They have already changed the personnel, but it turns out it doesn't really matter who you have standing around in a passive box letting the other team do whatever the hell they want.
- Feanor

That is not the system or what the coaches teach the players. Again we're stuck on results equaling how the coaches coach. All we need is to get a coach in here who will install the score more goals, give up less goals at ES and on the PK system.

Glad he dumbed it down for us

I await his personal attack as if he didn’t set himself up.
- SuperSchennBros

Yet another early lunch, I see. Please don't use your extended break from the job you claim to have to send me another PM about why you prefer Luke Schenn to Radko Gudas. I already have enough of your unsolicited trash cluttering up my Inbox.

The key to becoming a better defensive team is eliminating the individual errors first. Then becoming a team that attacks more. Plays better in the neutral zone. Bringing in defensive forwards isn't the solution. If that involves sending Lindholm to the AHL, count me out. Don't defend, attack!
- MJL

You need players and lines that can match up against the best scorers in the league. You can't tell Patrick, Lindblom, and Voracek to attack Ovechkin, Crosby, Stamkos, etc... Some players, and lines need to be defended.

Hockey goes through cycles. Right now it favors smaller players, that play a puck possession/attack game. If you are "chasing the trend" you will always be behind. The game will shift again. It will go back to larger players that take the time and space from the small forwards. It will go back to a more regimated defensive system. At one time this team was ahead of the trends... the bullies, and the LOD. Since then we have been chasing the trends. I say go back to having shutdown lines and scoring lines. Take away the other team's best players and have your players capitalize on the counter attacks.

If we look at the entire Hak era, the Flyers are still ranked 10th in 5 on 5 GA, and 24th in 4 on 5 GA.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/...e,1&sort=goalsAgainst5on5

I'll dumb this down as much as I can... being 10th out of 30 teams is quite good. Being 24th out of 30 teams is very bad.
- Feanor

The big difference for Hakstol is he has lost his safety net. He will not survive another 10 game swoon. He is and was Hextall's guy. What Hakstol might get now is a GM that will address the roster and some of the holes it has. The team has already addressed the coaching staff assistants , so they are at least setting Hakstol up to succeed and hopefully that continues. Is hak the right coach at the right time for this team? we will see.

That is not the system or what the coaches teach the players. Again we're stuck on results equaling how the coaches coach. All we need is to get a coach in here who will install the score more goals, give up less goals at ES and on the PK system.
- MJL

The Flyers take fewer shots from the slot and focus more on point shots than any other team. That's how they are coached to play, and that's why they struggle to score at 5 on 5 (23rd in the league).

You need players and lines that can match up against the best scorers in the league. You can't tell Patrick, Lindblom, and Voracek to attack Ovechkin, Crosby, Stamkos, etc... Some players, and lines need to be defended.

Hockey goes through cycles. Right now it favors smaller players, that play a puck possession/attack game. If you are "chasing the trend" you will always be behind. The game will shift again. It will go back to larger players that take the time and space from the small forwards. It will go back to a more regimated defensive system. At one time this team was ahead of the trends... the bullies, and the LOD. Since then we have been chasing the trends. I say go back to having shutdown lines and scoring lines. Take away the other team's best players and have your players capitalize on the counter attacks.
- youarewrong

Putting defensive forwards against other teams top lines means you're going to defend the entire time that matchup is out on the ice. Hockey is not going to go away from a passing and skating skill game anytime soon.

The big difference for Hakstol is he has lost his safety net. He will not survive another 10 game swoon. He is and was Hextall's guy. What Hakstol might get now is a GM that will address the roster and some of the holes it has. The team has already addressed the coaching staff assistants , so they are at least setting Hakstol up to succeed and hopefully that continues. Is hak the right coach at the right time for this team? we will see.
- landros 2

This is key. I'm sure Hak would really love another solid center in his lineup right now.

I won't like a Simmonds trade, for sentimental reasons, but I feel like it's the right thing to do.
- johndewar

I agree. I'm a big Simmonds supporter, but anything beyond a 4 year deal probably won't end well for the Flyers.. I also think someone will overpay at the deadline.

This is key. I'm sure Hak would really love another solid center in his lineup right now.
- BiggE

A solid center to Hak is someone like Flippula, who did precious little to help the PK or improve the 5on5 goal scoring in his 100 games here.

The Flyers take fewer shots from the slot and focus more on point shots than any other team. That's how they are coached to play, and that's why they struggle to score at 5 on 5 (23rd in the league).
- Feanor

No that is not how they're coached to play. So in the games that the team generates a high number of HDSCF, is the team disobeying the coach and how he wants them to play? This a myth created on HB. A team takes the shots that it can create. When you spend a lot of time on cycles and dump ins and are trying to take on 5 defenders, that changes what is available. If you create more turnovers, control the neutral zone and the bluelines better, you'll generate better chances. It's about what the team creates and not what they're coached to do. There is no such thing as an offensive attack system in the NHL that is based on the lowest percentage shot in hockey.

A solid center to Hak is someone like Flippula, who did precious little to help the PK or improve the 5on5 goal scoring in his 100 games here.
- Feanor

That's not true. Fillppula taking on a lot of the heavy lifting and playing against top line allowed other lines to get different matchups.

This is key. I'm sure Hak would really love another solid center in his lineup right now.
- BiggE

But do you trust him to use that player correctly?

Belle mare is a solid center. He wasn’t good in philly because of usage.

Seattle expansion should be interesting, as it stands this is what the team will be and who will be exposed. Obviously many things will change by 21-22 season.

Forwards
Giroux (1 yr) NMC

(Pick 6)
Voracek (3 yrs)
JvR (2 yrs)
Couturier (1 yr)
Laughton (RFA)
Patrick (RFA)
Lindblom (RFA)
Konecny (RFA)
Laberge (RFA)
Vecchione (RFA)
Frost (RFA)
Rubtsov (RFA)
Ratcliffe (RFA)
Sushko (RFA)
Strome (RFA)
Vorobyov (RFA)
Twarynski (RFA)
Kase (RFA)
Bunnaman (RFA)
Leier (RFA)
Goulbourne (RFA)
Aube-Kubel (RFA)
Fazleev (RFA)
Bardreau (RFA)

Defense
(Pick 3)
Gostisbehere (2 yrs)
Provorov (RFA)
Hagg (RFA)
Sanheim (RFA)
Morin (RFA)
Zamula (RFA)
Friedman (RFA)
Myers (RFA)
Wilcox (RFA)

Goalies
(Pick 1)
Hart (RFA)
Sandstrom (RFA)

No that is not how they're coached to play. So in the games that the team generates a high number of HDSCF, is the team disobeying the coach and how he wants them to play? This a myth created on HB. A team takes the shots that it can create. When you spend a lot of time on cycles and dump ins and are trying to take on 5 defenders, that changes what is available. If you create more turnovers, control the neutral zone and the bluelines better, you'll generate better chances. It's about what the team creates and not what they're coached to do. There is no such thing as an offensive attack system in the NHL that is based on the lowest percentage shot in hockey.
- MJL

I don't care what your fancy numbers say, if you watch a game you can very easily tell that a huge focal point in the offensive zone is point shots, more than anything else. Your fancy stats aside, do you not see the same thing when you watch the game? It's pretty clear. Could tips be counting as shots in the high danger zones counting as in close shots?

Putting defensive forwards against other teams top lines means you're going to defend the entire time that matchup is out on the ice. Hockey is not going to go away from a passing and skating skill game anytime soon.
- MJL

I agree. The owners want more scoring, not less. In the old NHL you'd never see a Ghost/Provy D pair, but that's the reality of the new NHL. It's why I can't wait to get a guy like Myers, when he's ready, into the NHL lineup. Having speed and skill on your D is critical in today's game.

I do agree that, along with more speed, the Flyers need more size up front. You still need to win battles in the corners and along the wall and the Flyers do not do a good job of this. Their biggest forward, JVR, is not exactly a guy known for using his size in that way, and other than Jake, Coots and Weise, they are a pretty small bunch. Patrick and Lindblom are still filling out and they will help, but I'm really looking forward to seeing some of Ratcliffe, Lacyzinski and Allison on the roster.

Big guys like that who can also skate well will really help this team put pressure on the other's team D. As MJL said, the more you put the pressure on the other team to defend, the better your defense is going to look. On this point, I agree wholeheartedly.

"It was an act of desperation"

Cliff Fletcher on trading for Dubnyk

Dubnyk was a mess at the time of the trade. The Wild were in desperate need of a goalie, and a third was an over payment based on Dubnyk's past history. The wild used Bryz for 12 games that season

revisionist history

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...ion-minnesota-wild-trade/
- corduroy

Doesn't seem like much of an overpayment now does it?

This is key. I'm sure Hak would really love another solid center in his lineup right now.
- BiggE

That's what now makes this new hiring extremely intriguing. I think some substantial changes are coming. Fletcher saw what happened to a GM that wasn't willing to address this current roster.

Seattle expansion should be interesting, as it stands this is what the team will be and who will be exposed. Obviously many things will change by 21-22 season.

Forwards
Giroux (1 yr) NMC

(Pick 4)
Voracek (3 yrs)
JvR (2 yrs)
Couturier (1 yr)
Laughton (RFA)
Patrick (RFA)
Lindblom (RFA)
Konecny (RFA)
Laberge (RFA)
Vecchione (RFA)
Frost (RFA)
Rubtsov (RFA)
Ratcliffe (RFA)
Sushko (RFA)
Strome (RFA)
Vorobyov (RFA)
Twarynski (RFA)
Kase (RFA)
Bunnaman (RFA)
Leier (RFA)
Goulbourne (RFA)
Aube-Kubel (RFA)
Fazleev (RFA)
Bardreau (RFA)

Defense
(Pick 3)
Gostisbehere (2 yrs)
Provorov (RFA)
Hagg (RFA)
Sanheim (RFA)
Morin (RFA)
Zamula (RFA)
Friedman (RFA)
Myers (RFA)
Wilcox (RFA)

Goalies
(Pick 1)
Hart (RFA)
Sanstrom (RFA)
- Glak18

You get 7 forwards, so it should say pick 6, not 4.

Honestly, and I include myself in this, I think we worry about this way too much. At the end of the day you can only lose one player. Whatever happens, it's not going to destroy the team.

You get 7 forwards, so it should say pick 6, not 4.

Honestly, and I include myself in this, I think we worry about this way too much. At the end of the day you can only lose one player. Whatever happens, it's not going to destroy the team.
- BiggE

Oops thanks, little mistake there. Fixed.

Also not worried, but this will have to be part of the thinking for the next couple years when dealing with trades.

Putting defensive forwards against other teams top lines means you're going to defend the entire time that matchup is out on the ice. Hockey is not going to go away from a passing and skating skill game anytime soon.
- MJL

Getting bigger and playing a stronger defense, including having players who's sole responsibility is to shutdown the opposition, does not mean you will lose passing and skating skills.

That's not true. Fillppula taking on a lot of the heavy lifting and playing against top line allowed other lines to get different matchups.
- MJL

Flip getting crushed at ES didn't help anyone. His 5on5 point production per 60 minutes was poor.

Couturier 1.94
Konency 1.94
Giroux 1.9
Voracek 1.66
Weal 1.53
Patrick 1.49
Laughton 1.33
Cousins 1.32
Schenn 1.26
Simmonds 1.21
Raffl 1.11
Filppula 1.1
Read 1.1

And his PK GA/60 was the worst on the team apart from Lehtera and Leier.

The only thing untrue about this statement is that Flip actually played 101 games.

"Flippula, who did precious little to help the PK or improve the 5on5 goal scoring in his 100 games here."

New blog by Jay Greenberg is up. Very intriguing, he hints towards some kind of specific falling out between Hextall and Holmgren over the summer. He also defends Holmgren and I agree with his defense. Check it out.

New blog by Jay Greenberg is up. Very intriguing, he hints towards some kind of specific falling out between Hextall and Holmgren over the summer. He also defends Holmgren and I agree with his defense. Check it out.
- BiggE

Jay "the PK is a red herring" Greenberg.

But do you trust him to use that player correctly?

Belle mare is a solid center. He wasn’t good in philly because of usage.
- Shrike

How should Bellemare have been used differently here?

But do you trust him to use that player correctly?

Belle mare is a solid center. He wasn’t good in philly because of usage.
- Shrike

Don't know, time will tell. Hak has never had as much talent to work with as he has now, especially if they add a center. For all the criticism he takes around here, and Lord knows I haven't been easy on him, his teams overall have played pretty well at ES. Also, he was astute enough to move G to wing which worked out extremely well as did his pairing of Ghost with Provy last year. I'm willing to give him a little more time, as is Fletcher, before making a decision.