Regardless of what you define the Fowlers, Edlers, and Markovs of the league, the Flyers don't have a guy in that class either. Whether you call it #2 or 1B or whatever
- eayost

Wasn't saying they do. The problem is the organization believes guys like Kimmo and Coburn are 1B or 2 defensemen and they are not. Coburn has been as useful as a poopy flavored lolipop!

Did anyone know that this is the first time since 93 that the flyers gave up a 3goal lead in reg.
- griouxmvp2012

Ah yes. 1993.

The halcyon days of the Crazy 8's line. Those early Lindros, pre-Terry Murray teams stunk too.

At this point Gus needs to go. Guy can't hold onto the puck for his life.

Starting to think you lack reading comprehension since Jsaq & I did not exonerate Homer in our posts.
- Flyskippy

I am not going after you and J. my posts are not aimed at you guys but everytime I say anything negative about Homer you 2 jump down my throat.

well everyone was b_tchen last night...you guys are so sensitive to Homer
- vejim

It has nothing to do with sensitivity. Homer has done some very good things as GM and failed miserably with others. When Eddie Snider mandates getting the best goalie out there, the GM's hand are pretty well tied! Bryz was the best option at the time and I don't know if anyone would have been able to predict the outcome.

The simple fact is, nobody is doing their job well enough, except maybe Jake Voracek, on the entire team.

The coaching has been questionable, going back to the 2011 playoffs, when his handling of the goalies led to Snider issuing a dictum to get a goalie. The Flyers record vs New Jersey and the New York Rangers over this season and last is 5-17-1. That's not a bad matchup, that's a coach having zero answers. He has been dealt a less than stellar hand this season, but other coaches have gotten far worse cards and have managed to ice competitive teams. Hell, just look at Deboer's team. Their defense is similar to the Flyers and he designs a scheme that minimizes their weaknesses. Laviolette has been unwilling or unable.

The play on the ice has been bad, too. Veterans like Briere and Coburn, who could have helped a transitional year by simply providing competent play have been dreadful. There's been a real bad lack of discipline, which is partly on the coach, but the veteran leadership that looked so solid in the beginning of the year has been nonexistent. Worse, the two key younger players have had growing pans. Couturier has played goo defense, but his offensive game is non-existent. Conversely Brayden Schenn has provided solid offensive contributions, but hasn't been the good two way guy he was in juniors.

The GM will obviously get blamed for assembling the team, but I find it hard to lay much blame there when the trade pickings are slim and when he handed out $200mm in contract offers to the top two defensemen on the market in the summer.

This team didn't look like a threat for the top of the conference or division at the start of the year, but it should have been a solid 5-8 playoff seed. It's very close to the time where they have to decide if they're going to make an effort to save this season or simply chalk it up to a bad year and make changes to solidify for the future and the young core. Of course they could also try to rebuild. Again.
- Jsaquella

Their record against NYR and NJ + their inability to protect leads + their lack of 60 minute efforts + the never ending huge gaps between forwards and D which prevent clean breakouts = time for a new coach.

I don't want to blow up the team, most of the young forwards are only going to get better, however they need to find some way to add another quality defenseman next year. I would try to package Mezaros, who can never stay healthy, with a pick and/or a prospect and try to pry JayBo out of Calgary. While not a true #1, JayBo is durable, skates well, has good size, and plays smart in his own end. A top 4 next year of JayBo/Schenn and Coburn/GRossman would at least be solid. Sadly while I like and respect Timonen a lot, at this point in his career he looks to be a 3rd pairing pp specialist.

The other and probably more important key to improving defensively is the play of the forwards. I would be happy with Terry MUrray coaching this team, at least he would get the forwards to backcheck properly and shorten the gaps.

Montreal actually have two guys who have #1 skills. Beauchemin is doing okay in Anahiem. Edler and Huimhuis are fine in Vancouver. NJ does seem to be struggling.

You can play a shut down style like NJ and be successful without having a bonefide #1.

The Flyers have the pieces to play a great offensive game. But, they miss that back end support.

I believe, Holmgren will get the missing piece this summer. More important he will pay the price. For example, if he goes after a top player like OEL or Doughty it would cost him something like Couturier or Schenn and Vorachek or Simmonds plus a first. (Remember, this is just an example of the relative cost.)

Anyway people will scream and say it is way too much to pay. But a team will step up and pay that kind of price. That is the value of a true #1. Go back and look at the price the Flyers paid for Pronger when he was already well into his 30's. Holmgren knows what he needs to do and he will pay the relative price, fans will scream but history will prove him right.
- spatso

It's the same thing over and over. Now you're putting Doughty into the mix. And you are again predicting trades. None of it has ever coe to fruition. Right now, not having a #1 defenseman is not this team's problem.

Montreal actually have two guys who have #1 skills. Beauchemin is doing okay in Anahiem. Edler and Huimhuis are fine in Vancouver. NJ does seem to be struggling.

You can play a shut down style like NJ and be successful without having a bonefide #1.

The Flyers have the pieces to play a great offensive game. But, they miss that back end support.

I believe, Holmgren will get the missing piece this summer. More important he will pay the price. For example, if he goes after a top player like OEL or Doughty it would cost him something like Couturier or Schenn and Vorachek or Simmonds plus a first. (Remember, this is just an example of the relative cost.)

Anyway people will scream and say it is way too much to pay. But a team will step up and pay that kind of price. That is the value of a true #1. Go back and look at the price the Flyers paid for Pronger when he was already well into his 30's. Holmgren knows what he needs to do and he will pay the relative price, fans will scream but history will prove him right.
- spatso

Schenn or Couts + Voracek or Simmonds + a first is asinine.

bryz shouldn't have been pulled last nite, but it's not like he's been the rock solid guy we envisioned when he was signed. putting last yrs fiasco behind us, he's really been avg overall. not the biggest problem, but not really a solution.

iow, i'd be open to a change if other areas like the defense and coaching situation are addressed. i'm ok letting him come back nxt yr, but he'd def be on my short list of buyout candidates at that time. briere is as good as gone and i would make it an imperative to try and move him to avoid having to use a buyout on him this off season.

So, I was out of town and missed watching every game from Toronto-Ottawa. Last night I was down at the game and for the first time in a week, was able to look at this team.

Briere was downright awful. The only thing I remember about him was throwing a weak wrister on net from the left wing. If Simmonds/Hartnell/Schenn aren't scoring, they can help the team in other ways. If Briere isn't putting up points, he has little to no value. He may put up the points in the playoffs (+/- be damned), but right now this isn't a playoff team. I love him, but at this point, if he would waive his NTC, may be time for a change.

Despite his 90-second windup for a slapshot int he 3rd, Hartnell was overall pretty good. I loved him going after Neal (you actually saw him say something to him as Neal went to the box after the elbow to Giroux). It may have led to a PP goal, but if nothing else, at least they let it be known you don' get to do that to our players. That goal had nothing to do with the meltdown.

Bryzgalov looked bad. He had no chance on the 1st or 3rd, but came up with no big momentum saves. Looked like a mediocre NHL goalie.

As bad as he looked, Boucher was...wow. If he had any amount of lateral movement, he stops the Kunitz goal. Every shot on both goalies was an adventure, but I had no confidence in Boucher at all.

Overall, very few players stood out positively to me. Grossmann, Voracek, Simmonds, Rinaldo and Talbot is about it. If there's any market for Rusty, I'd love to see him moved. And if this goes on another week or 2, same goes for Boucher; if we're not gonna make the playoffs, give Heeter a shot and see how he looks. Basically, zero confidence in the team right now.

bryz shouldn't have been pulled last nite, but it's not like he's been the rock solid guy we envisioned when he was signed. putting last yrs fiasco behind us, he's really been avg overall. not the biggest problem, but not really a solution.

iow, i'd be open to a change if other areas like the defense and coaching situation are addressed. i'm ok letting him come back nxt yr, but he'd def be on my short list of buyout candidates at that time. briere is as good as gone and i would make it an imperative to try and move him to avoid having to use a buyout on him this off season.
- isaiah520

JMO, it wasn't necessarily his play that he was pulled ... it was trying to get some momentum back. Sometimes the team plays harder for the back-up. It worked for Pittsburgh. That said, Fleury gave up two soft goals.

bryz shouldn't have been pulled last nite, but it's not like he's been the rock solid guy we envisioned when he was signed. putting last yrs fiasco behind us, he's really been avg overall. not the biggest problem, but not really a solution.

iow, i'd be open to a change if other areas like the defense and coaching situation are addressed. i'm ok letting him come back nxt yr, but he'd def be on my short list of buyout candidates at that time. briere is as good as gone and i would make it an imperative to try and move him to avoid having to use a buyout on him this off season.
- isaiah520

I'd like to see what Bryz does when the guys in front of him play a solid defensive, predictable way. He may benefit a lot from that. If he still shows inconsistency issues, or just doesn't improve much, than I don't know. Tough decisions to make at that point.

Did anyone notice Bryzgalov get into with the fans behind the net after the 3rd Pens goal?
I've never seen a player, let alone, a goalie actually engage the his own fans like that. It was weird.

This is the best blog you've ever written, Bill.

Did anyone notice Bryzgalov get into with the fans behind the net after the 3rd Pens goal?
I've never seen a player, let alone, a goalie actually engage the his own fans like that. It was weird.
- Briere

nope

At this point Gus needs to go. Guy can't hold onto the puck for his life.
- KGBflyers10

Here's something for you:

Jimmy Hespeler ‏@JimmyHespeler
More from scouts: Liked Gustafsson's game even with the -2 tonight, has some jump and skates with his head up looking to make plays

A lot of you on here will even recognize the person who tweeted this.

well everyone was b_tchen last night...you guys are so sensitive to Homer
- vejim

Yes, last night after a loss...you only show up to female dog. Big difference.

I'd like to see what Bryz does when the guys in front of him play a solid defensive, predictable way. He may benefit a lot from that. If he still shows inconsistency issues, or just doesn't improve much, than I don't know. Tough decisions to make at that point.
- eayost

I really do believe he is fatigued. This has been an incredibly intense schedule. It is a mistake to think these guys have only played a short season. Goalies are showing the fatigue in different ways. Some are getting hurt. Bryzgalov was not the only guy who had a weak night last night.

I think it's time to make the switch. Let Murray or Paddock come in for the last 20 games in order to develop the kids. I couldn't care less about the playoffs. I want this team ready for next year.

Also, I want a coach for next year that will play a defensive style. Put Bryz in a spot to be as effective as possible. $51 million dollars to play in a system that's causing him to not trust the team in front of him and leads to horribly inconsistent play? Poor investment. I think he can get close to the numbers he put up in Phoenix if they play tight in front of him.

nope
- jak521

It was uncomfortable to watch actually. There's no way he had his head in the game after that. I can't belive no one from the media picked up on it.

I wonder if it got captured on you tube or some where else.

Yes, last night after a loss...you only show up to female dog. Big difference.
- Jsaquella

not a whole lot of positives to talk about this year

Theory: After Keith Primeau went down in 2005-06, it was said (& later corroborated by himself) that the Flyers lost the liaison between Hitchcock and the rest of the team. Could it be that the same thing happened here with the loss of Chris Pronger last year? It's too similar in terms of listlessness in their absences.
- Flyskippy

I think it might be part of it. I also thing Lavy isn't a good coach for a growing team with so many holes. Give him a team like he had in 09/10 and 10/11 and he will work wonders. He seemingly can't/won't adjust though.

not a whole lot of positives to talk about this year
- vejim

B. Schenn, and Voracek breaking out has been nice.

not a whole lot of positives to talk about this year
- vejim

Hmmm... the special teams overall are pretty good. 5th in PP and 11th in PK (even after the atrocious start to the season). That's good.

Considering their record though, it also means they aren't very good 5v5 :/

Hmmm... the special teams overall are pretty good. 5th in PP and 11th in PK (even after the atrocious start to the season). That's good.

Considering their record though, it also means they aren't very good 5v5 :/
- eayost

I like Lavy...he has to deal with what he was given