Best case scenario for the D as is:

Lavi sees how the team had success at the end with the AHL defense in and changes up his system.

Gus continues to improve and plays 12-14 minutes a night and can run the 2nd PP.

Mez recovers his health and adds another offensive D man to the mix.

Coburn goes back to a more comfortable role and has a good season.

Bourdon gets healthy and is another option in case of injuries.

Gervais is not played extended minutes every night, he could be OK in the #7-8 position.

Kimmo and Grossmann play over 65 games in good health.

Now how likely is this? Given the injury history I say not very likely.
Can they get a Kimmo replacement this summer?
Also very unlikely.

Could they get another 2nd or third pair defenseman with offensive skills without over paying? Seems much more doable.

So I am OK adding someone who is less then a Kimmo replacement this year.

And maybe we trade Couturier for Buff, Buff plays horribly while Couturier scores 25/36/60 and wins a Selke. Should have kept the forward.

But really, Cousins scoring 20 goals (which assumes he plays most/all of the season in the NHL) is a pretty long shot.
- jmatchett383

will be furious if this goes down

Best case scenario for the D as is:

Lavi sees how the team had success at the end with the AHL defense in and changes up his system.

Gus continues to improve and plays 12-14 minutes a night and can run the 2nd PP.

Mez recovers his health and adds another offensive D man to the mix.

Coburn goes back to a more comfortable role and has a good season.

Bourdon gets healthy and is another option in case of injuries.

Gervais is not played extended minutes every night, he could be OK in the #7-8 position.

Kimmo and Grossmann play over 65 games in good health.

Now how likely is this? Given the injury history I say not very likely.
Can they get a Kimmo replacement this summer?
Also very unlikely.

Could they get another 2nd or third pair defenseman with offensive skills without over paying? Seems much more doable.

So I am OK adding someone who is less then a Kimmo replacement this year.
- Marc D

You didn't give Meszaros a bill of good health, hello freak wrist injury while doing push ups, out for season

You didn't give Meszaros a bill of good health, hello freak wrist injury while doing push ups, out for season

- GirouxForTheShow

4th line was Mez gets healthy!

Best case scenario for the D as is:

Lavi sees how the team had success at the end with the AHL defense in and changes up his system.

Gus continues to improve and plays 12-14 minutes a night and can run the 2nd PP.

Mez recovers his health and adds another offensive D man to the mix.

Coburn goes back to a more comfortable role and has a good season.

Bourdon gets healthy and is another option in case of injuries.

Gervais is not played extended minutes every night, he could be OK in the #7-8 position.

Kimmo and Grossmann play over 65 games in good health.

Now how likely is this? Given the injury history I say not very likely.
Can they get a Kimmo replacement this summer?
Also very unlikely.

Could they get another 2nd or third pair defenseman with offensive skills without over paying? Seems much more doable.

So I am OK adding someone who is less then a Kimmo replacement this year.
- Marc D

With all the question marks, and how hard it is these days to find quality d-men that are even available, I think the next few years might not be so peachy. I'm more or less prepared for the team to miss the playoffs for the next couple of seasons. It will be even harder to make it under the new format and I dont care how good this team is on paper or potential, they to me are not good enough when compared to many of the other teams in the league. They need time.

I'd simply be signing a stop gap like Streit. Bringing in a guy like Backstrom for a veteran mentor. Drafting a guy like Pulock or Zadorov, and trying to beef up the forward crew.

If possible I would look at trading Hartnell for defensive help, but I want that young core to be given a chance.

I'll throw this in my own words. Essentially the Flyers D IF healthy are decent players. However the mix is too much of the same stuff, especially for a forward core and coach that is built to play aggressive hockey.

Basically, you cant polish a turd into a diamond.
- flyer_nutter

Close. Good d-men, wrong situation. Like bringing a corvette to a rally car race.

I'll throw this in my own words. Essentially the Flyers D IF healthy are decent players. However the mix is too much of the same stuff, especially for a forward core and coach that is built to play aggressive hockey.

Basically, you cant polish a turd into a diamond.
- flyer_nutter

Somebody get me pics of one of Laviolette's timeout yelling sessions, a turd, a diamond, and somebody who can use photoshop competently, STAT! The possibilities are endless...

Somebody get me pics of one of Laviolette's timeout yelling sessions, a turd, a diamond, and somebody who can use photoshop competently, STAT! The possibilities are endless...
- Dissent

Really sounds like one very specific possibility to me.

Close. Good d-men, wrong situation. Like bringing a corvette to a rally car race.
- youarewrong

They are good on their own when healthy, but the mix is brutal. The health is one of the biggest question marks, and somehow the organization believed that they would find the magic beans to keep Meszaros and Grossman completely healthy when there wwere big injury questions before this season even started. They got lucky with Timonen's health, and you can bet your ass they are praying on that again.

Grossman had injury concerns coming in, yet for all the hype this team gets through the orange colored glasses, he has most nights been the most consistent d-man in his own zone aside from Timonen.

Meszaros is injury prone as hell, Timonen is aging and that man of steel pain threshold may not last forever.

Guss has injury questions of his own, and good old Mr. Consistency has a hard time with many things, on too many nights.

Frankly I know many may disagree, but this d-core to me, the mix of guys put together, is a piece of poop. Luke Schenn was a monster last season, but I dont forget his troubles in Toronto. It would be certainly possible for him to have a rough season this year, as is the norm for young D.

Somebody get me pics of one of Laviolette's timeout yelling sessions, a turd, a diamond, and somebody who can use photoshop competently, STAT! The possibilities are endless...
- Dissent

I prefer the shot of Lavi punching Lieno in the head... Ok someone post it...

With all the question marks, and how hard it is these days to find quality d-men that are even available, I think the next few years might not be so peachy. I'm more or less prepared for the team to miss the playoffs for the next couple of seasons. It will be even harder to make it under the new format and I dont care how good this team is on paper or potential, they to me are not good enough when compared to many of the other teams in the league. They need time.

I'd simply be signing a stop gap like Streit. Bringing in a guy like Backstrom for a veteran mentor. Drafting a guy like Pulock or Zadorov, and trying to beef up the forward crew.

If possible I would look at trading Hartnell for defensive help, but I want that young core to be given a chance.
- flyer_nutter

I think a three- four year time frame is realistic.
Not wanting Streit because he is getting a 3 year deal from someone.
The rest I agree with.
If they can turn Hartnell into a a top four offensive defenseman that would be better then trading Schenn or Couts or Voracek.
They would be pretty small upfront without Hartnell though.

4th line was Mez gets healthy!
- Marc D

Ah, maybe subconsciously I was hoping for a games played amount.

They are good on their own when healthy, but the mix is brutal. The health is one of the biggest question marks, and somehow the organization believed that they would find the magic beans to keep Meszaros and Grossman completely healthy when there wwere big injury questions before this season even started. They got lucky with Timonen's health, and you can bet your ass they are praying on that again.

Grossman had injury concerns coming in, yet for all the hype this team gets through the orange colored glasses, he has most nights been the most consistent d-man in his own zone aside from Timonen.

Meszaros is injury prone as hell, Timonen is aging and that man of steel pain threshold may not last forever.

Guss has injury questions of his own, and good old Mr. Consistency has a hard time with many things, on too many nights.

Frankly I know many may disagree, but this d-core to me, the mix of guys put together, is a piece of poop. Luke Schenn was a monster last season, but I dont forget his troubles in Toronto. It would be certainly possible for him to have a rough season this year, as is the norm for young D.
- flyer_nutter

I think Schenn has too much experience to have a "down" year. He just needs to play his game, he won't put up points but that's not his MO.

I think a three- four year time frame is realistic.
Not wanting Streit because he is getting a 3 year deal from someone.
The rest I agree with.
If they can turn Hartnell into a a top four offensive defenseman that would be better then trading Schenn or Couts or Voracek.
They would be pretty small upfront without Hartnell though.
- Marc D

The thing to me is, this team is too far out to be afraid of losing vets. That is where I stand anyway, even though I have a bad feeling the organization has some fruit loops hope that this team can win next season.

I see them needing more pieces and especially on the back end.

By the time poop rolls around, and they are ready to really establish themselves as a consistent elite team for a few years and not just some miracle game 82 win that turns into a playoff run, I dont see many of the vets here.

It will be the kids on this team that lead this crew to the cup imo. I bring up Hartnell because I would rather lose him than the kids, and his chronic inconsistency. They would definately be small up front, but that is also where smart FA signings and good drafting comes into play.

At the end of it all, to me it boils down to being prepared to endure a few rough seasons to build this thing right. I do think much of the fanbase can endure it. I have zero faith that Snider can, and they will gamble. I would rather they stay the course, but we will see.

I think Schenn has too much experience to have a "down" year. He just needs to play his game, he won't put up points but that's not his MO.
- GirouxForTheShow

I hope he is up to the task because realistically if they hope to employ a similar D core, he will have the world on his shoulders for 82 games.

I have zero rats ass hope that Timonen, Meszaros, Guss and Grossman are going to stay relatively healthy for the season.

If the organization believes that and rolls the dice, they better be prepared to pay the price for it. Thats the thing with optimism, at times, its foolish and can bite you in the ass big time.

This defense just doesnt fit Lavi's system of offensive attack. Lavi's systems calls for Defenseman that can get the puck and make passes to transition the forwards moving to attack. It also calls for defenseman that can get back and break up odd-man rushes caused by forwards working down-low. This team just doesn't have enough of these players. You need at least 1 per line, Timonen has lost his foot speed. Now if someone gets the jump on him 9 out 10 he is taking a penality. Coburn is "fast" for a big guy... but still not able to keep up with the faster forwards of the NHL. On top of that, when asked to fill the hole left from Prongers/Carle's puck moving ability he had a horrible time of it. Gus fills the type of defenseman the Lavi's system needs more of, but he just isnt a top defender yet....
- youarewrong

No question about it. This team's defense has gone from the the team that made the Cup Finals in 10, with very strong puck movers in Timonen, Pronger, and Carle, along with Meszaros. Who was not on their level, but still a lot better, along with his ability to move up on the play, to what it is now. That is a drastic change, and it showed on the ice. Especially in ES play. It was pretty much in the bottom 3rd of the League in both 5 on 5 goals scored, and goals against. Puck movement from the defense was a huge factor in that. Not the only factor, but a huge one nonetheless. Tweaking the breakout schemes can only go so far.

Far too much is being made of the team's struggles this past Season. I think it's just growing pains. I fully expect the Flyers to be a playoff team this upcoming Season, and future Seasons as well. They're not where they need to be to be a contender, but certainly a playoff team. They should've been a playoff team this past Season. The talent is there for that. Need to add some pieces and continue to build the team. But the core is there to be a playoff team for sure. Being over pessimistic is just as foolish as being too optimistic. There is a balance to be found.

Maybe if the scouting department was actually able to draft and develop something other than forwards this organization wouldn't always have to look to trades and FA for good d-men.

That to me, would be one of the biggest issues.
- flyer_nutter

This to me is why drafting the best player available seems redundant. We either draft a center or we draft a winger and turn him into a center...

Far too much is being made of the team's struggles this past Season. I think it's just growing pains. I fully expect the Flyers to be a playoff team this upcoming Season, and future Seasons as well. They're not where they need to be to be a contender, but certainly a playoff team. They should've been a playoff team this past Season. The talent is there for that. Need to add some pieces and continue to build the team. But the core is there to be a playoff team for sure. Being over pessimistic is just as foolish as being too optimistic. There is a balance to be found.
- MJL

I never thought we had a playoff team going into this past season. In fact we are having the same off season issues as we did the last.

I never thought we had a playoff team going into this past season. In fact we are having the same off season issues as we did the last.
- dingo8urbaby

I thought for sure that they were, and still do. Poor Coaching, and injuries were the biggest factors.

Ray Charles co-starred on The Nanny
Ray Charles is blind.
Love is blind.
God is love.
Ray Charles is God
God co-starred on The Nanny
- GirouxForTheShow

Just wow!!!!

I thought for sure that they were, and still do. Poor Coaching, and injuries were the biggest factors.
- MJL

Players not playing to expectations or having slow starts (Giroux, Briere, Coburn). A lot of blame could be passed around but would have, could have, didn't in a shorten season.

I thought for sure that they were, and still do. Poor Coaching, and injuries were the biggest factors.
- MJL

i also think several players just had down years or didn't take the next step. collectively, not a good recipe for making the playoffs.

i also think several players just had down years or didn't take the next step. collectively, not a good recipe for making the playoffs.
- hammarby31

Too much expected of Couturier and Schenn out of the gate.

i also think several players just had down years or didn't take the next step. collectively, not a good recipe for making the playoffs.
- hammarby31

There's going to ups and downs with players every year. I think the biggest factor by far was the Coaching, followed by the injuries.