Carolina or staying a NYR I'd guess
- Marc D

Rangers give him a chance at the cup but Carolina will give him money. Who knows what he does.

The East doesn't scare me too much if the Flyers stay the course and make smart moves. Boston, Pittsburgh and the Rangers will be around but can be beaten.

I see a lot of the other teams fiddling with mediocrity. Tampa scares the poop out of me. Look at the young kids on the team and in the system. They are building a power-house.

Buffalo is stocking up on elite level talent as well.

Future, patience, and insanity. The preachings of nutter.
- flyer_nutter

I live my life like this tbh

soon
- ob18

i've been playing since last september. this week is the first break i've had since. fresh new ice will be waiting for me when i get back from my vacation. and then i'll be skating in ABQ also.

I live my life like this tbh
- Giroux_Is_God

this one time...at hockey camp...

It's less about their willingness and more about team need. They simply don't have the line balance to make that happen. If they bump Couts up to the 2nd line, they will need to shelter the 3rd and 4th line quite a bit. It puts Berube in a situation where he either needs to give Couts line or G's line the tough zone starts/matchups. Berube will, obviously, look to put G's line in more offensive situations.

Even if Couturier remains on the 3rd line, they will still have the same problem.

Losing Hartnell and Timonen will likely hurt the possession numbers for this team as well. I don't expect them to be a team with more offensive zone starts than defensive zone starts. Those offensive zone starts will, more often than not, be given to VL and G's line.

If you're looking for a silver lining, I would venture the 4th line this year will be much more reliable than last year's. I don't want to assume too much from guys who haven't played more than 5 games in the NHL, but Bellemare and Laughton will probably be better than Hall, Rinaldo and Rosehill. Maybe those guys are able to take some of the defensive burden from Couts.

Another positive going for Couts could be less PK work. He will still take his usual PK shift, but the team will probably be taking less penalties without Hartnell and (hopefully) Rinaldo. Berube has made it a point of emphasis to be more disciplined.

Taking less penalties and drawing less penalties may not be a good thing for a team that relied so heavily on special teams last year and probably will this year, but it would reduce Couts' PK minutes. Those saved minutes could equal one more ES shift per game. That alone, may help his point totals a bit. It could open up some PP time for him as well.

As it stands now, Berube uses him a lot in tough roles. I don't see any reason why Berube isn't going to continue using him in the same way.
- PhillySportsGuy

I agree with damn near every word of this post.

I think, though, that at the risk of sounding way too positive because I do acknowledge that the loss of Timonen is brutal and I have no idea how much Umberger has left in the tank, that this Flyers team will be surprisingly effective this year.

Improved discipline and better systems play can take you a long way in this league, and the Flyers have enough talent in spots to be really effective in certain types/styles of play.

Maybe I'm just being a big old fan in August, but I think this team is going to surprise people in a good way, if you're a fan.

I do like the grinder shut down guys. Just not when they get paid above what they provide. He is making around 3 million per year now I believe. I don't have much issue keeping him long term but if we have kind of seen the limits of Luke I don't like giving him more money.

He has flashes of really good play. He has some time now before his next contract to show what he is made of. If he wont excel at the transition game, or carrying the puck up, he needs to be a physical rock in his own end. We will see. He is durable so I'd like him to solidify himself.
- flyer_nutter

The big issue is still consistency in his game. I don't think his ceiling is Adam Foote, but if he can manage to play with some consistency he could be a solid 2nd pair guy.

But the consistency needs to be there for that to happen. He had a solid first season(in the lockout year) and finished strong last season after a rough start.

this one time...at hockey camp...
- hammarby31

STORYTIME?!!

I agree with damn near every word of this post.
- AllInForFlyers

Which ones don't you agree with?

this one time...at hockey camp...
- hammarby31

you ordered shrimp pizza in yorkton, Saskatchewan

i've been playing since last september. this week is the first break i've had since. fresh new ice will be waiting for me when i get back from my vacation. and then i'll be skating in ABQ also.
- hammarby31

Go to an Isotopes game

this one time...at hockey camp...
- hammarby31

A puck??

Which ones don't you agree with?
- Giroux_Is_God

For whatever reason, I think the Hartnell-Umberger deal will be net neutral, which kinda skews how I think the season will go in the Top 6. Umberger, if he does what I think, repeat think, he will do, will be a more consistent performer, and valuable, in other ways, while still producing some points.

If Umberger does that, then I think the Flyers will be relatively stable.

Blues new jerseys....going back to the 1980's





I like them a lot. Wish the Flyers would go back to their 1980's unis.

Which ones don't you agree with?
- Giroux_Is_God

Losing Hartnell and Timonen will likely hurt the possession numbers for this team as well

these ones

I mean OK losing Kimmo hurts, but Hartnell is being talked about like he is some major possession wizard. Really?

How many blind, cross ice passes did he make last year?

Losing Hartnell and Timonen will likely hurt the possession numbers for this team as well

these ones

I mean OK losing Kimmo hurts, but Hartnell is being talked about like he is some major possession wizard. Really?

How many blind, cross ice passes did he make last year?
- Marc D

Hartnell was among the team's best possession players last couple seasons, despite the sometimes frequent idiotic passes.

you ordered shrimp pizza in yorkton, Saskatchewan
- wilsonecho91

from houston's, and it was (frank)ing horrible. thank g-d for the loaf n' jug.

Go to an Isotopes game
- ob18

no.

A puck??
- tangent_man

nope.

no.
- hammarby31

Should it's actually not a bad time.

Blues new jerseys....going back to the 1980's





I like them a lot. Wish the Flyers would go back to their 1980's unis.




- Jsaquella

i saw a sneak peak illustration last week....looks good. i dig it.

i miss the flyers 80s/90s unis as well. i'm hoping their 3rd jersey this season is excellent. i have very low expectations.

Hartnell was among the team's best possession players last couple seasons, despite the sometimes frequent idiotic passes.
- Jsaquella

I'd say he benefitted mightily in this possession stat from playing a lot with the Flyers best two possession players, G and Voracek.

Not sure what the advance stats say about this, it is just my gestalt.

i saw a sneak peak illustration last week....looks good. i dig it.

i miss the flyers 80s/90s unis as well. i'm hoping their 3rd jersey this season is excellent. i have very low expectations.
- hammarby31

I like the Flyers home and away sweaters right as they are. They are classic and perfect.

Is there plans for a third jersey this season?

What if the people that collect the data, for the advanced stats.

What if these people, made mistakes. *brain pieces all over the wall*

Trust no-one.

I like the Flyers home and away sweaters right as they are. They are classic and perfect.

Is there plans for a third jersey this season?
- MBFlyerfan

yes.

i like what they have now...but not the actual color of the of the orange. it's too bright/flourescent, but whatever.

Blues new jerseys....going back to the 1980's


- Jsaquella

Always liked the Blues' jersey and logo.

I was glad when they shelved this one, though...