I've seen it worse; much worse in fact. Flyers once went into playoffs with Michal Sykora, Chris McAllister, Andy Delmore as half of their regular starting defense, along with Desjardins (who was coming off a major injury and got off to the worst start of his career), Dan McGillis and Luke Richardson as their top 3. Still somehow managed to be a 100 point team.
- bmeltzer

I agree, but that was a different NHL.. guys like that could make up for the shortcomings with clutching and grabbing, hooking, whatever. Todays NHL you need to have ample speed on the back end, good size and physicality, some sort of shut down presence, and some offensive force.

Look at the elite teams in this league.. the Pens, Sharks, Blues, Rangers, Bruins, Canucks, etc..

any estimate on how long hartnell is out for?
- Philly1980

No estimate given yet; still unclear if its "bone bruise" or a break. I assume the latter, though.

at least make an effort to draft D and goalie, there is nothing at the farm. Homer leans towards centers as did Bob Clarke then they try to sign other teams players

Lavy: "Hey guys. I know we lost 4 in a row. We had some bad breaks. And it is early in the season. Keeping it positive, MJL saw certain things and we still have a chance to make the playoffs"

Team: "F'ing seriously?"
- Daman

So you think its impossible to take positives from a loss?

Lavy: "Hey guys. I know we lost 4 in a row. We had some bad breaks. And it is early in the season. Keeping it positive, MJL saw certain things and we still have a chance to make the playoffs"

Team: "F'ing seriously?"
- Daman

The crazy part is, if we lose tonight, maybe we win at Florida, but Tampa always gives us fits. The hill jsut keeps getting steeper. I thought the NJ game was a real must win to get us in the mix. We lose tonight and go 0 for Fla, we are in looking at next year mode...

Lavy: "Hey guys. I know we lost 4 in a row. We had some bad breaks. And it is early in the season. Keeping it positive, MJL saw certain things and we still have a chance to make the playoffs"

Team: "F'ing seriously?"
- Daman

FAIL FOR JONES.... 3 yrs theyll get a cup

No estimate given yet; still unclear if its "bone bruise" or a break. I assume the latter, though.
- bmeltzer

This season keeps getting worse and worse.

No estimate given yet; still unclear if its "bone bruise" or a break. I assume the latter, though.
- bmeltzer

Either way he is missing considerable time. Feet take FOREVER to heal. I think this will benefit Laughton though. Dont see him getting sent back now.. especially with how well he has played so far.

really hate the flyers D, seems to get worst every year
- vejim

Remember when the Flyers could've drafted John Carlson in the first round but instead traded that pick for Eminger who was a bust defenseman for Washington?

Remember when the Flyers traded Luca Sbisa, Lupul, 2 1sts and a 2nd for an aging Pronger? A short term fix that would have long term repurcussions down the road? Down the road has arrived.

Would having Carlson and Sbisa have really helped the Flyers 3-4 years ago? No, but the reason the Flyers are always in this situation is that they never think long term. Not trading the Carlson pick and letting him develop would mean less UFA money that would have to be thrown at Free Agent defensemen. A potential homegrown star defenseman that could anchor the defense for 15 years.

IMO, a GM needs to balance the needs of the team now with the needs of the team long term. Thinking longterm means having a pipeline of talent. The Flyers have one of the worst, if not the worst farm system in the league.

The Flyers have finally reached a point where throwing truckloads of Comcast money at a problem won't make it go away.

Holmgren's like a shopaholic with daddy's credit card. It's always maxed out with never a worry about paying the bill and now the bill is coming due.

Save the draft picks, if you get a chance to draft a franchise defenseman you do it with an eye to the future. Don't trade him in his first season if he's not an allstar out of the gate. I fully believe that if the Flyers had drafted Carlson he would've been traded away years ago for a defenseman who would've retired by now.

The crazy part is, if we lose tonight, maybe we win at Florida, but Tampa always gives us fits. The hill jsut keeps getting steeper. I thought the NJ game was a real must win to get us in the mix. We lose tonight and go 0 for Fla, we are in looking at next year mode...
- Hextall271

3 and 7 in first ten games....thats my guess

I agree, but that was a different NHL.. guys like that could make up for the shortcomings with clutching and grabbing, hooking, whatever. Todays NHL you need to have ample speed on the back end, good size and physicality, some sort of shut down presence, and some offensive force.

Look at the elite teams in this league.. the Pens, Sharks, Blues, Rangers, Bruins, Canucks, etc..
- jak521

Last year, in the second half, officials went back to calling games like it was the dead puck era. All sorts of clutching and grabbing was let go again, which is why a D-man like Grossmann was so effective down the stretch. Saw it through most of playoffs as well.

So far this season, refs have predictably gone back to calling lots of holding, interference and (often borderline) tripping penalties. We'll see if/how long that keeps up.

Remember when the Flyers could've drafted John Carlson in the first round but instead traded that pick for Eminger who was a bust defenseman for Washington?

Remember when the Flyers traded Luca Sbisa, Lupul, 2 1sts and a 2nd for an aging Pronger? A short term fix that would have long term repurcussions down the road? Down the road has arrived.

Would having Carlson and Sbisa have really helped the Flyers 3-4 years ago? No, but the reason the Flyers are always in this situation is that they never think long term. Not trading the Carlson pick and letting him develop would mean less UFA money that would have to be thrown at Free Agent defensemen. A potential homegrown star defenseman that could anchor the defense for 15 years.

IMO, a GM needs to balance the needs of the team now with the needs of the team long term. Thinking longterm means having a pipeline of talent. The Flyers have one of the worst, if not the worst farm system in the league.

The Flyers have finally reached a point where throwing truckloads of Comcast money at a problem won't make it go away.

Holmgren's like a shopaholic with daddy's credit card. It's always maxed out with never a worry about paying the bill and now the bill is coming due.

Save the draft picks, if you get a chance to draft a franchise defenseman you do it with an eye to the future. Don't trade him in his first season if he's not an allstar out of the gate. I fully believe that if the Flyers had drafted Carlson he would've been traded away years ago for a UFA defenseman who would've retired by now.
- Flyers_01

Trading Mike Richards and Jeff Carter for young players and draft picks, isn't thinking long term?

The Flyers farm team is already playing for the Flyers.

they also had Markstrom on the board and passed

at least make an effort to draft D and goalie, there is nothing at the farm. Homer leans towards centers as did Bob Clarke then they try to sign other teams players
- vejim

Drafting defensemen & goalies requires patience, because they take longer to develop than forwards in general.

The Flyers have drafted 12 defensemen in the last 4 drafts. They've also taken 4 goalies in that time.

Over the same time frame, New Jersey has taken 11 defensemen and 2 goalies.

really hate the flyers D, seems to get worst every year
- vejim

in spite of his best efforts, homer has failed in this regard

3 and 7 in first ten games....thats my guess
- Philly1980

Well, we have to be better than that or we're going to be out of the dance. I am hoping that part of the issue is that these are basically our exhibition games. I pray that Bryz gets hot, and guys like Roux hit their stride and we rip off 5 of 6 or something like that.

Well said, Bill. The Flyers have every excuse in the world to lose tonight. Let's hope we don't have to hear any of them.

I do like the notion of the Wayne Train playing Giroux's line right now. Simmonds has been tough on the puck and I think he pops one in tonight.

As for the call-up, I think an argument can be made for either of Harry Z or Noebels, but I confess to being curious to see Noebels with NHL caliber talent.

Trading Mike Richards and Jeff Carter for young players and draft picks, isn't thinking long term?

The Flyers farm team is already playing for the Flyers.
- MJL

Exactly.. I just hope they continue with that train of thought.. There maybe a rough year or two in there, but stay smart. Build through the draft and FA, dont trade for older players, and, if all goes well... 10 cups

in spite of his best efforts, homer has failed in this regard
- isaiah520

Hard to blame Holmgren for a career ending injury to Pronger.

The Flyers are 0-3, will be without Brayden Schenn, Scott Hartnell & Danny Briere, and haven't beaten the Rangers in god knows how long so naturally they will win the game tonight handily.

Well, we have to be better than that or we're going to be out of the dance. I am hoping that part of the issue is that these are basically our exhibition games. I pray that Bryz gets hot, and guys like Roux hit their stride and we rip off 5 of 6 or something like that.
- Hextall271

I just hope the injuries dont pile on....

Trading Mike Richards and Jeff Carter for young players and draft picks, isn't thinking long term?

The Flyers farm team is already playing for the Flyers.
- MJL

Yep.

Drafting defensemen & goalies requires patience, because they take longer to develop than forwards in general.

The Flyers have drafted 12 defensemen in the last 4 drafts. They've also taken 4 goalies in that time.

Over the same time frame, New Jersey has taken 11 defensemen and 2 goalies.
- Jsaquella

never with the first pick, and Homer never has a second pick

Remember when the Flyers could've drafted John Carlson in the first round but instead traded that pick for Eminger who was a bust defenseman for Washington?

Remember when the Flyers traded Luca Sbisa, Lupul, 2 1sts and a 2nd for an aging Pronger? A short term fix that would have long term repurcussions down the road? Down the road has arrived.

Would having Carlson and Sbisa have really helped the Flyers 3-4 years ago? No, but the reason the Flyers are always in this situation is that they never think long term. Not trading the Carlson pick and letting him develop would mean less UFA money that would have to be thrown at Free Agent defensemen. A potential homegrown star defenseman that could anchor the defense for 15 years.

IMO, a GM needs to balance the needs of the team now with the needs of the team long term. Thinking longterm means having a pipeline of talent. The Flyers have one of the worst, if not the worst farm system in the league.

The Flyers have finally reached a point where throwing truckloads of Comcast money at a problem won't make it go away.

Holmgren's like a shopaholic with daddy's credit card. It's always maxed out with never a worry about paying the bill and now the bill is coming due.

Save the draft picks, if you get a chance to draft a franchise defenseman you do it with an eye to the future. Don't trade him in his first season if he's not an allstar out of the gate. I fully believe that if the Flyers had drafted Carlson he would've been traded away years ago for a defenseman who would've retired by now.
- Flyers_01

Part of that is the pressure put on the manager to win by the owner.

Well said, Bill. The Flyers have every excuse in the world to lose tonight. Let's hope we don't have to hear any of them.

I do like the notion of the Wayne Train playing Giroux's line right now. Simmonds has been tough on the puck and I think he pops one in tonight.

As for the call-up, I think an argument can be made for either of Harry Z or Noebels, but I confess to being curious to see Noebels with NHL caliber talent.
- johndewar

Honestly, if it were up to me Id break the lines down like this...

Laughton-G-Voracek
Simmonds-Couts-Read
Rusty-Talbot-Sestito
McGinn-Wellwood-?