Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday:

Looking at that Florida line up you would think the Flyers should do very well against them! Let's hope so! Go Flyers!

They should be able to grab two more points here. The lack of speed going up against Tampa will be a concern. Not that I'm sure speed wont be an issue against the panthers.

Will Leighton be starting one of these upcoming games?

Bill what to you think about this years draft class?

http://www.cbssports.com/...-board-seth-jones-is-no-1

If they went all in on Weber, is there any way we could go all in on Seth Jones?

Despite everything pretty much going against us so far (minus the win against NY); I'm happy we are flying under the radar.

Hopefully we will be 100% healthy going into the playoffs and put on a run like back in 2010.

The panthers are more banged up than we are! That 3rd line of ours scares the bejesus out of me. If rather dress sestito than mcginn

If this is the correct lineup for tonight I think Lavy is making a mistake taking Shelley and Sestito out of the lineup. They brought energy to the team and provided good puck possession. With Hartnell and Briere both out, they will need to grind some wins out of this road trip. I think this would be a bad move.

If this is the correct lineup for tonight I think Lavy is making a mistake taking Shelley and Sestito out of the lineup. They brought energy to the team and provided good puck possession. With Hartnell and Briere both out, they will need to grind some wins out of this road trip. I think this would be a bad move.
- mjm0831

Agreed. Well, to me sestito belongs in the lineup consistently if Rinaldo is out

Damn, I will miss the game tonight.

Hopefully we'll see an effort that matches the Rangers game. It's nice to run into a team that is as banged up as the Flyers are.

I agree that I'd like to see Sestito, but with Schenn returning, as well as adding Knuble, it's hard to see where he fits, despite playing a great game on Thursday night.

Bill what to you think about this years draft class?

http://www.cbssports.com/...-board-seth-jones-is-no-1

If they went all in on Weber, is there any way we could go all in on Seth Jones?

Despite everything pretty much going against us so far (minus the win against NY); I'm happy we are flying under the radar.

Hopefully we will be 100% healthy going into the playoffs and put on a run like back in 2010.
- DrMidnite

How do you go all in on a player you have to draft?

Bill what to you think about this years draft class?

http://www.cbssports.com/...-board-seth-jones-is-no-1

If they went all in on Weber, is there any way we could go all in on Seth Jones?

Despite everything pretty much going against us so far (minus the win against NY); I'm happy we are flying under the radar.

Hopefully we will be 100% healthy going into the playoffs and put on a run like back in 2010.
- DrMidnite

I think this year's draft class is very good. I think Jones will be a very good two-way NHL defenseman -- in time. He's going to have all the usual growing pains and inconsistency that young defensemen have. It could take him up to four or five years out from the 2013 draft to see if he's going to emerge as a true elite NHL defenseman (and not just as a starter). All the tools are there for Jones to be a high end D-man but there is also more risk involved in taking him first overall.

By virtue of being a forward, MacKinnon stands a better shot at being a big contributor within his first couple years.

How do you go all in on a player you have to draft?
- MJL

I'm sure he means putting together a big offer to grab the top overall spot in the draft from whatever teams holds it.

I think this year's draft class is very good. I think Jones will be a very good two-way NHL defenseman -- in time. He's going to have all the usual growing pains and inconsistency that young defensemen have. It could take him up to four or five years out from the 2013 draft to see if he's going to emerge as a true elite NHL defenseman (and not just as a starter). All the tools are there for Jones to be a high end D-man but there is also more risk involved in taking him first overall.

By virtue of being a forward, MacKinnon stands a better shot at being a big contributor within his first couple years.
- bmeltzer

It'd be great to get a shot at MacKinnon or Jones(or Jonathan Drouin, for that matter). That said, the 2013 draft shapes up to be a fairly deep one. The Flyers will have some assessing to do when the season ends, but it's going to take a lot more than Rusty Fedotenko & 2 second rounders to move into the top 5

I'm sure he means putting together a big offer to grab the top overall spot in the draft from whatever teams holds it.
- bmeltzer

Ah, got it! Thanks

And on the systems.. when another team is executing their system they are making the other team execute poorly.

Like NJ did to us last year.

I am not talking about the first 4 games.

It'd be great to get a shot at MacKinnon or Jones(or Jonathan Drouin, for that matter). That said, the 2013 draft shapes up to be a fairly deep one. The Flyers will have some assessing to do when the season ends, but it's going to take a lot more than Rusty Fedotenko & 2 second rounders to move into the top 5
- Jsaquella

That might get us wherever calgary's drafting but thats about it. Jay the genius is working out there.

I think this year's draft class is very good. I think Jones will be a very good two-way NHL defenseman -- in time. He's going to have all the usual growing pains and inconsistency that young defensemen have. It could take him up to four or five years out from the 2013 draft to see if he's going to emerge as a true elite NHL defenseman (and not just as a starter). All the tools are there for Jones to be a high end D-man but there is also more risk involved in taking him first overall.

By virtue of being a forward, MacKinnon stands a better shot at being a big contributor within his first couple years.
- bmeltzer

Thanks Bill. I was thinking about a package maybe including Couturier and our 1st or something if this guy was really the best D prospect in the last 5 years or so (as one Western scout said in the article).

And McKinnon does sound great as well.

If this guy isn't guaranteed NHL ready, has there ever been anyone who was considered as a can't miss D-man (by a consensus of the scouts?)

Thanks Bill. I was thinking about a package maybe including Couturier and our 1st or something if this guy was really the best D prospect in the last 5 years or so (as one Western scout said in the article).

And McKinnon does sound great as well.

If this guy isn't guaranteed NHL ready, has there ever been one really can't miss D-man?
- DrMidnite

I honestly think that at this point. Couturier is pretty much untouchable. I'd love to see the Flyers get a top draft pick and get a player like Jones. Haven't seen him play a lot, but I've read a lot about him.

I honestly think that at this point. Couturier is pretty much untouchable. I'd love to see the Flyers get a top draft pick and get a player like Jones. Haven't seen him play a lot, but I've read a lot about him.
- MJL

I hope he doesnt trade Coots and the first pick rumored for Subban...cant wait to see the boys live tonight

Ah, got it! Thanks
- MJL

Refer to Julio Jones of the NFL

I hope he doesnt trade Coots and the first pick rumored for Subban...cant wait to see the boys live tonight
- vejim

I personally think we overvalue Coots on this board a little. What do you think his ceiling is? How many pts or goals in a normal season? Is he Keith Primeau in the future? Messier? In between?

I like the kid but I dont see greatness...I see pretty goodness.

beautiful day for the fly boys to be in so fl today....going to 79 and sunny

I personally think we overvalue Coots on this board a little. What do you think his ceiling is? How many pts or goals in a normal season? Is he Keith Primeau in the future? Messier? In between?

I like the kid but I dont see greatness...I see pretty goodness.
- Daman

I would trade Coots and a second pick...not the rumored first

Cory Perry is a punk

Thanks Bill. I was thinking about a package maybe including Couturier and our 1st or something if this guy was really the best D prospect in the last 5 years or so (as one Western scout said in the article).

And McKinnon does sound great as well.

If this guy isn't guaranteed NHL ready, has there ever been anyone who was considered as a can't miss D-man (by a consensus of the scouts?)
- DrMidnite

Jones is considered as close to a can't-miss as a teenage defenseman can be. But so was Erik Johnson. So were Roman Hamrlik and Jay Bouwmeester. All bonafide NHL defensemen but none who turned out to be the franchise players they were hyped to be. Ditto Joni Pitkanen. Chris Pronger was said to be can't miss, and really, really struggled his first few years in the NHL before blossoming into a superstar.

On the flip side, Zarley Zalapski was supposed to be the next Paul Coffey. Aki Berg and Shawn Anderson were called can't miss future All-Stars when they were taken near the top of their respective drafts.

The risk of taking a defenseman with a top five pick -- and especially first overall -- is higher than it is with a forward. If you are convinced Jones will be a franchise defenseman, you take the risks that come with bypassing the forwards to take him first overall.