With the Flyers defensive breakdowns game after game after game, do we have to start looking at the coach and the system he employs?

Maybe Lavi needs to make some adjustments to compensate for the teams inability to play solid defense more often than not?

I am just throwing it out there.

Elite goalies erase the mistakes made infront of them.

Bryz did just the opposite yesterday.
- ggunky

Thats bullpoop. He made save after save through 2 periods, giving up 2 goals on 28 shots (one of the goals was an insane deflection that he, and no other goalie, could dream to save).

If the Flyers (who had Lundgvist down and out SEVERAL times) would have been able to finish their chances (ahem, Giroux X3, Schenn, multiple other players) He would have been the better goalie. I will not excuse the terrible goals he let in, but it was a constant storm.. He let up 4 goals on 38 shots. Lundqvist let up 2 on 23.

Bryzgalov was holding the Flyers in the game, before the Gaborik goal. The Rangers were outplaying them by a pretty good margin, until Schenn's nice breakaway goal. The game evened out a little after that until the previously mentioned Gaborik tally.

Can't hang this loss on Bryzgalov solely though. The Rangers played a strong game, as did Lundqvist and the Flyers defense is average at best without Pronger.

Timonen(sp?) is excellent but after that it gets a little dicey. Do any of you think a big trade for a blueliner is imminent?
- MidnightMarauder

lets be real here, its not like the Ranger defensemen are all that. But the Rangers team defense has been very good as has Lundqvist.

bryz overall number

2.53 .916
Playoffs:
2.55 .917


King Henry overall

2.32 .918

Playoffs:
2.60 .909

Now sit down and shut it and give the guy a chance...i think the reason that philly hasnt had any goalies since hextall is because no one else was crazy enough to be able to put up with the poop in this town!

A portion falls on lavy yes, but handing him a team with this much youth and expecting a Cup might be a little much. I'm all for standing pat at the deadline and addressing the roster in the offseason. Unless you can add some depth on the cheap, which I doubt. Basically bringing in one defenseman isn't fixing this team. When your best forward misses at least three wide open nets in two games, there serious issues at play.
- JoeRussomanno

I don't know what is going on with G. His play has been a total 180 than how he started the year. It seems like he's distracted or something. It better not be a new Olde City girlfriend. Damn you Carter & Richards for tainting him!

No poop. But if the Flyers had scored when they had open nets, they may have won the game.
- feelingkettle

No disagreement here.

Again, 2 soft goals against are killer.

Bryz was brought in to resolve this issue, the Flyers could have kept Boosh and spent that 5 mil in a different area if this issue wasn't suppose to be resolved with bringing in Bryz.

the defensive play of the top line really concerns me. A lot
- nastyflyergirl

Me too. Giroux is -4 and second in the league in scoring. That seems almost impossible. He wins faceoffs but seems to be overmatched physically in the defensive zone sometimes. A problem, I might add, that has been raised as a concern here in the past.

He is small and will wear down.

A portion falls on lavy yes, but handing him a team with this much youth and expecting a Cup might be a little much. I'm all for standing pat at the deadline and addressing the roster in the offseason. Unless you can add some depth on the cheap, which I doubt. Basically bringing in one defenseman isn't fixing this team. When your best forward misses at least three wide open nets in two games, there serious issues at play.
- JoeRussomanno

They need JVR back healthy, producing and playing like a top 6 winger should
They need a legit 1-2 D-man

Realistically neither are happening this year. I have kind of soured on any major trades at this point with this team. The offseason will be interesting for sure. They have to spend money on D. No discussion there. They have to. They also need to give Voracek the raise he deserves... and JVR's cap hit goes up quite a bit as well. It will be an interesting juggling act to watch.

With the Flyers defensive breakdowns game after game after game, do we have to start looking at the coach and the system he employs?

Maybe Lavi needs to make some adjustments to compensate for the teams inability to play solid defense more often than not?

I am just throwing it out there.
- MBFlyerfan

It's a fair question. I just think any team who would be without their top D man long term, and employing so many rookies are going to have coverage issues a fair amount of the time. Part of the learning process.

With the Flyers defensive breakdowns game after game after game, do we have to start looking at the coach and the system he employs?

Maybe Lavi needs to make some adjustments to compensate for the teams inability to play solid defense more often than not?

I am just throwing it out there.
- MBFlyerfan

That's not unfair at all. But if he's making the adjustments and the players just aren't doing the assignments, his hands are kind of tied considering the amount of youth. Perhaps they just aren't that good. And if that's the case there is no use female doging about it now.

They need JVR back healthy, producing and playing like a top 6 winger should
They need a legit 1-2 D-man

Realistically neither are happening this year. I have kind of soured on any major trades at this point with this team. The offseason will be interesting for sure. They have to spend money on D. No discussion there. They have to. They also need to give Voracek the raise he deserves... and JVR's cap hit goes up quite a bit as well. It will be an interesting juggling act to watch.
- hereticpride

what they need to do is trade that lazy concussed POS for a defense man..

Thats bullpoop. He made save after save through 2 periods, giving up 2 goals on 28 shots (one of the goals was an insane deflection that he, and no other goalie, could dream to save).

If the Flyers (who had Lundgvist down and out SEVERAL times) would have been able to finish their chances (ahem, Giroux X3, Schenn, multiple other players) He would have been the better goalie. I will not excuse the terrible goals he let in, but it was a constant storm.. He let up 4 goals on 38 shots. Lundqvist let up 2 on 23.
- jak521

It isn't bullpoop.

2 soft gaols against.

Bryz was brought in to fix the soft goals issues.

Disagree with me, that is fine.

It doesn't change the fact that the loss falls squarely at the feet of 2 soft goals against.

With the Flyers defensive breakdowns game after game after game, do we have to start looking at the coach and the system he employs?

Maybe Lavi needs to make some adjustments to compensate for the teams inability to play solid defense more often than not?

I am just throwing it out there.
- MBFlyerfan

I think the system is what has them #7 in the NHL. They dont have the (roster) defense to employ a Rangers like game plan.

With the Flyers defensive breakdowns game after game after game, do we have to start looking at the coach and the system he employs?

Maybe Lavi needs to make some adjustments to compensate for the teams inability to play solid defense more often than not?

I am just throwing it out there.
- MBFlyerfan

I threw it out there already. And yes, he has a lot of work to do with this team.

They need JVR back healthy, producing and playing like a top 6 winger should
They need a legit 1-2 D-man

Realistically neither are happening this year. I have kind of soured on any major trades at this point with this team. The offseason will be interesting for sure. They have to spend money on D. No discussion there. They have to. They also need to give Voracek the raise he deserves... and JVR's cap hit goes up quite a bit as well. It will be an interesting juggling act to watch.
- hereticpride

Yea that's pretty much my thought process. Just tired of hearing the goalie nonsense. Did he have his best game yesterday? No he did not. Has he been so godawful all year like some in here make it out to be No that's not the case either. There are way deeper problems with this team than the goalie and if people can't figure this out, I'm just glad they aren't making the decisions with the team.

Yea that's pretty much my thought process. Just tired of hearing the goalie nonsense. Did he have his best game yesterday? No he did not. Has he been so godawful all year like some in here make it out to be No that's not the case either. There are way deeper problems with this team than the goalie and if people can't figure this out, I'm just glad they aren't making the decisions with the team.
- JoeRussomanno

I think the system is what has them #7 in the NHL. They dont have the (roster) defense to employ a Rangers like game plan.
- jak521

I agree with this. The flyers are a very good offensive team with tons of depth. They shouldn't change who they are. The key is cutting down on these defensive lapses and hoping the goalie can make a save or two here and there to cover up mistakes. I think it is to late in the season for the coach to try and change his philosophy.

lets be real here, its not like the Ranger defensemen are all that. But the Rangers team defense has been very good as has Lundqvist.
- nastyflyergirl

You also forget that the Rangers oldest defensemen, in the line-up yesterday, was Girardi at the ripe old age of 27. The defense doesn't have any huge names back there but that has a lot to do with the fact that many of them have only a few seasons under their belt.

Del Zotto, McDonagh, Staal and Girardi are all very good defensemen, you could throw in Sauer too but he is currently still out due to a concussion.

Yes Lundqvvist makes a lot of things easier for any team's defense but you can't discredit the Rangers blueline completely. It is a very underrated defense if you ask me.

It's a fair question. I just think any team who would be without their top D man long term, and employing so many rookies are going to have coverage issues a fair amount of the time. Part of the learning process.
- PLindbergh31

A fair point that even I overlook sometimes because of how well the rookies have played as a group. I sometimes forget they are rookies.

And that goes to the point that maybe they need to stand pat and let these kids grow as a team. They have been pretty successful this year from a record and standing perspective. Imagine how good they can be when they get the experience and mature (physically and mentally) as a group.

You have assuaged some of my apprehension by reminding me I have to remember there are 8 rookies getting major chunks of ice time every night for this team.

Thank you sir!

It isn't bullpoop.

2 soft gaols against.

Bryz was brought in to fix the soft goals issues.

Disagree with me, that is fine.

It doesn't change the fact that the loss falls squarely at the feet of 2 soft goals against.
- ggunky

So there are no other factors?

Like the fact that for some reason G cant hit an open net. Schenn double clutching with an open net. Flyers forgetting they have to play defense. He did let in bad goals. I cant defend that, and I wouldnt anyway. But I have had enough of this team defense the team pretends to play.

Timonen never played with Pronger except on the PP.
- MBFlyerfan

Was just an example saying that two guys (whoever it may be) gets comfortable with only playing with 1 other guy. We say it when Z went down Martin was horrible because he wasn't use to playing with someone else.

That's not unfair at all. But if he's making the adjustments and the players just aren't doing the assignments, his hands are kind of tied considering the amount of youth. Perhaps they just aren't that good. And if that's the case there is no use female doging about it now.
- JoeRussomanno

Well then, ice-time should be shortened for these players, no matter who it is. He needs to prove a point that it is not acceptable even if it does mean not putting your best players on the ice at times.

It isn't bullpoop.

2 soft gaols against.

Bryz was brought in to fix the soft goals issues.

Disagree with me, that is fine.

It doesn't change the fact that the loss falls squarely at the feet of 2 soft goals against.
- ggunky

Ok but here's the problem with that. He's never A shown he can save a team that is completely and utterly irresponsible in front of him and B he's been known to lay a stinker of a game every now and then i.e his consistency was an issue before he got here. With that said he's been stellar in wins and subpar in losses. Even in most losses he's been good enough for them to have a shot hence not all his wins are 2 goals or less. However this team would not be where it was if he is that bad I'm sorry they aren't good enough to overcome terrible goaltending.

Well then, ice-time should be shortened for these players, no matter who it is. He needs to prove a point that it is not acceptable even if it does mean not putting your best players on the ice at times.
- Flyer_Nation71

I think the amount of injuries are dictating the icetime at this point.

They need JVR back healthy, producing and playing like a top 6 winger should
They need a legit 1-2 D-man

Realistically neither are happening this year. I have kind of soured on any major trades at this point with this team. The offseason will be interesting for sure. They have to spend money on D. No discussion there. They have to. They also need to give Voracek the raise he deserves... and JVR's cap hit goes up quite a bit as well. It will be an interesting juggling act to watch.
- hereticpride

I would much rather see them with legit 5-6 dmen.

Gussy and Bourdon are not even close to cutting it.

This to me is a no brainer.

Carle-Meszy
Timonen-Coburn
Gill- another cheaper Vet

is WORLDS better than

Carle-Bourdon
Timonen- Coby
Meszy- Gussy

(while mixing and matching the d-pairings through out the game to cover up the weaknesses)