Not trolling here........

What is a flyers fan honest assessment of Luke Schenn so far?
- faceto27

I think his skating is better than advertised. He makes a good first pass. Needs to continue to learn his positioning and anticipation to make up for his less than blazing speed. I like his physicality. I think he has overall been the teams second best defenseman and except for one and a half bad games has played very well.

Everyone keeps forgetting he is only 23.

Not trolling here........

What is a flyers fan honest assessment of Luke Schenn so far?
- faceto27

So far, pretty much what you'd expect from a fairly young, physical, stay-at-home guy. Hits, blocks shots. Won't win many races but isn't the slowest either. Has his issues moving the puck at times, and turns over the puck more that you'd like him to. Overall, being paired with Timonen has helped him with his shortcomings a bit, and he's shown signs that he can evolve into a solid #4 guy who can play 19 minutes a night without hurting you, though he still has a way to go.

Better skater than advertised. Needs work on decision making at times. His angles maybe too, overtall I am happy with the trade. How about you guys with JVR?
- Deasr1

So far we are happy JVR. He's driving to the net, and using his big body parked in front of the goalie for the PP.

I hear ya. I actually fear that too. I love Ed Snider - he reminds me of a less 'frat-housey' Mark Cuban. And I would love Mark Cuban to own ANY of our teams here in Phila.

And we all want the same thing, a championship. And I think Snider wants both long and short term health for the team too. But when you get older and start thinking about mortality and legacy more and more...you might start to compromise a little (AKA-GET ME A GOALIE NOW ((overpays for Bryz))).
- DrMidnite

Bingo

mike richards-7gp 0g 3a -6 = bshen-8gp 1g 3a +1
= wsimmon-8gp 2g 3a +1

jcarter-7gp 3g 0a -1 = jake-9gp 1g 3a -5
= coots-9gp 2g 2a -4

jagr-8gp 2g 3a -0

bob-5gp 2-2-1 2.97 .907 =bryz-8gp-3w 5l 2.40 .920

matt carle-8gp-1g 5a +2 =lschenn-9gp 1g 1a -0

jvr-4g 1a +1

So far we are happy JVR. He's driving to the net, and using his big body parked in front of the goalie for the PP.
- faceto27

That is good to hear. My biggest problem with him was his lack of consistency. He need to impose himself on the game more often instead of just floating around waiting for something to happen. When he makes things happen he is a force. He has all the tools.

That is good to hear. My biggest problem with him was his lack of consistency. He need to impose himself on the game more often instead of just floating around waiting for something to happen. When he makes things happen he is a force. He has all the tools.
- MBFlyerfan

I can see what you mean. It took Carlyle to pull him aside one day at practise and have a heart to heart with him. Next game out he was a beast.

I can see what you mean. It took Carlyle to pull him aside one day at practise and have a heart to heart with him. Next game out he was a beast.
- faceto27

Finished yet?

Flyers drafted Kevin Marshall over Subban. It seems as if they were going after character over raw talent. I'll agree that picking defenseman ain't easy. For as average as Mashall turned out, aside from Subban, he's one of the better defenseman picked in that round.
- 2731color

Well, that was an entirely defensible pick. Marshall was rated high and just didn't pan out. At least they tried. Same with Bourdon, though he's been a little slow to develop.

Finished yet?
- Daman

???

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Defense Pairs, Blocked Shots, Callup Candidates and More
- bmeltzer

Is MAB done forever? Wish he could come and play with the flyers. Would make a good sixth

I like how pessimism colored with hindsight criticism are considered 'being realistic', as if to imply anybody who isn't retroactively distributing criticism and I-told-you-so's is suffering some kind of delusion.

You know what I think it means to be realistic? Understanding that having a need doesn't necessarily make that solution available, let alone at a reasonable cost. It's knowing that a franchise is always taking risks, and is operating in real-time, not via hindsight. It's knowing that long term solutions can't be scheduled within short term plans. (And it means editing the last sentence out of your rant when you re-read it and find one statement totally redundant)

I won't say those who tend toward more critical outlooks are not being realistic, but to imply anybody who doesn't share this hindsight angst and criticism is being unrealistic is laughably egotistical.

/rant
- BulliesPhan87

I wish I could write like this!

I can see what you mean. It took Carlyle to pull him aside one day at practise and have a heart to heart with him. Next game out he was a beast.
- faceto27

As a Leafs fan, you have to hope that Carlyle doesn't need to have too many of those heart to heart chats because that means he is disappearing way too often for a guy with his skill set.

Would love to see him succeed. He seemed like a guy who seemed to get hurt or dinged up just when he seemed to have everything figured out.

Or looking at it a different way, 18 out of 25 were high draft picks, based on your data.

Here's an analogy. I have a friend that is a literal math whiz. Went to Holland's equivalent of MIT. World's worst blackjack player ever. Why? He'll do stupid stuff like taking a hit on 15 when dealer has a 6. He had some math based excuse about statistics and probabilities and long-run, but he ignored the most basic statistics about number of bust cards vs. good cards.

The point is...you can point out the undrafted exceptions and 8th round picks, but the reality is that you are more likely to get top dman in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd rounds. Ok, Weber wasn't a 1st pick...he was a 2nd round pick. And 2nd point - the more guys you draft, the better the odds of getting one or two bona fide prospects.

I do question the tactic of not drafting a dman with top couple of picks last year, and considering they haven't had a decent home-grown defenseman in many many years, and had to deal away a lot of talent / picks to get them, it is a valid criticism.
- TheGreat28

No.. the point was that 2/3rd of that 25 were not 1st or 2nd round players... Basically.. a d-man isnt a slam dunk because he is a 1st or 2nd roudner... Also, a d-man isnt gonna be a bum because he is a 6-9th rounder.

Is MAB done forever? Wish he could come and play with the flyers. Would make a good sixth
- Philly1980

yeah where is mab

Hate to see Snider mocked. People who weren't around for the Cups could care less about him and I guess I understand. I remember after a bad call, he ran down from his box to the glass and just screamed at the ref while waving his arms like a nut. This was before the Cups. He made a lot of fans that night. His big mistake was trusting Clarkie too much. A different GM handling Snider's unlimited checkbook might have had better results.

yeah where is mab
- mydoglicks

I believe he is still dealing with a concussion. But I could be wrong.

No.. the point was that 2/3rd of that 25 were not 1st or 2nd round players... Basically.. a d-man isnt a slam dunk because he is a 1st or 2nd roudner... Also, a d-man isnt gonna be a bum because he is a 6-9th rounder.
- jak521

That's another very valid point. Some are labeling Holmgren a failure because he hasn't drafted a defenseman. Just because you pick one, doesn't mean it's going to work out. That point seems to be missing sometimes.

yeah where is mab
- mydoglicks

He's broken.

Is MAB done forever? Wish he could come and play with the flyers. Would make a good sixth
- Philly1980

No timetable for a return, and the organization has been mum for the last four weeks about any updates. He has had three concussions within a calendar year and a span of less than 30 games, so there is understandable concern. But I have no idea whether he'll be cleared to resume practicing at some point this season or will sit out the rest of the year. No one is saying anything and, even if they did, it all depends on him getting and staying symptom-free.

Coburn came from Atlanta for Zhitnik.
- mayorofangrytown

and let us not forget we got zhitnik for freddy flufflemeyer the 4th

that was truly a magic trick

No.. the point was that 2/3rd of that 25 were not 1st or 2nd round players... Basically.. a d-man isnt a slam dunk because he is a 1st or 2nd roudner... Also, a d-man isnt gonna be a bum because he is a 6-9th rounder.
- jak521

OK, let's look at it a different way. 2/3 of the top 15 were drafted or signed by their current team. So the point that most teams buy their defense isn't necessarily true either.

where is lasse kukkonen when we need him!!?!

OK, let's look at it a different way. 2/3 of the top 15 were drafted or signed by their current team. So the point that most teams buy their defense isn't necessarily true either.
- TheGreat28

I honestly don't think it matters. I can't see why there would be a causal relationship between homegrown defensemen and championships. You'll see a lot of good homegrown defensemen on good teams becuase, basically, why would you get rid of a good player?

No timetable for a return, and the organization has been mum for the last four weeks about any updates. He has had three concussions within a calendar year and a span of less than 30 games, so there is understandable concern. But I have no idea whether he'll be cleared to resume practicing at some point this season or will sit out the rest of the year. No one is saying anything and, even if they did, it all depends on him getting and staying symptom-free.
- bmeltzer

According to the Phantom beats, MAB saw the same doctors in Atlanta that Crosby saw, and Holmgren said he has started light skating.