When you have so many holes its really difficult to fill all of them in one off season, that is just fact. Defense still wins championships and that is true in the NHL. The Flyers were the worst defensive team in the league last year, so this was the obvious thing to fix. Fletcher did address the offense to a certain degree, he swapped Jake for Cam to get more shots an goal scoring into the lineup, and signed Farabee and Couts to extensions so they could play freely without any contract issues hanging over their head. He was also hoping that Frost would be ready as well as other players from the Phantoms the 2nd part of this season. Frost looks like he might be able to stay with the team now, and unfortunately Foerster and Allison got hurt which clearly sets back his plans. Fletcher also got Ellis and Yandle to help drive the PP and increase scoring. So IMO Fletcher did a lot the help the offense this past off season.
- jd250

It is important to understand what defense is in the NHL. I don't care if you're the best defending team in the NHL. If you defend too much, you will lose. Defense in the NHL is all about defending as less as possible. Look at the league and who are the best teams. What do they all have in common. Also in regards to your comment of the Rangers being a contender. Look at what they don't do well.
Fletcher's moves were ill advised and he overcorrected to what he thought was the biggest issues. What were seeing so far is that the team has actually regressed in multiple areas from last season. His moves created holes.

Call me an optimist, but every time I think the Flyers will get blown out they show up and play a good game. I think they will play a good game tonight and come out with at least 1 point.
- jd250

Well, they need to turn this around. Support the goaltender and start moving the puck around on the PP like you mean it vice like it's a hand grenade.

I hope you're right or this could get to 10 games in a hurry..

.. Yes. That's what I always call him. It fits because last year he tortured us.. (frank)ing 18 points I think he had??
- Hextall271

He had 6 points in one period. The Flyers haven't scored more than 3 goals in a game in over a month.

I see it the other way around. When you're a team that is capped out and is not a good team, you're in big trouble. So if you look at it from a perspective of making changes. Which players can you move with value? The players you listed? Or aging and declining players with term on higher cap hit deals such as Hayes, Atkinson and Ellis?
- MJL

For me, if the young players were living up to the contracts they were given I do not think we would need to move on from players.

I will admit they are relying to heavily on Ellis and to a smaller extent Hayes. That will hurt them long term. I never liked the AAV or term of Hayes' contract. I like him as a human and for the most part as a player. However, he will never perform to the level that contract demands.

Two more big decisions this offseason with G and Risto. I am fine with walking away from both at this point.

It's a nice change from being the Flyers apologist that I've been accused of being before. Yes, I'm pissed that the team didn't follow through on what was the best approach and chance that they had to be a true contender with an open window over a considerable period of time. My contempt for Fletcher and for Dave Scott has to do with them both moving the team in a direction that is not going to work. That they have this team in the worst position a team can be in. It's not a bias, it's reality. Not to mention the embarrassment that the press conference was yesterday.
- MJL

How do you know this? This team is not in a bad position, not by a long shot. What makes you say this?

Well, they need to turn this around. Support the goaltender and start moving the puck around on the PP like you mean it vice like it's a hand grenade.

I hope you're right or this could get to 10 games in a hurry..
- Hextall271

Yes, this weak can be a very bad one for the Flyers if they do not turn this around. they have to get back to playing solid defense and shooting more from prime areas.

And there it is folks, the agenda of MJL ... it always comes back to Hextall's firing. This guy has ZERO credibility in regards to anything he says about Fletcher or management!
- jd250

Ya, i dont get the hextall love. Maybe they're related or definitely has a man crush.

I am not sticking up for Fletcher here. But his moves this off season were to make us better than previous season NOT make us a Cup contender. We did not land that big name that was going to push us over the top. The guys that were brought in were supposed to help us tighten up defensively. Atkinson is more of a shoot first guy offensively.

We've all debated these moves and realize we are not contenders. When everything is going our way we still had blemishes. Injuries have not helped. Our top D and 2nd line center have been out for extended periods which forces guys to play out of their talent level.

I'm not sure what else he could say. You can't fire a "proven" coach at this point of a season when he hasn't had a full roster. I used quotes because many of us feel like AV is an issue behind the bench. He's not going to have a fire sale at this point in the season. We need a full compliment of players so we can determine just how good or bad we are.

We are not talented enough to challenge for a division title or Cup. I think many of us felt that before the season started.

Eric Lindros is not walking in that door.

Sorry to say, but we are going to be playing this season out. See where we are at trade deadline and make moves accordingly. We don't like it. But I'll probably still watch. :-(

He had 6 points in one period. The Flyers haven't scored more than 3 goals in a game in over a month.



- PLindbergh31

That was 80s Oilers poop last year. What a nightmare. They don't show up tonight and allow our tenders to get lit up like that, the season is going to get worse.

How do you know this? This team is not in a bad position, not by a long shot. What makes you say this?
- jd250

just yesterday you said it was time to do a full rebuild....

tired of the ownership is forcing the GM to make moves excuse. The moves he made haven't worked. That is on the GM. This fanbase and organization always with excuses.

Flyers always been a cap team so this is nothing new in anyway.
- hello it's me 2050

100%

It is important to understand what defense is in the NHL. I don't care if you're the best defending team in the NHL. If you defend too much, you will lose. Defense in the NHL is all about defending as less as possible. Look at the league and who are the best teams. What do they all have in common. Also in regards to your comment of the Rangers being a contender. Look at what they don't do well.
Fletcher's moves were ill advised and he overcorrected to what he thought was the biggest issues. What were seeing so far is that the team has actually regressed in multiple areas from last season. His moves created holes.
- MJL

I agree with defending too much. It is a losing formula to have the puck in your zone most of the night. It will not be a 100% losing formula but you will lose more often than you win in that scenario.

I also agree with the Rangers. They are fun to watch. But they do not play playoff winning hockey. Same with the Oilers and the Leafs.

When you have so many holes its really difficult to fill all of them in one off season, that is just fact. Defense still wins championships and that is true in the NHL. The Flyers were the worst defensive team in the league last year, so this was the obvious thing to fix. Fletcher did address the offense to a certain degree, he swapped Jake for Cam to get more shots an goal scoring into the lineup, and signed Farabee and Couts to extensions so they could play freely without any contract issues hanging over their head. He was also hoping that Frost would be ready as well as other players from the Phantoms the 2nd part of this season. Frost looks like he might be able to stay with the team now, and unfortunately Foerster and Allison got hurt which clearly sets back his plans. Fletcher also got Ellis and Yandle to help drive the PP and increase scoring. So IMO Fletcher did a lot the help the offense this past off season.
- jd250

Again more excuses. Defense does win championship I agree. Flyers defense aint or anywhere close to that caliber. He had complete tunnel vision when it came to RR. I would love to know if he even inquired about any other D trades.

He didn't address offense at all. He added no players up front to help in that area. Cam for Jake isnt adding it is staying neutral with just a diff look. Yandle fn blows. Ellis is irrelevant at this point. Banging the Forrest drum is funny. He had zero shot to make this team. They won't even let Frost play because the coach and GM are clowns. Need them no future vets in the lineup.

It is important to understand what defense is in the NHL. I don't care if you're the best defending team in the NHL. If you defend too much, you will lose. Defense in the NHL is all about defending as less as possible. Look at the league and who are the best teams. What do they all have in common. Also in regards to your comment of the Rangers being a contender. Look at what they don't do well.
Fletcher's moves were ill advised and he overcorrected to what he thought was the biggest issues. What were seeing so far is that the team has actually regressed in multiple areas from last season. His moves created holes.
- MJL

We are only 1/4 of the way into the season. The Flyers played well in the first 10 games, though not perfect in terms of puck possession. The past 10 games is where they have regressed greatly in defensive structure and puck possession. Who did the Flyers get rid of that would help with defensive structure and puck possession?? Certainly not Patrick, Ghost, Haag or Myers, right? Certainly not Jake in terms of defense, however he did help with puck possession. However not all puck possession is good puck possession. For example, I have seen the Flyers possess the puck on the PP for minutes at a time and get no shots on goal. I care more about HDCF than puck possession. Jake would skate laps in the o-zone with the puck then turn it over, dog it back and watch as the other team scored. HIs puck possession was high, but it didn't generate anything!

rinse and repeat

That was 80s Oilers poop last year. What a nightmare. They don't show up tonight and allow our tenders to get lit up like that, the season is going to get worse.
- Hextall271

Gretzky never did what he did last year to the Flyers. Think about that. Different era where goals were scored by the bushel, and Zibanajed did something Gretzky couldn't do when he was producing 200+ point seasons. Can't make it up.

Consistently poor D zone coverage and confusion on rotations off of overload
Consistent poor forecheck structure and poor F3 positioning
Consistent poor breakout structure and putting pucks into 50/50 battles.
Consistent lack of a neutral zone forecheck and creating transition offense
Consistently poor line changes leading to scoring chances against
Consistently giving the puck away purposely and losing possession.
Consistent failure to back check and skate hard to the net.

None of this is fully solved by the addition of or caused by the injuries to Hayes and Ellis.
- MJL

We are so fortunate to have never endless depth.

just yesterday you said it was time to do a full rebuild....
- THE BLACK HAND

be honest and state the entire quote otherwise stay quiet office clown! What I said is if this team is not in playoff contention by end of January they should be sellers at the deadline and try to get more assets to take advantage of what is considered to be a deep draft.

Gretzky never did what he did last year to the Flyers. Think about that. Different era where goals were scored by the bushel, and Zibanajed did something Gretzky couldn't do when he was producing 200+ point seasons. Can't make it up.
- PLindbergh31

Well, as we saw, the team essentially gave up in those games. Simply did not try and delivered no pushback whatsoever. It's amazing that Hart has rebounded so far this year. One of the few bright spots.

For me, if the young players were living up to the contracts they were given I do not think we would need to move on from players.

I will admit they are relying to heavily on Ellis and to a smaller extent Hayes. That will hurt them long term. I never liked the AAV or term of Hayes' contract. I like him as a human and for the most part as a player. However, he will never perform to the level that contract demands.

Two more big decisions this offseason with G and Risto. I am fine with walking away from both at this point.
- mickel25

same, i do think we need the physicality RR brings, but should be able to get that saving a couple mil....G, we could get a really good player with his money. Now how do we unload jvr? But with all that said, we need a new coach first and foremost. Someone flexible to adapt systems to our skill set. And someone that wont put up with lack of effort.

I am not sticking up for Fletcher here. But his moves this off season were to make us better than previous season NOT make us a Cup contender. We did not land that big name that was going to push us over the top. The guys that were brought in were supposed to help us tighten up defensively. Atkinson is more of a shoot first guy offensively.

We've all debated these moves and realize we are not contenders. When everything is going our way we still had blemishes. Injuries have not helped. Our top D and 2nd line center have been out for extended periods which forces guys to play out of their talent level.

I'm not sure what else he could say. You can't fire a "proven" coach at this point of a season when he hasn't had a full roster. I used quotes because many of us feel like AV is an issue behind the bench. He's not going to have a fire sale at this point in the season. We need a full compliment of players so we can determine just how good or bad we are.

We are not talented enough to challenge for a division title or Cup. I think many of us felt that before the season started.

Eric Lindros is not walking in that door.

Sorry to say, but we are going to be playing this season out. See where we are at trade deadline and make moves accordingly. We don't like it. But I'll probably still watch. :-(
- cdearth23

my issue with the coach is the dump ins, and our players not playing hard night in night out. That should be totally unacceptable, and is a big part of the reason why we are so bad. If the effort was there, we would have at least a couple more wins.

I am not sticking up for Fletcher here. But his moves this off season were to make us better than previous season NOT make us a Cup contender. We did not land that big name that was going to push us over the top. The guys that were brought in were supposed to help us tighten up defensively. Atkinson is more of a shoot first guy offensively.

We've all debated these moves and realize we are not contenders. When everything is going our way we still had blemishes. Injuries have not helped. Our top D and 2nd line center have been out for extended periods which forces guys to play out of their talent level.

I'm not sure what else he could say. You can't fire a "proven" coach at this point of a season when he hasn't had a full roster. I used quotes because many of us feel like AV is an issue behind the bench. He's not going to have a fire sale at this point in the season. We need a full compliment of players so we can determine just how good or bad we are.

We are not talented enough to challenge for a division title or Cup. I think many of us felt that before the season started.

Eric Lindros is not walking in that door.

Sorry to say, but we are going to be playing this season out. See where we are at trade deadline and make moves accordingly. We don't like it. But I'll probably still watch. :-(
- cdearth23

Well thought out post, thank you!

The GM feels bad for Lappy,; I feel bad for the AHL prospects being coached by a guy who's way out of his depth. They could have put Gritty in charge and got similar results.

How do you know this? This team is not in a bad position, not by a long shot. What makes you say this?
- jd250

they are in a bad positon.

1. No star elite level skaters.
a) very little quality depth
2. Nothing in the system player wise that are game changers.
3. Long term contracts to hayes and ex selke which will hurt them. Those 2 as your top 2 centers will not get you far.
4. The D is a mess really. Ivan and Sanheim only 2 fixtures. Neither good enough to carry a team. Cant count on Ellis. York and Igor will have growing pains assuming they are even NHL caliber.
5. Average Andy GM at best making the decisions.
6. Lappy- enough said there.
6. will have a new coaching staff next season at the latest.

So help me understand how they are in a good positon.

Im not reading that transcript or did i listen. But i can guarantee its all GM speak. Dont pay any attention to what he says. GMs dont call people out, players or coaches. Might hear something like , we gotta play better. Its just PR because he knows its getting hot in here
- bradster

I can sum it up
BLAH BLAH BLAH
BLAH BLAH BLAH