I personally think the team is mentally fragile, but thats just me.
- Glak18

I definitely believe that there are mental hurdles to get over for both the PK and the PP. As far as 5 on 5 play, they're inconsistently fragile. Sometimes they wilt easily. Sometimes they don't quit such as in the TB game. Does a mentally fragile team come back from a 5-1 deficit in the 3rd period?

I definitely believe that there are mental hurdles to get over for both the PK and the PP. As far as 5 on 5 play, they're inconsistently fragile. Sometimes they wilt easily. Sometimes they don't quit such as in the TB game. Does a mentally fragile team come back from a 5-1 deficit in the 3rd period?
- MJL

Yes because they have nothing to lose. And Tampa went into defense-only mode.

The PK was slightly better but it hasn't been good in years. Fillpula would help make the Flyers a better 5 on 5 team but lets face it, he was declining rapidly last season.
- MJL

That's the thing, he declined enough last year to not get resigned so I don't know if he'd be any better than Weal at even strength. He'd probably help lighten the load on PK.

One thing I notice is how few forwards are trusted on the PK this year. Last year they even had Simmonds out there and didn't look as bad.

Beauty of a blog by Ek today...

Really captures who needs defense.

That's the thing, he declined enough last year to not get resigned so I don't know if he'd be any better than Weal at even strength. He'd probably help lighten the load on PK.

One thing I notice is how few forwards are trusted on the PK this year. Last year they even had Simmonds out there and didn't look as bad.
- easY

Having a player like Filppula last year took weight off of the Couturier line.

Having a player like Filppula last year took weight off of the Couturier line.
- MJL

In deployment or effectiveness? Filppula was deployed a lot but did not look effective by the end.

Also why are the Flyers worse without Manning?
- Glak18

In deployment or effectiveness? Filppula was deployed a lot but did not look effective by the end.
- easY

He declined rapidly. However taking a lot of hard minutes allowed the Couturier line to play less against top lines. The Flyers don't make the playoff last season if they didn't have Filppula in my opinion. This season, pretty much every game the Couturier line is having to go head to head with top lines.

The flip side of that is that doesn't tell you specifically that the issue there is JVR. It can't tell you why something is happening, only what is happening.
- MJL

Yes, or if its just lingering rust from his injury, yada yada yada.

The point is, he wasn't one of the best players. Other than that, I don't know.

You don't score the amount of goals that JVR has scored in this league without getting to the right areas of the ice. That simple. The Flyers have a lot of good players. They have an issue with fit in some cases.
- MJL

True, and being able to find the right spot makes you a great PP player, which I think JvR is. But what does it say about a player who is a career minus player (-33) . Sometimes it says they spent their whole career on teams that can't play D, but in his case it doesn't. It says what the good old "eye test" says, and what I said when they announced the trade: he is a guy with a reputation of not playing defense.

He declined rapidly. However taking a lot of hard minutes allowed the Couturier line to play less against top lines. The Flyers don't make the playoff last season if they didn't have Filppula in my opinion. This season, pretty much every game the Couturier line is having to go head to head with top lines.
- MJL

Do you think they'd play jvr filppula and Simmonds against to lines?

Here is a comparison:

Flyers
Score 3/per games played 60%
Score 3 record 9-1-2

Washington
Score 3/per games played 65%
Score 3 record 9-1-2-1

Toronto
Score 3/per games played 71.4%
Score 3 record 14-1
- NC Flyers Fan

So one of these teams goes out and plays defense every night? Got it. How can we get some of that?

The only move I would make now if the opportunity is there, is to trade for Nylander. Other than that., leave the team. There isnt a quick fix, go with what we got, address what we need via TDL and FA. We can legit take a huge step forward next season.

What we need is:

#3 C (Preferably a PK guy)
Sign starting Goalie
Sign reliable backup
Trade AMac retaining 25-50%
Let Simmonds Walk or trade him
Let Lehtera and Weal walk

All of the above can be done before next season starts. I know people are frustrated with losing but this team should still make the playoffs. They could squeak into round two but not likely but we cant just keep trading our young players away. We need to keep to the program. Rome wasnt built in a day. Trading works if you have a surplus, right now we do not. We are close, we cant just throw it away now.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

If you "let Lehtera and Weal walk" who will play 3C and 4C? Who do you have under contract who has proven they will be ready in 19-20 to step in? Do you want to finish last?

Do you actually think that trading AMac will improve the team's defensive play, or that if he is having lingering injury issues, anyone will trade for him? Nobody is in danger of missing the floor anymore. If he returns to form they need him and if he doesn't nobody wants him.

Wishing your misguided list won't make it happen in the real NHL.

I personally think the team is mentally fragile, but thats just me.
- Glak18

I think they lack real leadership in the room.

True, and being able to find the right spot makes you a great PP player, which I think JvR is. But what does it say about a player who is a career minus player (-33) . Sometimes it says they spent their whole career on teams that can't play D, but in his case it doesn't. It says what the good old "eye test" says, and what I said when they announced the trade: he is a guy with a reputation of not playing defense.
- hockeyal

You're committing the cardinal sin of stats use. Whether it's more indepth analytics or simple +/-, once you start using them to rate a player, you've gone astray.

JVR had one season where he was -33 on the year. Other than that, he's an even player on his career. I've seen good players who are good defensive players rack up big minus numbers on bad teams.

If you "let Lehtera and Weal walk" who will play 3C and 4C? Who do you have under contract who has proven they will be ready in 19-20 to step in? Do you want to finish last?

Do you actually think that trading AMac will improve the team's defensive play, or that if he is having lingering injury issues, anyone will trade for him? Nobody is in danger of missing the floor anymore. If he returns to form they need him and if he doesn't nobody wants him.

Wishing your misguided list won't make it happen in the real NHL.
- hockeyal

It's pretty much a safe bet that both Weal and Lehtera won't be back next season.

I think they lack real leadership in the room.
- hockeyal

#Fraudes

Hak love Lehtera’s speed and PK skills. 🤡 💪

Having a player like Filppula last year took weight off of the Couturier line.
- MJL

Darn Philpulla look like another player on the Isles. Is it the basketball arena or the coach. 🤔

He declined rapidly. However taking a lot of hard minutes allowed the Couturier line to play less against top lines. The Flyers don't make the playoff last season if they didn't have Filppula in my opinion. This season, pretty much every game the Couturier line is having to go head to head with top lines.
- MJL

Filppula is a +9 this season playing 2nd line minutes, and top unit PK minutes (Islanders PK is mid-pack). In the last 12 games last season the PK was top 10 in the NHL at 84%. Not great, but respectable. Sure, Provorov and Coots were logging a lot of minutes but right up there with them the top 7 in PK minutes: Matt Read, Filppula and Manning. Just saying.

Wow rags scored after 30 seconds with Daniel Day Lewis as their coach. 🤩

It's pretty much a safe bet that both Weal and Lehtera won't be back next season.
- MJL

Don't disagree, based on how the front office makes decisions based on who they drafted and by whom. But maybe they should be back. If I assume I can sign them for the same amount, And I pick one of the three from Weal, Lehtera and Laughton, is Laughton really the best player of the three. He definitely has the smallest upside, but how can you not sign him after your protected him in the expansion draft?

Assuming you let them walk, who will play 3C and 4C? Corbin Knight and Phil Varone? Resign Filppula and PEB? The team needed a 3C and a 4C last summer and it will need them in 2019.

You're committing the cardinal sin of stats use. Whether it's more indepth analytics or simple +/-, once you start using them to rate a player, you've gone astray.

JVR had one season where he was -33 on the year. Other than that, he's an even player on his career. I've seen good players who are good defensive players rack up big minus numbers on bad teams.
- MJL

In this case, the stats are backed up by the "eye test" we are so fond of here. The reason Toronto was willing to part with a scorer is that he would not play in system. They chose to let him leave.

Wow rags scored after 30 seconds with Daniel Day Lewis as their coach. 🤩
- Landsbergfan

3 upcoming games could solidify flyers last place in the Metro. 🤬😓

I think they lack real leadership in the room.
- hockeyal

That’s why they do not fight?