Agree, Shanny's +/- was 151 over almost 2x the amount of games as E had, even if Shanny was "ok" at D he should have had a better rating with those Detroit teams over time...
- JW98FlyerFan

Lindros' +/- was greatly enhanced by the fact that he spent his entire shift in the opposing zone. His board work was phenomenal (the whole line's in fact). They could just wear teams out.

So do you all think the Flyers a playoff team?

Not exactly sold on your goaltending IMO, but I do like the Lecavelier signing
- RickJames77

I think that the GM has done his job. The question will remain how the caoch reacts. Lavi disappointed us last year by not reacting - or we saw no adjustments on the ice until the very end when our blueline looked like an AHL squad.
I think that Lavi will determine how far we get in the play-offs.
Overall I think that we will make the play-offs but might just squeak in...

I'm comfortable with the goaltending. It's a prove it attitude. And if they both fall apart then they both walk after next season.
But I don't think they will. Personally I think Mason realizes that this is the only true chance he's going to have to prove he's more than a capable back-up. His puck handling skills could really help this team. And Emery is gonna fight like a demon for the money, the acknowledgement (to himself) that he is all the way 100% back to true form and his time in Chicago wasn't just a freak occurence.

Anyone who can stop an occaisonal break away would be nice

Is the team perfect? Nope. But I think we've made some nice improvements.
Staying healthy would be nice. Our blueline last season was more like a Whack-A-MOLE game than a true line.

So do you all think the Flyers a playoff team?

Not exactly sold on your goaltending IMO, but I do like the Lecavelier signing
- RickJames77

The goaltending really couldn't be worse. I mean Brzgalof was off the map in Save percentage and GAA. If we get average numbers from Emery and Mason it will be an improvement. A lot of that fall on our forwards and Defense as well.

They can be a playoff team but it's no lock.

How do you feel about the Iginla signing? I was talking to a guy at work who's a life long Bruins fans and he, like me, just don't understand it.

I think they are. Goaltending will be at least equal to last year. Probably better when you factor in how much better both current guys are at handling the puck compared to Bryz.
- PhillySportsGuy

Bryz

I couldn't believe that you guys gave him that humongous huge contract

Good think they had the buyouts...kinda chapped my ass as a Bruins fan because the Bruins had none of those deals so it was like (frank), we could've gotten away with that

Anyways...I would definitely say the Flyers are improved and just because I said I wasn't sold on the Flyers goaltending doesn't mean I don't think it is better, just not necessarily sold that it can get you very far.

So do you all think the Flyers a playoff team?

Not exactly sold on your goaltending IMO, but I do like the Lecavelier signing
- RickJames77

I think we are. Emery and Mason are going to be a good tandem. Like Emery said in his conference call, it's going to be a goaltending relationship. They're going to work with each other to make the other better. It's going to be more like 2 dmen on a pair, working together as teammates, than as two goalies just trying to win out over the other one.

The goaltending really couldn't be worse. I mean Brzgalof was off the map in Save percentage and GAA. If we get average numbers from Emery and Mason it will be an improvement. A lot of that fall on our forwards and Defense as well.

They can be a playoff team but it's no lock.

How do you feel about the Iginla signing? I was talking to a guy at work who's a life long Bruins fans and he, like me, just don't understand it.
- mayorofangrytown

Short term Horton replacement?

As for his strength, I don't know, Bill. It's easy to look strong when you are knocking around guys that are 20 lbs lighter than you on most nights. When he was matched up against guys his own size like Keith Primeau and Ed Jovanovski, he was pretty much neutralized. That's what led Clarke to get Primeau IMO. And even 6 ft 215lb Scott Stevens was able to neutralize Lindros physically in his prime. Am I wrong in saying that?
- phillydentist

Stevens neutralized him at times but sometimes Lindros got the best of Stevens, too, especially in the late 1990s. Lindros did fine matched up against against Jovanovski in the Flyers-Panthers series in 1996 with the exception of Game 1. The Panthers got away with all sorts of clutching and grabbing that entire series -- way worse than New Jersey in '95.

IMO, the Flyers acquired Primeau -- like Gratton before him, and Joel Otto and even Bob Corkum in defensive roles -- because Bob Clarke was enamored of big centers in general. Production-wise, Lindros pretty much ate Primeau alive when the Flyers played Hartford or Carolina . They only played against each other a couple times while Primeau was still with Detroit and Primeau got kicked out of one those early games at the Spectrum due to a boarding major.

The goaltending really couldn't be worse. I mean Brzgalof was off the map in Save percentage and GAA. If we get average numbers from Emery and Mason it will be an improvement. A lot of that fall on our forwards and Defense as well.

They can be a playoff team but it's no lock.

How do you feel about the Iginla signing? I was talking to a guy at work who's a life long Bruins fans and he, like me, just don't understand it.
- mayorofangrytown

I actually like it...I mean he slots in as a PWF type winger, right where Horton does. I mean it might have made sense to go after a younger more long term solution like Brunner, but for the short term I actually really like the signing

I don't know what Lindros's skating would've been without the knee injuries. I can only go by what I saw and remember of him as he was.

As for his strength, I don't know, Bill. It's easy to look strong when you are knocking around guys that are 20 lbs lighter than you on most nights. When he was matched up against guys his own size like Keith Primeau and Ed Jovanovski, he was pretty much neutralized. That's what led Clarke to get Primeau IMO. And even 6 ft 215lb Scott Stevens was able to neutralize Lindros physically in his prime. Am I wrong in saying that?
- phillydentist

I had the privledge of watching Eric Lindros play live many times. For a man his size, he was an incredible skater. He flew around the ice, and there weren't many players who could skate better then he could in his prime. It was amazing to watch.
None of those players neutralized Lindros. Just wasn't possible in his heyday. Steven played him the best, but it was far from being neutralized.

Stevens neutralized him at times but sometimes Lindros got the best of Stevens, too, especially in the late 1990s. Lindros did fine matched up against against Jovanovski in the Flyers-Panthers series in 1996 with the exception of Game 1. The Panthers got away with all sorts of clutching and grabbing that entire series -- way worse than New Jersey in '95.

IMO, the Flyers acquired Primeau -- like Gratton before him, and Joel Otto and even Bob Corkum in defensive roles -- because Bob Clarke was enamored of big centers in general. Production-wise, Lindros pretty much ate Primeau alive when the Flyers played Hartford or Carolina . They only played against each other a couple times while Primeau was still with Detroit and Primeau got kicked out of one those early games at the Spectrum due to a boarding major.
- bmeltzer

they still are enamored of the big C, with the Vinnie Lacavalier signing

Short term Horton replacement?
- 77rams

At 6 million? Chiarelli said they are talking extension. How many more yrs are they going to give him and at what cost? What does he bring that they don't have? They have strength and leadership pouring out their ears. They need scoring and how much is he going to bring for 6 mil per?

It's a head scratcher. It made sense as a rental last season but long term?

Lindros' +/- was greatly enhanced by the fact that he spent his entire shift in the opposing zone. His board work was phenomenal (the whole line's in fact). They could just wear teams out.
- djamon

Once they got the puck behind the defense along the goal line, you were toast.

I don't know what Lindros's skating would've been without the knee injuries. I can only go by what I saw and remember of him as he was.

As for his strength, I don't know, Bill. It's easy to look strong when you are knocking around guys that are 20 lbs lighter than you on most nights. When he was matched up against guys his own size like Keith Primeau and Ed Jovanovski, he was pretty much neutralized. That's what led Clarke to get Primeau IMO. And even 6 ft 215lb Scott Stevens was able to neutralize Lindros physically in his prime. Am I wrong in saying that?
- phillydentist

Stevens didn't contain Lindros, he did however drive his shoulder blatantly into Eric's head, which would have landed him a lengthy suspension in today's NHL.
A more accurate statement would be that the Devils system and the goaltending of Marty Brodeur shut down the Flyers as a whole.

The problem back then was the Flyers didn't really have a 2nd line that was good enough to take pressure off the Legion of Doom. Brind'amour was an excellent player, but Kevin Dineen was well past his prime and on the left side they were so thin in 95 that Rob friggin DiMaio was sometimes getting shifts on the 2nd line!

One of the advantages Detroit had in 97, besides having Scotty Bowman behind the bench was having Steve Yzerman on one line and Sergei Federov on another. By basically having 2 franchise centers, Detroit had, in essence, 2 1st lines.

Lindros at his peak was rarely if ever contained. The trick to beating the Flyers was shutting down the rest of the team and putting pressure on them in their own zone. The Devils would beat them 3-2 and on many nights, Lindros' line scored both goals, but the Devils TEAM scored 3.

Once they got the puck behind the defense along the goal line, you were toast.
- MJL

That Cycle was amazing to watch...bodies everywhere and the puck in the back of the net...

I actually like it...I mean he slots in as a PWF type winger, right where Horton does. I mean it might have made sense to go after a younger more long term solution like Brunner, but for the short term I actually really like the signing
- RickJames77

They're talking about extending him though. You have power forwards. You could have used that 6 mil towards a scorer. I hope it works out but I don't like the way they're thinking right now. You'd think you lost in the first round.

they still are enamored of the big C, with the Vinnie Lacavalier signing
- Marc D

What Sean Couturier could grow to be makes for another big center with skill.

Stevens didn't contain Lindros, he did however drive his shoulder blatantly into Eric's head, which would have landed him a lengthy suspension in today's NHL.
A more accurate statement would be that the Devils system and the goaltending of Marty Brodeur shut down the Flyers as a whole.

The problem back then was the Flyers didn't really have a 2nd line that was good enough to take pressure off the Legion of Doom. Brind'amour was an excellent player, but Kevin Dineen was well past his prime and on the left side they were so thin in 95 that Rob friggin DiMaio was sometimes getting shifts on the 2nd line!

One of the advantages Detroit had in 97, besides having Scotty Bowman behind the bench was having Steve Yzerman on one line and Sergei Federov on another. By basically having 2 franchise centers, Detroit had, in essence, 2 1st lines.

Lindros at his peak was rarely if ever contained. The trick to beating the Flyers was shutting down the rest of the team and putting pressure on them in their own zone. The Devils would beat them 3-2 and on many nights, Lindros' line scored both goals, but the Devils TEAM scored 3.
- BiggE

Great points.

At 6 million? Chiarelli said they are talking extension. How many more yrs are they going to give him and at what cost? What does he bring that they don't have? They have strength and leadership pouring out their ears. They need scoring and how much is he going to bring for 6 mil per?

It's a head scratcher. It made sense as a rental last season but long term?
- mayorofangrytown

And still, with this on top of multiple other signings that were either too long, or too much, or both (See: Clarkson, David), people still think Homer's a bad GM

Once they got the puck behind the defense along the goal line, you were toast.
- MJL

So true. They would cycle for so long, you could see the other teams defenders simply run out of gas and inevitably a goal would be scored or penalty taken. I have never seen a line physically dominate the way the Legion of Doom did at their peak.

I saw Lindros's entire Flyers career.

Lindros would not be as physically dominating in today's NHL for the simple fact that there are plenty of guys his size and even bigger now. And today's players are better skaters on the whole than back then. 6-4 and 240 is not a big deal in the modern NHL. You have guys like Chara that are 6-9 and 260 and can skate well enough to shut down most elite players.

As for Lindros vs Ovechkin skillwise. I break it down like this. Slapshot: wash. Wrister: slight edge to OV. Passing: slight edge to Lindros as he was more a playmaker than scorer vs OV being more a scorer than playmaker. Skating: OV by a good margin. Lindros wasn't known as a 2-way guy but he was probably better at defense than OV.
- phillydentist

He would absolutely be dominating. He played during the dead puck era when players could pretty much do whatever they wanted on defense.

Couple that with the fact that head shots are illegal now and Lindros would have had one of the greatest careers ever.

I'm beginning to think the Flyers might need to give up a pick to get rid of Meszaros. Carolina had to give up Alt to get rid of Boucher last year and his cap hit is a fraction of Meszaros's. I hope I'm wrong.
- phillydentist

I think a team like Colorado will be interested in Mezaros once he's fit.

Stevens didn't contain Lindros, he did however drive his shoulder blatantly into Eric's head, which would have landed him a lengthy suspension in today's NHL.
- BiggE

That's no certainty, with the DPS's level of consistency. I mean , poop, they're still advertising NHL hockey with reels of those hits.

So true. They would cycle for so long, you could see the other teams defenders simply run out of gas and inevitably a goal would be scored or penalty taken. I have never seen a line physically dominate the way the Legion of Doom did at their peak.
- BiggE

That line had beef. Their cycle was like a category 5 hurricane

off topic, but it seems as if the cause of that terrible train derailment in Quebec was due to the engineer not setting the brake correctly.

Good lord, 15 people confirmed dead, 40+ missing, and an entire town in ruins.

What an awful tragedy. I imagine the lawsuits will be unprecedented.

So do you all think the Flyers a playoff team?

Not exactly sold on your goaltending IMO, but I do like the Lecavelier signing
- RickJames77

I'm biased and probably a total homer BUT I think this team is a contender on paper. I like that they have a young nucleus with some good chemistry and added vets with leadership to supplement. I think they have the best depth on forward out of any team in the league.

There are questions about the D and about the goaltender. There are questions for every team:

PIT: Goalie and depth
BOS: Scoring depth and loss of some good vets (I like the Iggy signing and think a full year on a team will do him wonders)
CHI: goalie (still) and loss of some key role players (have to be the cup favorite next year)
LA: D and secondary scoring
TOR: everything (sorry had to take a jab there)

My point is, call me a homer, I think this team will be in the mix next year for the cup. I haven't been this excited for a team since Forsberg put on the O and B sweater or the Lindros era. I love the mix of young and older players and grit and skill. DROP THE PUCK!