Flyers need to fire Homer and Bring Fred's son back to philly where he belongs to GM
- twpguy

I dont know if hes more of a tweaker than a builder. The major pieces were already in the mix when he took over as the Pens GM for the 06-07 season ( Malkin, Crosby, Fluery) He makes nice complimentary deals for the rosters to be sure. But the previous GM working in team self imposed salary cap to come out of bankruptcy, fielding mostly an AHL team for several years was the one who drafted their core players.

Bill, why do you think Luke has regressed so much from last year?
- tk71

I am happy about the win, but I am wondering the same thing... So the answer is Hal Gill? The JVR trade looks worse and worse..

Giroux has to be nursing an injury ... there's simply no other logical reason for playing on the perimeter as much as he does.

One play particularly irritated me, and I think it was at the end of the 2nd period. Giroux had the puck along the right wall in the Devils zone, and passed it behind the net to Jake, who slid it over the Hartnell along the boards. Hartnell immediately looked to get the puck out in front to Giroux .. but Giroux was still standing along the right wall, completely out of the play. He never moved.

Either he's nursing an injury ... or he's never played the game before this year.

Giroux has to be nursing an injury ... there's simply no other logical reason for playing on the perimeter as much as he does.

One play particularly irritated me, and I think it was at the end of the 2nd period. Giroux had the puck along the right wall in the Devils zone, and passed it behind the net to Jake, who slid it over the Hartnell along the boards. Hartnell immediately looked to get the puck out in front to Giroux .. but Giroux was still standing along the right wall, completely out of the play. He never moved.

Either he's nursing an injury ... or he's never played the game before this year.
- FlyerGuy

Even if it's an injury you still want him to stop before it becomes a habbit cause it will continue after the injury if it becomes a habbit.

It seems to me that the flyers won 2 cups because of the fighting and bullying. Since the nhl changed the rules, how many cups have they won.
- liamlauren

what rule changes are you referring to that prevented the Flyers from winning the cup? 3rd man in? bench clearing brawls? hybrid icing?

I liked the way they hung in there last night.

But the reality at least the way I saw it was that the Devils just simp0ly didnt capitalize on some of thier point blank chances by missing the net. This game easily could have been 4-1. The Flyers caught some breaks.

As for Giroux, he is still hanging out on the perimeter and passing up shots. I wasnt impressed at all. There is no creativity at all. I use this phrase often, Giroux is not IMPOSING himself on the game. He is doing nothing to make things happen. There is no grit to his game at all.

It is very troubling.

It seems to me that the flyers won 2 cups because of the fighting and bullying. Since the nhl changed the rules, how many cups have they won.
- liamlauren

The Flyers won their two Cups because they had three Hall of Fame players including their goaltender, a Hall of Fame coach who understood his personnel and adapting his system to them (in fact, he was among the first NHL "systems" coaches, although not the first), a Hall of Fame GM who assembled a deep roster. The Flyers of those years routinely outworked every opponent, and that's what the people who honed in only on the fighting/intimidation aspect didn't understand but which Shero understood perfectly.

I detest the "Cups" argument. The Flyers came damn close to three other Cups (1980, 1987 and 2010) since then, and losing those hard-fought Finals, especially in 1987 in seven games against Edmonton, was not a reflection of failure. On the flip side, even had they won the Cup in any or all of those years, what relevance would it have to the state of the team right now? None.

The Flyers post 1995 have too often been guilty of trying to "win last year's Cup" rather than being the pace-setters, which is what they were when Keith Allen was the GM who assembled the 1970s team and, along with McCammon's off-ice input on personnel (because he was a mediocre NHL coach), laid much of the draft-day and earlier trade foundation for the rosters of the mid-1980s. But Keith Allen was a once-in-a-generation type of GM, much like the Phillies golden eras were built by Paul Owens and Pat Gillick. The Flyers have never had their worthy successor to Allen, and that's not a knock on guys like Farwell, Clarke and Holmgren so much as a statement of how high Allen set the bar.

Respectable game by the Flyers. Emery made the stops, Coburn and Couts looked good. Jake keeps getting faster, Raffl looks better with each game, and even Hal Gill didn't look too bad in his first game of the season.

In general, though, the Flyers need to go after the puck instead of lazily reaching for it. Couts was guilty of that on the pass from Read that hit him in the back and led to some nice time in the o-zone for the Devils. And Read looked way off last night.

Want the Puck.

The Flyers won their two Cups because they had three Hall of Fame players including their goaltender, a Hall of Fame coach who understood his personnel and adapting his system to them (in fact, he was among the first NHL "systems" coaches, although not the first), a Hall of Fame GM who assembled a deep roster. The Flyers of those years routinely outworked every opponent, and that's what the people who honed in only on the fighting/intimidation aspect didn't understand but which Shero understood perfectly.

I detest the "Cups" argument. The Flyers came damn close to three other Cups (1980, 1987 and 2010) since then, and losing those hard-fought Finals, especially in 1987 in seven games against Edmonton, was not a reflection of failure. On the flip side, even had they won the Cup in any or all of those years, what relevance would it have to the state of the team right now? None.

The Flyers post 1995 have too often been guilty of trying to "win last year's Cup" rather than being the pace-setters, which is what they were when Keith Allen was the GM who assembled the 1970s team and, along with McCammon's off-ice input on personnel (because he was a mediocre NHL coach), laid much of the draft-day and earlier trade foundation for the rosters of the mid-1980s. But Keith Allen was a once-in-a-generation type of GM, much like the Phillies golden eras were built by Paul Owens and Pat Gillick. The Flyers have never had their worthy successor to Allen, and that's not a knock on guys like Farwell, Clarke and Holmgren so much as a statement of how high Allen set the bar.
- bmeltzer

well said, sir.

it's funny how all the other pieces seem to fall into place when there's a great GM at the top.

In many ways, the Devils and Flyers are in the same place, and they are proving that in the NHL, at the end of the day, it's all about the players.

We certainly can, and have, talk about whether or not the Flyers should have gotten Chris Pronger. But they did, and he was dominant for them during his time with the team.

I've said it, and we all know it: You almost can't replace a guy like that. You can barely acquire a player like that.

The Devils are in the same boat, but in a different way: Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk...you don't just call down to Albany and say, "Yeah, send up a couple of 35-goal, 85-point wingers, who can play 20-plus minutes a night, in all situations."

That's why last night's game was interesting to me, in retrospect: These were two proud franchises, with the Devils certainly having had more Stanley Cup-success overall, who are now trying to chart their way into the next chapters of franchise history.

The Devils have now acquired their goaltender of the future in Cory Schneider while still having Martin Brodeur to play, likely for as long as he wants.

But they are clearly a team that is missing star talent at forward, and Adam Larsson's slow development can't be what they had in mind.

We all know where the Flyers are.

My point to all this: Last night, we saw two teams that aren't very good, for the same reasons. NHL stars are exceedingly difficult to replace.

Where will these two teams go from here? Who will rebuild first, and better?

Have to admit...I'm not certain we beat Lou Lamoriello at that game. But I am hopeful.

In many ways, the Devils and Flyers are in the same place, and they are proving that in the NHL, at the end of the day, it's all about the players.

We certainly can, and have, talk about whether or not the Flyers should have gotten Chris Pronger. But they did, and he was dominant for them during his time with the team.

I've said it, and we all know it: You almost can't replace a guy like that. You can barely acquire a player like that.

The Devils are in the same boat, but in a different way: Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk...you don't just call down to Albany and say, "Yeah, send up a couple of 35-goal, 85-point wingers, who can play 20-plus minutes a night, in all situations."

That's why last night's game was interesting to me, in retrospect: These were two proud franchises, with the Devils certainly having had more Stanley Cup-success overall, who are now trying to chart their way into the next chapters of franchise history.

The Devils have now acquired their goaltender of the future in Cory Schneider while still having Martin Brodeur to play, likely for as long as he wants.

But they are clearly a team that is missing star talent at forward, and Adam Larsson's slow development can't be what they had in mind.

We all know where the Flyers are.

My point to all this: Last night, we saw two teams that aren't very good, for the same reasons. NHL stars are exceedingly difficult to replace.

Where will these two teams go from here? Who will rebuild first, and better?

Have to admit...I'm not certain we beat Lou Lamoriello at that game. But I am hopeful.
- AllInForFlyers

Great assessment I will pump you're tires by reminding you that the Flyers have a first round pick this year and we do not so sucking is not an option even though it is highly likely.

Not sure what was worse...7-0 beating or 1-0 snooze-test. I'm glad they won but I really miss the run and gun days of a few years ago. I want some goals!

Hey Bill what's going on with Downie? Two days in the hospital? Is that standard procedure for a concussion. I don't remember guys needing to spend time in the hospital for just a concussion. Something broken? Brain aneurysm? He must have been showing symptoms of something alarming.

Vinny too. He missed a game because of facial soreness? Facial soreness? On a team coached by Lappy?

edit: His face must be sore...it's killing me!
- Dkos

speaking as a person who had an aneurysm, you don't get an aneurysm from an injury. its a weaken of the wall of an artery that grows/expands over time and fills with blood very much like a balloon. if a person has one and it burst you wouldn't just skate off the ice like that. its 50/50 whether you survive and you definitely wouldn't be getting out of the hospital in two days. but anyways, it is odd that he would be in the hospital for 2 days.

as far as Vinny goes I didn't see his face after the fight. I wonder if he had swelling that impaired his vision

Great assessment I will pump you're tires by reminding you that the Flyers have a first round pick this year and we do not so sucking is not an option even though it is highly likely.
- blizzzard

Thanks...it just struck me as interesting, in thinking about the game.

Do you guys have any young, scoring forwards coming, at all?

I thought Eric Gelinas was as good as the things I've read, as a defenseman. It was interesting to see Andy Greene with the "A" last night, too.

Thanks...it just struck me as interesting, in thinking about the game.

Do you guys have any young, scoring forwards coming, at all?

I thought Eric Gelinas was as good as the things I've read, as a defenseman. It was interesting to see Andy Greene with the "A" last night, too.
- AllInForFlyers

They seriously need offense. They cant just rely on free agency because the cap will kill them. Too many players getting paid like crazy in ufa.

Great assessment I will pump you're tires by reminding you that the Flyers have a first round pick this year and we do not so sucking is not an option even though it is highly likely.
- blizzzard

I will never understand why the Devils didn't choose the 29th pick as the first rounder to forfeit. Just doesn't make sense to me

Flyers need to fire Homer and Bring Fred's son back to philly where he belongs to GM
- twpguy

Why would they do that when they have Hextall waiting in the wings. Of Homer makes it through the season I think Hextall takes over in the off season.

Bill, why do you think Luke has regressed so much from last year?
- tk71

to add to this question.... i thought i read that pronger was working with luke this summer....is this 1 step back and 2 steps forward???

I will never understand why the Devils didn't choose the 29th pick as the first rounder to forfeit. Just doesn't make sense to me
- nastyflyergirl

Me either I have very little faith in what I have seen in Matteau that makes me think he could be anything more then a 3rd liner.

I will never understand why the Devils didn't choose the 29th pick as the first rounder to forfeit. Just doesn't make sense to me
- nastyflyergirl

That might've been the single most baffling thing I've seen in NHL management history.

No joke -- when they said they were making the pick, even though it was 29th...I was flat-out amazed.

They seriously need offense. They cant just rely on free agency because the cap will kill them. Too many players getting paid like crazy in ufa.
- mighty13duck

There has to be some kind of market correction. These prices are insane. These contract terms...they're insane.

Every team does it or has done it, so I'm not singling anybody out, any team.

But there's no way that giving a player like David Clarkson -- a fairly good player, but not a star or difference-maker -- a seven-year contract is sustainable, as a normal business practice. That simply isn't something that the NHL can sustain.

There has to be some kind of market correction. These prices are insane. These contract terms...they're insane.

Every team does it or has done it, so I'm not singling anybody out, any team.

But there's no way that giving a player like David Clarkson -- a fairly good player, but not a star or difference-maker -- a seven-year contract is sustainable, as a normal business practice. That simply isn't something that the NHL can sustain.
- AllInForFlyers

Those values could bankrupt small market teams. The best way to fix it is to stop raising the salary cap.

This team doesn't need pretty wins, it just needs wins.

As far as Fraud Giroux, I don't think it's an injury I think he is in such a funk he has no idea what to do. I thought last night was probably his best game. He at least had some jump in his step. Where is the guy that flattened Crosby and scored a goal on the first shift that set the tone for the game? Chief should lock him in a room, show him that shift over and over. Tell him don't come out until you find that guy.

Does values could bankrupt small market teams. The best way to fix it is to stop raising the salary cap.
- mighty13duck

That is probably what should happen, especially with the cap floor rising with it, but they've got it linked to revenues for the length of this CBA -- if the league is making money, the cap's going up.

I agree: The small-market teams are going to have some real problems.

Me either I have very little faith in what I have seen in Matteau that makes me think he could be anything more then a 3rd liner.
- blizzzard

seriously. I mean, at 29 the only way the pick could be worse was to win the cup over the next two years and it just didn't seem to be worth the risk. can you imagine the devils winning the lottery and having to forfeit the pick? yikes

i tore a tendon in my ankle and it took months before i felt anything close to normal

i can't imagine that giroux's surgically repaired tendon was healed after 4 weeks or whatever it was