I mean, let's be fair... Lavi's had the cards stacked against him from day one... short training camp, no time to practice, players fatigued/distracted/out-of-shape from lockout, mass injuries, key subtractions with no additions... all that has to be taken into account, too.

If I were giving Lavi a grade for the season, I'd say a solid C. Not good, but what he's done in the past makes him deserving of a shot at redemption under more favorable circumstances, IMO.
- Tomahawk

Didn't every team had a short training Camp, and a lack of practice time? And every player on every team had to deal with the lockout. The biggest single catalyst for the way this team has played this year, in my opinion, is the Coaches failure to adjust sooner, when it was plainly evident the team couldn't play the way he wanted them to play.

That is crazy. Schenn wouldn't have be nearly as effective without Kimmo. Luke is a hitter but Kimmo he is not.

Kimmo = team leader, warrior, PP QB, PK specialist, point producer on even strength

Not sure what you watched during this shortened season but it took Luke along time to find "his game" which still has a long way to go.

Just be happy Kimmo re-upped for another year to tutor young Luke.
- puckhead7

I agree totally that Timonen is the better player and deserved the Ashbee Trophy. But it did not take Luke Schenn a long time to find his game. He's been good all Season long.

Schenn is a good young player but not worth JVR and not the Flyers top blueliner. If he was, would they be shopping for a Number 1 this summer?
- puckhead7

Yes, he was worth JVR. And right now, in my opinion the Flyers got the better of the deal. A team needs more then just a #1 defenseman. And Luke Schenn is not just a "hitter" as you've classified him. He is solid defensively.

Yes, he was worth JVR. And right now, in my opinion the Flyers got the better of the deal. A team needs more then just a #1 defenseman. And Luke Schenn is not just a "hitter" as you've classified him. He is solid defensively.
- MJL

^This

. Will only add that one of those guys scored a lot of playoff goals and unfailingly created a lot of goodwill off the ice and the other had mostly tough playoffs and started to get a bad rep off the ice. So that tinged some people's perceptions that Carter was not as important to the team as Briere (when he absolutely was, IMO).

Briere and Carter are different sorts of players with one commonality in their offensive game: Both have tended toward pronounced hot and cold streaks in their careers. First-look and last-look impressions tend to be what stick in people's minds, and Briere frequently got out of the gates hot and finished strong in the stretch and playoffs, with his slumps coming in the middle. Carter tended to slump late, which advanced the perception that he wasn't a "clutch" player. In my view, his valleys were simply ill-timed and not a reflection of a lack of ability to produce in the postseason in future years.
- bmeltzer

As proven in last year's playoffs.

Joe, Briere individually and in combo with Leino and Hartnell had a lot more to do with the Flyers journey to the brink of a Cup in 2010 than Carter had in LA winning the Cup after his acquisition last year. LA was winning the Cup last year with or without Carter. You know that's true, and also that I'm not a Carter basher.
- bmeltzer

I have to disagree with that Bill. Adding Carter added a dynamic that team was missing. I think a lot of people have tried to downplay Carter and Richard's role in that team winning the Cup. They weren't secondary players on that team. They're top players on that team. And they were pivotal in the Cup run for LA

My idea was more that we'd trade a pick (5th rounder) and Briere to a team for "future considerations." Then, the team would buyout Briere and the Flyers would resign him. This is a blatant case of collusion, and the NHL would 1) nix the trade and 2) hit both team with a penalty.
- jmatchett383

Not only that, but what team is going to fork out 5M bucks or whatever the buyout cost is for a 5th round pick?

I agree. I would think Edmonton could be a possibility to move up if we offer Coburn. I would want something else back. Would you think Edmonton would ponder our 10th and Coburn for their 5th and 35th. Something like that
- Just5

Doubt that they would.

one of them had Monahan still on the board. I know some folks here love him. Should be interesting.
- wilsonecho91

If we're picking 8th-10th and Monahan is available to us, easy decision. BPA.

That being said, I highly doubt he is still around. Should be top 5. We're likely looking at Ristolainen, Nurse, or Pulock at our pick. If guys like Barkov, Monahan, or Nichushkin fall into our laps, wonderful.

Or there's a difference between recognizing a guy's past contributions in spite of his decline when he behaves with pure class and supposedly defending him. I haven't seen anyone say don't buy him out (or trade him) but treating him with respect is something he deserves. And I know a lot more women who have a heart-on for Danny than ever though of Wides with any affection.

EDITED to fix stupid mistyping!
- bodiva88

You said this better than I did.

/oldSkippyline

After 1

Plymouth - 0
London - 2

Stolarz with 9 saves

Didn't every team had a short training Camp, and a lack of practice time? And every player on every team had to deal with the lockout. The biggest single catalyst for the way this team has played this year, in my opinion, is the Coaches failure to adjust sooner, when it was plainly evident the team couldn't play the way he wanted them to play.
- MJL

Exactly - like when people complain that the Flyers lost because of bad ice. Um, it was a level playing field in that two teams had to deal with the same conditions. Same with the lockout. No single team was in camp before the others - or later than others.

I have to disagree with that Bill. Adding Carter added a dynamic that team was missing. I think a lot of people have tried to downplay Carter and Richard's role in that team winning the Cup. They weren't secondary players on that team. They're top players on that team. And they were pivotal in the Cup run for LA
- MJL

If we get the #1 pick lets plan a buzzgate? Maybe a phillies game?
- Just5

Sounds good!

No worries, gang! We are going to Dumb and Dumber our lottery jackpot percentage and nab the top pick.

- Flyskippy

maybe i'm just tired..but, i don't get it.

maybe i'm just tired..but, i don't get it.
- hammarby31

You and me both...

Schenn is a good young player but not worth JVR and not the Flyers top blueliner. If he was, would they be shopping for a Number 1 this summer?
- puckhead7

And you know this how?

Schenn is about the same rank to me as JVR.. a good supporting player. Schenn = 2-3 DMAN and JVR = top 3-4 player on a team.

As for trying to say Schenn is a number 1.. No I don't think i have seen anyone honestly say that..A 1 is Weber, Chara, Karlsson, Pieterangleo someone like that.
Not too many of them in the league. Plenty of players like Schenn and just as many like JVR.

After 1

Plymouth - 0
London - 2

Stolarz with 9 saves
- ob18

He looks good so far. Several draft eligible top prospects in this game. Domi, Zadorov, Horvat, Hartman.

Exactly - like when people complain that the Flyers lost because of bad ice. Um, it was a level playing field in that two teams had to deal with the same conditions. Same with the lockout. No single team was in camp before the others - or later than others.
- Flyskippy

It's not an excuse, it's just one of the handful of things to take into consideration when we evaluate what happened this year.

Worst possible thing that they could do is get rid of a good coach, or good players, just because of poor showing in a strange, abbreviated season.

Sabres up 1-0 very early. Might help bump us to 8th pick if the cards fall accordingly.

Zadorov with a huge hit on Tom Wilson, now standing up for himself in a scrap. Second fight in this series apparently.

He looks good so far. Several draft eligible top prospects in this game. Domi, Zadorov, Horvat, Hartman.
- Rocktane

The first was the Max Domi show......Beautiful goal & saucer assist.....Zadorov has a hell of an open ice check too.

Sabres up 1-0 very early. Might help bump us to 8th pick if the cards fall accordingly.

Zadorov with a huge hit on Tom Wilson, now standing up for himself in a scrap. Second fight in this series apparently.
- Rocktane

Nutters draft pick

It's not an excuse, it's just one of the handful of things to take into consideration when we evaluate what happened this year.

Worst possible thing that they could do is get rid of a good coach, or good players, just because of poor showing in a strange, abbreviated season.
- Tomahawk

Its what makes this season weird. I do think that if it was a longer season you might have this team sliding into the playoffs. They seemed to get better as the season went along, which was nice to see at least.

Although I do think the right teams made it in the end. Kind of suprised with Montreal.

All this talk about the draft has me excited, but its basically 65 days away.

Blah.