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Forums :: Blog World :: Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 2/21/19 @ MTL
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Bill Meltzer
Editor
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Joined: 07.13.2006

Feb 20 @ 11:15 PM ET
Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 2/21/19 @ MTL
Bolts91
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: No longer active
Joined: 06.06.2018

Feb 20 @ 11:22 PM ET
When Nate Thompson is the second line center, you know there are serious problems within your team.

Should be an easy one for the Flyers.
DraftandDestroy
Arizona Coyotes
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Joined: 11.15.2016

Feb 20 @ 11:23 PM ET
"In February 1995, the Montreal Canadiens fatefully traded John Leclair, Eric Desjardins and Gilbert Dionne for Mark Recchi and a third round draft pick. General Manager Serge Savard was anxious to ignite more offense on an underachieving team. In his desperation, however, Savard parlayed away a blossoming John Leclair and the long-underrated Eric Desjardins."


Remember the good times
SMS4016
Joined: 01.27.2011

Feb 21 @ 12:37 AM ET
Habs 2-1. You’re welcome
SMS4016
Joined: 01.27.2011

Feb 21 @ 12:39 AM ET
Better trade Wayne soon. Running out of spots for him
johndewar
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: South Jersey, NJ
Joined: 01.16.2009

Feb 21 @ 6:06 AM ET
When Nate Thompson is the second line center, you know there are serious problems within your team.

Should be an easy one for the Flyers.

- Bolts91


Was just about to say something like this...

How does Montreal have a 32-21-7 record?

Just looking at lineups on paper, I can't say there are that many players on their roster I would be interested in having on the Flyers, yet here we are.
johndewar
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: South Jersey, NJ
Joined: 01.16.2009

Feb 21 @ 6:07 AM ET
Better trade Wayne soon. Running out of spots for him
- SMS4016


Patience. He will get dealt.

And if I'm honest, I'd rather he get dealt out of the conference anyway.
Just5
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: PA
Joined: 05.22.2008

Feb 21 @ 6:27 AM ET
Was just about to say something like this...

How does Montreal have a 32-21-7 record?

Just looking at lineups on paper, I can't say there are that many players on their roster I would be interested in having on the Flyers, yet here we are.

- johndewar


One of the fastest teams in the league with the best goalie
deadpoulet
Montreal Canadiens
Location: Montreal
Joined: 07.01.2008

Feb 21 @ 6:35 AM ET
Was just about to say something like this...

How does Montreal have a 32-21-7 record?

Just looking at lineups on paper, I can't say there are that many players on their roster I would be interested in having on the Flyers, yet here we are.

- johndewar


Danault is usually there and playing well. Habs have three good centres this year, but one is missing for a game or 2.

Hardbalz
Joined: 06.08.2011

Feb 21 @ 7:19 AM ET
Looking at the Flyers lineup I wonder how they have even remained competitive. Gudas being the most consistent defencemen? Lol! Never mind three lines, they barely have two. Looking forward to seeing just what kind of haul Simmonds will bring in. Philly can certainly use an infusion of young talent since they whiffed on Pettersson.
SuperSchennBros
Location: Not protected by the Mods...I mean Mob. Take your best shot!
Joined: 09.01.2012

Feb 21 @ 7:29 AM ET
Better trade Wayne soon. Running out of spots for him
- SMS4016

If he gets moved, it’s best after Saturday’s game.
Bill Meltzer
Editor
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Joined: 07.13.2006

Feb 21 @ 8:07 AM ET
Looking at the Flyers lineup I wonder how they have even remained competitive. Gudas being the most consistent defencemen? Lol! Never mind three lines, they barely have two. Looking forward to seeing just what kind of haul Simmonds will bring in. Philly can certainly use an infusion of young talent since they whiffed on Pettersson.
- Hardbalz


1) Flyers top nine is fine, although they could use another second-line caliber center so that they can move Giroux back to LW again while still keeping Patrick in favorable matchups.

2) Yes, Gudas has been the most consistent and has had a good year. Doesn't make him the BEST defenseman on the team, just the one who has hit the fewest bumps in road/ slumps this year. Provorov is still the team's best D. Sanheim is fast-rising. Ghost has had a rough season (and 2nd season) but was excellent his rookie and 3rd years. Hägg is fairly solid in his role, just so long as he's not overextended.

3) "Can use an infusion of young talent." ... Patrick, Konecny, Provorov, Lindblom, Sanheim, Hart, now Myers in the NHL. All talented, all young. Morgan Frost on the way next season. Perhaps Joel Farabee the year after that. Isaac Ratcliffe has a decent shot at being developed into a good NHL winger.

4) "Whiffed on Pettersson." First of all, do you know have many teams would have taken Pettersson if they had the 2nd overall pick in the 2017 draft? The answer is zero, including Vancouver. It was a two-horse race between Hischier and Patrick for the top spot with Heiskanen a dark horse. You can't come back a couple years later and retro-draft what you "should" have done with the pick, when no team would have done so at the time.

Secondly, Nolan Patrick is coming along fine. He's been one of the Flyers best players in the second half of the season thus far, and not just because he's now scoring with some regularity. He's developing a good 200-foot game. He doesn't have elite speed but he has a lot of skill, good hockey sense, is big and strong and is improving his quickness. He's going to be a very good player in the league for a long time.

Lastly, when teams draft 18-year-olds, one of the factors they look at beyond sheer offensive upside is how much developmental guesswork is involved from draft year to draft-plus-one to draft-plus-two. Patrick was projectable as immediately NHL ready as a top 9 with a "safe" top 6 upside within a couple years and potential first-line upside by the time he's 23 or 24. You know what you call a player with such projections? The first or second pick of the draft.

Pettersson is obviously a special talent, too. Hence, him being the fifth overall pick in the draft, and the third forward off the board. If he had been projected as being ready to step right into the NHL a year ago, as Hischier and Patrick were, he might well have been a first or second overall pick. If his immediate impact this season, which has outpaced Patrick or Hischier, had been knowable, the Devils or Flyers would have waited the extra year for his arrival. However, that's all hindsight.

The reality at the time: since there was just a shade more guesswork about his NHL ETA and timetable to be an impact player -- which has been very quick, as it turned out -- he was the third forward and fifth pick overall.

The Stars, who picked third overall, were thrilled to get Heiskanen in that spot. For good reason, too, as he looks like a future No. 1 defenseman. Colorado took Makar fourth..... plenty of upside but not yet in the NHL.

Bolts91
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: No longer active
Joined: 06.06.2018

Feb 21 @ 8:13 AM ET
Was just about to say something like this...

How does Montreal have a 32-21-7 record?

Just looking at lineups on paper, I can't say there are that many players on their roster I would be interested in having on the Flyers, yet here we are.

- johndewar


Not one actually. Top to bottom, forward and D, there are no worse rosters in this league. Garbage.
MJL
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Candyland, PA
Joined: 09.20.2007

Feb 21 @ 8:19 AM ET
Not one actually. Top to bottom, forward and D, there are no worse rosters in this league. Garbage.
- Bolts91


Without the contract, I'd be interested in Shea Weber. Max Domi.
Tfaehner
Philadelphia Flyers
Joined: 06.25.2012

Feb 21 @ 8:27 AM ET

@mjl if contracts not included give me price drouin shaw too and kotkaniemi has potential
Not_Yan
St Louis Blues
Location: it's an excellent product, easier, quicker, and even better than real mashed potatoes.
Joined: 04.19.2013

Feb 21 @ 8:28 AM ET
Was just about to say something like this...

How does Montreal have a 32-21-7 record?

Just looking at lineups on paper, I can't say there are that many players on their roster I would be interested in having on the Flyers, yet here we are.

- johndewar


We rig the league, duh
Not_Yan
St Louis Blues
Location: it's an excellent product, easier, quicker, and even better than real mashed potatoes.
Joined: 04.19.2013

Feb 21 @ 8:28 AM ET
@mjl if contracts not included give me price drouin shaw too and kotkaniemi has potential
- Tfaehner


pffffff 3rd line center AT BEST, according to Dolts91
jmdodgeser4
Philadelphia Flyers
Joined: 01.26.2009

Feb 21 @ 8:30 AM ET
What are you giving up for Simmonds. I think the lightening need someone like him.
Scoob
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: love is love
Joined: 06.29.2006

Feb 21 @ 8:33 AM ET
ttt
Scoob
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: love is love
Joined: 06.29.2006

Feb 21 @ 8:33 AM ET
1) Flyers top nine is fine, although they could use another second-line caliber center so that they can move Giroux back to LW again while still keeping Patrick in favorable matchups.

2) Yes, Gudas has been the most consistent and has had a good year. Doesn't make him the BEST defenseman on the team, just the one who has hit the fewest bumps in road/ slumps this year. Provorov is still the team's best D. Sanheim is fast-rising. Ghost has had a rough season (and 2nd season) but was excellent his rookie and 3rd years. Hägg is fairly solid in his role, just so long as he's not overextended.

3) "Can use an infusion of young talent." ... Patrick, Konecny, Provorov, Lindblom, Sanheim, Hart, now Myers in the NHL. All talented, all young. Morgan Frost on the way next season. Perhaps Joel Farabee the year after that. Isaac Ratcliffe has a decent shot at being developed into a good NHL winger.

4) "Whiffed on Pettersson." First of all, do you know have many teams would have taken Pettersson if they had the 2nd overall pick in the 2017 draft? The answer is zero, including Vancouver. It was a two-horse race between Hischier and Patrick for the top spot with Heiskanen a dark horse. You can't come back a couple years later and retro-draft what you "should" have done with the pick, when no team would have done so at the time.

Secondly, Nolan Patrick is coming along fine. He's been one of the Flyers best players in the second half of the season thus far, and not just because he's now scoring with some regularity. He's developing a good 200-foot game. He doesn't have elite speed but he has a lot of skill, good hockey sense, is big and strong and is improving his quickness. He's going to be a very good player in the league for a long time.

Lastly, when teams draft 18-year-olds, one of the factors they look at beyond sheer offensive upside is how much developmental guesswork is involved from draft year to draft-plus-one to draft-plus-two. Patrick was projectable as immediately NHL ready as a top 9 with a "safe" top 6 upside within a couple years and potential first-line upside by the time he's 23 or 24. You know what you call a player with such projections? The first or second pick of the draft.

Pettersson is obviously a special talent, too. Hence, him being the fifth overall pick in the draft, and the third forward off the board. If he had been projected as being ready to step right into the NHL a year ago, as Hischier and Patrick were, he might well have been a first or second overall pick. If his immediate impact this season, which has outpaced Patrick or Hischier, had been knowable, the Devils or Flyers would have waited the extra year for his arrival. However, that's all hindsight.

The reality at the time: since there was just a shade more guesswork about his NHL ETA and timetable to be an impact player -- which has been very quick, as it turned out -- he was the third forward and fifth pick overall.

The Stars, who picked third overall, were thrilled to get Heiskanen in that spot. For good reason, too, as he looks like a future No. 1 defenseman. Colorado took Makar fourth..... plenty of upside but not yet in the NHL.

- bmeltzer


Bill delivers yet another excellent lesson to a troll.
jsh139
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Philly 'burbs, PA
Joined: 06.22.2017

Feb 21 @ 8:40 AM ET
That's awesome the Olympiques retired Giroux's number. He is well-liked up in that area. A bunch of us went up to Ottawa to see the Flyers play the Sens a few years ago. We walked across the bridge to Gatineau, specifically Hull, where G played and had dinner and drinks at this cool pub that had a hockey and beer museum in the basement. We were all dressed up in Flyers gear and people kept coming up to us gushing over Giroux and how great he was. It was cool
cdearth23
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA
Joined: 08.06.2015

Feb 21 @ 8:48 AM ET
Big two points tonight. I expect Hart to bounce back and play well. Hopefully our team d shows up. Han't so far this year so not sure why tonight would be different.

If you watch Patrick without the puck, he has picked up his pace the second part of this season. He hustles back on d and always seems to be the player moving the fastest out there. He has good speed (not great) and has been using it much more. It is a noticeable difference. He seems to be playing with a purpose. Like he is getting it. I honestly think that Simmonds is holding him back slightly. Laughton is playing well but he really isn't an offensive minded winger. I think Patty centering one of TK or Lindblom and you might see higher point totals. But, points aside, Patty is playing well. Much improved from start of the year.
Sinisalo4vr
Location: Dont f with the Jesus, PA
Joined: 06.24.2016

Feb 21 @ 8:50 AM ET
Patience. He will get dealt.

And if I'm honest, I'd rather he get dealt out of the conference anyway.

- johndewar

I’m not sure that the return is going to be very good.
Krampus
Montreal Canadiens
Location: NS
Joined: 03.01.2014

Feb 21 @ 8:51 AM ET
Thompson filled in for Danault last game admirably. I expect Danault to be back tonight. He is quietly having a great season.
MBFlyerfan
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Be nice from now on, NJ
Joined: 03.17.2006

Feb 21 @ 8:54 AM ET
Bill delivers yet another excellent lesson to a troll.
- Scoob



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