I think it's all of it -- it's the sum total of a bad team.

Can the team be better, on any given night? Yes. The team CAN play better.

But this is what a bad team looks like. Good teams expose what you can't do and take away what you can do. They take away your best players and dare your lesser players to make plays -- and if you have enough lesser players, you lose.

That's where the Flyers are right now. Yes, the reason we have the record we do is because the defense is slow and has poor puck skills. And because we keep trying to dress a fourth line that rarely, if ever, contributes. And because we have some forwards who have underachieved.

But some of those factors impact the others -- the defense was turning the puck over last night, and the only one two who looked like NHL defensemen for the entire 60 minutes was Coburn and Streit -- and Streit really needs to start hitting the net when he's got shooting lanes.

It's not any one thing. But some of those things, like poor foot-speed and puck skills, or Michael Raffl missing the net on a point-blank chance, come back to bite you, and then we wind up blaming the best players in the lineup for what lesser players can't do.
- AllInForFlyers

Missing the net on good scoring chances happens in the NHL. It even happens to top NHL snipers such as Ovechkin and Stamkos. You don't think other teams try to take away top players on other teams? Top players still find ways to be a top player. The reason why Giroux isn't playing well isn't because other teams are stopping him from playing well. This team certainly has some weaknesses, that other teams can attack. And they need a few pieces still. But they shouldn't be this bad, and have this poor of a record to this point. They are underacheiving as a team. And the talk of the 4th line and it's impact is ridiculously overblown.
And I don't quite see the sense in blaming Raffl for missing the net on a point blank chance, when the top player on the team, isn't even getting to those areas of the ice and is playing a perimeter game. Who has blamed Giroux for Raffl missing the net on a shot? Don't get that statement in the least. Giroux's play right now is the single biggest issue on this team.

Howbout that Mark Streit?

Blundering D on the go ahead goal last night... yet again!
He's been pretty bad defensively when it matters.
Not impressed with this guy at all.
- MrBigglesworth

Mark Striet has played solidly for this team this season. He's not the issue.

PACKAGE! Why is it so hard to grasp?
- youarewrong

Ill give you a package of my turds....youll give me a rolex...very realistic

What was it 5 games in 8 nights for the Ducks? All on the road? Theres no way the Ducks should have been getting to all the pucks in the 3rd.
- Just5

The Ducks sat back in a 1-2-2 and waited for the Flyers to make mistakes. The Flyers didn't handle it well, made bad decisions with the puck and the Ducks took advantage of it.

Say the Flyers want to send down Hartnell to the Phantoms, he gets put on waivers right?

Does anyone think he would get claimed?

This is a fun exercise, and there might be a few contracts on the team that you can play this with. Streit's deal comes to mind.

http://www.cbssports.com/...wing-darth-vader-uniforms
- wilsonecho91

pretty terrible. i like this much better:



http://www.geekyjerseys.com/index.php

Missing the net on good scoring chances happens in the NHL. It even happens to top NHL snipers such as Ovechkin and Stamkos. You don't think other teams try to take away top players on other teams? Top players still find ways to be a top player. The reason why Giroux isn't playing well isn't because other teams are stopping him from playing well. This team certainly has some weaknesses, that other teams can attack. And they need a few pieces still. But they shouldn't be this bad, and have this poor of a record to this point. They are underacheiving as a team. And the talk of the 4th line and it's impact is ridiculously overblown.
And I don't quite see the sense in blaming Raffl for missing the net on a point blank chance, when the top player on the team, isn't even getting to those areas of the ice and is playing a perimeter game. Who has blamed Giroux for Raffl missing the net on a shot? Don't get that statement in the least. Giroux's play right now is the single biggest issue on this team.
- MJL

It's OK -- we disagree. No worries.

I think the reason the are faltering is because of the top line not producing, the 4th line not being able to handle a defensive role, and our top defenseman looking like bottom pairing defenseman.
- youarewrong

I agree with the top line not giving enough, and with the struggles of Timonen. Don't agree with the 4th line. I think the 4th line is a non issue.

Say the Flyers want to send down Hartnell to the Phantoms, he gets put on waivers right?

Does anyone think he would get claimed?

This is a fun exercise, and there might be a few contracts on the team that you can play this with. Streit's deal comes to mind.
- Just5

I think they have nmc which prohibits that from happening. i think hartnell would get picked up for sure.

The Ducks sat back in a 1-2-2 and waited for the Flyers to make mistakes. The Flyers didn't handle it well, made bad decisions with the puck and the Ducks took advantage of it.
- MJL

i didn't see the ducks do much sitting back. i thought there were aggressive defensively in their checking, and pretty much outnumbered the flyers in every puck battle all over the ice.

And what are they going to get you? More third liners 5/6 defenceman? We need more of those
- PhillaBully

You asked what players on the AHL could get you an NHL player. Now you're changing the parameters.

You asked what players on the AHL could get you an NHL player. Now you're changing the parameters.
- MJL

Now your being too lawyerish... Thanks for the laugh!

i didn't see the ducks do much sitting back. i thought there were aggressive defensively in their checking, and pretty much outnumbered the flyers in every puck battle all over the ice.
- hammarby31

They forechecked with one forward and sat back and clogged the neutral zone, and the Flyers played right into it. It was a classic 1-2-2. You can see it plain as day on the Cogliano goal in the 2nd period.

PACKAGE! Why is it so hard to grasp?
- youarewrong

I so want to say "That's what she said" but I'm going to pass this time.

I think they have nmc which prohibits that from happening. i think hartnell would get picked up for sure.
- PhillaBully

I guarantee the Flyers if there were no NMC's involved were to put Hartnell and Streit on waivers tonight, no one would claim those contracts

They forechecked with one forward and sat back and clogged the neutral zone, and the Flyers played right into it. It was a classic 1-2-2. You can see it plain as day on the Cogliano goal in the 2nd period.
- MJL

not disagreeing because i have to look at it, but pretty sure that goal was in the middle of a line change as he was out there pouncing on a rebound from Getzlaf

I guarantee the Flyers if there were no NMC's involved were to put Hartnell and Streit on waivers tonight, no one would claim those contracts
- Just5

I'd take that bet for the mortgage on our houses. Hartnell wouldn't be unclaimed on waivers for 15 minutes.

They forechecked with one forward and sat back and clogged the neutral zone, and the Flyers played right into it. It was a classic 1-2-2. You can see it plain as day on the Cogliano goal in the 2nd period.
- MJL

i'm picking on your use of the word "sitting". it implies being passive. i don't think they were being passive. they dominated them all over the ice.

Completely disagree. That team was awful, you forget they barely made the playoffs and almost got swept against the Bruins, not to mention Flyers ended up with a favourable match up VS Habs in Conf finals. Goaltending was horrendous. Flyers never deserved to be there, the only reason they were was because of luck.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

yup they fluked their way all the way to the cup.....I stand corrected.

Their goaltending blew all year.....LA was the 8th seed and won the cup!!!! does anyone remember that or care?

Fact is atleast with those players this was a playoff team. Not so anymore.

not disagreeing because i have to look at it, but pretty sure that goal was in the middle of a line change as he was out there pouncing on a rebound from Getzlaf
- Crimsoninja

It was on a rebound from Getzlaff. But it was off of a turnover by Grossmann, who threw a weak backhander right into the 1-2-2.

Ill give you a package of my turds....youll give me a rolex...very realistic
- PhillaBully

Well that analogy was a little bit of a hyperbole..

i'm picking on your use of the word "sitting". it implies being passive. i don't think they were being passive. they dominated them all over the ice.
- hammarby31

They were only forechecking with one forward and sitting back in a 1-2-2. The checking is still agressive in the neutral zone. Nothing passive in the NHL works. They dominated them because the Flyers were incredibly sloppy with the puck, and constantly turned it over.

And if you trade away these guys...what are you getting in return? I note you only have 2 d-men there...and they are the 2 I would like to see them keep as they are not really over paid...

What about the other 60% of the non performing roster? and the lack of multiple trade peices in the minors without throwing in the towel...we are franked for a while with this team, and the long term signings of Simmonds and hartnell and going to be killing us for a good 5 years to come...
- JW98FlyerFan

My point is that as an org. and a fan base we have to be patient.

We can female dog and moan all we like. I remember how much poop a lot of people talked on Richards and Carter. How everyone wanted them moved because they were underperforming. Now ppl are whining that they were moved.

People complained about JvR. Welp.. now those same people are whining because he is doing well in Toronto.

PATIENCE... These KIDS will get better as they mature as hockey players.

My point is that as an org. and a fan base we have to be patient.

We can female dog and moan all we like. I remember how much poop a lot of people talked on Richards and Carter. How everyone wanted them moved because they were underperforming. Now ppl are whining that they were moved.

People complained about JvR. Welp.. now those same people are whining because he is doing well in Toronto.

PATIENCE... These KIDS will get better as they mature as hockey players.
- jak521

it's tough to preach patience, or at least expect the fan base to be patient, when it's been almost 40 years since the last cup. i agree with you, btw.

But you get to give gifts to the people you love and watch the disappointment of you not being able to read minds wash over their face. You get to remember why you don't give them sh!t the other 364 days of the year.
- mayorofangrytown

Wow. Someone needs a hug. Giving should be spontaneous. That forced attitude taints Christmas but it shouldn't destroy it!
As I've aged I'd come to realize that I value those people who can make the world around them a better place. Not those who go out of their way to fix broken things but those who influence the lives of others in a positive way all the time and all year long. Christmas is when people try and do that. I try and surround myself with people who do it all year long.