I'd say that Emery, as a backup, most nights will give the team a chance to win. But Mason is capable of that, and far more. He can win a game for you, and keep you in a game that you shouldn't be in. Flyers had no business being even close in that Rangers game. Emery can do that on occasion, but not as much as Mason can.
- MJL

Agreed 100%! Emery is capable of coming up short but this expectation he'll always come up short is short sited. The lateral moment thing is sometimes over used. I don't think we would have lost 7-0 nothing with Emery in net. Most people don't know it but the Rangers are very inconsistent this year.

I don't really see that...the only concern I have with Grossmann is when he's playing hurt and his game suffers (or not playing while hurt). I thnk his gap control and positioning aren't bad...often better than our other DD men, Coby and L Schenn imo.
- exlund

Out of all the Flyers defenseman, he is the least talented. But yet he is the best in reading plays, and in positioning. And the best defensive player in terms of D zone coverage on the team. Rarely out of position. His limitations are obviously his skating and puck skills.

Agreed 100%! Emery is capable of coming up short but this expectation he'll always come up short is short sited. The lateral moment thing is sometimes over used. I don't think we would have lost 7-0 nothing with Emery in net. Most people don't know it but the Rangers are very inconsistent this year.
- SuperSchennBros

I think his lateral movement is an issue. But I have no problems with him as a back up. Emery is a warrior. And I look at it like the team defense should be eliminating those kinds of plays where the goalie has to flash side to side anyway. I don't blame a goalie when a puck gets by him that he didn't have much of a chance on. I just want Emery to make the saves he should make. He does that for the most part.

Out of all the Flyers defenseman, he is the least talented. But yet he is the best in reading plays, and in positioning. And the best defensive player in terms of D zone coverage on the team. Rarely out of position. His limitations are obviously his skating and puck skills.
- MJL

I think this should be put into consideration when speaking in terms of skill regarding a defensemen. Coburn can skate and all but look at the bone head plays he makes and lapses in coverage.

I think his lateral movement is an issue. But I have no problems with him as a back up. Emery is a warrior. And I look at it like the team defense should be eliminating those kinds of plays where the goalie has to flash side to side anyway. I don't blame a goalie when a puck gets by him that he didn't have much of a chance on. I just want Emery to make the saves he should make. He does that for the most part.
- MJL

Step by step, I agree with you so far word for word.

Now my question in short is, do you feel like Mason has been at his best? Like he's stolen us a game, rather then just keep us in games? Do you feel like he's playing among one of the best starters in the league?

Step by step, I agree with you so far word for word.

Now my question in short is, do you feel like Mason has been at his best? Like he's stolen us a game, rather then just keep us in games? Do you feel like he's playing among one of the best starters in the league?
- SuperSchennBros

He could have stole a few games but the offense wasnt there...
I dont think he has been at his best but maybe a few games but he is getting better and better.
Last 5 games:
S%
.923
.895
.923
.971
.972

I think this should be put into consideration when speaking in terms of skill regarding a defensemen. Coburn can skate and all but look at the bone head plays he makes and lapses in coverage.
- GOA88

I'm not in agreement with you on Coburn as a player. I think he is much better then most give him credit for. Like any non #1 defenseman, he is capable of getting into periods of subpar play. Sometime injuries will trigger that. But more times then not, he's a very strong physical mobile defenseman. And is the kind of player that when he's gone, you didn't realize how much the team would miss him.

Step by step, I agree with you so far word for word.

Now my question in short is, do you feel like Mason has been at his best? Like he's stolen us a game, rather then just keep us in games? Do you feel like he's playing among one of the best starters in the league?
- SuperSchennBros

Mason is not among the elite. But after that, as good as anybody. I think he's a really good starting goaltender. That the Flyers can win with.

I'm not in agreement with you on Coburn as a player. I think he is much better then most give him credit for. Like any non #1 defenseman, he is capable of getting into periods of subpar play. Sometime injuries will trigger that. But more times then not, he's a very strong physical mobile defenseman. And is the kind of player that when he's gone, you didn't realize how much the team would miss him.
- MJL

I thought we would miss him but the team has played better without him.... Things can change as the season goes on but so far the team has not missed him.
He's sitting at -3 and has been on the ice for like 8 ppg in the last few games because of failed clears and losing his man. Also the Flyers have 6 of their 7 wins without him in the lineup. This isnt blind bashing... these are facts

I'm not in agreement with you on Coburn as a player. I think he is much better then most give him credit for. Like any non #1 defenseman, he is capable of getting into periods of subpar play. Sometime injuries will trigger that. But more times then not, he's a very strong physical mobile defenseman. And is the kind of player that when he's gone, you didn't realize how much the team would miss him.
- MJL

Coburn can play a solid game, be physical, make nice reads, move the puck fairly well all game long. But once that one bouncing puck eludes him or he makes an errant pass, the Coburn haters come out in full force.

Coburn can play a solid game, be physical, make nice reads, move the puck fairly well all game long. But once that one bouncing puck eludes him or he makes an errant pass, the Coburn haters come out in full force.
- jmatchett383

Let's be a little more realistic here...

Let's be a little more realistic here...
- WarriorHockey21

I'm sorry. Let me rephrase:

Braydon Coburn is not Bobby Orr, Larry Robinson, or Shea Weber.

Therefore, he's terrible.

I'm sorry. Let me rephrase:

Braydon Coburn is not Bobby Orr, Larry Robinson, or Shea Weber.

Therefore, he's terrible.
- jmatchett383

I dont think he's terrible. I just think Flyers should move on from him in the future. Build a new core, get some new faces in here. I think Coburn needs a fresh start somewhere else.

What are the skills and value that you think Read brings to the lineup? And do you think having both Read and Raffl in the lineup is better then just having Raffl?
- MJL

Read is a solid two way forward, can kill pk's, good speed 28 year old forward. Yes he provides some nice things. But if I am out of the playoffs and Read can get me a prospect or high picks why not make that deal. Raffl is emerging to be able to do things Read can.

Yes he is a nice player. But he doesn't stop me from trying to make this team better.

Coburn can play a solid game, be physical, make nice reads, move the puck fairly well all game long. But once that one bouncing puck eludes him or he makes an errant pass, the Coburn haters come out in full force.
- jmatchett383

He does a lot of unnoticeable things that really help the team. He forces dump ins and stands people up at the blue line better than any defenseman on the roster.

I thought we would miss him but the team has played better without him.... Things can change as the season goes on but so far the team has not missed him.
He's sitting at -3 and has been on the ice for like 8 ppg in the last few games because of failed clears and losing his man. Also the Flyers have 6 of their 7 wins without him in the lineup. This isnt blind bashing... these are facts
- GOA88

I don't think that the team played better because he wasn't in the lineup. They are facts, but it's not a fact that those results are due to Coburn not being in the lineup. The PK failures are on a number of players, not just Coburn.

Read is a solid two way forward, can kill pk's, good speed 28 year old forward. Yes he provides some nice things. But if I am out of the playoffs and Read can get me a prospect or high picks why not make that deal. Raffl is emerging to be able to do things Read can.

Yes he is a nice player. But he doesn't stop me from trying to make this team better.
- J35Bacher

Yea, Read is ok. But he is not a top 6 forward and therefore is not a lock on this team. I dont say just dump him but if the right deal is there and it makes us better you have to pull the trigger.

Coburn can play a solid game, be physical, make nice reads, move the puck fairly well all game long. But once that one bouncing puck eludes him or he makes an errant pass, the Coburn haters come out in full force.
- jmatchett383

All the recent talk of trading Coburn and Read is just due to reactionary faction of the fanbase looking at a small slice of games, rather then the big picture.

Read is a solid two way forward, can kill pk's, good speed 28 year old forward. Yes he provides some nice things. But if I am out of the playoffs and Read can get me a prospect or high picks why not make that deal. Raffl is emerging to be able to do things Read can.

Yes he is a nice player. But he doesn't stop me from trying to make this team better.
- J35Bacher

That's drastically uderselling what Read can do, and has done for the team. And I don't know that Raffl can do what Read does. And I really don't get this"player A can replace player B, so let's trade player A. Well then somebody has to replace player A in the role he was in. It has a chain effect on the team, an affects depth.

I don't think that the team played better because he wasn't in the lineup. They are facts, but it's not a fact that those results are due to Coburn not being in the lineup. The PK failures are on a number of players, not just Coburn.
- MJL

No its not all his fault. I just dont think we need him. I think the other D-men have played well enough (considering what we have) to justify trading Coburn for other needs. I mean Coburn was outplayed in pre-season by rookies.... So he isnt some stud. He has qualities that are better than some of our D-men but others also have qualities better than some of his and have filled in just fine in his absence.

Yea, Read is ok. But he is not a top 6 forward and therefore is not a lock on this team. I dont say just dump him but if the right deal is there and it makes us better you have to pull the trigger.
- GOA88

What makes Read "not a top 6 forward"?

All the recent talk of trading Coburn and Read is just due to reactionary faction of the fanbase looking at a small slice of games, rather then the big picture.
- MJL

It's the same thing as Matt Carle, although Coburn is more physical and less offensively gifted. The guy will play a really good, solid game, and then there's 1-2 glitches and out come the pitch forks. If you play the hard minutes against the better players, then there's more of a chance that you will get beat, and when you do get beat there's a better chance it's a goal against, so it stands out brightly. People expected too much of Carle, and expect too much of Coburn.

No its not all his fault. I just dont think we need him. I think the other D-men have played well enough (considering what we have) to justify trading Coburn for other needs. I mean Coburn was outplayed in pre-season by rookies.... So he isnt some stud. He has qualities that are better than some of our D-men but other also have qualities better than him and have filled in just fine in his absence.
- GOA88

How did Nick Schultz look in the pre season? Spare me the pre season stuff. That's irrelevant. I disagree completely with saying we don't need him. Big mobile, physical quality defenseman don't grow on trees. And the team was not just without him.

All the recent talk of trading Coburn and Read is just due to reactionary faction of the fanbase looking at a small slice of games, rather then the big picture.
- MJL

No. My talk of trading them is because I don't feel this team is good enough and I see them as assets that could help make our team better. They could bring prospects or picks that help build this team as the prospects start joining the big club.

What makes Read "not a top 6 forward"?
- MJL

2g 5a in 18 games.

He's a solid player but he is not someone I consider a real scoring threat. His best attribute is defense.