You should never throw away a season but the Penguins 2009 Cup and the Hawk 2010 Cup is based on lottery picks. I personally felt entering this season that we were a bubble team to make the playoffs at best, with no shot of winning a Cup. If one lost season brings in an up and coming talent that puts us back on course, I can live with it. Giroux, Voracek and Simmonds seem to be ouronly sure pieces for production right now, which is a far cry from a team that featured us being strong at every position outside of goaltending.
- SuperSchennBros

Still gonna be a few years with an up and coming talent. Way I see it, some the so-called up and coming talents still have value, might be best to make the most of that value.

One move I wish they had explored more in the offseason was Nick Leddy. He went for prospects and while he will probably never be a top pairing defenseman he would be, imo, the 3rd best defenseman on the Flyers at the age of 23 and capable of playing in all situations.
- Flyers_01

Leddy is not an all situaitons defenseman. He's a puck moving offensive defenseman, who would probably be an upgrade over Del Zotto at this point. Adding Leddy wouldn't change a whole lot.

Yeah and how is it beneficial? You don't just move talented 20 year olds. Kid excels in his defensive game, which is hard to teach players, and he has tools to be a good second line center. Getting him scoring wingers will help.
- J35Bacher

Yea, it's not beneficial. It's ridiculous to think about trading Couturier because of how the Flyers have to use him right now. Right now, they need to compete better, and sure up the individual mistakes that are sinking the team right now.

As an RFA im wondering if MDZ has much trade value. He had his choice of where he wanted to go in the offseason. I'm sure he shot a few destinations down. I wonder if Carolina would give up a pick for him.

Couturier had 2 offensive zone starts last night. But that doesn't really change the point of how he is used. But I think trading him because of that is silly. Right now, the way the team is playing defensively, the coach doesn't have much of a choice. Obviously the Giroux line should see a lot of offensive zone starts. And Giroux is the only other center that Berube trusts to take a D zone draw. And the other lines need to be put in sheltered starts.
- MJL

There is always a choice. Couts may be the best for that job to try to win games in Oct. 2014 but it may hinder the long term role they project for him in years to come.

If Couts is your #2 center then you need to find someone else for the shutdown role, even if that person isn't as good as him.

Leddy is not an all situaitons defenseman. He's a puck moving offensive defenseman, who would probably be an upgrade over Del Zotto at this point. Adding Leddy wouldn't change a whole lot.
- MJL

Agreed. Leddy is not too reliable in his own zone

I think Murray would be horrible with this group. Honestly, they really do need someone with a system more like Lavi's.
- TheGreat28

A team that plays are poorly as this team does defensively currently, would be a disaster playing under a system more like Laviolette's. Not to mention that they still don't have the defense to play it.

Still gonna be a few years with an up and coming talent. Way I see it, some the so-called up and coming talents still have value, might be best to make the most of that value.
- JoeRussomanno

Using that logic, the best move for the Flyers would have been to trade Giroux after his disastrous start to the 08/09 season, while he "still had value." I'd rather wait, let those guys try to develop, and not throw them away for more veteran/expensive players.

I think Murray would be horrible with this group. Honestly, they really do need someone with a system more like Lavi's.
- TheGreat28

A team that plays are poorly as this team does defensively currently, would be a disaster playing under a system more like Laviolette's. Not to mention that they still don't have the defense to play it.

Schenn played his way off the first line. His (lack of) speed hinders his forechecking ability and he isn't big enough or consistently solid enough with the puck to keep possession.
- aflyerpower8

Sad but true.

If Raffl's finishing ability isn't good enough for the first line, why not try Bellemare?

I will ask a question I have been asking because I thought this d was WELL below average WITH Timonen and Coburn. What would the harm be in giving Ghost experience and letting him play? I understand the "don't ruin his confidence" thing but who the hell is a better alternative playing out there, Schultz? I don't think so. Patience is needed, but it needs to be balanced with experience. Throw Ghost a few minutes per game just to let him see what the pace is like at the NHL level. I like Hextall's overall plan of patience, but in this case he should make an exception. Playing him every couple of games can't harm him. Plus, it would be nice to see a dman who doesn't look like he is skating in mud. They are PAINFULLY slow on d. Tonight could once again get ugly.

A team that plays are poorly as this team does defensively currently, would be a disaster playing under a system more like Laviolette's. Not to mention that they still don't have the defense to play it.
- MJL

Agreed. Lavi's up-tempo push approach might yield a few more goals for, but they'd be giving up even more goals that they currently do. The system worked with the roster in 09/10, but would be a disaster with this group.

Sad but true.

If Raffl's finishing ability isn't good enough for the first line, why not try Bellemare?
- Feanor

I'd be down with that.

Still would also like to see Giroux and Simmonds together. Then maybe Coots and Voracek. Or Schenn and Voracek

I will ask a question I have been asking when I thought this d was WELL below average WITH Timonen and Coburn, what would the harm be in giving Ghost experience and letting him play? I understand the "don't ruin his confidence" thing but who the hell is a better alternative playing out there, Schultz? I don't think so. Patience is needed, but it needs to be balanced with experience. Throw Ghost a few minutes per game just to let him see what the pace is like at the NHL level. I like Hextall's overall plan of patience, but in this case he should make an exception. Playing him every couple of games can't harm him. Plus, it would be nice to see a dman who doesn't look like he is skating in mud. They are PAINFULLY slow on d. Tonight could once again get ugly.
- CupOnBroadSt.

He has some fairly big flaws in his game. The reason to keep him in the AHL is so that he can work on those areas of his game while continuing to produce offensively at the pro level. If you put him into the NHL, where the players are a step above the AHL, he'll have to sacrifice all of those offensive skills just to not be a defensive liability on every shift. The hope is that he can evolve his game to fit the pro AHL level, and once he's done that, he can do the same at a pro level. The best way to climb a ladder is one step at a time. If you try jumping up 2 steps, you may fall off.

I will ask a question I have been asking because I thought this d was WELL below average WITH Timonen and Coburn. What would the harm be in giving Ghost experience and letting him play? I understand the "don't ruin his confidence" thing but who the hell is a better alternative playing out there, Schultz? I don't think so. Patience is needed, but it needs to be balanced with experience. Throw Ghost a few minutes per game just to let him see what the pace is like at the NHL level. I like Hextall's overall plan of patience, but in this case he should make an exception. Playing him every couple of games can't harm him. Plus, it would be nice to see a dman who doesn't look like he is skating in mud. They are PAINFULLY slow on d. Tonight could once again get ugly.
- CupOnBroadSt.

I think you will see Ghost and maybe some more prospects but after the TDL. Right now it is early and letting the kids play in the AHL where they get heavy minutes and learn to be pro's is best. At the TDL if we can move some players then we could see some of the kids up getting expereince for next year. Right now it is just too early.

I've said it once and I'm gonna say it again:

Why is the Lehigh Valley Phantoms website just awful?

The most recent content on the "News" page is from April 2014.

They rarely have any actual content available to viewers and it's an impressive labyrinth of links to buy tickets to a game.

It also just doesn't look very good. Hopefully that is temporary.

If anyone in this forum made the Phantoms official site, I apologize, but you didn't do a very good job

It's true. If this is how they are going to handle Coots than it's much more beneficial to the team to move him for a legit D man and give Laughton that assignment.

Berube is really infuriating me by how he's handled Coots.
- hereticpride

If he is infuriating you by how he's handled Couturier, then it's not being looked at clearly. The Couturier line is the only real option the coach has available to him that can be trusted with defensive zone draws. It's that simple. If they want to have any prayer of winning games, then that is how it needs to be done to have any chance, with the way this team plays defensively. The coach doesn't have a legitimate top defense pair to put out for defensive zone draws against top lines, nor does he have any other line that can be trusted defensively. So the coach get's criticized for using Couturier heavily for D zone draws. That's mind boggling.

As an RFA im wondering if MDZ has much trade value. He had his choice of where he wanted to go in the offseason. I'm sure he shot a few destinations down. I wonder if Carolina would give up a pick for him.
- hereticpride

A team going into the playoffs and wants some insurance on the backend could maybe send a pick. Carolina wants their picks so no to them but maybe a team that loses some offensive on the back end

As an RFA im wondering if MDZ has much trade value. He had his choice of where he wanted to go in the offseason. I'm sure he shot a few destinations down. I wonder if Carolina would give up a pick for him.
- hereticpride

A team going into the playoffs and wants some insurance on the backend could maybe send a pick. Carolina wants their picks so no to them but maybe a team that loses some offensive on the back end

He has some fairly big flaws in his game. The reason to keep him in the AHL is so that he can work on those areas of his game while continuing to produce offensively at the pro level. If you put him into the NHL, where the players are a step above the AHL, he'll have to sacrifice all of those offensive skills just to not be a defensive liability on every shift. The hope is that he can evolve his game to fit the pro AHL level, and once he's done that, he can do the same at a pro level. The best way to climb a ladder is one step at a time. If you try jumping up 2 steps, you may fall off.
- jmatchett383

As a sixth defenseman getting MAYBE 10 minutes a game? We could do worse. Put him with one of their stay at home d men and see what he could do. This team is nowhere near playoff caliber anyway.

is the game tonight 730 or 800? ive seen a lot of different things.

As a sixth defenseman getting MAYBE 10 minutes a game? We could do worse. Put him with one of their stay at home d men and see what he could do. This team is nowhere near playoff caliber anyway.
- CupOnBroadSt.

I prefer he play closer to 15-17 minutes in the AHL compared to the 1o or less. Also he gets PP and high pressuer situations in the AHL he wouldn't get here

If he is infuriating you by how he's handled Couturier, then it's not being looked at clearly. The Couturier line is the only real option the coach has available to him that can be trusted with defensive zone draws. It's that simple. If they want to have any prayer of winning games, then that is how it needs to be done to have any chance, with the way this team plays defensively. The coach doesn't have a legitimate top defense pair to put out for defensive zone draws against top lines, nor does he have any other line that can be trusted defensively. So the coach get's criticized for using Couturier heavily for D zone draws. That's mind boggling.
- MJL

Boy... That Holmgren really left a stocked pantry didn't he?

is the game tonight 730 or 800? ive seen a lot of different things.
- stayinthefnnet

8PM. The Flyers will start playing about 9:15 or so.

Using that logic, the best move for the Flyers would have been to trade Giroux after his disastrous start to the 08/09 season, while he "still had value." I'd rather wait, let those guys try to develop, and not throw them away for more veteran/expensive players.
- jmatchett383

Would we have gotten weber?