I’m sure this example would connect with me better if I didn’t root for the Buckeyes.


I guess the only solution is to let more games play out. I personally see the Flyers trending upwards. We’ll wait and see.
- NC Flyers Fan

But as a rival of Michigan’s, you understand, correct?

I don’t think our forward depth is that impressive.
- SuperSchennBros

We have a perennial 25+ goal scorer on the fourth line... Have a good day.

So other than NoPa, we have highest skill players skating in Philly. With NoPa as 3C we have a kick butt 3rd and 4th line.
Still need more scoring from a couple of vets. Plus some kids slowing down could use a bump.
Improvement in controlled exits and entries necessary.
This team has 9 potential 20 goal scorers I posted preseason. Still valid tho a challenge for this year from vet under performance. Wish we had some greedier goal scorers as this team seem too nice or too prevent defense to ever pile on when they have an opponent down.
As a test I suggest we calculate Flyers hat tricks since G captain and compare to avg/median results for NHL teams. Just curious. Any takers?
Prospects to hope for significant development this year are Ratclif, Brink, York, as all others are 2nd tier. Sure there's a couple of bottom 6 sleepers in rest but really dont see any top 6 forwards/4 defense players in Lehigh Valley.
Despite the camp buzz for energy role prospects, i dont see the skill levels necessary for high level top 6 performance. Would like to be wrong here.
Goalies look solid and should continue to be a team strength. Moose needs to stay healthy entire year for that.
Hoping it all comes together for team at end of season and we have a chance to make some noise in playoffs.
Also like the new coaching staff, though i dont like AV lineup blender when we hit scoring slump as think thats a negative for results.

We have a perennial 25+ goal scorer on the fourth line... Have a good day.
- ClaudeFather

This is it??
Really???
This is your argument!?
JvR being on the fourth line, is your argument on how good our depth is???

Now I’ve heard it all. Forget female doging about signing Chris Stewart and playing him for a large chunk of games. Now you’ve made the argument of all arguments.

Yes my expectations going into this season were as follows :

1. The team missing the playoffs should be viewed as a disaster
2. Anything less than a round won should be viewed as a failure.

So far they seem much closer to preventing the second item vs achieving the first.
- opeth_pa

I’m probably in line with this. I’d like them to be first in the metro but I really don’t care as long as they get in and can win a few rounds. If they do better than that I’ll be very happy with the season.

29 of 31 teams play one goal games on a regular basis. That is what the league is. They are winning games more often than they lose. Sure they are beating up on the bad teams. That's how you make the playoffs.

Beat the bad teams regularly and beat the good teams a little more than 50% of the time and you make the playoffs.

Do you expect them to be the Lightning of last year?
- mickel25

None of this is true. Not everyone is winning close and tight games. This isn’t what the league is.

So other than NoPa, we have highest skill players skating in Philly. With NoPa as 3C we have a kick butt 3rd and 4th line.
Still need more scoring from a couple of vets. Plus some kids slowing down could use a bump.
Improvement in controlled exits and entries necessary.
This team has 9 potential 20 goal scorers I posted preseason. Still valid tho a challenge for this year from vet under performance. Wish we had some greedier goal scorers as this team seem too nice or too prevent defense to ever pile on when they have an opponent down.
As a test I suggest we calculate Flyers hat tricks since G captain and compare to avg/median results for NHL teams. Just curious. Any takers?
Prospects to hope for significant development this year are Ratclif, Brink, York, as all others are 2nd tier. Sure there's a couple of bottom 6 sleepers in rest but really dont see any top 6 forwards/4 defense players in Lehigh Valley.
Despite the camp buzz for energy role prospects, i dont see the skill levels necessary for high level top 6 performance. Would like to be wrong here.
Goalies look solid and should continue to be a team strength. Moose needs to stay healthy entire year for that.
Hoping it all comes together for team at end of season and we have a chance to make some noise in playoffs.
Also like the new coaching staff, though i dont like AV lineup blender when we hit scoring slump as think thats a negative for results.
- biggbear77

The prospect pool is for sure up with the big club now, i'd think York has potential to be a top tier prospect.
Only players who i can think have had hat tricks (if i read that right) are, outside of playoffs, maybe Schenn / Simmer / Hartnell / Briere? / Read? (might be too far out of G captaincy). Not sure how all that compares league wide (or how accurate my picks are)

This is it??
Really???
This is your argument!?
JvR being on the fourth line, is your argument on how good our depth is???

Now I’ve heard it all. Forget female doging about signing Chris Stewart and playing him for a large chunk of games. Now you’ve made the argument of all arguments.
- SuperSchennBros

Is my point not valid?
Raffl has been on the first line in years past, Pitlick has been awesome as of late, and then there 's your 25 perennial guy

Is my point not valid?
Raffl has been on the first line in years past, Pitlick has been awesome as of late, and then there 's your 25 perennial guy
- ClaudeFather

Just because you put a guy like Raffl on the first line a guy like JvR on the fourth line, doesn’t mean we have a deep team. It just means you moved pieces around. So yes, your point not only invalid, it’s ridiculous.

None of this is true. Not everyone is winning close and tight games. This isn’t what the league is.
- SuperSchennBros

Scores from last night:

3-2 in SO
3-1
3-2

Saturday night:

7 of 13 games were 2 goals or less with two OT games

Friday Night:

5 of 10 games were 2 goals or less with 3 OT games

Thursday Night:

9 of 13 games were 2 goals or less with 3 OT games

24 of 39 games were 2 goals or less 9 OT games. So roughly 60% of the games are 2 goals or less with close to 25% going to OT.

Absolutely what the league is.

None of this is true. Not everyone is winning close and tight games. This isn’t what the league is.
- SuperSchennBros

Bruins had 13 of 16 games that were 2 goals or less. 8 that were goal or less. That's the best team in the league.

Well I would ask you right now, are we a contender? I’m not saying no, but with the points I’ve made, make me question ifvwe are on that level yet. Show me these teams that were blown out and by whom. Don’t get guess, Offer me something tangible.
- SuperSchennBros

No not a contender but I don't see why it would be out of the realm to win a round.

Just because you put a guy like Raffl on the first line a guy like JvR on the fourth line, doesn’t mean we have a deep team. It just means you moved pieces around. So yes, your point not only invalid, it’s ridiculous.
- SuperSchennBros

With our team healthy those are the fourth liners...JVR will most likely be moved off but this is the best fourth line we've had in quite a while. If we won the cup you'd still b!tch , go get yourself an ice cream and shut the frank up

But as a rival of Michigan’s, you understand, correct?
- SuperSchennBros

Of course, only Ohio State has the better approach. Coach, you don’t beat Michigan and you’re fired! Very little grace there.

Are my points invalid?
- SuperSchennBros

Yes

Are my points valid?
- SuperSchennBros

No

Scores from last night:

3-2 in SO
3-1
3-2

Saturday night:

7 of 13 games were 2 goals or less with two OT games

Friday Night:

5 of 10 games were 2 goals or less with 3 OT games

Thursday Night:

9 of 13 games were 2 goals or less with 3 OT games

24 of 39 games were 2 goals or less 9 OT games. So roughly 60% of the games are 2 goals or less with close to 25% going to OT.

Absolutely what the league is.
- mickel25

boom roasted

I don’t think our forward depth is that impressive.
- SuperSchennBros

How so? I think many would argue our forward depth is as impressive as it has been over the last 5+ years.

Well, now I can see how your expectations are a little lower than mine. I don’t just want to just make the playoffs, especially not on the last day. I want to convincingly get in. If you add the players that we did, for the money we did, we shouldn’t just squeeze in.
- SuperSchennBros

It doesnt matter if you make it in the 8th round on the last day of the season or you make it as a first overall team...If you dont win a round then it's a failure.

Not sure how your expectations are higher than mine knowing the above.

i might take a side in this argument but i'm home sick today and don't feel like using my brain
- 2Real

So the usual

I don't know what to tell some of you. Getting blown out 7-1 by Pitt and give up 3-0 lead in the third to the islanders, both of which are division rivals should look like a black eye to you. Maybe you're proud of beating up on the last place Wings and the slowly falling Habs but you can't beat up bad teams and get beat bad by good teams and expect to sit at the adult's table.

What do you think Vigneault is telling his Troops? Your naive take or mine?
- SuperSchennBros

All teams have bad losses. Edmonton who is 1st in their division lost to Detroit. Nashville got pounded for 9GA against Colorado. Boston not only lost to Detroit but lost a stretch of 5 games as well.

Poop happens.

With our team healthy those are the fourth liners...JVR will most likely be moved off but this is the best fourth line we've had in quite a while. If we won the cup you'd still b!tch , go get yourself an ice cream and shut the frank up
- ClaudeFather

Cant wait to see a 4th line of Raffl-Laughton-Pitlick

I legit think that will be a great 4th line

#NoSarcasm

I personally think that SSB is misunderstood. I think he's right about some things and wrong about a lot of things. Mostly in the way he frames his argument. I think he's right about what this team has issues with. I think he's wrong about not taking into consideration that this is an ongoing process. The close games are an issue that is concerning. Going from a team that consistently squeaks out wins to a team that wins convincingly most of the time is part of the ongoing process. That will happen when one, the younger players continue to get better. Two when the veteran players relied on for offense become more consistent. The latter is what can lift this team the quickest in my opinion. If that happens and they continue to get good goaltending, this team can compete. The coaching staff is building the foundation. The addition of veteran players in key roles have fixed the PK which is a boost. They're a solid defensive team and they seem to be playing Vigneault's overload puck pressure systems well. However some players still need to adjust to that and how to get more offense within it.
The results through November are overwhelmingly positive. Lets hope they keep moving forward.

Cant wait to see a 4th line of Raffl-Laughton-Pitlick

I legit think that will be a great 4th line

#NoSarcasm
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

I agree, those three are some hungry dogs.

All I know is we are not discussing Hextall, Hakstol and the locker room dime dropper former NHL player masquerading as a coach, team snacks,gluten free pizza, or whatever and the like..how long ago was that ???...just about a year ago exactly....

I am not going to drag up an old thread and link it as an example, but as fans are we not having much more fun watching this team at this moment in time as they grow ?
The new GM, the new coaching staff, the holes plugged everyone stated (but still debated and thats ok) youngsters in the mix. They are trying things, giving as many AHL prospects looks as needed/deserved.

A quarter of an on ice season with a full makeover of the executive & on ice staff, a work in progress and I am not going to micro armchair GM manage it...I am going to savor it