Just my opinion, but I think the flyers are a poorly built team. That's not to say there isn't a ton of skill on the team. Its like a rerun of the same movie. The flyers continuely fill defense and goaltending with patch work fixes and load up down the middle.
- Bieksa#3

The real problem is that they keep taking 1-step forward and then 1-2 steps back each time they decide to make another change in direction.

Every time a core seems poised to capitalize on hard lessons learned together, it's torn to pieces in order to add that next critical 'missing piece', or in the subsequent ripple effects.

I'm sure the same will happen with this current young core... you can bet that a majority of LSchenn/BSchenn/Read/Couturier/Voracek/Simmonds won't be here in 3-4 years time, and probably right as they become comfortable and get the hang of winning together.

For Snider, patience is a four letter word. Until that changes, this team is most likely f'ed.

Morning.
- 77rams

Afternoon

Absolutely. He's got a strong track record and is known as a guy who is great at teaching and communicating. IIRC, he was a leading candidate for Dallas' HC job when the Stars hired Glen Gulutzan a few years ago.
- Jsaquella

I searched him up a bit. I don't know what system he runs now, and I don't know if he is open to adapting his system (I would presume he is, as he seems to find a lot of success at whatever level he coaches), but here is a good article talking about him and the NHL:
http://starsblog.dallasne...ad-coach-in-the-nhl.html/

It seems like he's a player's coach. His players seem to love him, and he helps create a team environment/identity, in which players really feel like a team. Here's a quote from the article:

Many of the Texas Stars players who came up to the Stars gushed about Desjardins.

“I just think he’s a tremendous coach,” said winger Alex Chiasson. “He helped me so much, and I think he helped a lot of the players there.”

While goalie Richard Bachman added: “What was great when I was there was that it always seemed like it was a team. They had different players coming in and out, and all sorts of different lineups, but it was a team. I think the coaches did a great job of making everyone feel like they were important, like the team was important.”

and here's a link from the same article to another article, in which a former player of Willie writes a gushing recommendation for Vancouver to hire Willie as their replacement for AV (so it's obviously a few months old): http://blogs.theprovince....-coach-willie-desjardins/

Some noticeable snippets:

Willie has a vision and knows exactly how he wants his teams to play,

He knows what buttons to push, and if and when he needs to push them. He knows how to get the best out of each individual so that they can contribute to their team’s success.

His vision is very clear: to win a championship. His teams are successful because he gets the most out of his leadership groups. Groups that are carefully constructed to ensure every different friendship group, or cliques that come out of a dressing room, are on the same page. Willie knows how to utilize his team’s strengths, while constantly improving their weaknesses.

Simply put: In my four years in the Western Hockey League, and my four years of professional hockey, I have never come across an individual who loves to win more than Willie Desjardins.

So I'm definitely joining the (probably very small) Willie Desjardins bandwagon.

The system doesn't necessarily stink, it's just not ideal for the current roster. More importantly, at least IMO, is Laviolette has been hesitant to adapt to better fit what he has on hand.

When he finally adjusted last year after the injury wave, the level of play improved, both offensively and defensively. It wasn't because Lauridsen, Manning and the other replacements were that much better. It was because the team was coached within it's abilities.
- Jsaquella

The thing that surprised me most about last night is that Laviolette's no idiot -- he knows they were 1-3-1, and he brought his best lineup, though Voracek was unable to play.

The thing that surprised me -- and scares me more than I'd like -- is the fact that if you just looked at last night's game straight up, just assigned one team as Team A and one as Team B, here's what you saw:

You saw a defending division champion beat the hell out of a nonplayoff team.

That's what happened last night, except for a strong stretch of play on the second period.

[quote=JAKEw1234]

My deal is, I want a guy who will look at what he has on hand and adapt his "system" to what he has on hand and adjust to what opposing teams are doing, rather than trying to pass through the teeth of a tough fore check.

The thing that surprised me most about last night is that Laviolette's no idiot -- he knows they were 1-3-1, and he brought his best lineup, though Voracek was unable to play.

The thing that surprised me -- and scares me more than I'd like -- is the fact that if you just looked at last night's game straight up, just assigned one team as Team A and one as Team B, here's what you saw:

You saw a defending division champion beat the hell out of a nonplayoff team.

That's what happened last night, except for a strong stretch of play on the second period.
- AllInForFlyers

Hell the Caps had plenty of AHLers dressed, too. They weren't running a full line up and they owned the first and third periods.

Hell the Caps had plenty of AHLers dressed, too. They weren't running a full line up and they owned the first and third periods.
- Jsaquella

Trust me, I saw that Laich, Erat and Mike Green weren't dressed, and we were still taking a beating behind the woodshed.

That...is unsettling.

Trust me, I saw that Laich, Erat and Mike Green weren't dressed, and we were still taking a beating behind the woodshed.

That...is unsettling.
- AllInForFlyers

To say the least...same thing happened in the 1st Devils game-the 2-1 game, not the web one. Devils played with a lot of fringe guys.

My deal is, I want a guy who will look at what he has on hand and adapt his "system" to what he has on hand and adjust to what opposing teams are doing, rather than trying to pass through the teeth of a tough fore check.
- Jsaquella

Yup, luckily, I think there are plenty of candidates willing to do that. I just hope we don't wait it out til next summer so we can pick up some newly fired NHL head coach. I think hiring from within or from lower leagues is a better option. Also, do you know who the best coach in europe is? I think the best coach overseas might be a good option here. And when's the last time a team hired a european coach?

To say the least...same thing happened in the 1st Devils game-the 2-1 game, not the web one. Devils played with a lot of fringe guys.
- Jsaquella

That game Tuesday is when I began to sound the alarm -- I watched it TWICE, just to make sure I saw what I was seeing.

Again, there are some positives about this team/roster. But...yeah. I know what I saw this week.

That game Tuesday is when I began to sound the alarm -- I watched it TWICE, just to make sure I saw what I was seeing.

Again, there are some positives about this team/roster. But...yeah. I know what I saw this week.
- AllInForFlyers

we've been sounding the alarm for years lavi cannot beat teams like the devils and is a failure

When the goaltending is under siege for 55 minutes of the game as it is with this team game in and game out, Patrick Roy wouldn't be successful. Team defense uis the achilles heal of this team as it is made up.

I think the fact that they were top 5 in PK and PP last season tells us something about their 5 on 5 systems. I think it tells us that maybe this team is better suited to play a style that more mimics their special teams. Not this run and gun home run pass three men deep abomination they play now.

A goalie can only stop so many point blank chances and odd man rush/breakaways before they fold like a cheap suit.
- MBFlyerfan

Completely agree with that. And you are right about PK- bad goalie would fail even more on PK.

Flyers loan VandeVelde
Forward will report to club's AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=684655

The real problem is that they keep taking 1-step forward and then 1-2 steps back each time they decide to make another change in direction.

Every time a core seems poised to capitalize on hard lessons learned together, it's torn to pieces in order to add that next critical 'missing piece', or in the subsequent ripple effects.

I'm sure the same will happen with this current young core... you can bet that a majority of LSchenn/BSchenn/Read/Couturier/Voracek/Simmonds won't be here in 3-4 years time, and probably right as they become comfortable and get the hang of winning together.

For Snider, patience is a four letter word. Until that changes, this team is most likely f'ed.
- Tomahawk

How do you explain Lavi still being here? He wore out our patience a long time ago.

VandeVelde to AHL per Flyers twitter.

Laughton gets his 9 game tryout? I thought he looked decent last night.

Btw, Couturier is noticeably faster and stronger this year. I'm pegging him to have a nice 40 pt season.

VandeVelde to AHL per Flyers twitter.

Laughton gets his 9 game tryout? I thought he looked decent last night.

Btw, Couturier is noticeably faster and stronger this year. I'm pegging him to have a nice 40 pt season.
- GirouxForTheShow

So does this mean that we keep Laughton as our winger?

So does this mean that we keep Laughton as our winger?
- Hextall271

Or we get John Mitchell in a trade.

Bill you are writing machine...
I'm not looking forward to this season... Coaching change will happen... Youth will get moved out . Didn't need two over the hill vets in streit and lecav... We'll see

Giroux looks like a top 5 player despite the injury. Couturier has gotten noticeably stronger and faster.
- PhillySportsGuy

i'm expecting 40 pts this yr

Or we get John Mitchell in a trade.
- JAKEw1234

Yeah, I guess so. Hello Hal Gill.

We could also see if Rathje is interested in giving up long haul trucking and coming in as our 7th dman.

i'm expecting 40 pts this yr
- isaiah520

VandeVelde to AHL per Flyers twitter.

Laughton gets his 9 game tryout? I thought he looked decent last night.

Btw, Couturier is noticeably faster and stronger this year. I'm pegging him to have a nice 40 pt season.
- GirouxForTheShow

swear i posted before i saw your comments. great minds, as they say...

Bill you are writing machine...
I'm not looking forward to this season... Coaching change will happen... Youth will get moved out . Didn't need two over the hill vets in streit and lecav... We'll see
- JoeRussomanno

who should have have gotten instead

who should have have gotten instead
- 2Real

No moves are better than dumb moves

[quote=JoeRussomanno]
He added them without trading anyone