Did you see a desperate team playing with a high level of urgency last night? I didn't.
- MJL

I saw George McFly get a couple of rabbit punches in before Biff Tannen got pissed and sent him time travelling sans DeLorean.

If Hextall pawns Vinny off on anyone (after having gotten an asset for Zac Rinaldo), he's Executive of the Year. Shut down the voting.
- johndewar

I think Holmgren signed Jody Shelly to a multiyear contract because both of his goals that he scored that year were against the Flyers. So it is possible. I also remember people saying, when he spent his flyers career in the press box, that he was a great locker room guy.

It's hard to believe it's only been 3 years since he was a Flyer. It probably seems longer because he spent most of it in the press box.

Hire Timonen
Fire Lappy

Yeah, everyone loves Lappy for what he did as a player, but as a coach, meh. No loss, IMO
- BiggE

I think a whole new coaching staff might have gotten the players attention a little more and no one would have a coach they are familiar with and feel too comfortable around. I do respect Hakstol for giving these guys a chance though. It gave them a fair evaluation period and helped Hakstol integrate since they knew the team so well. I will be really curious to see what happens on the assistant coaching side after this year. I don't know what Hakstol's philosophies are compared to the staff he has now.

Do you think that is what is best for Morin right now?
- MJL

Do you think that bringing him up for a 3 or 4 games to shake things up, while making it clear to him that it's only going to be for 3 or 4 games, would do everlasting damage?

2Real don't you get tired of saying "We Suck" every day the same thing. We are all passionate about the team and want them to win but to read your posts everyday about how bad we are is so redundant.

Yeah, the effort-level isn't perfect nor probably consistent enough, but with the way people talk it's like they're just showing up and cashing paychecks.

When your team is at a severe disadvantage, no matter the opponent, poop that can go wrong will go wrong. Gripping sticks, hurrying passes, getting too cute, etc etc etc. All are symptoms of no confidence in themselves and each other.
- Tomahawk

The lack of confidence is born from poor execution and leads to diminished effort levels or the appearance of a diminished effort.

It's obvious just from watching that the entire roster lacks confidence. Guys are pressing, and a mistake or two snowballs and the game gets out of hand. Vicious cycle.

The big issue I have is the relative ease with which opponents are getting two points at the Flyers expense.

I think a whole new coaching staff might have gotten the players attention a little more and no one would have a coach they are familiar with and feel too comfortable around. I do respect Hakstol for giving these guys a chance though. It gave them a fair evaluation period and helped Hakstol integrate since they knew the team so well. I will be really curious to see what happens on the assistant coaching side after this year. I don't know what Hakstol's philosophies are compared to the staff he has now.
- funmaster18

Unless there is major improvement, I would not be shocked to see all of the assistants, other than the goaltending coach, replaced after this season.

The lack of confidence is born from poor execution and leads to diminished effort levels or the appearance of a diminished effort.

It's obvious just from watching that the entire roster lacks confidence. Guys are pressing, and a mistake or two snowballs and the game gets out of hand. Vicious cycle.

The big issue I have is the relative ease with which opponents are getting two points at the Flyers expense.
- Jsaquella

Yup, playing the Flyers these days is like a day at the friggin beach.

Do you think that bringing him up for a 3 or 4 games to shake things up, while making it clear to him that it's only going to be for 3 or 4 games, would do everlasting damage?
- BiggE

No, but I also don't think doing that would shake anything up, or do squat for the Flyers.

what i saw last night was a complete lack of puck support battle on the boards we lost almost everyone....this dump the puck in and chase it...only works if you get to the puck ..the flyers don't Raffl is not a 1st line LW and shouldn't be there....our power play..well that has looked the same for 3 years now what has worked in the past doesn't work now it needs to change up a bit try something different...teams no what they are going to do every time we get the PP

If anyone think's people are saying that they're just showing up and cashing paychecks, which insinuates that the players don't give a dam, than that is on those who are making that poor judgement of what is being said.
Secondly, there is a big difference between average effort, and the effort level that is necessary game to game and shift to shift to play in the NHL. Top teams and top players also consistently give that 2nd effort, such as when they get beat, or make a mistake, they work to erase it. That does not happen with this team. When effort is given as a reason, it refers to situations such as in last night's game, when the Flyers had a bunch of PP's and a chance to take over the game, yet there were situations where the Flyers were outworked and outnumbered on the puck, when they have the man advantage. There's a lot of issues with this team right now, effort is definitely one of them. I thought the effort in last night's game was improved somewhat, but no where near where it should've been. Did you see a desperate team playing with a high level of urgency last night? I didn't.
- MJL

this is why they need a big time player shakeup...same group of guys same results.

I saw George McFly get a couple of rabbit punches in before Biff Tannen got pissed and sent him time travelling sans DeLorean.
- Tomahawk

what i saw last night was a complete lack of puck support battle on the boards we lost almost everyone....this dump the puck in and chase it...only works if you get to the puck ..the flyers don't Raffl is not a 1st line LW and shouldn't be there....our power play..well that has looked the same for 3 years now what has worked in the past doesn't work now it needs to change up a bit try something different...teams no what they are going to do every time we get the PP
- flyer186

I keep seeing this. Who would you put there instead? They are already a one line team.

Multiple pathetic things on this team right now...
First line winger with 0 goals
Other first line winger is being outscored by Ryan White, Umberger and VDV.
2 line center with 3 points total and a -4
Simmonds is a -11

What I am not worried about is the coming prospects...Every source says the Flyers are stacked there ..
- opeth_pa

Stacked on the blueline yes, up front not so much.

this is why they need a big time player shakeup...same group of guys same results.
- rinaldo

Hextall needs to stick to his plan, and should not let the current state of the team, alter that plan.

No, but I also don't think doing that would shake anything up, or do squat for the Flyers.
- MJL

It would be a bit desperate, IMO.

Stacked on the blueline yes, up front not so much.
- PLindbergh31

That's gonna change after this upcoming draft! ^^

At this point they really need a shakeup, since a trade likely won't happen at this point in the season, I'd do the following:

Waive Umberger and Manning, if someone actually takes either, who gives a (frank), and if not, send em down.

With the newly created cap space, bring up Morin and Cousins and go with the following lines and pairings.

Laughton-G-Schenn
Read-Couturier-Voracek
Raffl-Cousins-Simmonds
VDV-PEB-White

MDZ-Gudas
Morin-Streit
Medvedev-Schenn

Before you criticize the above, ask yourself one question. What do they have to lose by trying it?

I think Holmgren signed Jody Shelly to a multiyear contract because both of his goals that he scored that year were against the Flyers. So it is possible. I also remember people saying, when he spent his flyers career in the press box, that he was a great locker room guy.

It's hard to believe it's only been 3 years since he was a Flyer. It probably seems longer because he spent most of it in the press box.
- Flyers_01

It was because of Jody Shelley that we got this piece of work from Scott Hartnell:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShKRulVm52M

For this, we should all be grateful.

/Jody Shelley - We Were All Witnesses

To touch briefly on trading Giroux, I think there's four major factors to consider:

1. Getting full value. If they trade Giroux right now or even this summer, I can't see anyway this is likely. They absolutely can not deal Giroux and get the kind of return that the Bruins got for Thornton or Seguin.

2. There's not another Giroux anywhere in the organization. There's good kids and nice pieces, but nothing that projects to be an elite center.

3. Timeline to contention. If you feel that the Flyers can contend in 2-3 years, it'd be idiotic to deal him. If you think they are 4-6 years away....

4. Snider and the fact that a trade if Giroux would be the first time that the Flyers fully embarked on an open and total rebuild, without a superstar face of the franchise, in their history. They Flyers-and Snider-don't rebuild, they retool. Trading Giroux says, we're going to not even contend for the playoffs for a year or two. Even if they admit this internally, it would be a massive departure to do it outwardly.

I just think it's a bad idea. Finding a top 10 center is as hard as finding a top 10 dman.

If they wanted to make a major move, they should have traded Jake at last year's deadline. They opted to re-sign him, which was fine.

I feel their are much better options than trading Giroux. They can deal guys like Simmonds, Streit and B Schenn for mid-late first rounders. Look at what happened with Joe Thornton. The Bruins dealt him and got nothing in return. They were able to rebuild anyway, but imagine how many cups they would have won if they kept Thornton with Chara, Bergeron and Krejci.
- PhillySportsGuy

Don't you mean there you (frank)ing idiot

2Real don't you get tired of saying "We Suck" every day the same thing. We are all passionate about the team and want them to win but to read your posts everyday about how bad we are is so redundant.
- Daceroni

He's lost without being able to blame everything on Coburn.

To touch briefly on trading Giroux, I think there's four major factors to consider:

1. Getting full value. If they trade Giroux right now or even this summer, I can't see anyway this is likely. They absolutely can not deal Giroux and get the kind of return that the Bruins got for Thornton or Seguin.

2. There's not another Giroux anywhere in the organization. There's good kids and nice pieces, but nothing that projects to be an elite center.

3. Timeline to contention. If you feel that the Flyers can contend in 2-3 years, it'd be idiotic to deal him. If you think they are 4-6 years away....

4. Snider and the fact that a trade if Giroux would be the first time that the Flyers fully embarked on an open and total rebuild, without a superstar face of the franchise, in their history. They Flyers-and Snider-don't rebuild, they retool. Trading Giroux says, we're going to not even contend for the playoffs for a year or two. Even if they admit this internally, it would be a massive departure to do it outwardly.
- Jsaquella

I don't see them trading Giroux under any circumstances in the near future.

Hextall needs to stick to his plan, and should not let the current state of the team, alter that plan.
- MJL

luv the plan that know one knows about. all gm's in every sport have a plan. that's nothing new. this team is so far behind it is sad and scary. the definition of below average.

when "the plan" is not getting results you want nor expected then you change or alter "the plan". you don't sell for pennies on the dollar. you find a way to improve your team going forward. hextall has been here long enough. he has seem this group for how many years know? not like he is a first year GM coming in from an outside organization and needs to see these guys a little longer.

so by moving what you consider a core piece could still be sticking to "the plan" could it not?

Don't you mean there you (frank)ing idiot
- PhillySportsGuy