Teams and players slump which i get..

Read, Couturier , Simmonds, the obvious 2, PEB are literally uslesss right now.

People sweat Couturier because of his defensive prowess yet right now even that has left him.

The problem i see is other than Rinaldo their is literally no grit on this team right now.. Simmonds can hit , fight or whatever but really isnt. I would almost rather have them call up and play Rosehill vs the cries for Akegretzky.. At least with rosehill and rinaldo out there you have two players that will go at it physically.

Something needs to change and at a certain point replacing coach after coach isnt the problem.
- opeth_pa

think I would look hard into Jordan Nolan right now. Big, physical 25 year old, fourth line center not getting playing time in LA.

Its getting tougher and tougher to root for this team. A few bright spots and three lines of passengers. It kinda seems like guys are 'checking out'. What makes me think that? 8 majors and less PIMs than 19 other teams. When the wheels were falling off last year, it wasn't until Emery let everyone know how much the team's performance was bothering him (much to the chagrin of Brayden Holtby) and what happened, a relatively passive veteran (VLC) follows suit and suddenly the flyers are caring again....I don't care that Vinny got hurt then, what I care about is him being passionate enough to say I'm a member of this team and we've got to end this funk....
A fight isn't the answer but that will to fight (both figuratively and literally) is where the positives are hidden. I don't think many flyers have that will and fighting spirit anymore. Would Vinny fight again and risk injury? Would Simmonds take a puck off the face and come back or just sit the rest of the night out? Would G mix it up with Crosby or Letang? Not so sure anymore....

If I'm the Chief I'm sending the message now....if you don't want to compete, you can watch. I'm sure there are a few hungry prospects that are willing to play above their capabilities. I'm sure a game or two at the NHL level will not harm a prospects' development. I'm sure the enthusiasm, energy and adrenaline of a first, second or third game with the big club would be enough to compensate for any potential 'rookie' mistakes while hopefully opening the eyes of the passengers assigned to the press box.

Winning is the most important thing at this level. But as a fan, if the coach is handcuffed by management, contracts, salary cap or whatever, I'd rather us lose with a group passionate guys on the ice than watch a signficant portion of the team just punch the clock and go out for a twirl to collect their check.

Berube can only use what he has. There has been some head scratching moves but I just don't see this team making playoffs. If they don't...do the Flyers offer huge$$$$ to Babcock? This would be an idea team for him to come to. Young promising D core along with a couple legit super stars.
- 3flyerkids

He can, and I've been pretty clear that Berube is not the only issue. I also must clearly state that I'm not calling for Berube to be fired at this juncture.

If Babcock or Todd McLellan got fired today, I'd consider it. But even then, I feel swapping Berube out would have minimal impact this year.

The coach is delusional if he thinks the issue is compete level.

These are things coaches say because it's one of the few things they can control.
- bradleyc4

I would say "the guy who is impersonating a head coach is delusional"
Why was Vinny out there on important PK?

I thought Simmonds played a great game last night. He was very physical and you could see his frustration at the end of the game when he smashed his stick.
Couturier and Read have been offensive disappointments IMO. Couturier is not a 2nd line Centre. I thought 17 49 12 played well and I would like too see them again tomorrow.
Something needs to change and more grit is definitely needed.
I hope Hextall is working from home this holiday and making lots of phone calls
- 3flyerkids

The only phone calls I want him making is whos willing to take umberger,vinny,grossman,macdonald,coburn off our hands for some picks and prospects. Throw a stick of dynomite in the sinking ship and let it go under and get ourselves a lottery pick.

He can, and I've been pretty clear that Berube is not the only issue. I also must clearly state that I'm not calling for Berube to be fired at this juncture.

If Babcock or Todd McLellan got fired today, I'd consider it. But even then, I feel swapping Berube out would have minimal impact this year.
- Jsaquella

Fred Shero would not be able to get much of this ill assembled group. You can't squeeze blood from the stone.

He can, and I've been pretty clear that Berube is not the only issue. I also must clearly state that I'm not calling for Berube to be fired at this juncture.

If Babcock or Todd McLellan got fired today, I'd consider it. But even then, I feel swapping Berube out would have minimal impact this year.
- Jsaquella

Berube is definitely not the only issue. I don't think he should be fired either, however if they don't make the playoffs ( prob won't) and Babcock is available... Does Hextall offer him the job? I think he would.

Berube is definitely not the only issue. I don't think he should be fired either, however if they don't make the playoffs ( prob won't) and Babcock is available... Does Hextall offer him the job? I think he would.
- 3flyerkids

I dont think a trained monkey could do anyworse then berube. I liked him as a player but I just dont think hes cut out for a head coach. He gets out matched a lot and sometimes makes bone head decisions. Lets some players sleep walk for games, actually whole season , for players like umberger, but sits akeson for a bone head play.

Berube is definitely not the only issue. I don't think he should be fired either, however if they don't make the playoffs ( prob won't) and Babcock is available... Does Hextall offer him the job? I think he would.
- 3flyerkids

I'd definitely fire Berube at the end of the season. I see zero reason to keep him.

Even if Babcock or McLellan is still employed by Detroit or San Jose, there's better coaches than Berube out there.

That said, if he's fired right now, the new coach is going to come in with a short term view-win now, and likely at the expense of the team's ability to develop kids and maybe at the cost of some valuable trade assets that can be dealt to add picks.

I hope Berube won't be fired three games into the next season..

3 points out of a tie for 3rd in the division yet 5th worst point total in the league. Better figure out which way you want this season to go ASAP

I'm not sure how I feel about a coaching change. At least not at this moment because I don't know how the players would feel about it. If you fire Berube during the season, you better hope the guy you bring in is a guy the players like and would bust their hump for.

I dont think a trained monkey could do anyworse then berube. I liked him as a player but I just dont think hes cut out for a head coach. He gets out matched a lot and sometimes makes bone head decisions. Lets some players sleep walk for games, actually whole season , for players like umberger, but sits akeson for a bone head play.
- jmdodgeser4

Yeah, I really don't get the RJ thing. It was Hextall's HORRIFIC trade for that Zombie.
Berube has continually gave him minutes..but theywere cut last night so that's good.
The D is too soft and this team seems to be always trailing.

I'd definitely fire Berube at the end of the season. I see zero reason to keep him.

Even if Babcock or McLellan is still employed by Detroit or San Jose, there's better coaches than Berube out there.

That said, if he's fired right now, the new coach is going to come in with a short term view-win now, and likely at the expense of the team's ability to develop kids and maybe at the cost of some valuable trade assets that can be dealt to add picks.
- Jsaquella

I don't think they fire him during season. Hextall has some tough decisions too make and I am sure he will be busy

I see Berube as the least of the problems right now..

You can't have 5-6 blackholes on your team, literally players that contribute nothing tangible be it a hit, defense or points and expect to compete.

1. What you have are two of the top players in the game in Jake and Giroux.
2. B. Schenn performing at a high level.
3. Mason playing solid
4. MDZ has been a nice surprise and Streit has been solid. Schultz has also been solid but when your 5-6 d man is a highlight of the season so far that is bad.
5. Rinaldo playing his game when he is on the ice.
6 PEB is a nice depth find for your 3 and 4th line.

Other than that you can't find a single player that is playing anywhere near to max capacity. Read, Couturier and Simmonds are the 3 biggest disappointments to me. Simmonds hasnt been as physical and both Read and Couturier are not producing offensively or defensively right now..

This mix of players is bad and short of your first line I would listen to offers for any of them right now if it makes the team better next year or the following years when the d prospects should be here.

I don't think they fire him during season. Hextall has some tough decisions too make and I am sure he will be busy
- 3flyerkids

If they fail to get more than a couple points over the next 6 games-which is entirely possible-Hextall might pull the plug.

The next six games are brutal. Rangers back to back. San Jose, Anaheim and LA out west and a stop in Columbus on the way home. 0-5-1 is not impossible.

I see Berube as the least of the problems right now..

You can't have 5-6 blackholes on your team, literally players that contribute nothing tangible be it a hit or points and expect to compete.

1. What you have are two of the top players in the game in Jake and Giroux.
2. B. Schenn performing at a high level.
3. Mason playing solid
4. MDZ has been a nice surprise and Streit has been solid. Schultz has also been solid but when your 5-6 d man is a highlight of the season so far that is bad.
5. Rinaldo playing his game when he is on the ice.
6 PEB is a nice depth find for your 3 and 4th line.

Other than that you can't find a single player that is playing anywhere near to max capacity. Read, Couturier and Simmonds are the 3 biggest disappointments to me. Simmonds hasnt been as physical and both Read and Couturier are not producing offensively or defensively right now..

This mix of players is bad and short of your first line I would listen to offers for any of them right now if it makes the team better next year or the following years when the d prospects should be here.
- opeth_pa

I wouldn't say least of the problems. PEB is a nice depth find who has elevated the play of every line he's been on. Berube criticizes him in the media and plays Umbegrer and Lecavalier more minutes. He refuses to split Read and Couturier, despite their ongoing struggles.

Coburn and MacDonald struggle coming off injuries, Grossmann has had issue this season. Who gets benched? Schenn & Colaiacovo. Yes, Schenn had struggled, but not to a significant degree more than anyone else.

It's a bad mix of players, but Berube has not consistently gotten them in the best position or situations to have success. I'm not saying they'd be markedly better with a different coach. But I feel Berube is definitely a weak spot.

He's got a mediocre-at best-roster, with glaring holes. They can't consistently pass out of their own end. There's guys who have large pay checks that can no longer perform at a high level. There's young guys who seem stagnant in their development, in part, because if how they have been used over the past few seasons.

The team, on paper, isn't a very good one.

That's not to say we shouldn't look at the coach, too. I give him credit for trying. He's shuffled lines, he's ripped & praised guys, he's moved struggling guys to bigger roles to get them jump started. But I really don't feel he's done a good job of getting the guys he has in the best position possible.

I'm not calling for his head now, but he's not a guy I see driving the boat when the corner is turned
- Jsaquella

The fact that he keeps significant ice time to VLC and Umberger is inexcusable IMO

I see Berube as the least of the problems right now..

You can't have 5-6 blackholes on your team, literally players that contribute nothing tangible be it a hit or points and expect to compete.

1. What you have are two of the top players in the game in Jake and Giroux.
2. B. Schenn performing at a high level.
3. Mason playing solid
4. MDZ has been a nice surprise and Streit has been solid. Schultz has also been solid but when your 5-6 d man is a highlight of the season so far that is bad.
5. Rinaldo playing his game when he is on the ice.
6 PEB is a nice depth find for your 3 and 4th line.

Other than that you can't find a single player that is playing anywhere near to max capacity. Read, Couturier and Simmonds are the 3 biggest disappointments to me. Simmonds hasnt been as physical and both Read and Couturier are not producing offensively or defensively right now..

This mix of players is bad and short of your first line I would listen to offers for any of them right now if it makes the team better next year or the following years when the d prospects should be here.
- opeth_pa

You list those 3 players as bigger disappointments over the $9 million dollar tandem of Vinny-Berger?
Hate to harp over these 2 players, but every time you look to assemble lines, there seems to be no fit for them.
Looking at all the other teams, & I can't find anyone with these same "over paid, deadweight issues".
Some teams may have one guy, but not 2 making this combined salary, & again, where's the "accountability" that Berube used to speak of?
Edit. I would like to see Couts & Read separated, & finding a better spot for Simmonds.

The fact that he keeps significant ice time to VLC and Umberger is inexcusable IMO
- BiggE

He cut them both down last night. I hope it's the start of a trend.

He cut them both down last night. I hope it's the start of a trend.
- tangent_man

To his credit, he did cut their ice time. I was stunned when Vinny was not the extra skater when they pulled Razor at the end of the third

To his credit, he did cut their ice time. I was stunned when Vinny was not the extra skater when they pulled Razor at the end of the third
- Jsaquella

The fact that he actually said something in the presser about 'a couple of guys' not producing makes me think he may be coming around to not trying to force them to play through it.

You gotta remember, he's still learning to coach at the NHL level.

I wonder if all but a few players are quitting on the coaching staff. The compete level is not there from most of the players almost every game. It is almost as if the roles players don't give a crap about anything while on the ice and don't want to be out there to begin with. I don't recall it being this bad even during the season that shall not be named.

The fact that he actually said something in the presser about 'a couple of guys' not producing makes me think he may be coming around to not trying to force them to play through it.

You gotta remember, he's still learning to coach at the NHL level.
- tangent_man

True. I still don't have high hopes for him. There's learning and then there's "What the (frank) is he thinking?" Too often I find myself saying the latter when berube does something.

I wonder if all but a few players are quitting on the coaching staff. The compete level is not there from most of the players almost every game. It is almost as if the roles players don't give a crap about anything while on the ice and don't want to be out there to begin with. I don't recall it being this bad even during the season that shall not be named.
- HockeyDog

It's hard to look like a hard working team when you can't pass the puck out of your own zone consistently

You list those 3 players as bigger disappointments over the $9 million dollar tandem of Vinny-Berger?
- puckhead17

100% yes..
VL and Umberger are not in the long term plans for this team. They are nothing more then depth players while Couturier, Read and Simmonds are part of the forward core.
Basically i didn't expect anything earth shattering from VL or Umb but I expect solid contributions from the other 3 and they aren't delivering those on either the offensive or defensive fronts right now.

That isn't to say they havent in the past or they cant again in the future just this season to this point all 3 of them have been huge disappointments.