The Flyers squeaked into the playoffs as the 7th seed on the last day of the regular season and had a favorable draw in the 1st round against the devils who the Flyers owned that year. A miracle happened in the 2nd round against Boston all the while the 8th seed knocked off the 1 and 4 seeds. So we get the 8th seed in the conference finals. That in your opinion is a quality championship caliber team? Just because they got there because things lined up perfectly for them? The fact that the Flyers haven't gotten past the 2nd round since speaks volumes.
- Daveflyers36

Still have to win to get there. So I guess we're back to the Flyers getting lucky again. The only volume it speaks to is what has happened in the past. If has no bearing on the future, and what happens with this current team.

You started your last comment about what if chicago did this and what if this or that happened to Duncan Keith. That is trying to win an argument with what ifs.
- Daveflyers36

You must not come here often.

The fact that the Blues can't get past the 2nd round being a top team during the regular season means they still have to prove themselves. Getting Steve Ott and Ryan Miller might be what they needed to get over that hump. But why are we in development if just a few years ago we were 2 games from winning the cup. Building a championship team isn't having a revolving door in the locker room looking for a quick fix every year. Or firing the coach that got them to the finals. There has only been one constant the last 7 years and that is guy in charge of players and coaches. Being a one hit wonder team(and that is what the 2010 team was) isn't being a championship caliber team.
- Daveflyers36

trading 2 core players for a host of other players is not looking for a quick fix. clearly management didn't like what they saw and thought best to move them before their 12 year contracts kicked in. it was clear they were willing to take a step back and rebuild with a new core. the firing of the coach should have happened in the offseason, not 3 games in, and for that i criticized holmgren. that said, berube has gotten a lot of out this team with the start they had.

the flyers 2010 team was building from the 2005 squad after the lockout with several other pieces acquired after the distastrous 2007 season. it's not like they were assembled the year before, made a magical run, and then got dismantled the next season. that happened a year later with moving richards/carter. they got a very nice return for those players. it took 5 years for them in a flyers uniform to get to the finals. there's no magic formula.

Giroux spent time in the AHL.
- MJL

Oh a grand total of 38 games & 5 of those was were after a season in Gatineau in which he still had to go back there for another year.

Gustav Nyquist as an example played 132.

Oh a grand total of 38 games & 5 of those was were after a season in Gatineau in which he still had to go back there for another year.

Gustav Nyquist as an example played 132.
- ob18

I seem to recall that Giroux was expected to make the team from camp one year, be close to a lock, and did not. If my remembrance is correct, then even that 'development' in the minors was inadvertent.

Oh a grand total of 38 games & 5 of those was were after a season in Gatineau in which he still had to go back there for another year.

Gustav Nyquist as an example played 132.
- ob18

Each player is different. If that's what Giroux needed before he was ready, then that's what he needed. Some players don't need any AHL games, and are ready to step right in. They could've kept Laughton but decided to send him back to Juniors. I have no issues with the way the Flyers have drafted and developed Forwards. And they seem to be moving in the right direction with trying to better the situation with defenseman.

trading 2 core players for a host of other players is not looking for a quick fix. clearly management didn't like what they saw and thought best to move them before their 12 year contracts kicked in. it was clear they were willing to take a step back and rebuild with a new core. the firing of the coach should have happened in the offseason, not 3 games in, and for that i criticized holmgren. that said, berube has gotten a lot of out this team with the start they had.

the flyers 2010 team was building from the 2005 squad after the lockout with several other pieces acquired after the distastrous 2007 season. it's not like they were assembled the year before, made a magical run, and then got dismantled the next season. that happened a year later with moving richards/carter. they got a very nice return for those players. it took 5 years for them in a flyers uniform to get to the finals. there's no magic formula.
- hammarby31

Completely agree!

Each player is different. If that's what Giroux needed before he was ready, then that's what he needed. Some players don't need any AHL games, and are ready to step right in. They could've kept Laughton but decided to send him back to Juniors. I have no issues with the way the Flyers have drafted and developed Forwards. And they seem to be moving in the right direction with trying to better the situation with defenseman.
- MJL

Not saying all do need AHL time & many of the forwards they've had haven't needed it but some may have & could have helped them but because they struggled were moved.

I am well aware of Laughton & I wanted him back in the OHL than be stuck on the 4th line at 5 minutes a night.

They still can improve how they develop other forwards once they are done in college/juniors/europe.

Not saying all do need AHL time & many of the forwards they've had haven't needed it but some may have & could have helped them but because they struggled were moved.

I am well aware of Laughton & I wanted him back in the OHL than be stuck on the 4th line at 5 minutes a night.

They still can improve how they develop other forwards once they are done in college/juniors/europe.
- ob18

I think the Flyers do a quality job drafting and developing forwards. No complaints there for me. No magic formula for that. It's not as if leaving a player in the AHL longer is automatically better. In fact I'd argue that if Nyquist is capable of doing what he's done this year, they left him down there too long.
I'm hoping that the Flyers drafting and developing of defenseman catches up with their track record on forwards.

I would still like a #1 D man, but who wouldn't.
Considering the start, have to love these guys
If they were .500 after the first 15 games and were playing the rest of the season like they have, everyone would be real happy.

i would say this team frequently plays a lackluster game for 20, 40 or 50 minutes and then seems to pick it up and play a different game for the balance of that game. imagine if 4 or 5 of those comeback games turn out differently. this franchise/team has played this way for a while now and until they figure out how to play 60 minutes of passionate hockey most games they will not win a cup. yes they just went 6-4-2 in this stretch but they had to just to keep pace and hope for all kinds of help. just like they played well enough to beat boston and st louis but didn't win

I think the Flyers do a quality job drafting and developing forwards. No complaints there for me. No magic formula for that. It's not as if leaving a player in the AHL longer is automatically better. In fact I'd argue that if Nyquist is capable of doing what he's done this year, they left him down there too long.
I'm hoping that the Flyers drafting and developing of defenseman catches up with their track record on forwards.
- MJL

Or maybe they nailed nyquist spot on.
just sayin

I think the Flyers do a quality job drafting and developing forwards. No complaints there for me. No magic formula for that. It's not as if leaving a player in the AHL longer is automatically better. In fact I'd argue that if Nyquist is capable of doing what he's done this year, they left him down there too long.
I'm hoping that the Flyers drafting and developing of defenseman catches up with their track record on forwards.
- MJL

They can get better all around at development. They've done well with some forwards but others if they get an NHL shot early or struggle early on in development they give up.

On defense & goalie they have a ways to go with it starting from the last 2 drafts has significant promise assuming they don't rush them into NHL action

They can get better all around at development. They've done well with some forwards but others if they get an NHL shot early or struggle early on in development they give up.

On defense & goalie they have a ways to go with it starting from the last 2 drafts has significant promise assuming they don't rush them into NHL action
- ob18

compared to my perception, if half of the recently drafted D men play 300 NHL games, i would be pretty happy.
even if they do not play with the flyers, it means they have figured out how to draft a competent D man. maybe not great, but at least competent

i would say this team frequently plays a lackluster game for 20, 40 or 50 minutes and then seems to pick it up and play a different game for the balance of that game. imagine if 4 or 5 of those comeback games turn out differently. this franchise/team has played this way for a while now and until they figure out how to play 60 minutes of passionate hockey most games they will not win a cup. yes they just went 6-4-2 in this stretch but they had to just to keep pace and hope for all kinds of help. just like they played well enough to beat boston and st louis but didn't win
- hogweed

I agree. This team's inconsistency is it's biggest issue.

They can get better all around at development. They've done well with some forwards but others if they get an NHL shot early or struggle early on in development they give up.

On defense & goalie they have a ways to go with it starting from the last 2 drafts has significant promise assuming they don't rush them into NHL action
- ob18

I guess there's always room for improvement. And sometimes when a player doesn't make it, it's on the player. And not on the development path chosen by the team. When a player is ready, he's ready.

Or maybe they nailed nyquist spot on.
just sayin
- nails

Maybe, but when a player comes up from the AHL and scores goals at that pace, and scores at almost a point a game average, right away. I think I can speculate that he was ready for the NHL sooner then that.

Wow.

Finally saw what happened in St. Louis-Colorado today.

I really like David Backes as a player, but man...Nathan MacKinnon's just 18 years old. That...I don't think that's called for.

Yeah, maybe you feel like you need to take a piece out of somebody after Shattenkirk got drilled, but I don't know...MacKinnon's just a kid, a rookie.

Backes could've handled that differently...he outweighs MacKinnon by 30, 40 pounds...is a full-fledged man.

Ugh

Have a good night everybody! And go Flyers! Can't wait for the playoffs.

Maybe, but when a player comes up from the AHL and scores goals at that pace, and scores at almost a point a game average, right away. I think I can speculate that he was ready for the NHL sooner then that.
- MJL

not disagreeing with you.

Devil advocate says that maybe he is just getting the rookie luck.
no one knows him yet.
like a rookie pitcher.

except he looks like he has it.
Detroit has this thing figured out.

If you draft well & let them develop you'll have players who may not be "super stars" to start but they'll be over ripe & be able to step in and contribute.

But the Flyers while starting to finally add to their limited prospect depth are still in need of more but continue to trade away draft picks like they are the latest drug on the market.
- ob18

I think this myth can be debunked. At the last 3 drafts the flyers have drafted in the 1st 3 rounds all but once (in 2011)... And all those players that were drafted are all in the system still.

2011 (1) Couturier
2011 (3) Cousins
2012 (1) Laughton
2012 (2) Stolarz
2012 (3) Gostisbehere
2013 (1) Morin
2013 (2) Hagg
2013 (3) Goulboure

They can get better all around at development. They've done well with some forwards but others if they get an NHL shot early or struggle early on in development they give up.

On defense & goalie they have a ways to go with it starting from the last 2 drafts has significant promise assuming they don't rush them into NHL action
- ob18

Relatively easy to draft a good player... very hard to remain committed to development and doing right by that player, despite all the pressure of getting prospects into the lineup ASAP.

Why does Detroit do so well with later round picks? It's not just digging out diamonds through scouting... it's a long process of supporting and teaching these kids what it takes to be a Red Wing. Most organizations would have already destroyed Nyquist by rushing him in... and a few might have only managed to unlock a percentage of his potential by not leaving him in the minors for long enough. Detroit stays committed to the entire development process and continue to emphasize promoting from within, and they get a much better return on their drafts than anybody else as a result.

Flyers are great at drafting, no doubt about that. But they really fail to live up to the rest of the bargain a lot of the time.

Relatively easy to draft a good player... very hard to remain committed to development and doing right by that player, despite all the pressure of getting prospects into the lineup ASAP.

Why does Detroit do so well with later round picks? It's not just digging out diamonds through scouting... it's a long process of supporting and teaching these kids what it takes to be a Red Wing. Most organizations would have already destroyed Nyquist by rushing him in... and a few might have only managed to unlock a percentage of his potential by not leaving him in the minors for long enough. Detroit stays committed to the entire development process and continue to emphasize promoting from within, and they get a much better return on their drafts than anybody else as a result.

Flyers are great at drafting, no doubt about that. But they really fail to live up to the rest of the bargain a lot of the time.
- Tomahawk

I think over the years the team has suffered from a lack of organization patience. Holmgren seems to be trying to change that culture.

Relatively easy to draft a good player... very hard to remain committed to development and doing right by that player, despite all the pressure of getting prospects into the lineup ASAP.

Why does Detroit do so well with later round picks? It's not just digging out diamonds through scouting... it's a long process of supporting and teaching these kids what it takes to be a Red Wing. Most organizations would have already destroyed Nyquist by rushing him in... and a few might have only managed to unlock a percentage of his potential by not leaving him in the minors for long enough. Detroit stays committed to the entire development process and continue to emphasize promoting from within, and they get a much better return on their drafts than anybody else as a result.

Flyers are great at drafting, no doubt about that. But they really fail to live up to the rest of the bargain a lot of the time.
- Tomahawk

This.

I would be OK with a few down years if it meant a 20 year play off run and 2 cups.

the wings have a system that works. and it might not mean a cup run every year, but if you have one cup every 10 years, that is a big success.

This.

I would be OK with a few down years if it meant a 20 year play off run and 2 cups.

the wings have a system that works. and it might not mean a cup run every year, but if you have one cup every 10 years, that is a big success.
- nails

97, 98, 02, 09

not bad.