They need another puck carrying playmaker at forward. Preferably a LW.
- MJL

Agreed.

But...I don't like G - Couts - Laughton down the middle. Might be in the minority, but I want a more offensive 2nd line center, which makes Laughton a good trade chip for that LW or Center in my opinion.

just remember Flyer fans, the sun will come up tomorrow or in a few years

Is it me or has this defense played better without Coburn and MacDonald?? I think this team defeintely needed new faces on the back end and as soon as an old face returned.... Poor play followed.

Remember when we all thought the Umberger for Hartnell trade was going to be close to a lateral transaction. I was right there thinking the defensive ability, coupled with the discipline, and maybe 60-65% of the offensive production would be near a wash.
Fun times indeed.
- PLindbergh31

Ahh, Good times.....good times...

Agreed.

But...I don't like G - Couts - Laughton down the middle. Might be in the minority, but I want a more offensive 2nd line center, which makes Laughton a good trade chip for that LW or Center in my opinion.
- TheGreat28

I honestly cant see Laughton ever being more than a 3C and Couts ever becoming a consistant scoring threat.

Is it me or has this defense played better without Coburn and MacDonald?? I think this team defeintely needed new faces on the back end and as soon as an old face returned.... Poor play followed.
- GOA88

Coburn hasn't really looked like himself since preseason. He's probably missing Kimmo more than anyone.

It kind of goes back to our conversation a few weeks ago. The Flyers just don't have enough creative offensive talent. Sure, they have guys like Simmonds, Schenn and Couturier who could put up decent points. But they need more skill, preferably in one winger and one center.

I see the top 9 in 2 years as:

Winger X - Giroux - Vorachek
Raffl/Aube-Kubel - Center X - Simmonds
Schenn - Couturier - Read

I would look to draft one of the two open positions, and trade a combination of Laughton & Coburn to get the other one. You know who I want in the draft - Strome. So trading for a LW sometime this year or next would be ideal. Then just let the D prospects grow into the role.

The next year and a half would be rough with this plan. But after that they could be strong.

Obviously the key is getting rid of Umberger and Vinnie. Flyers best hope on Vinnie might be that he has enough and retires.
- TheGreat28

They need to stay the course with the kids, and they need to do a better job optimizing what they have on hand now. It's at all levels.

They absolutely could use another good, reliable forward who can carry the puck and make plays. They could use a guy like Manny Malhotra, who can win faceoffs, help the PK and give Berube another option to lessen the load on Couturier without increasing it on Giroux.

At the same time, most of Berube's lines have been unable to find anything approaching consistency this season, and outside of the Giroux-Voracek line, I don't feel he's done a good job in optimizing what he has on hand.

Again, he hasn't been dealt a great hand, but he's not playing it well.

The defense is a bigger problem than Umberger and Vinny. Last 9 games at ES:

Coburn 42-49 = 0.462
Colaiacovo 58-57 = 0.504
Del Zotto 173-184 = 0.485
Gostisbehere 16-28 = 0.364
Grossmann 104-153 = 0.405
Manning 10-21 = 0.323
Schenn, L 93-106 = 0.467
Schultz 115-145 = 0.442
Streit 156-156 = 0.5

Is it me or has this defense played better without Coburn and MacDonald?? I think this team defeintely needed new faces on the back end and as soon as an old face returned.... Poor play followed.
- GOA88

what this blueline needs is Oliver Ekman-Lauridsen

- Tomahawk

He's catching fire.

Too bad it's a Viking Funeral

Is it me or has this defense played better without Coburn and MacDonald?? I think this team defeintely needed new faces on the back end and as soon as an old face returned.... Poor play followed.
- GOA88

Nope. Look at Grossmann and Schultz's numbers since they took on tougher minutes. They are not good at all.

He's catching fire.

Too bad it's a Viking Funeral
- Jsaquella

Agreed.

But...I don't like G - Couts - Laughton down the middle. Might be in the minority, but I want a more offensive 2nd line center, which makes Laughton a good trade chip for that LW or Center in my opinion.
- TheGreat28

I love that future down the middle. Couturier already scored at a 2nd line level at ES last season. When you consider his deployment and the prohibitive situations he plays in, to scoring, pretty strong.

The defense is a bigger problem than Umberger and Vinny. Last 9 games at ES:

Coburn 42-49 = 0.462
Colaiacovo 58-57 = 0.504
Del Zotto 173-184 = 0.485
Gostisbehere 16-28 = 0.364
Grossmann 104-153 = 0.405
Manning 10-21 = 0.323
Schenn, L 93-106 = 0.467
Schultz 115-145 = 0.442
Streit 156-156 = 0.5
- Feanor

Sad thing is, Colie's probably the first guy getting benched when AMac comes back.

They need to stay the course with the kids, and they need to do a better job optimizing what they have on hand now. It's at all levels.

They absolutely could use another good, reliable forward who can carry the puck and make plays. They could use a guy like Manny Malhotra, who can win faceoffs, help the PK and give Berube another option to lessen the load on Couturier without increasing it on Giroux.

At the same time, most of Berube's lines have been unable to find anything approaching consistency this season, and outside of the Giroux-Voracek line, I don't feel he's done a good job in optimizing what he has on hand.

Again, he hasn't been dealt a great hand, but he's not playing it well.
- Jsaquella

Any blame on the players? He has two LW capable of producing offense, and one of them is hurt. He tried moving Read to LW, he requested to be moved back to the right side. He tried Simmonds at LW, he doesn't look comfortable. He doesn't have the playmaker he needs for the Lecavalier line, without breaking up Giroux and Voracek, who have been dynamic together and have been carrying the team. Akeson has not done the job when moved up. He's had to play Vandevelde on higher lines ina few games. Players such as Read and Simmonds have been slumping Getting nothing out of Umberger offensively. By all means, when looking at the roster and difficulty and how the players all fit, blame the coach for not playing it well. Ridiculous.

At GM meetings i talk to teams that need d help and look at what possibly Coburn could bring back. I know what he does for this team but i also know this team isn't a cup contender. If i could get a solid winger to play with Couturier line I would really have to think about making the deal. Would Dallas move Nichushkin for Coburn and 3rd rounder? I don't know but I think he could be an asset to bring in some value.
- J35Bacher

Your expectations are unrealistic. Coburn may bring back a late first rounder. Dallas isn't going to trade a player with future star potential for a top4 dman who is a FA in 1.5 years

The defense is a bigger problem than Umberger and Vinny. Last 9 games at ES:

Coburn 42-49 = 0.462
Colaiacovo 58-57 = 0.504
Del Zotto 173-184 = 0.485
Gostisbehere 16-28 = 0.364
Grossmann 104-153 = 0.405
Manning 10-21 = 0.323
Schenn, L 93-106 = 0.467
Schultz 115-145 = 0.442
Streit 156-156 = 0.5
- Feanor

Do you think the forwards have anything to do with those numbers?

Do you think the forwards have anything to do with those numbers?
- MJL

NONE....AT.....ALL! Our forwards don't play defense.

Your expectations are unrealistic. Coburn may bring back a late first rounder. Dallas isn't going to trade a player with future star potential for a top4 dman who is a FA in 1.5 years
- PhillySportsGuy

Isn't the kid out for 4 mos w/ hip problems?

Yup, if it was up to me Umberger would be a healthy scratch and VLC would be on the 4th line at ES
- BiggE

I'd do both of those things and not look back -- no one wants Umberger to play as poorly as he has, but he has and you can't just ignore that, game after game

Vinny can put up some points here and there, so he stays in the lineup, if it were me

Remember when we all thought the Umberger for Hartnell trade was going to be close to a lateral transaction. I was right there thinking the defensive ability, coupled with the discipline, and maybe 60-65% of the offensive production would be near a wash.
Fun times indeed.
- PLindbergh31

I, too, thought it would be a lateral move. But I can admit when I am wrong and know when to move on

Coburn has been god awful so far in the games he has played.

Its pretty obvious that we can win games without him.

NONE....AT.....ALL! Our forwards don't play defense.

- MBFlyerfan

Sadly, you kind of answered his question with both a "yes" and a "no."

Isn't the kid out for 4 mos w/ hip problems?
- Tomahawk

So, trade Ghost for a 3rd line winger and a 3rd rounder?

I'd do both of those things and not look back -- no one wants Umberger to play as poorly as he has, but he has and you can't just ignore that, game after game

Vinny can put up some points here and there, so he stays in the lineup, if it were me
- AllInForFlyers

Remember when we had a guy named Max Talbot? Another character guy who did his job well in a 3rd/4th line role. He made a cool 1.1 M and we made a horrific trade.
We could have had him ,then maybe Hextall would have thought twice about getting a return on Zombieburger and his4.6M to be that defensive forward.