MacDonald by far the Flyers worst starting defenseman since his arrival at the trade deadline. He's one of the single worst defenseman in the NHL. Looks like a puck mover, quacks like a puck mover, puts up Douglas Murray esque results.

One of the biggest reasons they spend so much time in their own zone is Amac's inability to properly defend in the neutral zone. He's got the most generous gap in the neutral zone I've ever seen, even when the Flyers have numbers back he refuses to challenge attacking forwards.


- AndrewD

Statements like he's one of the single worst defenseman in the NHL refutes itself. And disqualifies the source as being credible. Gap is a team function, not an individual player function.

Yes you do. Grossmann isn't magically exempt from stat evaluations because of his style of play. The opposition gets more scoring chances with Grossmann on the ice. That is a problem. Full stop.

Teammates undoubtedly have an influence, but considering that his most common defense partner in Mark Streit is light years ahead of him at 5v5, I think Grossmann can thank his lucky stars that his numbers aren't worse.

Grossmann doesn't have the puck skill to move play up ice consistently, his lack of footspeed leaves him terrified of getting beat wide, and he is way overrated in his own zone.

At best, he is a 3rd pairing guy on a good team.


- AndrewD

Those stats aren't individual stats, they are team stats that are falsely attributed to a single player. Unless you think that a player on the ice is responsible for every single scoring chance against or for, when that player is on the ice. Whether you want to use scoring chances or shot differential, they are team numbers. And subject to a large percentage of false data when applied to individual players. Hockey is a team game.

Hexy has to and will do something at this point. Firing the coach might not sit well with some and a desperation trade will sit well with none. Honestly I'd start with whoever is running the PK. You can absolve Berube of a lot of blame but the PK has everything it needs to succeed and it is an absolute tire fire.

At this point I'd try anything. Though I'd replace Umberger and VLC with VDV and Rosehill. I don't want to see either of those 2 in the lineup again.
- BiggE

There has to be an available AHL player out there who will give us more for (frank)s sake

There has to be an available AHL player out there who will give us more for (frank)s sake
- JoeRussomanno

Leier

Hexy has to and will do something at this point. Firing the coach might not sit well with some and a desperation trade will sit well with none. Honestly I'd start with whoever is running the PK. You can absolve Berube of a lot of blame but the PK has everything it needs to succeed and it is an absolute tire fire.
- hereticpride

Lappariere coaches the PK. It's not very often that assistant coaches are fired during the season.

It's very possible. Hextall deserves blame, too. He was in the front office when they traded two relatively high picks for and then signed MacDonald to a huge contract. He was the GM when they traded Hartnell for Umberger.
- Jsaquella

I like the umberger hartnell trade.

Hexy has to and will do something at this point. Firing the coach might not sit well with some and a desperation trade will sit well with none. Honestly I'd start with whoever is running the PK. You can absolve Berube of a lot of blame but the PK has everything it needs to succeed and it is an absolute tire fire.
- hereticpride

Honestly both will sit well with me... Hopefully it sparks the team.... This board really cracks me up sometimes... The dumb moves this team has made always have some sort of silver lining but making a move now like say, coburn for a prospect and picks would be blasphemous to the hockeybuzz flyers church... Unreal

Hexy has to and will do something at this point. Firing the coach might not sit well with some and a desperation trade will sit well with none. Honestly I'd start with whoever is running the PK. You can absolve Berube of a lot of blame but the PK has everything it needs to succeed and it is an absolute tire fire.
- hereticpride

Honestly, Philly really needs some drastic changes IMO. They might limp and claw themselves into a wild card spot thanks to the east being so weak, but they sure won't be doing any damage come playoff time if they are even fortunate enough to make it

Firing an assistant coach at this point just seems like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic

At this point I'd try anything. Though I'd replace Umberger and VLC with VDV and Rosehill. I don't want to see either of those 2 in the lineup again.
- BiggE

Trust me, I wish they were on other teams too. The reality is we are stuck with them, and they make way to much money not to be playing.

4th line until further notice. Earn your shifts. Show the coach you deserve more than 10 minutes per game by playing balls to the walls for those 10 minutes.

When even blind folk can see they are a one line team at this point, how long will it be before G and Jake are split up?

Of course they could go from having one good line to having zero good lines by doing this.

Also I fully expect something to happen soon with VLC.
It could be he is packaged with a good player like Read or Raffl for nothing more then a low round pick. He could be benched. They eat 50% of his salary and throw in a 2017 2nd round pick and trade him for nothing back. But this shenanigans has to end.

Isaiah brought up that proposed rumor for a guy like boedker in phx... I hope hextall has at least kicked the tires on that.

Heres an idea: move Giroux back to the wing.

Schenn-Laughton-Giroux
Raffl-Couturier-Voracek
Read-Bellemare-Simmonds
Umberger-Lecavalier-Rinaldo

Anybody wanna try and argue this will somehow yield WORSE results then the garbage we've witnessed so far?

(Please spare me the "Giroux is too good not to play center" nonsense)
- mochoson

I'd be ok with splitting up G and Jake just for the fact that you have 2 guys are the entire offense at this point. So putting one on another line so they can get other's games on track would be ideal.

Isaiah brought up that proposed rumor for a guy like boedker in phx... I hope hextall has at least kicked the tires on that.
- JoeRussomanno

Now that's some serious speed we desperately need

Honestly both will sit well with me... Hopefully it sparks the team.... This board really cracks me up sometimes... The dumb moves this team has made always have some sort of silver lining but making a move now like say, coburn for a prospect and picks would be blasphemous to the hockeybuzz flyers church... Unreal
- JoeRussomanno

Who is the prospect, and where is the pick. And if the neither the prospect or the pick works out. The refrain would be, man we sure could use a big, mobile, physical solid defenseman. Right now, with the way the team is, is probably the worst time to make a big trade.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Flyers Fall Again
- bmeltzer

Incisive.

I like the umberger hartnell trade.
- Just5

I like sour cream and bananas.

Honestly, Philly really needs some drastic changes IMO. They might limp and claw themselves into a wild card spot thanks to the east being so weak, but they sure won't be doing any damage come playoff time if they are even fortunate enough to make it

Firing an assistant coach at this point just seems like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic
- FourFeathers773

I've been hesitant to say this but I think terry Murray could come in and breathe some life into this mess and squeeze a playoff birth then an advance a round in the playoffs if Mason could get hot but we're gonna need another capable goal scorer... Maybe simmonds or somebody can start getting consistent.

I'd be ok with splitting up G and Jake just for the fact that you have 2 guys are the entire offense at this point. So putting one on another line so they can get other's games on track would be ideal.
- Pelle31Forever

Exactly. All this talk of "Couturier not growing offensively"......ughhhh, he's been glued to Matt Read's hip since he got here basically.

At what point has Couturier gotten the opportunities Brayden Schenn has offensively?

Trust me, I wish they were on other teams too. The reality is we are stuck with them, and they make way to much money not to be playing.

4th line until further notice. Earn your shifts. Show the coach you deserve more than 10 minutes per game by playing balls to the walls for those 10 minutes.
- mochoson

Right now, if it was up to me, Umberger would go to the 4th line, and play on the PK. I would scratch Lecavalier, at least for a few games. I'd move Bellemare up to the top 9.

Honestly both will sit well with me... Hopefully it sparks the team.... This board really cracks me up sometimes... The dumb moves this team has made always have some sort of silver lining but making a move now like say, coburn for a prospect and picks would be blasphemous to the hockeybuzz flyers church... Unreal
- JoeRussomanno

Coburn should get them a first rounder at the TDL.

I don't think a majority here would object, tbh.

Who is the prospect, and where is the pick. And if the neither the prospect or the pick works out. The refrain would be, man we sure could use a big, mobile, physical solid defenseman. Right now, with the way the team is, is probably the worst time to make a big trade.
- MJL

So there's absolutely nothing out there is what you're telling me? And because you're certain there isn't im disqualified from thinking there is?

Coburn should get them a first rounder at the TDL.

I don't think a majority here would object, tbh.
- Marc D

If so god bless Ron hextall

Exactly. All this talk of "Couturier not growing offensively"......ughhhh, he's been glued to Matt Read's hip since he got here basically.

At what point has Couturier gotten the opportunities Brayden Schenn has offensively?
- mochoson

He hasn't had the same opportunities as Schenn has had. But yet he still has been able to put up solid ES point totals. He hasn't played well this year overall.

So there's absolutely nothing out there is what you're telling me? And because you're certain there isn't im disqualified from thinking there is?
- JoeRussomanno

That's not at all what I said Joe.

Coburn should get them a first rounder at the TDL.

I don't think a majority here would object, tbh.
- Marc D

I wouldn't.

I don't think a team is giving up a 1st rounder for him at this point in the season yet. Like you said, trade deadline.