I don't know. They aren't exactly a lock for the playoffs and I think if they miss the playoffs again, Homer's gonna be out.
- johndewar

They always tend to flounder in January pre-all star game. I think they probably make it in this year, which is good for the developing younger players. If you aren't going to get a top 5 pick, you might as well make the damn playoffs instead of going that Toronto route for years with just missing, and getting mid level picks.

If it really is Timonen's last year, which I kind of hope its not, I want to see one last hoorah in the playoffs. Also want to get a better chance at evaluating Mason under the pressure.

re VL
Injuries will happen and we'll be glad to have him come playoff time
For now i'd do the following: waive Gill to create a roster spot and bring up McGinn.
New 4th line: McGinn-VL-VDV; Hall and Rosehill are spares
When rinaldo returns, waive Rosehill and let Zac compete with VDV for the last roster spot. If someone in the top 9 gets injured, Vinnie moves up and Hall centers the 4th line.

Thoughts?

Just some food for thought, through 48 games last season vs. 48 games this season...
Season W L OTL P GF GA GD PP PK
12-13 23 22 3 49 133 141 -8 21.6 (3rd) 85.9 (5th)
13-14 24 19 5 53 128 136 -8 18.7(16th) 84.4 (8th)

GP GAA SV% SO
Mason 36 2.48 .917 1
Bryzgalov 40 2.79 .900 1

Not much difference in the overall team performance is there? I'd argue the coaching change hasn't done much and if you look at the stats, it is a valid argument. If it wasn't for Mason this season outplaying Bryz from last season and the rest of the division sucking it up, the Flyers would be outside of the playoffs looking in.
- aantny88

This team is middle of the pack, at best, in every conceivable way.

The one thing that we just don't know is what the hell we're going to do about upgrading the defense, or filling the holes that will be there once guys retire or move on.

It is entirely possible -- not likely, but possible -- that Baby Schenn or Sean Couturier will be sacrificed to get an impactful defenseman in here, which will alleviate the logjam at center.

I'm not saying that's what I'd do. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't move Couturier and probably wouldn't move Baby Schenn for all but a select number of players.

But if the Flyers think they can win big, perhaps this season or next, except for the lack of a defenseman...somebody would have to go in order to get one.
- AllInForFlyers

It will happen. I think we all know that. I'm just really excited they wont be signing on to Phaneuf for the next century.

Out of the 3 evils, lets say Yandle, Buff or Edler, I think I like Yandle the best. Edler with a close second, but with Vancouver rebounding themselves they may not be as likely to trade him in the off-season.

Buff scares the hell out of me. Get to see him play a decent amount up here, the inconsistency in basic effort will drive people insane.

re VL
Injuries will happen and we'll be glad to have him come playoff time
For now i'd do the following: waive Gill to create a roster spot and bring up McGinn.
New 4th line: McGinn-VL-VDV; Hall and Rosehill are spares
When rinaldo returns, waive Rosehill and let Zac compete with VDV for the last roster spot. If someone in the top 9 gets injured, Vinnie moves up and Hall centers the 4th line.

Thoughts?
- BiggE

My thoughts? This is what should happen

They always tend to flounder in January pre-all star game. I think they probably make it in this year, which is good for the developing younger players. If you aren't going to get a top 5 pick, you might as well make the damn playoffs instead of going that Toronto route for years with just missing, and getting mid level picks.

If it really is Timonen's last year, which I kind of hope its not, I want to see one last hoorah in the playoffs. Also want to get a better chance at evaluating Mason under the pressure.
- flyer_nutter

I think it's a coin flip whether or not this team makes the playoffs. I really do.

Im happy with Mason. He was a top tier goaltender at the start of the season, and has kind of faded to average. Think that save % was something like .897 in December.

I don't buy that whole thing where a goalie is excused from letting in goals, we are shown on a nightly basis what those "unrealistic" saves can do for a team. However if he can be a good guy in the room, providing average play with some of those hot streaks for the next 5-8 years, I will be happy.

Give him a 2-3 year deal in the off-season, AFTER you have a chance to see him in the playoffs. Let him prove his worth, much like what the Habs did with Price and Subban.
- flyer_nutter

The Habs signed Price to an extension and traded Halak after Halak had an incredible playoff run. Price is pretty much the exact opposite to your argument.

I like Mason and would consider giving him a 3 year deal right now. It's not like the Flyers have many options. They have no goaltending depth and I'm not interested in the FA carousel again. Perhaps they can look and see if anyone is available, but it's risky taking a young goalie with upside. You can end up with Lindback or Bishop.

re VL
Injuries will happen and we'll be glad to have him come playoff time
For now i'd do the following: waive Gill to create a roster spot and bring up McGinn.
New 4th line: McGinn-VL-VDV; Hall and Rosehill are spares
When rinaldo returns, waive Rosehill and let Zac compete with VDV for the last roster spot. If someone in the top 9 gets injured, Vinnie moves up and Hall centers the 4th line.

Thoughts?
- BiggE

$10M on a 3rd pair dman and 4th line center. Money well spent

I think it's a coin flip whether or not this team makes the playoffs. I really do.
- johndewar

I'd like them to make it.

I really don't so much question the heart of this team as purely as I do their talent. I think they work hard, especially that defense. I just think you are taking a bunch of Pontiac Sunbirds (nutters first car) and asking them to be Mustangs.

Its the thing, you can get mad at them for not "moving their feet" or hear Berube talk about that continuously, but you aren't going to make guys like Streit, Luke Schenn, Grossmann or Timonen at this point in his career better skaters. Its who they are.

Sam Carchidi ‏@BroadStBull 16m
#Ducks' 20-0-2 at home; longest streak to start a year without a reg L in last 40 is 26 by 79-80 Flyers. Ducks' 26th home game vs. Flyers

That could be an interesting game

Sam Carchidi ‏@BroadStBull 16m
#Ducks' 20-0-2 at home; longest streak to start a year without a reg L in last 40 is 26 by 79-80 Flyers. Ducks' 26th home game vs. Flyers

That could be an interesting game
- JAKEw1234

Well if last night taught us anything its that the Flyers can really defend a good cycle.

Im happy with Mason. He was a top tier goaltender at the start of the season, and has kind of faded to average. Think that save % was something like .897 in December.

I don't buy that whole thing where a goalie is excused from letting in goals, we are shown on a nightly basis what those "unrealistic" saves can do for a team. However if he can be a good guy in the room, providing average play with some of those hot streaks for the next 5-8 years, I will be happy.

Give him a 2-3 year deal in the off-season, AFTER you have a chance to see him in the playoffs. Let him prove his worth, much like what the Habs did with Price and Subban.
- flyer_nutter

I think Mason has been great and he seems to have a great attitude/team guy. All goalies have off nights and while Mason hasn't been as incredible as he was early in the season, I don't worry every time the other team shoots at the net like I did with Bryz. He has already done better in shootouts than Bryz did as well, which is another reason the Flyers have a few more wins than last year after 48 games.

I'd like them to make it.

I really don't so much question the heart of this team as purely as I do their talent. I think they work hard, especially that defense. I just think you are taking a bunch of Pontiac Sunbirds (nutters first car) and asking them to be Mustangs.

Its the thing, you can get mad at them for not "moving their feet" or hear Berube talk about that continuously, but you aren't going to make guys like Streit, Luke Schenn, Grossmann or Timonen at this point in his career better skaters. Its who they are.
- flyer_nutter

I think thats why he wants them to constantly move. It's difficult for them to stop and start again. If they keep moving, it will help in transition. That really applies to the entire team. The Flyers aren't exactly flight of foot as a group.

Just some food for thought, through 48 games last season vs. 48 games this season...
Season W L OTL P GF GA GD PP PK
12-13 23 22 3 49 133 141 -8 21.6 (3rd) 85.9 (5th)
13-14 24 19 5 53 128 136 -8 18.7(16th) 84.4 (8th)

GP GAA SV% SO
Mason 36 2.48 .917 1
Bryzgalov 40 2.79 .900 1

Not much difference in the overall team performance is there? I'd argue the coaching change hasn't done much and if you look at the stats, it is a valid argument. If it wasn't for Mason this season outplaying Bryz from last season and the rest of the division sucking it up, the Flyers would be outside of the playoffs looking in.
- aantny88

You're ignoring the fact the coaching change happened three games into the season.

They wont, just like they wont give LeCavalier's minutes to a younger kid. Or more than likely why guys like Rosehill continue to get time, because they are veterans.

Its always, all in to win instead of objectively looking at your chances, and realizing those players who you are giving the minutes to, probably wont be here, or contributing when you truly are ready to establish yourself as an upper level team in the league. Instead of hoping on some Cinderella hot streak, and "anything can happen".

The double edged blade.
- flyer_nutter

I have no problem playing the Vets with the young kids, and that is what they are doing. Any playoff run now, will equate to experience later on. For example, sure Hall, Yakupov, RNH are getting plenty of play time right now, but if and when they make the NHL playoffs its going to be a complete mystery to them. However, Giroux was there to learn from Richards, Carter, Gagne, and Briere... a few years later and he is a key contributer and playoff vet. Just like Couts and schenn were playoff Nuubs 2 years ago, and might be part of what got them bounced... but they will learn from that and the Vets around them.

Never sat as close as I did last night. Third row, right at center ice; right behind the penalty boxes.

Deductions?

-Scott Hartnell isn't as bad as he looks on TV. He's worse. He LITERALLY slowed the play down EVERY time he touched the puck. He either bobbeled a pass and had to dump the puck in, or fell.

I'm not a fan of Hartnell, but I also recognise he's still a good NHL player. But he's worth MAYBE half of what were paying him. I'd be willing to give up quite a bit to get him off the books if I'm the GM.

-Forwards are soft. I saw no urgency in terms of physicality. I saw a lot of "shoulder bumping". Guys like Hartnell, Simmonds, Downie, and Schenn should be running people over. Maybe I'm missing someting? But this team is nowhere near as physical as they could be.

-Roman Josi is really, really.......REALLY good. I understand he got first start for his shoot-out goal, but I also noticed him everytime he was on the ice. He made fantastic, tape to tape passes and dictated the flow of the game with his legs. We need a defensemen like this. Badly.

I think it's a coin flip whether or not this team makes the playoffs. I really do.
- johndewar

Really? I think they're still surging, or are capable of it -- the possession metrics looks so damn bad because of just how weak the defense is.

They're still only giving up 29.7 shots per game...but are below average in 5v5 scoring. To me, those two things scream that they have a competent defensive system but they're just not getting enough transition offense through the help of their defense.

Again, I don't know how they're going to fix the defense. It won't be easy...hell, maybe it can't be done, otherwise they would've done it.

But I'll go to my grave that they are a better team right now than their metrics are showing -- and I absolutely believe in those metrics -- because of just how limited the defense is.

That's the thing about advanced stats -- they are an awesome and amazing tool. But they can't account for some things that are total outliers, which is just how limited the defense is in certain areas.

The Habs signed Price to an extension and traded Halak after Halak had an incredible playoff run. Price is pretty much the exact opposite to your argument.

I like Mason and would consider giving him a 3 year deal right now. It's not like the Flyers have many options. They have no goaltending depth and I'm not interested in the FA carousel again. Perhaps they can look and see if anyone is available, but it's risky taking a young goalie with upside. You can end up with Lindback or Bishop.
- PhillySportsGuy

What I mean is the Habs signed Price to a 2 year 5.5 million dollar contract after trading Halak. They went on to give him the 6 year deal after.

A bridge deal is best for Mason imo right now. As for who is available, you have options in Halak or Hiller in FA. Not saying that's what I want, but they aren't hand-cuffed to overpay for Mason. Other names, while more risky include Khudobin, Greiss or Elliot. Who knows what goes down with Miller.

I think Mason has been great and he seems to have a great attitude/team guy. All goalies have off nights and while Mason hasn't been as incredible as he was early in the season, I don't worry every time the other team shoots at the net like I did with Bryz. He has already done better in shootouts than Bryz did as well, which is another reason the Flyers have a few more wins than last year after 48 games.
- aantny88

I feel better about this team than last year. They've gotten better this year. Last year, they displayed the same problems throughout the entire season. They still struggle with a forecheck but not like last year. Since Berube has fully implemented his system, they've been a much much better team.

Never sat as close as I did last night. Third row, right at center ice; right behind the penalty boxes.

Deductions?

-Scott Hartnell isn't as bad as he looks on TV. He's worse. He LITERALLY slowed the play down EVERY time he touched the puck. He either bobbeled a pass and had to dump the puck in, or fell.

I'm not a fan of Hartnell, but I also recognise he's still a good NHL player. But he's worth MAYBE half of what were paying him. I'd be willing to give up quite a bit to get him off the books if I'm the GM.

-Forwards are soft. I saw no urgency in terms of physicality. I saw a lot of "shoulder bumping". Guys like Hartnell, Simmonds, Downie, and Schenn should be running people over. Maybe I'm missing someting? But this team is nowhere near as physical as they could be.

-Roman Josi is really, really.......REALLY good. I understand he got first start for his shoot-out goal, but I also noticed him everytime he was on the ice. He made fantastic, tape to tape passes and dictated the flow of the game with his legs. We need a defensemen like this. Badly.
- mochoson

This sounds exactly like how I feel whenever I buy my1 ticket a year to see them here. Always stink up the place

The one thing that we just don't know is what the hell we're going to do about upgrading the defense, or filling the holes that will be there once guys retire or move on.

It is entirely possible -- not likely, but possible -- that Baby Schenn or Sean Couturier will be sacrificed to get an impactful defenseman in here, which will alleviate the logjam at center.

I'm not saying that's what I'd do. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't move Couturier and probably wouldn't move Baby Schenn for all but a select number of players.

But if the Flyers think they can win big, perhaps this season or next, except for the lack of a defenseman...somebody would have to go in order to get one.
- AllInForFlyers

Smart thing to do would be to maybe move off the Quixotic notion of landing "the guy", and instead split the eggs between several baskets.

Guys like Niskanen, Russell, Fayne, Diaz, and Gilbert aren't world-beaters, but they're all impending UFA's who could help restore a better mix in our top-6. And there are plenty of top-4 and potential top-4 dmen out there that they could possibly nab in lesser deals that don't involve Coots/B Schenn.

What they need is to have three pairs that can move the puck and defend well... I believe that's more important than having one guy capable of handling a Pronger-esque workload and depending on him for everything.

You're ignoring the fact the coaching change happened three games into the season.
- Feanor

Berube had to undo a lot of bad habits. It's not like he stepped into the 4th game and said "Ok, new system, bad habits gone. Let's go"

I think it's a coin flip whether or not this team makes the playoffs. I really do.
- johndewar

Looking at the remaining schedule and it looks pretty tough compared to the first half...

What I mean is the Habs signed Price to a 2 year 5.5 million dollar contract after trading Halak. They went on to give him the 6 year deal after.

A bridge deal is best for Mason imo right now. As for who is available, you have options in Halak or Hiller in FA. Not saying that's what I want, but they aren't hand-cuffed to overpay for Mason. Other names, while more risky include Khudobin, Greiss or Elliot. Who knows what goes down with Miller.
- flyer_nutter

Mason will end up being the less expensive goalie and the youngest. I don't see any of those guys as major upgrade except for Miller. There really is no point in signing him unless you feel this team is a goalie away from a cup.

I am also in favor of a bridge deal

re VL
Injuries will happen and we'll be glad to have him come playoff time
For now i'd do the following: waive Gill to create a roster spot and bring up McGinn.
New 4th line: McGinn-VL-VDV; Hall and Rosehill are spares
When rinaldo returns, waive Rosehill and let Zac compete with VDV for the last roster spot. If someone in the top 9 gets injured, Vinnie moves up and Hall centers the 4th line.

Thoughts?
- BiggE

I like McGinn a lot ... but, apparently, someone does not. The kid has been called up and subsequently sent down more than any player I can remember.