On whether rule changes are needed based upon the physical play and ref controversy in the playoffs. “No I like the more physical play of the playoffs” I wondered why then did he construct one of the softest teams in the league?
- Djapana

You realize that they're not actually "one of the softest teams in the league" right?

You realize that they're not actually "one of the softest teams in the league" right?
- Tomahawk

I'm sure you have some metric in mind but there were a lot of games where they were extremely soft as a team.

I'm sure you have some metric in mind but there were a lot of games where they were extremely soft as a team.
- MJL

Not any softer than Colorado or Toronto or some other teams that managed to win a (frank) ton of games.

You realize that they're not actually "one of the softest teams in the league" right?
- Tomahawk

Well, not the worst, but below average according to hits/game (if that is the measure you had in mind). To my eye, they looked pretty soft.

Well, not the worst, but below average according to hits/game (if that is the measure you had in mind). To my eye, they looked pretty soft.


- PT21

All you have to do is watch the Flyers play and you can easily see they play way to soft way to often. I don’t need any stat to tell me that. This is an area where the Flyers need to improve. The Flyers were an easy 2 points far to often over the last few years when it came to actually having to pay a price to beat them….that needs to change.

Not any softer than Colorado or Toronto or some other teams that managed to win a (frank) ton of games.
- Tomahawk

I guess that depends on how you want to measure it. Really good teams tend to be strong on the puck even if they aren't racking up hit totals. The Flyers as a team in far too many games were too soft on the puck and too soft around the net.

2 levels of rejection, like I said. If he rules out Philly this summer, and keeps teams other than Avs in the running, you tell me what his reasons for not keeping Philly and yet keeping others in short list could be.
- PT21

I can definitely say it’s not from the women in Philly. Some of the finest tight ass women I’ve seen from philly. Yum yum 😋

Well, not the worst, but below average according to hits/game (if that is the measure you had in mind). To my eye, they looked pretty soft.


- PT21

This team lost me when lazar body slammed Laughton off draw at center ice and Laughton skated off gingerly and Absolutely no response not only in that game but next game against Buffalo. Sickening actually

This team lost me when lazar body slammed Laughton off draw at center ice and Laughton skated off gingerly and Absolutely no response not only in that game but next game against Buffalo. Sickening actually
- Stayin alive

Gotta 100% agree with you on that one.

It remains to be seen if the NHL resumes any sort of normalcy for next season.
Looking at you Canada and clueless politicians in the USA.
After reading the tsn article about the letter sent to the NHL from a few Canadien provinces I have to worry about what’s more important.
Freedom and responsibility or we know what’s best for you mentality so shut up do as your told and keep paying taxes.
No you don’t know what’s best for me. Lies, agendas, and control seem to be the narrative.
Let’s hope common sense prevails and we can enjoy hockey in 2021/2022.

It remains to be seen if the NHL resumes any sort of normalcy for next season.
Looking at you Canada and clueless politicians in the USA.
After reading the tsn article about the letter sent to the NHL from a few Canadien provinces I have to worry about what’s more important.
Freedom and responsibility or we know what’s best for you mentality so shut up do as your told and keep paying taxes.
No you don’t know what’s best for me. Lies, agendas, and control seem to be the narrative.
Let’s hope common sense prevails and we can enjoy hockey in 2021/2022.
- bird_dog_pa

At this point for anyone to not just have I’ll believe it when I see it attitude is amazing. I put nothing past these idiots “in charge” and that’s both sides dem and rep American and Canadian

It remains to be seen if the NHL resumes any sort of normalcy for next season.
Looking at you Canada and clueless politicians in the USA.
After reading the tsn article about the letter sent to the NHL from a few Canadien provinces I have to worry about what’s more important.
Freedom and responsibility or we know what’s best for you mentality so shut up do as your told and keep paying taxes.
No you don’t know what’s best for me. Lies, agendas, and control seem to be the narrative.
Let’s hope common sense prevails and we can enjoy hockey in 2021/2022.
- bird_dog_pa

- StepfordSam

I have a tin foil hat on as we speak it keeps the black helicopters away!

I have a tin foil hat on as we speak it keeps the black helicopters away!
- bird_dog_pa

Haha but Henry was right about people following him.

Haha but Henry was right about people following him.
- MBFlyerfan

Well I was emailing Tucker Carlson back and forth so I should be careful.
I am making a red sauce tonight. If you don’t hear from me for a bit you know why.

All you have to do is watch the Flyers play and you can easily see they play way to soft way to often. I don’t need any stat to tell me that. This is an area where the Flyers need to improve. The Flyers were an easy 2 points far to often over the last few years when it came to actually having to pay a price to beat them….that needs to change.
- landros 2

I agree. Half of 'physicality' is 'psychologicality': being determined to not give up on your space, and your path, making sure that if the other guy pushes you around he will pay a price and so on. Some big guys are soft and some small guys are tough. We don't need big bodies to play a more physical style. We need an attitude and mindset change.

Alot of talk about Philly not being a good destination anymore, and to a certain extent I do see we're not as desirable as we were with the true "family" mentality we had for a long time under Snyder but honestly a good season or two and we're right back up there. I do however still find it hard to see this teams "Identity" We're not tough, we're not fast, we're not a trap team, not really a grind it out team (although early last season I thought our best games were when they were looking for dirty goals and crashing the net instead of looking for pretty goals) but its been a long time since this team had a real identity.

If Fletcher offered what you proposed for Ekholm, he should be fired because he is incompetent.



We'll have to see how the market unfolds. I think the flat cap is going to put a damper on things. More sellers than buyers.
- MJL

You don’t think the market will want at least two not successful players and a high pick ?


I can see numerous teams ponying up something similar


By all means what is Ekholm worth?

I agree. Half of 'physicality' is 'psychologicality': being determined to not give up on your space, and your path, making sure that if the other guy pushes you around he will pay a price and so on. Some big guys are soft and some small guys are tough. We don't need big bodies to play a more physical style. We need an attitude and mindset change.
- PT21

100 %…..this isn’t about fighting …or size. It’s about being physical. Taking away the other teams time and space. It’s about not letting the other team out work you. It’s about playing the game the right way and stopping the BS excuses.

I agree. Half of 'physicality' is 'psychologicality': being determined to not give up on your space, and your path, making sure that if the other guy pushes you around he will pay a price and so on. Some big guys are soft and some small guys are tough. We don't need big bodies to play a more physical style. We need an attitude and mindset change.
- PT21

I’d have to agree with you in regards to physicality being a mindset.
It reminds me of my younger days playing basketball with familiar guys.
While I really sucked at the game I got picked for teams ahead of guys who were pretty much better.
The reason being was I played defense hard and physical.
I got picked because guys didn’t want to deal with some jockstrap all up their stuff in a pick up game.
If your a pro sports player and some guy is all over you negating your game or in your face all the time it can lead to undisciplined play.
I’ll use Malkin as an example.
He is known to get ticked off when he is heavily checked.
If you can get him off his game it’s only better for the team.
TK shouldn’t be one of the more in your face guys on the team.
Haag might get credited with a lot of hits but he isn’t a in your face player.
Meyers isn’t intimidating for his size.
In fact the only dman the flyers have is Morin.
It is questionable if he is even a regular NHL dman.
Give me Morin’s attitude on the ice in Meyers body all day long.
Sure not every dman will be Pronger esque but holy shiite show some snarl.

I kinda doubt Giroux does that, given everything I read/hear about him. I am a bit more optimistic about Couts, given the guarded statements that have come from him after the season. I hope he does so, for his own sake.

Btw, you are very very harsh on the Flyers management. But I would like to remind you: its a business, and the business is not to win the cup to make you happy. Its to make money.

How many businesses/workers have you seen improve their product/service when it makes little difference to their bottom line? Sure, if they made a deep playoff run, there will be afew home games revenue, as BiggE pointed out some months back. But to make those deep playoff runs periodically, you would likely have to accept some pretty bad seasons before that.

Whats the incentive for a organization to do that if they have a steady assured source of income?
- PT21

There is no incentive for any fan to pay to see a flyers game right now. Nothing special about this team. Next year could be a disaster at the gate. I myself pushed back when called by their sales dept about tickets. I told them no way until the team gets better and more interesting. Very dull team right now

There is no incentive for any fan to pay to see a flyers game right now. Nothing special about this team. Next year could be a disaster at the gate. I myself pushed back when called by their sales dept about tickets. I told them no way until the team gets better and more interesting. Very dull team right now
- wbroudy

Paying to go see the flyers right now is like paying way to much to go to a movie theater pay exorbitant prices for tickets and refreshments to see a movie that’s all dialogue.
Why bother if you can record it and watch in a half hour.

You don’t think the market will want at least two not successful players and a high pick ?


I can see numerous teams ponying up something similar


By all means what is Ekholm worth?
- wcorvette

Let them and let that team's GM deal with the downfall. Ekholm is a nice player but he's a LH 2nd pairing defenseman although a good one. When looking at any deal, all aspects have to be considered. Starting with what is the team's biggest need. That need is a RH top pairing level defenseman to play with Provorov. So why would you shelve out major assets to acquire a player who doesn't fit the need? He is also older and is not cost controlled. He'll be an UFA after this upcoming season. At the most, if we needed a LH defenseman, I might give up a 1st rounder if the team was in a contending situation. We don't really need a LH defenseman and the team is not at that level yet. Most importantly, Ekholm doesn't move you there. So why would you drastically overpay for that player and give up a still promising Myers, a future 1st rounder and Patrick? Doesn't make sense for the Flyers.

You realize that they're not actually "one of the softest teams in the league" right?
- Tomahawk

No actually I don’t realize that. Another thing Fletcher said today is that he wanted the Flyers to be “harder” to play against. To me that means that are soft. But are they soft, softer or softest? I’ll leave that up to your expertise.

I would love nothing more than to see Morin get signed here to a one year deal. I’ll admit, outside of his physical game, Morin was underwhelming. However, never forget what it took for him to play in the nhl this passed season. He couldn’t stay healthy for his entire career. This season he was finally healthy. Alain Vigneault wanted to move him to left wing. You don’t play a game in the nhl if you’re really that bad.

I want the same thing for Nolan Patrick. Both Patrick and Morin are low risk, high reward right now.