The whole HUT thing is very confusing to me. You "buy" a pack of cards and get random players and then have to put them into a lineup or something? I've actually enjoyed the new Be A Pro, Live the Life. As a defenseman for the Kelowna Rockets, I am leading the league in goals (35 in 35 games), assists, and PIM (200+ to 60-).
- jmatchett383

Yeah it's just collecting hockey cards and putting them in a lineup. But you have consumables that work like boosts. Plus, you need contract cards to extend the players' contracts.

People can just outright buy these packs with real money, but all I've been doing is using the pucks you collect from games. It's impossible. +

Oh, I lied:

I do worry about if they're going to have enough goals on the third line, if Couturier doesn't break out, and I can see some scenarios where the fourth line doesn't score at all.

Man, the season looks a lot better if someone would just promise me that Couturier gets 15 or so goals and 40 or so points.
- AllInForFlyers

I think Cooter and Schenn need to progress significantly this year.

Coburn confuses me the most.

Here's a guy who has the skills to carry or pass the puck out of the zone without any problem, but he has his issues.
- 77rams

Man, you're telling me. There's no physical reason why Braydon Coburn shouldn't be one of the Top 10 defensemen in hockey. And I think he plays hard enough to be that kind of player.

But man. There's just something missing, hockey sense-wise. I don't know what it is. There's no physical reason why Braydon Coburn shouldn't dominate.

Man, you're telling me. There's no physical reason why Braydon Coburn shouldn't be one of the Top 10 defensemen in hockey. And I think he plays hard enough to be that kind of player.

But man. There's just something missing, hockey sense-wise. I don't know what it is. There's no physical reason why Braydon Coburn shouldn't dominate.
- AllInForFlyers

Not aggrressive enough. When he plays mean, Coburn's a beast it seems to me.

IMO, too much credit is given to whatever simplifications were made... fact is, with a ragtag D, the forwards had to be more conscientious about maintaining closer gaps because frankly there were a lot of guys behind them who they knew weren't able to thread a long pass through NHL defenders. The only adjustment they have to make to replicate the late-season recipe would be to bench any D for making more than a 12ft pass.
- Tomahawk

The problem is, last year down the stretch, the defense wasn't being forced to make more than a 10-12 foot pass. Last night, there were several times where the forwards were all at or near the NJ blue line while the defenseman had the puck at or inside the Flyers blue line.

Making it worse, there were usually multiple Devils between the defenseman and forwards, increasing the chances for a bad pass or turnover. I wouldn't harp on it so much, but it's been an ongoing issue for 3+ years now.

Laviolette adjusted the Flyers right out of a potential top 5 pick.
- PLindbergh31

But they still would have picked Morin.

But they still would have picked Morin.
- youarewrong

Not according to the Episode of Flight Plan that covered the pre-draft board. Morin was 7th or 8th on it.

Luke Schenn didn't play last night either, and I agree, they did look soft.
- Hextall271

I'm not sure they looked soft, but they don't have a good idea on how to attack strong forechecking teams. Blame goes to the coach, as well as the players for that.

Not aggrressive enough. When he plays mean, Coburn's a beast it seems to me.
- Hextall271

Yeah, that's probably it. Man. So much physical ability.

Not according to the Episode of Flight Plan that covered the pre-draft board. Morin was 7th or 8th on it.
- Jsaquella

SARCASM

I'm not sure they looked soft, but they don't have a good idea on how to attack strong forechecking teams. Blame goes to the coach, as well as the players for that.
- PLindbergh31

And yes, a nice chunk of blame goes to the players for not recognizing what is happening in games like last night's and making their own adjustments.

SARCASM
- youarewrong

Probably still would have taken him at 6.

I'm not sure they looked soft, but they don't have a good idea on how to attack strong forechecking teams. Blame goes to the coach, as well as the players for that.
- PLindbergh31

The pairing of Gus and Streit looked soft. If Luke is in there, maybe the pairings are more balanced. Having said that, I think the coach has to adjust.

And yes, a nice chunk of blame goes to the players for not recognizing what is happening in games like last night's and making their own adjustments.
- Jsaquella

Absolutely. But I do agree with the consensus that Laviolette has to come up with some sort of plan to combat the forecheck. Ultimately he is responsible.

Probably still would have taken him at 6.
- Jsaquella

No at 6 they targeted a defensive minded forward likened to Mike Richards.

The pairing of Gus and Streit looked soft. If Luke is in there, maybe the pairings are more balanced. Having said that, I think the coach has to adjust.
- Hextall271

That I would agree with. I don't think they will be paired together when the season starts. At least I hope they aren't.

As I said before, if Streit isn't a monster on the PP, fans are going to really get on this guy.

The problem is, last year down the stretch, the defense wasn't being forced to make more than a 10-12 foot pass. Last night, there were several times where the forwards were all at or near the NJ blue line while the defenseman had the puck at or inside the Flyers blue line.

Making it worse, there were usually multiple Devils between the defenseman and forwards, increasing the chances for a bad pass or turnover. I wouldn't harp on it so much, but it's been an ongoing issue for 3+ years now.
- Jsaquella

this stretch pass issue has been around since stevens was coaching the team. if i knew how to search this site i'm sure i could find plenty of posts from me female doging about stationary forwards in the neutral zone 60+ feet away from the puck carrier.

Man, you're telling me. There's no physical reason why Braydon Coburn shouldn't be one of the Top 10 defensemen in hockey. And I think he plays hard enough to be that kind of player.

But man. There's just something missing, hockey sense-wise. I don't know what it is. There's no physical reason why Braydon Coburn shouldn't dominate.
- AllInForFlyers

B Schenn has been mostly invisible in every game Ive seen so far this preseason.

Probably still would have taken him at 6.
- Jsaquella

i believe they would have.

Not aggrressive enough. When he plays mean, Coburn's a beast it seems to me.
- Hextall271

Playoff Coburn is so much better than regular Coburn.

B Schenn has been mostly invisible in every game Ive seen so far this preseason.
- MBFlyerfan

he's a guy i'm not impressed by. yet. i'm willing to give him time instead of 2 years and dumping him like JvR, who seemed destined to be traded early before he ever suited up for his first nhl game.

Playoff Coburn is so much better than regular Coburn.
- jmatchett383

pre-broken face playoffs coburn is so much better than post-broken face playoffs coburn.

B Schenn has been mostly invisible in every game Ive seen so far this preseason.
- MBFlyerfan

He's still a bit behind the play, chasing chasing chasing, on both sides of the puck. He's not fast, nor a real threat to score from distance, so he'll have to get his IQ to the point where he's in the right spot before he has to be. Maybe that happens, maybe it doesn't.

Couturier's got the same problem, even though he's put up good numbers in preseason. He still gets turned too easily.

B Schenn has been mostly invisible in every game Ive seen so far this preseason.
- MBFlyerfan

You know...I won't lie. I was hoping to see a bit more from him last night.

I think he's a good player. I do. But last night...it just seems that the puck doesn't follow him around. Know what I mean?

Michael Raffl...for better or worse, because it didn't quite go as well early in the game, but the puck just seemed to find him. Same with Matt Read last night, Giroux.

Again, it's one preseason game. And I remember a game last year that the Schenns won single-handedly, against Winnipeg, IIRC.

But man. It just would be so much easier to believe that the Flyers are going to do something big in the next two years if we were talking about Brayden Schenn making some huge plays in the offensive zone against a team that kills us.

I'm just a fan, at the end of the day. I just want to see something that makes me believe that the young players we're counting on are going to do it for us.

He's still a bit behind the play, chasing chasing chasing, on both sides of the puck. He's not fast, nor a real threat to score from distance, so he'll have to get his IQ to the point where he's in the right spot before he has to be. Maybe that happens, maybe it doesn't.

Couturier's got the same problem, even though he's put up good numbers in preseason. He still gets turned too easily.
- Tomahawk

B.Schenn and L.Schenn + Morin for Karlsson and B.Ryan?