I kind of wish we could have the Pens fans back, they were a bit more sporting imo.
- BulliesPhan87

the one pens guy who has come on the board has a good rapport with all of us. But when you have a guy that has cheater avatar and says something about suck...I just
we all know good or bad they come to this board because of who we follow...
Go Flyers!

plenty of teams bury contracts due to how the CBA is written. Homegrown versus not homegrown...
next is how a team is bad enough to collect draft picks versus a team that tries to stay competitive through FA.
either way each team has their own game plan.
Just win the dam cup!!!
- phi1671

The Rangers have had the better season because of points (we all know) but once the playoffs start every single team is even and the regular season means nada. The cup is up for grabs and may the best team win.

Gomez worked out absolutely fantastic because we traded him for Ryan McDonagh.
- jimbro83

I'll still never understand how this trade happened. Were the Canadiens trying to keep with the Maple Leafs in the 'stupid' department?

I'll still never understand how this trade happened. Were the Canadiens trying to keep with the Maple Leafs in the 'stupid' department?
- BulliesPhan87

It happens to every franchise. Maybe not that bad but mistakes happen.

the one pens guy who has come on the board has a good rapport with all of us. But when you have a guy that has cheater avatar and says something about suck...I just
we all know good or bad they come to this board because of who we follow...
Go Flyers!
- phi1671

There's two or three Pens posters I've enjoyed having around here. Moderate rivalry factor with a good sense of humor keeps the blog moving. These Rags fellows, though, they're rather touchy. Maybe I just have to get to know them

I'll still never understand how this trade happened. Were the Canadiens trying to keep with the Maple Leafs in the 'stupid' department?
- BulliesPhan87

honestly I think it happened because the Canadiens thought they had a deal to acquire Vincent Lecavalier that fell through, they had like 50 million in cap space at the time and felt that Gomez still had the goods to be a #1 center.

Why they included McDonagh so soon after using a first round pick on him though is and always will be, unbelievable.

I kind of wish we could have the Pens fans back, they were a bit more sporting imo.
- BulliesPhan87

Lucky me to have 2 rangers fans behind me mocking a Flyers fan by making a Jersey Shore reference but at the same time repeated "Yeah Buddy" in his best Jersey shore voice all night. Then screamed when a Flyers pushed a broken stick out of the way (and actually he shoved it right into the path of another Flyers by accident) calling for a penalty......I wanted to punch him in the face. and yes, I did lose it eventually and yelled at him about the broken stick. And the dumb girl who said "oh look, he is skating on his knees" when Giroux fell and slid on his knees. My section is always filled with opposing fans and its such a treat

honestly I think it happened because the Canadiens thought they had a deal to acquire Vincent Lecavalier that fell through, they had like 50 million in cap space at the time and felt that Gomez still had the good to be a #1 center.

Why they included McDonagh so soon after using a first round pick on him though is and always will be, unbelievable.
- jimbro83

That right there is what gets me. I can see there being reasoning behind taking Gomez, contract considered. In a deal that sees young talent going instead of returning? That's baffling. As was said, though, mistakes of all shapes and sizes happen to every franchise at some point.

I mean sure we arn't the best when it comes to dumping bad contracts or exploiting the cap, but we are not as bad as you guys not even close. We dont make big FA splashes EVERY year.

How did Gomez, Reddin, Dru, kaspy, nasland work out? Sure gabby and Richards worked but you know there are about 50 gms you would rather have.


Us on the other hand, I can maybe think of 2-3 gms I would take over hommer and even then I dont know if id make the trade if I had the choice.
- flyers4487

Kaspy was prelockout...Redden well documented...Drury was actually pretty good until his last season, that wasnt a total disaster...Naslund was servicable for the one year he played and then he retired which did us a favor, so that one really didn't hurt us...oh, not only did Gomez get us McDonagh (yay!) but clearing his salary enabled us to sign Gaborik, so as Jimbro pointed out, Gomez worked out extremely well...and by the way, Rathje? Pronger, yes Pronger whi is always hurt and is costing how much? Brygalov is heading the way of Redden also...

Perhaps I didn't make it clear: Dissent is strictly prohibited.
- BulliesPhan87

But...

I'm sorry but I find rewarding teams for winning bad divisions is just a joke. its also going to happen in the west with LA/SJ/Phoenix. I'd rather see a Philly/Pens and Chicago/Detroit/Nashville (whoever finishes 4th and 5th) later in the playoffs.....no in the first round due to inferior division winners being seeded higher. The Flyers, Pens, Red Wings, Hawks and Preds will all finishing with in the top 8 in the league and 2 will be gone in the first round. just never made sense to me.
- nastyflyergirl

I'm really not a fan.....I think if they let the team that comes in first, choose their opponent like pick-up games. The teams will make playoffs ranked 1-8...... The 1st ranked team chooses first, then the 2nd(if not prev. Chosen), then the 3rd and so on.....think of this as a to reward the top team w/ their choice of opponent. This year the rags would go chalk buff/caps or flyers? Make for good match-ups earlier on and gives teams some motivation if they were picked by a team....like a 1 team picking a 2 seed.... Kind of a weird idea and will never happen.....but would the rags pick the flyers or bruins or pitts to get them out of the playoffs early?

Not to sound sour grapes about it but:

1) The Rangers better record is largely a product of their head-to-head dominance of Philly. Turn around 2 of the h2h games this year in regulation and guess what, both teams would have 105 points even with the Rangers winning season series by a 4-2-0 mark.

2) Being "just a better team" isn't a reason in and of itself. There are things that go into that. In addition, every team, regardless of record, has certain clubs they struggle against for whatever reason. Were the cellar-dwelling Canadiens a "better team" than the Rangers when they spanked the Blueshirts by 4-0 and 4-1 scores this year, or did the Habs happen to catch the Rangers at the right time?

3) The playoffs are a whole different animal in terms of preparation and matchups. Obviously, the Rangers would have to be the favorite if they eventually meet the Flyers in the playoffs, but I have seen plenty of times where one team dominates the season series (maybe not to this extent) and then loses to that same club in the playoffs.

4) A secondary part of that reason is the fickleness of the regular schedule. The Rangers pretty consistently caught Philly at the worst possible times for the Flyers in terms of recent volume of games and/or amount of recent travel. That all evens out quickly in a playoff series against one another.
- bmeltzer

Was just busting your ass, though I will say to your point on #4, aside from the early Febuary stretch where Flyers had B2Bs with Devils and Wings in connection with the Rangers games, you won't see a ton of difference in Rangers schedule..Rangers had a tough schedule this whole year with the renovations are the Garden and starting the season in Europe, then an extended Western trip after that. I think if you are going to cite preparations and bring up a challenging schedule, you have to give the Rangers the clear advantage there, though I would attribute that to a young Flyers team with a ton of personnel change and the loss of Pronger, but how is that going to change going forward with the playoffs?

Edit*Leight

How is it a choke if they were never the favorite in any of the previous five playoff appearances?

This year is the first time they will have home ice advantage in any playoff round since the 2005-06 season.

If they disappoint in these playoffs then you can label it a choke job.
- MidnightMarauder

I'd say because they have what has probably been the ebst tender in the league the last few years, and I would say that despite seedin, the fact that they were up 3-1 on the Capitals in 08-09 only to lose the series in 7. That to me would be considered a choke.

Yup.

YOU LOSE! GOOD DAY, SIR!
- Suckmysweatybawls

you'll have to speak up i'm a trifle deaf in this ear

Rangers with 9 homegrown guys
Flyers with 8

Congrats, you win again.
- bradleyc4

The Rangers had 10 in their lineup last night, 2 are currently on IR and one more (Kreider) will be showing up by next Saturday.

Rangers are a home grown YOUNG team solidified by 2, TWO, very good free agent signings.

Can the Flyers say the same thing?
- jimbro83

Man, you need to get a clue. This is Sather of the early 2000's spending like a drunken sailor on UFA's. The Flyers are a YOUNG team. Maybe check on the trades made last year, or the fact we DRAFTED Giroux, Couturier and traded for Simmonds, Schenn, signed Matt Read.

Oh I see, if you trade for youth that doesn't count right? Please.

I kind of wish we could have the Pens fans back, they were a bit more sporting imo.
- BulliesPhan87

That's because they understood how to handle it when their team is good for a change. When was the last time the Rags were relevant to the season's outcome in any shape or form '97?

I guess dissent really is frowned upon, as posts are getting deleted.

I'm out. Have a good day people.

wasn't there a time for a few years that every time the Flyers needed to create cap space they would just put Simon Gagne on IR?

perhaps I am recollecting wrong
- jimbro83

I guess that's what the Kings are doing too. He must never have had a head injury. Who knew? Was that what the Staal situation was in Oct-Jan?

I'd say because they have what has probably been the ebst tender in the league the last few years, and I would say that despite seedin, the fact that they were up 3-1 on the Capitals in 08-09 only to lose the series in 7. That to me would be considered a choke.
- Hextall271

Fair enough, but that Rangers team was average at best. Lundqvist was the only reason they held a 3-1 lead on Washington.

It takes a little more than having a great goalie to beat a good team in the playoffs. Rangers had a terrible time scoring on Varlamov in Games 2-7.

There's two or three Pens posters I've enjoyed having around here. Moderate rivalry factor with a good sense of humor keeps the blog moving. These Rags fellows, though, they're rather touchy. Maybe I just have to get to know them
- BulliesPhan87

I wonder how many of them still have their old Martin Brodeur jerseys in the closet from when they were on that bandwagon back in the day

I kind of wish we could have the Pens fans back, they were a bit more sporting imo.
- BulliesPhan87

Hi.

I guess dissent really is frowned upon, as posts are getting deleted.

I'm out. Have a good day people.
- tangent_man

Ugh I just got here wtf

Man, you need to get a clue. This is Sather of the early 2000's spending like a drunken sailor on UFA's. The Flyers are a YOUNG team. Maybe check on the trades made last year, or the fact we DRAFTED Giroux, Couturier and traded for Simmonds, Schenn, signed Matt Read.

Oh I see, if you trade for youth that doesn't count right? Please.
- Hextall271

and the Rangers aren't young?? who needs to get a clue? our oldest regular d man is Girardi and he is 27...Gabby just turned 30 and so did Hank...our captain is 27, two stud d-man who are 22 years old or in that vicinity in MDZ and McD...Kreider on the way...not saying Philly doesn't have a good young core as well but Sather of the early 2000's...not even close...

I wonder how many of them still have their old Martin Brodeur jerseys in the closet from when they were on that bandwagon back in the day
- JoeRussomanno

what in god's name are you talking about?