Mase was incredible and did steal a point.

PK was better.

Very good on faceoffs.

That's about it for the positives.

I actually thought the first PP unit was going to score in the 3rd until Clusterfck embellished that high stick call.

I could actually get behind this Isles team, except I hate Clusterfck.
21 and 91 are quite the dynamic pair.
- Marc D

Yeah, the only knock I've had on Mason until yesterday is that I didn't want him to be the first goalie to crack in a tight game. He didn't. As good as he was in New York last week, he was even better last night. He absolutely stole a point for us.

The Islanders are a good team, so you have to be somewhat pleased with the results defensively. Coburn shadowed Tavares all night, showing me why he would be considered our best defenseman. I feel the seven defensemen look makes us better right now until we upgrade over guys like Vandevelde and Akeson.

On the flipside, it's like they create new problems to not win games. We've seen them have issues clearing the puck but not like last night. Penalties. Sheesh, they played hard and were in it but still like that slowed down progression.

You're averaging about 3 Coburn proposals a day.
- MJL

Yes.


That is what puplic forums are for. To create discussion

Yes.


That is what puplic forums are for. To create discussion
- J35Bacher

Absolutely. But just not sure what the motivation is. If proposal after proposal is made, it just seems as though you just want to trade him. Trading him just to trade him doesn't make sense. I'd trade any player if the deal makes the team better. But I personally would not be looking to trade Coburn. I see him as part of the veteran D core going forward along with MacDonald. Need some veterans to play with the young kids when they get here.

They are just missing so many pieces that are needed to be a contender. Basically, its:

Raffl-G-Jake
Schenn-??-Simmonds
??-Couturier-Read
Rinaldo-Laughton-Bellemare

??-??
MDZ-Coburn
Streit-Grossmann

Mason
Emery

Until they fill the ??s they aren't going anywhere.
- BiggE

That's a lot of ?'s . Unfortunately you are correct. I would even challenge the fact that Raffl is considered a #1 LW. Laughton, Raffl, and Bellemare would be a good 3rd line. I noticed you have the " Vinny burger" missing from your combinations which ultimately they have to be rid of. Let's see if Hextall does anything.

Yes.


That is what puplic forums are for. To create discussion
- J35Bacher

Why trade Coburn? He's picking up steam after his injury and he's now become a difference maker in two straight games.

Why trade Coburn? He's picking up steam after his injury and he's now become a difference maker in two straight games.
- SuperSchennBros

I think Coburn is ultimately out of the big picture for this defense going down the road. If that is the case, it makes sense to get more for him now than less for him later.

They are just missing so many pieces that are needed to be a contender. Basically, its:

Raffl-G-Jake
Leier-Schenn-Simmonds
Cousins-Couturier-Read
Rinaldo-Laughton-Bellemare

Ghost-Morin
MDZ-Coburn
Streit-Grossmann
7th D man AMac

Mason
Emery

Until they fill the ??s they aren't going anywhere.
- BiggE

FTFY...unfortunately we have to wait a year...

You know it. The Gagne Rant had tangent_ma'am shaking her head for 6 months. She still shudders whenever I say 'Jsaq'.
- tangent_man

A shame this wasn't recorded, you know for history.

That's a lot of ?'s . Unfortunately you are correct. I would even challenge the fact that Raffl is considered a #1 LW. Laughton, Raffl, and Bellemare would be a good 3rd line. I noticed you have the " Vinny burger" missing from your combinations which ultimately they have to be rid of. Let's see if Hextall does anything.
- 3flyerkids

I'm gonna make an unpopular comment. There are a lot of guys who need to step up. Most notably Lecavalier and Umberger, who I feel have look better with Laughton in between them. With this said, Bellemare has shown me that he's good enough to play every night but hasn't shown me that he's good enough to take on a significant role yet. Could he be a third line shutdown center? I think that's a huge maybe. He skates well, he works hard but like everyone else not on the top line, he's not giving much offensively. I don't see a lot of physical strength on him either. So we'll see if anything changes moving forward.

As for Raffl. He very well might belong on the top line but I'd make him wait his turn in his return, just so he can get him timing back on lower lines. Coburn, MacDonald, Schenn and Lecavalier all had sluggish returns from injury. I add Lecavalier to this mix because he had a good start.

A shame this wasn't recorded, you know for history.
- ob18

Not sure posterity could handle it.

Not sure posterity could handle it.
- tangent_man

We will never know

I think Coburn is ultimately out of the big picture for this defense going down the road. If that is the case, it makes sense to get more for him now than less for him later.
- kcm57

I don't. He's like 29 and the best we've got.

I don't. He's like 29 and the best we've got.
- SuperSchennBros

Agree, and if you do want to move him, now is not the time, he and others are TDL moves to maximize return...mid-season trades are desperation moves IMO, this team is not close, so there is no rush to trade from a weak position...

Agree, and if you do want to move him, now is not the time, he and others are TDL moves to maximize return...mid-season trades are desperation moves IMO, this team is not close, so there is no rush to trade from a weak position...
- JW98FlyerFan

By now I didn't necessarily mean right now. The TDL would definitely provide a larger return. Sorry I didn't clarify. If you can get a second rounder and a decent prospect or maybe even a late first rounder, that's a move you make. It's also possible to package him with a player like Read for an impact LW.

FTFY...unfortunately we have to wait a year...
- JW98FlyerFan

There's no way that in 15-16 Leier will be ready to be a 2nd line LW and there's even less of a chance that Ghost, Morin or any of their D prospects will be ready to play on their top pairing that soon.

I don't. He's like 29 and the best we've got.
- SuperSchennBros

agreed

wait until someone is desperate and unload macdonald

FTFY...unfortunately we have to wait a year...
- JW98FlyerFan

Leier, Raffl, Cousins as our Top 9 left wingers would be a sad sight. These guys are optimally bottom 6 players, especially Cousins and Leier. There will be other moves of course. If the Flyers filled the holes after the 2006-07 season with only prospects, their 2007-08 team would have looked something like

Gagne-Richards-Knuble
Kapanen-Carter-Upshall
Ellison-Umberger-Ruzicka
Greentree-Potulny-Downie

Hatcher-Jones
Kukkonen-Coburn
Picard-Guenin

Biron
Niittymaki

but instead they added Timonen, Hartnell, Briere and Lupul to fill most of the holes.

Absolutely. But just not sure what the motivation is. If proposal after proposal is made, it just seems as though you just want to trade him. Trading him just to trade him doesn't make sense. I'd trade any player if the deal makes the team better. But I personally would not be looking to trade Coburn. I see him as part of the veteran D core going forward along with MacDonald. Need some veterans to play with the young kids when they get here.
- MJL

The motivation is to make the team better.

If you want a vet on D you still have Streit and MacDonald. You could even still have Grossmann and Schenn and Del Zotto.

For this team moving forward i think his value could be best in a trade to a playoff team. Get a 1st rounder and prospect or legit scoring winger.

Does Hextall believe this current team can make the playoffs?
I can't see how he can. I also can't see him telling Mr Snider that he does want to be patient and that may mean a couple years of no playoff appearances.
He doesn't have to throw away draft picks or young talent but he can make SMART trades to improve this team and make them more competitive.
Mason was the main reason that game was close. As soon as the top line is shut down, so is this team.

Why trade Coburn? He's picking up steam after his injury and he's now become a difference maker in two straight games.
- SuperSchennBros

Whatever. Im drunk on Federal Donuts. Trade nobody!

Does Hextall believe this current team can make the playoffs?
I can't see how he can. I also can't see him telling Mr Snider that he does want to be patient and that may mean a couple years of no playoff appearances.
He doesn't have to throw away draft picks or young talent but he can make SMART trades to improve this team and make them more competitive.
Mason was the main reason that game was close. As soon as the top line is shut down, so is this team.
- 3flyerkids

It seems that Snider has bought into the patient approach that Hextall is using from things he has said and after seeing that was essentially how LA and Chicago built their team.

By now I didn't necessarily mean right now. The TDL would definitely provide a larger return. Sorry I didn't clarify. If you can get a second rounder and a decent prospect or maybe even a late first rounder, that's a move you make. It's also possible to package him with a player like Read for an impact LW.
- kcm57

I would not trade Coburn in full or in part for a LW. I also wouldn't trade him for a 2nd and a prospect, unless it was a dam good top prospect. Coburn is too valuable to the Flyers.

agreed

wait until someone is desperate and unload macdonald
- -davies-

I'm sure someone will call me a troll but that's genuinely not my intention here. That said...nobody on earth is trading for MacDonald and that contract.

The motivation is to make the team better.

If you want a vet on D you still have Streit and MacDonald. You could even still have Grossmann and Schenn and Del Zotto.

For this team moving forward i think his value could be best in a trade to a playoff team. Get a 1st rounder and prospect or legit scoring winger.
- J35Bacher

I don't share in your view that trading Coburn is a good move, or that they should trade him because you feel he would get a good return. Also wouldn't trade him for a scoring winger.

Does Hextall believe this current team can make the playoffs?
I can't see how he can. I also can't see him telling Mr Snider that he does want to be patient and that may mean a couple years of no playoff appearances.
He doesn't have to throw away draft picks or young talent but he can make SMART trades to improve this team and make them more competitive.
Mason was the main reason that game was close. As soon as the top line is shut down, so is this team.
- 3flyerkids

I believe that Hextall thinks this team can make the playoffs. And if he does, I agree with him.