Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Capitals 5 - Flyers 4; Musings: Trending the Right Way?

I record the games and normally tune in about the middle of the second period.
If it's going south, i kick up the speed of replay.
In some games I'm at 4X before the conclusion.
What is of interest to me is that at higher speeds I lose the smaller events which usually interest me but the general themes are more readily apparent. Especially the time in the zones.
Not much use for a scout but if you are emotionally tied in, it's a form of release to not see every flaw.
If I were a stat freak, I'd keep track as to how long a game takes to get through. Shorter the worser. I'm getting down to half hours. that's much worser than I want.
(worst is less fun)

Thanks, Bill.
Just not good enough right now. All around. Let's see if we can finish out the month headed in the right direction.

Is it me or are the forwards rarely in place for the D men to outlet passes, Watching teams like Tampa, Colorado, Vegas it seems like they come back and are always looking for the pass with the D men many times having more than one option to out let to not "show your hand" of where the play is headed Just seems like our forwards are hanging the d out to dry a bit. Both the D and forwards are giving terrible turnovers I did not expect to see AV allow. He has no problem being hard on Myers but maybe sit Jake a game and make an example out of him being he is one of the lead culprits.

Is it me or are the forwards rarely in place for the D men to outlet passes, Watching teams like Tampa, Colorado, Vegas it seems like they come back and are always looking for the pass with the D men many times having more than one option to out let to not "show your hand" of where the play is headed Just seems like our forwards are hanging the d out to dry a bit. Both the D and forwards are giving terrible turnovers I did not expect to see AV allow. He has no problem being hard on Myers but maybe sit Jake a game and make an example out of him being he is one of the lead culprits.

With the Pens still having 14 games left against the patsies(NJ and Buffalo) I'd say this season is a wrap. The Flyers aren't catching any of the top 3 teams at this point, so it's only the Pens that they could catch and with their soft schedule left good luck with that. This team is generally not physical or fast enough(things that were exposed in last year's playoffs). Lots of work for this GM ahead and I wish I could say I have confidence in him(I don't based on his work in Minny).

There is no need to trade for ekholm.
This team is so lost and out of sync right that it doesn't matter if we add one person to the roster. This team can not play defense.
Right now it is not worth the assets or the expansion draft headache to acquire ekholm

This team has some serious deficiencies. Therrien has got to go, imo
Save the assets for next season after the draft and try again then
This is not how I expected this season to go, even with the loss of nisky

Hell, we may be sellers at the deadline at this point (not that you can really sell anything in a flat cap pandemic)

Is it me or are the forwards rarely in place for the D men to outlet passes, Watching teams like Tampa, Colorado, Vegas it seems like they come back and are always looking for the pass with the D men many times having more than one option to out let to not "show your hand" of where the play is headed Just seems like our forwards are hanging the d out to dry a bit. Both the D and forwards are giving terrible turnovers I did not expect to see AV allow. He has no problem being hard on Myers but maybe sit Jake a game and make an example out of him being he is one of the lead culprits.
- GPerogie

I think there is a growing majority of folks who agree with sitting voracek. AV sat vorwcek and JVR last season and look at how they responded..

Vircek can play 4th like or ride pine but AV should really send him a message asap

From your lips to Fletcher's ears. The problem is going to be Dave Scott, per the recent Inky article where he's suggesting that we're going to be aggressive in our pursuit of someone.

Buckle down. Get through this slog. Pivot to losing someone to Seattle in what hopefully is addition by subtraction. Then look to do what needs to be done.

There is no need to trade for ekholm.
This team is so lost and out of sync right that it doesn't matter if we add one person to the roster. This team can not play defense.
Right now it is not worth the assets or the expansion draft headache to acquire ekholm

This team has some serious deficiencies. Therrien has got to go, imo
Save the assets for next season after the draft and try again then
This is not how I expected this season to go, even with the loss of nisky

Hell, we may be sellers at the deadline at this point (not that you can really sell anything in a flat cap pandemic)
- Bob Habib

Agree. This team has no business making moves with the sole purpose of 2021 in mind. They need to start thinking long term as last year's 7 game loss in the 2nd round might be this team's peak.

I didn’t know until last night that not taking your shift is on my automatic scratching list or that I mentally had such a list...now I do.

NAK sitting on the bench for 19 seconds before the Hagelin goal brings a whole new meaning to “taking a shift off.”

Sell sell sell...anything else unless it helps you for the future is just a Plain waste of assets.

Sitting bobby is funny. That will really motivate him after how many years in the organization.

How anyone can want to keep this core together is something I can’t comprehend. Boston let Chara walk; at a minimum flyers should do the same with clode.

Team defense is a dumpster fire right now. Decion making with the puck in all three zones is inexcusable. That touch pass Giroux tried at his own blue line that led to a turnover and goal was unbelievable.

This team is maddening at the moment. Where they should be simplifying yet they choose to make things complicated. The coach needs to put the hammer down and start benching players for some shifts in game. A message needs to be sent. They need to be embarrassed in front of their teammates and fans.

I would have benched Voracek and demoted him in game after that ridiculous turnover and lack of effort on the back check two nights ago. And he needed to demote Giroux or sit him for a few shifts last night after that ridiculous play.

There is no accountability for the real culprits. Instead he sits NAK and Myers. Yeah, that sends a message.

Dave Scott must be sweating bullets. Could be another season without playoff revenue. Just as fans are starting to come back too.

Expect a move/moves to be made.

Team defense is a dumpster fire right now. Decion making with the puck in all three zones is inexcusable. That touch pass Giroux tried at his own blue line that led to a turnover and goal was unbelievable.

This team is maddening at the moment. Where they should be simplifying yet they choose to make things complicated. The coach needs to put the hammer down and start benching players for some shifts in game. A message needs to be sent. They need to be embarrassed in front of their teammates and fans.

I would have benched Voracek and demoted him in game after that ridiculous turnover and lack of effort on the back check two nights ago. And he needed to demote Giroux or sit him for a few shifts last night after that ridiculous play.

There is no accountability for the real culprits. Instead he sits NAK and Myers. Yeah, that sends a message.
- MBFlyerfan

Team defense is a dumpster fire right now. Decion making with the puck in all three zones is inexcusable. That touch pass Giroux tried at his own blue line that led to a turnover and goal was unbelievable.

This team is maddening at the moment. Where they should be simplifying yet they choose to make things complicated. The coach needs to put the hammer down and start benching players for some shifts in game. A message needs to be sent. They need to be embarrassed in front of their teammates and fans.

I would have benched Voracek and demoted him in game after that ridiculous turnover and lack of effort on the back check two nights ago. And he needed to demote Giroux or sit him for a few shifts last night after that ridiculous play.

There is no accountability for the real culprits. Instead he sits NAK and Myers. Yeah, that sends a message.
- MBFlyerfan

Exactly. They have too many guys back there who panic, and don't make smart plays. They need AT least one veteran d man back there who doesn't panic, and can move his feet. Braun is useless.

I’ll preface this by stating I know I’m going to catch crap from some of you...

It’s been discussed by some that it’s too risky to send Lindlom and Patrick down to the Phantoms to find their game, due to the fact if they’re placed on waivers they’ll get picked up by other teams. Okay, so if that happens, so what? IMO, when and if this team is ever relevant—much less a playoff contender—are either of those players going to be key pieces? I think not. Lindlom and Patrick aren’t even hot and cold players...they’re never “hot.” I just don’t believe it’s a huge gamble to lose one or both players, because they have not shown flashes of brilliance, or even flashes of consistency. Flyers do not need any more players that are comfortable playing on the perimeter, avoid and despise contact at all costs...they simply are not players that are built for the trench warfare, when/if we ever make it back to the playoffs.

I’ll preface this by stating I know I’m going to catch crap from some of you...

It’s been discussed by some that it’s too risky to send Lindlom and Patrick down to the Phantoms to find their game, due to the fact if they’re placed on waivers they’ll get picked up by other teams. Okay, so if that happens, so what? IMO, when and if this team is ever relevant—much less a playoff contender—are either of those players going to be key pieces? I think not. Lindlom and Patrick aren’t even hot and cold players...they’re never “hot.” I just don’t believe it’s a huge gamble to lose one or both players, because they have not shown flashes of brilliance, or even flashes of consistency. Flyers do not need any more players that are comfortable playing on the perimeter, avoid and despise contact at all costs...they simply are not players that are built for the trench warfare, when/if we ever make it back to the playoffs.
- BroadSTmayhem

This is insane.

Team defense is a dumpster fire right now. Decion making with the puck in all three zones is inexcusable. That touch pass Giroux tried at his own blue line that led to a turnover and goal was unbelievable.

This team is maddening at the moment. Where they should be simplifying yet they choose to make things complicated. The coach needs to put the hammer down and start benching players for some shifts in game. A message needs to be sent. They need to be embarrassed in front of their teammates and fans.

I would have benched Voracek and demoted him in game after that ridiculous turnover and lack of effort on the back check two nights ago. And he needed to demote Giroux or sit him for a few shifts last night after that ridiculous play.

There is no accountability for the real culprits. Instead he sits NAK and Myers. Yeah, that sends a message.
- MBFlyerfan

If you are referring to the Hagelin goal....maybe you should consider that they should not have been playing the shift a man down. It was 5 on 5, with only 4 Flyers.

This is insane.
- MBFlyerfan

Why? Both players have been through hell, and should be commended for their fortitude. But beyond their individual circumstances, what exactly do they bring to the team? If you can give me a reasonable response to my question, I’ll respect whatever you have to say. I might not agree with you, but I’m open-minded.

Why? Both players have been through hell, and should be commended for their fortitude. But beyond their individual circumstances, what exactly do they bring to the team? If you can give me a reasonable response to my question, I’ll respect whatever you have to say. I might not agree with you, but I’m open-minded.
- BroadSTmayhem

Because you would lose two YOUNG top 9 forwards with minimal cap hits for nothing. I don't care how they are playing right now, they WOULD be lost. And then you have two more holes to fill now and in the future.

I did not think the goaltending would be an issue this year. It is has been ok overall. Team defense has also gotten a lot worse compared to last season.

I think both can be corrected this season. Just not sure it will happen in time to make the playoffs.

Why? Both players have been through hell, and should be commended for their fortitude. But beyond their individual circumstances, what exactly do they bring to the team? If you can give me a reasonable response to my question, I’ll respect whatever you have to say. I might not agree with you, but I’m open-minded.
- BroadSTmayhem

I'll be the bad guy, and say this...Lindblom should NOT be a second line player on this team, which he was for a while. He isn't there yet. Farabee isn't a top line guy YET. NAK should be on a 4th line at best. The defense in general is way over its head, Too many of these guys in the front office are stubborn as hell, and they want to be loyal to a fault. This is exactly what happened in giving an NMC and too much money to a veteran like Giroux, and way too many years and $$$ to Voracek.

Because you would lose two YOUNG top 9 forwards with minimal cap hits for nothing. I don't care how they are playing right now, they WOULD be lost. And then you have two more holes to fill now and in the future.
- MBFlyerfan

Okay, but IF they did lose both and Flyers had “two more holes to fill now and in the future,” you have room to bring players up from the Phantoms (in the short term), and/or bolster the lineup with proven forwards for the long term via trade or FA signing.

I’ll go back to my original point: Can you identify one area of either players’ game that makes them not expendable?

I'll be the bad guy, and say this...Lindblom should NOT be a second line player on this team, which he was for a while. He isn't there yet. Farabee isn't a top line guy YET. NAK should be on a 4th line at best. The defense in general is way over its head, Too many of these guys in the front office are stubborn as hell, and they want to be loyal to a fault. This is exactly what happened in giving an NMC and too much money to a veteran like Giroux, and way too many years and $$$ to Voracek.
- CupOnBroadSt.

Agree 100% on all points.