This team has been together for the last 3 years for the most part, and is getting worse each year, not better. Just because you go out and trade for a bunch of young guys doesn't mean they are the right young guys to move you into the future. Now that the team has played togther for a while, its time to determine who fits, who doesnt. Who is developing, and who isnt. Its time to reassess expectations. Couturier no longer looks like he could be the next Jordan Staal. Right now he looks like he could be a slightly better verison of Handzus.

Just like we currently have too many 2nd pairing d-men and ZERO 1st pairing d-men, we also have too many young talent with 2nd-3rd line potential and not enough 1st line talent.
- youarewrong

Schenn, Couturier, Read, Voracek and Simmonds have only really been here for 1.5 seasons and change... if you can determine who fits and who doesn't, who's developing and who isn't, in that brief of a window, then you deserve a Hockey Exec of the Year Award.

More likely, you'll just end up with the Memorial Patrick Sharp Medal of Shame.

Good to see you getting the boy out to the games...good he's too young to understand the debacle that the 3rd period was.

A lot of poor decision making and inability to seal the deal doomed the Flyers after a great first period.

The Flyers seemed to take their foot off the pedal and when the Ducks kicked it into another gear they couldn't match them. One huge difference in the third is the Ducks could double shift their big line because they could roll their fourth line out there all night and let the scoring lines get a break.

Adding insult to injury, on Cogliano's goal, after the horrible Grossmann turnover, Jay Rosehill stood still and didn't even move towards Cogliano until the shot was being made. He made a terrible read and was lazy, besides.
- Jsaquella

From your eyes/post to Berube's ears. Sit. Him. Down. Never. Play. Him. Again.

Comical how anyone defended that signing.
- PLindbergh31

There's a lot of past and present signings that many of us would find hard to defend -- Shelley and Rosehill are just the tip of the iceberg.

perhaps a trade would not be such a bad idea. My guess is that there are teams out there that would be interested in Simmonds. If they could move him in a 2 for 1 deal and get back a solid 2-way 3rd line winger with decent speed and size and a better 4th line center, I'd be fine with that.

Schenn, Couturier, Read, Voracek and Simmonds have only really been here for 1.5 seasons and change... if you can determine who fits and who doesn't, who's developing and who isn't, in that brief of a window, then you deserve a Hockey Exec of the Year Award.

More likely, you'll just end up with the Memorial Patrick Sharp Medal of Shame.
- Tomahawk

This is all of thier 3rd seasons here. How many seasons does it take to determine?

And Sharp isnt a great comparision. He only played 66 games for the Flyers and no more then 41 in 1 season. Couturier and Schenn already have over 130 games in a Flyers uniform and 2 season, plus the start of a 3rd.

I'm not saying they are done developing, or they arent good players. But this team just doesnt seem to have the right mix, or the top end talent.

perhaps a trade would not be such a bad idea. My guess is that there are teams out there that would be interested in Simmonds. If they could move him in a 2 for 1 deal and get back a solid 2-way 3rd line winger with decent speed and size and a better 4th line center, I'd be fine with that.
- BiggE

You can get decent 3rd line wingers and 4th line centers all day long at the TDL or even slightly before. They need to package Simmonds for a top line scorer or a number 1 d-man.

seems like a long time for someone like him, meanwhile huge corporations pay nothing. anyway...don't want to turn this into politicaltaxbuzz.com.
- hammarby31

Hell we have aides working for obama who owe millions in taxes while telling us we need to raise taxes.

http://news.investors.com...ouse-staff-back-taxes.htm

Despite the obvious losing results last night, I will say that seeing that first period made me believe again. The Flyers literally had their way with the Ducks and were skating and forechecking hard. We just need to keep that up and I think this team will be ok...


I'm also really, really starting to worry if Timo will even make it through this year He just doesn't have it so far. Even last year when he was "a step behind" he was still a valuable asset... Now, I'm scared everytime he is on the ice.


Also, does anyone else seem to think there was maybe a potential divide last year amongst the coaches on how to play the D, how much ice-time they get, and who they played with? With Lavi, it seemed he loved giving minutes to Schenn and Timo. Now, they're our least played D. Just some random notes.

There's a lot of past and present signings that many of us would find hard to defend -- Shelley and Rosehill are just the tip of the iceberg.
- Tomahawk

The defender is absolutely a one man gang!

You can get decent 3rd line wingers and 4th line centers all day long at the TDL or even slightly before. They need to package Simmonds for a top line scorer or a number 1 d-man.
- youarewrong

I think you may be overrating Simmonds trade value.

Yep, Grossmann's mistake was the bigger of the two. He had another turnover that was just as bad that didn't end up in the net.

I've been critical of Grossmann, too. But at least Grossmann does other things well. I find it far easier to forgive a mistake by a guy that can, you know, play hockey.
- Jsaquella

And that's just it, I get it, you don't like Rosehill. That's fine. But I'm not going to put the game on the 4th line.

Schenn, Couturier, Read, Voracek and Simmonds have only really been here for 1.5 seasons and change... if you can determine who fits and who doesn't, who's developing and who isn't, in that brief of a window, then you deserve a Hockey Exec of the Year Award.

More likely, you'll just end up with the Memorial Patrick Sharp Medal of Shame.
- Tomahawk

We can go on and on about the roster and the GM. The bottom line is the expectations from the team president year and year out handcuff their ability to build a proper team.

Every other word out of these kids mouths in postgame interviews is "playoffs". Always referencing "playoffs". Kid, your team is 3-8 in October, your team has major issues trying to play a steady 60 minute game, you need to concentrate on going out and winning the next game.

What the hell do playoffs have anything to do with the here and the now?

We're falling into the same trap we always do: Defend to the death the guys who can't play, run the guys who can play out of town.
- AllInForFlyers

I see it as blame the guys who fans don't like, and really aren't the reason why the team is off to a poor start. Such as Rosehill and Rinaldo. And give a pass to the players who are the biggest reason for the teams slow start, because they have too much to do, and don't have good enough players around them.

Despite the obvious losing results last night, I will say that seeing that first period made me believe again. The Flyers literally had their way with the Ducks and were skating and forechecking hard. We just need to keep that up and I think this team will be ok....
- Flyers_V88

On the other hand, that was game 5 (in 8 days) of an 8 game road trip for the Ducks. They had a slow start to the game. As they are an actual good hockey team, they found a way to get it going and basically took over the game.

On the other hand, that was game 5 (in 8 days) of an 8 game road trip for the Ducks. They had a slow start to the game.
- Scoob

Yeah, and they're injury depleted too. It was still good to see.

Schenn, Couturier, Read, Voracek and Simmonds have only really been here for 1.5 seasons and change... if you can determine who fits and who doesn't, who's developing and who isn't, in that brief of a window, then you deserve a Hockey Exec of the Year Award.

More likely, you'll just end up with the Memorial Patrick Sharp Medal of Shame.
- Tomahawk

I see it as blame the guys who fans don't like, and really aren't the reason why the team is off to a poor start. Such as Rosehill and Rinaldo. And give a pass to the players who are the biggest reason for the teams slow start, because they have too much to do, and don't have good enough players around them.
- MJL

Please pick out the players who have too much to do and the players who aren't good enough:

12 Michael Raffl - 28 Claude Giroux - 40 Vincent Lecavalier
19 Scott Hartnell - 10 Brayden Schenn - 93 Jakub Voracek
24 Matt Read - 14 Sean Couturier - 17 Wayne Simmonds

I see it as blame the guys who fans don't like, and really aren't the reason why the team is off to a poor start. Such as Rosehill and Rinaldo. And give a pass to the players who are the biggest reason for the teams slow start, because they have too much to do, and don't have good enough players around them.
- MJL

I dont i say blow the (frank)er up....this team has problems that can be fixed by trading away assets because we have none in our system. whats the next course of action is to keep relying on FA? That worked pre cap era not now. Flyers need to restock the system with talent in order to progress.

On the other hand, that was game 5 (in 8 days) of an 8 game road trip for the Ducks. They had a slow start to the game. As they are an actual good hockey team, they found a way to get it going and basically took over the game.
- Scoob

I've yet to read anyone talk about what really changed the game around. The Flyers spanked the Ducks in the first period. They were all over them. Boudreau said enough of that in between the first and second period, and came out in a 1-2-2 forecheck, and the Flyers started turning the puck over left and right. And in the 3rd period the Flyers couldn't even gain the red line let alone the Ducks blue line.

Please pick out the players who have too much to do and the players who aren't good enough:

12 Michael Raffl - 28 Claude Giroux - 40 Vincent Lecavalier
19 Scott Hartnell - 10 Brayden Schenn - 93 Jakub Voracek
24 Matt Read - 14 Sean Couturier - 17 Wayne Simmonds
- mayorofangrytown

You didn't catch on the sarcasm. It was based on a previous post made by someone else who said Giroux has to do too much on this team, and doesn't have good linemates. But you may not have read the entire thread, so I'll give you a pass!

I dont i say blow the (frank)er up....this team has problems that can be fixed by trading away assets because we have none in our system. whats the next course of action is to keep relying on FA? That worked pre cap era not now. Flyers need to restock the system with talent in order to progress.
- PhillaBully

Lack of young talent is not the issue with this team. It needs to remain patient with the young talent they have.

You didn't catch on the sarcasm. It was based on a previous post made by someone else who said Giroux has to do too much on this team, and doesn't have good linemates. But you may not have read the entire thread, so I'll give you a pass!
- MJL

Okay, me too. You pass.

Lack of young talent is not the issue with this team. It needs to remain patient with the young talent they have.
- MJL

...Because this is where I was going to go.

...Because this is where I was going to go.
- mayorofangrytown

You own a white van don't you? Own a lot of meat candy? Focus on young uns...

Yeah, and they're injury depleted too. It was still good to see.
- Flyers_V88

False goodness, imho.