Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Flyers Fall to Avalanche, 4-1

Bill..

With your knowledge of pro-wrestling tonight was a pretty rough night if you are a WWE fan. Things like this make you realize that it's real people behind the characters.


Also something is off with this team, just no fire.

This team sucks.

Bill..

With your knowledge of pro-wrestling tonight was a pretty rough night if you are a WWE fan. Things like this make you realize that it's real people behind the characters.


Also something is off with this team, just no fire.
- opeth_pa

I have never met or interviewed Roman Reigns, but I met both his dad (Sika), uncle (Afa) and members of the Anoia'i family, and they are among the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. Horrible news, and can only hope for the best.

Trade Simmonds.

Fire Hak and Lappy (although god knows they could lose 15 straight) - and still remain with the team.

Hextall needs to look in the mirror real hard because he put them all behind the eight ball with the goaltenders this year, and arguably during his whole tenure.

This team is boring, and that’s one of the hardest things to admit. Not the Flyer hockey I know. If you’re going to be boring, you better win.

Got tickets to the Jets game tonight so missed this one.

Reading back, I’ll only say this. The team does have issues, and is still growing. However for all the heat Hakstol gets, Hextall needs to look himself in the mirror also.

During his tenure, and especially this season he is arguably putting his coach behind the eight ball with the kind of goaltenders he is giving him. Maybe I’m jumping the gun, but again I see they gave up 4. Some of these chances are quality for sure, but let’s not kid ourselves - the goaltending is a huge weakness. The main point being is you’d like to see a guy really help the team win - not sure they can find that this year with the current crop they have.

I’m no Hak fan, but yeah..

Also, if you really want to see a team playing below their potential - look at St Louis. Saw them live tonight, they turtle and collapse into a dfirst mindset far too much for how much talent they have in the lineup.

As a fan, I miss this team being better than what it is currently.
- flyer_nutter

Under Hextall it's always been hard to get a grasp on exactly what the expectation is.

They never broke up the core and settled on a long rebuild in the prime years of 3 of their biggest core players( G, Jake, Voracek). They also didn't do these guys many favors at the trade deadline the years in which they did make the playoffs or in the off-season after the years they didn't.

It comes off to me a little trying to have your cake and eat it too. This core had never had a competitive defense and they have very, very rarely gotten good goaltending. Hextall has done little in the way of FA or trades to help his core.

That said I think the team HAS drafted very well under Hextall. I'll go as far to say our prospect pool has probably never been deeper in all honesty. But that hasn't gotten the team over the hump of the 1st round for going on 7 years now.

I don't even know where I'm going with this. I just feel like they need to re-evaluate this team this off-season and figure out what they're doing with these prospects and some guys who certainly aren't getting any younger.

Konecny with 1:09 more at even strength than Lehtera. Is this right?

Lindblom with 8 something total? Lowest on the team?

Trade Simmonds.

Fire Hak and Lappy (although god knows they could lose 15 straight) - and still remain with the team.

Hextall needs to look in the mirror real hard because he put them all behind the eight ball with the goaltenders this year, and arguably during his whole tenure.

This team is boring, and that’s one of the hardest things to admit. Not the Flyer hockey I know. If you’re going to be boring, you better win.
- flyer_nutter

I'm on board with shopping Simmonds assuming they aren't seriously vying for the playoffs(and look like they could make some noise in them) at the deadline. I'm just not seeing a guy that I need to re-sign for 4+ years. Maybe he'll change my mind between now and then but right now that's just how I see it.

They need to get faster and they need guys with better puck skills. At this point with this core I'm behind pretty much any trade that makes sense and addresses these needs.

Konecny with 1:09 more at even strength than Lehtera. Is this right?

Lindblom with 8 something total? Lowest on the team?
- flyer_nutter

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on this one. The Raffle injuy had to throw off the minutes.

That said, there were some questionable instances where Hak threw out the Lehtera line late in the game...

G, Jake, and Voracek sounds like 2 core players to me

This team has a very proud history. They are typically exciting and they are typically talented. Fans accepted Hextall’s vision and approach. It’s obvious fans are starting to lose patience. Curious how long ownership sticks with it as long as this team continues to play uninspiring hockey.

For the record, firing Hextall now would be immensely stupid.

G, Jake, and Voracek sounds like 2 core players to me
- Richieattack18

He obviously had a typo. No reason to go after him.

yet another slow start 4 years and 9 games and same old poop

Trade Simmonds.

Fire Hak and Lappy (although god knows they could lose 15 straight) - and still remain with the team.

Hextall needs to look in the mirror real hard because he put them all behind the eight ball with the goaltenders this year, and arguably during his whole tenure.

This team is boring, and that’s one of the hardest things to admit. Not the Flyer hockey I know. If you’re going to be boring, you better win.
- flyer_nutter

I would absolutely look to trade simmonds. Face it people this team is cooked and going no where in the playoffs. They got manhandled by a real playoff team already.

Another year of an unwatchable team. I'm so tired of the Hextall run circus.

Trade Simmonds.

Fire Hak and Lappy (although god knows they could lose 15 straight) - and still remain with the team.

Hextall needs to look in the mirror real hard because he put them all behind the eight ball with the goaltenders this year, and arguably during his whole tenure.

This team is boring, and that’s one of the hardest things to admit. Not the Flyer hockey I know. If you’re going to be boring, you better win.
- flyer_nutter

Simmonds leads our team with goals and JvR is hurt and your number one focus is to trade Simmonds...

My question is, how will trading Simmonds make us better? What kind of impact could make us better now by trading Simmonds? A vet like Mac is sitting. The Flyers the most part have tanked the last four years, which is why we having Provorov and Konecny and we still struggle. We have all the talented youth a team could ask for and brought in a high priced UFA. What difference will trading Simmonds make outside scoring less?

I wasn’t able to watch this game...thankfully.

Bill..

With your knowledge of pro-wrestling tonight was a pretty rough night if you are a WWE fan. Things like this make you realize that it's real people behind the characters.


Also something is off with this team, just no fire.
- opeth_pa

Yeah that was shocking news. Here’s to a full and speedy recovery for Roman/Joe

Konecny and Provorov the two darlings really struggled lasy night.

Sanheim is actually winning more puck battles than hagg. Hagg routinely gets to the puck first along a board only to lose it.

Everyone has contributed to this poor start. But the one constant is a piss poor pk in my opinion the lack of quickness particularly with our forwards does not allow them to pressure enough or win the races

This team has a very proud history. They are typically exciting and they are typically talented. Fans accepted Hextall’s vision and approach. It’s obvious fans are starting to lose patience. Curious how long ownership sticks with it as long as this team continues to play uninspiring hockey.

For the record, firing Hextall now would be immensely stupid.
- Flyers1218

I don’t think too many people are calling for Hextall to be fired. Hak though, well that’s a different story.

I’ve been a Hextall supporter since he took the job, but this team’s goaltending mess is 100% on him. If he’s going to make an early season deal, it needs to be for an upgrade in goal. There may not be a deal to be made, but if there is, that’s the need that has to be filled.

10 game blocks. Right now the Avs have the mo but there is still 70 games left. the Flyers will get into a grove where they look unbeatable, then they will look ordinary again.

I said it a couple games ago, come out in the first ten games 5-5 and it will not be the end of the world, even 4-6. As long as we see improvement with Patrick, SanHeim and the other youngens, the yougnens will carry this team as far as the team can go.

I will say

Hak needs to get the chemistry right.
Simmonds is not a 1st line player, he does not fit with Coots and G. I know TK's line looks good but I would move TK back to the first line. When other 1st lines match up TK's speed is the X factor, especially when you have a first line like the Avs.
Hak has to make better in-game adjustments, not to say the players don't own the on ice performance. PP1 is an example, you could see for the last couple games that PP1 was in that funk it was in towards the end of last season. Last season Patrick by necessity was moved to PP1, the new look got PP1 going and Patrick going. I think Hak has to consider that now. It is a long season, change it now and I am sure he will need to change it up or change it back but he has to make adjustments. I don't think he has waited too long but he is right at the time he should change it up.
I didn't watch the game but the TOI seemes off for TK compared to the 4th line.

Best case, the first 10 games help gel the team and players like Provy, Hagg etc work out the kinks.
Worse case, they are who they were last year.

Trade Simmonds.

Fire Hak and Lappy (although god knows they could lose 15 straight) - and still remain with the team.

Hextall needs to look in the mirror real hard because he put them all behind the eight ball with the goaltenders this year, and arguably during his whole tenure.

This team is boring, and that’s one of the hardest things to admit. Not the Flyer hockey I know. If you’re going to be boring, you better win.
- flyer_nutter

Elliott played a solid game last night.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on this one. The Raffle injuy had to throw off the minutes.

That said, there were some questionable instances where Hak threw out the Lehtera line late in the game...
- hereticpride

In the second ten minutes of the 3rd period, Lehtera saw one shift that lasted 55 seconds. At times you need to throw a line out there to give the other lines a short breather. Lehtera didn't see the ice again until after the EN goal was scored and the game completely out of reach. Nothing questionable about it.

Everyone has contributed to this poor start. But the one constant is a piss poor pk in my opinion the lack of quickness particularly with our forwards does not allow them to pressure enough or win the races
- Just5

That's not what is hurting them on the PK. It's blown assignments and poor positioning. Last night it was the Flyers Selke forward back pedaling out of coverage into no man's land to cover absolutely no one.

The team needs better game speed. I intentionally did not say skating speed. They seem to have a lot of O zone puck possession, but nothing to show for it. Feels like opposition's defense is always one step ahead of our attackers- by the time a shot is taken all lanes are clogged. V, Roo, Couts, TK, Weal (to some extend) are possession wizards, but seemingly everyone else is covered and they have to pass to D for a low percentage shot. This team seems to be risk averse to shooting from 10-20 feet, and I do not know whether it's on coaching plan or on the execution.
Agree with taking Simmer off the first line- good player, but does not fit there. I think, Weal's careless penalties are a huge problem for the team with horrible PK record. He might need to sit a few games and let Misha play.

Goaltending is in shambles, partially due to goalies, partially due to bad team D. And I think the latter has to be fixed first in order to give any goalie a chance.
There is a lot of work to be done, and I am not sure that Hak is a good fit for the task. Seemingly, this team needs Mike Keenan type of a coach for a year