I think not having to rely on him so much is an even bigger part of the solution.
- jak521

Yup, totally agree.

would anyone trade this years first for JBLOW?
- Philly1980

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

You don't care about replacing him huh? Interesting. I thought the idea was to try to make the team better. I guess I do not understand your objective here. There is no way we are a better team after trading Kimmo for picks and not replacing him. Those picks will be years away from making the team (in all likelihood) and we still have to ice a team next year.

Combine that with the fact that MAB doesn't seem like he'll ever recover from his concussions and Manning seems to have regressed this season, and our D depth is razor thin. Forget the Cup, don't see how we could even be competitive if we move Kimmo and do not replace him.

And again, most of the reasons Kimmo and the rest of this D look so bad at times is because the forwards do such an awful job of supporting the puck and keeping the D-F gap as tight as it should be. If that improved, Kimmo would look much better. On the other hand, nothing will ever make Gervais or Foster look like top-4 NHL defensemen. So trading Kimmo and not replacing him seems like an unwise strategy.

Also, offer sheets will be tougher to do since you can't go more than 7 years, and can't do front loaded deals to lower the AAV. Phoenix has that extra year to work with if they sign him. Not saying it can't happen, but it will be harder.
- BringBack25

sometimes you have to take a few steps back to go forward.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
- NickTheKid87

getting into an argument on twiter....

Can we please stop bringing up how Lavy got this team to the SCF a few years ago?

There was so much luck involved with that run it was almost otherworldy. They got in to the playoffs on a shootout win in the last game of the season.

Beat a Devils team with a less than healthy Broduer (many thought he was finally done if you remember) . Beat a Bruins team that collapsed before our eyes, and had a HOME ICE Advantage as a 7th seed in the ECF. (When was the last time that EVER happened?)

They avoided all the really tough teams in that run. Not to mention they had Pronger.

It was a magical run for sure. But the next year they get DISMANTLED by that same Bruins team that went up 3-0 on them the previous season.(not the one that lost 4 straight)

The season after that they win a series playing against a team as undisciplined as they were, only to once again get DISMANTLED by a disciplined Devils squad.

The same problem have been going on since the beginning, the Cup run, while awesome, was so chock full of luck any sane person could see it was so completely improbable if they tried to do it again.

The book is out on this team and Laviolette. Just as it was out on him when he missed the playoffs three straight seasons after winning it all in Carolina. The difference being here the Flyers are a much more talented group that those Carolina teams.

Sure you can put up 100 point seasons. But when the rubber hits the road, they CAN'T beat disciplined structured teams, even those less individually talented than they are.

Eventually, when you see that it has been going on for his whole tenure, a change needs to be made. Either by the coach changing his system, or by changing the coach. Lavy's complete history shows us that he will not change.
- MBFlyerfan

Two straight seasons. The third season he was let go after 25 games, Maurice took over and they made the ECF.

Other than that, good post.

Hextall, Cechmanek. Those guys were good. I'm sure you could make the argument for some others as well.

I don't see Bob being any better than Bryzgalov when all is said and done.
- NickTheKid87

Maybe you're right but Is Bobrovsky breaking the bank in Columbus? IF they are the same that would make it a bad move. IF Bobrovsky is better than it's a horrid move.

I was against it at the time. I thought Laviolette misused Bob in the playoffs and they shouldn't have panicked on their rookie and brought in Vokoun to let him take a step back and split the duties until he was comfortable. The kid was in a new country, could barely communicate and when he falters in the playoffs he's replaced and dealt. The same thing everyone on hear preaches against when it comes to the forwards.

would anyone trade this years first for JBLOW?
- Philly1980

No. Not if we aren't making the playoffs and have a chance at the number one pick. That would be ridiculous.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Desperation, Expectations vs. Realities
- bmeltzer

I 100% agree with this blog. This team is a mess defensively. I hear a rumour going around that Pheonix is willing to deal Yandle for a young NHL Defencman and a 1st. How does this sound? Yandle for Coburn and a 1st. Yandle would be a great upgrade to our defence, he can be put on PP so you actually have a threat at the point and he can move the puck. Another change I think that need as to be changed is Holmgren. To his credit he has done a good job getting Simmonds, Schenn, Coots and Vorachek but the minor league team is a disaster and there isn't much talent there to look forward to, and Flyers D speaks for itself. He let Carle get away and had no back up plan if he had failed to get Weber or Suter. Sure he got L.Schenn but he is not 1st pair material at this point in his career. He is a top 4 guy though.

I like Bryzgalov, I think he is a good goalie and think he gets some unnecessary hate. He gets hated on for his comments, trying to be funny when they think he should focus on his game but reality is that is how some people deal with stress. They turn things into a joke to help them not get frustrated.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
- NickTheKid87

this

No. Not if we aren't making the playoffs and have a chance at the number one pick. That would be ridiculous.
- mayorofangrytown

thats my argument if we get a top ten pick then hell no...

At this point though, I hope they don't make huge changes because as much as I don't want to admit it, I don't think they will anything to rectify this season. Unless we can go on a tear, we're toast. Sucks for Lavi, I partially don't blame him, as this team just doesn't have the mix he needs to execute his system to its full potential.
- Flyers_V88

then you change the system. you don't force them to play something that is just not working for the. no matter how many times you try to cram that square peg in the round hole, its not fitting

Maybe you're right but Is Bobrovsky breaking the bank in Columbus? IF they are the same that would make it a bad move. IF Bobrovsky is better than it's a horrid move.

I was against it at the time. I thought Laviolette misused Bob in the playoffs and they shouldn't have panicked on their rookie and brought in Vokoun to let him take a step back and split the duties until he was comfortable. The kid was in a new country, could barely communicate and when he falters in the playoffs he's replaced and dealt. The same thing everyone on hear preaches against when it comes to the forwards.
- mayorofangrytown

I was in favor of bringing in a stopgap and developing Bob as well. Once they signed Bryz, we kind of lost most if not all of our leverage with Bob.

sometimes you have to take a few steps back to go forward.
- Philly1980

right. ok then. just consider this season one of those backward steps.

problem solved!!!

I was in favor of bringing in a stopgap and developing Bob as well. Once they signed Bryz, we kind of lost most if not all of our leverage with Bob.
- NickTheKid87

As soon as Bryzgalof was signed you lost that kid. It's a shame, who knows what he could have done for us if he was handled appropriately.

right. ok then. just consider this season one of those backward steps.

problem solved!!!



- BringBack25

Dude?


(yeah, I'm going to throw one of these out there everyday until it stops amusing me.)

Problem is that IF he was willing to waive his NMC it wouldn't be to Columbus. Need a serious contender that is nearer to floor than ceiling and wouldn't mind help in the cap dept. any teams fit that profile?
- TheGreat28

Hello, Desert Dogs.

Either that, or hope he wants to ease into retirement by playing in the Miami Beach area.

right. ok then. just consider this season one of those backward steps.

problem solved!!!



- BringBack25

Personally how far away do you think they are from being serious contenders?

I say 3 years....is kimmo going to be playing then? highly doubtful.

You're not agreeing but offering nothing in the way of a counter argument. That's just complaining. Disagreeing involves more than a part of a sentence.
- Jsaquella

No it doesn't!




(Can't believe this got passed by. You people must be seriously miffed.)

Hello, Desert Dogs.

Either that, or hope he wants to ease into retirement by playing in the Miami Beach area.
- Atomic Wedgie

Throw Boston into that as well. They needed a forward before and now Chris Kelly has a broken tibia.

would anyone trade this years first for JBLOW?
- Philly1980

I would not. But I saw someone on Twitter who thinks that's who the Flyers need.

As soon as Bryzgalof was signed you lost that kid. It's a shame, who knows what he could have done for us if he was handled appropriately.
- mayorofangrytown

Hopefully Stolarz develops into a good goalie with the Flyers. I don't expect him to be Pekka Rinne but a poor man's verison would be fine.

Dude?


(yeah, I'm going to throw one of these out there everyday until it stops amusing me.)
- mayorofangrytown

makes more sense than the majority of what's being posted on here the past few weeks. please continue.

Maybe you're right but Is Bobrovsky breaking the bank in Columbus? IF they are the same that would make it a bad move. IF Bobrovsky is better than it's a horrid move.

I was against it at the time. I thought Laviolette misused Bob in the playoffs and they shouldn't have panicked on their rookie and brought in Vokoun to let him take a step back and split the duties until he was comfortable. The kid was in a new country, could barely communicate and when he falters in the playoffs he's replaced and dealt. The same thing everyone on hear preaches against when it comes to the forwards.
- mayorofangrytown

That started my doubt in Lavi, but chalked it up to being human/nobody's perfect.

Then we got swept vs. Boston and then run roughshod over by NJ last spring. The straw that broke the camel's back, for me, was last Thursday night's pulling of Bryz in a tie game and bringing in Boosh. That was unfair to Bryz, unfair to Boosh, and unfair to the team.

Like Hitch, just because he won a Cup somewhere doesn't mean he's made of Teflon. Too much bad has begun to stick.

Personally how far away do you think they are from being serious contenders?

I say 3 years....is kimmo going to be playing then? highly doubtful.
- Philly1980

With a few pieces, I think they can be a threat next year. Too much talent on this roster to not compete, consistently.

I would not. But I saw someone on Twitter who thinks that's who the Flyers need.
- Scoob

thats who im arguing with.