Just read my first Meltzer blog.... not bad format

i like the this day in flyers hitstory and the alumni birthdays... more HB Bloggers should do that.
- Rockhead_37

The guys that do blogs for the Original 6 franchises should have already lifted that idea if they were smart. Just a ton of info for bloggers of those franchises to mine.

2 years of seasoning on the phantoms first


/ob
- Crimsoninja

no chance. that just doesn't happen with flyers first rounders.

if he .... is able to stay healthy
- AllInForFlyers

That's the rub.

When he's healthy, he's still a very good player -- nowhere near as good as he used to be, but still upper-echelon.

But he's missed over 20% of possible games in the three full seasons since 2010... he's already missed 30% of the games this season. And even in the games he's played, he often has some nagging injuries that have him below 100% effectiveness. That's not realistically going to get better w/ age, either.

I'm not as concerned about his contract as I am with Streit's, though.

The bizarre thing about reading about Vincent Lecavalier is that, for whatever reason, there was this odd consensus that he was in some huge career decline and that he had little left in the tank.

He had 32 points in 39 games last season. He's missed 10-plus games due to injury in each of the last three seasons, but he's scored at roughly a 60-ish point clip per 82 games for each of those.

Will he decline during this contract? Yes. There is little-to-no doubt about that.

But there was absolutely no reason to expect that decline to begin this season. Or even next season. And, if he keeps his fitness level up and he remains engaged and is able to stay healthy, I have little doubt that he's going to put up a couple of 30 goal seasons and a couple of 25-goal seasons over these five years.

Other aspects of his game will suffer, like skating and endurance. But the guy understands offense, knows where to go on the ice, is 6-4 inches tall and can shoot the puck.

He's going to score goals.
- AllInForFlyers

I loved the signing and I don't mind Streit at all either. but I do think it will probably end up being similar to the Briere situation. Like it now but in the final year or two we may wish there was still a compliance buyout or two laying around

are we seriously going to cry about Maroon now? and calling him a bonafide NHLer is a bit premature.

On a different note, at what point is Mason signed and what kinds of contract does he get?

Obviously a very small sampling but stats with their new teams

Bob - 48 GP - 25-17-6 (4-6-0) - 4 SO (0) - 2.13 GAA (2.60), .928 save % (.916)
Mason - 15 GP - 7-7-0 (3-5-0) - 0 SO (0) - 2.04 GAA (2.15), .937 save % (.930)

Bob with the Veznia but lets see how it goes over a 82 game schedule. I do tend to think this will be one situation where both teams are happy with who they ended up with.
- nastyflyergirl

mason for president, er, prime minister.

Looking forward to the next Flyers Buzz, Bill!

Have you had a chance to see much of Brandon Alderson thus far? Seems to have some pretty decent offensive upside in his rookie year. I think you've already discussed his potential but I was wondering if maybe that has changed at all since he's gotten a few games in the AHL now.

I agree, but it's not a surprise at all...Meszaros is making a lot of coin sitting in the press box.
- Jsaquella

I don't think his salary matters much now in his last year. Berube's going to play whoever he thinks will help win him enough games to keep his job.

I'd rather see Gustafsson make it impossible to remove him, but he's been very up and down. The others have been more solid than he has, and Meszaros is champing at the bit to get back on the ice.
- Jsaquella

Yeah...I knew, we all knew, that we'd see Meszaros again at some point. But it would've been nice if Gus hadn't let his play be the reason.

no chance. that just doesn't happen with flyers first rounders.
- hammarby31

It especially won't happen after Homer trades Couturier in a panic and we need a young center to fill that role.

/Glass half empty guy

I don't think his salary matters much now in his last year. Berube's going to play whoever he thinks will help win him enough games to keep his job.
- Feanor

I don't think Berube has to worry about his job any time soon. Also, if Meszaros doesn't play, it's hard to trade him.

We just won 2 in a row, getting better each game and we make lineup changes? Why?

I don't think Berube has to worry about his job any time soon. Also, if Meszaros doesn't play, it's hard to trade him.
- Jsaquella

Yep. If he's in the press box, you're not exactly in a good negotiating position.

We just won 2 in a row, getting better each game and we make lineup changes? Why?
- Buzzo

Meszaros in for Gus is the only change thus far, and it's in practice...so it's not even sure to happen.

They made line-up changes after the Rangers win, too.

I don't think Berube has to worry about his job any time soon. Also, if Meszaros doesn't play, it's hard to trade him.
- Jsaquella

If they don't make the playoffs and/or Homer gets canned, we're probably looking at another coach. There's a lot of pressure on Berube to get this turned around in convincing fashion to save a lot of jobs.

We just won 2 in a row, getting better each game and we make lineup changes? Why?
- Buzzo

Playing Devil's advocate a bit here, but .....

One reason could be to keep everyone engaged.

Another could be to shop a guy with a big cap hit that you're trying to get rid of (*looks at Mez*).

Also, to send a message to not get comfortable with success.

I loved the signing and I don't mind Streit at all either. but I do think it will probably end up being similar to the Briere situation. Like it now but in the final year or two we may wish there was still a compliance buyout or two laying around
- nastyflyergirl

Ha! Yeah, that absolutely could happen. But this one feels different because of the size and how Lecavalier plays the game. He's a shooter -- he's never been a true playmaker. He'll lose the fluidity in skating, as they all do, due to age.

But he has the hands of a No. 1 overall. In his case, from what I'm seeing, those aren't going away quickly.

At worst, I think he'll be dangerous on the PP for the vast majority of that contract, even if in Years 4 and 5, his mobility is compromised -- which, to be honest, it likely will be.

If they don't make the playoffs and/or Homer gets canned, we're probably looking at another coach. There's a lot of pressure on Berube to get this turned around in convincing fashion to save a lot of jobs.
- Tomahawk

Will anyone blame Berube all that much if he doesn't get it turned around? People around the league are mostly going to pin this mess on Holmgren if they miss out on the playoffs again.

On the contrary, if Berube does turn it around, he'll look that much better.

We just won 2 in a row, getting better each game and we make lineup changes? Why?
- Buzzo

Because Rinaldo and Rosehill barely scratching 3-4 mins a night is so ESSENTIAL that they couldn't possibly fathom what seems like the obvious move, which is dressing 7 dmen.

Playing Devil's advocate a bit here, but .....

One reason could be to keep everyone engaged.

Another could be to shop a guy with a big cap hit that you're trying to get rid of (*looks at Mez*).

Also, to send a message to not get comfortable with success.
- johndewar

im ok with 1 and 3, but not 2, would be a dumb idea to change up chemistry
JUST to shop a player.

Just read my first Meltzer blog.... not bad format

i like the this day in flyers hitstory and the alumni birthdays... more HB Bloggers should be like Bill.
- Rockhead_37

FTFY.

If they don't make the playoffs and/or Homer gets canned, we're probably looking at another coach. There's a lot of pressure on Berube to get this turned around in convincing fashion to save a lot of jobs.
- Tomahawk

I think Berube is safe, regardless of what happens, at least for the term of his deal. The changes he's made are very evident and the team is playing better under him than it was under Laviolette.

Unless they have a catastrophic collapse, I think that Chief is safe.

If they don't make the playoffs and/or Homer gets canned, we're probably looking at another coach. There's a lot of pressure on Berube to get this turned around in convincing fashion to save a lot of jobs.
- Tomahawk

I sure hope he understands that, that more jobs than his are riding on him getting this thing out of the ditch.

Because the first game he wastes points because Jay Rosehill's in the box, then it'll be fairly clear that he's not quite grasping that simple fact.

I don't like it. I really would rather let Gus get the experience and work through his growing pains than having to sit everytime he has a rough game or two.
- nastyflyergirl

i don't like it either.

I sure hope he understands that, that more jobs than his are riding on him getting this thing out of the ditch.

Because the first game he wastes points because Jay Rosehill's in the box, then it'll be fairly clear that he's not quite grasping that simple fact.
- AllInForFlyers

Honestly, I blame the GM for that last part, for giving him the option in the first place.

Will anyone blame Berube all that much if he doesn't get it turned around? People around the league are mostly going to pin this mess on Holmgren if they miss out on the playoffs again.

On the contrary, if Berube does turn it around, he'll look that much better.
- johndewar

I don't think Berube will be blamed as such, but it they miss the playoffs again I see Hextall coming in as GM and he'll probably want to install his own coach.