Man, you don't have to explain it anymore. Two members of the fourth line that dressed last night should either not be on an NHL roster, or definitely not dressed against a team that is 9-3 and averaging more goals per game than we've scored in nine of the 11 we've played.

Anybody who doesn't get that by now, you're not going to be able to explain to them why the one team that played a fourth line is 10-3, while the one team that plays Jay Rosehill and Zac Rinaldo is 3-8.
- AllInForFlyers

By this comment, what you're saying is that the Ducks are 10-3 because of thier 4th line, and the Flyers are 3-8 because of their 4th line?

Its nice to see this Philly team, falling on there face..

I disagree that Giroux wasn't a problem. He's arguably the single biggest problem with this team at the moment.
- MJL

Claude Giroux, who had a point last night and plays on the PP, PK and sees the toughest matchups on the ice, is the single biggest problem with this team?

Above a defense with four members that can't skate and pass at the NHL average, three left wingers who don't have a point this season, and an unplayable fourth line?

If Claude Giroux's the biggest problem on this team, sit him down for a game and see where you're at.

Bill, glad you're starting your son out so early. I had the pleasure of having a great dad who took me to my first Flyers game when I was about two years old in the Spectrum.

Special bond you can have at games.
- KGBflyers10

on the other hand, exposing a him to what might potentially turn into life as a philly sports fan could also be considered child endangerment

They bury a few of their chances when it's 2-0
and who knows. Allow a team like that to stick around and that's what you get.
- wilsonecho91

yes, indeed! how many flyers/devils games in the last 10 yrs were just like this one? devils get up 2-0 and as the flyers get better so do they. flyers get it to 2-1 and they make it 3-1 or flyers manage to even it up but the devils could almost always kick it into another gear. i've said this for many years now that the devils play like the flyers used to play. the flyers have struggled w/ 60 min effort for about 20 years now

1.) I don't feel like this team could win a faceoff if their lives depended on it. I don't care what the overall faceoff numbers looked like (so you wannabe mathematicians and accountants can preemptively put a sock in it); winning a faceoff at the right time matters and this team can't do it.

2.) Claude Giroux has to be hurt. He has to be. He's been so noticeably passing up shots, it doesn't seem like teams are even respecting that he could possibly shoot.

on the other hand, exposing a him to what might potentially turn into life as a philly sports fan could also be considered child endangerment
- hogweed

I took my kid to the Eagles game on Sunday and a relative said they were going to call child services on me for making him an Eagles fan.

Also wanted to ask you guys, hows that Schenn trade working out for you?

Claude Giroux, who had a point last night and plays on the PP, PK and sees the toughest matchups on the ice, is the single biggest problem with this team?

Above a defense with four members that can't skate and pass at the NHL average, three left wingers who don't have a point this season, and an unplayable fourth line?

If Claude Giroux's the biggest problem on this team, sit him down for a game and see where you're at.
- AllInForFlyers

Giroux needs to get back to playing like he did last year, or ideally like he played in 2011-12.

I don't doubt he will come around, but I'd also like to see the Flyers use him more judiciously. He plays a lot of hard minutes, and if the Flyers had better-or at least more versatile-depth guys, he might not have to shoulder so much of the load.

This is an excellent blog about using star players

http://blogs.thescore.com...th-defensive-zone-starts/

They Flyers aren't paying Claude Giroux $8mm next season to play on the PK and take D-zone draws. Start using him more the way that the Sedins and Toews get used.,,but to do that you need effective depth guys

2 goal lead with about 25 minutes left in the game at home, average teams put those type of games in the cookie jar.
- PLindbergh31

this is a hard pill to swallow around here but the flyers aren't an average team

Giroux needs to get back to playing like he did last year, or ideally like he played in 2011-12.

I don't doubt he will come around, but I'd also like to see the Flyers use him more judiciously. He plays a lot of hard minutes, and if the Flyers had better-or at least more versatile-depth guys, he might not have to shoulder so much of the load.

This is an excellent blog about using star players

http://blogs.thescore.com...th-defensive-zone-starts/

They Flyers aren't paying Claude Giroux $8mm next season to play on the PK and take D-zone draws. Start using him more the way that the Sedins and Toews get used.,,but to do that you need effective depth guys
- Jsaquella

Exactly -- again, you're preaching to the choir. The load that Claude Giroux's getting asked to lift is ridiculous. A majority of defensemen who can't skate and pass, at least six other forwards who either can't or aren't sustaining offense...and he's got to kill penalties, too, with a high number of defensive zone starts?

And he's the problem?

That load's absolutely ridiculous.

Giroux needs to get back to playing like he did last year, or ideally like he played in 2011-12.

I don't doubt he will come around, but I'd also like to see the Flyers use him more judiciously. He plays a lot of hard minutes, and if the Flyers had better-or at least more versatile-depth guys, he might not have to shoulder so much of the load.

This is an excellent blog about using star players

http://blogs.thescore.com...th-defensive-zone-starts/

They Flyers aren't paying Claude Giroux $8mm next season to play on the PK and take D-zone draws. Start using him more the way that the Sedins and Toews get used.,,but to do that you need effective depth guys
- Jsaquella

Does that link address why Claude Giroux is passing up obvious shooting opportunities?

Exactly -- again, you're preaching to the choir. The load that Claude Giroux's getting asked to lift is ridiculous. A majority of defensemen who can't skate and pass, at least six other forwards who either can't or aren't sustaining offense...and he's got to kill penalties, too, with a high number of defensive zone starts?

And he's the problem?

That load's absolutely ridiculous.
- AllInForFlyers

It's been better than it was last year, but Giroux's still struggling. I think he's having some confidence issues and will get going, but in the future, they need to continue to find ways to keep him from being over used in a defensive role.

Does that link address why Claude Giroux is passing up obvious shooting opportunities?
- johndewar

Nope. He's definitely having other issues right now. Doesn't seem to have a ton of confidence, might still be dealing with the after effects of injury, too.

He has to play better, there's no question. But the usage is an issue as well.

Come on, lets hear all the complaints about Rosehill and Rinaldo cost the Flyers game and the team would be better off without them.

Turnover's by veteran players in dumb situations is what cost this team the game.

I'm not even gonna bothering reading the most recent 2 pages. From what I have read, you'd think the Flyers got beat 18-1 ad generated 2 shots all game, have no player capable of being on an NHL roster, the entire team stinks, and we should trade everyone for J-Bo.

They had a HORRIBLE 3rd period. Yet they played a fantastic 25-35 minutes against one of the better teams in the league. Moral victories aren't worth squat, and they definitely have a lot of things to clean up. I was pissed at the outcome last night, but they at least proved that they can hang with the big boys.

Its nice to see this Philly team, falling on their face..

- nascarguy

FTFY...learn english if you arer going to troll...

It's been better than it was last year, but Giroux's still struggling. I think he's having some confidence issues and will get going, but in the future, they need to continue to find ways to keep him from being over used in a defensive role.
- Jsaquella

The reason this topic frustrates me is that it's easy to single out Claude Giroux. He's actually on the ice, playing against some of the best players/defenders the other team, the rest of the NHL, has to offer.

Other guys who aren't even good enough to play? Oh, well, hey. Those fourth-liners who can't do anything at an NHL level that Claude Giroux does? Well, they can't be a problem. Players who can't play who don't do anything as well as Claude Giroux does? Well, just have Giroux pick up their slack!

Jay Rosehill and Zac Rinaldo can't score or kill penalties or be on the ice for a defensive zone draw? Don't worry, folks! Claude Giroux will do it all!

Ridiculous.

Man, you don't have to explain it anymore. Two members of the fourth line that dressed last night should either not be on an NHL roster, or definitely not dressed against a team that is 9-3 and averaging more goals per game than we've scored in nine of the 11 we've played.

Anybody who doesn't get that by now, you're not going to be able to explain to them why the one team that played a fourth line is 10-3, while the one team that plays Jay Rosehill and Zac Rinaldo is 3-8.
- AllInForFlyers

I didn't even read this post prior to writing mine, but somehow I knew someone or many would question the 4th line in a game that had nothing to do with a 4th line. They went out there and played physical while eating some mins. The veteran players paid well lack the needed focus at certain points of the game is the issue this team sucks.

The reason this topic frustrates me is that it's easy to single out Claude Giroux. He's actually on the ice, playing against some of the best players/defenders the other team, the rest of the NHL, has to offer.

Other guys who aren't even good enough to play? Oh, well, hey. Those fourth-liners who can't do anything at an NHL level that Claude Giroux does? Well, they can't be a problem. Players who can't play who don't do anything as well as Claude Giroux does? Well, just have Giroux pick up their slack!

Jay Rosehill and Zac Rinaldo can't score or kill penalties or be on the ice for a defensive zone draw? Don't worry, folks! Claude Giroux will do it all!

Ridiculous.
- AllInForFlyers

Unfortunately that comes with the territory. He does have to play better, but he can't fix all the issues this team has.

I'm not even gonna bothering reading the most recent 2 pages. From what I have read, you'd think the Flyers got beat 18-1 ad generated 2 shots all game, have no player capable of being on an NHL roster, the entire team stinks, and we should trade everyone for J-Bo.

They had a HORRIBLE 3rd period. Yet they played a fantastic 25-35 minutes against one of the better teams in the league. Moral victories aren't worth squat, and they definitely have a lot of things to clean up. I was pissed at the outcome last night, but they at least proved that they can hang with the big boys.
- jmatchett383

I left that game thinking that Steve Mason deserved better than that outcome.

He has been and continues to be the best player on the ice for this team.

The problem is, the Flyers' best player (on paper) hasn't been their best player.

Claude Giroux, who had a point last night and plays on the PP, PK and sees the toughest matchups on the ice, is the single biggest problem with this team?

Above a defense with four members that can't skate and pass at the NHL average, three left wingers who don't have a point this season, and an unplayable fourth line?

If Claude Giroux's the biggest problem on this team, sit him down for a game and see where you're at.
- AllInForFlyers

The Flyers team defense is not an issue with this team. Are you seriously going to tell me that they way that Giroux has played this Season is not as big of a problem as the so called unplayable 4th line? This team's biggest issue is that they don't score enough goals. And Giroux is the poster boy, and should be on the milk carton. But hey, let's blame Jay Rosehill instead.

The reason this topic frustrates me is that it's easy to single out Claude Giroux. He's actually on the ice, playing against some of the best players/defenders the other team, the rest of the NHL, has to offer.

Other guys who aren't even good enough to play? Oh, well, hey. Those fourth-liners who can't do anything at an NHL level that Claude Giroux does? Well, they can't be a problem. Players who can't play who don't do anything as well as Claude Giroux does? Well, just have Giroux pick up their slack!

Jay Rosehill and Zac Rinaldo can't score or kill penalties or be on the ice for a defensive zone draw? Don't worry, folks! Claude Giroux will do it all!

Ridiculous.
- AllInForFlyers

Claude Giroux is overrated! I said it.... and guess what? That has nothing to do with Rosehill and Rinaldo.

The reason this topic frustrates me is that it's easy to single out Claude Giroux. He's actually on the ice, playing against some of the best players/defenders the other team, the rest of the NHL, has to offer.

Other guys who aren't even good enough to play? Oh, well, hey. Those fourth-liners who can't do anything at an NHL level that Claude Giroux does? Well, they can't be a problem. Players who can't play who don't do anything as well as Claude Giroux does? Well, just have Giroux pick up their slack!

Jay Rosehill and Zac Rinaldo can't score or kill penalties or be on the ice for a defensive zone draw? Don't worry, folks! Claude Giroux will do it all!

Ridiculous.
- AllInForFlyers

I don't want him to do it all.

I just want him to do what he does well.

Even last year, which many deemed as a disappointment, he was, at least, a point per game player.

He's not playing even like that right now. I refuse to believe he's not hurt somehow.

We need a real fourth line. Not to say that's why they lost the game, but this enforcer crap isn't helping.