I watched the FLA-NYR game. What a pleasure to watch real hockey. Great skaters on both teams, even the NYR goon can skate. Both teams willing to go east-west and even backward as opposed to Tortorella's "right-straight ahead forward" system.
- mr4tno

Ahh... Rangers are playing Carolina not Florida

I watched the FLA-NYR game. What a pleasure to watch real hockey. Great skaters on both teams, even the NYR goon can skate. Both teams willing to go east-west and even backward as opposed to Tortorella's "right-straight ahead forward" system.
- mr4tno

We made it to 6:10 AM before the first whiney post about Torts! Congrats! Oh, and if my eyes don't deceive me the Rags are playing the Canes in this round. Thanks!

Look at the breakout pattern on the first Rangers goal and the design of it. The design of the play on the Pasternak OT goal last night. All quality coaching well executed. Not only do the Flyers not have the talent but offensively, the Flyers coaching staff is extremely deficient.
- MJL

NOTHING to do with coaching. It's called chemistry between highly skilled players that practice set plays. Players design plays for themselves, not coaches. This is not Pee Wee hockey. That is one thing the Bruins do very well, their players practice set plays and execute them, and that OT goal by Pastrnak was an example and a thing of beauty. The other thing the Bruins forward's do well is they always have a player on the weak side, especially on the rush and their forwards pass to areas because they know where their linemates are going. The Flyers have not had set lines for a few seasons now, and that is one thing they need to improve upon as they build this thing out.

Saw this quote tonight from Matthews

"This is as tight as the group as I've been a part of here. And I feel like we say that every year, but I mean, it truly was an incredible group, incredibly tight. And the way we stuck together through the ups and downs of the regular season and postseason, as tight as the group as I've been a part of."

Great locker room camaraderie doesn’t mean much when you don’t have a 1C or many high end defenseman. Flyers should take note of that.
- Schmojo

I am confused by this statement, are you saying that Toronto does not have #1 center?

Maybe Toronto should have 4 guys taking up half of the cap and then have those same 4 guys take up over 46 million of next seasons cap.

I watched the FLA-NYR game. What a pleasure to watch real hockey. Great skaters on both teams, even the NYR goon can skate. Both teams willing to go east-west and even backward as opposed to Tortorella's "right-straight ahead forward" system.
- mr4tno

Not a fair comparison by any standard. Torts coaches the team he has, and tries to put them in the best position to a win a hockey game. You can't say the Flyers are void of elite skill out of one side of mouth and then out the other side blame Torts that the Flyers don't look the Rangers or Florida. I mean, come on, it's ridiculous.

I am confused by this statement, are you saying that Toronto does not have #1 center?

Maybe Toronto should have 4 guys taking up half of the cap and then have those same 4 guys take up over 46 million of next seasons cap.
- WhiskeyMan

After watching the Bruins Leafs series, it's pretty clear to me Toronto needs to move on from Marner. In this series he looked like nothing more than a grossly overpriced penalty killer. There was a play in game 7 where there was a mix-up between Swayman and his defenseman and Swayman just left the puck there behind his own net. Marner comes in and instead of getting the puck and quickly coming back to the open side for an easy goal he decided he didn't want to take the hit and picked up the puck and skated behind the net to open ice where the play was quickly killed. This to me was Marner in a nutshell, not willing to sacrifice taking a hit for what should have been a gift goal. I certainly would want no part of Marner and I think the Leafs will move him this off season.

I am confused by this statement, are you saying that Toronto does not have #1 center?

Maybe Toronto should have 4 guys taking up half of the cap and then have those same 4 guys take up over 46 million of next seasons cap.
- WhiskeyMan

He meant besides Matthews and Tavares.

Not a fair comparison by any standard. Torts coaches the team he has, and tries to put them in the best position to a win a hockey game. You can't say the Flyers are void of elite skill out of one side of mouth and then out the other side blame Torts that the Flyers don't look the Rangers or Florida. I mean, come on, it's ridiculous.
- jd250

Its hard to say that he puts the team in the best position when he scratches skilled players and plays slugs like nic d

Ahh... Rangers are playing Carolina not Florida
- hfc355

Ah yes, thanks. But you get what I was driving at...Florida would work too....

Not a fair comparison by any standard. Torts coaches the team he has, and tries to put them in the best position to a win a hockey game. You can't say the Flyers are void of elite skill out of one side of mouth and then out the other side blame Torts that the Flyers don't look the Rangers or Florida. I mean, come on, it's ridiculous.
- jd250

I don't know what you read or how it translated in your mind, but I never mentioned skill level in this post. It is a known fact that Tortorella can't stand creativity and, as such, hates the east-west portion of the game. Flyers have several players that can play east-west, backward-forward but they then get sent to the doghouse after they do so.

After watching the Bruins Leafs series, it's pretty clear to me Toronto needs to move on from Marner. In this series he looked like nothing more than a grossly overpriced penalty killer. There was a play in game 7 where there was a mix-up between Swayman and his defenseman and Swayman just left the puck there behind his own net. Marner comes in and instead of getting the puck and quickly coming back to the open side for an easy goal he decided he didn't want to take the hit and picked up the puck and skated behind the net to open ice where the play was quickly killed. This to me was Marner in a nutshell, not willing to sacrifice taking a hit for what should have been a gift goal. I certainly would want no part of Marner and I think the Leafs will move him this off season.
- jd250

he will only be moved if he wants to be moved. he holds all the cards

Its hard to say that he puts the team in the best position when he scratches skilled players and plays slugs like nic d
- corduroy

or goes 11/7 and plays 4th line players in OT

Its hard to say that he puts the team in the best position when he scratches skilled players and plays slugs like nic d
- corduroy

Nic D didn't play for pretty much the entire last quarter of the season.

he will only be moved if he wants to be moved. he holds all the cards
- hello it's me 2050

True, but given what I saw on the bench during the series, I think Marner's time with the Leafs is over. He has one year left on his current deal and to be honest Marner will be hard-pressed to get another deal like that after this playoff performance.

True, but given what I saw on the bench during the series, I think Marner's time with the Leafs is over. He has one year left on his current deal and to be honest Marner will be hard-pressed to get another deal like that after this playoff performance.
- jd250

He has a full NMC, and he's expressed his love for Toronto, I don't see him going anywhere. If they force him anywhere, it'll be of his choosing and the Leafs will lose any deal of that sort. Which would make me happy, being a Leaf hater.

I don't know what you read or how it translated in your mind, but I never mentioned skill level in this post. It is a known fact that Tortorella can't stand creativity and, as such, hates the east-west portion of the game. Flyers have several players that can play east-west, backward-forward but they then get sent to the doghouse after they do so.
- mr4tno

This is just completely false. Playing east-west does not automatically mean you are being creative. And Torts made this comment specifically about Wade Allison, who he felt was at his best when he played a north-south straight ahead game, and Torts was right about that. Look at how Torts treats TK, who clearly is a creative player. Torts says TK drives him crazy sometimes but trusts him and thus puts up with the mistakes as well.

He has a full NMC, and he's expressed his love for Toronto, I don't see him going anywhere. If they force him anywhere, it'll be of his choosing and the Leafs will lose any deal of that sort. Which would make me happy, being a Leaf hater.
- Dave21Brown

I can't imagine the Leafs would want to resign Marner, especially something north of $10M deal.

True, but given what I saw on the bench during the series, I think Marner's time with the Leafs is over. He has one year left on his current deal and to be honest Marner will be hard-pressed to get another deal like that after this playoff performance.
- jd250

there are many gm's who will give him a 7/8 year deal at the money he currently makes.

I can't imagine the Leafs would want to resign Marner, especially something north of $10M deal.
- jd250

Agree, but they may be stuck with him for one more year. Their roster is poorly constructed, as we all know, makes me happy knowing they'll continue to fail.

Saw this quote tonight from Matthews

"This is as tight as the group as I've been a part of here. And I feel like we say that every year, but I mean, it truly was an incredible group, incredibly tight. And the way we stuck together through the ups and downs of the regular season and postseason, as tight as the group as I've been a part of."

Great locker room camaraderie doesn’t mean much when you don’t have a 1C or many high end defenseman. Flyers should take note of that.
- Schmojo

This is actually quite comical! Of course they are a tight nit group! They love the TO night life and hang out together. Basically they are country clubbers leading the good life and enjoying themselves. Congrats until it's actually time to win something at your chosen profession. Send Torts to TO and he'll straighten them out! Probably been partying it up since they lost! No big whoop to them.

He meant besides Matthews and Tavares.
- MBFlyerfan

Makes sense then, thanks

Agree, but they may be stuck with him for one more year. Their roster is poorly constructed, as we all know, makes me happy knowing they'll continue to fail.
- Dave21Brown

They can move him before the start of the season.

I just heard that Marner has had just 1 goal in playoff games 4-7 since 2018

Nic D didn't play for pretty much the entire last quarter of the season.
- jd250

That means he played for the first three quarters of the season does it not?

They can move him before the start of the season.

I just heard that Marner has had just 1 goal in playoff games 4-7 since 2018
- WhiskeyMan

Only if he wants to go, his NMC kicked in for the 2023/24 season and for the 2024/25 season.

https://www.capfriendly.c...m/players/mitchell-marner

New blog is up.