Holy shizz ANA!!!

what the hell is going on in anaheim?!?
- FlyerMike18

The Ducks are taking a poop all over the stats geek's spreadsheets

The Ducks are taking a poop all over the stats geek's spreadsheets
- Jsaquella

and that duck poop gets everywhere

yes my friends we have stanley cup playoff ot.

how ya gonna dance with your back up on the wall?

yes my friends we have stanley cup playoff ot.

how ya gonna dance with your back up on the wall?
- mayorofangrytown

Like a fat, drunk, white guy at a wedding.

and that duck poop gets everywhere
- FlyerMike18

All the stats guys I follow/read kept going on and on about how Anaheim would be dead in 5 because they aren't a possession team and their other advanced numbers are mediocre.

That's why stats are not the end all, be all.

They're a useful tool, like a hammer. But it you use a hammer to clean a window, you're (frank)ed

yes my friends we have stanley cup playoff ot.

how ya gonna dance with your back up on the wall?
- mayorofangrytown

Love it

Love it
- wilsonecho91

I'd love it, too if it was 10 PM where I live

That sucked. I literally just cracked a Coke

I only said what I said for you to correct me on the idiom usage. And I agree with Dave, I don't understand. How is it dodging the question? You're disagreement with whomever about coots establishment as an NHL forward begs the question what is established, no? Unless you mean by dodging the question as you don't answer the original question (I.e. is coots established), yet cause a further question in what is established?

Frank.

Add on: but even still in order to answer original question, don't you need to have an understanding what established means, original question therefore begging the ladder in order to resolve? Or is this one of those funny language things that direct translations are as useful as an outlet underwater.
- GirouxForTheShow

Ha! I figured you were yanking my chain.

As it is, we're both incorrect. "Begging the question" is assuming an unproven statement to be true. Even we old dogs can learn new tricks. I was informed that it means to "evade a question," which is almost correct in that assuming one's premise to be true evades any questions regarding it.

Anyhoo, to get to your question, I believe (as others stated above) that Couturier is an established NHLer in that he has been installed in an NHL lineup for two seasons straight now.

As to your last paragraph, it's too late to ponder such things clearly. Sorry.

That sucked. I literally just cracked a Coke
- Jsaquella

Nyquist?!? More like NYQUIL!

'Night all.

Nyquist?!? More like NYQUIL!

'Night all.
- Flyskippy

Yup...night, Skip

I'd love it, too if it was 10 PM where I live
- Jsaquella

9

9
- wilsonecho91

That's right...I forgot that Russia IS your back yard

Rielly has the potential to not only fill timonens hole on the powerplay but exceed the expectations of it. As soon as a player like Rielly is NHL proven, toronto won't be trading him... Ya it'll be a bit of a gamble, but so was trading JVR for Luke Schenn, and that's worked out alright for us this year.
- JAKEw1234

JVR for Luke Schenn was a trade of two NHL players.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Offseason Defense Planning, Defensemen in 2013 Draft
- bmeltzer

Now that I've finally had the time to finish reading the blog, Bill, I want to say "Thanks," for the exceptional work you do here. It makes bad seasons, lockouts, and offseasons more bearable.

Now that I've finally had the time to finish reading the blog, Bill, I want to say "Thanks," for the exceptional work you do here. It makes bad seasons, lockouts, and offseasons more bearable.
- Flyskippy

Wonder if he can do anything about non-sensical trade ideas?

Wonder if he can do anything about non-sensical trade ideas?
- Jsaquella

Good question. Maybe if he wields his Mighty Banhammer +2?

Wonder if he can do anything about non-sensical trade ideas?
- Jsaquella

Are you not entertained?

Are you not entertained?
- tangent_man

I suppose I am...it's kind of like Poison in the 1980's....nothing but straight cheese, but hot chicks liked their music.

I suppose I am...it's kind of like Poison in the 1980's....nothing but straight cheese, but hot chicks liked their music.
- Jsaquella

I would liken it more toward Zamfir, but if you wanna pretty it up a bit, I guess I can't blame you.

Personally I'd like them to work Akesons ass off this offseason on improving his skating and upper-body strength and give him a shot at playing with G and Jake during preseason. He has the instant chemistry and the passing, finesse, ice vison, and shot to make it work. It's only the skating and strength that really gets him down.
- JAKEw1234

That is a pretty terrible idea, to bring up a guy who still needs a ton of work to become a full-time NHLer and put him on the top line. If anything, I'd prefer him to work on his defensive game in the AHL some more and be the top forward call-up, and maybe in 2 years challenge for a top-6 role. My $0.02

Rielly has the potential to not only fill timonens hole on the powerplay but exceed the expectations of it. As soon as a player like Rielly is NHL proven, toronto won't be trading him... Ya it'll be a bit of a gamble, but so was trading JVR for Luke Schenn, and that's worked out alright for us this year.
- JAKEw1234

Considering that half the posters here have a bromance with Couturier, just about any proposal you make is going to get crapped on . The prevailing opinion last July was there no way the Flyers should trade Couts in a deal for Weber, so that tells you something.

Personally, I think a 1/2 defenseman trumps a selke winner in today's nhl. So the only issue with Rielly or any other prospect not in nhl is whether he is likely to reach that level. But as Bill points out in his blog, teams value young, talented NHL-proven D (seemingly much more than the Flyers) and are loathe to part with them. So, that begs the question ( ), how do you get one?

They will likely either need to gamble on a player like Rielly, and give up a lot in a trade, or start drafting them. I would do Rielly or Hamilton in a heartbeat for Couts. But I'd be willing to bet that Leafs wouldn't trade Rielly straight up for Couts; Boston wouldn't trade Hamilton for him; and same for Reinhart, Murray, etc.

Considering that half the posters here have a bromance with Couturier, just about any proposal you make is going to get crapped on . The prevailing opinion last July was there no way the Flyers should trade Couts in a deal for Weber, so that tells you something.

Personally, I think a 1/2 defenseman trumps a selke winner in today's nhl. So the only issue with Rielly or any other prospect not in nhl is whether he is likely to reach that level. But as Bill points out in his blog, teams value young, talented NHL-proven D (seemingly much more than the Flyers) and are loathe to part with them. So, that begs the question ( ), how do you get one?

They will likely either need to gamble on a player like Rielly, and give up a lot in a trade, or start drafting them. I would do Rielly or Hamilton in a heartbeat for Couts. But I'd be willing to bet that Leafs wouldn't trade Rielly straight up for Couts; Boston wouldn't trade Hamilton for him; and same for Reinhart, Murray, etc.
- TheGreat28

Wrong. The prevailing opinion was that Couts, Schenn + shouldnt even be thought of when you have the ability to OS Weber. Thats exactly what the Flyers did.... And almost everyone was surprised that Nashville matched.


EDIT: I also love how you have so eloquently labeled Cout's fans as having a "bromance". Nope... its just not every day that one of the better defensive forwards in the game who also has the skill set to be a very good offensive forward (at age 19!) falls into your lap. It takes an educated fan to know what you have before its gone.

That is a pretty terrible idea, to bring up a guy who still needs a ton of work to become a full-time NHLer and put him on the top line. If anything, I'd prefer him to work on his defensive game in the AHL some more and be the top forward call-up, and maybe in 2 years challenge for a top-6 role. My $0.02
- jmatchett383

I would love it if Akeson made it difficult on the coaches to send him to ADK (or wherever the team is supposed to play) this fall when training camp breaks.

It would be the best case scenario for Akeson's career, quite frankly, if he becomes the first forward call up for the Flyers in case of injury. Even if they don't have room for him at the NHL level, maybe they trade him somewhere to a team that can make room for him.

Either way, it would seemingly behoove Akeson to train exceptionally hard this summer to move his career forward.