And who is that one player? A legit # 1 pairing guy. They are growing on trees. Holmgren should take a bike ride and go pick one and put him in his basket.
- PLindbergh31

Regardless of how hard that is to get, that is what they need. Holmgren has shown in the past he can get that done.

Whos your cousin?
- mace14

Austin Kaut

Yeah Springfield Del county
- mace14

Represent!

He has learned during his time away.
- Jsaquella

The hard work he put on has paid off. It was on the level of the old Rangers trolls on ESPN. Like a smooth whiskey!

Gentlemen,
gotta ask, you think Homer pulled the pin to quick on Bobo?
- wonthecup10

No, the Flyers pulled their usual rush a kid routine on him.

He showed talent, so immediately he was named the starter, played well, hit a few roadblocks along the way and had a bad period in the playoffs. So the coach demoted him to third string behind a career backup and a guy who spent most of the year in the AHL.

The early exit from that playoff resulted in the owner declaring that they would "solve" the goalie issue. So they threw a pooppot full of money at Bryz. Bob couldn't play regularly, because Bryz needed to play and Bob couldn't be sent to the AHL due to playing 59 games in his first year. One fewer game, and Bob was waivers exempt ad could have started in the AHL.

So the Flyers decided to move Bob, rather than have him jump to the KHL and force a trade, because he probably wouldn't have re-signed as a RFA to caddy for Bryzgalov.

Bobrovsky is a glorious example of organizational failure, from top to bottom.

It's more important for Bruno Gervais to play games on a bad team, opposed to having a young player get some NHL experience. Doesn't make much sense to me.
- PLindbergh31

A young defenseman can get bombarded playing in a situation like this team is currently playing. His confidence can be shattered from it. Do you have any idea why the Flyers sent him down. There's obviously some reasons why they made that move.

Austin Kaut
- jak521

He is friends with my sisters small world

Completely disagree.
- jak521

That's fine. But if they weren't comfortable with him, they wouldn't have signed him to be the backup. And he'd still be down in the AHL and Boucher would be here as the backup.

His claim really isnt all that outlandish. Philly is known for hating its superstars anyway. Look how they went from loving Richards to hating him. Look at Howard. Look at Schmidt. McNabb...
- jak521

Eh, I don't buy into that whole mentality where the fans somehow drive a player's performance. That's window dressing for lazy media types looking for angles.

If a player is so weak minded that they can't achieve and focus on the task at hand regardless of perceived fan negativity, then I don't want them playing for my team anyway.

And FWIW, I don't really remember an undercurrent of people hating Mike Richards. Jeff Carter? Sure, absolutely, people on sports radio, websites, etc. hated on Carter But not so much Richards that I can remember.

Would Snider really be okay with buying Bryzaglov out? That's a lot of money, plus isn't he still paying Pronger too?



BTW, for my fellow Eagles fans here, I like what they're are doing so far.
- Nucker101

A. Comcast can afford, they'll just raise our cable prices again!
B. I'm with ya on the Eagles

Gervais was so serviceable for them.
- jak521

How was he not serviceable for them?

DO they bring the effort tonight?
- ob18

They brought effort last game. The Devils just eviscerated them because the players take risks or make low percentage plays and the coach makes no effective adjustments.

I'm done saying that he doesn't make adjustments, because it bring out the (frank)ing retards that love to nitpick one comment, so from now on it's going to be that the coach doesn't make any effective adjustments.

Price in Montreal, Lundqvist in NY, Thomas then Raask in Boston.

If the team plays good defense in front of a goalie the goalie will play better. It also helps to not start 26 of 28 games in the space of two months.
- Jsaquella

and Kari in DAL...

He is friends with my sisters small world
- mace14

Indeed it is

I really don't think it has anything to do with it. In fact I think Laviolette is completely comfortable with Leighton as the backup and is in favor of him as the backup. As this team has dug a bigger and bigger hole. The Coach is simply going to ride his top dog. And that's what he's done. It's been desperation to try and win due to the lack of a margin of error that the struggles this Season has had.
- MJL

It's possible that you're correct. Obviously the coach hasn't made effective changes elsewhere, so why not ride the goalie into the ground to where the $51mm guy is playing as effectively as the $950K guy.

Eh, I don't buy into that whole mentality where the fans somehow drive a player's performance. That's window dressing for lazy media types looking for angles.

If a player is so weak minded that they can't achieve and focus on the task at hand regardless of perceived fan negativity, then I don't want them playing for my team anyway.

And FWIW, I don't really remember an undercurrent of people hating Mike Richards. Jeff Carter? Sure, absolutely, people on sports radio, websites, etc. hated on Carter But not so much Richards that I can remember.
- johndewar

No I agree with you that it doesnt affect their play directly, but I also believe the media and fans who bang certain drums can, and do get into players head from time to time.

and Kari in DAL...
- isaiah520

There's no pressure in Dallas. Hell last year they had more empty seats than Sixers games.

They brought effort last game. The Devils just eviscerated them because the players take risks or make low percentage plays and the coach makes no effective adjustments.

I'm done saying that he doesn't make adjustments, because it bring out the (frank)ing retards that love to nitpick one comment, so from now on it's going to be that the coach doesn't make any effective adjustments.
- Jsaquella

The Flyers were up on their skates, especially to start the game. But the structure just isn't there. And as much as I think he's a moron at times. Mike Milbury's description of the Flyers was perfect. They are recklessly aggressive.

While I am open to moving guys like Coburn or Meszaros, I don't see a need for a total overhaul of the defensemen.

Look around the NHL. The Flyers defense isn't that terrible. It's not the best mix, but it's a capable group. When the are used properly.

As Bill has often said, if you flip the Devils and Flyers defense corps the other night, the Devils still win. The group the Devils have is largely the same group that went to the SCF last season.

The coach has to use what he has on hand properly. If you have Erik Karlsson, you don't ask him to be Johnny Boychuk. And if you have Johnny Boychuk, you don't ask him to be Erik Karlsson.

In the Flyers case, Luke Schenn is being asked to be Chris Pronger and Erik Gustafsson is being asked to be Matt Carle. Recipe for failure.
- Jsaquella

Agreed. The team is really not that far off of being a Stanley Cup contender. I think better coaching, more experience, and a piece or two would put them over the top. This season sucks but might be the best thing to happen to the franchise in the long run. The Flyers could add a top prospect this year. Every team but Detroit that has won a cup since the lockout has drafted in the top 10 at least three times within 6 years before winning the cup.

When a Season goes bad, it's real easy to sit back and look at alternatives and what should have been done. And with this team, it's being done with it's current players, with trades from the past, with draft picks from the past. And with player moves from the off Season. Versus having to actually make those decisions ahead of time without the benefit of hindsight.
So the Flyers are inevitably going to be making some changes. Players, Coaches, whatever. And there will be a Draft next year. I'll give my assessment on those moves and critique them and offer criticism, a year or two later. When I can give my expert opinion on the mistakes they made.
- MJL

I'm posting about my thoughts at the time. if you don't like my posts, don't comment...move on.

Homer should go all Les Grossman (one 'n') on Snider:

"Wow. You're a great American. This fanbase owes you a huge debt. Now shut the (frank) up and let me do my job!"
- Flyskippy

The only defensemen that played at all during the lockout was Grossman. Also, I do believe playing in Europe was a detriment to some of those players. I doubt the checking was as tight in the German league as it is here, so I could see lazy habits creeping in and trying things that don't work at the NHL level that do in Europe.
- psuhockey

Definitely a detriment to forwards IMHO. I did an statistical analysis of the top 30 scorers in the NHL right now, only 11 played in Europe. That means 63% of them did not. Could be a pretty good indicator of the detriment of playing overseas!

That's fine. But if they weren't comfortable with him, they wouldn't have signed him to be the backup. And he'd still be down in the AHL and Boucher would be here as the backup.
- MJL

I didnt say they WEREN'T comfortable.. I said they AREN'T comfortable.

Homer has issues with drafting Dmen for the phantoms but will go and sign these wretched Dmen from other organizations. He had the chance to draft Dmen the last couple years and opted for centermen. I feel the organization has this belief they are going to draft the next Bob Clarke and that the center position is the most important.

I made this point the other day. Very disconcerting that none of his teammates had his back. Rinaldo would have been the first player to come to a teammates aid.

Rinaldo is becoming one of my favorite players on this team of underachievers.
- PLindbergh31

Agreed!
Rinaldo is one of the few guys on this team actually earning his paycheck!