He always does. Would defense be the number one priority this offseason?
- stveshdy

my dream would be for chris to get healthy and play, but it is a dream at this point...

not sure what could be done on d, not sure that a suter is that much better then carle, id like to see our d get bigger/stronger.

A bigger concern moving forward is the inability to beat team that forecheck hard and defend well.

Regardless of the opinions of some, in the 4 losses to the Devils, Bryzgalov allowed a single bad goal. The Flyers managed to score 7 goals in the 4 losses. Bryzgalov had an up and down season to be sure, but there were a lot of factors to that, that have been hashed and rehashed. I have faith that he will rebound and be fine.

But getting back to my big worry, the Flyers struggled against teams that did what the Devils did all season long. The coaching staff failed to make adjustments in this regard for most of the year, and the players really didn't execute well against teams that had a sustained forecheck.
- Jsaquella

More or less the same thing two years in a row. Boston last year and the Devils this year. Both teams with a punishing forecheck and strong physical play. And since the rosters were very different between this year and last year, you have to lay at least some of the blame for that with the coach. Whatever he is telling the players is not working. Although they did win game one in OT this year, they also lost four straight to a team playing this style with no apparent changes in tactics or strategy. Just like last year.

My opinion of Bryz is simply this. We didn't lose this series because of Bryz. This season wasn't pissed away because of Bryz. In my opinion 24/7 was the worst thing to happen to Ilya Bryzgalov. Not only did Bryz have the local media on him all season long for his universe comments but the entire league. The guy was just trying to explain that he's a simply and easy going guy. He likes to learn and he likes to read and yet this was all used against him. I'm sure those comments about the Tigers would have been said with or without the cameras in the room. All I know is, he has one season of being a Flyer under his belt and he has to come back stronger next season.

As for the Flyers as a whole, a lot of players including Giroux just mailed it in. I think Talbot and Briere are probably the only 2 players who didn't...
- roenick97

I don't agree about Giroux. if anything I think he was trying to do it all too much and got too frustrated when things didn't go well. too many of the young guys/rookies who came thru in the first round didn't in the second round.

Yes he was!!!! u guys needed him to steal a game, which he could not do...
And NEVER will
- Ur Not Me

Well if anyone would know about poopty goaltending it'd be an Isles fan.

Well if anyone would know about poopty goaltending it'd be an Isles fan.
- Scoob

Yeah, they score 7 goals in 4 second round losses and the goalie is the problem.
- Jsaquella

Call it the Luongo effect.

- BulliesPhan87

Just a little friendly Wednesday morning ribbing between hockey fans.

PS: Love that kid.

I, for one, am very comfortable with that. He's a very good goalie. I think with a year under his belt he'll be even better next year.

I would like to see them bring back Jagr.

They're going to have to make a tweek or two on defense which will probably mean moving out a little of the offensive depth but that's okay.

I like what I saw overall with this team this year. I think the future is bright.
- Scoob

I agree with everything, except I don't think Jagr should be brought back. Very good soldier this year, and he played well at times, but as the season wore on he ran out of gas. He's not getting any younger and lower extremity injuries are a big concern. Voracek is much more of a priority than Jagr is.

So the season is over. I don't feel as bad about it this year as I have years in the past. We have a 19 year old that shut down one of the best players in the world. There's a guy who lost his head in game 4 that could have extended this series at least one more game, but he's on his way to being crowned the best player in the world if he continues to improve and maintain his dominance. Just a few examples.

This is one of the few years that I'm sorry haters, but the goaltending wasn't the reason for the Flyers' demise. Bryzgalov made a boneheaded play that cost his team a goal, yes. Again I have seen other goalies make mistakes handling the puck in these playoffs, just like I have seen other goalies give up so-called soft goals. Going through the five hole, over the shoulder from the circle, off a break away (yes I learned after game 1 of this series that break aways are now soft goals it is duly noted in my file of what is and is not softgoals). I also want to point out that Bryzgalov finished this season below his career average for goals against and only a hundredth of a decimal worse than his career average.

As for the playoff track record with Bryzgalov, yes he has had success when he played behind a defensively competent and committed Anaheim team. Those two years in Phoenix were similar to what we saw this year in that he was on a team that got outclassed. He made the million dollar saves for this club. If you want to dwell on his numbers, be my guest. He has the ability and if his club wasn't ground to a pulp by the Devils forecheck I think, no I am sure his numbers would have been better. These games could have been a lot worse than they were.

To the guy saying there is no pressure to play in Philly, well you display your knowledge with that statement. Flyer fans could see Bryzgalov was the best player of the series with the devils. We also knew against Pittsburgh he was playing with a fracture to a weight bearing bone in his foot, yet he played good enough, made the critical saves and thus pushed us past a superior opponent.

Moving forward this team has issues, but not as serious as some make it out to be. We have no clue what is going on with Pronger. However that issue should be addressed in the offseason definitively. I think homer is competent enough to tweak the roster and get this team playing efficiently against teams like the Devils, Bruins and Rangers. Furthermore I think Lavy and co are capable of coaching this team to overcome what brought them down this year.

More or less the same thing two years in a row. Boston last year and the Devils this year. Both teams with a punishing forecheck and strong physical play. And since the rosters were very different between this year and last year, you have to lay at least some of the blame for that with the coach. Whatever he is telling the players is not working. Although they did win game one in OT this year, they also lost four straight to a team playing this style with no apparent changes in tactics or strategy. Just like last year.
- BringBack25

Listen, Laviolette is a puck pressure attack style Coach. He beleives in pressuring the puck on the forecheck, and gambling and playing the offensive side of the puck, with his defenseman to keep the puck in the offensive zone to sustain pressure. Backs it up with a hybrid lock in the neutral zone, and a very basic man to man defensive zone coverage. He wants to use puck pressure to play in the other team's end. That's how he wants to defend. I've never, and I've said so in the past, liked that style. I think it's too aggressive. But we've had Coaches here who were less aggressive such as Hitchcock and Stevens. And the fans didn't like that style of play. And they wanted Laviolette's style. Remember how every loved his system and it was superior to Stevens system? A team in the playoffs, after playing one way for 82 games and a playoff series, isn't going to change it's style of play. That would be a disaster. I have personally always preferred a style where you defend first, and counter attack off of turnovers to create offense. And forecheck hard when the opportunity is there. With the Flyers speed, I think they would be very strong in that way. At the same time, players decide who wins. St. Louis was the NHL's best defensive team under Hitchcock, and they got swept out.

I, for one, am very comfortable with that. He's a very good goalie. I think with a year under his belt he'll be even better next year.

I would like to see them bring back Jagr.

They're going to have to make a tweek or two on defense which will probably mean moving out a little of the offensive depth but that's okay.

I like what I saw overall with this team this year. I think the future is bright.
- Scoob

I'd like to see more of you in here sir. Know I am a noob here but just saying...

Call it the Luongo effect.
- Mr_Clean

The Luongo effect.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Reasons, Rationales and Excuses
- bmeltzer

great wrap up on what, imo, was an unmitigated disaster.

they severely underperformed, really with the exception of bryz, who seemed to do what he did all year and that was play pretty well but was unable to simply outright steal anything. i didn't see most of the game, and missed the gaffe on the clarkson goal, but it didn't cost them the series. they likely would have lost late in the game anyway in some other fashion.

they have a lot to be excited about, and really did a nice job given the turnover in personnel and injuries. i'm curious to see what they do in the offseason, as obviously some guys will be moving on. there will be a lot of pressure on bryzgalov to be more consistent, and simply better, and theere will also be a lot of pressure on jvr, and for good reason. i think it's make or break for him next year with this club. if things don't go well, i expect them to shop him around.

overall, they need to improve the defense corps as well as total team defense if they want to go further next season.

I agree with everything, except I don't think Jagr should be brought back. Very good soldier this year, and he played well at times, but as the season wore on he ran out of gas. He's not getting any younger and lower extremity injuries are a big concern. Voracek is much more of a priority than Jagr is.
- PLindbergh31

I like Voracek and hope they get him signed.

I do put Jagr fairly high up on the priority list. I think his impact off the ice and in the lockerroom was likely significant. And sure he's getting up there in age, but with properly managed minutes and rest he can still be very effective on the ice as well.

All the things he said publically about wanting to stay and having fun indicate to me that he's not going to be looking for a big payday. Heck, he may even take a little less than this year. I think he's well worth signing again.

Listen, Laviolette is a puck pressure attack style Coach. He beleives in pressuring the puck on the forecheck, and gambling and playing the offensive side of the puck, with his defenseman to keep the puck in the offensive zone to sustain pressure. Backs it up with a hybrid lock in the neutral zone, and a very basic man to man defensive zone coverage. He wants to use puck pressure to play in the other team's end. That's how he wants to defend. I've never, and I've said so in the past, liked that style. I think it's too aggressive. But we've had Coaches here who were less aggressive such as Hitchcock and Stevens. And the fans didn't like that style of play. And they wanted Laviolette's style. Remember how every loved his system and it was superior to Stevens system? A team in the playoffs, after playing one way for 82 games and a playoff series, isn't going to change it's style of play. That would be a disaster. I have personally always preferred a style where you defend first, and counter attack off of turnovers to create offense. And forecheck hard when the opportunity is there. With the Flyers speed, I think they would be very strong in that way. At the same time, players decide who wins. St. Louis was the NHL's best defensive team under Hitchcock, and they got swept out.
- MJL

Gotta say I agree with all this. I will say too, I think the injuries S.T louis suffered in that series hurt them bad.

Something I'm not sure of, can Lavy change his system to be more defensive? It's becoming a weakness and I like his offensive approach but his defensive approach has me worried going forward.

What would you like to see Homer add this summer?
- stveshdy

I wouldn't mind a 4th line center that can kill penalties and win big faceoffs, guy like Scott Nichol.

They have to replace Carle or sign him to a decent contract. MAB and Gus do not replace Carle.

I really hope we don't see any knee jerk moves. They have a young team-as NFG pointed out, without Jagr, Briere & Hartnell, the average age of the forwards is 22.5 years of age.

great wrap up on what, imo, was an unmitigated disaster.

they severely underperformed, really with the exception of bryz, who seemed to do what he did all year and that was play pretty well but was unable to simply outright steal anything. i didn't see most of the game, and missed the gaffe on the clarkson goal, but it didn't cost them the series. they likely would have lost late in the game anyway in some other fashion.

they have a lot to be excited about, and really did a nice job given the turnover in personnel and injuries. i'm curious to see what they do in the offseason, as obviously some guys will be moving on. there will be a lot of pressure on bryzgalov to be more consistent, and simply better, and theere will also be a lot of pressure on jvr, and for good reason. i think it's make or break for him next year with this club. if things don't go well, i expect them to shop him around.

overall, they need to improve the defense corps as well as total team defense if they want to go further next season.
- hammarby31

Defense was really your weakness all playoffs long.

I like Voracek and hope they get him signed.

I do put Jagr fairly high up on the priority list. I think his impact off the ice and in the lockerroom was likely significant. And sure he's getting up there in age, but with properly managed minutes and rest he can still be very effective on the ice as well.

All the things he said publically about wanting to stay and having fun indicate to me that he's not going to be looking for a big payday. Heck, he may even take a little less than this year. I think he's well worth signing again.
- Scoob

Jagr is one of the greats. It is so weird how a guy that was hated for so long here is so loved in just a short amount of time. That was really moving to hear him say that about this being the best year of his career, last night.

Gotta say I agree with all this. I will say too, I think the injuries S.T louis suffered in that series hurt them bad.

Something I'm not sure of, can Lavy change his system to be more defensive? It's becoming a weakness and I like his offensive approach but his defensive approach has me worried going forward.
- JoeRussomanno

He can, but he has Coached that way his entire career. So I don't see that chancging. But that doesn't mean that the Flyers can't improve and play the way they need to defensively.

I wouldn't mind a 4th line center that can kill penalties and win big faceoffs, guy like Scott Nichol.

They have to replace Carle or sign him to a decent contract. MAB and Gus do not replace Carle.

I really hope we don't see any knee jerk moves. They have a young team-as NFG pointed out, without Jagr, Briere & Hartnell, the average age of the forwards is 22.5 years of age.
- Jsaquella

I was thinking the samething about the 4th line center, whatcha think about Gaustad?

More or less the same thing two years in a row. Boston last year and the Devils this year. Both teams with a punishing forecheck and strong physical play. And since the rosters were very different between this year and last year, you have to lay at least some of the blame for that with the coach. Whatever he is telling the players is not working. Although they did win game one in OT this year, they also lost four straight to a team playing this style with no apparent changes in tactics or strategy. Just like last year.
- BringBack25

The Flyers-coaches and players-found no effective adjustment to counter what the Devils were doing. Either the adjustments failed or the players simply failed to execute them. Like most things, I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle

Listen, Laviolette is a puck pressure attack style Coach. He beleives in pressuring the puck on the forecheck, and gambling and playing the offensive side of the puck, with his defenseman to keep the puck in the offensive zone to sustain pressure. Backs it up with a hybrid lock in the neutral zone, and a very basic man to man defensive zone coverage. He wants to use puck pressure to play in the other team's end. That's how he wants to defend. I've never, and I've said so in the past, liked that style. I think it's too aggressive. But we've had Coaches here who were less aggressive such as Hitchcock and Stevens. And the fans didn't like that style of play. And they wanted Laviolette's style. Remember how every loved his system and it was superior to Stevens system? A team in the playoffs, after playing one way for 82 games and a playoff series, isn't going to change it's style of play. That would be a disaster. I have personally always preferred a style where you defend first, and counter attack off of turnovers to create offense. And forecheck hard when the opportunity is there. With the Flyers speed, I think they would be very strong in that way. At the same time, players decide who wins. St. Louis was the NHL's best defensive team under Hitchcock, and they got swept out.
- MJL

Coaching system aside...they really need to work on the consistency side of their game. Whatever style they are going to play, they need to do it on a more consistent basis night in and night out...for me that is the most frustrating characteristic of this team

I was thinking the samething about the 4th line center, whatcha think about Gaustad?
- JoeRussomanno

I think he's going to be too expensive to justify. I want to augment, not add a guy that will take ice time away from the kids

I like Voracek and hope they get him signed.

I do put Jagr fairly high up on the priority list. I think his impact off the ice and in the lockerroom was likely significant. And sure he's getting up there in age, but with properly managed minutes and rest he can still be very effective on the ice as well.

All the things he said publically about wanting to stay and having fun indicate to me that he's not going to be looking for a big payday. Heck, he may even take a little less than this year. I think he's well worth signing again.
- Scoob

I think it would take what he earned at least this year... In the 3.5 range. With the areas of need on defense, and Voracek, I don't see where that money is coming from.

I was waiting the whole series for a player to step up and change momentum, and fire up the team. To get them going. Other then Bryzgalov, who kept them in a lot of games. The only player who did something to at least temporarily add fire to the Flyers, was Rinaldo last night. With some big hits and physical play. No one else stepped up to try and change the tide.