What you mean?
- flyer_nutter

mainly about the lack of talent on the current team.

Wow. 10 games for Kaleta. Likely for Lapierre too.
- jmatchett383

Good. Patrick Kaleta is the worst.

Wow. 10 games for Kaleta. Likely for Lapierre too.
- jmatchett383

Should be at least 10 for Lapierre. The Kaleta hit was such a sneaky dirty hit.. I had hoped for more than 10 with his history. He is the dirtiest in the league IMO.

Great, lets drastically change the team yet again. How about building around this core and being patient?
- nastyflyergirl

BUT, What if the core is not really that good to build around??

I listened to the game on 97.5 last night and Chris Therien brought up an interesting point. He said that with the implementation of a new system, you tend to find players thinking about the system too much instead of making instinctive plays on the ice. I honestly think a good deal of the Flyers offensive issues right now are related to that in some way. You see some players working hard but there is still an ounce of hesitation with their puck decisions and that seems to allow the opposition to remain one step closer defensively.

Also, I hate to quote him, but at least there is this -

Frank Seravalli ‏@DNFlyers 13m
"Flyers practicing identical situation in which H. Sedin fed Higgins last night for the game tying goal."
- mcefalu

yeah, to a degree, I don't completely buy all of that, it's still hockey, it's still cover the front of the net, go to the net for rebounds, move your feet instead of hooking, support one another etc, still still hockey.
They sometimes look like they are playing on allergy medicine

Honestly, thats not fair to Berube. How he was as a player has nothing to do with how he may be as a coach. they are not good enough right now but they are much better than they were under Lavy defensively
- nastyflyergirl

The theory being that guys who are naturally gifted never really had to think about the game - they just played on instinct.

The pluggers had to analyze everything, and constantly think about how the game is played.

That's why they make better coaches.

And then there's the goalie theory: they spend so much time just watching the game, they develop natural coaching instincts.

mainly about the lack of talent on the current team.
- Marc D

Its a long season, and a really good evaluation year.

This young core, that includes Voracek, Giroux, Simmonds, Read, Coots and bSchenn is apparently a big piece of the solution to winning a cup.

I believe Giroux, Voracek, and Read are part of the solution. The others? I have big question marks, in nearly every area of their game.

That's on the offense. In terms of D, they are a mess. That will take years to fix unfortunately.

Truthfully?

I...don't know. I don't know, man.

There's something wrong with this team, this organization. Has been for years. I watch so much hockey, sometimes it makes my eyes hurt, and one thing has been consistent, in a bad way:

More often than not, they seem like they aren't ready to play. Ken Hitchcock was the last coach of this team who you pretty much knew was going to have them ready to go at puck drop.

That was seven years ago.

Now, it seems that they're fragile, too. Not mentally tough enough to adapt to adversity. When was the last time this team exerted its will for an extended stretch of games? The Pittsburgh series, maybe?

I have never, ever, ever, known this team to not be able to score. Even Hitchcock's teams, while sometimes painfully boring to watch, could score. He'd turn scorers into checkers, sure, but they could score.

There's something missing with this team, man. Remember when Jason Smith played that playoff series against Pittsburgh with what was revealed to be two separated shoulders?

Who on this team is that tough? Not Jay Rosehill's 2:38 of pointless toughness. But the "I'm going to win this game, no matter what it takes" toughness?

The mix on this team...it just might be bad, man. It happens. It doesn't happen to us a lot, certainly. And we've been fortunate in that regard.

But it does happen, where you put players together and the fit just isn't there, the players just aren't...good enough. Tough enough.

I do wonder about this team. Maybe...I don't know. I don't know that I wouldn't blow this version up.

Because something's missing.
- AllInForFlyers

I think Simmonds is that tough. He will go through walls to score. Just because he isn't doing it now. I think they have character on the team, but zero confidence right now. Kimmo for certain is a warrior. He has just lost a step or two, but I wouldn't question his toughness. Grossmann too is fearless. He fought a way tougher guy to shake them up and will put his body in front of any shot. There are more on this team, these are just the ones that jumped first to mind.

I agree with your point that something is wrong with them.

I can't tell if he is advocating for this or just saying don't be surprised when it happens, because it is the Flyers.
- Marc D

Regardless, I don't want to see it happen. Believe me, I want a cup BAD. I just think Snider's burning desire to win is both great and a hindrance. There is little patience. They retool too often and very often changing directions completely. I loved the way Homer built the team that went to the 2010 finals. He had a core of young kids drafter (Carter and Richards being the main core), made a few trades bringing in young kids for veterans (Forsberg and Zhitnik out), brought in a few free agents (Emery being one....too bad he got hurt) and supplemented with a trade (Pronger). I'd really like to see this group stay together and build around them the same way.

Its a long season, and a really good evaluation year.

This young core, that includes Voracek, Giroux, Simmonds, Read, Coots and bSchenn is apparently a big piece of the solution to winning a cup.

I believe Giroux, Voracek, and Read are part of the solution. The others? I have big question marks, in nearly every area of their game.

That's on the offense. In terms of D, they are a mess. That will take years to fix unfortunately.
- flyer_nutter

I like Couts more then you right now, and see a ton of potential there.

I expected Voracek to be the man this year, and he is off to a slow start.
G is a guy any team without a Crosby or Toews would take to start to build a team around.

Read I like a lot.

I want the Schenns to be part of the solution to, but not sure where they top out.
I don't think we have seen their best years by a long shot.

The theory being that guys who are naturally gifted never really had to think about the game - they just played on instinct.

The pluggers had to analyze everything, and constantly think about how the game is played.

That's why they make better coaches.

And then there's the goalie theory: they spend so much time just watching the game, they develop natural coaching instincts.
- Atomic Wedgie

No, it's much more fun to be reductive and go with BEROOBIE WAZ TEH GOON HUURRRRR.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Silver Linings Get Old
- bmeltzer

Be bad for Ekblad........too soon ?

BUT, What if the core is not really that good to build around??
- Buzzo

The cores are/were fine... it's all the extraneous (and expensive) junk they keep throwing into the mix to rush the process forward that's been the problem.

BUT, What if the core is not really that good to build around??
- Buzzo

Which I have seen raised here by other posters, and I am starting to lean that way myself.

Giroux, and Voracek are good players. Lets not kid ourselves with Read though. He isn't a top line player and isn't going to carry a line.

I really question the other pieces of this apparent young core. Namely Coots, bSchenn and Simmonds.

On D its just even a question. The closest thing to a core guy is Luke Schenn.

I like Couts more then you right now, and see a ton of potential there.

I expected Voracek to be the man this year, and he is off to a slow start.
G is a guy any team without a Crosby or Toews would take to start to build a team around.

Read I like a lot.

I want the Schenns to be part of the solution to, but not sure where they top out.
I don't think we have seen their best years by a long shot.
- Marc D

The franchise has a lot tied up in Jeff and Rita Schenn's boys, don't they?

Too early to see if that's a good thing or not, but they certainly have a lot invested in them to this point.

Regardless, I don't want to see it happen. Believe me, I want a cup BAD. I just think Snider's burning desire to win is both great and a hindrance. There is little patience. They retool too often and very often changing directions completely. I loved the way Homer built the team that went to the 2010 finals. He had a core of young kids drafter (Carter and Richards being the main core), made a few trades bringing in young kids for veterans (Forsberg and Zhitnik out), brought in a few free agents (Emery being one....too bad he got hurt) and supplemented with a trade (Pronger). I'd really like to see this group stay together and build around them the same way.
- nastyflyergirl

They are really not far off. Even being last in the league right now. I'm not speaking about this year, I mean ~ 3years from now.

In 2-3 years or so Couts/Schenn should be better. Gus too.

But they are missing the Pronger type player, and it is a ginormous hole in talent and leadership on the back end. Not easy to fill.

Be bad for Ekblad........too soon ?
- ob18

No. It's wholely appropriate given the circumstances.

They are really not far off. Even being last in the league right now. I'm not speaking about this year, I mean ~ 3years from now.

In 2-3 years or so Couts/Schenn should be better. Gus too.

But they are missing the Pronger type player, and it is a ginormous hole in talent and leadership on the back end. Not easy to fill.
- Marc D

Very easy to fill if you're cool with gutting your team.

Last year says hello.

Just sayin'...
- Atomic Wedgie

Sorry, I couldn't hear it over the screaming of the Leafs last decade

No. It's wholely appropriate given the circumstances.
- mayorofangrytown

8 games = season

No. It's wholely appropriate given the circumstances.
- mayorofangrytown

Or Reinhart or Dal Colle

BUT, What if the core is not really that good to build around??
- Buzzo

That's the question that, if you take last year into consideration, and you have to do that -- it's a fair question.

They missed the playoffs last year; short season, young team. OK.

Couturier's 20, Brayden Schenn's still young. OK.

Claude Giroux's a great player -- he is. Just isn't scoring right now.

But if your core is Simmonds and Voracek and Read...maybe that isn't good enough. Add the fact that the defense has limitations that most Cup winners don't have...

It's fair to ask the question, because they're 1-6. If you're not asking questions, with that record and after a non-playoff season, when do you ask questions?

Which I have seen raised here by other posters, and I am starting to lean that way myself.

Giroux, and Voracek are good players. Lets not kid ourselves with Read though. He isn't a top line player and isn't going to carry a line.

I really question the other pieces of this apparent young core. Namely Coots, bSchenn and Simmonds.

On D its just even a question. The closest thing to a core guy is Luke Schenn.
- flyer_nutter

Read is your perfect third line player. Solid across the ice surface and fully capable of filling in for extended time in the top 6.

Or Reinhart or Dal Colle
- ob18

If (God forbid) the Flyers do finish last, and someone other than Ekblad is the consensus #1, I'd look to trade a spot or two.

The franchise has a lot tied up in Jeff and Rita Schenn's boys, don't they?

Too early to see if that's a good thing or not, but they certainly have a lot invested in them to this point.
- johndewar

Yup.

They gave up some good hockey players to get them.

Not having Richards still bugs me. He was a favorite player.

I liked Carter and recognize his skills, but didn't have the same feeling for him as RIchards.