The injury list should be interesting as will be the next deals for Schenn and Gudas.

I think one of those times was when they bent over backwards to let Wilson getting away with skating the entire width of the ice to smash Schenn into the boards. A play that was 10 times more dangerous than this nothing hit on Oshie.
- Feanor

The whole thing is a joke. There were many hits on both sides you could review. Review them all or review none of them. Just be consistent.

Oh no, don't do that. Listing bigger player who aren't mobile, even though the complaint was about needing bigger bodies, makes you a troll...or something.
- jmatchett383

Everyone seems big on this Washington out hit us and that is why we lost.

Provorov isn't a huge guy but he is going to help because he can move the puck quickly and skate his way out of trouble.

Not sure if your agreeing or not.

I just don't think his leg moves. I have even tried to slow it down but he doesn't seem to move from his path at all.
- J35Bacher

I'm agreeing that OV did nothing wrong at all.

If Giroux is fit enough to attend worlds that's a problem
- Just5

What REALLY worries me is if Giroux hides injury information to go to Worlds for the sole purpose of ingratiating himself to Hockey Canada to get a spot on the World Cup roster.

but also you can't expect them to hit on every prospect. having MDZ, Gudas, and Ghost up now, can alleviate the time you have with some of the prospects in order not to rush them. from what i see and read i feel like sanheim may need another year, same with morin, and hagg just hasnt taken his game to that next level yet. provorov i believe is ready to make the jump and ive heard that myers' game has taken incredible leaps. he may need a year or two but ive heard his progression is almost sanheim-esque. its an exciting time, but gudas should definitely be in their plans, at least for the next 2-3 years.
- sjk540

I just don't see a need to sign him longer then a year since he is a RFA this season. And I like his game but next season I can have a defense like below if Streit is moved.

Del Zotto - Schultz
Gostisbehere - MacDonald
Provorov - Gudas



After that I can see where Morin is and decide if I need to sign Gudas longer. I don't see Gudas as anything really more then a 3rd pairing dman as the team moves forward.

So if we had more Hatchers, Grossmanns, Hall gills we would have been fine?
- J35Bacher

Actually, a Derian Hatcher in his prime would have been a huge help against the Caps. When 4 of your D are under 200 pounds and the other 2 are under 205, you are going to lose a lot of battles in the corners, along the wall, and in front of the net.

While skill and speed and of course, hockey sense, are more important than ever in today's game, there is still a need for size and strength.

Everyone seems big on this Washington out hit us and that is why we lost.

Provorov isn't a huge guy but he is going to help because he can move the puck quickly and skate his way out of trouble.
- J35Bacher

Agreed. The Penguins are one of the smaller teams in the league and they did just fine against the entire NHL for the past 2 months. Skill > size.

too many chances for injury. now with the world championships


and then later with that fake tournament the nhl made up. enough already

Agreed. The Penguins are one of the smaller teams in the league and they did just fine against the entire NHL for the past 2 months. Skill > size.
- jmatchett383

I agree, however you still need some size.

Actually, a Derian Hatcher in his prime would have been a huge help against the Caps. When 4 of your D are under 200 pounds and the other 2 are under 205, you are going to lose a lot of battles in the corners, along the wall, and in front of the net.

While skill and speed and of course, hockey sense, are more important than ever in today's game, there is still a need for size and strength.
- BiggE

Sure there's a need for it. Give me a Rob Blake/Chris Pronger in their prime type any day. Buy a Grossmann/Gautheir/Vandermeer type wouldn't have helped, they would have just been turnstiled. They key is to have big guys who are also mobile and skilled. They are hard to find and acquire.

Not everyone can be in your longterm plans.

They have guys like Provorov, Gostisbehere, Morin, Sanheim, Myers, Hagg.

Gudas is nice but at some point maybe the Flyers want a defenseman with a different skill set the Gudas. Especially if Morin can provide the physical play that Gudas does with maybe a little more offense.
- J35Bacher

I said longer range. not all of those guys will be ready in the next few yrs and we don't even know if they all will pan out. Plus you always need a veteran dmen and depth. I see Gudas here for more than 1-2 yrs

Ovechkin charges from multiple counties over to deliver 80% of his hits. But he gets a pass, because hypocrisy rules over the stars of the league. That's the point.

Also, this is a knee on knee.
- Giroux_Is_God

wholeheartedly agree, you can see his knee extend just a bit from his normal course.

but its ovie...

I agree, however you still need some size.
- BiggE

Right, but not at the price of skill.

Case in point: People want "another big guy" because Simmonds has to fight a lot (not really, but whatever). So who do we get? If we get another big guy with skill, then people will complain that he and Simmonds, two of our best guys, have to fight. But if we bring in an unskilled big guy, then we have a walking (skating) suspension waiting to happen.

wholeheartedly agree, you can see his knee extend just a bit from his normal course.

but its ovie...
- sjk540

So he's able to change the direction and orientation of his knee, skating at top OV speed, in about a 4-foot distance?

I need to take a refresher course on Newtonian Mechanics.

I just don't see a need to sign him longer then a year since he is a RFA this season.
- J35Bacher

if the reasoning is wanting no more than some sort of short term (1-2 yrs) bridge contract then sure, I get that 100%. I actually agree with that but not because I don't see him in the longer range plans. I would think the Gudas' camp and Flyers camp both want to see if he is what he is or if there is more improvement to his game.

So he's able to change the direction and orientation of his knee, skating at top OV speed, in about a 4-foot distance?
- jmatchett383

I am a FLyers fan but I can't even argue this play.

The Chimera hit should have been looked at since Bellemare basically got a game for same kind of thing.

ANd Usually Ovechkin leaves his feet on hits. But this play I can't find any fault.

Actually, a Derian Hatcher in his prime would have been a huge help against the Caps. When 4 of your D are under 200 pounds and the other 2 are under 205, you are going to lose a lot of battles in the corners, along the wall, and in front of the net.

While skill and speed and of course, hockey sense, are more important than ever in today's game, there is still a need for size and strength.
- BiggE

I personally think the FLyers D has a problem boxing people out. the Caps did a great job of keeping the Flyers from the net. The thing is I want size but not slugs

I just don't see a need to sign him longer then a year since he is a RFA this season.
- J35Bacher

well think about what our defensive blueline will look like next year:

MDZ - Ghost
Schultz - Streit
Provorov - Gudas
AMac

Now for one, I know i do not want AMac on my blueline for a whole year, especially weighing down Ghost or anyone he matches up with. Say for argument sake we find a way to get rid of streit, then you have 6 right there, with Gudas. without gudas in 2016-17 you need to call someone who maybe isn't ready or spend money on someone outside the system.

the following year once schultz is off the books, and hoping MDZ continues his solid play so we re-sign him as well, our blue line may look a little like this:

MDZ - Provorov
Morin - Ghost
Sanheim - Gudas
AMac

again, here without Gudas, Amac is going to start or you would have to rely on not only morin or sanheim being ready, but also another guy like Hagg or Myers. Hextall's full plan is to be able to not rush these guys. if he gets a two year contract this would be perfect for the flyers to allow this plan to play out.

if he is signed for 3 years, the 2018-19 blue line would look like:

Sanheim - Provorov
Morin - Ghost
MDZ- Gudas
AMac - Myers/Hagg

I agree that maybe this is the year he may not be needed too much, but with injuries, and the possibility that one of our prospects dont work out, hes obviously a guy capable of being an effective top 4 defensemen, which is a boon to any team.

all im saying, sorry for the novel. very exciting tho to see those line combos huh?

So first PEB and now Schenn getting suspensions and nothing for Chimera, Wilson, Niskanen, or OV?

(frank) off NHL department of safety

Department of hypocrisy is more like it

I personally think the FLyers D has a problem boxing people out. the Caps did a great job of keeping the Flyers from the net. The thing is I want size but not slugs
- nastyflyergirl

Well, as soon as Alex Pieternagelo hits the UFA market, I'm sure the Flyers will go after him.

However, seeing as guys like Pietrangelo never (rarely, if ever) hit the UFA market, I don't get all of the crying. Not singling you out, but people seem to act like it's a quick fix to get a big, mobile, skilled defenseman and the Cup is ours.

I just don't see a need to sign him longer then a year since he is a RFA this season. And I like his game but next season I can have a defense like below if Streit is moved.

Del Zotto - Schultz
Gostisbehere - MacDonald
Provorov - Gudas



After that I can see where Morin is and decide if I need to sign Gudas longer. I don't see Gudas as anything really more then a 3rd pairing dman as the team moves forward.
- J35Bacher

i want nothing to do with AMac pairing up with ghost another year. im sorry, another year of his unwillingness to challenge the blueline, his indecisiveness, his dumb blind passes that he turns over more times than not, are not what i want with Ghost for an entire year, or any young defender for that matter. want no part of him on our blueline.

if the reasoning is wanting no more than some sort of short term (1-2 yrs) bridge contract then sure, I get that 100%. I actually agree with that but not because I don't see him in the longer range plans. I would think the Gudas' camp and Flyers camp both want to see if he is what he is or if there is more improvement to his game.
- nastyflyergirl

It's both. I want a one year deal.

And I also don't see him as part of the long range plans. I think Gudas is a nice player. But he is a little limited. I think morin will eventually replace him and also provide a little more.

Also look at a kid like Reese Wilcox. Not the monster hitter like Gudas but a big stay at hme guy, better skater and provides a nice outlet pass.

It's both. I want a one year deal.

And I also don't see him as part of the long range plans. I think Gudas is a nice player. But he is a little limited. I think morin will eventually replace him and also provide a little more.

Also look at a kid like Reese Wilcox. Not the monster hitter like Gudas but a big stay at hme guy, better skater and provides a nice outlet pass.
- J35Bacher

I'd sign him for 2 years. Morin may be able to replace him, but he's not yet, and maybe never be. He's a nice bottom-pair player. But $3M per for 2 years is rough.

So he's able to change the direction and orientation of his knee, skating at top OV speed, in about a 4-foot distance?

I need to take a refresher course on Newtonian Mechanics.
- jmatchett383

look at his skates dude, he is getting ready for a hit, ghost makes an adjustment, his skate starts on the left side of ghosts body, and by the time the collision happens his skate would be on the far right side of ghosts whole body. he definitely extended his left leg out when he realized ghost wasnt staying on the boards so he could rock him. youre telling me you dont think ovie was relishing the opportunity to paste this new rookie defensemen who he heard a lot about going in this series?