goaltending. once again, overall, it's been pretty good and not the problem.

just (frank)ing sick to death of the boring mediocrity in team play. jfc.
- hammarby31

I don't buy the excuse that there isn't enough talent in the organization to be good and competitive in this league. Just being young isn't really a valid excuse for me either.

Bill,

I'm not asking for Jody Shelly, but can you speak to why this team seems so soft. Guys like Weise and Simmonds just don't seem to bring really any physical presence. Or am I just totally wrong?

Gudas i can understand in a way because of already having a big suspension this year.

Not just fighting but this team doesn't seem to really even hit much or provide a physical presence.

Is it because the pk is so bad they are afraid to take penalties? Is it something the coach preaches? is it just the roster construction?

just trying to get an idea why this teams lacks any physical play this year.
- J35Bacher

I harken back to the days of yore when people would piss their pants coming in to face Flyers teams. Now teams can play a nobody goalie and watch us lay down like cheap whores. No disrespect to our politicians.

The amazing thing about this season so far is this...

The Flyers top 6 players (I think we would all agree) Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds, Couturier, Provorov, and Ghost have combined to miss 3 games this year. (Ghost missed 3 with an UBI).

So they've essentially played half a season with all of their top players playing every game and still have had dismal results. Shows you how awful the rest of the roster is.
- PLindbergh31

the whole "core" argument. How bad would their record be with out those guys? scary.

I think as a human he does care. I think as a GM he doesn't care and doesn't act based on fan sentiment. Imho that's how a GM should be.
- Scoob

He isn't lacking in smugness though, but I can't completely blame him when dealing with philly media

The amazing thing about this season so far is this...

The Flyers top 6 players (I think we would all agree) Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds, Couturier, Provorov, and Ghost have combined to miss 3 games this year. (Ghost missed 3 with an UBI).

So they've essentially played half a season with all of their top players playing every game and still have had dismal results. Shows you how awful the rest of the roster is.
- PLindbergh31

it's been (frank)ing terrible. they call up martel who was the only player showing a spark and creating and then send him down. i'm hoping lindblom gets an eventual look. he's been good.