Cooper's got guys like Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat playing like seasoned top 6 scorers this year. Both rookies. The Lighting are definitely a good team on paper, but the coaching has definitely been top notch.
- mochoson

I'm so jealous of them getting a gem LW like Palat in the 7th round. We took Mathers two spots before him.

I'm so jealous of them getting a gem LW like Palat in the 7th round. We took Mathers two spots before him.
- Feanor

Best fighter in the OHL, bar none!

Welp, in October, there was no threat of even caring if they were scoring in the run up to the playoffs because some fans were wanting to look at Central Scouting rankings, with the way the Flyers came out of the gate.

I agree, there is cause for concern, but there are a few more games; let's see how it plays out. Anyone they play in the playoffs is going to be good.
- johndewar

Things haven't been great for the Flyers of late, but one thing we know for a fact: they can play with any team in the league.

How quickly their string of wins against Pitt, Chicago, Dallas and the Blues are forgotten. The beat the Sharks once, the Kings once, went to OT against the big mean Broons.

Anything can happen once the playoffs start.

edit: beat the Sharks once...

He could run the 2nd PP. Keep Giroux on the first.

Even if they kept on the first PP, i fail to see how adding a player of his talent level would hurt Giroux.
- Flyersgod

Ovechkin is not a player who QB's a PP. He's a shooter. And he wouldn't get enough icetime on the 2nd unit. You don't trade for a player like Ovechkin to play him on the 2nd PP unit.

Things haven't been great for the Flyers of late, but one thing we know for a fact: they can play with any team in the league.

How quickly their string of wins against Pitt, Chicago, Dallas and the Blues are forgotten. The beat the Sharks twice, the Kings once, went to OT against the big mean Broons.

Anything can happen once the playoffs start.
- wolfhounds

Agreed. I actually think the makeup of the team is more suited to a long, hard, grinding playoff schedule anyway. And I've said all year, they can play with any team...just a case of doing it.

I'm so jealous of them getting a gem LW like Palat in the 7th round. We took Mathers two spots before him.
- Feanor

Yeah, but how many fights did Palat win?

I think having Coots on that line will kind of balance it out. That's where a coach steps in and says, "Hey, as wingers, you two need to make these adjustments on this line. This is different from the (primarily) scoring lines you've been on"

I think that line-up can work. Downie definitely did have a bad game last night, but he's just having a down year period.

I would actually LOVE to have Downie back. Give him the summer to get fully healthy and recharge. He's a RFA, no? We own his rights no matter what. How expensive could he POSSIBLY be after the season he's had?

Ditto on the Read/Giroux thing as well. I was just thinking this to myself the other day when I realized Matt Read doesn't even have 40 points on this team. IMO, Matt Read could score upwards of 50, easily, playing with Giroux.
- mochoson

It's not about players making adjustments. That 3rd line is just not a good match for how they use Couturier. Simmonds belongs on a scoring line, not a checking line.

Stanley Cup... check.
Big, strong, fast... check.
Producing at elite level... check.
Right-handed... check.

Yeah, no interest at all.
- Tomahawk

Unless Byfuglien single handidly carried the Hawks to the Cup, that is irrelevant. His is big, too big, that's one of his issues. And he's srong and fast. And he is elite offensively as a defenseman. And he's also right handed. All of that is true. But what he isn't, is a good all around defenseman. He's suspect defensively. And I'm not going to trade the assets it's going to take, for a defenseman that is suspect in his own. On top of the discipline issues that he has, and the fitness question marks. Hence not having interest in him as a player to anchor the blueline. Not the right kind of player to use both the trade assets and cap assets on.

If that deal was accepted, Homer would have a job for the rest of his life.
- Flyersgod

where? in winnipeg?

valtteri floppula amirite

Unless Byfuglien single handidly carried the Hawks to the Cup, that is irrelevant.
- MJL

You're right... 5GWG in 22GP is pretty irrelevant.

Agreed. I actually think the makeup of the team is more suited to a long, hard, grinding playoff schedule anyway. And I've said all year, they can play with any team...just a case of doing it.
- jmatchett383

Agreed. Which is why I tend to be optimistic as opposed to a pessimist regarding this team. The youth on this team are all 2 years removed from their last playoff appearance, and hopefully they are ready to go. They aren't rookies any more. This year's playoffs is the first step in the next stage of their development.

You're right... 5GWG in 22GP is pretty irrelevant.
- Tomahawk

Missed the point. Which is that it takes a team to win a Cup. And without the rest of the team, Byfuglien's 5 GWG wouldn't mean much. So stating that he's won a Cup as a reason why the Flyers or anyone should have interest, is silly. Not to mention that Byfuglien was a forward on that Cup team.

Agreed. Which is why I tend to be optimistic as opposed to a pessimist regarding this team. The youth on this team are all 2 years removed from their last playoff appearance, and hopefully they are ready to go. They aren't rookies any more. This year's playoffs is the first step in the next stage of their development.
- wolfhounds

I agree 100% with the last sentence. This is part of the process.

Surprised they diddn't start Gill as his size is the reason we have 2 types of Defensemen in reserve. He's the fill in for Grossmann if there ever was one.

You're right... 5GWG in 22GP is pretty irrelevant.
- Tomahawk

Buff has a bad rap. Dude can okay and the flyers would be lucky to have him.

You're right... 5GWG in 22GP is pretty irrelevant.
- Tomahawk

Have you thought about what might happen if you said something like..."Paul Holmgren has interest in Dustin Byfuglien, but I disagree with Holmgren and the Flyers because I don't trust Holmgren's ability to assess defensemen?"

It might be like trying to put antimatter and matter in the same place at the same time

You're right... 5GWG in 22GP is pretty irrelevant.
- Tomahawk

Still, that was 4 years ago. And the Blackhawks were a, you know, decent team when he was on the squad.

Byfuglien would be interesting, likely even exciting to have on the Flyers, but no way I'm giving up a bunch of youth for him. And he doesn't come close to filling the hole left by Timonen (sooner or later).

Missed the point. Which is that it takes a team to win a Cup. And without the rest of the team, Byfuglien's 5 GWG wouldn't mean much. So stating that he's won a Cup as a reason why the Flyers or anyone should have interest, is silly. Not to mention that Byfuglien was a forward on that Cup team.
- MJL

So you're saying one player can't carry a team to the cup, but you only want a dman who can carry a team to the cup?

I agree 100% with the last sentence. This is part of the process.
- MJL

Luke Schenn's first playoff experience.

Silly Toronto.

Buff has a bad rap. Dude can okay and the flyers would be lucky to have him.
- Flyersgod

But he's sooooo fat... eating his way to the top of the scoring charts.

While I wouldn't pay a Pronger-premium for him, if the Jets are on full organizational tilt and are in danger of Dion Phaneuf'ing him, I want Homer on the phone making it happen.

But he's sooooo fat... eating his way to the top of the scoring charts.

While I wouldn't pay a Pronger-premium for him, if the Jets are on full organizational tilt and are in danger of Dion Phaneuf'ing him, I want Homer on the phone making it happen.
- Tomahawk

He is fat. He's got the same shooting percentage as Streit while taking 140 more shots. And he's by far the worst +/- player on a bad team that's getting ready to start golfing next week.

Not even close to the Pronger deal.

And if Byfuglien is a good piece to add or build a team around, why might Winnipeg be willing to trade him?

He is fat. He's got the same shooting percentage as Streit while taking 140 more shots. And he's by far the worst +/- player on a bad team that's getting ready to start golfing next week.

Not even close to the Pronger deal.

And if Byfuglien is a good piece to add or build a team around, why might Winnipeg be willing to trade him?
- wolfhounds

So if a player is traded he isn't good enough to build around?

I really hope the Flyers drop to the first wild card slot.

Much rather the Penguins in the first round than the Rangers.

It sounds crazy considering the talent on the Pens, but the Rangers play a style of hockey that the Flyers seem completely incapable of figuring out. Tampa does the same crap to the Flyers each game as well, but are a tad less physical.

To start the day, i'd also like to throw out a crazy trade proposal.

To Wash:
B. Schenn
Laughton
2016 1st Rd Pick
Bag of Cash

To Phil:
Ovechkin

Turn him into a Left Winger and go Ovechkin/Giroux/Voracek

Go ahead, kill my dream.
- Flyersgod

Schenbros needs to stop hacking your account

Few Thoughts:

-The Flyers didn't play a bad overall game last night. They had defensive breakdowns, spotty goaltending and failed to capitalize on a lot of prime scoring chances. Lindback played well and had a lot of luck. His defense made a few saves for him as well.

The Flyers controlled large stretches of the game, avoiding the mistakes and getting a bounce here or there and they easily could have gotten the win.It sucks, but not a horrible loss.

-We have folks willing to bend over backwards to pay Andrew MacDonald $5mm a year, but they refuse to consider Dustin Byfuglien?

Yeah, Ideally, the Flyers could get a Duncan Keith or Shea Weber, but realistically, they're facing a different set of options. Guys like that aren't traded often and they usually cost an arm and a leg. A guy like Byfuglien isn't in their class. But as such, he will not cost as much as one of those guys.

I'd rather have a Byfuglien on the roster at $5.25mm for a couple years than MacDonald for 4 years at $5mm. That doesn't mean trade whatever the asking price is, it's simply saying to keep options open. That's what intelligent GM's do.

-The Flyers could use a good winger to play on the Giroux line. If they decide to buy time and hang on to Timonen for another year or add a Boyle type as a FA, then perhaps they make a move for a more dynamic scorer.