I don't buy the there is a book out on the Flyers PP on how to play it angle for a second. That is the same for every single team. Every team has advanced scouting, and strategies devised on how to play against a team on the PP. I agree that I'd like to see some adjustments made, and add some new wrinkles to it, but the biggest problem was simply about execution. Voracek especially struggled and was hesitant on making plays, making it easier for teams to attack the other side of the ice. Quick puck movement and good decision making, counters aggressive penalty killing.
- MJL

Teams started pressuring them last year and dismantled it. It's a 5 year old PP that needs a major overhaul plain and simple. Re-watch the Washington series and every Pens game if you don't agree.

What have I missed?
- Streit2ThePoint

Andrew Ladd is presently vacationing in Summerland, British Columbia.

I bought 2 tickets. We leave tomorrow.

Teams started pressuring them last year and dismantled it. It's a 5 year old PP that needs a major overhaul plain and simple. Re-watch the Washington series and every Pens game if you don't agree.
- hereticpride

It was about execution for the most part. Funny that you mention Washington. Who doesn't know that they're going to work the puck to Ovechkin on the off wing for a one timer. That's a big secret. Watch Washington play if you don't agree. You me, the beer vendor, and janitor in the building know it's going to happen. Still works. Flyers PP was in the tops of the league for how many seasons, using basically the same strategy. How long does it take teams to figure out how to defend a PP? Two seasons?

Teams started pressuring them last year and dismantled it. It's a 5 year old PP that needs a major overhaul plain and simple. Re-watch the Washington series and every Pens game if you don't agree.
- hereticpride

I see a lot more PPs now with more of movement. Getting in and out of soft spots. not as much standing like the Flyers PP.

Also helps a lot of the PP's have elite snipers that can shoot. In all honesty the Flyers lack that. Giroux and voracek can score but they are guys that can shoot from anywhere. Gostisbehere can't be the only shot on the PP.

I want Coach Kimmo.

I don't buy the there is a book out on the Flyers PP on how to play it angle for a second. That is the same for every single team. Every team has advanced scouting, and strategies devised on how to play against a team on the PP. I agree that I'd like to see some adjustments made, and add some new wrinkles to it, but the biggest problem was simply about execution. Voracek especially struggled and was hesitant on making plays, making it easier for teams to attack the other side of the ice. Quick puck movement and good decision making, counters aggressive penalty killing.
- MJL

Same. If teams could write such books Ovechkin wouldn't get as many PP goals as he does, for example. Everyone knows where he's going to be set up so just stop him, right?

It was about execution for the most part. Funny that you mention Washington. Who doesn't know that they're going to work the puck to Ovechkin on the off wing for a one timer. That's a big secret. Watch Washington play if you don't agree. You me, the beer vendor, and janitor in the building know it's going to happen. Still works. Flyers PP was in the tops of the league for how many seasons, using basically the same strategy. How long does it take teams to figure out how to defend a PP? Two seasons?
- MJL

true.

But guys like Backstrom and Kuznestov also move around a little to create lanes to make a pass to Ovechkin.

I don't disagree about needing to execute. But they also aren't as stagnate on it either.

I want Coach Kimmo.
- Mononoke

X2

It was about execution for the most part. Funny that you mention Washington. Who doesn't know that they're going to work the puck to Ovechkin on the off wing for a one timer. That's a big secret. Watch Washington play if you don't agree. You me, the beer vendor, and janitor in the building know it's going to happen. Still works. Flyers PP was in the tops of the league for how many seasons, using basically the same strategy. How long does it take teams to figure out how to defend a PP? Two seasons?
- MJL

Then why did every team start pressuring the puck carrier all of a sudden? Whether or not we need to come up with something new the whole league started playing us differently to strong results.

I don't buy the there is a book out on the Flyers PP on how to play it angle for a second. That is the same for every single team. Every team has advanced scouting, and strategies devised on how to play against a team on the PP. I agree that I'd like to see some adjustments made, and add some new wrinkles to it, but the biggest problem was simply about execution. Voracek especially struggled and was hesitant on making plays, making it easier for teams to attack the other side of the ice. Quick puck movement and good decision making, counters aggressive penalty killing.
- MJL

To add to your point, major injuries to Giroux and Ghost no doubt hampered the PP down the stretch. Hopefully Jake being a non factor from the right side was just a fluke.

I want Coach Kimmo.
- Mononoke

Russomanno will be livid

Then why did every team start pressuring the puck carrier all of a sudden? Whether or not we need to come up with something new the whole league started playing us differently to strong results.
- hereticpride

I don't think it was every team doing something different to the Flyers, I think it was the Flyers doing/not doing something against every team.

Then why did every team start pressuring the puck carrier all of a sudden? Whether or not we need to come up with something new the whole league started playing us differently to strong results.
- hereticpride

Different teams have different PK strategies. Aggressive high pressure penalty killing is nothing new. It's still 5 on 4. Move the puck, find the open seems, and make them pay for it. Like I said, I think there are some new wrinkles they can add to it to make it better, but when it comes right down to it, they just didn't make enough plays. It isn't about any "book" being written and that the NHL figured out the Flyers PP. When is the league going to write the book for Ovechkin and figure out he likes to shoot the one timer on the off wing on the PP?

I don't think it was every team doing something different to the Flyers, I think it was the Flyers doing/not doing something against every team.
- Scoob

and honestly, Jake couldnt have been healthy. You can tell me all you want how an opposing team will pressure the left of the umbrella, meaning G and ghost. u have Voracek all by his lonesome on the other side, you wanna take away G, then u have to do deal with Jake, ill take that all day long. Jake definitely wasnt himself at all coming back from injury. looking forward to him getting back to that point/game rate he had two years ago.

I don't think it was every team doing something different to the Flyers, I think it was the Flyers doing/not doing something against every team.
- Scoob

I don't even know what this means. Teams used to sit back on G and Streit and try to cut off passing lanes. Now they're all over G and Ghost and make Schenn Simmonds and Jake beat them with their passing. The change is clear as day.

you could trade Murray for the #6 pick to the FLames

idk, just throwing out alternatives to getting a crappy return for MAF
- Marc D

there is no way murray gets #6 overall

honestly not that bad. granted, i didnt go exploring, but the place didnt seem as camden-esque as you guys were describing.

and the place itself was fairly accessible. so all in all, no complaints. other than having to pay 60 bucks to place my hand on a scanner. they could at least make it shaped like a strippers ass or something for that price
- stayinthefnnet

Woodbury isn't Camden, it just gets sketchy at night. I'll put it this way: if I went to high school there, I'd have problems from time to time. During the day time, the main strip (Route 45) and the streets off of it are just a little run down. There are actually some nice homes, but they're sort of on the outskirts.

there is no way murray gets #6 overall
- YuenglingJagr

That's the thing. Teams know the Pens (and other teams) are in a bind, so it takes the leverage away from the Pens. In an ordinary year, Murray could get you a Schneider-like return. This year, there'd have to be more. Not a ton more, but more.

I don't even know what this means. Teams used to sit back on G and Streit and try to cut off passing lanes. Now they're all over G and Ghost and make Schenn Simmonds and Jake beat them with their passing. The change is clear as day.
- hereticpride

Different teams played it different ways. I'm simply saying that the Flyers subpar season on the PP, wasn't because there was a book out on how to play it, as if there is no counter for a team that applies pressure and attacks Giroux on the wall. I'm quite confident that the coaching staff pointed out how to beat that. The Flyers PP issues were execution, and ineffective play, not some new PK strategy that the Flyers could do nothing about.

That's the thing. Teams know the Pens (and other teams) are in a bind, so it takes the leverage away from the Pens. In an ordinary year, Murray could get you a Schneider-like return. This year, there'd have to be more. Not a ton more, but more.
- jmatchett383

last pair of seconds for fleury and call it a wistful goodbye

Then why did every team start pressuring the puck carrier all of a sudden? Whether or not we need to come up with something new the whole league started playing us differently to strong results.
- hereticpride

This. The Flyers were actually a strong shot generation PP and even performed OK in the goals department if we are talking season stats. They finished 11th in the league in Goals/60 and 5th in Shots/60.

It's what down during the stretch that made me nervous. It used to be just a a few teams who would implement the hyper aggressive swarm Ghost/Streit and G strategy. But then it felt like every team started doing it. Flyers are a fantastic PP when people play off them. When they don't....it's a disaster. There is an exact strategy for throwing our PP in a loop. It has always been slow, methodical, patient, static...it is being exploited like never before now. Adapt or die. They need to act more like a dynamic 5-man unit -- faster pace, better flow, less predictable.

last pair of seconds for fleury and call it a wistful goodbye
- stayinthefnnet

sorry but even that is too much. if GMs were smart (which we know they arent) Fleury would be handed out for next to nothing. Obviously someone is going to overpay...but there are more goalies that should/need to be traded than teams that need goalies so teams really could be holding out until someone breaks.

obviously stamkos plays into this a little bit. in my opinion they should resign him and trade Bishop

This. The Flyers were actually a strong shot generation PP and even performed OK in the goals department if we are talking season stats. They finished 11th in the league in Goals/60 and 5th in Shots/60.

It's what down during the stretch that made me nervous. It used to be just a a few teams who would implement the hyper aggressive swarm Ghost/Streit and G strategy. But then it felt like every team started doing it. Flyers are a fantastic PP when people play off them. When they don't....it's a disaster. There is an exact strategy for throwing our PP in a loop. It has always been slow, methodical, patient, static...it is being exploited like never before now. Adapt or die. They need to act more like a dynamic 5-man unit -- faster pace, better flow, less predictable.
- Mononoke

It got really bad. Like I was annoyed when they went on the PP because you knew they would spend the first minute struggling to even get the puck in the zone and set up. Then a wide shot sends the back past the blue line and the 2nd unit would be up and they never did much either. Their special teams need a serious overhaul because last season was poop.

I don't even know what this means. Teams used to sit back on G and Streit and try to cut off passing lanes. Now they're all over G and Ghost and make Schenn Simmonds and Jake beat them with their passing. The change is clear as day.
- hereticpride

What it means is there isn't a book and even if there were a book, it wouldn't be shared among the teams so that magically every team could easily shut them down. By and large the Flyers problems were self-inflicted and other teams simply took advantage of them.

This. The Flyers were actually a strong shot generation PP and even performed OK in the goals department if we are talking season stats. They finished 11th in the league in Goals/60 and 5th in Shots/60.

It's what down during the stretch that made me nervous. It used to be just a a few teams who would implement the hyper aggressive swarm Ghost/Streit and G strategy. But then it felt like every team started doing it. Flyers are a fantastic PP when people play off them. When they don't....it's a disaster. There is an exact strategy for throwing our PP in a loop. It has always been slow, methodical, patient, static...it is being exploited like never before now. Adapt or die. They need to act more like a dynamic 5-man unit -- faster pace, better flow, less predictable.
- Mononoke

Not all shots are created equal. Quality of shots on the PP is far more important than quantity, just as it is in 5 on 5. Flyers simply didn't execute. Voracek's ineffectiveness was the biggest culprit in my opinion. He lacked confidence and was indecisive with the puck. If they swarm Giroux and Gostisbehere, move the puck quickly and find the open ice, and the open man. Make the defense move, and it will create openings and quality opportunities.