I'd Like to ask flyers fan if they are at all familiar with Aaron Volpatti and if you think Sestito is a good Replacement for him. I will say I like him thus far. But can he chip in from time to time? Or is he strictly fists?
- vancity787

He doesn't have bad hands in close and skates well for such a big guy. He does tend to run around a bit, and he's not an especially good fighter, but he's a decent NHL level 4th liner, provided he plays disciplined hockey

- Winning

Bump

I hope Grossman and Staal are both okay.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that J. Quick had a little more to do with winning the cup than either Richards or Carter.
- 77rams

And Anze Kopitar.

And Anze Kopitar.
- bodiva88

and Brown

Coburn was one of the Flyers better D-men tonight, I thought (though he's become a popular whipping boy). Gustafsson and Gervais were the weakest links tonight.
- bmeltzer

I only saw the first period and a little of the second, but I thought Coburn struggled with the puck a bit.

Maybe it was the Rangers forecheck pressure but he didn't make the sure clears he usually does.

Losing Grossmann for any period of time would be a huge blow.

Callahan always seems to play his best against the Flyers.

Great player and captain.

Personally, I think Holmgren needs to go first. He should have gotten Lavi some defensive help after last season. Epic fail, as far as that goes. The defense is actually worse this year.
- Rliable

Holmgren does deserve some blame for lack of plan B on defense, but the Flyers have won one game against the Rangers in over two years now with two different teams and it's pretty much like watching the same game over and over again. It's as if Laviolette hasn't figured out how to beat a neutral zone trap yet except by protesting it like a pouting child by having the defensemen pass back and forth. Disciplined teams have consistently beaten Laviolette during his time here.

I know defensemen have been raised to mystical proportions by some Flyers fans as a cure all for this teams ills, but I don't see how defensemen will prevent forwards from going offsides, forwards from turning the puck over in the neutral zone, forwards not getting the puck deep for proper line changes, forwards not backing up pinching defensemen, and forwards not shortening the gap between them and the defensemen for better transition defense and easier outlet passes.

Holmgren does deserve some blame for lack of plan B on defense, but the Flyers have won one game against the Rangers in over two years now with two different teams and it's pretty much like watching the same game over and over again. It's as if Laviolette hasn't figured out how to beat a neutral zone trap yet except by protesting it like a pouting child by having the defensemen pass back and forth. Disciplined teams have consistently beaten Laviolette during his time here.

I know defensemen have been raised to mystical proportions by some Flyers fans as a cure all for this teams ills, but I don't see how defensemen will prevent forwards from going offsides, forwards from turning the puck over in the neutral zone, forwards not getting the puck deep for proper line changes, forwards not backing up pinching defensemen, and forwards not shortening the gap between them and the defensemen for better transition defense and easier outlet passes.
- psuhockey

Great post. Its like they have no clue how to break out against these teams. This team refuses to play a tight checking game. Lava will not change.

It's as simple as this: The team itself is mediocre, but the coach is not capable of putting them in a position to better their chances of winning.
Bad game plans, unprepared starts..... all bad signs.

An MRI for a groin pull? Sounds like a minimal 2 weeks to me

Great post. Its like they have no clue how to break out against these teams. This team refuses to play a tight checking game. Lava will not change.
- Just5

Break outs! UGHHHHH!!

In the first period Gus is behind the Flyers net with the puck looking to set up the breakout. Gus circles around the net and then sets up behind the net the eventually flips it up the boards or off the glass and uot of the zone.

Why, you ask?!?!?

Becauser the forwards are out of the defensive zone, across the blue line waiting in the neutral zone.

The gap between the forwards and D was to large. No forwards supporting the D.

So FUSTRATING!!!

This is a short season and it would be crazy for the Flyers to panic.

This is a very young team. Last year all the kids had a great year. Expectations were raised. So, disappointment is high as the entire team struggles with what is essentially a sophomore slump.

Sometimes the best solution to tough times is to do nothing. They have to learn how to play their way through tough times.

Maybe there is a chance to acquire a puck moving Dman at the trade deadline. But they should not overpay. Better to wait to the off season and pay the price for a top #1.

Is there a problem in goal? There is a problem with the Bryzgalov contract and he does not seem to be able to handle the heavy workload without tiring. Perhaps a solid backup is all that is needed at this time.

Break outs! UGHHHHH!!

In the first period Gus is behind the Flyers net with the puck looking to set up the breakout. Gus circles around the net and then sets up behind the net the eventually flips it up the boards or off the glass and uot of the zone.

Why, you ask?!?!?

Becauser the forwards are out of the defensive zone, across the blue line waiting in the neutral zone.

The gap beGtween the forwards and D was to large. No forwards supporting the D.

So FUSTRATING!!!


- ggunky

I have to get down to a game only to see what the hell the forwards are doing.

For the love of god, please do not claim Hamrlik.

Tough loss last night. Two pretty strong periods, minus a couple missed plays, and then Nash hits with a dagger and things start to tumble. Its so hard to nail down exactly why this team can fall apart so easily when at other times they can be so damn resilient.

It truly is a bi polar team.

What I don't want to see is panic from the organization. Its tough to admit but I'd be ok with missing the playoffs this year to keep most of this team intact, including the coach. I'm sort of tired of convenient excuses, its the coach, its the players, its the goalie, defense, offense, power play, yada yada yada. I think the unhealthy byproduct of making the playoffs almost every year in your teams existence is the added pressure to make the playoffs almost every year and this leads to too much tinkering.

I don't want to see any rash decisions based on what......24 games?


also:

You cant force players to sign here for starters.
- hereticpride

Exactly. I'm tired of people blaming Homer for not getting a huge franchise defenseman. He did all he could to get Suter and Weber... And what, do you expect him to give up Couturier, B.Schenn, and 3 first rounders for Yandle? Then you'd be batching about how he got ripped on that deal. I swear, there's just no pleasing some of you... Homer could make a deal giving up a 4th rounder for Perry straight up right now, and you people would be complaining about what we could have done with that 4th round pick instead.


Also, why do people keep putting all the blame on Lavvy? There's only so much a coach can do.. you can tell them, show them, but you cannot play for them. Have you heard the coaches mic'd up before? Him and Berube constantly yell not to clump up along the boards on the forcheck... but what do they do... they bunch up anyway. They constantly yell at them on line changes, and what happens... they're taking too many men on the ice penalties regularly. The coaches cannot play for the players.. THE PLAYERS are the ones who need to execute. If that mentality doesn't change, a new coach isn't going to mean crap.

Personally, I like the way the team looks overall, and like the way they're sticking to a plan. They have a good young core, they just need to get them to show up every night. That being said, I've been swayed into being willing to trade Couturier for a guy like OEL, as long as they wouldn't want a whole lot more. I think Couturier needs time to grow yet, and I love his two way play... but if they could get a good, young offensive dman out of him, I would do it. Laughton is supposedly going to be such a great two way player, I think he could take over whatever Couturier will do. I can't see Couturier ever being a player that will score over 25 goals a year constantly anyway. Like I said, his defensive play is the upside, and I do think he has potential to grow. But if you can get a good young dman out of him, I'd seriously consider it... JMO

Also, why do people keep putting all the blame on Lavvy? There's only so much a coach can do.. you can tell them, show them, but you cannot play for them. Have you heard the coaches mic'd up before? Him and Berube constantly yell not to clump up along the boards on the forcheck... but what do they do... they bunch up anyway. They constantly yell at them on line changes, and what happens... they're taking too many men on the ice penalties regularly. The coaches cannot play for the players.. THE PLAYERS are the ones who need to execute. If that mentality doesn't change, a new coach isn't going to mean crap.
- WarriorHockey21

If all that is true, than that is a sign of a team that has tuned out the coaching staff. Firing the coach is not just about changing tactics, its also about sending a wake up call to the players. Once the coach is gone, they're the next ones to go.

I'm officially on the "Lavy has to go" bandwagon. Too many of the same mistakes over and over again.

Too many mistakes that can be directly attributed to poor coaching.

Jimmy Hespeler ‏@JimmyHespeler

The Flyers lose and Paul Bearer passes away. Crappy night.

Man, I miss Butsy
- Jsaquella

X2

Holmgren does deserve some blame for lack of plan B on defense, but the Flyers have won one game against the Rangers in over two years now with two different teams and it's pretty much like watching the same game over and over again. It's as if Laviolette hasn't figured out how to beat a neutral zone trap yet except by protesting it like a pouting child by having the defensemen pass back and forth. Disciplined teams have consistently beaten Laviolette during his time here.

I know defensemen have been raised to mystical proportions by some Flyers fans as a cure all for this teams ills, but I don't see how defensemen will prevent forwards from going offsides, forwards from turning the puck over in the neutral zone, forwards not getting the puck deep for proper line changes, forwards not backing up pinching defensemen, and forwards not shortening the gap between them and the defensemen for better transition defense and easier outlet passes.
- psuhockey

This.


Great post.

there's always twitter...
- isaiah520

What is his twitter name?

Exactly. I'm tired of people blaming Homer for not getting a huge franchise defenseman. He did all he could to get Suter and Weber... And what, do you expect him to give up Couturier, B.Schenn, and 3 first rounders for Yandle? Then you'd be batching about how he got ripped on that deal. I swear, there's just no pleasing some of you... Homer could make a deal giving up a 4th rounder for Perry straight up right now, and you people would be complaining about what we could have done with that 4th round pick instead.


Also, why do people keep putting all the blame on Lavvy? There's only so much a coach can do.. you can tell them, show them, but you cannot play for them. Have you heard the coaches mic'd up before? Him and Berube constantly yell not to clump up along the boards on the forcheck... but what do they do... they bunch up anyway. They constantly yell at them on line changes, and what happens... they're taking too many men on the ice penalties regularly. The coaches cannot play for the players.. THE PLAYERS are the ones who need to execute. If that mentality doesn't change, a new coach isn't going to mean crap.

Personally, I like the way the team looks overall, and like the way they're sticking to a plan. They have a good young core, they just need to get them to show up every night. That being said, I've been swayed into being willing to trade Couturier for a guy like OEL, as long as they wouldn't want a whole lot more. I think Couturier needs time to grow yet, and I love his two way play... but if they could get a good, young offensive dman out of him, I would do it. Laughton is supposedly going to be such a great two way player, I think he could take over whatever Couturier will do. I can't see Couturier ever being a player that will score over 25 goals a year constantly anyway. Like I said, his defensive play is the upside, and I do think he has potential to grow. But if you can get a good young dman out of him, I'd seriously consider it... JMO
- WarriorHockey21

I agree with a lot of this, but I don;t see most eople putting all the blame on Laviolette. There's a lot of folks calling for adding defensemen & scoring ingers and what not.

There's also a lot of folks that blame Holmgren for not landing the pieces.

I don't blame any one person or group alone, but obviously they can't make a deal without overpaying, otherwise, we would have seen a trade by now.

What is his twitter name?
- huks99

@JimmyHespeler

I'm officially on the "Lavy has to go" bandwagon. Too many of the same mistakes over and over again.

Too many mistakes that can be directly attributed to poor coaching.
- MBFlyerfan

I simply don't think that they can make a trade without overpaying right now, and despite Laviolette's past accolades and accomplishments, they're a poorly run team.

Basic mistakes left and right. Continuous slow starts. Inability to adjust to teams that play a tight checking style, like New York and New Jersey. That last one has been going on even with a more talented defense corps.

There's just too many examples of less talented teams overcoming with better coaching.