Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Phantoms, Hayes, Brink and More

I find it interesting that Hayes has got so much flak for his defensive issues this season, when his ES GA numbers are better than Konecny, Tippett and JVR. At 5on5 they are also better than Frost and Laughton.

No one will confuse Kevin for a Selke candidate, but it's not like he's Yandle in forward form, either.

Good read on the A on the Flyers top 10 prospects

Good read on the A on the Flyers top 10 prospects
- wcorvette

This is kinda nice.

Seven of the 10 prospects are currently playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and two of the remaining three could potentially be AHL/NHL pros as soon as the end of the 2022-23 season. The strength of Philadelphia’s prospect pool is in the NHL-readiness of its high-end — for the most part, the best prospects are also close prospects. And maybe, just maybe, there might be one player in this group — perhaps the one taken at No. 5 last summer — with star-level potential.

NHL Network program guide said they were broadcasting Phantoms game last night, but I had talking heads instead. Blackout?

This is kinda nice.
- MBFlyerfan

seems I have been reading about how good the flyers prospect are for the last 8 years.

Where all these prospects going to play when/if they become NHL ready? Looking at the current flyers roster not many spaces. The refusal to move players out is baffling.

yt

NHL Network program guide said they were broadcasting Phantoms game last night, but I had talking heads instead. Blackout?
- backfire

how was that concert?

NHL Network program guide said they were broadcasting Phantoms game last night, but I had talking heads instead. Blackout?
- backfire

I saw the same thing, but they did broadcast the Connor Bedard show at 9
( Regina Pats vs Calgary Hitmen)...Insane to blackout an AHL game.. Comcast occasionally throws a bone of a Phantoms game maybe 4 times a year..not sure about the rights and the relationship with Service Electric who is a competing provider to Comcast in Berks and that surrounding area.

This is kinda nice.
- MBFlyerfan

yeah, like that. You can see the Flyers have some pieces coming, they are high on Brink, Desnoyers, Amil and Foerster to name a few. Yes, not the elite but with the NHL club and what they have coming, they have a group they can deal from. Just need a smart GM, ugh.

My opinion, this is CF's last chance. CF could make the case with all the inquires to the big club and prospects he was handcuffed, that the value of most players were in the toilet. This season has gone a long way to reestablish value, they need to make an impact or CF needs to get value in trades to show a clear direction for the franchise. His trades to date have to be viewed as a failing grade.

seems I have been reading about how good the flyers prospect are for the last 8 years.

Where all these prospects going to play when/if they become NHL ready? Looking at the current flyers roster not many spaces. The refusal to move players out is baffling.
- hello it's me 2050

It has to do with the entrenched dinosaur view that this team always has to go for it. Instead of going with youth and just letting them get trial by fire, they have to sign these questionable vets to short deals to fill in the gaps in an effort to stay competitive.

It kills them year after year IMO. A never ending cycle of mediocrity.

how was that concert?
- hello it's me 2050

lol

The Flyers have more than enough good forwards, both on their NHL club and in their prospect pool. What they desperately need is a great one, a player with star-level skill who can take over games and be the driving force on a Stanley Cup-contending club.

There’s no guarantee that Cutter Gauthier can reach that level. But he’s the one player in the prospect with that kind of upside.

Physically, Gauthier is one of the most impressive prospects in hockey. He’s a smooth-skating beast of a forward, capable of blasting through the neutral zone with the puck and blasting opposing players into the boards without it. He also possesses one of the best shots among current NHL prospects — he can beat goalies clean with his wrister or just straight-up overpower them with a one-timer. When netminders see Gauthier racing into the offensive zone with the puck, they’re on high alert. For good reason.

Thus far at Boston College, Gauthier has thrived playing center full-time after a bit of a slow start. While there are still some who believe he’ll ultimately prove best suited to the wing in the NHL, the Flyers have every intention of developing him as a center, seeing him as a sniping pivot in the Jeff Carter or even Leon Draisaitl mold. Can he stick in the middle? Will he remain as dominant physically at the pro level as he has been everywhere else? And does he have the hockey sense to take full advantage of his enviable tools? Those are the questions remaining for Gauthier to face. But his impressive freshman season at BC has kept the hope alive that he just might become the star forward the Flyers need so badly. — Charlie

It has to do with the entrenched dinosaur view that this team always has to go for it. Instead of going with youth and just letting them get trial by fire, they have to sign these questionable vets to short deals to fill in the gaps in an effort to stay competitive.

It kills them year after year IMO. A never ending cycle of mediocrity.
- MBFlyerfan

true, but they have stock piled prospects. Missing on Patrick and to a smaller extent Provy not being a sure fire #1 hurt. Easy to say but had to trade Jake or Simmer when the traded Schenn, Patrick actually influenced that not happening, just my opinion

[quote=MBFlyerfan]


watching him play college and then at the WJC, I think it might be better to have be at center, seems he has the puck more.

It has to do with the entrenched dinosaur view that this team always has to go for it. Instead of going with youth and just letting them get trial by fire, they have to sign these questionable vets to short deals to fill in the gaps in an effort to stay competitive.

It kills them year after year IMO. A never ending cycle of mediocrity.
- MBFlyerfan

nothing is going to change as most realize.

Add in ex selke and probably Cam there is 2 more roster spots for next year taken. Though most of those prospects imo are not ready.

Even so do you see Torts rolling with a 4th line of decent skill and/or young players instead of his archaic 4th line approach?

true, but they have stock piled prospects. Missing on Patrick and to a smaller extent Provy not being a sure fire #1 hurt. Easy to say but had to trade Jake or Simmer when the traded Schenn, Patrick actually influenced that not happening, just my opinion
- wcorvette

The Hextall “retool” crushed this franchise as well. The road to nowhere. Fletcher came in and said let me just really Frank this up further

true, but they have stock piled prospects. Missing on Patrick and to a smaller extent Provy not being a sure fire #1 hurt. Easy to say but had to trade Jake or Simmer when the traded Schenn, Patrick actually influenced that not happening, just my opinion
- wcorvette

like many many other teams. Other teams have better prospects and better NHL level players though.

Of course they did, Saint Ronnie had no plan nor balls to take and stick with one approach. My apologies, please no more Ronnie talk.

This mess is all 100% chuck

nothing is going to change as most realize.

Add in ex selke and probably Cam there is 2 more roster spots for next year taken. Though most of those prospects imo are not ready.

Even so do you see Torts rolling with a 4th line of decent skill and/or young players instead of his archaic 4th line approach?
-Hello its me 2050

That is why its imperative for the Flyers to open roster spots at the deadline and the off season. At least 3 forwards and 2 defenseman from LHV should have a legitimate shot at making the club next year, plus you have Andrae coming over also. This is why the Flyers do not need to dip into the free agent pool, because they have ready players that can step up an fill in spots on the big club. But this does not happen if spots are not freed up. JVR will be one such spot, but its obvious Hayes has to be another.

That is why its imperative for the Flyers to open roster spots at the deadline and the off season. At least 3 forwards and 2 defenseman from LHV should have a legitimate shot at making the club next year, plus you have Andrae coming over also. This is why the Flyers do not need to dip into the free agent pool, because they have ready players that can step up an fill in spots on the big club. But this does not happen if spots are not freed up. JVR will be one such spot, but its obvious Hayes has to be another.
- jd250

You clearly understand they will not open up spots. They may even bring in some plyers. Which is fine if they fit into the timeline.

I do not see 3 fwd having a legit shot. Nor do I see 2 dman.

The Hextall “retool” crushed this franchise as well. The road to nowhere. Fletcher came in and said let me just really Frank this up further
- ClaudeFather

the unintentional G effect, you believe you have high end talent and can do 1/2 re-build

No spots are going to be simply handed over to a young player. They're going to have to earn those spots by having an immaculate training camp and playing mistake-free preseason hockey.

Probably wouldn't hurt to block as many shots as possible, chip pucks in deep, and take the body.

The Flyers care about results. And that is simply winning the next hockey game. Pure and simple.

It wouldn't be fair to the current team or the coach for the GM to cut them off at the knee caps before the deadline. Fletcher should listen to offers of course but unless it is too good to decline, he should not answer the phone.

If anything, adding some defensive depth would help for the playoff stretch run.

I find it interesting that Hayes has got so much flak for his defensive issues this season, when his ES GA numbers are better than Konecny, Tippett and JVR. At 5on5 they are also better than Frost and Laughton.

No one will confuse Kevin for a Selke candidate, but it's not like he's Yandle in forward form, either.
- Feanor

Chalk it up to on-ice SV%. He's 1.5-3.5% higher than all the guys you mentioned at 5v5.

If you look at xGA/60 instead, Hayes is near the bottom of the forward stack, only above TK (who's been surprisingly bad defensively).

The criticism is warranted, IMO.

Chalk it up to on-ice SV%. He's 1.5-3.5% higher than all the guys you mentioned at 5v5.

If you look at xGA/60 instead, Hayes is near the bottom of the forward stack, only above TK (who's been surprisingly bad defensively).

The criticism is warranted, IMO.
- Tomahawk

I don't think it's surprising. TK and Hayes played a lot together and that was the only line that was scoring for a while. If they weren't taking chances, the Flyers would have been scoring one goal a game for a while.