Everyone clamoring for the great Terry Murray. He's surely working wonders with the Phantoms. Just looked at the standings and basically they are the worst team in the AHL.

I guess it's the lack of talent he has to work with. And if that's the case whose fault is it? Surely it's Peter Laviolette's fault.
- PLindbergh31

Out of the few decent prospects the Flyers have, almost none of them (Laughton, Ghost, Cousins, Stolarz etc..) are playing for the Phantoms. Murray truly has nothing to work with down there.

Last time I checked Lavy has Giroux, Voracek, the Schenns, Simmonds, Hartnell, Briere, Timonen, Coburn etc... to work with here. All are either highly regarding young players or vets who have had a lot of success in the NHL.

My concern is the fact that the same mistakes are made over and over. Bad pinches, horrible turnovers just inside the opposing teams blueline, terrible D zone coverage, the list goes on and on. It is one thing to lose because you have very little talent such as the situation with the Phantoms. It is a very different situation when talented players continue to make the same mistakes over and over again and the coaching staff is either unwilling or unable to make the necessary adjustments or simply bench a few guys until they play the right way.

Just curious, why do we need another top 6 forward? Briere isn't even in the top 6 anymore and Read, who is top 6 material, generally bounces around the lineup because he's so versatile. That covers the wingers. Centers? We already have too many.
- hereticpride

G misses Jagr. We gave up on JVR who is lighting it up in TO. And we are relying on guys like Gagne, Knuble, and McGinn. This team should have 2nd and 3rd lines that are a top 2 for most teams with the talent they have, but our current cast of vets aren't leading the youngsters appropriately. Briere is no longer a top 6...well at least until the playoffs.

Earlier on this page you agreed with someone that the Flyer's Defense can't move the puck properly. Wouldn't you agree that changing your style of game play to suit the talent on your team would be something a coach should do? I don't think the answer is to continue to try and stick round pegs in square holes.
- shekkie

So the Flyers should do what? Play a 1-2-2 or the Guy Boucher 1-4-1? See how well that works for them...

Coburn has regressed every year for at least the last 3 seasons. What makes you think he is all of the sudden going to turn it around?
- aantny88

Not expecting him to be a top pairing defenseman playing against other team's top lines, would be a start. He's a very good 2nd pairing guy. I'd like to keep him around in that role.

The Philadelphia Flyers are 12-15-1 with 20 games left in the nightmarish lockout shortened season. They are a desperate team, and that is NOT a good thing.

It's like Groundhog Day with this team, except they don't have the daily satisfaction of punching out Ned Ryerson.

The Flyers are done like dinner, kids.

Now, it's really just a question of whether the Chairman is going to allow Homer to take a mulligan on a shortened season and keep whatever he wants to keep intact.

So the Flyers should do what? Play a 1-2-2 or the Guy Boucher 1-4-1? See how well that works for them...
- aantny88

you didn't answer my question.

Is Carter going to escape suspension for that knee on Rinaldo? Good thing Zac is as tough as a bowling ball because that could have easily caused a major injury.

you didn't answer my question.
- shekkie

Do we know for a fact that Lavy hasn't tried to implement any system changes?

Well let's see a puck that bounced on Matt Read led to Kovalchuk's goal...and Gervais pinching in like an idiot let to another one. Even when the Flyers pressure the puck, they still don't get odd man rushes, especially not breakaways, because when the d gets the puck they can't make that outlet pass. There were plenty of them last year, as evidenced by the multitude of high light reels showing Giroux burning goalies, but they are non existent this year. But again this is about the "system" that sucks right, yet it worked last year, so what has changed? THE PERSONNEL!
- aantny88

The Flyers don't pressure the puck in the neutral zone, and there aren't layers to their checking all over the ice, to create those turnovers, and create odd man rushes. They have a deep forecheck, if the opposition beats that easily, then it's a free skate into the Flyers end. Just like the Devils did last night. You can label Gervais's pinch as idiotic all you want, but that is not what lead to the odd man rush. You talk about systems but don't seem aware that Gervais is doing what he is supposed to be doing there, and is not backed up by the forward support that is supposed to be there. It is by design, and it is taught by the Coach.
What personell are missing from last year? Jagr and Carle? Do you really beleive that having them would turn this around? I'm as big a fan of Carle as there is, but he isn't that good, that he'll turn it around!
And it seems that you're missing the point of it all, is that this team does not have the personel to play the way the Coach wants them to play. So why not adjust and play a style that is more suited to the personel on hand.
Let's look at last year. The Flyers beat the Pens in run and gun undisciplined Hockey in the first round of the playoffs. Then they faced the Devils. With that same personel that they had last year. What happened? Deja vue!

Do we know for a fact that Lavy hasn't tried to implement any system changes?
- aantny88

Other then a minor change in defensive zone coverage, yes we do.

Let's look at last year. The Flyers beat the Pens in run and gun undisciplined Hockey in the first round of the playoffs. Then they faced the Devils. With that same personel that they had last year. What happened? Deja vue!
- MJL

Many, many people have conveniently forgotten the fact that they had these same exact troubles last year.

So the Flyers should do what? Play a 1-2-2 or the Guy Boucher 1-4-1? See how well that works for them...
- aantny88

What's wrong with playing a 1-2-2 some of the time. Last two games we saw two teams completely shut down the Flyers using it in parts of the game.

Out of the few decent prospects the Flyers have, almost none of them (Laughton, Ghost, Cousins, Stolarz etc..) are playing for the Phantoms. Murray truly has nothing to work with down there.

Last time I checked Lavy has Giroux, Voracek, the Schenns, Simmonds, Hartnell, Briere, Timonen, Coburn etc... to work with here. All are either highly regarding young players or vets who have had a lot of success in the NHL.

My concern is the fact that the same mistakes are made over and over. Bad pinches, horrible turnovers just inside the opposing teams blueline, terrible D zone coverage, the list goes on and on. It is one thing to lose because you have very little talent such as the situation with the Phantoms. It is a very different situation when talented players continue to make the same mistakes over and over again and the coaching staff is either unwilling or unable to make the necessary adjustments or simply bench a few guys until they play the right way.
- BiggE

I understand that. You make valid points. I refuse to believe Laviolette is just too stubborn to make the adjustments necessary. There are a lot of undisciplined players on this team. And lots of stupid as well.

Laviolette got this team to a game 6 of the SCF a few years ago. Everyone loves the return for Carter and Richards, so the major difference between that team and this one is Chris Pronger. While Pronger's value can't be understated he's not the difference in being a Cup Finals team and a team that isn't competitive.

<-------- change comes by firing this guy

Is Carter going to escape suspension for that knee on Rinaldo? Good thing Zac is as tough as a bowling ball because that could have easily caused a major injury.
- Feanor

Very disappointed no one made Carter pay the piper last night. You can bet if Carter went knee on knee with another Flyer Rinaldo would have had their back.

The Flyers' goose is cooked. This roster CANNOT play this system. The guys on NBCSN even mentioned it last night. It's not working.

<-------- change comes by firing this guy
- Philly1980

At this point, I think it's what they have to do.

Not that I think he's a bad coach or anything, but it looks like he can't get the team back on track. Someone's gotta take the blame, and it'll fall on him.

Very disappointed no one made Carter pay the piper last night. You can bet if Carter went knee on knee with another Flyer Rinaldo would have had their back.
- PLindbergh31

Both players had their leg extended. Carter isn't more at fault that Rinaldo himself.

Both players had their leg extended. Carter isn't more at fault that Rinaldo himself.
- Pecafan Fan

I totally disagree.

The Flyers' goose is cooked. This roster CANNOT play this system. The guys on NBCSN even mentioned it last night. It's not working.
- NickTheKid87

At this point, I'm really starting to wonder if the organ-EYE-zation is viewing this year as a throwaway/development year.

Everybody who watches this team sees the flaws and opposing teams (especially ones that play disciplined) are ruthlessly exploiting them.

Holmgren HAS to see this, right?

Right?

Both players had their leg extended. Carter isn't more at fault that Rinaldo himself.
- Pecafan Fan

Carter definitely extended his leg out deliberately.

At this point, I'm really starting to wonder if the organ-EYE-zation is viewing this year as a throwaway/development year.

Everybody who watches this team sees the flaws and opposing teams (especially ones that play disciplined) are ruthlessly exploiting them.

Holmgren HAS to see this, right?

Right?
- johndewar

I'm sure he does. The Devils had been sturggling coming into this game. DeBoer had to be salivating coming into this game.

At this point, I think it's what they have to do.

Not that I think he's a bad coach or anything, but it looks like he can't get the team back on track. Someone's gotta take the blame, and it'll fall on him.
- Pecafan Fan

That's just it. He's not a bad coach at all. I'm certain he'll go somewhere at some point and succeed. He's really good.

But the notion that he doesn't have any culpability in this is is kind of silly at this point.

At this point, I'm really starting to wonder if the organ-EYE-zation is viewing this year as a throwaway/development year.

Everybody who watches this team sees the flaws and opposing teams (especially ones that play disciplined) are ruthlessly exploiting them.

Holmgren HAS to see this, right?

Right?
- johndewar

I would agree but I don't even think they are taking the appropriate steps to develop these guys. The whole thing's a mess.

MJL I need to apologize to you in regard to our discussion on the Devis' style of play. I have noy followed them closely and did not realize that they played such an aggressive forecheck. You were entirely correct, I was entirely wrong, I apologize for disputing your judgement.
- spatso

Very nice, sir. You were raised right.