His production in the last two games has been almost entirely on the PP. In fact, relative Corsi/Fenwick put him on the bottom half of the roster 5v5 and suggest he is being carried by his linemates.
- hockeyal

Yeah that much into the fancy stats, at least not compared to the eye test and JVR has been good...

Weal or Simmonds carry him? I don’t think that is in their skill set

So here is my secondary question for you or anyone....

If you breakdown the players in the systems (Current roster and prospects) for the Flyers and at the very least put them in 1/3 of the league's best...can you blame Hextall and what he has done as GM?

Why do these players look great on paper and suck in reality, are the players really that bad?
- Glak18

On the whole, I haven’t been upset with Hextall.

I don’t believe the players suck.

A lot of my frustrations earlier in the season have to do with expectations. Waiting for everything to come together is tough.

You all miss Vinny Lecavalier don't you

You all miss Vinny Lecavalier don't you
- Streit2ThePoint

Nope..
100 Miss PEB though.

As to why they belong together or to split them up? I personally don’t think the success of the season weighs on whether or not they stay together. It’s like G and Jake together years ago. So much hesitation to split them.
- SuperSchennBros

Here it is
https://theathletic.com/6...y-genius-against-arizona/

You all miss Vinny Lecavalier don't you
- Streit2ThePoint

I miss rinaldo.

Was this discussion all based on a single solitary crazy game and dollar signs?
- NC Flyers Fan

Yes and no, yes because when you are playing like the flyers are you need to put out the players who are engaged and playing well.

No because it can change every game

Sure, but its disingenuous. Youre looking at a snapshot and evaluating a 20 game sample, without looking at all the factors, as you always perpetrate, vs a whole season. When Hak got here, they were abysmal 5v5 and that aspect has improved over his tenure.

Yes, they can still tighten things up to improve this season.
*pats mjl on the head and shoos away*
- KINGKENZO[url]

WRONG. The same players who were liabilities on defense 5v5 are either the same or bigger liabilities now. And some players that were reliable defending or at least passable are not playing soundly on the back check and in their own end. The second class gets the most ink (e.g. Coots, Laughton) but 20 games is not too few to recognize that Jake being -6 or Ghost being -8 is a problem. It's not too few games to worry about Provy being -3. Or to worry that even with a few blowout wins under their belt, they are still only +3 5v5 as a team.

Giroux-Couturier-Konecny
JvR-Weal-Simmonds
Lindblom-Patrick-Voracek
Laughton-Lehtera-Weise


Ok, does everyone feel better?
- Glak18

Worse.

You all miss Vinny Lecavalier don't you
- Streit2ThePoint

I miss the Swissman.

I definitely had Winnipeg. Then I thought about Nashville and added them because of their backend. Toronto no question they have some amazing names, but could they play Flyer hockey? So I passed. Tampa looked amazing then I realized their cap situation. 1 year for a cup maybe, after that pass. I even briefly thought about Columbus and Buffalo...not sure.

Big no to the rest for me.
- Glak18

What is Flyer hockey? I don't even know anymore

If you are a Flyer fan, not a fan of the say Sharks, but pretend to be a Flyer fan...which teams would you swap full rosters with (Same GM, coaching staff, etc) includes NHL roster and all players in the system.

Y = swap
N = keep

Anaheim Ducks ()
Arizona Coyotes ()
Boston Bruins ()
Buffalo Sabres ()
Calgary Flames ()
Carolina Hurricanes ()
Chicago Blackhawks ()
Colorado Avalanche ()
Columbus Blue Jackets ()
Dallas Stars ()
Detroit Red Wings ()
Edmonton Oilers ()
Florida Panthers ()
Los Angeles Kings ()
Minnesota Wild ()
Montréal Canadiens ()
Nashville Predators ()
New Jersey Devils ()
New York Islanders ()
New York Rangers ()
Ottawa Senators ()
Pittsburgh Penguins ()
San Jose Sharks ()
St. Louis Blues ()
Tampa Bay Lightning ()
Toronto Maple Leafs ()
Vancouver Canucks ()
Vegas Golden Knights ()
Washington Capitals ()
Winnipeg Jets ()
- Glak18

Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Washington, Winnipeg.

Sure, but its disingenuous. Youre looking at a snapshot and evaluating a 20 game sample, without looking at all the factors, as you always perpetrate, vs a whole season. When Hak got here, they were abysmal 5v5 and that aspect has improved over his tenure.

Yes, they can still tighten things up to improve this season.
*pats mjl on the head and shoos away*
- KINGKENZO[url]

So the +2 that we're referring to is not from this season, it's from the previous seasons also? Context is everything. To elaborate further, the +2 on the season is not a good sign. It's a bad sign and a sign of how the lack of detail is missing from their game and has regressed. We can also look at this season and see how the individual errors, made mostly by the veterans and better players on the team have leaked back into their game and is costing them.

Your other comments are laughable. You can do better.

Yes and no, yes because when you are playing like the flyers are you need to put out the players who are engaged and playing well.

No because it can change every game
- wcorvette

Fair that the play has been inconsistent.

I really need to see JVR more to get a feel for his current game. I think I have seen about 2 and a half games with him so far. That was split by several weeks. Also, last game was a little nuts and not my idea of a good measuring stick.

On the whole, I haven’t been upset with Hextall.

I don’t believe the players suck.

A lot of my frustrations earlier in the season have to do with expectations. Waiting for everything to come together is tough.
- NC Flyers Fan

Well, the roster doesn't "suck" but this also isn't a championship team. The team reminds me of a lot of Capitals teams when fans said "They have so many scorers, why can't they win in the playoffs?" Then they got better on defense, and even their stars committed to playing better defense and voila. There are too many guys on the roster who take shifts off (or every shift) on defense, and you won't win consistently unless you have at least two D pairings that can shut opponents down ( the Flyers could make one maybe), and at least three solid defensive centers (the Flyers have one when he's healthy).

As I frequently say, all of the offensive stats in the world don't matter. If you score fewer goals than you opponents you still LOSE.

What is Flyer hockey? I don't even know anymore
- Doctor DOOM

"Flyer hockey" is hockey that with today's rules enforcement will get the entire roster suspended.

What is Flyer hockey? I don't even know anymore
- Doctor DOOM

Poop in your hand and zoom in...

Nope..
100 Miss PEB though.
- opeth_pa

The sad thing is that this is a better team if they protect PEB and they resign Filppula to a short term deal.

Mind you, that doesn't mean these guys are great hockey players, but the guys who have slotted in to replace them are part of the reason the team is floundering on the PK. Also Coots, Patrick, Flip, PEB at center is a Hell of a lot better than Coots, Patrick, Weal, Lehtera.

The sad thing is that this is a better team if they protect PEB and they resign Filppula to a short term deal.

Mind you, that doesn't mean these guys are great hockey players, but the guys who have slotted in to replace them are part of the reason the team is floundering on the PK. Also Coots, Patrick, Flip, PEB at center is a Hell of a lot better than Coots, Patrick, Weal, Lehtera.
- hockeyal

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.

Well, 1) he had no chemistry with Patrick & Voracek in preseason; 2) Patrick and Lindblom play really well together; 3) JVR legit just came back from injury; and 4) you're not going to split up G & Coots to put JVR on the first line just because he makes 7mil.
- ajw12

Which is where I made the suggestion of putting G with NoPa and JVR with Coots but I guess it only matters if you dont have selective reading.....

Remember, same coaching staff, same play style, same moves....but with players switched and not for 1 year, but for future years as well.

10 seems like a lot. Just because the team is winning now doesn't mean they win on the Flyers.
- Glak18

I would only swap if I get to keep all of my non-roster players.

The Flyers will be awesome in 2020 or 2021.

Well, the roster doesn't "suck" but this also isn't a championship team. The team reminds me of a lot of Capitals teams when fans said "They have so many scorers, why can't they win in the playoffs?" Then they got better on defense, and even their stars committed to playing better defense and voila. There are too many guys on the roster who take shifts off (or every shift) on defense, and you won't win consistently unless you have at least two D pairings that can shut opponents down ( the Flyers could make one maybe), and at least three solid defensive centers (the Flyers have one when he's healthy).

As I frequently say, all of the offensive stats in the world don't matter. If you score fewer goals than you opponents you still LOSE.
- hockeyal

I agree with your assessment. It is possible with one or two savvy trades, youth movement development and everybody buying in to defense that contention is closer than people say. The team is built to score though and you’re right about the winner, but I would say most of our losses have been without proper goal support.

Yeah that much into the fancy stats, at least not compared to the eye test and JVR has been good...

Weal or Simmonds carry him? I don’t think that is in their skill set
- wcorvette

Yup Weal and Simmonds can barely carry their sticks LOL

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

You are 100% right. But the narrow statement I made is also true.

Yeah that much into the fancy stats, at least not compared to the eye test and JVR has been good...

Weal or Simmonds carry him? I don’t think that is in their skill set
- wcorvette

Why are the Flyers generating more chances with JvR off the ice than on it?

You can try to dismiss anything you don't agree with, but if you just say "my eye test" is enough then you are basically admitting your opinion is what you want to believe.