Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: One More Point Slips Away

Bill, this is just brutal. Does your gut say stand pat and let them play through it? The futility is remarkable. I keep wanting to believe that they're Mr. mom and the other team is Martin Mull but I think they truly just suck

I think they need to keep the team in tact. I mean it's rough right now but if you keep blowing up or trading pieces of the team its just going to make it worse. Quality players on this team just aren't playing up to their potential.

it's more depressing that this draft sucks
we really need to tank all out if we are going to

it's more depressing that this draft sucks
we really need to tank all out if we are going to
- 2Real

Even though they won tonight (replay's show otherwise) I think Buffalo will easily grab the first overall lol. Philly will win soon. Just have to hope they don't wait too long!

Just teasing here Bill... I don't think tickets to a Flyers/Oilers game this year is much of a prize might be a punishment to some

It's maddening, infuriating, and hackneyed.

I thought they had it, and then turnovers happened. Then goals against happened.

The way Mason has been playing, this team should not be 4-10. They really should be 9-5, had the offense not have been comparable to a high school team.

The ineptitude of this team's offensive gameplan is mystifying. Dump the puck in, and thennnn.......?? Lose board battles, or make a bad pass, try to force the play, or- my favorite- MISS THE DAMN NET or GET THEIR DAMN SHOTS BLOCKED. No creativity, no confidence, and no clue. And all this is tripled on the man advantage.

I'll give it to them- they seem to have their sea legs back. They don't look extra slow in the latter portions of the game. Maybe their bag skates actually did the trick.

Now, Berube should just have them shoot the damn puck at Mason and Razor for 3 hours.

Good God, I was beside myself after last night's "fumble." I continue to watch and hope they can gain some confidence and get out of this funk. We all know they can play better than this. Nothing is truly out of reach as of yet, but the road ahead is very difficult if they can't string together a bunch of wins throughout the holiday season. Let's go, you bastards, give us something to cheer about!

Great blog, once again, Bill. 100% what most of us are thinking right now. Thank you for standing by the team during this obvious rough patch. As if you had the choice! At least the Stars are over .500 and have a win streak going.

Is it time to take the C off Giroux and perhaps sit him for a game or 2? He looks awful out there.

Good God, I was beside myself after last night's "fumble." I continue to watch and hope they can gain some confidence and get out of this funk. We all know they can play better than this. Nothing is truly out of reach as of yet, but the road ahead is very difficult if they can't string together a bunch of wins throughout the holiday season. Let's go, you bastards, give us something to cheer about!

Great blog, once again, Bill. 100% what most of us are thinking right now. Thank you for standing by the team during this obvious rough patch. As if you had the choice! At least the Stars are over .500 and have a win streak going.
- Cloverfield

Agreed, except for the Stars part (although Bill writes for them, I can't care about their plight; I am wallowing too much in the horror of the orange and black)

Is it time to take the C off Giroux and perhaps sit him for a game or 2? He looks awful out there.
- BiggE

Its time for the truth about his injury to sit him.at one gpg the average output it is probably time for the lines to be shuffled based on what little ability and passing is displayed. I have never seen such stupid play such ineptness such stone hands and cement heads and cowardice ever.players look to be wanting to be out of this city and organization and are playing to that level.

Is it time to take the C off Giroux and perhaps sit him for a game or 2? He looks awful out there.
- BiggE

I doubt he suddenly has forgotten how to play or, isn't as good as we think/thought as others have suggested.

There has to be more to this than just a slump. This is beyond a slump.

I doubt he suddenly has forgotten how to play or, isn't as good as we think/thought as others have suggested.

There has to be more to this than just a slump. This is beyond a slump.
- johndewar

The only other possibility I can think of is he's either injured or he has permanent damage in his hand. If hes injured, sit him til he gets healthy. If his hand has permanent damage, he should retire and collect insurance.

No matter what. he's killing us right now. At the very least he needs to come off the top line and the 1st team pp unit.

The only other possibility I can think of is he's either injured or he has permanent damage in his hand. If hes injured, sit him til he gets healthy. If his hand has permanent damage, he should retire and collect insurance.

No matter what. he's killing us right now. At the very least he needs to come off the top line and the 1st team pp unit.
- BiggE

I know the PP isn't great, but I don't think that's too much on Giroux only. He still seems to technically pass decent enough. The PP is structured for him to be on the side boards for better or worse. That seems to frustrate people, but I don't remember him doing much more than that on the PP last year either, and it was working.

Clearly something isn't working. But in the case of the PP, I think it's really spread around and isn't solely on Giroux. Creating anything 5v5 worries me more, as he has more liberties to be in other places on the ice in that situation, and nothing is happening there.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: One More Point Slips Away
- bmeltzer

It's disturbing how the fold in the clutch. There's no reason that they should have left last night without two points. None. And that's as a team that played like crap for 59 out of the sixty minutes

Couturier....wide open net...

This team is tough to watch anymore. Boring, slow and heartless hockey. I'd like to see some trades just to create interest in watching. Painful season.

Bill do you remember who had the puck with 30 ft of open ice to skate up and dump but elected to pass it to our worst puck handler grossman?

Giroux! He lost the game for the flyers. End of story

Couturier....wide open net...
- Streit2ThePoint

How many times have we seen it with him?

they need couturier and schenn to start producing something. people make couturier to be a great untouchable and the kid can not score.

If they scored just 3 goals every game, based on final scores, They would be 7-4-3.

Obviously scoring 3 a night in the NHL isn't easy..

If we he an offense, we'd have a playoff team.

Is it time to take the C off Giroux and perhaps sit him for a game or 2? He looks awful out there.
- BiggE

yup only the one in bold though


seriously 1 goal against Justin Peters????

Not sure how a change doesn't come soon. These home games are going to get ugly in the stands.

they need couturier and schenn to start producing something. people make couturier to be a great untouchable and the kid can not score.
- ZaphodB

He's still young & all, & you can't write him off, but, if he has any value, can they afford to continue looking like an expansion team while holding on to him?

Is it time to waive Streit yet?

He's terrible

Is it time to take the C off Giroux and perhaps sit him for a game or 2? He looks awful out there.
- BiggE

Not sure that helps. His biggest issue is confidence right now, and benching him or stripping the C could have the wrong effect on him. He's going to break out of this, but there's 22 other guys who are playing like crap, too. Couturier hits the post on a wide open net. Schenn mishandles a pass when he's all alone in front. Grossmann makes a horrible decision late in the game to ice it. Guys like Read, Hartnell & Simmonds are doing anything well.