Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: A Week to Regroup

On an individual basis, I like most of the players and believe they have demonstrated an ability (or at least a potential ability) to be effective NHL players. When I look at the puzzle pieces as a whole, though, I'm not sure how well they fit together.
- bmeltzer

This is what I've been telling myself about this team for the last couple years.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: A Week to Regroup
- bmeltzer

bill...have you been hanging out with captain claude too much? each time i hear him saying some of the things you mention in this piece i want to go insane. every year the worst teams in the league lose 40+ games and relatively few are of the 6-1 blowout variety; much more often the games are close but the bad team just can't get that proximity goal to go in when down 2-0, or the get a lead but can't hold it for more than few shifts, or can't tie it up late in games to force OT. often these teams actually look like they know how to play and play pretty well for periods of time (shifts, games, a week or two) but they just can't sustain it. sound like anybody we know?
the flyers are not about to turn some corner and start being good. they may start winning 3 or 4 out of 8 games instead of 1, but that is still not good. unfortunately, holmgren's moves have failed to produce a better team on the ice than we had in 2010; many of these moves either remain a question mark as to how they will turn out (eg if schenn and/or voracek can grow into an elite player, if laughton is more than john madden, if morin is the next pronger) and some are just bad. it is time to acknowledge that he may be a good guy but he is not the GM that is going to be able to make enough shrewd moves to get the flyers back to the top.
i was driving home during the first period against the pens when it was 0-0 and i actually predicted the score (wrongly-i had it 3-1) but also how the scoring would go. pens get the first 2, flyers wake up and get one back but can't get the equalizer and pens score ENG at the end. so close to being right except for the obligatory cough-up behind the net for the lay up goal prior to the ENG. how did i know? because this has been the team MO for a long while now; it is what prevented them from being an elite team when richards and carter were still here and pronger was playing.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: A Week to Regroup
- bmeltzer

Bill, 3-2-3 and 3-2-2 are not losing records. What the heck are you thinking?

Bill, 3-2-3 and 3-2-2 are not losing records. What the heck are you thinking?
- Mittin

i was wondering about that....i still don't remember who's is in these divisions yet

bill...have you been hanging out with captain claude too much? each time i hear him saying some of the things you mention in this piece i want to go insane. every year the worst teams in the league lose 40+ games and relatively few are of the 6-1 blowout variety; much more often the games are close but the bad team just can't get that proximity goal to go in when down 2-0, or the get a lead but can't hold it for more than few shifts, or can't tie it up late in games to force OT. often these teams actually look like they know how to play and play pretty well for periods of time (shifts, games, a week or two) but they just can't sustain it. sound like anybody we know?
the flyers are not about to turn some corner and start being good. they may start winning 3 or 4 out of 8 games instead of 1, but that is still not good. unfortunately, holmgren's moves have failed to produce a better team on the ice than we had in 2010; many of these moves either remain a question mark as to how they will turn out (eg if schenn and/or voracek can grow into an elite player, if laughton is more than john madden, if morin is the next pronger) and some are just bad. it is time to acknowledge that he may be a good guy but he is not the GM that is going to be able to make enough shrewd moves to get the flyers back to the top.
i was driving home during the first period against the pens when it was 0-0 and i actually predicted the score (wrongly-i had it 3-1) but also how the scoring would go. pens get the first 2, flyers wake up and get one back but can't get the equalizer and pens score ENG at the end. so close to being right except for the obligatory cough-up behind the net for the lay up goal prior to the ENG. how did i know? because this has been the team MO for a long while now; it is what prevented them from being an elite team when richards and carter were still here and pronger was playing.
- hogweed

Hey man I would love to have John Madden back. Guy was the best penalty killer I have ever seen and was a threat everytime he was out there killing them.

Bill, 3-2-3 and 3-2-2 are not losing records. What the heck are you thinking?
- Mittin

Technically they are ? 3 wins 5 losses and 3 wins 4 losses only thing is they got points in some of the losses lol

Bill, 3-2-3 and 3-2-2 are not losing records. What the heck are you thinking?
- Mittin

The loser points are still losses.

It should read: 3 - 5 and 3 - 4.

This is what I've been telling myself about this team for the last couple years.
- Coburns_Nose

then it is time to move out some of the pieces for ones that fit better

Bill,

What players do you think should be moved and what kind of players should be brought in for a better mix?

What do you see the "make up" of this team being if we want to be successful?

Hey man I would love to have John Madden back. Guy was the best penalty killer I have ever seen and was a threat everytime he was out there killing them.
- blizzzard

laughton was a first round pick. you don't take a good (or even great) defensive forward in the first round unless he has offensive upside at the nhl level, which laughton may or may not have. john madden was undrafted, which just demonstrates how good uncle lou is

then it is time to move out some of the pieces for ones that fit better
- Pyzik

Poor cap management and who want's the garbage that Philly's peddling? Every team has garbage contracts, players that aren't living up to their paychecks. That's what you can expect to get, garbage in, garbage out. So you'd be trading for other teams headaches.

Poor cap management and who want's the garbage that Philly's peddling? Every team has garbage contracts, players that aren't living up to their paychecks. That's what you can expect to get, garbage in, garbage out. So you'd be trading for other teams headaches.
- PrinceLH

Eh
There may be a hockey trade the Flyers can pull off, the kind that helps both teams.
Right now they have too many defensive defenseman and could use a puck mover.

This is what I've been telling myself about this team for the last couple years.
- Coburns_Nose

I do agree with that. They aren't speedy like a Colorado, etc and they certainly don't have a big hard team to play against ala the Bruins, etc. Even their prospects coming along up front....Cousins, Laughton, etc....none are speedy and none are big.

laughton was a first round pick. you don't take a good (or even great) defensive forward in the first round unless he has offensive upside at the nhl level, which laughton may or may not have. john madden was undrafted, which just demonstrates how good uncle lou is
- hogweed

Madden was one of my Fav's. I also felt that as much as I wanted to be that goal scorer type I was always more of a Madden when I played hockey. I honestly don't think we have had a guy who can win draws since him.

Eh
There may be a hockey trade the Flyers can pull off, the kind that helps both teams.
Right now they have too many defensive defenseman and could use a puck mover.
- Marc D

Coburn

I do agree with that. They aren't speedy like a Colorado, etc and they certainly don't have a big hard team to play against ala the Bruins, etc. Even their prospects coming along up front....Cousins, Laughton, etc....none are speedy and none are big.
- nastyflyergirl

though he'd be a minor piece, i wanted them to look into chimera before the season started when i saw his name mentioned as a bubble plyr in WSH. big and fast, though hardly a finisher, he'd be a perfect complement w/ read and couts.

remember right after the big trades, the flyers mantra was "bigger, faster, younger, stronger"...now the mix is rightfully called into question.

though he'd be a minor piece, i wanted them to look into chimera before the season started when i saw his name mentioned as a bubble plyr in WSH. big and fast, though hardly a finisher, he'd be a perfect complement w/ read and couts.

remember right after the big trades, the flyers mantra was "bigger, faster, younger, stronger"...now the mix is rightfully called into question.
- isaiah520

He may well be available with them deciding to keep Tom Wilson up... What Beaut that kid is

Homer is a buy high and sell low kind of GM...still cant believe the flyers upper management saying Homer's job is safe? maybe the organization is in a full rebuild mode and high #1 picks the next 3 years should help.

though he'd be a minor piece, i wanted them to look into chimera before the season started when i saw his name mentioned as a bubble plyr in WSH. big and fast, though hardly a finisher, he'd be a perfect complement w/ read and couts.

remember right after the big trades, the flyers mantra was "bigger, faster, younger, stronger"...now the mix is rightfully called into question.
- isaiah520

its actually a large part of why I hated moving JVR. while he isn't a physical player, he is a big guy with speed and skill.

its actually a large part of why I hated moving JVR. while he isn't a physical player, he is a big guy with speed and skill.
- nastyflyergirl

A future 40 goal guy if you are talking to some Leaf fans

Madden was one of my Fav's. I also felt that as much as I wanted to be that goal scorer type I was always more of a Madden when I played hockey. I honestly don't think we have had a guy who can win draws since him.
- blizzzard

my comparison to madden was not meant as disrespectful. i thought madden was a huge part of the last 2 devils' cup teams and a great all around player. he was a 25-35 point guy and i don't think you use a 1st rounder on that player

Good blog bill. Been wondering about the mix since last year.

my comparison to madden was not meant as disrespectful. i thought madden was a huge part of the last 2 devils' cup teams and a great all around player. he was a 25-35 point guy and i don't think you use a 1st rounder on that player
- hogweed

Don't worry I didn't take it that way

not that I am remotely giving up on this season but just curious.,....to all of the people who follow the draft closely, how deep in the 2014 draft?