I'm also guessing here but it seems they aren't sure what role to put B. Schenn in and that's leading to his inconsistent play.
- ob18

Yeah, he's been bouncing all over the place. He still has less than a full season of NHL experience. I'm not giving up on him by any means.

Regarding Brayden Schenn last night, he got hobbled by a shot he blocked. Took it full brunt in, I think, his hip (padded area but still hurt like hell I'm sure by the way he went off the ice). Also don't forget that the Flyers had to kill four penalties in the third period, which meant that was eight minutes he was out of the rotation.
- bmeltzer

Didn't notice him get hobbled. And yes, how could I forget the seven minor penalties taken in the last 40 minutes. Just unreal the lack of discipline.

The second biggest issue for the Flyers besides defense is staying out of the box. Taking too many penalties.
- stveshdy

Taking too many penalties is an understatement.

Didn't notice him get hobbled. And yes, how could I forget the seven minor penalties taken in the last 40 minutes. Just unreal the lack of discipline.
- PLindbergh31

I need to see better play on the blueline. This always seems to be a concern for this team. Can they be perfect every single night? Nope. However, the teams that are more consistent are the ones that seem to win more than not.

Two egregious turnovers that lead directly to goals the last two nights. He did play better in the third period last night. Overall he's been good. Ups and downs aren't unexpected.
- PLindbergh31

Exactly. And what has to be looked at is how he improves. Old habits tend to creep in at times for young players. That can go either way. A player can be given corrective criticism and good mentoring and Coaching, and correct and eliminate those errors, or at least make them far less occurring. Or the player can go into a funk, lose confidence, and his play can go into the toilet. I think that's what happened in Toronto.

I need to see better play on the blueline. This always seems to be a concern for this team. Can they be perfect every single night? Nope. However, the teams that are more consistent are the ones that seem to win more than not.
- stveshdy

The play can definitely improve on the blueline, but as a unit without Meszaros it's average at best. Father time is catching up to Timonen, as Bill illustrated Coburn is streaky. Another word for streaky is inconsistent. Schenn has played well, but there will be ups and downs with him. And the third pairing are journeyman NHL players.

Not yet. The court hearing has been postponed a couple times.
- bmeltzer

In the mean time he's been playing very well, still 2nd in OHL scoring when I looked yesterday.

Yeah, he's been bouncing all over the place. He still has less than a full season of NHL experience. I'm not giving up on him by any means.
- PLindbergh31

I view this season as growing pains for some of the players.

I think you are exactly right in how Garrioch does it. I think he just checks out teams to see who they might be talking to. All the speculation is based on a telephone profiling of a GMs outgoing calls.
- spatso

In the past Garrioch had pretty good access to the Rangers and often seemed to be writing the gospel of Sather, that is everything seemed to have the slant that Sather was preaching.

Exactly. And what has to be looked at is how he improves. Old habits tend to creep in at times for young players. That can go either way. A player can be given corrective criticism and good mentoring and Coaching, and correct and eliminate those errors, or at least make them far less occurring. Or the player can go into a funk, lose confidence, and his play can go into the toilet. I think that's what happened in Toronto.
- MJL

Very possible. He had a ton of pressure on him in Toronto. I think a change of scenery can be beneficial for both Schenn and JVR.

The play can definitely improve on the blueline, but as a unit without Meszaros it's average at best. Father time is catching up to Timonen, as Bill illustrated Coburn is streaky. Another word for streak is inconsistent. Schenn has played well, but there will be ups and downs with him. And the third pairing are journeyman NHL players.
- PLindbergh31

Thats exactly why this is my main concern. Why use a young talented kid in a trade for a 35 year old winger? If your going to make a trade use it on another young defenseman (call Phoenix). This team needs blueline help.

Thats exactly why this is my main concern. Why use a young talented kid in a trade for a 35 year old winger? If your going to make a trade use it on another young defenseman (call Phoenix). This team needs blueline help.
- stveshdy

Yes. I think we will see a few trades fairly soon. Not going to criticize aggression, have to see when the trades are made to see if they make sense.

Reading the Ottawa Sun daily up here, Bruce is usually spot on about the Sens. For all other teams, he and the other Sun Sports writers like to stir the pot, fan the flames (no pun intended) to his Sens fans readers. Just like Don Cherry tweeted the other day that Philly's goaltending woes continue, and is to blame for the 2-6 start. Cleary hasn't been watching Flyers games this season...

Bruce is good friends with Timmy, so like one poster already said, they likely just drummed up Iginla to Philly for an easy story and hits. I wouldn't doubt that Homer would be interested, and maybe even had a talk with Feaster about things, but nothing serious at this time.

I'm not opposed to adding Iginla, but I'd wait to see if he goes UFA this summer. I also would wait and see if Perry goes UFA as well, make a big run at him AND try to shore up our defense going into next season.
- Rocktane

People think the Flyers are in a mess but I would not want to be a Flames fan. They have to rebuild. Same core players, and dead last in the conf. Gotta start dumping older players who will be UFA's soon for picks

Yes. I think we will see a few trades fairly soon. Not going to criticize aggression, have to see when the trades are made to see if they make sense.
- PLindbergh31

Will see what happens. Next step is to call up Gustafsson. Whats the deal with Bourdon?

Sestito played less than 4 minutes last night. Why not bring Wellwood back?

Will see what happens. Next step is to call up Gustafsson. Whats the deal with Bourdon?
- stveshdy

From what I understand he's not even cleared for hockey activity yet. 3 concussions in a year. Not promising.

I need to see better play on the blueline. This always seems to be a concern for this team. Can they be perfect every single night? Nope. However, the teams that are more consistent are the ones that seem to win more than not.
- stveshdy

I'm deeply concerned about the blueline. Here's why:

* Coburn and Grossmann are a good shutdown duo as a second pairing. They showed it last year and showed it in the two games against the Rangers this season as well. But they aren't a #1 pairing because they don't produce much offense (virtually none from Grossmann and irregular production from Coburn).

* Timonen and Luke Schenn have to be the #1 pairing. But although Timonen is a four-time NHL All-Star and still the single most important player on the current Flyers blueline (with Coburn second), he is aging, ailing and an impending UFA. He's been utterly immobile this season, getting by on guile -- that's not top-pairing caliber play anymore. Luke Schenn needs to play under better control than he has the last two games, keeping things simple.

* Meszaros when healthy may be the one of the best #5 D-men in the NHL; capable of playing 20 mins in that role. But he's had back surgery, Achilles tendon surgery and now a shoulder separation within the last calendar year.

* With Meszaros out again, the Flyers have had to break up the Coburn-Grossmann pairing so as a) to avoid having to pair Gervais and Foster as the third unit and b) to have one LH and one RH stick on all three pairings. But Gervais gets exposed when his minutes get extended and Foster is strictly a power play specialist who can barely get through some five-on-five shifts as the sixth defenseman. Put Foster with Grossmann and you can survive some of Foster's defensive issues but you have a very slow third pairing.

It's an ugly picture here. I think they'll call up Gustafsson and put him with Grossmann or Coburn for awhile. But while I think Gus is an upgrade on Foster (though not with the same overpowering point shot), he isn't a #4. He's more of a #6.

Problem right now, is that some areas of the Flyers game seem to be improving. Special teams is improving. Last night they had a good forecheck, and some puck pressure, went to the net and got the puck to the net. And scored some goals. But the team defense is going South and getting worse. need to get all facets of their game going in the same direction.

When Al Morganti used to be on NHL2Nite during its ESPN2 run, he did a lot of trade rumor stuff, too, with a similar batting average on the ones that actually came to fruition. A lot of it is guesswork and tea-leaf reading.

It should also be said that there is a lot of misdirection put out there by teams and especially by player agents about this or that team being interested in their clients.
- bmeltzer

Absolutely. I'd assume that the biggest reasons a GM wants to leave his intentions unclear is to keep costs down and to keep other teams from jumping in and driving the price.

Whether it's Garrioch or Eklund, I like to discuss the fruits of their labor. It spurs discussion and I enjoy that, obviously. But no matter who it is, I take it with a grain of salt, unless it's a guy like McKenzie, who rarely delves into "rumors"

I'm deeply concerned about the blueline. Here's why:

* Coburn and Grossmann are a good shutdown duo as a second pairing. They showed it last year and showed it in the two games against the Rangers this season as well. But they aren't a #1 pairing because they don't produce much offense (virtually none from Grossmann and irregular production from Coburn).

* Timonen and Luke Schenn have to be the #1 pairing. But although Timonen is a four-time NHL All-Star and still the single most important player on the current Flyers blueline (with Coburn second), he is aging, ailing and an impending UFA. He's been utterly immobile this season, getting by on guile -- that's not top-pairing caliber play anymore. Luke Schenn needs to play under better control than he has the last two games, keeping things simple.

* Meszaros when healthy may be the one of the best #5 D-men in the NHL; capable of playing 20 mins in that role. But he's had back surgery, Achilles tendon surgery and now a shoulder separation within the last calendar year.

* With Meszaros out again, the Flyers have had to break up the Coburn-Grossmann pairing so as a) to avoid having to pair Gervais and Foster as the third unit and b) to have one LH and one RH stick on all three pairings. But Gervais gets exposed when his minutes get extended and Foster is strictly a power play specialist who can barely get through some five-on-five shifts as the sixth defenseman. Put Foster with Grossmann and you can survive some of Foster's defensive issues but you have a very slow third pairing.

It's an ugly picture here. I think they'll call up Gustafsson and put him with Grossmann or Coburn for awhile. But while I think Gus is an upgrade on Foster (though not with the same overpowering point shot), he isn't a #4. He's more of a #6.
- bmeltzer

I agree with the concern. But have most teams lose a Pronger and a Meszaros on the defense, and they won't be in very good shape. Take the Rangers for example. Take two of their top 4 out of the picture. Say Girardi and McDonaugh. They'll be in far worse shape then the Flyers are now.

I'm deeply concerned about the blueline. Here's why:

* Coburn and Grossmann are a good shutdown duo as a second pairing. They showed it last year and showed it in the two games against the Rangers this season as well. But they aren't a #1 pairing because they don't produce much offense (virtually none from Grossmann and irregular production from Coburn).

* Timonen and Luke Schenn have to be the #1 pairing. But although Timonen is a four-time NHL All-Star and still the single most important player on the current Flyers blueline (with Coburn second), he is aging, ailing and an impending UFA. He's been utterly immobile this season, getting by on guile -- that's not top-pairing caliber play anymore. Luke Schenn needs to play under better control than he has the last two games, keeping things simple.

* Meszaros when healthy may be the one of the best #5 D-men in the NHL; capable of playing 20 mins in that role. But he's had back surgery, Achilles tendon surgery and now a shoulder separation within the last calendar year.

* With Meszaros out again, the Flyers have had to break up the Coburn-Grossmann pairing so as a) to avoid having to pair Gervais and Foster as the third unit and b) to have one LH and one RH stick on all three pairings. But Gervais gets exposed when his minutes get extended and Foster is strictly a power play specialist who can barely get through some five-on-five shifts as the sixth defenseman. Put Foster with Grossmann and you can survive some of Foster's defensive issues but you have a very slow third pairing.

It's an ugly picture here. I think they'll call up Gustafsson and put him with Grossmann or Coburn for awhile. But while I think Gus is an upgrade on Foster (though not with the same overpowering point shot), he isn't a #4. He's more of a #6.
- bmeltzer

This is why I wouldn't trade a Laughton for Iginla. Go get a defenseman that can play. There may not be any available at this time but its the main concern for this team IMO. I would have no problems going after a young kid on defense either. I would be willing to move Voracek for a good puck moving defenseman if needed.

[quote=Hextall271]

But, they won't do it until the price gets escalated by those teams headed to the playoffs. So, a team sinks in the standings to improve their draft position and, at the end, they deal for picks and prospects.

The $64m cap for next year has pretty well killed free agency. A few teams will be able to chase a couple of the top players but,it is hard to chase UFA when you are hard against the cap.

Will see what happens. Next step is to call up Gustafsson. Whats the deal with Bourdon?
- stveshdy

Bourdon has had three concussions within a calendar year and a span of less than 30 games played. As of a few weeks ago, he was still not symptom free from the most recent concussion (sustained in November).

There is no timetable for his return. I would not be shocked -- though nothing has been said about it -- if he's shut down for the entire season and then fingers are crossed that he's able to play next season without another concussion. But that's 100 percent speculation on my part. For all I know, he could be cleared in February to return to practice. The organization has been totally mum about it.

I agree with the concern. But have most teams lose a Pronger and a Meszaros on the defense, and they won't be in very good shape. Take the Rangers for example. Take two of their top 4 out of the picture. Say Girardi and McDonaugh. They'll be in far worse shape then the Flyers are now.
- MJL

The Pronger excuse is gone for me. This guy has missed more games than played for the Flyers. They have been without him for sometime now.

What is the skinny on Cousins legal issues? Are those behind him?
- PLindbergh31

i have no clue... i hope for both the org's sake and his it's not bad