What pisses me off is that Umberger and Lecavalier saw their ice time increase last night, despite their poor play. That's why I am singling them out, rather than going after Read, Couturier and others. The ice time of those others didn't increase. The coach decided to give extra ice time to Umberger and Lecavalier, despite both of them being ineffective for long stretches-especially Umberger.
- Jsaquella

He's giving them more opportunities to work through their hardships.

This team misses this guy! Huge mistake of firing this guy!
- SuperSchennBros

I disagree.. it was not a mistake. The mistake was letting Berube be the guy to take the reigns.

When you have a young team, with lots of developing players, I prefer to have a rather experienced coach.

So far we've lost Hamonic,DeHaan Visnovsky, DeHaan all to injury at varying times and lengths. Vis who is one of our top 2 has been out since the start of the season and just came back recently. MacDonald will be a first pairing when he gets back. Who would you take MacDonald over on the Islanders? Our #6 is Hickey who is light years better than him. It's not even close when comparing our back ends. I'm getting the impression you're just not aware?
As far as top 6 other than Giroux and maybe Simmonds who stacks up against Tavares, Okposo, Nielsen, Nelson, Strome, Grabovski, and Grabner(who hasn't even played a game yet btw). I even went into the top 9 and I just don't see where there's even a comparison?
With that said I agree with your "team play" comment. Your team can commit to playing a sound team defense if Berube is smart enough to implement that kind of system and they buy into it but once again talent on paper or otherwise you are definitely not more of a playoff team than the Islanders. I don't want to rile any of you guys up I know this isn't the best time but i'm having a hard time relating to this?
- Cptmjl

I think you missed Voracek in that mix.

I think the Islanders have more talent than the Flyers this year. The trades for Leddy and Boychuk tip the scales for me.

I think the Flyers have a better top line particularly with the emergence of Voracek.
Couts and Read are horrible this season. If they play to their potential I like the Couts-Read-Simmonds line every bit as much as any Islanders second line, but the third line is Philly kills them (LeCavalier and Umberger). The Hartnell trade is horrible now, but in a couple of years, they won't have Umberger's contract to deal with and Columbus will still a some of Hartnell's contract, so I'm OK with how horrible the front end of this trade is.

I think the Islanders have the clear edge on defense. I don't think it's even close. The Flyers have significant talent in the minors who could, I emphasize could, change the level of talent significantly, but that is probably 2 seasons out.

I think the goalies are pretty similar between the two teams.

Then we should bench discberger
- Just5

I'm not a cap maven but I was thinking LTIR would be the way to go.

- PLindbergh31

Needs more skinny jeans and a fair trade sticker on that hockey stick.

- jak521

Great throwback

Great throwback
- funmaster18

+1

What pisses me off is that Umberger and Lecavalier saw their ice time increase last night, despite their poor play. That's why I am singling them out, rather than going after Read, Couturier and others. The ice time of those others didn't increase. The coach decided to give extra ice time to Umberger and Lecavalier, despite both of them being ineffective for long stretches-especially Umberger.
- Jsaquella

You don't what? I'm not disagreeing with you but Lecavalier's only asset is his offense and I believe Giroux, Voracek, Streit, Simmonds, Schenn and Lecavalier were on the ice for the last three full minutes of the game. So he's getting an extra three minutes addition to his ice time right there. Umberger I can't explain. Heck, I don't understand why he's here at all because he bring to the table very little.

I disagree.. it was not a mistake. The mistake was letting Berube be the guy to take the reigns.

When you have a young team, with lots of developing players, I prefer to have a rather experienced coach.
- jak521

Berube is not as big of a problem as the island of misfit toys on our blue line.

Seriously, how does that pass go through two of our guys, down low, on a PK for the second Ranger goal?

This team misses this guy! Huge mistake of firing this guy!
- SuperSchennBros

Man, you love that clip. (but hey, I do too)

IMO, Lavi was completely undermined. Homer tried to force him to play Torts/Julien hockey by reshaping the roster out from under him. It was a power struggle that predictably ended in disaster.

Jack Berger.

This cannot possibly end well.
- tangent_man

So far we've lost Hamonic,DeHaan Visnovsky, DeHaan all to injury at varying times and lengths. Vis who is one of our top 2 has been out since the start of the season and just came back recently. MacDonald will be a first pairing when he gets back. Who would you take MacDonald over on the Islanders? Our #6 is Hickey who is light years better than him. It's not even close when comparing our back ends. I'm getting the impression you're just not aware?
As far as top 6 other than Giroux and maybe Simmonds who stacks up against Tavares, Okposo, Nielsen, Nelson, Strome, Grabovski, and Grabner(who hasn't even played a game yet btw). I even went into the top 9 and I just don't see where there's even a comparison?
With that said I agree with your "team play" comment. Your team can commit to playing a sound team defense if Berube is smart enough to implement that kind of system and they buy into it but once again talent on paper or otherwise you are definitely not more of a playoff team than the Islanders. I don't want to rile any of you guys up I know this isn't the best time but i'm having a hard time relating to this?
- Cptmjl

You clearly overvalue your defenseman. You forgot to mention Voracek BTW. Thats a pretty big omission.

There are many ingredients for this thing to completely derail. Vinny, umberger, berube, coburns play all factor into this.

If this team gets a long term injury to g or jake.

Fellas we are bringing serious competition for eichel/mcdavid

Buffalo even edges us in the coaching department.

Can we trade Lecavalier for the mostly injured Brooks Laich? Same cap hit.

Bill Barber:

"We need to find a way to win."

Craig Berube:

"We need to skate and compete harder".

I believe Craig Berube was Bill Barber in a previous life.

I disagree.. it was not a mistake. The mistake was letting Berube be the guy to take the reigns.

When you have a young team, with lots of developing players, I prefer to have a rather experienced coach.
- jak521

That's fine that you feel this way but Peter Laviolette has currently turned around the Nashville Predators. He has a Cup. In his first season behind the bench with the Flyers he took them to a Stanley Cup Final and two years in a row after never fell shorter then the second round. After that he doesn't make the playoffs once in four seasons, during a half season where at least have of the players in the league were unlikely prepared because some didn't have a training camp or even play during the lockout. Terrible decision firing him three games into the following season.

Just my thoughts....

- PLindbergh31

Love that (frank)in' movie.

Aww, lookie here. Looks like somebody threw away a perfectly good white boy!

Can we trade Lecavalier for the mostly injured Brooks Laich? Same cap hit.
- J35Bacher

The best option for the Flyers right now is to buy out Vinny and Zombie. Bring Laughton and Alderson up and play it out.....

Umberger and Lacavalier I have no hope for.
If they are forced to play them, minimize their time and roles.

Right now Coburn, Read, and to a lesser degree Simmonds and Couts are slumping badly. If those 4 guys can play to a level they are capable of they will be a much better team.

Man, you love that clip. (but hey, I do too)

IMO, Lavi was completely undermined. Homer tried to force him to play Torts/Julien hockey by reshaping the roster out from under him. It was a power struggle that predictably ended in disaster.
- Tomahawk

I still can't get over how poorly they handled it. Nothing manifested in those three games that wasn't glaringly apparent the previous season. So if they had Lavi on such a short leash that they'd fire him comically early into the season, why not just (frank)ing fire him when you can tap the whole coaching market? Why wait until you only have one option? Why waste a whole training camp a new coach could've used to get situated?

If this team gets a long term injury to g or jake.

Fellas we are bringing serious competition for eichel/mcdavid
- Just5

Aren't they already?

There are many ingredients for this thing to completely derail. Vinny, umberger, berube, coburns play all factor into this.

If this team gets a long term injury to g or jake.

Fellas we are bringing serious competition for eichel/mcdavid

Buffalo even edges us in the coaching department.
- Just5

Buffalo is gonna be good quick. They have 3 first this year (great class btw), already have a host of good young guys in the ranks. If they can get the right combo of players they could be good in no time.

The best option for the Flyers right now is to buy out Vinny and Zombie. Bring Laughton and Alderson up and play it out.....
- GOA88

I think Vinny could work with Washington. they have solid wingers for him to play with.

That's fine that you feel this way but Peter Laviolette has currently turned around the Nashville Predators. He has a Cup. In his first season behind the bench with the Flyers he took them to a Stanley Cup Final and two years in a row after never fell shorter then the second round. After that he doesn't make the playoffs once in four seasons, during a half season where at least have of the players in the league were unlikely prepared because some didn't have a training camp or even play during the lockout. Terrible decision firing him three games into the following season.

Just my thoughts....
- SuperSchennBros

He is also an in and out coach. He wears on guys rather quickly. He did the same thing in Carolina and Philly that he is doing now in Nashville.

Man, you love that clip. (but hey, I do too)

IMO, Lavi was completely undermined. Homer tried to force him to play Torts/Julien hockey by reshaping the roster out from under him. It was a power struggle that predictably ended in disaster.
- Tomahawk

Very true. Holmgren failed to bring in pieces to fit what lava was doing. I remember clamoring for Oduya at the trade deadline. Flyers opted for grossman. That's when I knew they weren't in sync