So, Lavi must be the only head coach in NHL history to put "backchecking optional" up on the whiteboard before every game, is that what you're saying?
- Tomahawk

Worse. He has pictures of Michael Peca, John Madden, and every Selke trophy winner up on his wall with a red circle and a line over each one.

I can't wait for the highlights from the Maccabee games, where US goalie delivers a two hander to some poor nation's version of Kent Nilsson
- Jsaquella

I had Colorforms as a kid with superheroes and villains in similar poses to the Flyer there.
- Flyskippy

colorforms were in my wheelhouse

admit it, you were in your 20s

I had Colorforms as a kid with superheroes and villains in similar poses to the Flyer there.
- Flyskippy

pretty sure that's primeau.

My hope is that Laviolette has success as long as he is the team's head coach. My issues with him are known, but winning would cure all ills.
- Jsaquella

He's the most adept head coach we've had since Hitch. Maybe, if there was a guy like Bylsma, DeBoer or Babcock out there to be hired, I'd be more open to a change to jolt the team... but who are they likely to hand the team over to if they got rid of Lavi? Berube? Murray? Ruff? Common. Ted Nolan's (always) out there, I guess.

201 used to be central jersey too, until 732 came along. another thing i'm angry about.
- hammarby31

That was just as I was going to Seton Hall. We exchanged numbers and folks up there had to go, "Well, it's 201 now but it's going to be 908 soon..."

Changes in coaches and systems always seems to be the easiest thing to focus on, but this team is prone to careless mistakes and often defaults to finesse over hard work. Part of it is the youth on the club -- kids need to make mistakes in order to learn from them. The other part is a lack of continuity from perpetual high rates of player turnover and constant injuries to key players -- the owner and GM never leave well enough alone. And, of course, the goaltending...

I don't think any of those things are truly addressed with a short-sighted coaching change. You can criticize Lavi for sticking to his guns, or benching Couturier, or his handling of the goaltenders, but to think some other guy is going to waltz in and the team will suddenly execute to perfection is a reach in my book.

Leave the team alone, keep the coach, draft high, come back next season wiser and more experienced. It's not such a bad thing.
- Tomahawk

I agree that the team defalts to finesse over hard work in situations. But I disagree in part on why they do. Certainly youth and inexperience is part of it. But the biggest reason is Coaching. This team is seriously missing elements in it's systems play for game situations.
Look at the Pittsburgh game. The Pens get the go ahead goal in the 3rd, and what does Bylsma do? He switches from his normal 2-1-2 forecheck to a 1-2-2 forecheck. He still has one forechecker pressure the puck. But the 3rd man stays high. If the puck switches sides, the 2nd forward pressures the puck, and the original forechecker drops back into a defensive posture. Defenseman stay in good position up high, and don't gamble. They always have strength on the defensive side of the puck. They have a neutral zone presence where they ake away skating room, and passing angles. They consistently get the puck deep and make the opposition go 200 feet all period through tight checking. That is how you hold onto leads. This element is non existant in the Flyers system play.
The Flyers have one element in their systems play. And ultra aggressive forecheck where the defenseman gamble and cheat in to keep pucks in the offensive zone. The forwards are constantly on the offensive side of the puck regardless of the situation. Do you know how much easier it is to be in good backchecking positon when you start on the defensive side of the puck, versus the offensive side of it? When you see the same mistakes made game after game, through a wide range of players in terms of positioning. You see forwards constantly chasing the play from behind.That is not player mistakes. That is by design. That is players doing what the Coach is teaching and instructing them to do.
Look at the Rangers game. Start of the 3rd period, 3 forwards deep, defenseman in pinching. One chip off the boards and Nash is on a 2 on 1. Or on a breakaway. It is repeated. And this Coach is doing nothing to correct it. The players on this team aren't stupid. They know when they have the lead that if they continue to play that way, they'll be giving up quality chances. So they consciously take their foot off the gas, or default to finesse as you put it. They don't know how to play with a lead. This system lacks the elements to it to play with a lead.
Nobody would be looking for or asking players to suddenly execute to perfection. But you need to give the players the strategy and tools to play in all situations. This Coach is a one trick pony. If his agressive forechecking scheme doesn't wpork, he's done. He has no answers.

Why wouldn't they buy out Briere this summer? It costs them very little money ($3.3m spread over four years) and frees up more than 10% of the 2013-14 salary cap.
- Feanor

I'd be surprised if briere is here one way or another nxt yr. no cap space and plyrs need to be paid going forward.

I can't wait for the highlights from the Maccabee games, where US goalie delivers a two hander to some poor nation's version of Kent Nilsson
- Jsaquella

i don't think that will happen. i might get arrested after the tournament, but that's another matter.

I feel conflicted, too. I don't like calling for people's jobs
- Jsaquella

Exactly. *sigh*

That was just as I was going to Seton Hall. We exchanged numbers and folks up there had to go, "Well, it's 201 now but it's going to be 908 soon..."
- Flyskippy

see?

colorforms were in my wheelhouse

admit it, you were in your 20s
- Crimsoninja

These are older than you.

I don't think we can quite divine whether or not Laviolette has lost the players or not, but make no mistake: The Flyers' record in the recent past (two years?) against Martin Brodeur, Tim Thomas/Tuukka Rask, and Henrik Lundqvist is not an aberration at this point.
- johndewar

Fixed

There are enough defensive type coaches on the team already that can teach them defensive responsibility. Chief, who has done a good job with the PK, and Paddock can definitely do that. Terry Murray is not the answer!
- aantny88

I don't think Murray is the long term answer, either. If they do make a change, I would keep an interim, then go after a new candidate. I have a few guys in mind. Jon Cooper of the Norfolk Admirals and Steve Spott the GM & Coach of the Kitchener Rangers and Canadian National junior team

pretty sure that's primeau.
- hammarby31

Huh. I thought Podein was the last 25 that should be that close to the net and could be that acrobatic.

He's the most adept head coach we've had since Hitch. Maybe, if there was a guy like Bylsma, DeBoer or Babcock out there to be hired, I'd be more open to a change to jolt the team... but who are they likely to hand the team over to if they got rid of Lavi? Berube? Murray? Ruff? Common. Ted Nolan's (always) out there, I guess.
- Tomahawk

He was my second choice after Lavi in 2009 when it was rumored Stevens was getting fired.

Huh. I thought Podein was the last 25 that should be that close to the net and could be that acrobatic.
- Flyskippy

that shot is from the 04 ECF.

I'd like to disagree with the ranking for Talbot. I think he's meeting expectations as a fine, if not stellar, defensive forward. His 19 goal outburst last year unfairly raised offensive expectations, imo.
- bradleyc4

i don't think anyone thought the expectations were for him to be a scorer again.

if your expectations were that he would be a non-factor and be very easy to play against then you could put him in the exp-met category.

I agree that the team defalts to finesse over hard work in situations. But I disagree in part on why they do. Certainly youth and inexperience is part of it. But the biggest reason is Coaching. This team is seriously missing elements in it's systems play for game situations.
Look at the Pittsburgh game. The Pens get the go ahead goal in the 3rd, and what does Bylsma do? He switches from his normal 2-1-2 forecheck to a 1-2-2 forecheck. He still has one forechecker pressure the puck. But the 3rd man stays high. If the puck switches sides, the 2nd forward pressures the puck, and the original forechecker drops back into a defensive posture. Defenseman stay in good position up high, and don't gamble. They always have strength on the defensive side of the puck. They have a neutral zone presence where they ake away skating room, and passing angles. They consistently get the puck deep and make the opposition go 200 feet all period through tight checking. That is how you hold onto leads. This element is non existant in the Flyers system play.
The Flyers have one element in their systems play. And ultra aggressive forecheck where the defenseman gamble and cheat in to keep pucks in the offensive zone. The forwards are constantly on the offensive side of the puck regardless of the situation. Do you know how much easier it is to be in good backchecking positon when you start on the defensive side of the puck, versus the offensive side of it? When you see the same mistakes made game after game, through a wide range of players in terms of positioning. You see forwards constantly chasing the play from behind.That is not player mistakes. That is by design. That is players doing what the Coach is teaching and instructing them to do.
Look at the Rangers game. Start of the 3rd period, 3 forwards deep, defenseman in pinching. One chip off the boards and Nash is on a 2 on 1. Or on a breakaway. It is repeated. And this Coach is doing nothing to correct it. The players on this team aren't stupid. They know when they have the lead that if they continue to play that way, they'll be giving up quality chances. So they consciously take their foot off the gas, or default to finesse as you put it. They don't know how to play with a lead. This system lacks the elements to it to play with a lead.
Nobody would be looking for or asking players to suddenly execute to perfection. But you need to give the players the strategy and tools to play in all situations. This Coach is a one trick pony. If his agressive forechecking scheme doesn't wpork, he's done. He has no answers.
- MJL

You do realize that Bylsma implemented this system when Crosby went down and Malkin was hurt a few years ago? They haven't had much team turnover since that time and they understand how to play that "system". You also need lights out goaltending to sit on leads and let's face it for the last several weeks Bryz has been far from that.

He's the most adept head coach we've had since Hitch. Maybe, if there was a guy like Bylsma, DeBoer or Babcock out there to be hired, I'd be more open to a change to jolt the team... but who are they likely to hand the team over to if they got rid of Lavi? Berube? Murray? Ruff? Common. Ted Nolan's (always) out there, I guess.
- Tomahawk

I'd look for a young guy, a newcomer. Jon Cooper, Steve Spott, Dallas Eakins.

I don't think Murray is the long term answer, either. If they do make a change, I would keep an interim, then go after a new candidate. I have a few guys in mind. Jon Cooper of the Norfolk Admirals and Steve Spott the GM & Coach of the Kitchener Rangers and Canadian National junior team
- Jsaquella

two words for you: murray. chadwick.

[
These are older than you.
- Flyskippy

hmmm didnt think that technology existed back then

i concede

I don't think Murray is the long term answer, either. If they do make a change, I would keep an interim, then go after a new candidate. I have a few guys in mind. Jon Cooper of the Norfolk Admirals and Steve Spott the GM & Coach of the Kitchener Rangers and Canadian National junior team
- Jsaquella

hmmm didnt think that technology existed back then

i concede
- Crimsoninja

Made 'em right after I finished the wheel.

Made 'em right after I finished the wheel.


- Flyskippy

legsnort