100% agree. Get him out there at the right circle, and teams will have to think twice about pressuring G too closely. Voracek just isn't a credible scoring threat from distance, right now.

I'd love to see Baby Schenn work the right circle on the second unit... he used to pump one-timers in from there in junior... I think they're wasting his skill by parking him in front of the net.
- Tomahawk

I think Giroux needs a shake up. Instead of moving Vinny to Giroux's wing, move Giroux to Vinny's.

Downie-Vinny-Giroux
Hartnell-Schenn-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Simmonds
Raffl-Hall-Rinaldo

I think Giroux needs a shake up. Instead of moving Vinny to Giroux's wing, move Giroux to Vinny's.

Downie-Vinny-Giroux
Hartnell-Schenn-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Simmonds
Raffl-Hall-Rinaldo
- youarewrong

Needs more Yakupov.

I think Giroux needs a shake up. Instead of moving Vinny to Giroux's wing, move Giroux to Vinny's.

Downie-Vinny-Giroux
Hartnell-Schenn-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Simmonds
Raffl-Hall-Rinaldo
- youarewrong

We were talking PP.


But yeah, I agree... Giroux up the middle seems like it's some holy commandment with the way they approach it. He was a RW in a previous life... no reason why they couldn't try him out there again if it gets Vinny, Schenn, etc into more comfortable spots.

I expect big games from Scott Hartnell and Brayden Schenn tonight. Every regular season games against the Red Wings I've seen that Hartnell was apart of, he's shown up every time. In fact last time he was healthy and at the Joe, he came out to the bench before warm ups to get a look at the crowd/fans.
- Schenn2shine

I hope so, that Hartnell line has to keep pace with Crosby and Malkin.

100% agree. Get him out there at the right circle, and teams will have to think twice about pressuring G too closely. Voracek just isn't a credible scoring threat from distance, right now.

I'd love to see Baby Schenn work the right circle on the second unit... he used to pump one-timers in from there in junior... I think they're wasting his skill by parking him in front of the net.
- Tomahawk

I agree with these thoughts.

Even though they have had success together, I would split up Hartnell and Simmonds and have them play on different PP units.

When trying to get the puck into the offensive zone, both of them are pretty useless.
Having them together on one PP is fine when the Flyers gain possession.

Vanilla umbrella looks something like this:


Only thing that Flyers do differently is do a high-low kind of setup in the slot, with Hartsy up high for one-timers.
- Tomahawk

What if they switched it up a bit.. IMO the 2 forwards in front clog up the front of the net too much, making the shots from the point useless. In the above configurations you have 2 forwards. With the 2 forwards, your going to have 2 defense. That is 4 players to get the puck through. If its me, I drop 1 forward below the goal line. 1 in front of the net for screens and deflections. One along each board, and 1 roving d-man.

The guy behind the net will draw a defenseman away from the net, which will open up shooting lanes from the point, and passing lanes from the boards.

20 years ago I'd have stood on a soap box and preached against it.

Today, if you throw a punch, automatic ejection and one game suspension. Repeat offenders should be treated more harshly.
- mayorofangrytown

When you think about it, it's really a sideshow act for the sport. It's the only major professional sport where fighting is "part" of the game. If two nflers throw down they're looking at suspension and fines.

Needs more Yakupov.
- PLindbergh31

Yakupov-Lecavalier-Giroux
Downiel-Schenn-Voracek
Hartnell-Couturier-Read
Raffl-Hall-Rinaldo

Schenn+ Simmonds for Yak...

So who thinks the Flyers are going to offer Miller 7 years at 7.5 million now that Lundquist has set the bar....

Mason for Yakupov straight up..... ? lol

What if they switched it up a bit.. IMO the 2 forwards in front clog up the front of the net too much, making the shots from the point useless. In the above configurations you have 2 forwards. With the 2 forwards, your going to have 2 defense. That is 4 players to get the puck through. If its me, I drop 1 forward below the goal line. 1 in front of the net for screens and deflections. One along each board, and 1 roving d-man.

The guy behind the net will draw a defenseman away from the net, which will open up shooting lanes from the point, and passing lanes from the boards.
- youarewrong

I think the diagram is kind of stock... in practice, the setup is a bit more dynamic, with the F's hanging off to the side of the goal, higher in the slot, or venturing behind the net, not just stuck in front of it. Another upside to having two F's near the net is that in the event of a rebound, the F has a cross-crease/back-door outlet, instead of only having the shooting option.

I see Streit at the top of the umbrella, getting fed from both sides.
- Tomahawk

Yes, being fed the puck and it's passed to him, but tell me I'm wrong when I say he's not being used like he was in Montreal or NYI? He gets the puck. He just ISN'T the guy to get the one-timer or be the guy to fire the puck often. It seems it always goes back to the point and then back along the boards. I want to see him used where HE is the guy going to rip the shot. Where HE is the guy the primary shooting option. It just seems that he isn't a serious option on the PP and it always ends up low or along the boards. That's all.

What if they switched it up a bit.. IMO the 2 forwards in front clog up the front of the net too much, making the shots from the point useless. In the above configurations you have 2 forwards. With the 2 forwards, your going to have 2 defense. That is 4 players to get the puck through. If its me, I drop 1 forward below the goal line. 1 in front of the net for screens and deflections. One along each board, and 1 roving d-man.

The guy behind the net will draw a defenseman away from the net, which will open up shooting lanes from the point, and passing lanes from the boards.
- youarewrong

Or they could try 2 men on the point, 1 man in the crease, and 1 man along the boards on each side, who sneaks closer to the net when the puck is on the opposite side of the ice, and retreats a bit further back when the puck is on his side.

Yes, being fed the puck and it's passed to him, but tell me I'm wrong when I say he's not being used like he was in Montreal or NYI? He gets the puck. He just ISN'T the guy to get the one-timer or be the guy to fire the puck often. It seems it always goes back to the point and then back along the boards. I want to see him used where HE is the guy going to rip the shot. Where HE is the guy the primary shooting option. It just seems that he isn't a serious option on the PP and it always ends up low or along the boards. That's all.
- Flyers_V88

It's hard to utilize him like that on the PP, because Voracek and Vinny both do that and are both lefty, like Streit.

Yes, being fed the puck and it's passed to him, but tell me I'm wrong when I say he's not being used like he was in Montreal or NYI? He gets the puck. He just ISN'T the guy to get the one-timer or be the guy to fire the puck often. It seems it always goes back to the point and then back along the boards. I want to see him used where HE is the guy going to rip the shot. Where HE is the guy the primary shooting option. It just seems that he isn't a serious option on the PP and it always ends up low or along the boards. That's all.
- Flyers_V88

Truth be told, he was never the primary shooter for the Habs or Isles, either. In MTL, PK'ers had to respect Markov/Souray at the other point, and Kovalev on the right wall, which opened up room for Streit. On the Island, Tavares and Moulson were the most dangerous guys on the PP, and Visnovsky basically stole his job after he arrived.

Streit is more Andy Delmore than PK Subban, let's just put it that way. He's dangerous... but if he's the focal point of your PP, you're in trouble.

Mason for Yakupov straight up..... ? lol
- youarewrong

So we all know Yak stinks at ES... apparently, he can do no right on the PP, either. Ouch.

http://blogs.edmontonjour...owerplay-by-nail-yakupov/

(special bonus for those who like watching Bryz give up goals)

Mason for Yakupov straight up..... ? lol
- youarewrong

If they let mason jet away this offseason, I'm going to drive down to Philly myself and slap Homer around before making my way to Snider's office. They've let too many young goalies and goalie prospects go in the past, and screwed up big time with the Bryz signing. By compounding it, they sent Bob to Columbus. Mason could very well be their chance at redemption as far as goalies go, and the best since Hexy. If they let Mason go, and would rather sign a washed up guy on the downswing, like Miller, they all deserve to be fired. They need to learn to give some guys a chance and put the trade offer sheet away for a couple minutes.

So we all know Yak stinks at ES... apparently, he can do no right on the PP, either. Ouch.

http://blogs.edmontonjour...owerplay-by-nail-yakupov/

(special bonus for those who like watching Bryz give up goals)
- Tomahawk

he does make a pretty orbit of the center ice circle though

If they let mason jet away this offseason, I'm going to drive down to Philly myself and slap Homer around before making my way to Snider's office. They've let too many young goalies and goalie prospects go in the past, and screwed up big time with the Bryz signing. By compounding it, they sent Bob to Columbus. Mason could very well be their chance at redemption as far as goalies go, and the best since Hexy. If they let Mason go, and would rather sign a washed up guy on the downswing, like Miller, they all deserve to be fired. They need to learn to give some guys a chance and put the trade offer sheet away for a couple minutes.
- WarriorHockey21

just the idea that they wanted to spend like 9M on Lundqvist with Mason here makes me angry

hoping that was all pure BS

I am willing to trade Rosehill for a chocolate chip cookie. Any takers? I like chocolate chip cookies.
And stop hating on Streit. He's a good man. Maybe if we put him on G's line, he would start scoring again. Hey, it worked for Burns in the Tank, why not Streit?
I bet we lose 3 to 1 tonight. It will be 2 to 1 going into the third, and the only player for the Wings that hasn't scored in 300 games will score his first goal since then; an empty netter...doh. Repeat this for the entire road trip.
I really think this team fears the .500 mark. If they went over it, I believe that they would really freak out, and not know how to react. If G started to score again, maybe hockey would become fun for him again. Just do what you do well G, and shot the darn puck. Quit looking to pass it, and turn it over. Also, aim for the net, and not the glass.
Enough said.

(special bonus for those who like watching Bryz give up goals)
- Tomahawk

When a guy comes down on a breakaway against Mason (and to a lesser extent, Razor), I no longer have that angsty "oh poop, here it comes" feeling.

I actually feel like Mason and Ray have a puncher's chance (no pun intended) at stopping the breakaway.

Watching Bryz in that video clip kinda triggered a little PTSD for me, as my seats are at the end the Flyers defend twice.

he does make a pretty orbit of the center ice circle though


- Marc D

The Russian judge only gave him an 8.5, however.

just the idea that they wanted to spend like 9M on Lundqvist with Mason here makes me angry

hoping that was all pure BS
- Marc D

Yeah... not sure how true it is, but when I heard that, I'm like "WTF?!" How many times to they need to burn themselves before learning not to touch the hot stove...

Per Flyers v. Red Wings article on NHL.com:

They went 9-4-2 in November and have featured one of the League's stingiest defenses. Being more of a defense-first team gives them more consistency and structure to their game. They have a system they can rely on and protects them.
- Kevin Weekes

Our defense is one of the stingiest in the league now? That makes me quite happy.

When a guy comes down on a breakaway against Mason (and to a lesser extent, Razor), I no longer have that angsty "oh poop, here it comes" feeling.

I actually feel like Mason and Ray have a puncher's chance (no pun intended) at stopping the breakaway.

Watching Bryz in that video clip kinda triggered a little PTSD for me, as my seats are at the end the Flyers defend twice.
- johndewar

Exactly! Me and my dad were talking about that. I feel much more comfortable with the current goalie tandem in there than Bryz any day. If it was a breakaway, or God forbid a shootout, You could always chalk it up as a sure goal when Bryz was in. Now I have a LOT more confidence when it happens. Makes me feel better... it would make me feel even better when they sign Mason for a few years.

The Russian judge only gave him an 8.5, however.
- johndewar

No... Its the Canadian judges that mess with the Russians....