This is the exact 3 lines I posted months ago and no one agreed with me.

I would prefer a scoring winger and see Voracek on the second line with Schenn and Briere, and Simmonds on the third line. We'll see.
- Daman

I agree to an extent but I do believe that G has the ability to score 30+ goals on a regular basis & Jake can be a 20-25 goal scorer so playing them together makes sense to that effect. Ideally, I'd like to give G a shoot first winger to play with and use Jake's playmaking expertise on another line to maximize output. However, this experiment is worth a shot and we'll see how things pan out.

Yup I know all about achillies injuries unfortunately. I thought Bill had in his blog recently that Gustafsson was on crutches now. If that is the case he's a long way off from playing. High ankle sprains are sometimes worse than broken bones.
- PLindbergh31

They can be. He had been skating, but obviously he had a set back

Yeah the trade deadline phantom concussion.
- Philly1980

I saw he was faking the concussion to avoid being traded on Jesse Ventura's Conspiracy Theories.

I agree with that 100%, my issue is throwing away draft picks on mediocore stop gaps. Inviting guys to camp is what I would like them to take a look at doing.

I'm not so sure Gustafsson will be able to play anytime soon, counting on him being an option isn't very realistic. Time will tell.
- PLindbergh31

Why isn't Gustafsson a very realistic option? He has a bone bruise! He doesn't need an amputation.

The only thing that worries me are the 5/6 defensemen, which seems to have become a common theme for this team. If the goalie shots the bed as about 69% of people seem certain, they'll get their wish: two shiny new backups.

I saw he was faking the concussion to avoid being traded on Jesse Ventura's Conspiracy Theories.
- PLindbergh31

LOL....Anyway hes a big giant puss.

The only thing that worries me are the 5/6 defensemen, which seems to have become a common theme for this team. If the goalie shots the bed as about 69% of people seem certain, they'll get their wish: two shiny new backups.
- JoeRussomanno

I'm at the point that the only way I would buyout Bryz is if he was awful this year or if we could be almost guaranteed to get Jimmy Howard, who'll be a UFA. Doubt Detroit let's him go though.

I got such a jones for this season last night I ended up playing NHL 13 till 345 in the morning. I think my record was like 2-8-1 or something like that, hot damn what happened to video games!? I used to wreck some major Nintendo hockey with a team of all fat dudes! Now I can't even do a fricking line change! C'mon real hockey!

I'm at the point that the only way I would buyout Bryz is if he was awful this year or if we could be almost guaranteed to get Jimmy Howard, who'll be a UFA. Doubt Detroit let's him go though.
- NickTheKid87

Notice I ended that with getting two backups. I doubt we get a quality goalie if Bryz takes the long walk, for a reasonable price.

Call me one of those people that would rather not see G and Czech play on the same line. They're the same player....puck control, pass first players. I dunno...I just feel like they would "get in each others' way" on the ice....

Maybe the top 2 lines could see Schenner and Czechy switch?:

Schenn-G-Hartsy
Simmer-Briere-Czech

Schenn is a more offensively diverse player than Voracek is (as in, he's not primarily anything....he's more well rounded per se. Not saying he's a better player than Czech is- just comparing playing styles), and I think playing with the elite playmaker in G and a crash the net power forward type in Hartsy, he could find some good chemistry getting a pass from G, taking a hard shot, and seeing Scotty Hair bury the rebound

For the second line, it's the same type of deal- Simmer parks in front of the net, and Czechy makes it happen by being the playmaker to Briere on the backdoor.

I dunno. It's not that I'm vehemently against a Czech-G-Hartsy top line....I just think by putting G and Czech on the same line Lavy wouldn't be using his resources to their fullest potential. All this being said, though, if I see those 3 out as our 1st line, I'm not going to complain in the slightest.

As for D...in my opinion, there isn't much speculation here...I think we could all agree that Lavy would be foolish to split up the wrecking crew that was the Coburn/Grossmann pair last year, and I think it's a no brainer to pair stay at home Schenner #2 with the puck mover/most complete package dman on the team in Kimmo (He is, after all, the Finnish God of Defense ). That's on a strictly hockey basis though- maybe even more importantly, as has been brought up, is putting the young, still maturing Schenn next to an archetype mentor in Kimmo.

Which leaves a pile of dogpoop for our 3rd pair

Sorry for my blabbering fellas. Just my take on things. Can't wait for a white gameday jersey

Yup I know all about achillies injuries unfortunately. I thought Bill had in his blog recently that Gustafsson was on crutches now. If that is the case he's a long way off from playing. High ankle sprains are sometimes worse than broken bones.
- PLindbergh31

How's that going, anyways? Still stuck behind the desk, or have we recovered?

As for the veteran plug vs. call up defenseman, I don't mind the idea of inviting guys to camp to see what they've got, but I'm all for giving Manning a turn on the third pairing. He doesn't stand in memory as horrendous when he was up last season, and I wouldn't mind using something we've already got. He's been playing in the A, so he'll have his hockey legs under him already (a luxury not all players will have in this amputated season).

Call me one of those people that would rather not see G and Czech play on the same line. They're the same player....puck control, pass first players. I dunno...I just feel like they would "get in each others' way" on the ice....

Maybe the top 2 lines could see Schenner and Czechy switch?:

Schenn-G-Hartsy
Simmer-Briere-Czech

Schenn is a more offensively diverse player than Voracek is (as in, he's not primarily anything....he's more well rounded per se. Not saying he's a better player than Czech is- just comparing playing styles), and I think playing with the elite playmaker in G and a crash the net power forward type in Hartsy, he could find some good chemistry getting a pass from G, taking a hard shot, and seeing Scotty Hair bury the rebound

For the second line, it's the same type of deal- Simmer parks in front of the net, and Czechy makes it happen by being the playmaker to Briere on the backdoor.

I dunno. It's not that I'm vehemently against a Czech-G-Hartsy top line....I just think by putting G and Czech on the same line Lavy wouldn't be using his resources to their fullest potential. All this being said, though, if I see those 3 out as our 1st line, I'm not going to complain in the slightest.

As for D...in my opinion, there isn't much speculation here...I think we could all agree that Lavy would be foolish to split up the wrecking crew that was the Coburn/Grossmann pair last year, and I think it's a no brainer to pair stay at home Schenner #2 with the puck mover/most complete package dman on the team in Kimmo (He is, after all, the Finnish God of Defense ). That's on a strictly hockey basis though- maybe even more importantly, as has been brought up, is putting the young, still maturing Schenn next to an archetype mentor in Kimmo.

Which leaves a pile of dogpoop for our 3rd pair

Sorry for my blabbering fellas. Just my take on things. Can't wait for a white gameday jersey
- Giroux_Is_God

Do you think Jagr was a puck control player?

Call me one of those people that would rather not see G and Czech play on the same line. They're the same player....puck control, pass first players. I dunno...I just feel like they would "get in each others' way" on the ice....

Maybe the top 2 lines could see Schenner and Czechy switch?:

Schenn-G-Hartsy
Simmer-Briere-Czech

Schenn is a more offensively diverse player than Voracek is (as in, he's not primarily anything....he's more well rounded per se. Not saying he's a better player than Czech is- just comparing playing styles), and I think playing with the elite playmaker in G and a crash the net power forward type in Hartsy, he could find some good chemistry getting a pass from G, taking a hard shot, and seeing Scotty Hair bury the rebound

For the second line, it's the same type of deal- Simmer parks in front of the net, and Czechy makes it happen by being the playmaker to Briere on the backdoor.

I dunno. It's not that I'm vehemently against a Czech-G-Hartsy top line....I just think by putting G and Czech on the same line Lavy wouldn't be using his resources to their fullest potential. All this being said, though, if I see those 3 out as our 1st line, I'm not going to complain in the slightest.

As for D...in my opinion, there isn't much speculation here...I think we could all agree that Lavy would be foolish to split up the wrecking crew that was the Coburn/Grossmann pair last year, and I think it's a no brainer to pair stay at home Schenner #2 with the puck mover/most complete package dman on the team in Kimmo (He is, after all, the Finnish God of Defense ). That's on a strictly hockey basis though- maybe even more importantly, as has been brought up, is putting the young, still maturing Schenn next to an archetype mentor in Kimmo.

Which leaves a pile of dogpoop for our 3rd pair

Sorry for my blabbering fellas. Just my take on things. Can't wait for a white gameday jersey
- Giroux_Is_God

I guess in a cap world, there has to be weaknesses somewhere. But you are correct. Gervais/Lilja is a cluster(frank). It's going to be a chinese fire drill every time these guys are on the ice.

Gervais was a healthy scratch a good portion of the season on a dreadful defensive TB Lightning hockey club last year.

Notice I ended that with getting two backups. I doubt we get a quality goalie if Bryz takes the long walk, for a reasonable price.
- JoeRussomanno

Exactly. We'd end up with something like Chris Mason and Brian Boucher again.

Do you think Jagr was a puck control player?
- MJL

He wasn't a pass first player though. I wouldn't really say he and Giroux were primarily the same type of player....

How's that going, anyways? Still stuck behind the desk, or have we recovered?

As for the veteran plug vs. call up defenseman, I don't mind the idea of inviting guys to camp to see what they've got, but I'm all for giving Manning a turn on the third pairing. He doesn't stand in memory as horrendous when he was up last season, and I wouldn't mind using something we've already got. He's been playing in the A, so he'll have his hockey legs under him already (a luxury not all players will have in this amputated season).
- BulliesPhan87

Do you really want to see Gervais, Lilja, and Manning as 3 of the 6 Dmen in the lineup? That wouldn't be good. Let's hope that isn't the case even for one game this year.

I got such a jones for this season last night I ended up playing NHL 13 till 345 in the morning. I think my record was like 2-8-1 or something like that, hot damn what happened to video games!? I used to wreck some major Nintendo hockey with a team of all fat dudes! Now I can't even do a fricking line change! C'mon real hockey!
- JoeRussomanno

I'm with you, the new NHLs are just too much for me (and I still actively play other kinds of video games! ). I'm happy to dust off my super nintendo and NHL96 when I feel the need instead. I'm also with you in that I'm ready for real hockey instead

Thanks for the update Bill...
it will be a sprint.
Have a good weekend!!!

Do you think Jagr was a puck control player?
- MJL

Beat me to it. But I'd like to add that the whole idea of jake being on that line is he's a player with a similar skill set to what was lost. I don't see Simmons or a Schenn as that type.

stupid question.......are the players being paid their entire salary or just a pro-rated salary over 99 days? how is the daily cap being calculated this year?

Do you really want to see Gervais, Lilja, and Manning as 3 of the 6 Dmen in the lineup? That wouldn't be good. Let's hope that isn't the case even for one game this year.
- PLindbergh31

I think I'd be more comfortable with Lilja, Gervais, and Manning than I would Lilja, Gervais, and another defenseman of Lilja/Gervais caliber. If somebody on a tryout stands out at camp to take the five spot, I'd be inclined to reconsider.

EDIT: Also, it would be Gervais, Lilja, and Manning as 3 of 7 defensemen this year. I pray to whatever powers that may be listening that we don't see any of these three in the top 4.

I'm with you, the new NHLs are just too much for me (and I still actively play other kinds of video games! ). I'm happy to dust off my super nintendo and NHL96 when I feel the need instead. I'm also with you in that I'm ready for real hockey instead
- BulliesPhan87

I don't remember getting schooled so bad by a computer generated opponent in a sports game since The first time I played tecmo bowl. Forget about manual shooting too. Omg that was like trying to hit flies with darts.

Call me one of those people that would rather not see G and Czech play on the same line. They're the same player....puck control, pass first players. I dunno...I just feel like they would "get in each others' way" on the ice....


- Giroux_Is_God

I see what you're saying but I think that tends to come from the NHL 13 kind of viewpoint where a PLY and a SNP work better than two PLYs. I don't think that's necessarily true in real life. Giroux has a good shot and can easier benefit from a puck mover like Jake (as he did with Jagr).

Sometimes stats can throw us off in an odd way. If Giroux were to pick up 35 G-65 A over 82 games and a guy like Matt Read scored 30 G-25 A, Read would seem like more of a goal scorer because he had more goals than assists while, in truth, G is the better goal scorer. We'd love to have Jake play with a guy he could help score 30 goals but we don't think of G as the guy, given his playmaking abilities.

I see what you're saying but I think that tends to come from the NHL 13 kind of viewpoint where a PLY and a SNP work better than two PLYs. I don't think that's necessarily true in real life. Giroux has a good shot and can easier benefit from a puck mover like Jake (as he did with Jagr).

Sometimes stats can throw us off in an odd way. If Giroux were to pick up 35 G-65 A over 82 games and a guy like Matt Read scored 30 G-25 A, Read would seem like more of a goal scorer because he had more goals than assists while, in truth, G is the better goal scorer. We'd love to have Jake play with a guy he could help score 30 goals but we don't think of G as the guy, given his playmaking abilities.
- NickTheKid87

If jake ever learns to finish that trade might get Columbus shutdown for good and their old GM under investigation for some kind of fraud.

Edit: btw what the hell is a ply and snp? Plywood and sandpaper? Sorry I'm about two or three generations behind in video games. I can lay some smack down in halo tho

I've had the same thoughts. But I w thinking the same thing. I don't know if Read will quite reach the level that Sharpe has. But Read is a very good player that I think the Flyers should try and keep. I'd deal Simmonds before I dealt Read. Not that I don't like Simmonds. But I just see Read as a more valuable player.
- MJL

I disagree as I would keep Simmons over Read anyday. You do not find tough in your face players that are as colorful as Wayne. He was born to be a Flyer as he plays tough hockey and backs down from no one. That being said Read should be kept as well because he has great skill and a great rookie year to maybe build on.