perhaps.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

DFT

It's more than you get back for them. It's also lowering the talent level to the equivalent of an AHL team. That helps to gather high picks (5 straight top-5 picks among which 4 were top-3 picks).

Pens 2002-2006 draft position:
2002 - 5th overall
2003 - 1st overall
2004 - 2nd overall
2005 - 1st overall
2006 - 2nd overall

Any team (except maybe the Islanders) drafting that high during those years would have an equally impressivbe team.
- BOSS_TWEED

It also helps that in back to back years there were a couple of generational talents. Imagine that idea never crept into their heads.

Wait.. Didnt Lavy have this same team last season.. with the same group of young forwards? The whole "short season, no practice" shtick has gotta end. The same problems have been here since he started...
- jak521

In that way, a healthy serving of blame goes to the leadership roles on this team for not getting other players on the same page. But I find it stunning that, given the 'same method, same results' nature of this season so far, Laviolette hasn't showed any intention of making significant adjustments, neither for the personnel he has nor the opponent he's facing. How do you keep trying the same ineffective game plan through thirty games?

They may just decide to ride it out now and see what happens. I just hope they don't panic and try to make the playoffs with a bold move.
- Jsaquella

Holmer has to see what we see. This ain't the season. Old man Ed is going to have to wait until next season (along with the rest of us). If Holmer does anything other than some selling or standing pat (my preference unless he can get something for Danny, Rusty, or Knuble). I also think Holmer should go ahead and re-sign Gagne to a two year deal or so. I'm not interested in moving Kimmo. His days as a #1 D-man are behind him, but he is still the best d-man on the team. Get him help in the offseason.

I'm not sure what to do about Lavi. Letting him stay on for next season seems doubtful. If he does stay on he better have the team storming out of the gate because anything resembling a slow start will leave him looking for work. I half would like to see them get Murray in there now. Let him work with the young guys, and get his system in place. Than have him behind the bench next fall with a crew that is slightly seasoned in his system and knows his expectations.

If the Flyers get the 10th-13th pick, what do you guys think of Anthony Mantha? 6'3" 200 lbs forward, has 50 goals in the Q this year. I know he's not a dman but we're talking about the Flyers here.
- NickTheKid87

If they can package him for a dman sure

If the Flyers get the 10th-13th pick, what do you guys think of Anthony Mantha? 6'3" 200 lbs forward, has 50 goals in the Q this year. I know he's not a dman but we're talking about the Flyers here.
- NickTheKid87

Just say Moe.

their top 5 salaries equal approx 30 million. eeekk. I know Perry has a nice resume with a Stanley cup and a hart trophy and he had tons of leverage being a UFA but man, 8.625?
- nastyflyergirl

With the economics of the new CBA, cap hits for star players are going to rise. No longer allowed to spread out the cap hit by tacking on as many extra years at the end.

If the Flyers get the 10th-13th pick, what do you guys think of Anthony Mantha? 6'3" 200 lbs forward, has 50 goals in the Q this year. I know he's not a dman but we're talking about the Flyers here.
- NickTheKid87

He's a good prospect, but If Nurse, Poluck, Morrissey or Ristolaninen drops they're my guys ahead of him. I do like his size, ahead of guys like Shinkaruk and Domi.

The last few days have been terrible. The only reason I'm slightly chipper is that I'm drunk from the NyQuil
- Jsaquella

When I reach that point, I grab a pint of tequila and kill the cold that way.

Although the next day tends to suck.

The problem is that back and forth play doesnt work. The players get jacked up for the Pens games.. the Pens get jacked up for the Flyers games.. and both team go out and try to kill each other. Its crazy entertaining... Its a very high risk/ high reward way to play... Its not working... and needs to change.
- jak521

Ya I agree the D is still invisible, however I feel like theyre going to score every time they get a good look at MaF or the Kooner. Also i feel they have scored less than 10 seconds into a PP WAY too many times lol. Dont get it, even wth suspect D they still look dangerous against us, and look like they dont know how to score against other teams. Just such a total difference from what we see against the flyers and what everyone else sees. All mental IMO, clearly they have the talent when theyre motivated enough.

We all know the Flyers have always loved big forwards and Couturier may have been just too good to lay off but a Dougie Hamilton would look pretty good on the Flyers right now given the state of the blueline. I am also vexed by the selection of Laughton (who certainly looks like a good prospect) in a defense-heavy draft with 2-3 good D prospects still on the board.

Homer has made many nice moves since becoming GM but one area where he has failed miserably is drafting/developing defense propects. That needs to change whether at the hands of Homer or his replacement.
- BOSS_TWEED

With the state of this team's play overall, it's not suprising that Couturier is struggling. Still a very young player, who is trying to find his way through something he hasn't experienced in a while.
So to bring in some speculations. Switch Hamilton and Couturier. Hamilton to the Flyers and Couturier to the Bruins. Think the possibility exists that Couturier would be flourishing there, and Hamilton struggling with the Flyers?

It's more than you get back for them. It's also lowering the talent level to the equivalent of an AHL team. That helps to gather high picks (5 straight top-5 picks among which 4 were top-3 picks).

Pens 2002-2006 draft position:
2002 - 5th overall
2003 - 1st overall
2004 - 2nd overall
2005 - 1st overall
2006 - 2nd overall

Any team (except maybe the Islanders) drafting that high during those years would have an equally impressivbe team.
- BOSS_TWEED

He's not disputing draft position. You guys like to conveniently remember that the Pens just traded all their talent away so they could lose, when in fact the reason they traded what talent they had left away was because they couldn't afford to pay them. So make jokes about poor attendance or moving the team, those make more sense.

Holmer has to see what we see. This ain't the season. Old man Ed is going to have to wait until next season (along with the rest of us). If Holmer does anything other than some selling or standing pat (my preference unless he can get something for Danny, Rusty, or Knuble). I also think Holmer should go ahead and re-sign Gagne to a two year deal or so. I'm not interested in moving Kimmo. His days as a #1 D-man are behind him, but he is still the best d-man on the team. Get him help in the offseason.

I'm not sure what to do about Lavi. Letting him stay on for next season seems doubtful. If he does stay on he better have the team storming out of the gate because anything resembling a slow start will leave him looking for work. I half would like to see them get Murray in there now. Let him work with the young guys, and get his system in place. Than have him behind the bench next fall with a crew that is slightly seasoned in his system and knows his expectations.
- Lexington Flyer

Lavy can go, I've seen enough firewagon hockey that works consistently against few teams

In that way, a healthy serving of blame goes to the leadership roles on this team for not getting other players on the same page. But I find it stunning that, given the 'same method, same results' nature of this season so far, Laviolette hasn't showed any intention of making significant adjustments, neither for the personnel he has nor the opponent he's facing. How do you keep trying the same ineffective game plan through thirty games?
- BulliesPhan87

I couldnt have written this any better.

He's a good prospect, but If Nurse, Poluck, Morrissey or Ristolaninen drops they're my guys ahead of him. I do like his size, ahead of guys like Shinkaruk and Domi.
- Jsaquella

That's how I feel. A power forward who can score is one of the Flyers favorite things so it wouldn't shock me if they took him over one of those dmen.

Holmer has to see what we see. This ain't the season. Old man Ed is going to have to wait until next season (along with the rest of us). If Holmer does anything other than some selling or standing pat (my preference unless he can get something for Danny, Rusty, or Knuble). I also think Holmer should go ahead and re-sign Gagne to a two year deal or so. I'm not interested in moving Kimmo. His days as a #1 D-man are behind him, but he is still the best d-man on the team. Get him help in the offseason.

I'm not sure what to do about Lavi. Letting him stay on for next season seems doubtful. If he does stay on he better have the team storming out of the gate because anything resembling a slow start will leave him looking for work. I half would like to see them get Murray in there now. Let him work with the young guys, and get his system in place. Than have him behind the bench next fall with a crew that is slightly seasoned in his system and knows his expectations.
- Lexington Flyer

My thing with Laviolette is, I don't want to retard the process by letting him stay. Bite the bullet and make the change now, get somebody in to start the process of breaking the bad habits-and identify the guys who will have trouble making those changes, because there's some guys who will not be able to play in a disciplined system.

I don't know if it's the recovery from the broken foot or what, but Hartnell has not been able to keep up with the play in the offensive zone. He always seems to be arriving too late or failing to find the seams. Add into that his tendency to take bad penalties, and it's been pretty ugly for him.

Of course, you could say the same thing about a lot of players on the Flyers.

I don't understand what the point of moving Talbot would be. Guy is 29, has a more than reasonable cap hit, and is a solid team guy. On another note, if Hartnell keeps this up, could he be a buyout candidate?
- Jimmygrazz

I agree, I would not be looking to move Talbot. Also interested in bringing Gagne back.

He's not disputing draft position. You guys like to conveniently remember that the Pens just traded all their talent away so they could lose, when in fact the reason they traded what talent they had left away was because they couldn't afford to pay them. So make jokes about poor attendance or moving the team, those make more sense.
- canadianpenfan

CROSBY CONSPIRACY

Ok I might be ok with that just have a lot riding on unproven players but ok
- JoeRussomanno

What I envisioned(after a few) is that if its mackinnon we trade couts, drouin trade schenn. Package one of those two with another pick/player and get a top pair dman. Not a complete fix but I think it helps a lot.

With the state of this team's play overall, it's not suprising that Couturier is struggling. Still a very young player, who is trying to find his way through something he hasn't experienced in a while.
So to bring in some speculations. Switch Hamilton and Couturier. Hamilton to the Flyers and Couturier to the Bruins. Think the possibility exists that Couturier would be flourishing there, and Hamilton struggling with the Flyers?
- MJL

I'm not so sure Couturier would have cracked the Bruins roster yet.

When I reach that point, I grab a pint of tequila and kill the cold that way.

Although the next day tends to suck.
- tangent_man

\NyGuil is cheaper than the good tequila.

Cabo Wabo is like $50 for a bottle.

Just say Moe.


- tangent_man

That's shopped. A right handed defenseman on the Flyers before this year? That's unpossible

My thing with Laviolette is, I don't want to retard the process by letting him stay. Bite the bullet and make the change now, get somebody in to start the process of breaking the bad habits-and identify the guys who will have trouble making those changes, because there's some guys who will not be able to play in a disciplined system.
- Jsaquella

It's kinda like making an addict start the road to recovery now.

I'm not so sure Couturier would have cracked the Bruins roster yet.
- PLindbergh31

Seguin had a worse 1st regular season than Couturier though. Obviously their second years were vastly different.