outside of the first round picks and finding Read, what has been fine about them?
- nastyflyergirl

Just hitting on 1st-rounders is hard enough... teams like Calgary and Toronto would kill to be able to simply unearth NHL players, let alone stars, year after year in the draft.

They're averaging 26 shots per game. The defense and transition game isn't keeping the puck out of the net.
- mayorofangrytown

26 shots on target. We shoot a lot more than that.

Just hitting on 1st-rounders is hard enough... teams like Calgary and Toronto would kill to be able to simply unearth NHL players, let alone stars, year after year in the draft.
- Tomahawk

And you have to admit we haven't had that many high draft picks over the last few years due to trades.

They're averaging 26 shots per game. The defense and transition game isn't keeping the puck out of the net.
- mayorofangrytown

How many of those shots are of the "Quality" category? Most are 55ft, bad angle, or no traffic in front shots...

Back after a 1 week ban.

Back after a 1 week ban.
- SMS4016

Welcome back from the sin bin...

Back after a 1 week ban.
- SMS4016

Just hitting on 1st-rounders is hard enough... teams like Calgary and Toronto would kill to be able to simply unearth NHL players, let alone stars, year after year in the draft.
- Tomahawk

Gagne, Richards, Downie, Giroux.

Not bad late 1st rounders if I say so.

How many of those shots are of the "Quality" category? Most are 55ft, bad angle, or no traffic in front shots...
- JW98FlyerFan

That's an opinion, not facts...



Where the heck is he?

I don't buy that. The Flyers have no fewer than a half-dozen forwards -- Giroux, Lecavalier, Voracek, Hartnell, Simmonds, and Read -- who have been 22+ goal scorers or 50+ point players (or at least the prorated equivalent in shortened seasons due to lockout or injury) within the last couple seasons. They have two defensemen who have averaged north of a point every other game in that span as well.

At a bare minimum, this club has enough skill/talent to be a middle-of-the-pack offensive team. There was a need to reduce the team GAA, so offense figured to go down a bit, but to be sitting there after 14 games barely averaging 1.5 goals per game as a team is pitiful. They should at least by a few notches better than that!
- bmeltzer

what, so when Bill says it people read/respond!?

Back after a 1 week ban.
- SMS4016

Okay, I'm outta here folks...

Okay, I'm outta here folks...
- mayorofangrytown

Smart allect

Gagne, Richards, Downie, Giroux.

Not bad late 1st rounders if I say so.
- flyguy12

That Justin Williams kid turned out pretty good too, didn't he?

That's an opinion, not facts...



Where the heck is he?

- mayorofangrytown

True, it is my opinion, but having taken quite a few shots myself...I wouldn't exactly call our shots to be quality scoring chances...

That being said, as every coach will tell you, there usually is no "bad" shot...the problem is, i don't think we have had enough "good" shots...

Steve Downie was skating today, officially listed as day to day. Holmgren says he feels good.

what do you think the problem is?
- nastyflyergirl

I know you asked this of Bill, but my opinion, fwiw, isn't a lack of talent but too much redundancy of the roster and too many specialists. Hartnell and Simmonds are pretty much the same player with the same strengths and same deficiencies. The strength of both players is on the powerplay scoring garbage goals, but on 5 on 5 they have been a liability defensively and turnover machines. Timonen and Streit at this point in their careers are really just powerplay quarterbacks who are average to mediocre defensively. L. Schenn, Grossman, and Coburn are defensive defensemen that lack puck skills and hockey sense. Giroux and Voracek are the only two legitimate 1st line talents they have and both are playmakers, not finishers. Holmgren has acquired talented players but hasn't put together a team.

- johndewar

Got banned for making joke about posters calling someone a female washing product. and of course next day a trade goes down then a brawl

Steve Downie was skating today, officially listed as day to day. Holmgren says he feels good.
- Jsaquella

Remarkable, considering his concussion was deemed so bad he needed to be hospitalized.

They're averaging 26 shots per game. The defense and transition game isn't keeping the puck out of the net.
- mayorofangrytown

come on man, you know better then that

one and done, low quality chances are the majority of those 26

they still spend way too much time trying to get out of their own end, by the time the get the puck out the forwards are gassed and have to go for a line change

Steve Downie was skating today, officially listed as day to day. Holmgren says he feels good.
- Jsaquella

Good to hear, any report if is eye socket was broken? just wondering if he has weeks or days to heal...

come on man, you know better then that

one and done, low quality chances are the majority of those 26

they still spend way too much time trying to get out of their own end, by the time the get the puck out the forwards are gassed and have to go for a line change
- Marc D

Shot totals can be real misleading.

Good to hear, any report if is eye socket was broken? just wondering if he has weeks or days to heal...
- JW98FlyerFan

Holmgren denied the broken orbital bone report a few days ago, only listed as having a concussion

I know you asked this of Bill, but my opinion, fwiw, isn't a lack of talent but too much redundancy of the roster and too many specialists. Hartnell and Simmonds are pretty much the same player with the same strengths and same deficiencies. The strength of both players is on the powerplay scoring garbage goals, but on 5 on 5 they have been a liability defensively and turnover machines. Timonen and Streit at this point in their careers are really just powerplay quarterbacks who are average to mediocre defensively. L. Schenn, Grossman, and Coburn are defensive defensemen that lack puck skills and hockey sense. Giroux and Voracek are the only two legitimate 1st line talents they have and both are playmakers, not finishers. Holmgren has acquired talented players but hasn't put together a team.
- psuhockey

agree 100%

although I think Coburn is quietly having a pretty good start to this season, transitioning the puck better, and getting more shots through to the net. Coburn isn't a top pair guy but if they had a true top pair he (and Grossmann for the most part) would be very adequate 2nd pair guys. Unfortunately Berube has been forced to use Grossmann and Coburn way too much.

Steve Downie was skating today, officially listed as day to day. Holmgren says he feels good.
- Jsaquella

honestly forgot he existed

Good to hear, any report if is eye socket was broken? just wondering if he has weeks or days to heal...
- JW98FlyerFan

Holmgren, in reports, vehemently denied that Downie fractured his orbital bone in that fight.

That punch that Downie took would have definitely knocked most dudes out. That was as solid a punch as you'll see.