I thought they were a bubble team after the Hartnell deal. Teams are gunshot about a guy signed until he's in his late 30's, so it's harder to get value.

I didn't expect Akeson to be the only rookie, but I expected only Laughton to join him. I don't think any of the kids makes a huge difference anyhow, right now.
Timonen's injury was when I really thought they'd be in trouble, though.
- Jsaquella

Laughton got away from his game and tried to do too much. I thought he'd crack the lineup. I didn't think Gostisbehere would be on the team until mid season but I thought he won a job in preseason.

Yeah, when Timmonen went down and Del Zotto cam in I figured we were beyond fried. Add to that the October schedule I've been staring at for months and it was a recipe for disaster. I figured they had a shot in the Jersey and Detroit games and they may squeeze out a couple more points. I was wondering where their heads would be come November. Mostly management, they have to make some decisions if they end up where I think they will be.

Honestly, my expectations of that message being received are pretty low
- BulliesPhan87

Don't most teams have this same issue? Are there any teams out there that consistently play 60 full minutes?

Maybe they're just dumb. This thought has crossed my mind. They same mistakes have been made consistently over the past few years.
- NickTheKid87

x2

Maybe they're just dumb. This thought has crossed my mind. They same mistakes have been made consistently over the past few years.
- NickTheKid87

Somebody on the staff is an NHL plant that just saps the hockey sense from all of them.

McCrossin, maybe?

I'm in the same boat. I just don't get it.
- tangent_man

me 3

I agree. The Vinny signing is a prime example of the band-aid moves, as you call them. Still, I never want a team to embrace the idea that it's okay to lose. If they try but lose, that's fine.
- jmatchett383

I view the VLC move as rash, not a band aid decision.

I agree. The Vinny signing is a prime example of the band-aid moves, as you call them. Still, I never want a team to embrace the idea that it's okay to lose. If they try but lose, that's fine.
- jmatchett383

That's what I want, as painful as it would be to watch, but I would never want them to play to intentionally lose. Like I said though, it probably won't happen. I think the highest pick they could get would be around 7th but anything lower than that would shock me. Maybe if Giroux was injured long term.

Don't most teams have this same issue? Are there any teams out there that consistently play 60 full minutes?
- bradleyc4

the whole "60 minute game" complaint has always been infuriating

no team does this

Somebody on the staff is an NHL plant that just saps the hockey sense from all of them.

McCrossin, maybe?
- tangent_man

Could be the beats. God knows they do it to us.

I view the VLC move as rash, not a band aid decision.
- 77rams

But he has needed many band aids

the whole "60 minute game" complaint has always been infuriating

no team does this
- Crimsoninja

This is useful information.

Laughton got away from his game and tried to do too much. I thought he'd crack the lineup. I didn't think Gostisbehere would be on the team until mid season but I thought he won a job in preseason.
- mayorofangrytown

Laughton had his moments, but Bellemare beat him out.

the whole "60 minute game" complaint has always been infuriating

no team does this
- Crimsoninja

Teams have a handful a games where they play 60 minutes of good hockey. When the Flyers get outplayed for a period, they seem to really get outplayed though.

This team doesn't lack effort or character; they lack talent. Chris Pronger's talent would have helped a lot more than his leadership against Montreal

Don't most teams have this same issue? Are there any teams out there that consistently play 60 full minutes?
- bradleyc4

Yes and perhaps not, respectively. That's a fair point. I think the better teams in the league do play consistently far more often than the Flyers, but I can't say that with much authority.

Looking at it from that angle also leaves me feeling it's not fair or sufficient to just lay the blame on Claude and the team leaders for this.

Don't most teams have this same issue? Are there any teams out there that consistently play 60 full minutes?
- bradleyc4

There are a couple every season, from what I see, teams that have bought in completely to what their coach is selling. Calgary tried hard damn near every game they played that I watched last season, and their beats said the same thing.

But realistically, all teams have varying amounts of trouble putting together 60 good minutes.

Teams have a handful a games where they play 60 minutes of good hockey. When the Flyers get outplayed for a period, they seem to really get outplayed though.

This team doesn't lack effort or character; they lack talent. Chris Pronger's talent would have helped a lot more than his leadership against Montreal
- PhillySportsGuy

Ehhh...

I'd prefer the team not embrace a culture of losing or gain the mindset of "it's okay to lose games".
- jmatchett383

What's the Flyers culture now? They play hard one period and sink back the other. They beat the best teams in the league one week and can't beat the devils the next. This has been going on for 3 years. How many times have the said if only we could put together a 60 minute effort? It might not be a culture of losing but its a culture of mediocrity which is way worst.

In 2013 when they won all those meaningless games at the end, all's you heard was that it was important to build a culture of winning and it would carry over the next season. Well they started the next season 0-3 and 1-7 and all those wins did was make them lose out on Seth Jones. Meanwhile the culture of losing in Colorado netted them Mackinnon and a division title the next season.

Talents wins cups. The best talent is at the top of the draft. You have to go back to the 1994 Rangers to find a team besides Detroit to win the cup without multiple top 10 picks in 6 years prior to winning the cup. And the only reason Detroit won without them is because they were way ahead of the curve in scouting Russian and Sweden so unless the Flyers discover a hidden hotbed for hockey in that no one else has, they aren't winning a cup without top picks.

There are a couple every season, from what I see, teams that have bought in completely to what their coach is selling. Calgary tried hard damn near every game they played that I watched last season, and their beats said the same thing.

But realistically, all teams have varying amounts of trouble putting together 60 good minutes.
- AllInForFlyers

I think everyone buying into the system is huge. LA does it, NJ did it when they went to the Cup Final in 2012, Chicago does it. The Flyers seem to not be quite on the same page. Whether that's coaching, leadership, roster makeup, etc., I'm not sure. Most likely it's a combination of all of them.

Laughton had his moments, but Bellemare beat him out.
- Feanor

You also have to think Hextall wanted him playing more minutes in Allentown. I think if Vinny was moved in the offseason Laughton would have been the third line center. They had an option for the 4th line and could allow Laughton some time in allentown

These reports that the Flyers were being stoned by some 18 year old kid in shootout practice has to be false right?
- PLindbergh31

We'll his dad was a conn Smythe / vezina winning goalie.

the whole "60 minute game" complaint has always been infuriating

no team does this
- Crimsoninja

x60

x60
- -davies-

You rewatching the Montreal game this afternoon?

If, when things shake out, the Flyers prove to be in the lottery scene, then I'd be fine with trading off some players for futures. I sincerely hope they don't share the McDavid/Eichel mentality right now, though.
- BulliesPhan87

But they might risk not throwing away valuable points right now. What if they are accidentally good and we don't get McEichel??? What if L Schenn steps up and we miss our chance at trading low on him???

What's the Flyers culture now? They play hard one period and sink back the other. They beat the best teams in the league one week and can't beat the devils the next. This has been going on for 3 years. How many times have the said if only we could put together a 60 minute effort? It might not be a culture of losing but its a culture of mediocrity which is way worst.

In 2013 when they won all those meaningless games at the end, all's you heard was that it was important to build a culture of winning and it would carry over the next season. Well they started the next season 0-3 and 1-7 and all those wins did was make them lose out on Seth Jones. Meanwhile the culture of losing in Colorado netted them Mackinnon and a division title the next season.

Talents wins cups. The best talent is at the top of the draft. You have to go back to the 1994 Rangers to find a team besides Detroit to win the cup without multiple top 10 picks in 6 years prior to winning the cup. And the only reason Detroit won without them is because they were way ahead of the curve in scouting Russian and Sweden so unless the Flyers discover a hidden hotbed for hockey in that no one else has, they aren't winning a cup without top picks.
- psuhockey

Are they counting Boston in that? Because the only way they qualify is if you count Dougie Hamilton along with Tyler Seguin, and he wasn't active for that Cup run

And wait a minute -- the Kings don't fit that, either -- Drew Doughty is the only top 10 pick of theirs on the roster

But they might risk not throwing away valuable points right now. What if they are accidentally good and we don't get McEichel??? What if L Schenn steps up and we miss our chance at trading low on him???
- funmaster18

please take off your gear and stop stinking up the thread