Ill wait to see how all three play in their second years before stating they are better. Would you have taken any of the three over Couts this time last season... absolutely not. Hell, we were head over heels in love with the "steal of the draft"
- jak521

yes hamilton....

Yes, blame the coach for mishandling Bobrovsky. His options were a 22 year old kid, and a couple of journeymen retreads in Boucher and Leighton. What other coach entered the playoffs that season with those kind of options? If there was a legit goaltender here, Bobrovsky could have been developed at a proper pace.
- PLindbergh31

This is his 3rd season in NA... and look at him now. Obviously much more prepared.

You can't really ease a goalie into the playoffs. You ride him out. Look at Fleury. He went 1-4 in his first playoff run. His second year he went 14-6.
- Jimmygrazz

Given the alternatives Bobrovsky should have played all the playoff games, my point was if there was a legit goaltender here, Bobrovsky isn't even in the equation.

yes hamilton....
- Philly1980

Thats funny. I distinctly remember the elite status that was thrust upon him while shutting down Malkin last year in the playoffs.

You can't really ease a goalie into the playoffs. You ride him out. Look at Fleury. He went 1-4 in his first playoff run. His second year he went 14-6.
- Jimmygrazz

It was also his 3rd year of NHL hockey... Remember how much shorter a KHL season is. They only play 54 games a year.

Given the alternatives Bobrovsky should have played all the playoff games, my point was if there was a legit goaltender here, Bobrovsky isn't even in the equation.
- PLindbergh31

I agree. And yes Lavy completely screwed up handling the goalies that series.

Thats funny. I distinctly remember the elite status that was thrust upon him while shutting down Malkin last year in the playoffs.
- jak521

Did i thrust it? No....is he going to be a valuable future player yes....should they have waited in bringing him to the nhl...yes.

#1 is a bit of a stretch
- strongsupporter

who do you think will be our #1 dman in 2 years?

I agree. And yes Lavy completely screwed up handling the goalies that series.
- Jimmygrazz

He did. But they weren't beating the Bruins in that series if they had Ken Dryden circa 1976.

Did i thrust it? No....
- Philly1980

Im just saying its funny how hindsight works.. Next year Hamilton could play terrible, and Couts could explode and everybody would go right back to the whole "what a great pick he was" spiel they have been pretending to have never pitched.

I agree. And yes Lavy completely screwed up handling the goalies that series.
- Jimmygrazz

it was humiliating to the goalies

I agree. And yes Lavy completely screwed up handling the goalies that series.
- Jimmygrazz

Didnt Bob state that he wasnt mentally prepared for the playoffs? If that was the case, how should the coach have handled that.

He did. But they weren't beating the Bruins in that series if they had Ken Dryden circa 1976.
- PLindbergh31

Again I completely agree. But you just let the kid play it out.

it was humiliating to the goalies
- mydoglicks

The coach was put in a position where there wasn't a clear cut option. How many teams enter the playoffs not knowing who the goaltender is going to be? Hardly any.

Im just saying its funny how hindsight works.. Next year Hamilton could play terrible, and Couts could explode and everybody would go right back to the whole "what a great pick he was" spiel they have been pretending to have never pitched.
- jak521

The sophomore slump is a quite real thing for whatever reason, and I'm not entirely convinced that if they held Couturier back until he was 20 years old, that he wouldn't just have a sophomore slump in his 2nd NHL year anyways. At least this way, the 2nd year will be over with 1 or 2 years earlier than it would have been and he'll be better prepared and have more NHL experience when he hits age 24-28... the prime years so to speak.

Im just saying its funny how hindsight works.. Next year Hamilton could play terrible, and Couts could explode and everybody would go right back to the whole "what a great pick he was" spiel they have been pretending to have never pitched.
- jak521

you asked me to go off of rankings....so i did...Hamilton was ranked the #4 in North America. Sean was rated # 6...All of those guys on that list were rated higher.

Didnt Bob state that he wasnt mentally prepared for the playoffs? If that was the case, how should the coach have handled that.
- jak521

I am not sure at what point he said that, but as the coach you need to instill confidence in him. Tell him he is the guy. I have no idea what happens behind the scenes, but the way Lavy handled it, I doubt he did that.

Doug hamilton spent last year in the Minors
Jonathan Huberdeau spent time in the minors
Mika Zibanejad spent time in the minors

all three are better and have spent their first year in the minors.
- Philly1980

None of them have played in the minors, they all stayed in junior

it's pretty clear the flyers thought they could sign pronger to an under 35 deal...remember the hullabaloo about hanrahan...
- isaiah520

And in the big picture, all of that is really inconsequential. Unless you think the Flyers wouldn't have made the deal otherwise.

The sophomore slump is a quite real thing for whatever reason, and I'm not entirely convinced that if they held Couturier back until he was 20 years old, that he wouldn't just have a sophomore slump in his 2nd NHL year anyways. At least this way, the 2nd year will be over with 1 or 2 years earlier than it would have been and he'll be better prepared and have more NHL experience when he hits age 24-28... the prime years so to speak.
- eayost

Exactly.

The coach was put in a position where there wasn't a clear cut option. How many teams enter the playoffs not knowing who the goaltender is going to be? Hardly any.
- PLindbergh31

He started 54 games that year for them. He was the starter, until he had one bad game in the playoffs.

None of them have played in the minors, they all stayed in junior
- Jsaquella

point is they didnt play their first season in the nhl.....

He started 54 games that year for them. He was the starter, until he had one bad game in the playoffs.
- Jimmygrazz

IMO having a 22 year old kid who has never played in N. America before as the starter is an ill conceived plan, regardless of how he performed. He should have been given time to develop.

point is they didnt play their first season in the nhl.....
- Philly1980

Yeah, but the team didn't have a hand in their development. The junior teams are not controlled by the NHL team. They recognized that they either were not ready or didn't have a need to fill.

The Flyers generally would rather have their high picks in the organization, rather than have their development in the hands of somebody else.

The problem is, the Flyers always being in win now mode means kids get rushed. But spending an extra year in juniors isn't a sure cure for a sophomore slump.

It's also easier to have a sophomore slump when you're supposed to be given more responsibilities on a team that on most nights looks totally lost with regards to playing a tight team game. Much easier for individuals to get exposed. Then you start thinking too much, losing confidence, yadda yadda...