What specifically made you feel he was pushing into a top 4 role?
- MJL

His Ice time was up at 18- 20 minutes for the last 7 or so games. Reports from the time was that he was playing with Carle against top lines including Malkin from Pittsburgh & Staal from Carolina. His numbers, including his +/- were good and Carle & Lavy both were very impressed with his play. Lavy particularly was upset with his injury because he said he was making big strides towards staying with the team and he was using him during key defensive moments. Carle was impressed and said he was just getting used to playing in that role and was moving from "keeping his game Simple" to starting to be a little more creative and was starting to show some of his offensive skills & chances.

Now he WAS making strides, but I don't know if he will pick up where he left off or what. He could take a step back for all I know. But I feel that if he could be paired with a quick experienced skater like Coburn or Kimmo, I think he's got the coach's confidence enough to return to where he was before.

Again, I'm not saying that he is a lock by ANY means. I don't even think he'll be a solid top 4 guy this year. But I think he'll be in the regular 6 as Lavy seems to trust his play, even more than Gus. If you notice Bourdon's name is always the first out of Lavy & Homer's mouths when they talk about Young D-men stepping up.

Drafting isn't the problem... it's developing. Rushed Pitkanen, rushed Seidenberg, rushed Sbisa, cut bait on Marshall and Lehtivuori, couldn't get Bodrov out of Russia, probably mishandled Bartulis... IMO, that's some serious undermining of the scouting dept by management.
- Tomahawk

I don't see that any of Pitkanen, Seidenberg or Sbisa were rushed. More like they gave up too early on Pitkanen and Seidenberg. And they got a pretty good player for Sbisa in a trade.

I agree to the extent that it isn't as bad as some in here make it out to be. I would still like to see them add a serviceable veteran to compete for a 5th 6th role and be able to step in to a top 4 if needed (IE CC).

This is still a playoff team in my opinion. No one in here is saying this is a cup winning back line regardless of what some negative fools think. It is a looong way to April. This team makes the playoffs in the east as is, and we all know Homer will make some kind of deal if the situation warrants it.

Now we all know Coburn has no one timer slapshot, Bryzgalov will never be successful in the NHL, Schenn is a bust, losing Lilja shows us all we are fools, missing Meszaros shows us how horrible the Flyers are at cap management, not getting Nash dooms us to being 30th in the league in scoring, and not trading for Ryan dooms Giroux to 35 points and AHL demotion by January (barring a lockout of course). But I for one and willing to look past all of these catastrophic season ending calamities and actually wait until they play some games before I declare us all fools for believing the Flyers could beat a CHL team let alone make the playoffs in the Eastern conference.

But that's just me.
- MBFlyerfan

I'm a pessimist for this year, for the first time in years. But I'm neither a fool nor do I believe that the optimists are fools. It's just opinions. And these opinions swing back and forth. Just last spring I was defending Brayden Schenn because he had a lot of detractors. Now for goodness sake he's an untouchable, a cornerstone, better than Richie... Funny how things change.

Flyers need an Andrew Bynum type to come in and solidify things

His Ice time was up at 18- 20 minutes for the last 7 or so games. Reports from the time was that he was playing with Carle against top lines including Malkin from Pittsburgh & Staal from Carolina. His numbers, including his +/- were good and Carle & Lavy both were very impressed with his play. Lavy particularly was upset with his injury because he said he was making big strides towards staying with the team and he was using him during key defensive moments. Carle was impressed and said he was just getting used to playing in that role and was moving from "keeping his game Simple" to starting to be a little more creative and was starting to show some of his offensive skills & chances.

Now he WAS making strides, but I don't know if he will pick up where he left off or what. He could take a step back for all I know. But I feel that if he could be paired with a quick experienced skater like Coburn or Kimmo, I think he's got the coach's confidence enough to return to where he was before.

Again, I'm not saying that he is a lock by ANY means. I don't even think he'll be a solid top 4 guy this year. But I think he'll be in the regular 6 as Lavy seems to trust his play, even more than Gus. If you notice Bourdon's name is always the first out of Lavy & Homer's mouths when they talk about Young D-men stepping up.
- flyler

I would attribute his ice time more to the fact that Mezzy was out, Kimmo was the Walking Dead, Grossmann had leg issues, and Kubina was also banged up considerably.

Dont get me wrong, I like the kid, and hope he is a top 4 one day.

I don't see that any of Pitkanen, Seidenberg or Sbisa were rushed. More like they gave up too early on Pitkanen and Seidenberg. And they got a pretty good player for Sbisa in a trade.
- MJL

And now that Pronger is done, Homer looks pretty foolish for making that trade.

Flyers need an Andrew Bynum type to come in and solidify things
- Crimsoninja

don't taint them by alluding to the other decrepit franchises in philadelphia plz.

I don't see that any of Pitkanen, Seidenberg or Sbisa were rushed. More like they gave up too early on Pitkanen and Seidenberg. And they got a pretty good player for Sbisa in a trade.
- MJL

i think that might be what he meant.

I don't see that any of Pitkanen, Seidenberg or Sbisa were rushed. More like they gave up too early on Pitkanen and Seidenberg. And they got a pretty good player for Sbisa in a trade.
- MJL

Yeah and it's not like Sbisa has developed into a top level defenseman. He's had his share of growing pains in Anaheim.

I just hope he adds a bit of size.. he's 5'10'' 160 lbs... if he can top out at 5'11''-6' 185 lbs... he would have the size needed in the NHL.
- jak521

Wasn't Timonen only 160-170 lbs. when drafted?

Here's the defensive corps of the other 4 teams of the division:


- NickTheKid87

i wonder if the Isles plan on getting Reinhart into the lineup right away.

Wasn't Timonen only 160-170 lbs. when drafted?
- bradleyc4

yes hence my earlier reference to him being the next Kimo

Also, I can't see the Rangers be as good defensively as they were last year. Pretty much all their dmen had career years. What are the chances of that happening again? Plus they'll have to commit to offense a little more after it killed them in the playoffs.
- NickTheKid87

I think the Rangers, when healthy, can easily replicate their defensive success from last year. More likely to sting them is if they aren't so lucky when it comes to games lost to injury by key players.

They fact that Shea Weber and the Preds haven't finalized the deal plus with Hartnell's recent comments, it seems to me that Weber 100% believed he'd be a Flyer when he signed that offer sheet. I don't think he wants to play in Nashville now that he had a taste of Philly.

His Ice time was up at 18- 20 minutes for the last 7 or so games. Reports from the time was that he was playing with Carle against top lines including Malkin from Pittsburgh & Staal from Carolina. His numbers, including his +/- were good and Carle & Lavy both were very impressed with his play. Lavy particularly was upset with his injury because he said he was making big strides towards staying with the team and he was using him during key defensive moments. Carle was impressed and said he was just getting used to playing in that role and was moving from "keeping his game Simple" to starting to be a little more creative and was starting to show some of his offensive skills & chances.

Now he WAS making strides, but I don't know if he will pick up where he left off or what. He could take a step back for all I know. But I feel that if he could be paired with a quick experienced skater like Coburn or Kimmo, I think he's got the coach's confidence enough to return to where he was before.

Again, I'm not saying that he is a lock by ANY means. I don't even think he'll be a solid top 4 guy this year. But I think he'll be in the regular 6 as Lavy seems to trust his play, even more than Gus. If you notice Bourdon's name is always the first out of Lavy & Homer's mouths when they talk about Young D-men stepping up.
- flyler

The situations where his minutes were elevated in the last 7 games or so, were in blowouts such as 7-1 win over Toronto. And also in games late in the Season where the Flyers were limiting minutes to players such as Timonen and Grossmann due to being banged up, to help them get ready for the playoffs.

I like Bourdon. I favor him over Gustafsson and what little we've seen in Manning. I like BOurdon's agressiveness,a nd his physical edge. I have doubts that he'll be a top 4 level player in the future. It certainly is possible, but not likely in my opinion. But I have no doubt that he can be a solid 3rd pair player.

I think the Rangers, when healthy, can easily replicate their defensive success from last year. More likely to sting them is if they aren't so lucky when it comes to games lost to injury by key players.
- BulliesPhan87

They were almost perfectly healthy last year which was a miracle more or less. It seems to me that everything feel into place for them defensively throughout the regular season. Also, it will hurt them losing Dubinsky and Prust. Their grit level dropped substantially.

They fact that Shea Weber and the Preds haven't finalized the deal plus with Hartnell's recent comments, it seems to me that Weber 100% believed he'd be a Flyer when he signed that offer sheet. I don't think he wants to play in Nashville now that he had a taste of Philly.
- NickTheKid87

could be the new flyers logo now that they are basically an inept cavalcade of injuries and incompetence

I would attribute his ice time more to the fact that Mezzy was out, Kimmo was the Walking Dead, Grossmann had leg issues, and Kubina was also banged up considerably.

Dont get me wrong, I like the kid, and hope he is a top 4 one day.
- MBFlyerfan

Exactly. And if it wasn't for those injury issues. Bourdon is looking at around the 15 mark or so in icetime. Or even lower such as the 12-13 minute mark that he saw in a couple of tight games down the stretch. You have to look at all the aspects.

They were almost perfectly healthy last year which was a miracle more or less. It seems to me that everything feel into place for them defensively throughout the regular season. Also, it will hurt them losing Dubinsky and Prust. Their grit level dropped substantially.
- NickTheKid87

I hope so. I'd rather not allow their fans the pleasure of reusing that "you can't beat us" chant.

I don't see that any of Pitkanen, Seidenberg or Sbisa were rushed. More like they gave up too early on Pitkanen and Seidenberg. And they got a pretty good player for Sbisa in a trade.
- MJL

Seidenberg only got 19-games of NA hockey before they rushed him into the lineup hoping he would be an offensive contributor... he was undersized and overwhelmed, and when he couldn't put up the expected numbers, they cut bait before allowing him to round out his game.

Pitkanen wasn't rushed to the NHL, but he was rushed up the depth chart and was gift-wrapped a prominent role -- we all know now that he wasn't mentally ready to be an adult, much less a pro, at that time, so fast-tracking him to stardom probably wasn't the best idea.

Sbisa was in the NHL at the age of 18 -- that's pretty much the very definition of rushed. Is it any wonder that Anaheim sent him back to junior for a year before they brought him in as a regular?

They fact that Shea Weber and the Preds haven't finalized the deal plus with Hartnell's recent comments, it seems to me that Weber 100% believed he'd be a Flyer when he signed that offer sheet. I don't think he wants to play in Nashville now that he had a taste of Philly.
- NickTheKid87

He doesn't have a choice.

could be the new flyers logo now that they are basically an inept cavalcade of injuries and incompetence


- Crimsoninja

meh missing the playoffs 6 times in 40 years aint all that bad.

could be the new flyers logo now that they are basically an inept cavalcade of injuries and incompetence


- Crimsoninja

Not a bad idea

But I wouldn't be surprised if Weber forces Nashville's hand and he ends up in the Orange and Black next summer. It's tough to have a disgruntled player with a monster contract on any team.

He doesn't have a choice.
- MJL

I know. I'm just saying that Weber might demand a trade after the 1 year grace period. I think it's definitely a possibility now by the things that are going around about him.

meh missing the playoffs 6 times in 40 years aint all that bad.
- JoeRussomanno

was merely emulating another regular here, sir