I will always prefer a system that initiates play and doesnt react to othe other team. Its playing to win the game.

The Flyers as they stand do not have the horses on the back end to be a really strong defensive team imo. The forward group is an improving mixture, but you still have many forwards who constantly back-check with no effort or just glide leaving glaring holes in coverage.

Mix that in with an abudance of soft goals and you have a poop storm. I understand the organization's desire to win every year but if the team struggles this season and Lava is fired that is the fault of management. An aging, injury prone, and slow blueline that lacks star power. I agree with tweaking things a bit but to bring in a guy like Murray as head coach (if Lava ever got fired) scares the hell out of me.

Again though, a lot falls on Bryzgalov. His play is aided by the play of the team but it goes both ways. The team can play a solid up tempo game and back-check but breakdowns will ALWAYS happen. Letting in weak goals will make any system look foolish.

Just like how McNabb worked so well in the West Coast offense, having a guy who can only throw rockets for 4-yard gains.
- jmatchett

This is where Andy Reid is a different coach from most. He's arrogant and refuses to change. It seems that Lavy is willing to tweak somethings to best suit the team. I'm not saying switch to a system like the Rangers employ. the Flyers can still use an offensive system but it needs to look more like the March 2012 system than the playoffs version.

The worst thing they can do is put the expectation out there that Lavi should go out of his comfort level and coach more like Torts/Sutter. The Caps asked for a similar tactical shift with Boudreau last season, and that was an unmitigated disaster.

If you've got a coach you brought in to coach an attacking style of play, and you've had a track record of success based on how that style fits your personnel, you'd really be foolish to throw that out the window over a regular season sweep at the hands of a division rival and to try to shelter your enigmatic goaltender.
- Tomahawk

With Lava's track record of getting this team pretty deep, asking him to change philosophy is a slap in the face. Tweaking is one thing... The Flyers need to set an identity. That is a bigger issue to me here. When the "new nhl" began the team signed hatcher and rathje. After being dominated by a small and fast Buffalo team there was a shift toward skill. In my wildest days I never thought a player like Zherdev would be seen wearing a Flyers uniform. Now the team seemed to realise they were perhaps a little soft.

It seems somewhat panicky to me. Stick to the philosophy of players who play hard, and have heart. First and foremost thats what I think of when I think "Flyers".

Just wanted to direct everyone to Cloutier's blog, where he suggests a trade Nashville could never refuse: Hemsky, Klefbom, and 2 firsts to help Nashville unload Shea Weber this offseason.

I don't see Briere going anywhere this year, as he's been the most dominant playoff scorer since the 04/05 lockout (how sad we have to reference which one now). If his postseason production dips or, God forbid, the Flyers don't make the playoffs, I think he could be traded in the offseason.
I hope not though, as he seems to be a great fit with this team. I remember in Game 6 vs. Buffalo where he got up in the locker room after the second period and told the team he wasn't ready for the season to end after Kaleta was asking him about his divorce, and they came back to win the game and series.
- jmatchett

I hadn't heard about this? What happened with this?

Just wanted to direct everyone to Cloutier's blog, where he suggests a trade Nashville could never refuse: Hemsky, Klefbom, and 2 firsts to help Nashville unload Shea Weber this offseason.
- jmatchett

Yeah they could never refuse that. It's the perfect return except for the fact that it sucks.

Everyone check out google home page today!



- MBFlyerfan

An important day in hockey history!

I hadn't heard about this? What happened with this?
- Giroux_Is_God

Basically, Kaleta and one other player (Gaustad?) were egging on Danny and I think Hartnell about their divorces. When they went into the locker room, apparently Danny got up and told the players he wasn't ready to go home at the hands of those jerks.

This is where Andy Reid is a different coach from most. He's arrogant and refuses to change. It seems that Lavy is willing to tweak somethings to best suit the team. I'm not saying switch to a system like the Rangers employ. the Flyers can still use an offensive system but it needs to look more like the March 2012 system than the playoffs version.
- NickTheKid87

No coach tells his players to glide back into the zone or not battle hard enough. I do agree Lava needs to emphasize good defensive play and really focus on that with his players.

At the same time look at the cards he has been given. The Flyers failed to upgrade the blueline. It is slow, lead by a greying veteran, and Grossman/Mez have injury question marks. Schenn cant have too much put on his shoulders and Coburn can be inconsistent as hell.

Combine that with a goaltender that needs to prove himself and you are setting up Lava to perform miracles. For all the strong feelings toward a guy like Murray, it was only after firing him the Kings reached their potential and stopped playing at a mediocre level.

The problem against the Devils was that the coaching staff never adjusted the approach to either the offensive or defensive dump-ins.

Offensively, they couldn't get their forecheck going as, for the most part, stuck with a straight dump-in rather than either a soft dump or hard wrap. Brodeur handled most of these and the Flyers' pursuit typically left one defenseman open for Brodeur to outlet.

Defensively, the Devils picked on the lack of a right handed defenseman and Bryzgalov's lack of puck-handling skills. As a result, the Devils, against us at least, always appeared to have 7 players on the ice. Their forecheck looked relentless.

Just wanted to direct everyone to Cloutier's blog, where he suggests a trade Nashville could never refuse: Hemsky, Klefbom, and 2 firsts to help Nashville unload Shea Weber this offseason.
- jmatchett

Brutal. Unless Weber really states he wants out and is unhappy I think he is in Nashville for life. Unfortunate but it is what it is.

I would still try to make a run at him this summer and be wiling to give up one of Schenn/Coots. I was originally willing to give up both last summer, now I am not so willing. However I think the organization is seeing how hard it is to find top level talent on the back end.

No coach tells his players to glide back into the zone or not battle hard enough. I do agree Lava needs to emphasize good defensive play and really focus on that with his players.

At the same time look at the cards he has been given. The Flyers failed to upgrade the blueline. It is slow, lead by a greying veteran, and Grossman/Mez have injury question marks. Schenn cant have too much put on his shoulders and Coburn can be inconsistent as hell.

Combine that with a goaltender that needs to prove himself and you are setting up Lava to perform miracles. For all the strong feelings toward a guy like Murray, it was only after firing him the Kings reached their potential and stopped playing at a mediocre level.
- flyer_nutter

I think Lavy's smart enough to know he can't run a carbon copy of the system he ran with Matt Carle & Chris Pronger in the fold. Those guys fit the system. I think he knows he'll have to adjust for the lack of speed and puck moving ability on the blueline or he'll see the team struggle (and lose his job).

Basically, Kaleta and one other player (Gaustad?) were egging on Danny and I think Hartnell about their divorces. When they went into the locker room, apparently Danny got up and told the players he wasn't ready to go home at the hands of those jerks.
- jmatchett

That's terrible. There are lines....

I will always prefer a system that initiates play and doesnt react to othe other team. Its playing to win the game.

The Flyers as they stand do not have the horses on the back end to be a really strong defensive team imo. The forward group is an improving mixture, but you still have many forwards who constantly back-check with no effort or just glide leaving glaring holes in coverage.

Mix that in with an abudance of soft goals and you have a poop storm. I understand the organization's desire to win every year but if the team struggles this season and Lava is fired that is the fault of management. An aging, injury prone, and slow blueline that lacks star power. I agree with tweaking things a bit but to bring in a guy like Murray as head coach (if Lava ever got fired) scares the hell out of me.

Again though, a lot falls on Bryzgalov. His play is aided by the play of the team but it goes both ways. The team can play a solid up tempo game and back-check but breakdowns will ALWAYS happen. Letting in weak goals will make any system look foolish.
- flyer_nutter

New Jersey was 9th in the NHL in goals against per game. That's a pretty solid defensive team that went to the Stanley Cup Final.

Their defense last year was Marek Zdlicky, Henrik Talinder, Adam Larsson, Bryce Salvador, Mark Fayne, Andy Greene & Anton Volchenkov. On paper, the Flyers current group is as good or better than that. To say they don't have the "horses" to be a good defensive team is, IMO, wrong.

The key is, the entire team has to buy in and play responsibly in their own end.

Basically, Kaleta and one other player (Gaustad?) were egging on Danny and I think Hartnell about their divorces. When they went into the locker room, apparently Danny got up and told the players he wasn't ready to go home at the hands of those jerks.
- jmatchett

I love after Game 4, I think...when Gerbe took a run at Timonen in the closing seconds...Kaleta is yapping from the bench, and Giroux skates over--hunched down on his stick and is just listening like a G.

Also, where is the .gif of Giroux from the bench looking over at the other and pretty much saying, "What? (frank) yeah..."

Cloutier saying Klefbom is a better prospect than Schenn and Couturier. Thoughts?

I think Lavy's smart enough to know he can't run a carbon copy of the system he ran with Matt Carle & Chris Pronger in the fold. Those guys fit the system. I think he knows he'll have to adjust for the lack of speed and puck moving ability on the blueline or he'll see the team struggle (and lose his job).
- NickTheKid87

I think the team will struggle this year as it is. I would love for them to get on a tear but I dont see it.

Its unfortunate because I was really hoping to see Bryzgalov bounce back, which he is still fully capable of doing. I just hoped the Flyers would have really tried harder to upgrade the blueline to help him out. With so many question marks on D, and an exhausting condensed schedule I dont have high hopes.

I look to see if Bryzgalov can return to form and steal games like he did in Phoenix, and the continued development of the young kids on the team. Analyze next summer, and upgrade the blueline like it should have been.

Giroux skates over--hunched down on his stick and is just listening like a G.

- KGBflyers10

what does this even mean?


haha

Cloutier saying Klefbom is a better prospect than Schenn and Couturier. Thoughts?
- NickTheKid87

Cloutier is a terrible evaluator of talent, those are my thoughts. He still thinks Hemsky will bring back a nice return...

I think the team will struggle this year as it is. I would love for them to get on a tear but I dont see it.

Its unfortunate because I was really hoping to see Bryzgalov bounce back, which he is still fully capable of doing. I just hoped the Flyers would have really tried harder to upgrade the blueline to help him out. With so many question marks on D, and an exhausting condensed schedule I dont have high hopes.

I look to see if Bryzgalov can return to form and steal games like he did in Phoenix, and the continued development of the young kids on the team. Analyze next summer, and upgrade the blueline like it should have been.
- flyer_nutter

I think Bryz will be 10x more consistent in a good way. We'll see. I'm glad this team is being doubted because that seems to get them going more than being the favorites.

New Jersey was 9th in the NHL in goals against per game. That's a pretty solid defensive team that went to the Stanley Cup Final.

Their defense last year was Marek Zdlicky, Henrik Talinder, Adam Larsson, Bryce Salvador, Mark Fayne, Andy Greene & Anton Volchenkov. On paper, the Flyers current group is as good or better than that. To say they don't have the "horses" to be a good defensive team is, IMO, wrong.

The key is, the entire team has to buy in and play responsibly in their own end.
- Jsaquella

Jersey got to the final, but lost. While I give them credit, you usually see a trend in who gets to the finals or go deep. They have a hot goaltender and a star d-man. While I do still believe Kimmo is a star in this league, his age and how long he can play at that level leaves a lot to be desired.

Any team can get hot, and so can this one, I just wouldnt be setting my expectations on winning the cup with this defensive core.

Cloutier is a terrible evaluator of talent, those are my thoughts. He still thinks Hemsky will bring back a nice return...
- canadianpenfan

He thinks Hemsky will help net Weber.

Based on the defense pairings in practice, coupled with the good news of Meszaros likely being ready to start the season it appears Foster has jumped Lilja and Gervais on the depth chart.

Cloutier saying Klefbom is a better prospect than Schenn and Couturier. Thoughts?
- NickTheKid87

A. He's delusional.
B. He's actually BuffaloHardHat.

He thinks Hemsky will help net Weber.
- NickTheKid87

Let me guess...Weber for all Edmonton's spare parts? That's how Cloutier rolls.