I would say you are both right. And here's why.
Overall I still think the Flyers will have the better team. With our management’s commitment to winning, our GM’s no fear approach to trades, FA, and drafting, and the way they treat all their players we will consistently rank high for future brightness because we can draw the stars here.
In the Islanders favor they've grown leaps and bounds and if they can continue to improve they do have a VERY bright future. They have a great number of highly talented young players that should only get better with experience. Currently I don’t feel they have the consistent success of the Flyers. They’ll have to prove that they do. But I won’t discount them.
It really depends if you are judging the future by how much you improve from last season. Or how much you succeed.
Once you determine what the rules are for "winning" then you'll have your answer.
- FlyersGrace

I think the difference is having a lot of bright young players paired with Vets in a winning environment versus alone in a losing one. Some horses are trained to lose to give confidence to "better bred" horses to teach them to win. I like the Flyers getting not only vets but Former captains and/or Stanley cup winners like Vinnie, Emery and Streit. I like the Flyers because they train their guys to win.

I agree, I think that team had the best chance of winning the Cup. But as far as the quality of the team, I think 99/00 was better.
- jmatchett383

Maybe, both were very deep up front and rode hot goalies that played way above their heads. If either team had a true #1 defenseman, they would have won cups for sure!

He also played in the highest-scoring era in hockey where goalie equipment/styles as well as defensive schemes were primitive compared to today's game.

That's why it's amazing when a player is able to score 50 goals now as opposed to the late 80s and early 90s when players did it much more frequently. If anything, I'd say he'd be closer to a 40-goal man today.
- jmatchett383

All true, but none of that is Tim Kerr's fault and really doesn't detract from what he was able to do.

Maybe for Calgary's 1st round pick next year.
- Feanor

Everyone here would do that. They never would.

That 03-04 team was awesome, if their dmen hadn't kept dropping like flies in the playoffs, there is no doubt in my mind they win the cup.
- BiggE

The 97 cup team was the best IMO. Legion of doom. Rico, Brindy, just the best.

We were talking about the next 2-3 years.I think philly is closer to contending then the islandes
- richiewinthecup

I'd agree with you.
They'll also be more fun to watch no matter if they succeed or implode. We do most things with panache.

It's too hard this year. They'd have to make significant progress to get in.

If we can assume that Boston, Detroit, NYR and the Pitt all get in that leaves just four spots.

Washington, Ottawa, Toronto, NYI, and Montreal are incumbents and one of them won't be in.

Teams trying to knock them out: Philadelphia, Florida, Columbus and Tampa.

That's assuming Carolina and New Jersey are also-rans. I'm not sure we should count either of them out.

It's going to be a fight.
- mayorofangrytown

I'm not sold on Detroit being a lock. They had to scratch and claw last season just to get in. Their defense is good, but no longer great without Lidstrom. Howard's a legit #1 goalie, and you can't ever count out a team that can ice Pavel Datsyuk. I just don't think they're a lock at all.

That too.
I still have to think if either Desjardins or Ragnarsson had been healthy, they could have got past the Lightning, and with the experience on that team, I think they would have beaten Calgary too.
- BiggE

Tampa was lucky to have even gotten past that Flyers team. If the Flyers got even a little bit of a break from injuries, they would have won the Cup that year, IMO.

Maybe, but he would still be a force on the pp. With the right center, I still think Kerr could flirt with 50 goals in today's game.
- BiggE

his stretches of scoring dominance exceed anything i've ever seen in the O&B

All true, but none of that is Tim Kerr's fault and really doesn't detract from what he was able to do.
- johndewar

Oh, I'm not detracting from him at all. I just don't think his numbers would be inflated in today's game.

You both wrong, its edmonton... But Flyers have more then Islanders...

Giroux> Tavares
Voracek>Okposo
Simmonds>Bailey
- youarewrong

I would take Tavares over giroux

Maybe. He'd definitely still be a force. Maybe he'd put up numbers a la LeClair. I wasn't able to watch him in his prime, as my introduction to the Flyers was Eric Lindros.
- jmatchett383

He was unreal in his prime, he would often score with both the opposing dmen hanging all over him. The only Flyer forward I ever saw that was physically stronger than Kerr was probably Lindros.

He also was tough as nails as he played through all kinds of injuries, and hardest of all, the death of his wife during the 90-91 season.

The 97 cup team was the best IMO. Legion of doom. Rico, Brindy, just the best.
- youarewrong

cept for the shaky goaltending that seemed to let in a softie at least every other game.

Tampa was lucky to have even gotten past that Flyers team. If the Flyers got even a little bit of a break from injuries, they would have won the Cup that year, IMO.
- johndewar

I agree. We took them to a 2-1 Game 7. A half-healthy Desjardins or a fully-healthy Kim Jonsson and we get past TB, and I think we beat Calgary.

I would take Tavares over giroux
- Just5

*Lifts up Just5 to look for Troll*

*Lifts up Just5 to look for Troll*
- FlyersGrace

It's close. Both have had 1 huge year. Tavares should have been an MVP candidate last season. I'd take Giroux, but I'd have to revisit that in a year or so.

2. Would you ever consider doing a blog on the top-5 or top-10 Flyers' teams since their resurgence in the 94/95 season? I'm curious to see if you think ECF teams like the 94/95, 99/00, and 03/04 teams were actually better than the SCF teams of 96/97 and 09/10, and how you'd rank them.
- jmatchett383

The 99/00 team kills me to look back on because of the Lindros thing.

It's close. Both have had 1 huge year. Tavares should have been an MVP candidate last season. I'd take Giroux, but I'd have to revisit that in a year or so.
- jmatchett383

Age is huge. Tavares is a bit more well rounded IMO at 22

The 97 cup team was the best IMO. Legion of doom. Rico, Brindy, just the best.
- youarewrong

Those Legion of Doom teams were fun, but ultimately, I don't think those teams were particularly deep.

Those Legion of Doom teams were fun, but ultimately, I don't think those teams were particularly deep.
- johndewar

It was a good team, but Detroit was just too good that year. No team could have beaten them. It was a fun ride though.

cept for the shaky goaltending that seemed to let in a softie at least every other game.
- BiggE

Oh as opposed to all the other times when we had stellar goaltending in the playoffs?

Bill, 2 quick questions for you:

1. After seeing Joakim Ericsson got signed, do you think the Flyers may revisit Jakub Kovar? He's put up pretty good numbers in the last 2 years over in the Czech Republic, although I know next-to-nothing about the league.

2. Would you ever consider doing a blog on the top-5 or top-10 Flyers' teams since their resurgence in the 94/95 season? I'm curious to see if you think ECF teams like the 94/95, 99/00, and 03/04 teams were actually better than the SCF teams of 96/97 and 09/10, and how you'd rank them.
- jmatchett383

1. He's going to the KHL. The quality of the Extraliga has fallen precipitously since the early 2000s.

2. Good idea... I'm sure there will be plenty of time in August.

It was a good team, but Detroit was just too good that year. No team could have beaten them. It was a fun ride though.
- jmatchett383

I agree. Detroit was, by far, the better team.

Looking back, those Legion of Doom teams really were a 1 line team. If the big guys (or even Brind'Amour) weren't scoring, they were cooked.

I mean, Trent Klatt was considered secondary scoring on that team.

It's too hard this year. They'd have to make significant progress to get in.

If we can assume that Boston, Detroit, NYR and the Pitt all get in that leaves just four spots.

Washington, Ottawa, Toronto, NYI, and Montreal are incumbents and one of them won't be in.

Teams trying to knock them out: Philadelphia, Florida, Columbus and Tampa.

That's assuming Carolina and New Jersey are also-rans. I'm not sure we should count either of them out.

It's going to be a fight.
- mayorofangrytown

I wouldn't assume the Rangers get in. Their playoff hopes every year relies on King Henrik Carrying them there. They've also lost a big piece in Clowe that they still haven't replaced. They struggled last year in large part because they lost a lot of toughness the offseason before, and they were a considerably softer team to play. Now that they've lost (and not replaced) Clowe, they are even softer than ever. Besides for the goaltending, we have the better team over them. Their defense isn't that much better than ours that it will be the difference maker in games. I would've been worried about NJ, but as of this moment they're in big trouble. I would definitely have the Flyers in the top 3 of our division. I see the Islanders for sure taking a wildcard spot, with the Rangers, the Jackets, possibly the Devils, and the Capitals competing for another wildcard spot.

I wouldn't assume the Rangers get in. They're playoff hopes every year relies on King Henrik Carrying them there. They've also lost a big piece in Clowe that they still haven't replaced. They struggled last year in large part because they lost a lot of toughness the offseason before, and they were a considerably softer team to play. Now that they've lost (and not replaced) Clowe, they are even softer than ever. Besides for the goaltending, we have the better team over them. Their defense isn't that much better than ours that it will be the difference maker in games. I would've been worried about NJ, but as of this moment they're in big trouble. I would definitely have the Flyers in the top 3 of our division. I see the Islanders for sure taking a wildcard spot, with the Rangers, the Jackets, possibly the Devils, and the Capitals competing for another wildcard spot.
- JAKEw1234

I also think Washington's gonna have a rough go this year with the new alignment.