That's a prime example of the audience that letter was targeted to.
- MJL

The smoother brains among us.

The organization is schizophrenic. On one hand they claim to be building a foundation and retooling but on the other hand they:

Extend a 3rd pair D man for 5 years at 5 million plus
Trade 3 picks for TdA
Extend a 2nd pair Dman for 8 years
Sign a fading 4th liner to a 4 year deal with trade protection

Retooling teams don’t make those moves. The entire organization needs an enema.

Passing off mediocrity as a miracle... Flyers PROPAGANDA at work.
- Tomahawk

There! Fixed it for you.

Of course it's about winning. That's the only reason to play Cates at center.
- MJL

Again, it’s about a different development…the goals against. Looking at the .490 points percentage, if it was about winning, they would have changed it up by now.

According to EK it was Sanheim...
- Glak18

According to Ek, Malkin still wants to be the man!

I'm speaking to the style of their play, their systems, which has remarkably played itself out in the stat line of no more than 2 goals, and no goals in the 3rd for 2 months, despite a strong 1st period against the Flyers last night. I understand why they got BoHo but I'll be surprised if he can cause them to rise above their own systems and style. Time will tell.
- Letterkenney

They're a top 15 team in the league in terms of shot and scoring chance generation. They need to finish better.

Again, it’s about a different development…the goals against. Looking at the .490 points percentage, if it was about winning, they would have changed it up by now.
- NC Flyers Fan

Obviously it's a different development. You're not seeming to be including that the winning percentage could be worse without Cates at center. Tortorella is an ego maniac who favors the defensive side of the puck. He believes they can win more games with Cates defensive play at center over Hayes. That's why the change was made.

I feel for the folks that set time aside in their busy schedules and suffered through the Flyers Islanders game last night. A great contrasting example of what NHL hockey games should look like would be the Flames at MSG last night.

They're a top 15 team in the league in terms of shot and scoring chance generation. They need to finish better.
- MJL

So they are exactly where they should be. A bubble team.

So they are exactly where they should be. A bubble team.
- ClaudeFather

Right now yes but increased scoring is what they need.

Right now yes but increased scoring is what they need.
- MJL

Islanders made themselves an irrelevant bubble team for years to come. Is there a chance they get hot and win a couple rounds with the goaltending they have? Sure. Ton of money locked up to mediocre players.

Islanders made themselves an irrelevant bubble team for years to come. Is there a chance they get hot and win a couple rounds with the goaltending they have? Sure. Ton of money locked up to mediocre players.
- ClaudeFather

I don't see them as a realistic cup contender. Lamoriello is not concerned about the future. What is he, 80 years old?

I don't see them as a realistic cup contender. Lamoriello is not concerned about the future. What is he, 80 years old?
- MJL

I think I’d honestly be the Flyers over the Islanders in their current situations. Flyers at least have a slim chance of turning things around with 3, potentially 4, draft picks in the upcoming years.

The organization is schizophrenic. On one hand they claim to be building a foundation and retooling but on the other hand they:

Extend a 3rd pair D man for 5 years at 5 million plus
Trade 3 picks for TdA
Extend a 2nd pair Dman for 8 years
Sign a fading 4th liner to a 4 year deal with trade protection

Retooling teams don’t make those moves. The entire organization needs an enema.
- BiggE

Exactly….they say one thing and do the other…next up…a JVR 3 year extension.

I think I’d honestly be the Flyers over the Islanders in their current situations. Flyers at least have a slim chance of turning things around with 3, potentially 4, draft picks in the upcoming years.
- ClaudeFather

The Flyers are rapidly heading back in the that direction.

The Flyers are rapidly heading back in the that direction.
- MJL

Still a chance for Flyers though. Islanders are a done deal

So much is wrong with your reply here that I'm not sure where to start. Did you read the report by Kevin Allen that apparently a very good team has interest in Hayes and they want him to play center? Are they not aware that Hayes sucks at center?

Your Frost comment is asinine. My stance on Cates is not that he's not a good player. It's that he is playing out of position. That he would make a strong forechecking two way winger but lacks the puck skills to play center. You can't create skill and talent in a player by playing him more games.
- MJL

You say Cates lacks the puck skills to play center, apparently the coaching staff who sees the player every day thinks differently. Frost for example has the speed and skill to play center, yet its clear by now his ceiling is a 3C in this league. I think Cates is starting to show his skill and I for one would like to see how he ends up at the end of the season before I finalize my opinion that he is better at wing.

Regarding Hayes, if a team really thinks they want him to play center ... by all means let them have him as soon as possible.

Exactly….they say one thing and do the other…next up…a JVR 3 year extension.
- landros 2

Did you hear the broadcast talking about how they may rethink what happens with JVR because of the way he is mentoring the kids?

I almost lost it.

Obviously it's a different development. You're not seeming to be including that the winning percentage could be worse without Cates at center. Tortorella is an ego maniac who favors the defensive side of the puck. He believes they can win more games with Cates defensive play at center over Hayes. That's why the change was made.
- MJL

I don’t believe it would be but what would be worse is the goals against. I’m fine with favoring the defensive side for developing goalies. How many high offensive players are they really stifling? Hayes and TK are having good offensive production years. As a team, I think they are scoring to the top of their capabilities.

Yes, I don't care about the cap, I am looking at the players on the ice.
- jd250

Part of the reason the players that are on the ice is the cap and the mismanagement of it

Hayes sucks at center, he is much better on wing. Cates is doing fine at center right now. Somehow if your head we need to give Frost a couple of 100 games to develop but Cates gets 40. Right ...
- jd250

But Boston needs him to play Center????

Did you hear the broadcast talking about how they may rethink what happens with JVR because of the way he is mentoring the kids?

I almost lost it.
- MBFlyerfan

They're trying to raise the price for him by playing the "reluctant to let him go" role and using their own hacks on TV as pitchmen.

What would be better is the proper development for Cates, which right now, should take precedence over winning. Hayes should be at center, and Cates on the wing.
- MJL

is the coaches main function to win games?

You say Cates lacks the puck skills to play center, apparently the coaching staff who sees the player every day thinks differently. Frost for example has the speed and skill to play center, yet its clear by now his ceiling is a 3C in this league. I think Cates is starting to show his skill and I for one would like to see how he ends up at the end of the season before I finalize my opinion that he is better at wing.

Regarding Hayes, if a team really thinks they want him to play center ... by all means let them have him as soon as possible.
- jd250

You keep making these appeals to authority. As Tomahawk posted the other day. Cates plays with the top offensive players on the team with first line ice time and PP time. Yet he is in the bottom 10 in the entire league among forwards with similar minutes played in point production. That's a simple and undisputed fact. Cates showed the same skill last year. Just like with your comment here about Hayes, when you're proven wrong, you'll just sweep it under the rug.

As far as your Frost comment here. Cates can still develop but Frost can't. Remember, you think that Frost is an AHL player. What standing do you have to say that Frost has a 3rd line center ceiling?

https://www.hockeybuzz.co...p?thread_id=180967&page=8

"Frost absolutely is a tweener, and IMO will be an AHL player for the most part."

But Boston needs him to play Center????
- corduroy

Yep, they're going to trade quality assets to the Flyers for Hayes, who sucks at center, to play center. Can't make it up.