Holzer goes to AHL; Gardiner getting recalled? End of dreams?

Doesn't Olli Määttä project as a top 4 dman down the road? Curious to why the Flyers would draft a projected third line center, especially in an area of tremendous need.
- PLindbergh31

Its the Flyers goal to have natural centers play all 12 forward positions eventually

Its the Flyers goal to have natural centers play all 12 forward positions eventually
- nastyflyergirl

They do a good job drafting forwards in the first round, no doubt about that. I'm one that subscribes to the draft the best player available theory regardless of need. It's far too early to criticize the pick.

I would love that but Henrique showed a lot more offensive ability throughout Juniors than Laughton has.
- NickTheKid87

Are you talking about your own viewings? By the numbers, Laughton is right there.

Henrique: Draft year points per game: .66. Next year :1.12
Laughton: Draft year: .82. This year: 1.14.

I guess Homer naming himself coach makes sense them. Lame duck doesn't apply to someone who can jettison you to Adirondack, buy you out, etc.
- Flyskippy

Run a "Best of Paul Holmgren" video before the first practice.

20 deer caught in the headlights

Any questions?

No?

Good.

Hit the ice.

Are you talking about your own viewings? By the numbers, Laughton is right there.

Henrique: Draft year points per game: .66. Next year :1.12
Laughton: Draft year: .82. This year: 1.14.
- psuhockey

They're close but per Hockey's Future:

2007-08: While Henrique’s numbers didn’t really take a huge jump forward this year, that was more due to him playing on a deep and talented Windsor team and didn’t get the type of offensive minutes that he likely would have received had he been on another team. He recorded 22 goals and 22 assists in 62 games, along with a +17 rating. His 44 total points matched his total from the 2006-07 season. He had a solid, though short lived playoff, contributing five points in five games. The Devils likely got a good read on the type of player Henrique was while they were scouting Brad Snetsinger, and had help in earning him a selection in the third round of the 2007-08 NHL draft by New Jersey.

They're close but per Hockey's Future:

2007-08: While Henrique’s numbers didn’t really take a huge jump forward this year, that was more due to him playing on a deep and talented Windsor team and didn’t get the type of offensive minutes that he likely would have received had he been on another team. He recorded 22 goals and 22 assists in 62 games, along with a +17 rating. His 44 total points matched his total from the 2006-07 season. He had a solid, though short lived playoff, contributing five points in five games. The Devils likely got a good read on the type of player Henrique was while they were scouting Brad Snetsinger, and had help in earning him a selection in the third round of the 2007-08 NHL draft by New Jersey.
- NickTheKid87

i still think they could have gotten Laughton in the second round....

i still think they could have gotten Laughton in the second round....
- Philly1980

I don't know about that. There are 25 picks in between Laughton and Stolarz.

I will be honest, I wish they drafted Määttä, and Thrower instead of the guys they ended up with.

Read's a young 27 and Bouwmeester's and old 29.

That's actually not 100% false. Less time in the NHL = less of a beating on the body.
- NickTheKid87

Bouwmeester has never played in an NHL playoff game, so his body has taken less of a beating than some other 29 year olds in the league.

They're close but per Hockey's Future:

2007-08: While Henrique’s numbers didn’t really take a huge jump forward this year, that was more due to him playing on a deep and talented Windsor team and didn’t get the type of offensive minutes that he likely would have received had he been on another team. He recorded 22 goals and 22 assists in 62 games, along with a +17 rating. His 44 total points matched his total from the 2006-07 season. He had a solid, though short lived playoff, contributing five points in five games. The Devils likely got a good read on the type of player Henrique was while they were scouting Brad Snetsinger, and had help in earning him a selection in the third round of the 2007-08 NHL draft by New Jersey.
- NickTheKid87

I like Hockey Future but I always defer to the Flyers when it comes to judging forwards. Mike Richards was suppose to be a 3rd line checking center and Steve Downie was going to be just a pest, not a 20 goal scorer. Downie was a big reach according to the pre draft rankings.

I figured out why they didn't draft Olli Maatta!

"One aspect of his game which needs worked on is his confidence. In his first full season playing in North America, Maatta occasionally found himself over-thinking the play or second-guessing an on-ice decision, occasionally leading to trouble for him and his teammates."

One turn over in Philly and that confidence will be all over the floor.

Source: Hockey's Future.

I like Hockey Future but I always defer to the Flyers when it comes to judging forwards. Mike Richards was suppose to be a 3rd line checking center and Steve Downie was going to be just a pest, not a 20 goal scorer. Downie was a big reach according to the pre draft rankings.
- psuhockey

They do a good job for sure and maybe he will turn into an Adam Henrique type player but right now he isn't worth all that much to other teams.

I am happy the Flyers didn't take Maata now that Pittsburgh did. Ray Shero has been great with trades but so far a pretty bad drafter. Angelo Esposito says hello.

They do a good job drafting forwards in the first round, no doubt about that. I'm one that subscribes to the draft the best player available theory regardless of need. It's far too early to criticize the pick.
- PLindbergh31

Oh I am not criticizing the pick at all. I agree, wayyyyy too early to judge

That lock out was an exceptioanlly productive event to allow the Owners and GMs a chance to regain control of player salary and revenue sharing .....Getzlaf and Perry are amongst the most talented in the game but their salaries should not be on par with Crosby's.....just goes to show you, these fools cant be saved. Granted, UFA puts teams in a different postion of bargaining power than RFA, and Montreal should be commended for keeping Suabbans salary in line commiserate with his tenure and production, but these contracts are ridiculous
- KINGKENZO

Crosby's actual salary over the 8 years of Getzlaf's deal is actually $20 million higher. His 8.7m cap hit is similar only to Getzlaf's 8.25m hit because he signed one of those long-term deals designed to circumvent the cap that were so popular before the lockout.

I think the odds of Crosby actually playing the last three years of his deal for $9 million total in salary and a $26.1m cap hit are very low.

Not at all. The skill, and speed, and how the players have evolved, really is completely different then talking about Hockey systems.
- MJL

There's also the argument that the evolution of systems at the pro level has created a demand for ever faster, ever smarter, more fit, more puck-capable players, which has affected the way players are being trained and developed at the youth level.

There's much less room in the game today for goons who can't keep up, dmen who can't move the puck, goalies who can't max the percentages, and coaches who aren't x's and o's proficient.

Systems evolve, players evolve, equipment evolves, fitness evolves, medicine evolves, rules evolve, the business of the game evolves -- they're all interwoven and interdependent -- there's no separating the evolution of one from the others.

Teams still play a neutral zone trap that's been around for 50 years.
- MJL

So the 1-2-2 was perfect at its inception back in the 50's?

I really don't think Lemaire and subsequent trap-adopters were content to just lift their game plans out of the pages of history and leave it at that. No, they distilled, tweaked, honed the basic principles of the 1-2-2 to suit their unique conditions and requirements. Subsequent coaches built on top of their advances. Is that not the very definition of evolution?

Now, set aside the 1-2-2 for a second...

Look at the way modern teams craft their systems around shot blocking, around puck-movement, entering the zone with possession, regrouping in the neutral zone, players constantly switching positions on the ice... those are undeniable steps forward in the way the game is structured. Those things are only possible today because of advances that couldn't have been imagined in the 50's and 70's -- composite sticks, advances in player protection, European tactics, the butterfly style, modern rink construction... those were unimaginable back in the day and have fundamentally altered the way that coaches and players approach and plan for games.

Its the Flyers goal to have natural centers play all 12 forward positions eventually
- nastyflyergirl

I know, drives me insane.

I am happy the Flyers didn't take Maata now that Pittsburgh did. Ray Shero has been great with trades but so far a pretty bad drafter. Angelo Esposito says hello.
- psuhockey

He also drafted Staal ahead of Toews. That was a bigger mistake than drafting Esposito. Since Shero has been GM in Pittsburgh 2006 was the only time he had a pick in the top 20.

He's also drafted Bennett, and Depres with late first round picks. Those guys are NHL contributors already.

I am happy the Flyers didn't take Maata now that Pittsburgh did. Ray Shero has been great with trades but so far a pretty bad drafter. Angelo Esposito says hello.
- psuhockey

They have a lot of talented kids that haven't made their debuts or played a lot yet, but are very highly regarded.

Beau Bennett, Simon Despres, Joe Morrow, Derrick Pouliot and Maatta are all good prospects. They just haven't rushed them to the NHL.

I am happy the Flyers didn't take Maata now that Pittsburgh did. Ray Shero has been great with trades but so far a pretty bad drafter. Angelo Esposito says hello.
- psuhockey

man, the kid went from being rated as the #1 pick, to dropping to the 20th pick to playing in Europe all in a matter of 5 years.

Oh I am not criticizing the pick at all. I agree, wayyyyy too early to judge
- nastyflyergirl

I know you weren't... I kinda was....

I guess Homer naming himself coach makes sense them. Lame duck doesn't apply to someone who can jettison you to Adirondack, buy you out, etc.
- Flyskippy

That would make the rest of this season worth watching, at least.

I don't know about that. There are 25 picks in between Laughton and Stolarz.

I will be honest, I wish they drafted Määttä, and Thrower instead of the guys they ended up with.
- PLindbergh31

he was ranked as #40 under north american skaters....

Stolarz wasnt even ranked.....wasted 2nd round pick

man, the kid went from being rated as the #1 pick, to dropping to the 20th pick to playing in Europe all in a matter of 5 years.
- nastyflyergirl

Shredding a knee every couple years tends to do that to a kid

man, the kid went from being rated as the #1 pick, to dropping to the 20th pick to playing in Europe all in a matter of 5 years.
- nastyflyergirl

I remember at the beginning of the 2006-07 when the Flyers were sucking like they would for the whole year and my friends and I were excited about Esposito and Cherepanov (RIP). How things can change...