I just feel Boucher is better suited to play with extended periods of inactivity. Maybe I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.
- PLindbergh31

I'd agree. Leighton admittedly plays his best with a heavier work load.

How is the Gustafsson fan club coming along? Does it have a second member yet?
- PLindbergh31

Wait until he gets a call up this team will take off.

Day man
Fighter of the Night man
Champion of the sun
You’re a master of karate and friendship…for everyone
Day man, day man
Uhh ahhahh
Fighter of the Night man
Uhh ahhahh
Champion of the sun
Uhh ahhahh
Master of karate and friendship…for everyone
Day man, day man
Uhh ahhahh
Fighter of the Night man
Champion of the sun

Maybe. We will see what happens. Leighton will get a couple more games to see what he can do. It's not easy to play well when you play once every two weeks. I view Leighton as a journeyman who is a borderline NHL goaltender who happened to get hot at the right time.

If this wasn't a short season, I wouldn't be as worried about him, but with only 36 games remaining every point is at a premium.
- PLindbergh31

definitely valid concerns. we'll see how it plays out

How is the Gustafsson fan club coming along? Does it have a second member yet?
- PLindbergh31

- Don'tForgetTocchet

Welcome aboard.

Welcome aboard.
- stveshdy

pretty sure OB27 is a fan as well.

pretty sure OB27 is a fan as well.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

This team needs a player like Gustafsson. He can skate the puck and help the rush.

This team needs a player like Gustafsson. He can skate the puck and help the rush.
- stveshdy

He'd be better than Foster, although he's still very much a work in progress in his own end

Day man
Fighter of the Night man
Champion of the sun
You’re a master of karate and friendship…for everyone
Day man, day man
Uhh ahhahh
Fighter of the Night man
Uhh ahhahh
Champion of the sun
Uhh ahhahh
Master of karate and friendship…for everyone
Day man, day man
Uhh ahhahh
Fighter of the Night man
Champion of the sun
- Chris48

Always sunny ih philly is a fun show

G misses Hartnell.

I would like to see someone other then Simmonds on G's line.
They had a little chemistry building with McGinn as the big winger, but Hartnell is ideal.
- Marc D

McGinn Giroux Voracek
Simmonds Briere Read
Schenn Couturier Knuble
Rinaldo Talbot Fedotenko

i'd rather just have carle
- FlyerMike18

you'll have meszaros and gustafsson and like it.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

In the games I've seen I don't think they've done a bad job moving the puck out of the zone.. Timonen of course, we know is money, Mez when he gets back has shown he can carry/pass the puck up...but even guys like Grossman, Coburn and Schenn have done a pretty good job of winning puck battles and getting it up the ice, and even joining the play offensively without getting caught deep. Grossman especially, is showing some surprising two-way ability imo. I really don't miss Carle. Would I take him at 4 mil? Sure. But 5.5? No thanks. I'd rather have guys like Schenn and Grossman who can play a more physical/stalwart game on D, but still move the puck and join the play when necessary.

They'll always be some times when the team has a little too much time in their own zone (like almost every team)...this was true even with Carle around, but again, the D has guys that can win battles and get the puck out without much trouble. The forwards have been coming back and helping a bit more too. While moving the puck can always stand to improve, I don't see it as a glaring hole or deficiency on this team.

pretty sure OB27 is a fan as well.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

Somebody told me one that Giroux_Is_God is also a fan....

I see a lot of banter here about G- I'll chime in. His all-around game has been solid. This last week-week and a half he's played well in the Dzone, backchecked hard, played well along the boards, has made good decisions with the puck, made smart passes (especially on the powerplay) and has been an absolute monster at the dot. He's doing everything except putting up points, which- unfortunately- this team really needs him to do since they lack a strong enough supporting cast to pick up his slack (especially of late sans Mez and Hartsy).

I have little doubt that the Captain is pressing a little bit right now offensively. I also have little doubt he'll get going and once he does it'll be a fun ride.

In the games I've seen I don't think they've done a bad job moving the puck out of the zone.. Timonen of course, we know is money, Mez when he gets back has shown he can carry/pass the puck up...but even guys like Grossman, Coburn and Schenn have done a pretty good job of winning puck battles and getting it up the ice, and even joining the play offensively without getting caught deep. Grossman especially, is showing some surprising two-way ability imo. I really don't miss Carle. Would I take him at 4 mil? Sure. But 5.5? No thanks. I'd rather have guys like Schenn and Grossman who can play a more physical/stalwart game on D, but still move the puck and join the play when necessary.

They'll always be some times when the team has a little too much time in their own zone (like almost every team)...this was true even with Carle around, but again, the D has guys that can win battles and get the puck out without much trouble. The forwards have been coming back and helping a bit more too. While moving the puck can always stand to improve, I don't see it as a glaring hole or deficiency on this team.
- phantasm

It's an absolute need for this team. It's one of the reasons why they're averaging a little over 2 goals a game. And why they've only scored 3 or more goals for 3 games I believe. There is absolutely no doubt that they miss the element that Carle brought to the ice. He's not a savior or anything like that. But he's already doing a lot for TB. Their Coach has said that adding Carle and Salo has transformed their team. I'm okay with what the Flyers did. Because I feel they need a true #1. Which Carle is not. And they need those Cap assets to do that. And re-signing Carle would have affected that. You need balance on the defense. Right now the Flyers are a little too heavy to one side. Hopefully Meszaros can improve that if he can round into form, and stay healthy. I think he has the ability. But there is zero doubt that they miss what Carle brought to the ice. That has been plainly evident.

McGinn Giroux Voracek
Simmonds Briere Read
Schenn Couturier Knuble
Rinaldo Talbot Fedotenko
- Pixote Andolini

Splitting up Voracek and Schenn is a mistake.

I also see lots of "Schenn is better as a center" and "Briere is useless on the wing".

We have to pick the lesser of 2 evils here. We can't have both. I think keeping Schenn and Czech together would "minimize" what we see as Schenn's deficiency (for lack of a better word....he's not terrible at the wing, but he's clearly better at C....) when getting switched to W. Plus, I think it'd be more beneficial for the team to have Briere at C and at the very least posing as an offensive threat.

The lines combo possibilities for this team are puzzling, indeed.

pretty sure OB27 is a fan as well.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

*joins/omtp*

He'd be better than Foster, although he's still very much a work in progress in his own end
- Jsaquella

That's true. The Flyers are lacking a puck moving defenseman. Will Gustafsson save the day? Probably not. He will skate the puck up the ice which is his biggest asset.

It's an absolute need for this team. It's one of the reasons why they're averaging a little over 2 goals a game. And why they've only scored 3 or more goals for 3 games I believe. There is absolutely no doubt that they miss the element that Carle brought to the ice. He's not a savior or anything like that. But he's already doing a lot for TB. Their Coach has said that adding Carle and Salo has transformed their team. I'm okay with what the Flyers did. Because I feel they need a true #1. Which Carle is not. And they need those Cap assets to do that. And re-signing Carle would have affected that. You need balance on the defense. Right now the Flyers are a little too heavy to one side. Hopefully Meszaros can improve that if he can round into form, and stay healthy. I think he has the ability. But there is zero doubt that they miss what Carle brought to the ice. That has been plainly evident.
- MJL

I know you don't care about plus/minus but Salo and Hedman are both a ridiculous +10. Carsle is +1.

I know you don't care about plus/minus but Salo and Hedman are both a ridiculous +10. Carsle is +1.
- jstross

That is not accurate. I think +/- is a relevant stat if used correctly.

That's true. The Flyers are lacking a puck moving defenseman. Will Gustafsson save the day? Probably not. He will skate the puck up the ice which is his biggest asset.
- stveshdy

Nope, but being able to more easily get out of the zone via skating the puck out or making a good first pass makes it all the easier to take the game to the other end more often.

I know you don't care about plus/minus but Salo and Hedman are both a ridiculous +10. Carsle is +1.
- jstross

If we dig deeper into the +/-, we can see the disparity is partly due to special teams play.

Salo has been on the ice for 18 of Tampa's goals. Carle for 17 and Hedman for 16. However, 7 of the goals that Carle's been on the ice for have been PPG, which means he doesn't get a + for those goals.

Hedman and Salo have been out for 3 PPGs for. Which means instead of losing 7 + points, they only lose 3 each. So the highest possible rating for each now is +15 for Salo, +13 for Hedman and +10 for Carle. Now, for TB goals against, Carles' been out for 12 GA. Hedman & Salo for 8 each. However, 3 of the goals against for Carle and Salo were PPG by the other team. 5 of the goals scored by Tampa opponents when Hedman is on the ice have been PPGs.

So Carle's +/- is hurt because of the team's PP success when he's on ice. And Hedman is helped because more than half the goals against scored with him on the ice don;t affect his +/- at all.

Currently in the 2nd

Oshawa 1
Niagara 1

Laughton has an assist

Currently in the 2nd

Oshawa 1
Niagara 1

Laughton has an assist
- ob18

Trade him for Iginla

cherry defends rinaldo
maclean disagrees

Trade him for Iginla
- Jsaquella

Nah maybe Cousins he has no points right now but they are down 1 - 0 to Peterborough early in the 2nd.