1) Flyers top nine is fine, although they could use another second-line caliber center so that they can move Giroux back to LW again while still keeping Patrick in favorable matchups.

2) Yes, Gudas has been the most consistent and has had a good year. Doesn't make him the BEST defenseman on the team, just the one who has hit the fewest bumps in road/ slumps this year. Provorov is still the team's best D. Sanheim is fast-rising. Ghost has had a rough season (and 2nd season) but was excellent his rookie and 3rd years. Hägg is fairly solid in his role, just so long as he's not overextended.

3) "Can use an infusion of young talent." ... Patrick, Konecny, Provorov, Lindblom, Sanheim, Hart, now Myers in the NHL. All talented, all young. Morgan Frost on the way next season. Perhaps Joel Farabee the year after that. Isaac Ratcliffe has a decent shot at being developed into a good NHL winger.

4) "Whiffed on Pettersson." First of all, do you know have many teams would have taken Pettersson if they had the 2nd overall pick in the 2017 draft? The answer is zero, including Vancouver. It was a two-horse race between Hischier and Patrick for the top spot with Heiskanen a dark horse. You can't come back a couple years later and retro-draft what you "should" have done with the pick, when no team would have done so at the time.

Secondly, Nolan Patrick is coming along fine. He's been one of the Flyers best players in the second half of the season thus far, and not just because he's now scoring with some regularity. He's developing a good 200-foot game. He doesn't have elite speed but he has a lot of skill, good hockey sense, is big and strong and is improving his quickness. He's going to be a very good player in the league for a long time.

Lastly, when teams draft 18-year-olds, one of the factors they look at beyond sheer offensive upside is how much developmental guesswork is involved from draft year to draft-plus-one to draft-plus-two. Patrick was projectable as immediately NHL ready as a top 9 with a "safe" top 6 upside within a couple years and potential first-line upside by the time he's 23 or 24. You know what you call a player with such projections? The first or second pick of the draft.

Pettersson is obviously a special talent, too. Hence, him being the fifth overall pick in the draft, and the third forward off the board. If he had been projected as being ready to step right into the NHL a year ago, as Hischier and Patrick were, he might well have been a first or second overall pick. If his immediate impact this season, which has outpaced Patrick or Hischier, had been knowable, the Devils or Flyers would have waited the extra year for his arrival. However, that's all hindsight.

The reality at the time: since there was just a shade more guesswork about his NHL ETA and timetable to be an impact player -- which has been very quick, as it turned out -- he was the third forward and fifth pick overall.

The Stars, who picked third overall, were thrilled to get Heiskanen in that spot. For good reason, too, as he looks like a future No. 1 defenseman. Colorado took Makar fourth..... plenty of upside but not yet in the NHL.
- bmeltzer

not much left to say after this, I am looking forward to the trolls response.

I agreed with everything you said until stating that Simmonds is holding him back. I don't agree with that. Moving on however, Patrick is a far more effective player when he is skating and moving his feet. Same with JVR. When they play at a higher pace, they're more effective. Both players at times get caught up in playing at a lower pace.
- MJL

My feeling on Simmer is that he needs to be set up in front of net. Either deflection, tap in, or rebound. Simmer did have his legs going against TB. I just don't feel they have complimented each other well. When Patty has his wheels going he creates space or shots on goal. I honestly feel that if he had a player like Lindblom or Konecny, he would be producing more points. Simmer is a proven point producer. I just don't think it has worked with Patty. Hell, it could be Patrick's game is holding Simmer up.

not much left to say after this, I am looking forward to the trolls response.
- wcorvette

Bugs don’t usually come back, unless....maybe it’s a cockroach!

I do think of Patrick's points have been affected by Simmer, for whatever reason Simmer has not played well for a good part of the season. That includes mis-handling the puck that short out chances and not being able to bury chances
- wcorvette

This is just my opinion (and fear) but I think the window on teams looking to trade for Simmer is closing. I think he will be a nice addition if and when these other pieces get moved. He has been as high as #3 on TSN's trade bait board. Bruins added Coyle. Do they need/want another forward? Jets are looking at Stone or Duchene. Preds? Can't see us trading Simmer to Caps, Canes, or Isles. But I don't know Fletcher that well. I thought "not trading within division" was a league-wide approach. We'll see.

My feeling on Simmer is that he needs to be set up in front of net. Either deflection, tap in, or rebound. Simmer did have his legs going against TB. I just don't feel they have complimented each other well. When Patty has his wheels going he creates space or shots on goal. I honestly feel that if he had a player like Lindblom or Konecny, he would be producing more points. Simmer is a proven point producer. I just don't think it has worked with Patty. Hell, it could be Patrick's game is holding Simmer up.
- cdearth23

This is the temporary solution:

Lindblom- G -Voracek
Laughton- Coots -Simmonds
JVR- Patrick -TK

I'd like for you guys to grab that second wild card spot and rough up the Lightning!
- Krampus

You're the only one.

Was just about to say something like this...

How does Montreal have a 32-21-7 record?

Just looking at lineups on paper, I can't say there are that many players on their roster I would be interested in having on the Flyers, yet here we are.
- johndewar

I do think of Patrick's points have been affected by Simmer, for whatever reason Simmer has not played well for a good part of the season. That includes mis-handling the puck that short out chances and not being able to bury chances
- wcorvette

Simmonds isn’t holding back Patrick. This is just a ridiculous statement.

Simmonds isn’t holding back Patrick. This is just a ridiculous statement.
- SuperSchennBros

holding back no, would Patrick have more points if Simmer was executing better? yes...

not ridiculous

So 6 points out of wildcard.

Huge game tonight.

Need Florida to beat Carolina

San Jose to beat Pittsburgh

Tampa over Buffalo

And then Ottawa to upset Columbus tomorrow night.


Biggest thing is a win tonight and I actually see it happening

So 6 points out of wildcard.

Huge game tonight.

Need Florida to beat Carolina

San Jose to beat Pittsburgh

Tampa over Buffalo

And then Ottawa to upset Columbus tomorrow night.


Biggest thing is a win tonight and I actually see it happening

My feeling on Simmer is that he needs to be set up in front of net. Either deflection, tap in, or rebound. Simmer did have his legs going against TB. I just don't feel they have complimented each other well. When Patty has his wheels going he creates space or shots on goal. I honestly feel that if he had a player like Lindblom or Konecny, he would be producing more points. Simmer is a proven point producer. I just don't think it has worked with Patty. Hell, it could be Patrick's game is holding Simmer up.
- cdearth23

I think Patrick is far from his peak and he’s still in progress. Simmonds needs to be better but play him out of his natural spot on the PP doesn’t help and not allowing him to play with skilled players doesn’t help. Patrick, Laughton and Simmonds are a really good checking line but I’m not expecting points from this mix anyway.

holding back no, would Patrick have more points if Simmer was executing better? yes...

not ridiculous
- wcorvette

I kind of agree with you....It's the Couturier argument. Get him some better wings and you probably get more points. Laughton and SImmonds are fine players but I wouldn't mind upgrading Patricks wings.

holding back no, would Patrick have more points if Simmer was executing better? yes...

not ridiculous
- wcorvette

Patrick is a developing second season player. You don’t know what Patrick would be doing with anyone else. It is ridiculous. Simmonds and Patrick haven’t been together the entire season.

I kind of agree with you....It's the Couturier argument. Get him some better wings and you probably get more points. Laughton and SImmonds are fine players but I wouldn't mind upgrading Patricks wings.
- J35Bacher

I will also say that I do give Simmer the break of recovering from his surgeries, I do think he will have a bounce back year next year. I gave the same quarter to G and Ghost, it is only fair.

1) Flyers top nine is fine, although they could use another second-line caliber center so that they can move Giroux back to LW again while still keeping Patrick in favorable matchups.

2) Yes, Gudas has been the most consistent and has had a good year. Doesn't make him the BEST defenseman on the team, just the one who has hit the fewest bumps in road/ slumps this year. Provorov is still the team's best D. Sanheim is fast-rising. Ghost has had a rough season (and 2nd season) but was excellent his rookie and 3rd years. Hägg is fairly solid in his role, just so long as he's not overextended.

3) "Can use an infusion of young talent." ... Patrick, Konecny, Provorov, Lindblom, Sanheim, Hart, now Myers in the NHL. All talented, all young. Morgan Frost on the way next season. Perhaps Joel Farabee the year after that. Isaac Ratcliffe has a decent shot at being developed into a good NHL winger.

4) "Whiffed on Pettersson." First of all, do you know have many teams would have taken Pettersson if they had the 2nd overall pick in the 2017 draft? The answer is zero, including Vancouver. It was a two-horse race between Hischier and Patrick for the top spot with Heiskanen a dark horse. You can't come back a couple years later and retro-draft what you "should" have done with the pick, when no team would have done so at the time.

Secondly, Nolan Patrick is coming along fine. He's been one of the Flyers best players in the second half of the season thus far, and not just because he's now scoring with some regularity. He's developing a good 200-foot game. He doesn't have elite speed but he has a lot of skill, good hockey sense, is big and strong and is improving his quickness. He's going to be a very good player in the league for a long time.

Lastly, when teams draft 18-year-olds, one of the factors they look at beyond sheer offensive upside is how much developmental guesswork is involved from draft year to draft-plus-one to draft-plus-two. Patrick was projectable as immediately NHL ready as a top 9 with a "safe" top 6 upside within a couple years and potential first-line upside by the time he's 23 or 24. You know what you call a player with such projections? The first or second pick of the draft.

Pettersson is obviously a special talent, too. Hence, him being the fifth overall pick in the draft, and the third forward off the board. If he had been projected as being ready to step right into the NHL a year ago, as Hischier and Patrick were, he might well have been a first or second overall pick. If his immediate impact this season, which has outpaced Patrick or Hischier, had been knowable, the Devils or Flyers would have waited the extra year for his arrival. However, that's all hindsight.

The reality at the time: since there was just a shade more guesswork about his NHL ETA and timetable to be an impact player -- which has been very quick, as it turned out -- he was the third forward and fifth pick overall.

The Stars, who picked third overall, were thrilled to get Heiskanen in that spot. For good reason, too, as he looks like a future No. 1 defenseman. Colorado took Makar fourth..... plenty
of upside but not yet in the NHL.
- bmeltzer

while i agree with you he also killed it in the 2nd half last year; then was arguably the most disappointing player on the team in the first half of this year.

- jmatchett383

Definitely one of my favorite former Flyers.

Definitely one of my favorite former Flyers.
- johndewar

What a glorious 5 days.

My feeling on Simmer is that he needs to be set up in front of net. Either deflection, tap in, or rebound. Simmer did have his legs going against TB. I just don't feel they have complimented each other well. When Patty has his wheels going he creates space or shots on goal. I honestly feel that if he had a player like Lindblom or Konecny, he would be producing more points. Simmer is a proven point producer. I just don't think it has worked with Patty. Hell, it could be Patrick's game is holding Simmer up.
- cdearth23

Around the net is not the only way Simmonds can score. Patrick has just been finding his game the last few weeks.

holding back no, would Patrick have more points if Simmer was executing better? yes...

not ridiculous
- wcorvette

Simmonds would have more points if his center was creating more plays and setting him up better. It's a two way street.

100% off topic, but if you ever played Castlevania and haven't watched the Netflix series, you are doing yourself a disservice.

It's no standard video game anime adaptation trash, and it's definitely not for kids. What it is, though, is ridiculously awesome. Think Game of Thrones with vampires.

Simmonds would have more points if his center was creating more plays and setting him up better. It's a two way street.
- MJL

You have to admit though Simmonds could be better all around. Maybe it is his surgery rehab(he is a warrior so he plays thorugh pain) but we all have seen him play better than this season.

Simmonds would have more points if his center was creating more plays and setting him up better. It's a two way street.
- MJL

But sometimes there's a fork in the road, Peace Simmer.

The NHL PR twitter account sure sends out some "who gives a frank" stat tweets

The NHL PR twitter account sure sends out some "who gives a frank" stat tweets
- Scoob

How about a correlation of face-off wins to short handed goals?