I think Manning has shown he can be a serviceable Dman especially at his cap hit.
He deserves to stay. Good bye Luke!
- 3flyerkids

Eli Manning is the best quarterback in the division

Raffl G jake
Read coots Simmonds
Porter Laughton Schenn
Umberger white Bellemare

If we are judging by purely who has performed thus far this would be our starting 12

Streit Schultz
Mdz Medvedev
Manning and one the 3 pillars of awesome

If we are judging purely on performance I thought Manning had a quietly good game and was able to make up for a lot of L Schenn mistakes

Here's the thing I worry about with Laughton. Yes, he is a really hard worker. Yes, he is particularly strong defensively. But in the offensive zone, he starts making what seems to be shaping up to be a good offensive play, and then it seems to fizzle and go nowhere. The Flyers have had a lot of guys like that over the years.

It's like a Mamula in football...almost getting a sack. Bottom like is they had no real secondary scoring yesterday. The centers have to take the majority of blame for it, and not just Vinnie.
- TheGreat28

You know why it just fizzles, because one player can't do it alone. One man rushes may work in juniors, but not in the NHL. That's part of the development curve for Laughton, and it's also a function of linemates. How much offense are you going to expect from Laughton playing with Vandevelde and White?
Switch Lecavalier out with Laughton and let him play with Read and Schenn.

He literally wouldn't be able to catch Kreider on the ice.
- rangerdanger94

Stand him by the entrance to the bench. But you're right he literally wouldn't

as last year the Flyers look to be outshot most games and Mason will need to stand on his head because I dont think his knees will hold up

I think Manning has shown he can be a serviceable Dman especially at his cap hit.
He deserves to stay. Good bye Luke!
- 3flyerkids

strictly on cap hit.....I liked Luke's game last night. As a 6th d man I could live with him...just not at that cap hit....Not sure there's room for him and Gudas.

strictly on cap hit.....I liked Luke's game last night. As a 6th d man I could live with him...just not at that cap hit....Not sure there's room for him and Gudas.
- landros 2

Based on watching two pre season games, L. Schenn is a better player than Gudas is at this point.

Eli Manning is the best quarterback in the division
- rangerdanger94

today...yup

Based on watching two pre season games, L. Schenn is a better player than Gudas is at this point.
- MJL

no argument there.

Raffl G jake
Read coots Simmonds
Porter Laughton Schenn
Umberger white Bellemare

If we are judging by purely who has performed thus far this would be our starting 12

Streit Schultz
Mdz Medvedev
Manning and one the 3 pillars of awesome

If we are judging purely on performance I thought Manning had a quietly good game and was able to make up for a lot of L Schenn mistakes
- Tfaehner

I think judging on performance, Gudas should be sent down, but with waivers, it should probably be Manning demoted, and allow Gudas to try and find his game.

I think Kreider can handle his own.

Plus we have Glass. Something something deterrent.
- rangerdanger94

If a "gudas" type takes out his knee, then Glass won't matter a piss.

If a "gudas" type takes out his knee, then Glass won't matter a piss.
- landros 2

Until Glass takes out Giroux's knee in retaliation

Raffl G jake
Read coots Simmonds
Porter Laughton Schenn
Umberger white Bellemare

If we are judging by purely who has performed thus far this would be our starting 12

Streit Schultz
Mdz Medvedev
Manning and one the 3 pillars of awesome

If we are judging purely on performance I thought Manning had a quietly good game and was able to make up for a lot of L Schenn mistakes
- Tfaehner

Looking at that lineup, I really think they'd be a lottery team. Adding Vinnie to it though...

makes them a HIGH lottery team.

Thanks Bill. I thought that I was stuck in last season, last night. Mason was hung out to dry again. We were skating better, but geeze there was little communication going on; guys were constantly running into each other, and not picking up anyone in their own end. I don't think that McD was particularly strong, but Gudas at least blocked shots, and did play some D. Luke didn't have the force with him, and I can't see him with the team much longer. I don't know what happened in Toronto, but man there seems to be some issues there. VL was not looking good either. I don't know what happened between the last preseason game, and this one, but he just didn't look like his head was in the game. Gagner still needs a little time to adjust, but with the right line, I think that he will be ok. Scotty L, looked great. He was always around the puck, was skating well, and helped out in his own zone. Read started off strong, but faded in the end. I don't know what his deal is. Another issue was faceoffs. Not having Coots, kind of hurt us in this area. Asking Gagner to take on those duties wasn't fair to him since he hasn't been taking many faceoffs lately. Finally, I am so glad that Jake wasn't hurt. That Nash hit was almost knee to knee. And Kreider, and Stalberg were questionable with their play as well. However, the Flyers have to learn to fight back, and deal with that style of play during the season.

Looking at that lineup, I really think they'd be a lottery team. Adding Vinnie to it though...

makes them a HIGH lottery team.
- TheGreat28

the D is dreadful

If a "gudas" type takes out his knee, then Glass won't matter a piss.
- landros 2

I never advocate anyone taking out another player's knee, even if it's a Ranger or Devil or Penguin. Even Crosby, as much as I can't stand him.

Jagr playing here taught me one thing. They might be bad guys...but they're not bad guys.

Based on watching two pre season games, L. Schenn is a better player than Gudas is at this point.
- MJL

Completely agree. Yes, Luke is overpaid and likely not part of the long-term plan. But right now he's a "be careful what you wish for" cautionary tale. Just because people want Gudas to step up and replace him, doesn't mean he will do a good job at it...

The top pairing of Schultz-Streit were the ones got got dominated last night. Weird how there's no mention of that in the blog or the comments.

Completely agree. Yes, Luke is overpaid and likely not part of the long-term plan. But right now he's a "be careful what you wish for" cautionary tale. Just because people want Gudas to step up and replace him, doesn't mean he will do a good job at it...
- TheGreat28

I think up to this point, Gudas has been pretty poor. To be fair, he's coming off a knee injury and missed a lot of time last season. Maybe he just needs some time to play his way back, I don't know. As of right now, in my view, he wouldn't be on the ice opening night.

I disagree about that in this regard: I don't think any player last season didn't know what their role was. I just don't believe that.

Chief knee-jerked with Brayden Schenn, early on. That happened. We all saw that.

But everyone else, to my mind, had pretty defined roles all season, to the degree where we were begging for Couturier to not be locked into a checking role so tightly. The defense rotation had MDZ sit for a bit too long, but tbh, none of MacDonald/Schenn/Coliacovo deserved to be in the lineup more than anyone else.

Just my opinion
- AllInForFlyers

Some of the defensive players voiced the same thing, especially at the end of the year but even earlier. MDZ was pretty vocal, once he started playing well, about having a set role being a big factor in the uptick in his play.

I understand why Chief was panicking a little...his job was literally on the line. But he seemed to use the nuclear option too soon with some guys, and for too long. It really trash some of their confidence IMO.

Raffl G jake
Read coots Simmonds
Porter Laughton Schenn
Umberger white Bellemare

If we are judging by purely who has performed thus far this would be our starting 12

Streit Schultz
Mdz Medvedev
Manning and one the 3 pillars of awesome

If we are judging purely on performance I thought Manning had a quietly good game and was able to make up for a lot of L Schenn mistakes
- Tfaehner

I expect to see Manning back in the AHL since it looks like they'll need to carry 14 forwards to cover these injuries. LSchenn looked better than Gudas last night and should be back in the top 6.

Until Glass takes out Giroux's knee in retaliation
- rangerdanger94

I always here that argument...yet can't remember the last time it actually happened...like for real...lol.

I think up to this point, Gudas has been pretty poor. To be fair, he's coming off a knee injury and missed a lot of time last season. Maybe he just needs some time to play his way back, I don't know. As of right now, in my view, he wouldn't be on the ice opening night.
- MJL

Yes, the surgery thing is definitely a consideration. My concern is more that Hextall is in a rush to free up some cap space and trades Schenn, likely for pennies on the dollar, and then realizes Gudas is a step down.

I'd hold on to both, but play Schenn and give him first crack at keeping his job in the starting 6. Best case, he holds onto it and increases his trade value. Worse case, you try Gudas. At this point, if Schenn completely sucks what's the difference if his value declines from a 4th to a 6th?

Some outlets are reporting that the Flyers may have to take on Schenn's salary or even throw in a pick. It seems like speculation from guys like Randy Miller, but if true, I am 100% against that.

Some outlets are reporting that the Flyers may have to take on Schenn's salary or even throw in a pick. It seems like speculation from guys like Randy Miller, but if true, I am 100% against that.
- TheGreat28

Why would you care about retaining salary on LSchenn? It's only for the rest of this season, and might be the only way a cap team could afford to take him on.

"female doged" is a good term for what Kredier did, good call. Got his panties in a bunch because of a hard, legal hit, threw a borderline dirty hit on an unsuspecting player, then ran away when Simmonds went after him. You nailed it. Tomas Sandstrom would be proud of him.
- jmatchett383

Ahhhhh a Dave Brown fan, if Gudas was a step faster maybe he was have set out with what he intended....to take Stepan's knee out, Kreider's hit would have been boarding if Umberger didn't turn at the last second, Simmonds looked very tough on the other side of the linesman right after he attempted to take Kreider out but failed miserably, Kreider will run through the entire Flyers team standing in a straight line