If Timonen's injury is serious. Holmgren will look like a total fool for handing him 6 million for next season 10 games into this season. Guy is coming off back surgery and other injuries. How bout seeing how he holds up for at least 3/4 of the season before extending him next year. And totally overpaying him to boot.

Signing Timonen for next year this early in the season is completely asinine.

Lose with the young kids like Manning and Gustafsson. How much worse can they be then what we have already?
- stveshdy

At this point I would be all for that. You know what you are getting with guys like Foster and Gervais.

At least with the kids there is a chance (slim), of something more.

I dont know if I see the team making any moves however, with Meszaros possibly returning in the near future.

No idea.

I do think Lava's job may be in jeopardy however.

It was either Snider or Holmgren that pretty much said the Flyers need to adjust their approach and tone things down.

The whole notion of bringing in Paddock to do who knows what, is weird to me as well.
- flyer_nutter

He said he came in not to step on lavas toes even though no one asked him

I think Laviolette may have reached the "been tuned out" stage especially once upper management threw him a leaded coaching life preserver even before the season started. But you know what they say about sow's ears and silk purses.

The roster does not fit the system that Laviolette wants them to play and they've actually tried to play it a little closer to the vest style-wise, with subpar results thus far.
- bmeltzer

Bill, is there honestly any system that this team would look good playing right now?
- feelingkettle

This is an underrated question.

OUCH: http://www.inlouwetrust.c...wful-first-period-to-beat
"Second rate rivals"...that's just wrong.

If Timonen's injury is serious. Holmgren will look like a total fool for handing him 6 million for next season 10 games into this season. Guy is coming off back surgery and other injuries. How bout seeing how he holds up for at least 3/4 of the season before extending him next year. And totally overpaying him to boot.

Signing Timonen for next year this early in the season is completely asinine.
- PLindbergh31

I suppose the team could always buy him out no?

What is more concerning to me is what will now be expected of Luke Schenn. I wanted the guy to have an easier year, getting his game back and out of the spotlight in Toronto. He is being thrown in the fire now.

I guess since we're putting Lavi on the hotseat, who would be a candidate to replace him? Terry Murray seems to be an obvious choice, what with already being in the organization and having an NHL resume. Who else is out there?

To play a bit of fantasy hockey, there's split opinions over on the Lightning thread. A number of posters are tired of Guy Boucher, but their blogger Michael Stuart feels he's quite safe. Would he be a fit here, were he canned?
- BulliesPhan87

I think that Murray would be the choice if a change is made in season.

Guy Boucher is an interesting choice, but the way the roster is assembled, I'm not sure he's the right choice.

I suppose the team could always buy him out no?

What is more concerning to me is what will now be expected of Luke Schenn. I wanted the guy to have an easier year, getting his game back and out of the spotlight in Toronto. He is being thrown in the fire now.
- flyer_nutter

We don't know what the severity of Timonen's injury is. If he has to miss a game or two in the grand scheme of things it's not a huge deal.

The fact they are reduced to Foster/Gervais/Lilja on the ice at the same time is pathetic.

I think that Murray would be the choice if a change is made in season.

Guy Boucher is an interesting choice, but the way the roster is assembled, I'm not sure he's the right choice.
- Jsaquella

They knew Lavi's system when they hired him. They didn't support him with the right personnel in the off season. So now it's all of a sudden a surprise when the D is too thin and you are skating a bunch of pilots out there?

Pilons ...

They knew Lavi's system when they hired him. They didn't support him with the right personnel in the off season. So now it's all of a sudden a surprise when the D is too thin and you are skating a bunch of pilots out there?
- section32

right...I don't get this at all. I love Lavy's up tempo style. Why hire the guy if your not going to build your team with this in mind?

At this point I would be all for that. You know what you are getting with guys like Foster and Gervais.

At least with the kids there is a chance (slim), of something more.

I dont know if I see the team making any moves however, with Meszaros possibly returning in the near future.
- flyer_nutter

Just would like to see the young guys gain valuable experience (who actually have a future with the club) getting some more playing time. Gervais, Foster, and Lilja are not in the future. Let these young defenseman grow and play with the big club. Will they be good? Who knows but lets see if they can play. Can't be any worse than what the Flyers are putting out there today.

Oh Bill...that may be too on the point.
By missing the Keaton Ellerby train the Flyers seem to be resigning themselves (Homer, I am ranting at you) to living/dying with the blue line that he has "assembled". That and the obvious issues that Giroux is experiencing right now...and I am not 100% convinced that his wrists/hands are where they were...there is not enough NHL caliber talent on the blue line or wings on this team. Period.
- wbon22

up front, they could use another scoring winger, that's all. the d was a ? going into the season, of course.

They knew Lavi's system when they hired him. They didn't support him with the right personnel in the off season. So now it's all of a sudden a surprise when the D is too thin and you are skating a bunch of pilots out there?
- section32

The offseason isn't a store, you can't just go have everything you want at a set price. We all know the story of this offseason, too. You can say the Flyers miscalculated and/or whiffed, but you can't say it was a lack of effort. I don't think anybody is 'surprised', either.

also, i think that was my last visit to the devils arena. they don't cheer for their team when they score, they say to the opponent "you suck"

if a kid playing sports did that you'd say they had very poor sportsmanship, what a horrible group of rude a-holes in there. i thought if i got tickets down low people might be better behaved, but nope, our neighbors were once again rude jerks.

I guess since we're putting Lavi on the hotseat, who would be a candidate to replace him? Terry Murray seems to be an obvious choice, what with already being in the organization and having an NHL resume. Who else is out there?

To play a bit of fantasy hockey, there's split opinions over on the Lightning thread. A number of posters are tired of Guy Boucher, but their blogger Michael Stuart feels he's quite safe. Would he be a fit here, were he canned?
- BulliesPhan87

I despise Boucher. If Yzerman, who has made some solid moves imo, also feels the guy isn't good enough I dont want him here. Tampa is underachieving imo and if I am a lightning fan I point the finger at Boucher.

If certain teams fail this season I could see the following guys being available. Noel in Winnipeg, Alain in Vancouver and Ruff in Buffalo. I wouldn't want any of them. With Murray I just get a vibe that he is the kind of coach who can bring a team close, but cannot get that over that hump. It's a young core however and at the end of the day I see Murray getting the job if Lava is on the out.

Just would like to see the young guys gain valuable experience (who actually have a future with the club) getting some more playing time. Gervais, Foster, and Lilja are not in the future. Let these young defenseman grow and play with the big club. Will they be good? Who knows but lets see if they can play. Can't be any worse than what the Flyers are putting out there today.
- stveshdy

I know you all love Homer here, but when is he going to be held accountable? I dont want to hear who he tried to get in the off season because this is not a good hockey team right now, what can the coach do with this team?

The offseason isn't a store, you can't just go have everything you want at a set price. We all know the story of this offseason, too. You can say the Flyers miscalculated and/or whiffed, but you can't say it was a lack of effort. I don't think anybody is 'surprised', either.
- BulliesPhan87

Thats why its important to build your farm system. When you trade away picks year after year its hard to do that.

They knew Lavi's system when they hired him. They didn't support him with the right personnel in the off season. So now it's all of a sudden a surprise when the D is too thin and you are skating a bunch of pilots out there?

Pilons ...
- section32

I'm not calling for the firing. But when Snider mentions the lack of adjustments against the Devils in the playoffs, and then re-iterates it after the team stumbles out of the gate, it's not exactly a ringing endorsement.

My issue with Laviolette is, there seems to be no willingness to adapt his system to the personnel on hand. It's not as if no effort was made to get better personnel. The Flyers offered $200mm in contracts to Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. They didn't manage to land either. It happens sometimes.

That's when the coach has to adapt. Nobody's arguing that Laviolette didn't get dealt a crap hand. But a large part of coaching is making adjustments.

Just would like to see the young guys gain valuable experience (who actually have a future with the club) getting some more playing time. Gervais, Foster, and Lilja are not in the future. Let these young defenseman grow and play with the big club. Will they be good? Who knows but lets see if they can play. Can't be any worse than what the Flyers are putting out there today.
- stveshdy

I agree, however Gustafsson at best projects to be a third pairing defenseman, and Manning probably projects to be a 7th dman. But as you said, at least they are young players who have some mobility out on the ice.

This team is a real mess.

I know you all love Homer here, but when is he going to be held accountable? I dont want to hear who he tried to get in the off season because this is not a good hockey team right now, what can the coach do with this team?
- vejim

Homer has to take responsibility he put together this current club. Whether he hit or missed this summer its still his job to assemble the team. The Flyers won't be great every single year but I think its fair to give him a low grade after this offseason.

right...I don't get this at all. I love Lavy's up tempo style. Why hire the guy if your not going to build your team with this in mind?
- Dkos

This is a bigger concern to me.

The organization went big and slow at the start of the lockout. It failed. They changed to a more skilled group, that imo lacked grit. Then they drastically changed the course by dealing Richards and Carter.

Signed Bryzgalov, and the team had a vibe of the run and gun Washington Capitals of years past. This off-season they tell the coach to tone it down, and sign a bunch of big guys to protect Bryz.

What I am getting at is they have been all over the place. USe this season. Evaluate the core you have, and choose one going forward. If they want that up-tempo style that I personally prefer, then build a team to fit it. At the same time this team would have looked different with either Weber, Suter or Parise, all of which were apparently targeted.

I know you all love Homer here, but when is he going to be held accountable? I dont want to hear who he tried to get in the off season because this is not a good hockey team right now, what can the coach do with this team?
- vejim

Holmgren should be held accountable. He is the architect of this roster.

I agree, however Gustafsson at best projects to be a third pairing defenseman, and Manning probably projects to be a 7th dman. But as you said, at least they are young players who have some mobility out on the ice.

This team is a real mess.
- PLindbergh31

Let's find out if they can play so we know what we have. Foster, Lilja and Gervais have no future here. They won't make a difference anyways so why not give the young guys a chance and get some experience.