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.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

two words for you: murray. chadwick.
- hammarby31

He's a piece of poop

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 don't think they do that to a good guy who has been great for the franchise. Not saying it's not good business, I just think if he's off the Flyers cap it's because they've traded him somewhere acceptable to Briere.

Exactly. *sigh*
- Flyskippy

yea, would terry murray climb up on the bench and confront bylsma? no!

Fixed
- Tomahawk

Each game against those teams looks like the one before it and it's not just the goaltenders. I'm not as willing as you to throw up my hands and just blame on the other team's goaltender.

I like Laviolette too. It doesn't mean he's suited to coach this bunch of players. The record doesn't lie.

That's a viewpoint developed from recent PO failures (and regular season futility vs the Rangers).

Remember the 2010 PO's... they beat three straight defensive-inclined teams (BOS, MTL, NJD) to get to the Finals... I don't recall anybody claiming that he couldn't make those kinds of adjustments, then.

Of course, the team from 2010 looks a hell of a lot different than this 2013 iteration... think that might have something to do with it? And, if so, do you still lay the blame for that at the feet of the coach?
- Tomahawk

He didn't need to make adjustments then because his team outplayed those teams. If he has the players and the horses for his system to work, then he's fine. His teams are only successful under a perfect storm. When he lacks the correct mix of players, and they aren't effective playing his style, he has not adjusted. There is a reason why it is sink or swim with Laviolette and his style of play. In Carolina it was win the Cup one year, miss the playoffs 3 years. Laviolette and his failure to adjust this Season is the single biggest reason why this team is underacheiving.

He's a piece of poop
- Jsaquella

how dare you!

two words for you: murray. chadwick.
- hammarby31

Nobody wants to go play for the Tallahassee Warhawks and I'm not sure why.

Each game against those teams looks like the one before it and it's not just the goaltenders. I'm not as willing as you to throw up my hands and just blame on the other team's goaltender.

I like Laviolette too. It doesn't mean he's suited to coach this bunch of players. The record doesn't lie.
- johndewar

there has been a lot of lather, rinse, repeat

No, that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm saying that he's responsible for teaching and getting guys to back check consistently. It's not like it's something that happens a few games here and there, it's nearly every game. The team defense is an issue and has been an issue and he has shown minimal signs of trying to improve it.
- NickTheKid87

I'm pretty sure that Lavi, like most coaches, are constantly harping about the importance of back-pressure (remember Lavi knocking Hartnell on 24/7 for "casual strides"), even though forwards at the NHL level are expected to do it without needing to be reminded. Short of lacing up a pair of skates and pushing a guy like Briere from behind, what is a coach to do to get a player up and down the ice going at 100% effort?

He can talk until he's red in the face, he can staple butts to the bench, he can switch to a passive 1-2-2 or a 1-4 (Lavi's done both, I think), but does it really accomplish the task of getting the most out of your players and your team?

At some point, the responsibility of the coach has to end somewhere, and the players then have to be accountable for how they play. When times are tough, and nobody wants to tinker with the lineup, it's like that divide doesn't even exist anymore.

- Flyskippy

wasn't meant to be a burn on our dear bradley, but talbot is kind of pissing me off.

I'm pretty sure that Lavi, like most coaches, are constantly harping about the importance of back-pressure (remember Lavi knocking Hartnell on 24/7 for "casual strides"), even though forwards at the NHL level are expected to do it without needing to be reminded. Short of lacing up a pair of skates and pushing a guy like Briere from behind, what is a coach to do to get a player up and down the ice going at 100% effort?

He can talk until he's red in the face, he can staple butts to the bench, he can switch to a passive 1-2-2 or a 1-4 (Lavi's done both, I think), but does it really accomplish the task of getting the most out of your players and your team?

At some point, the responsibility of the coach has to end somewhere, and the players then have to be accountable for how they play. When times are tough, and nobody wants to tinker with the lineup, it's like that divide doesn't even exist anymore.
- Tomahawk

I had laid blame on the players long before Laviolette but the team keeps making the same mistakes game in and game out. Breakdown after breakdown, bad change after bad change. At some point you need to question the coaching and I'm at that point.

Any move they make now is purely reactionary... reactionary to the current standings, reactionary to whom they lost to in the PO's, reactionary to whom they've had trouble beating recently... that's the same kind of reactionary thinking that brought Lavi here in the first place (Briere, Carter, etc need an up-tempo style!) and saw Stevens (we need a teacher for the kids!), Hitchcock (we need a XO's mastermind!), Murray (gotta out-D the Devils!), etc etc.

It's funny how easy it is for us to roll our eyes when other clubs scapegoat their coaches and avoid addressing the more glaring lineup problems (Caps, Boudreau says hi!). The minute it comes to the Flyers, however, the minute adversity hits, it's all about making the easy move again.
- Tomahawk

Zero to do with making the easy move again. The coach is failing to make the easy move. The glaring lineup problems should be a reason why this team isn't a legitimate contender for the Cup this year. Not a reason why they're likely going ot miss the playoffs and are floundering. With no sign of improving in the team game areas where they struggle. That is why you remove a Coach. Because there is zero forward progress. This team has plenty of talent to be a solid playoff team this year.

Any move they make now is purely reactionary... reactionary to the current standings, reactionary to whom they lost to in the PO's, reactionary to whom they've had trouble beating recently... that's the same kind of reactionary thinking that brought Lavi here in the first place (Briere, Carter, etc need an up-tempo style!) and saw Stevens (we need a teacher for the kids!), Hitchcock (we need a XO's mastermind!), Murray (gotta out-D the Devils!), etc etc.

It's funny how easy it is for us to roll our eyes when other clubs scapegoat their coaches and avoid addressing the more glaring lineup problems (Caps, Boudreau says hi!). The minute it comes to the Flyers, however, the minute adversity hits, it's all about making the easy move again.
- Tomahawk

This isnt about adversity at all IMO. Instead, to me anyway, its about the same issues constantly being a problem. This team is damn near completely one dimensional. They are run and gun. Lava's system is about pushing it into the O-zone, and doing whatever it takes to keep it in the zone. By doing that they end up with an astronomical amount of odd man rushes, or breakaways. Its a chaotic way of playing the game. They win and lose by it. MJL has explained it the best IMO.. its a double edge sword. Its gonna work against some teams, and not even close against others.

Look at Pitt.. we have had their number to some extent. High scoring affairs usually.

Look at NJD and the Rags.. I think we are something like 4-17-1 against them under Lava... that to me is pretty indicative of a coach being stuck in his ways.

how about they hire this guy:

Lavi has a hell of a track record with getting a lot out of some pretty mediocre players. His Carolina clubs weren't high on talent or even mobility, especially on the back end (Timonen >>>> Frank Kaberle), but the attacking style always caused problems for opponents and led to quite a bit of wins. He got the Isles to the PO's every year he was there, for Pete's sake.

Having ideal players in ideal roles was never a necessity for Lavi to succeed. Having players that recklessly jumped headlong into the fray was the only thing he ever required to win. The Flyers, for whatever reason, don't have enough of those kinds of players this year, even though it looks like they should on paper.
- Tomahawk

Sure it has been neccessity for Laviolette. His teams have failed more often they have succeeded.

This isnt about adversity at all IMO. Instead, to me anyway, its about the same issues constantly being a problem. This team is damn near completely one dimensional. They are run and gun. Lava's system is about pushing it into the O-zone, and doing whatever it takes to keep it in the zone. By doing that they end up with an astronomical amount of odd man rushes, or breakaways. Its a chaotic way of playing the game. They win and lose by it. MJL has explained it the best IMO.. its a double edge sword. Its gonna work against some teams, and not even close against others.

Look at Pitt.. we have had their number to some extent. High scoring affairs usually.

Look at NJD and the Rags.. I think we are something like 4-17-1 against them under Lava... that to me is pretty indicative of a coach being stuck in his ways.
- jak521

its the 5-0-0 system....

Let's make a list of what you mentioned:


Extenuating circumstances:
Homer's failure to bring in "right" pieces,
Top players underperforming,
Growing pains (youth of players),
Inconsistency of effort all around,

Lavi's fault:
Not being able to make adjustments *


(* hard to verify, since we're not privy to the whiteboard and coaches meetings and conversations behind the bench, not to mention any observations we are making as fans are with untrained eyes, at best)

The next thing somebody will say here is that Lavi's "lost the room", and then we'll have everything we need to justify a fan-mandated coaching change.
- Tomahawk

It's not hard to verify that he has failed ot make adjustments. Hockey is not a complicated game. All you have to do is watch the games to see that he has failed ot make adjustments. The Flyers have made one minor system adjustment all year.

Dave Isaac ‏@davegisaac

Bryz says this week is the season...and he's right. "You lose both games, you’re done. That’s it. This is it. This is reality."

this is priceless...NFL FA period starts w/ a prank...

http://www.sbnation.com/n...n-fitzpatrick-free-agents

Dave Isaac ‏@davegisaac

Bryz says this week is the season...and he's right. "You lose both games, you’re done. That’s it. This is it. This is reality."
- hammarby31

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

Backchecking is a lot more effective when you start from the defensive side of the puck. Versus all 3 forwards constantly on the offensive side of the puck, chasing the play down from behind.

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.
- aantny88

So you're saying that Bylsma adjusted to the situation he was faced with? They understand how to play that "system" because it's been taught to them, and they've spent time learning it and how to play it. Are you telling me that Vokoun had to be lights out in the 3rd period of that game?

North Jersey. I knew it, Jenny!
- Flyskippy

Actually, it's Retro Fitness.

Dave Isaac ‏@davegisaac

Bryz says this week is the season...and he's right. "You lose both games, you’re done. That’s it. This is it. This is reality."
- hammarby31

He's 100% right.

Not only that, they are catching a break facing Moose twice when they play Jersey.

If they can't take advantage of this, they don't deserve to make the playoffs.