Sanheim and Myers are the top pair.

ES TOI

Myers 18:58
Provy 18:34
Sanheim 18:09

Gus 16:58
Braun 16:04

Hagg 13:45

I’m not believing the hype of any goalie until it actually happens, but the Islanders looked like a well oiled machine last night. Rangers had a lot of new faces but the Islanders are the biggest threat in the division in my eyes. That Trouba deal for NYR is ugly....
- ClaudeFather

I called him a prospect. Take it as it is. But the potential upside of Soroykin is a factor to the isles success. On paper the isles should of gotten worse. They showed no signs of that last night. Even if the refs did screw the rangers with an "intent to blow the whistle" call when the puck was 3 feet from the goalie.

As far as trouba many on this board argued for us grabbing him. I've hated him since I went to the world cup and he started out paired with ghost and constantly chased contact, bad pinches and ghost got left all alone to defend.

still predicting scores on a fake season that you're not emotionally invested in.
- Ftown19125

Good reading comprehension. What’s wrong with that.

It is good to take a step back once in a while and realize that almost the entire starting roster for the Flyers are home grown talent, either drafted or signed as undrafted players. The only exceptions are Hayes, Voracek, Braun, Gustafsson and Elliott. Not a bad player development track record!

FLYERS

23 Oskar Lindblom - 14 Sean Couturier - 11 Travis Konecny
28 Claude Giroux - 13 Kevin Hayes - 86 Joel Farabee
25 James van Riemsdyk - 19 Nolan Patrick - 93 Jakub Voracek
12 Michael Raffl- 21 Scott Laughton- 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel

9 Ivan Provorov - 61 Justin Braun
6 Travis Sanheim - 5 Phil Myers
8 Robert Hägg - 56 Erik Gustafsson

79 Carter Hart

- jd250[37 Brian Elliott]

JVR counts with a technicality.

Yeah I know a few people seem to think the Islanders are the team to beat in the East division because they beat the Flyers in the playoffs, but I expect them to have their own issues this year. Not worried too much about them.
- Glak18

I think the Islanders are an overrated team personally. I think the Flyers made them look much better than they really are. I also think Flyers fans are overrating their team just a tad.

Sanheim and Myers are the top pair.

ES TOI

Myers 18:58
Provy 18:34
Sanheim 18:09

Gus 16:58
Braun 16:04

Hagg 13:45
- Striiker

The top pairing is whatever pairing Provorov is playing on.

Still won't count out the defending champions.

Sanheim and Myers are the top pair.

ES TOI

Myers 18:58
Provy 18:34
Sanheim 18:09

Gus 16:58
Braun 16:04

Hagg 13:45
- Striiker

This is what I have been saying for a while, distribute the ice team evenly between Provys pair and Sanheims at even strength , that’s how we are going to replace the loss of Niskanen. As well as situational rotations.

Still won't count out the defending champions.
- Pelle31Forever

Who did ? I think the debates have been mostly about the division. You won't even see another divisional team until making it to the final 4. We have 55 more games and up to 14 playoff games (min 8) before that becomes something to discuss.

The top pairing is whatever pairing Provorov is playing on.
- MJL

Thanks for your opinion.

Hoping we can tighten things up tonight and get the mini sweep. Looking forward to the game tonight as I missed the first one. Was so desperate for hockey I watched The recording 4 times haha.

As the 13th forward on the roster, how does a player like Frost crack the lineup barring injury? How does AV know he is any better than he was at the beginning of the season when he did not crack the lineup? Doesn't he need to be playing?

I wouldn't mind seeing him instead of NAK on the 4th line. I understand they have different attributes, but that 4th line with Laughton playing the way he is could become a bona fide 3rd line if Frost shows 50% of his potential there.
- PT21

The fact that he's even being carried on the active roster tells you that the coaching staff is very pleased with what they've seen so far. He's only outside of the top-12 right now because Patrick came back.

He'll get his opening into the lineup, sooner than later. And then it'll be up to him to make it impossible for them to sit him again. I have a feeling that he'll do just that.

In the meantime, he has the opportunity to show the brass that he can stay positive, keep working his ass off, and be a good teammate. As corny as it sounds, those qualities are just as important to his NHL future as anything that he can do on the ice, between the whistles.

Who did ? I think the debates have been mostly about the division. You won't even see another divisional team until making it to the final 4. We have 55 more games and up to 14 playoff games (min 8) before that becomes something to discuss.
- Tfaehner

Oh I thought it was just about contending teams in general. If strictly speaking of the East, yeah I can definitely see us being a prohibited favorite.

Of course this comes with the usual caveat of everyone being healthy.

I agree on the forwards and having Gustafsson and Gostisbehere play well would certainly help. However for me, on the defense it's about Sanheim and Myers. If they can take the next step, that will elevate the Flyers as a team. If they regress, along with the loss of Niskanen, Flyers will be in trouble.
- MJL

I'm feeling pretty good about Sanheim/Myers.

Myers just needs more experience -- otherwise he's shown himself to be pretty unflappable and remarkably consistent.

Sanheim's gotta bear down a bit more along the walls and behind the net -- take a page from Justin Braun's book. Otherwise, he's pretty much set and forget.

I think the Islanders are an overrated team personally. I think the Flyers made them look much better than they really are. I also think Flyers fans are overrating their team just a tad.
- MJL

Agreed.

Still won't count out the defending champions.
- Pelle31Forever

Re: Kucherov, it is only 1 hip (unlike Point, who had surgery on both hips 2 years ago and still returned for the subsequent full season), it was initially treated with a cortisone injection (meaning it is likely that the surgery is not major). I think not only will he be back by playoff times, it is likely he will be back a couple of weeks earlier and will be full strength.

They have Stamkos back, and Cirelli and Sergachev are 1 year more mature. I would definitely put them them in the same category as Avs.

The most puzzling aspect of the off-season to me was the Isles inaction. They were arguably the 2nd best team in the league during playoffs, and took TB to 7. They badly needed some more firepower from their D, but did not seem to have done much.

The fact that he's even being carried on the active roster tells you that the coaching staff is very pleased with what they've seen so far. He's only outside of the top-12 right now because Patrick came back.

He'll get his opening into the lineup, sooner than later. And then it'll be up to him to make it impossible for them to sit him again. I have a feeling that he'll do just that.

In the meantime, he has the opportunity to show the brass that he can stay positive, keep working his ass off, and be a good teammate. As corny as it sounds, those qualities are just as important to his NHL future as anything that he can do on the ice, between the whistles.
- Tomahawk

The Flyers are in that gray area as a team right now. No longer in a true rebuilding phase and on the edge of becoming a true contender. If were just looking at the future and what the best thing to do right now is, in my opinion move Laughton to the wing and insert Frost as the 4th line center if their insistent on playing him at center. However as the coach likely sees it, that changes the dynamic of the 4th line and changes usage for situational play.

Re: Kucherov, it is only 1 hip (unlike Point, who had surgery on both hips 2 years ago and still returned for the subsequent full season), it was initially treated with a cortisone injection (meaning it is likely that the surgery is not major). I think not only will he be back by playoff times, it is likely he will be back a couple of weeks earlier and will be full strength.

They have Stamkos back, and Cirelli and Sergachev are 1 year more mature. I would definitely put them them in the same category as Avs.

The most puzzling aspect of the off-season to me was the Isles inaction. They were arguably the 2nd best team in the league during playoffs, and took TB to 7. They badly needed some more firepower from their D, but did not seem to have done much.
- PT21

The likelihood of TB clearing cap space to be able to bring Kucherov for the tail end of the regular season before the playoffs start is not likely. They would have to have a number of injured players or an injury to a high cap hit player such as Stamkos to do so.

The most puzzling aspect of the off-season to me was the Isles inaction. They were arguably the 2nd best team in the league during playoffs, and took TB to 7. They badly needed some more firepower from their D, but did not seem to have done much.
- PT21

Isles are all about team play and goaltending, less about talent.

For the Flyers to even have a chance against them this year, they're gonna have to get their team play in the same zip code at least.

I'm feeling pretty good about Sanheim/Myers.

Myers just needs more experience -- otherwise he's shown himself to be pretty unflappable and remarkably consistent.

Sanheim's gotta bear down a bit more along the walls and behind the net -- take a page from Justin Braun's book. Otherwise, he's pretty much set and forget.
- Tomahawk

I love them as a pairing. If they can play well all year as a legit 2nd NHL pairing than that goes a long way for the Flyers. I think Myers is going to grow into a #2 NHL defenseman. It's just a question of when. He's still really green.

The fact that he's even being carried on the active roster tells you that the coaching staff is very pleased with what they've seen so far. He's only outside of the top-12 right now because Patrick came back.

He'll get his opening into the lineup, sooner than later. And then it'll be up to him to make it impossible for them to sit him again. I have a feeling that he'll do just that.

In the meantime, he has the opportunity to show the brass that he can stay positive, keep working his ass off, and be a good teammate. As corny as it sounds, those qualities are just as important to his NHL future as anything that he can do on the ice, between the whistles.
- Tomahawk

My point was: in the absence of injury/poor play by someone, and given absence of actual playing time to show he has improved, what proof can MF provide to show he is better than he was in early Jan when he did not crack lineup? If he was on Phantoms, and lighting it up, he might play himself in. Now he is dependent on others playing themselves out, one way or the other.

If each of 4 lines click, Frost stays outside, shivering.

Isles are all about team play and goaltending, less about talent.

For the Flyers to even have a chance against them this year, they're gonna have to get their team play in the same zip code at least.
- Tomahawk

The Flyers team play was there before the bubble. It disintegrated. That
s what made the Isles look so much better. I don't think they are.

Isles are all about team play and goaltending, less about talent.

For the Flyers to even have a chance against them this year, they're gonna have to get their team play in the same zip code at least.
- Tomahawk

I somewhat disagree.

Re: talent: Barzal is in a different planet from anyone we have on the forwards corps. He will be better. He underachieved against the Bolts.

And they have pretty good speed.

My point was: in the absence of injury/poor play by someone, and given absence of actual playing time to show he has improved, what proof can MF provide to show he is better than he was in early Jan when he did not crack lineup? If he was on Phantoms, and lighting it up, he might play himself in. Now he is dependent on others playing themselves out, one way or the other.

If each of 4 lines click, Frost stays outside, shivering.
- PT21

I'll reiterate the points that you missed obviously.

The coaching staff watched him play and compete in training camp. That they kept him on the active roster shows what they think of the player.

It is a condensed 56 game season with Covid involved. In a normal season, he would get an opportunity to play at some point. Due to injury of another player on ineffectiveness of another player.

When he does get that likely opportunity, it's going to be up to him to make the most of it'

In the meantime, be a good teammate and practice and work hard and continue to have the desire and work ethic.

Let's KICK THE poop OUT OF CROSBY