I thought some would rather drive
- vejim

Why drive the Turnpike up? Hour and a half to two hours, depending on traffic before and after the game, rather than hopping on a comfy luxury bus and being able to nap, read or whatever.

Didn't they skate at the rink early this afternoon? Pretty sure they did. Or this morning maybe.
- mayorofangrytown

They might have...not sure.

lol, yes. Simply, yes.
- Flyers_V88

Sister Mary of the most high

Why drive the Turnpike up? Hour and a half to two hours, depending on traffic before and after the game, rather than hopping on a comfy luxury bus and being able to nap, read or whatever.
- Jsaquella

but they live in Jersey,easier than going to So Philly and driving home

but they live in Jersey,easier than going to So Philly and driving home
- vejim

They could have left from Voorhees, and there's a few guys that live in Philly.

Also, it's easier to drive from Cherry Hill to Newark than it is to drive from Cherry Hill to Philly? I used to be able to get from Cherry Hill to South Philly in about 20 minutes, with no hassles.

Coincidence that Shelley has been out with injury and the flyers fall apart?

They could have left from Voorhees, and there's a few guys that live in Philly.

Also, it's easier to drive from Cherry Hill to Newark than it is to drive from Cherry Hill to Philly? I used to be able to get from Cherry Hill to South Philly in about 20 minutes, with no hassles.
- Jsaquella

true

true
- vejim

The only spot that you hit a lot of traffic is 295 South. Just jump on the Black Horse Pike near Mt Ephriam, blast through Audubon and Boom, Walt Whitman

They don't let Briere drive on interstates any more.
- mayorofangrytown

Low, very low.... Funny. But Low...

Low, very low.... Funny. But Low...
- FlyersGrace

I can laugh because everyone's okay.

Why drive the Turnpike up? Hour and a half to two hours, depending on traffic before and after the game, rather than hopping on a comfy luxury bus and being able to nap, read or whatever.
- Jsaquella

Avoid the NJT whenever possible

You're going to hell man.
- mayorofangrytown

I was there when my wife woke me up this morning by yelling at me for some thing or another.

Sister Mary of the most high
- vejim

Sister Mary Jane

LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!
- ggunky

Bump

I was there when my wife woke me up this morning by yelling at me for some thing or another.
- Lexington Flyer

Nice way to meet the day.


That's usually how I get greeted as I come through the door at night.

Nice way to meet the day.


That's usually how I get greeted as I come through the door at night.
- mayorofangrytown

You make it all the way to the door?

You make it all the way to the door?
- funmaster18

Yeah, I usually get a phone call as soon as my truck come into view

You make it all the way to the door?
- funmaster18

I've been with mine long enough that at this point I am like Kilgore when the surf is up.

You make it all the way to the door?
- funmaster18

True. It was a bit of an exaggeration. I typically get a call on the way home.

4 games for Perry
- Jsaquella

Acting more like a Flyer everyday

Acting more like a Flyer everyday
- nonpoint22

Don't want that princess on this team. Her cap hit would be too high, and we'd hate her within a week.

Don't want that princess on this team. Her cap hit would be too high, and we'd hate her within a week.
- jmatchett

You honestly think that if this team misses the playoffs that a big name free agent wont be targeted by Snider....What team you been watching the last two decades

Philly1980 -

That team was more suited to play lavy's system....he doesnt have those players now, so why the hell is he still trying to play that way.... No pronger No carle only guy left that can move the puck is timmo.... big difference.

SuperSchennBros -

...we do have a massive drop off on puck movement. Coburn is underrated in this area but still...

NickTheKid87 -

The 2010 team had the personnel to run Laviolette's system the way he wanted (plus a white hot goalie in the ECSF and ECF).

Unfortunately, Holmgren struck out in the offseason and was unable to get a good puck mover for Lavy. Laviolette has not adjusted his system for the roster he was given. He still tries to play as if Timonen is healthy and Pronger & Carle are the first pairing.

aantny88 -

So from now until hell freezes over, Homer will have to overpay for a quality puck moving dman. IMHO Carle is not worth what he got from Tampa...

Jsaquella -

That Carolina team didn't just have Kaberle. They had Hedican, Tverdovsky, Wesley, Hell even Wallin was solid at the first pass and had mobility.

- isaiah520

That's why a calming presence like Pronger was so important. Instead of going back for the puck, pooping you pants and immediately throwing it up the boards, you need a guy who can go out, get the puck, settle it down, and make the smart play. When a guy like Coburn or Gervais goes back for the puck with any kind of pressure, the other team just has to put a defenseman along the boards just inside the blueline and it's a keep. At the point, it's on the wingers to provide an easier outlet instead of busting their butts to get up ice.

SuperSchennBros -

He's no Timonen, for sure, but we're kind of short on options at the moment. Can't blame Gusty for that one.

- BulliesPhan87

I will admit I am not a huge Erik Gustafsson fan but why does everyone see this as pointing fingers, when it is a simple fact. A huge hole on this team is offense and puck movement from the blue line. It is what it is. It's worrisome. Meszaros gets hurt and Gus becomes our second best puck mover to timonen


- multiple

I really think people underrate the ability of the defensemen on the Flyers to move the puck. I disagree with those who think that this issue the team's main problem. I'm not saying they are all offensive dynamos, but the Flyers D corps aren't the immobile, inept at puck moving group that some think they are.

Let's review. Timonen we know can move the puck with aplomb, so, no issue there. Schenn, despite the occasional gaffe (which young players will tend to have), has displayed the ability to both pass and skate the puck out of the zone without much trouble. He can also joint the play and contribute offensively. Coburn has struggled this year but he has great wheels for a big man. He skates well with the puck and can move it out of the zone and at times right into the O zone. He can also make a decent pass and has a hard, if not that accurate shot. Grossman is not really the stay-at-home, defensive-defenseman that some people seem to pigeonhole him into. In going back and looking at his play closely, he's more of a big, physical guy with surprising mobility at his size. He has shown with some regularity that he can decisively move the puck up the ice with both his skating and passing abilities. He also makes good pinches that result in many o zone keeps without getting burnt often. Mez, we know, when healthy, can skate and pass the puck up the ice just fine and can put up points. That covers your top four types on the team who get the majority of the icetime. Moving down the depth chart, while Gervais leaves a lot to be desired in terms of defensive play, puck moving is an area of strength for him. He has shown the ability to skate and make outlet passes without much of a problem. Gustafsson has plenty of mobility and can move the puck, but he's young and will make errors. Foster, well, he's Foster... So, who on the Flyers D is particularly immobile? Why is there this sentiment from some that the Flyers glaring need is for a puck mover? I've gone back and reviewed a lot of the games looking at just this aspect, and just don't see a "puck moving defenseman" being a glaring need. Sure, there are times when the opposing team gets some extended time in the Flyers zone, but no team can prevent that kind of thing for 60 minutes a game. Don't mistake that for an inept D corps.

Something much more problematic for this team is their lack of defensive cohesion and awareness, particularly amongst the forwards in the defensive zone. There is a tendency to overpursue opposing puck holders with numbers (leaving their checks to bunch up in a quadrant of the zone where the puck is). Too many guys focus too much on the opposing puck carrier along the boards, failing to mark or even see their check before it's too late. This habit leaves some of the more dangerous areas of the ice (like the slot) vacated and good teams can and do exploit this weakness, over and over again. The Flyers need to make adjustments to correct this. They need to stay disciplined, mind their positioning and their checks, mark guys in dangerous places etc. This article does a good job of explaining basic defensive zone coverage and I feel like it covers a lot of what's wrong about what the Flyers are doing in the D zone.

http://nhlguides.net/defensive-zone-coverage/


As a couple people have noted, the shoddy defensive play of forwards does no favors for the D men and puts inordinate demands on them that some might miscontrue as weakness. I don't think that's fair or accurate.

Does the D have needs? Well, yeah, if anything I think they need a #1 D man. Timonen is losing a step or two and there is a need to replace his considerable talents at both ends. The Flyers should certainly be on the lookout for obtaining a top defensive player who can produce on offense and play stiff d...they obviously had that in mind when they threw out those mega offers to the Preds top pairing. So, that should be a priority over the next year or two for sure, but not because the current corps lacks mobility/ability to move the puck.

In case someone is insterested, here's some video clips showing a bunch of solid puck moving plays made by the Flyers D. These are from just ONE game...I can make a similar list of clips that show the same types of plays from just about every game the Flyers have played:

Here's Bruno Gervais grabbing the puck from behind the net and swiftly skating it out of the zone and deke-ing a guy before making a nice lead pass to Couturier who takes it in and sets up a good scoring chance by Knuble:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osx2qNQz834


Gervais clears up off of Simmer and out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REZcmLVU-KA


Grossman scores:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGwQKoZgIH0


Coburn joins the rush, gains the zone, setting up a nice scoring play

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u6s-FOiw1I



Gervais gets to the loose puck off a Penguin shot behind the net and makes a nice pass up to Read to start the break, Gusty joins the play, Schenn gets a shot off from the point:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yS_4c7uCdw



Gusty up to Read (PK):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oxdfyv6qtA


More Gusty:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huNk1VbEtz4



Off a D zone faceoff, Schenn takes the body, gets to a loose puck and makes a nice backhand pass up to Read to start the break:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AY6qmvPsQU



Schenn nails Dupuis into his own bench boards, then gets back in time to cover his man in the slot where he collects a Pens shot then skates up and delivers a crisp outlet pass to Couturier to start the break:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw41IoIIzRw



Grossman wins a battle along the D sideboards and gets the puck to Couturier who gets it to Talbot and out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKLdz8_G60Y



Schenn gathers the puck along the D zone boards, passes onto the tape of Timonen who passes back to Schenn who skates the puck up makes a nice lead pass onto the tape of Couturier who enters the O zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5F6-eUjd2o



Timonen from behind the net, up to Schenn who skates a bit before making a slick lead pass up the ice to Voracek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bayVnf675c



Coby and Grossman pass to shake off pressure from Crysby before moving the puck up to Coots:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XLAdz9x_lE


This is a nice sequence for Grossman and Coby. Coby fights for a puck aong the defensive boards, Grossman comes in, gets the puck and curls around the slot before hitting G with a sweet pass that sends him off on the rush. They gain the zone and get to work, Grossman makes a nice pinch to keep it in along the far boards (25 sec of the vid). The guys set up and apply more pressure, with the Coburn moving the puck from the umbrella...the Pens get it out but Coburn skates back and makes a cross ice pass to Timonen who deftly enters back into the offensive zone, Lots of solid puck moving:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXTsXZE_CYA



Coby fights off Crosby to gain control in the defensive zone, makes a cross ice pass to Grossman who makes a nice pass up to Fedotenko to send him off into the offensive zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSEkqawEueA


Schenn pummels Kunitz along the D boards, freeing the puck over to Gervais who gets it to Talbot and out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VypINJgykl0


Gusty transitions quickly up to ZolnerczykzzzzkzkYYZ:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBL47zem30Q


Cootz passes back to Coby who moves the puck into the zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THsCoINJuek


Grossman clears the zone for a line change, then moves the puck to Briere who loses it, then Grossman makes a great defensive play deflecting the dangerous pass from Neal to Malkin in the low slot up to B Schenn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvSK2rUcQ78



Coburn gets the puck back to him off the center ice faceoff, moves the puck up swiftly to Voracek who shoots in, the Flyers get posession deep, Coburn pinches into the slot and gets a good shot and Voracek puts in the rebound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWq1dIAlyLk


Grossman clears from deep in the D zone, setting up posession deep in the Pens: zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTw9FfkGVeA



Gusty and Coby move the puck nicely on the pp break-out. Coby gets a nice shot from the point:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtSEwy2SxNU


Schenn fights off a forechecker and gets the puck to Grossman behind, who bangs it up the boards and out...the Pens re-enter, Grossman and Gervais work against the forecheck to clear from deep in the zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nlx3NsaxxOQ


Gusty goes D to D behind the net to Gervais, who moves the puck up out of the zone to the forwards, which sets up an eventual goal by Simmer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM2KkIPzOPY


In this impressive sequence, Gusty makes no less than six puck moving plays in a little over a minute (too bad the rest of the team wasted it):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt1uCF2C7qc


Grossman takes the puck off the faceoff win and moves it behind the net which he uses to pick the forechecker, he then skates it out with the puck confidently before making a solid lead pass to Giroux to key the breakout. Later in the sequence he helps out deep to keep the cycle going:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXyA_DWh5KM


Gusty uses a strong stick to force the puck off Sutter in the D zone. Gusty then skates up and goes d to do for Gervias who skates it up and out of teh zone before depositing into the Pens zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdjyveXw9Mc

I really think people underrate the ability of the defensemen on the Flyers to move the puck. I disagree with those who think that this issue the team's main problem. I'm not saying they are all offensive dynamos, but the Flyers D corps aren't the immobile, inept at puck moving group that some think they are.

Let's review. Timonen we know can move the puck with aplomb, so, no issue there. Schenn, despite the occasional gaffe (which young players will tend to have), has displayed the ability to both pass and skate the puck out of the zone without much trouble. He can also joint the play and contribute offensively. Coburn has struggled this year but he has great wheels for a big man. He skates well with the puck and can move it out of the zone and at times right into the O zone. He can also make a decent pass and has a hard, if not that accurate shot. Grossman is not really the stay-at-home, defensive-defenseman that some people seem to pigeonhole him into. In going back and looking at his play closely, he's more of a big, physical guy with surprising mobility at his size. He has shown with some regularity that he can decisively move the puck up the ice with both his skating and passing abilities. He also makes good pinches that result in many o zone keeps without getting burnt often. Mez, we know, when healthy, can skate and pass the puck up the ice just fine and can put up points. That covers your top four types on the team who get the majority of the icetime. Moving down the depth chart, while Gervais leaves a lot to be desired in terms of defensive play, puck moving is an area of strength for him. He has shown the ability to skate and make outlet passes without much of a problem. Gustafsson has plenty of mobility and can move the puck, but he's young and will make errors. Foster, well, he's Foster... So, who on the Flyers D is particularly immobile? Why is there this sentiment from some that the Flyers glaring need is for a puck mover? I've gone back and reviewed a lot of the games looking at just this aspect, and just don't see a "puck moving defenseman" being a glaring need. Sure, there are times when the opposing team gets some extended time in the Flyers zone, but no team can prevent that kind of thing for 60 minutes a game. Don't mistake that for an inept D corps.

Something much more problematic for this team is their lack of defensive cohesion and awareness, particularly amongst the forwards in the defensive zone. There is a tendency to overpursue opposing puck holders with numbers (leaving their checks to bunch up in a quadrant of the zone where the puck is). Too many guys focus too much on the opposing puck carrier along the boards, failing to mark or even see their check before it's too late. This habit leaves some of the more dangerous areas of the ice (like the slot) vacated and good teams can and do exploit this weakness, over and over again. The Flyers need to make adjustments to correct this. They need to stay disciplined, mind their positioning and their checks, mark guys in dangerous places etc. This article does a good job of explaining basic defensive zone coverage and I feel like it covers a lot of what's wrong about what the Flyers are doing in the D zone.

http://nhlguides.net/defensive-zone-coverage/


As a couple people have noted, the shoddy defensive play of forwards does no favors for the D men and puts inordinate demands on them that some might miscontrue as weakness. I don't think that's fair or accurate.

Does the D have needs? Well, yeah, if anything I think they need a #1 D man. Timonen is losing a step or two and there is a need to replace his considerable talents at both ends. The Flyers should certainly be on the lookout for obtaining a top defensive player who can produce on offense and play stiff d...they obviously had that in mind when they threw out those mega offers to the Preds top pairing. So, that should be a priority over the next year or two for sure, but not because the current corps lacks mobility/ability to move the puck.

In case someone is insterested, here's some video clips showing a bunch of solid puck moving plays made by the Flyers D. These are from just ONE game...I can make a similar list of clips that show the same types of plays from just about every game the Flyers have played:

Here's Bruno Gervais grabbing the puck from behind the net and swiftly skating it out of the zone and deke-ing a guy before making a nice lead pass to Couturier who takes it in and sets up a good scoring chance by Knuble:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osx2qNQz834


Gervais clears up off of Simmer and out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REZcmLVU-KA


Grossman scores:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGwQKoZgIH0


Coburn joins the rush, gains the zone, setting up a nice scoring play

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u6s-FOiw1I



Gervais gets to the loose puck off a Penguin shot behind the net and makes a nice pass up to Read to start the break, Gusty joins the play, Schenn gets a shot off from the point:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yS_4c7uCdw



Gusty up to Read (PK):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oxdfyv6qtA


More Gusty:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huNk1VbEtz4



Off a D zone faceoff, Schenn takes the body, gets to a loose puck and makes a nice backhand pass up to Read to start the break:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AY6qmvPsQU



Schenn nails Dupuis into his own bench boards, then gets back in time to cover his man in the slot where he collects a Pens shot then skates up and delivers a crisp outlet pass to Couturier to start the break:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw41IoIIzRw



Grossman wins a battle along the D sideboards and gets the puck to Couturier who gets it to Talbot and out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKLdz8_G60Y



Schenn gathers the puck along the D zone boards, passes onto the tape of Timonen who passes back to Schenn who skates the puck up makes a nice lead pass onto the tape of Couturier who enters the O zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5F6-eUjd2o



Timonen from behind the net, up to Schenn who skates a bit before making a slick lead pass up the ice to Voracek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bayVnf675c



Coby and Grossman pass to shake off pressure from Crysby before moving the puck up to Coots:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XLAdz9x_lE


This is a nice sequence for Grossman and Coby. Coby fights for a puck aong the defensive boards, Grossman comes in, gets the puck and curls around the slot before hitting G with a sweet pass that sends him off on the rush. They gain the zone and get to work, Grossman makes a nice pinch to keep it in along the far boards (25 sec of the vid). The guys set up and apply more pressure, with the Coburn moving the puck from the umbrella...the Pens get it out but Coburn skates back and makes a cross ice pass to Timonen who deftly enters back into the offensive zone, Lots of solid puck moving:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXTsXZE_CYA



Coby fights off Crosby to gain control in the defensive zone, makes a cross ice pass to Grossman who makes a nice pass up to Fedotenko to send him off into the offensive zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSEkqawEueA


Schenn pummels Kunitz along the D boards, freeing the puck over to Gervais who gets it to Talbot and out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VypINJgykl0


Gusty transitions quickly up to ZolnerczykzzzzkzkYYZ:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBL47zem30Q


Cootz passes back to Coby who moves the puck into the zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THsCoINJuek


Grossman clears the zone for a line change, then moves the puck to Briere who loses it, then Grossman makes a great defensive play deflecting the dangerous pass from Neal to Malkin in the low slot up to B Schenn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvSK2rUcQ78



Coburn gets the puck back to him off the center ice faceoff, moves the puck up swiftly to Voracek who shoots in, the Flyers get posession deep, Coburn pinches into the slot and gets a good shot and Voracek puts in the rebound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWq1dIAlyLk


Grossman clears from deep in the D zone, setting up posession deep in the Pens: zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTw9FfkGVeA



Gusty and Coby move the puck nicely on the pp break-out. Coby gets a nice shot from the point:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtSEwy2SxNU


Schenn fights off a forechecker and gets the puck to Grossman behind, who bangs it up the boards and out...the Pens re-enter, Grossman and Gervais work against the forecheck to clear from deep in the zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nlx3NsaxxOQ


Gusty goes D to D behind the net to Gervais, who moves the puck up out of the zone to the forwards, which sets up an eventual goal by Simmer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM2KkIPzOPY


In this impressive sequence, Gusty makes no less than six puck moving plays in a little over a minute (too bad the rest of the team wasted it):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt1uCF2C7qc


Grossman takes the puck off the faceoff win and moves it behind the net which he uses to pick the forechecker, he then skates it out with the puck confidently before making a solid lead pass to Giroux to key the breakout. Later in the sequence he helps out deep to keep the cycle going:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXyA_DWh5KM


Gusty uses a strong stick to force the puck off Sutter in the D zone. Gusty then skates up and goes d to do for Gervias who skates it up and out of teh zone before depositing into the Pens zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdjyveXw9Mc
- exlund

I'm impressed. this must have taken 5 hours to write.

You honestly think that if this team misses the playoffs that a big name free agent wont be targeted by Snider....What team you been watching the last two decades
- nonpoint22

Not sure how a primadona who wants $9M per for 7 years is gonna work out here. I'd rather they stick with what they have up front and go after guys like Andrew Ference, Ian White, Rob Scuderi, and Douglas Murray, and maybe bring in a real backup (Mason, Harding, Threeormore, other Mason).