You are correct. Stevens was fired and Laviolette hired on 12/4/09.
- bmeltzer

i was pretty suprised to see that they went 3-2-1 against them last year. i knew they had success against them for a few years there, thought that ended earlier last year though

Musings! Musings! Musings!

- BulliesPhan87

Getting Byflugien is like trading for TWO top-pairing dmen in one move:




All the Flyers' problems would be solved!
- Tomahawk

You drop a dynamic offensive force from the blueline like him into this lineup and I think the results would be...dynamic. Though his bend is cleary offensive, it's not like he's a pylon defensively. He skates decent for his size and plays a strong physical game. The Flyers have guys that can stay home while he does his thing offensively. Trade a forward or two for Buff, draft Jones or Nurse, Zadorov, Ristolainen and the D could be set for the next decade or so. Just sayin'

some much needed pandering after all of the tocchet bashing yesterday

well played, sir
- FlyerMike18

it was about time.

Thanks Bill. Flyers have done well with Lavi then since being hired.
- stveshdy

More like treading water, imho, over that period but the recent past is abysmal.

i was pretty suprised to see that they went 3-2-1 against them last year. i knew they had success against them for a few years there, thought that ended earlier last year though
- FlyerMike18

Pronger was Devils Kryptonite for some reason it seemed.

- Don'tForgetTocchet

When the season is over and we know where the Flyers are drafting, I plan to do something similar in the form of an off-season outlook blog.
- bmeltzer

Tank Tank Tank Seth Jones

More like treading water, imho, over that period but the recent past is abysmal.
- Scoob

One bad season shouldn't cost him his job.

What about one absolutely terrible season, following on from two humiliating playoff defeats by Boston and New Jersey.

I like Schenn but dont think he was worth the #2 pick in the draft
- vejim

I liked JVR but it turned out he wasn't worth the #2 pick in the draft, which is why Luke Schenn was the best defenseman Holmgren could get for him.

- exlund

That's phenomenal .....you used my MacKinnon Slogan

I liked JVR but it turned out he wasn't worth the #2 pick in the draft, which is why Luke Schenn was the best defenseman Holmgren could get for him.
- Feanor

And how has Luke been playing? Haven't seen the Flyers play in a long time.

And how has Luke been playing? Haven't seen the Flyers play in a long time.
- Rang

Pretty well overall. He's made some mistakes that lead to goals, but he's generally been solid and not as slow as he was built up to be. He's +1 on a very bad defensive team.

I don't recommend looking at the 2007 draft too closely. I just noticed that the Flyers took Kevin Marshall 41st and Montreal took PK Subban two spots later.

And how has Luke been playing? Haven't seen the Flyers play in a long time.
- Rang

he's great with his physical play just needs better players around him

Pretty well overall. He's made some mistakes that lead to goals, but he's generally been solid and not as slow as he was built up to be. He's +1 on a very bad defensive team.

I don't recommend looking at the 2007 draft too closely. I just noticed that the Flyers took Kevin Marshall 41st and Montreal took PK Subban two spots later.
- Feanor

please don't remind me

And how has Luke been playing? Haven't seen the Flyers play in a long time.
- Rang

The whole team hasn't been amazing. Out of all our woes Luke has actually been a bright spot. He's been living up to expectations. So all in all he's been doing well here.
Most of our young guys have been doing ok, it's the vets you have to shake your head at. I'm still happy with the trade. Thrilled JVR is getting such a great opportunity in Toronto. I hope he keeps it up!

in re the whole message board "analysts" thing: people just have their opinions. i don't think there's anything wrong with discussing the conclusions you arrive at after watching the games
- FlyerMike18

I'm all for casual banter and fan expression.

It's only sad when certain people parade around here like they're some kind of yet-discovered hockey savant, gracing us with the first and last word on coaching/systems, management, personnel, and legal, as if they were privy to more than just fan access.

Yeah, some posters are more steeped in the game than others, for sure, but nobody who has the inclination to lurk on HB for hours a day is likely to be winning any Jack Adams, or getting headhunted by NHL front-offices, or getting invited to the TSN panel.

We're all just fans -- there's just no need for all the arrogance and pretense.

it definitely seems like the style he prefers to play requires very smart, disciplined, puck moving d men. maybe not so much "puck-moving" as in being quick skaters, but veteran d men that know how to quickly move the puck up the ice. more of an "awareness" kind of thing. and i agree, it's not easy to build that kind of defense (that's what everyone wants!)

- FlyerMike18

The current D actually has little problem moving the puck as you describe...Grossman often makes quick and decisive puck moving plays to get it out of the defensive zone...Timonen, of course, can move the puck, Schenn has shown he can move the rock when needed... Coburn when he's on his game can do it, even gervais can move the puck adequately (depsite his horrible d)...so, the d often move the puck out of the defensive zone. The problems in the transition game and defensively have more to do with what happens from there. The forwards are pressing too hard offensively and not supporting the breakout enough...teams that trap the neutral zone will often have a numbers advantage in the middle, leaving the team vulnerable to turnovers and breaks the other way. That gap needs to close and the team needs to move up ice as more of a 5 man unit, with the D participating from the back line but not letting anyone get behind. One caveat, if you have a dynamic D man that can consistently "carry the mail" and deliver the puck into the O zone, like a Karlsson, Pitkanen, Pronger or Doughty type, those guys can put a lot of pressure on the opposing team to reverse course and can break the trap. Otherwise, they need to support the puck better as a team, especially as they move through the neutral zone where the gap is too large. The top skilled puck handlers, like like Giroux, Voracek and Briere should be taking the puck through the zone more often... as MJL has been saying, they need to keep the forecheck reeled in a bit...keep a forward high so he can quickly transition to defense on d man pinches and when the puck goes the other way.

with a little more then a week before the deadline, this place is pretty dead for a rumor site

When the season is over and we know where the Flyers are drafting, I plan to do something similar in the form of an off-season outlook blog.
- bmeltzer

You might recall my seires of "Armchair Flyers GM" posts from the old philly.com boards...always seemed to be good fodder for discussion.

with a little more then a week before the deadline, this place is pretty dead for a rumor site
- mydoglicks

maybe most teams don't care about the outcome from this season

I'm all for casual banter and fan expression.

It's only sad when certain people parade around here like they're some kind of yet-discovered hockey savant, gracing us with the first and last word on coaching/systems, management, personnel, and legal, as if they were privy to more than just fan access.

Yeah, some posters are more steeped in the game than others, for sure, but nobody who has the inclination to lurk on HB for hours a day is likely to be winning any Jack Adams, or getting headhunted by NHL front-offices, or getting invited to the TSN panel.

We're all just fans -- there's just no need for all the arrogance and pretense.
- Tomahawk

Very, very true.

It gets to the point sometimes where I join in just to amuse myself.

with a little more then a week before the deadline, this place is pretty dead for a rumor site
- mydoglicks

It's not as exciting when you're a seller.

That's phenomenal .....you used my MacKinnon Slogan
- KINGKENZO

Thanks...yeah, I liked your slogan and it was kind of the inspiration for putting those on there.