Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Comeback Well Ran Dry

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Comeback Well Ran Dry
- bmeltzer

this team is what it is: a .500 bubble team that will need to struggle for every point it gets. they need to replace half the back end and a couple of wingers, which isn't going to happen this year.

lucky to be even after 2, i'd like to see them play smart defensive hockey and eek out at least 1 valuable point on the road. instead they fall apart with sloppy, mistake-riddled play and get nothing. it'd disappointing but not unexpected. just more blown 3rd period points. that's probably around 10-12 for the season thus far.

hopefully downie's timetable is accurate. i wonder if his loss quietly pushed vinny back into the lineup.

why is hartnell still on the first pp unit?

Missed a lot of the game, managed to get it turned on on a TV at a restaurant I was at, but only caught the 2nd period. From watching the replays, it looked like our biggest problem last night was Emery. I realize the team has to keep down the number of 2-on-1s, but from the replays it looked like he was totally unable to stop a 2-on-1. He needs to make those important saves. Also, it seems like he had very poor vision. Columbus could just take shots from the point at will, and Emery had no ability to see the puck and stop and shots through traffic. He needs to make a lot of those saves. He's now allowed 11 goals in his last 2 starts, and I think it might be awhile before we see him in net again.

Missed a lot of the game, managed to get it turned on on a TV at a restaurant I was at, but only caught the 2nd period. From watching the replays, it looked like our biggest problem last night was Emery. I realize the team has to keep down the number of 2-on-1s, but from the replays it looked like he was totally unable to stop a 2-on-1. He needs to make those important saves. Also, it seems like he had very poor vision. Columbus could just take shots from the point at will, and Emery had no ability to see the puck and stop and shots through traffic. He needs to make a lot of those saves. He's now allowed 11 goals in his last 2 starts, and I think it might be awhile before we see him in net again.
- JAKEw1234

Aren't you one of those guys who has been critical of people scapegoating players after games?

If you're not, my bad. If you are, how can you blame Emery for last night?

They got outworked by Columbus. Yes, Columbus. Enough said.

this team is what it is: a .500 bubble team that will need to struggle for every point it gets. they need to replace half the back end and a couple of wingers, which isn't going to happen this year.

lucky to be even after 2, i'd like to see them play smart defensive hockey and eek out at least 1 valuable point on the road. instead they fall apart with sloppy, mistake-riddled play and get nothing. it'd disappointing but not unexpected. just more blown 3rd period points. that's probably around 10-12 for the season thus far.

hopefully downie's timetable is accurate. i wonder if his loss quietly pushed vinny back into the lineup.

why is hartnell still on the first pp unit?
- hammarby31

Ya, we definitely need a makeover on defense. I'd like to see them get Diaz from Montreal. Cheap bottom 3 dman with good speed. I'd still like them to get rid of Hartnell. We have enough forward depth that me might not even need to replace him. If Raffl can at least partially keep up his play and be a 30-40 point guy this year, then I don't see why we shouldn't keep him over Hartnell.

From watching the replays, it looked like our biggest problem last night was Emery. I realize the team has to keep down the number of 2-on-1s, but from the replays it looked like he was totally unable to stop a 2-on-1. He needs to make those important saves. Also, it seems like he had very poor vision. Columbus could just take shots from the point at will, and Emery had no ability to see the puck and stop and shots through traffic. He needs to make a lot of those saves. He's now allowed 11 goals in his last 2 starts, and I think it might be awhile before we see him in net again.
- JAKEw1234

Emery was not the problem last night and, in fact, denied the Blue Jackets on a couple of 2-of-1.

The biggest problems last night -- from a defensive standpoint -- were in terms of shots getting through from the point. Forwards didn't challenge or come up with blocks up high, defensemen didn't box out down low. Three goals were scored that way, with two being deflected in front and the other through a three-man screen in front.

The first Columbus goal was a horrendous coverage breakdown by the Flyers, and the very dangerous Ryan Johansen was left wide open in the dead red slot.

Johansen's second goal was off a two-on-one rush where he elevated a shot under the crossbar.

I honestly didn't think Emery had much chance, if any, of making these saves. I don't think Steve Mason -- or any goalie -- would have fared much better.

Aren't you one of those guys who has been critical of people scapegoating players after games?

If you're not, my bad. If you are, how can you blame Emery for last night?

They got outworked by Columbus. Yes, Columbus. Enough said.
- Flyersgod

emery was horrible. wasn't seeing the puck, slow post to post. i put my crystal ball away last night - didn't need it to know emery was going to give up a lot of goals. This loss was mostly on him imo.

Aren't you one of those guys who has been critical of people scapegoating players after games?

If you're not, my bad. If you are, how can you blame Emery for last night?

They got outworked by Columbus. Yes, Columbus. Enough said.
- Flyersgod

I thought Columbus was one of those teams that got wins through their hard work, not their stacked roster? I don't really see "outworked by Columbus" as a serious insult to a team. And I was just going off the replay and the stats, since I didn't actually get to see most of the game. So you'd know better than me. Just from my perspective, our goals looked like good goals, we outshot them by a decent margin, and the rest of the stat sheet was pretty even. From the replays it just looked like poor play from Emery.

Emery was not the problem last night and, in fact, denied the Blue Jackets on a couple of 2-of-1.

The biggest problems last night -- from a defensive standpoint -- were in terms of shots getting through from the point. Forwards didn't challenge or come up with blocks up high, defensemen didn't box out down low. Three goals were scored that way, with two being deflected in front and the other through a three-man screen in front.

The first Columbus goal was a horrendous coverage breakdown by the Flyers, and the very dangerous Ryan Johansen was left wide open in the dead red slot.

Johansen's second goal was off a two-on-one rush where he elevated a shot under the crossbar.

I honestly didn't think Emery had much chance, if any, of making these saves. I don't think Steve Mason -- or any goalie -- would have fared much better.
- bmeltzer

again, you all would know better than me.

Ya, we definitely need a makeover on defense. I'd like to see them get Diaz from Montreal. Cheap bottom 3 dman with good speed. I'd still like them to get rid of Hartnell. We have enough forward depth that me might not even need to replace him. If Raffl can at least partially keep up his play and be a 30-40 point guy this year, then I don't see why we shouldn't keep him over Hartnell.
- JAKEw1234

raffl is far from a sure thing at this stage, but he looks good on the top unit right now. a guy who plays better with better players. hartnell could be moved to a contending team with cap space this year, but i don't know if he's got a nmc. probably. if so, that limits their ability to move him next year to a poopty team just looking to get to the inflated cap floor. he's been on the downswing for awhile, and he's bringing nothing to the table.

as for D...right now we're feeling the effects of not being able to properly draft our own. maybe in a few years gusy like ghost and morin will be just starting to make a difference. it sucks.

raffl is far from a sure thing at this stage, but he looks good on the top unit right now. a guy who plays better with better players. hartnell could be moved to a contending team with cap space this year, but i don't know if he's got a nmc. probably. if so, that limits their ability to move him next year to a poopty team just looking to get to the inflated cap floor. he's been on the downswing for awhile, and he's bringing nothing to the table.

as for D...right now we're feeling the effects of not being able to properly draft our own. maybe in a few years gusy like ghost and morin will be just starting to make a difference. it sucks.
- hammarby31

Sure, Raffl is. But if can be a 40 point scorer next year, than he's a younger cheaper replacement player than Hartnell who brings the same production. If we eat 1 mil, Hartnell has a very cap-friendly hit.

Ya, we definitely need a makeover on defense. I'd like to see them get Diaz from Montreal. Cheap bottom 3 dman with good speed. I'd still like them to get rid of Hartnell. We have enough forward depth that me might not even need to replace him. If Raffl can at least partially keep up his play and be a 30-40 point guy this year, then I don't see why we shouldn't keep him over Hartnell.
- JAKEw1234

Hartnell's no-trade clause and especially the length of contract make him tough to trade.

BTW. virtually no proven NHL defensemen can be acquired cheaply these days unless their team has a specific reason to want to deal them (bad contract, impending UFA they won't re-sign, in coach's doghouse, etc). Talk to any NHL scout or GM -- and look around league at number of defensemen who get multi-year, multi-million dollar contract extensions before hitting UFA status -- and they will tell you that the market on D-men is crazy.

That is why, even more than ever before, teams MUST start developing their own defensemen. The Flyers finally seem to be realizing that. That's the good news. The bad news is they are a few years behind the curve in terms of NHL-ready young guys.

If we eat 1 mil, Hartnell has a very cap-friendly hit.
- JAKEw1234

But not a friendly length of terms: five more seasons beyond this one. Power forwards tend to decline earlier, too.

Hartnell's no-trade clause and especially the length of contract make him tough to trade.

BTW. virtually no proven NHL defensemen can be acquired cheaply these days unless their team has a specific reason to want to deal them (bad contract, impending UFA they won't re-sign, in coach's doghouse, etc). Talk to any NHL scout or GM -- and look around league at number of defensemen who get multi-year, multi-million dollar contract extensions before hitting UFA status -- and they will tell you that the market on D-men is crazy.

That is why, even more than ever before, teams MUST start developing their own defensemen. The Flyers finally seem to be realizing that. That's the good news. The bad news is they are a few years behind the curve in terms of NHL-ready young guys.
- bmeltzer

I believe Diaz is both a pending UFA and in the coach's doghouse. There is a good upcoming class of UFA dmen, also. I'd like to see them make a signing or two so we can have a slightly more seamless transition between what we have now, and the youth takeover in a few years.

Emery was 17-1 last year, this year he's last in the NHL in save %. Philly Typical.

Perhaps Emery should join the Golden Gloves.

emery was horrible. wasn't seeing the puck, slow post to post. This loss was on him imo.
- moylander

i disagree. sure he didn't come up with the saves, and it looks bad. i was critical of him last night, but in looking at it this morning, he really had little chance on any of them. screens from the point with seeing-eye deflections that found their way in. those shots go wide and nobody thinks anything about it. hell, the flyers do it all game long, game in and game out. the goalie has nothing to do with that.

mason got sniped for 2 2-on-1 goals in the last game. these shooters can put the puck anywhere with time and space, no matter how big the goalies are. for some reason, we never score on those, and rarely get them to begin with. we have 3-on-1s and don't even get a shot on goal. it's been happening for years.

0 for 5 on the pp, and they got outworked. they sagged in the 3rd. had vinny scored and tied the game at 3 instead of it going the other way and then trailing by 2, maybe it ends differently. it didn't. last night was a case of the goalie not being the problem, and not being the answer.

Emery was 17-1 last year, this year he's last in the NHL in save %. Philly Typical.

Perhaps Emery should join the Golden Gloves.
- PLindbergh31

there's no correlation. nope. can't prove it. nothing to see here...

this team is what it is: a .500 bubble team that will need to struggle for every point it gets. they need to replace half the back end and a couple of wingers, which isn't going to happen this year.

lucky to be even after 2, i'd like to see them play smart defensive hockey and eek out at least 1 valuable point on the road. instead they fall apart with sloppy, mistake-riddled play and get nothing. it'd disappointing but not unexpected. just more blown 3rd period points. that's probably around 10-12 for the season thus far.

hopefully downie's timetable is accurate. i wonder if his loss quietly pushed vinny back into the lineup.

why is hartnell still on the first pp unit?
- hammarby31

Borderline playoff team. My guess is they finish one spot out of a playoff spot.
They will get the 13th pick in the draft and will select a player ready to do damage in 2019.

But not a friendly length of terms: five more seasons beyond this one. Power forwards tend to decline earlier, too.
- bmeltzer

Hmm, maybe with the cap increasing so much in the next couple years, they can find a taker. Despite how tough it might be to move him, I'd like to see them try. I don't see a place for Hartnell on the team for the next 5 years.

there's no correlation. nope. can't prove it. nothing to see here...
- hammarby31

Do you find it surprising on the heels of that great comeback, something that should rally a team and build some momentum, the very next game they lay a colossal non-competitive egg against a team full of poop bags?

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Comeback Well Ran Dry
- bmeltzer

The Philadelphia goaltending was outstanding through Thanksgiving but hasn't been spectacular in the last few weeks. However, I pin most of the blame for the skyrocketing GAA on multi-player defensive breakdowns and failure to respond properly after yielding a goal. There have been far too many crooked number GA periods this month.

Absolutely correct, Bill!

But not a friendly length of terms: five more seasons beyond this one. Power forwards tend to decline earlier, too.
- bmeltzer

could have saved a buyout for him, rather than use it on briere. oh well.

this team is what it is: a .500 bubble team that will need to struggle for every point it gets. they need to replace half the back end and a couple of wingers, which isn't going to happen this year.

lucky to be even after 2, i'd like to see them play smart defensive hockey and eek out at least 1 valuable point on the road. instead they fall apart with sloppy, mistake-riddled play and get nothing. it'd disappointing but not unexpected. just more blown 3rd period points. that's probably around 10-12 for the season thus far.

hopefully downie's timetable is accurate. i wonder if his loss quietly pushed vinny back into the lineup.

why is hartnell still on the first pp unit?
- hammarby31

Damn if I know, but he needs to be replaced pronto!

Borderline playoff team. My guess is they finish one spot out of a playoff spot.
They will get the 13th pick in the draft and will select a player ready to do damage in 2019.
- PLindbergh31

entirely possible, and we'll look back and see all those squandered 3rd period points in the first half of the season.

Mark streit personally generated three two on one's against the flyers. God he was so awful last night. This team is so useless without grossman, it's scary.