That's right. 2-0 against LA this year. Bodes well for a potential SCF matchup.
- PLindbergh31

so let it be written

Not a bad write up...



http://thehockeywriters.c...ty-of-vincent-lecavalier/

Wishing for an injury is so... Ugh I don't know seems wrong

I'd personally like to see them make the playoffs but it is such a stretch with this mix.

Tampa is just a bad matchup for them. It truly exposes the worst in their current team and it brings out the doom and gloom.
- Marc D

The only thing I could see happening is Jake or G having a nagging injury and the team shutting them down close to the end of the year.

Even so, the Flyers are so anti-tank, I feel like they'd rush G back from an injury even if it had no bearing on the outcome of the season.

Uh, Nick Schultz was last nights Barry Ashbee recipient. Not debatable.
- Tomahawk

He was solid overall, but didn't look great on the failed PK that led to their game winning goal.

MacDonald is an OK defender. But his contract pays him to be better then ok. He played OK last night. I just think you can upgrade what he does for less money. Hell I think Del Zotto was giving you more then MacDonald and Del Zotto also brings an element that is needed on this team(puck moving defenseman who can join the rush)
- J35Bacher

I can't for the life of me remember the last time AMac broke up a rush at the blue line, or snuffed out a scoring chance with a strong defensive stick, or connected on a stretch pass, or won a board battle, or hit the damned net on a shot...

He's supposedly this 'solid 2nd-pair guy' (conspicuously walked back from 'legit top-pair shut down force'), but from watching just about every game he's played as a Flyer, I just see a guy who is average across the board, and woefully deficient in gaps and physical play, and who's supposed gift with the puck leads to no appreciable offense... he looks like Randy Jones to me.

They're getting so much more out of Schultz, and were getting so much more out of MDZ before Coach Rube decided to cut his role on AMac/Coburn's return.

It's been said before here, but it bears repeating... just because you pay a guy a top salary, doesn't make him a top player. It just makes it so you won't have the $ and assets needed to match up depth-wise with teams like TB.

The only thing I could see happening is Jake or G having a nagging injury and the team shutting them down close to the end of the year.

Even so, the Flyers are so anti-tank, I feel like they'd rush G back from an injury even if it had no bearing on the outcome of the season.
- PhillySportsGuy

Well mumps could happen too.

But I know what you mean.

Read has been playing through a foot injury.
RJ I'm sure has a prolapsed disc in his back that he is playing through ( using the term playing loosely here). Who knows who else. Coburn does not seem 100%.

So yeh Flyers are going to Flyer.

But as long as they don't trade picks for veterans to make some kind of playoff push I will be ok. I can't see Hexy going that route.

Just a few random thoughts from last night:

1. Love Forsberg. Total class act, wish things had turned out better for him in the end.

2. Tyler Johnson practically sits on the face-off dot and yet somehow only won 30% of them last night. It was driving me nuts all game watching the linesmen allow that.

3. I may be nitpicking here, but I've noticed this now at the past 2 games I was at (Thursday, last night). I probably notice it more in person than on TV because you can see away from the puck more easily when players are changing. But, I've now seen multiple power play's lately where Berube sends out Rinaldo, Raffl, VDV, etc when there are still 20-30 seconds left on the PP. Now, I'd get sending Raffl out with Giroux and Jake to get the full line for when the PP expires since I could make an argument that Raffl should be on the PP. And I also understand sending out those guys if there's 5-10 seconds left because the PP really is all but over. But I feel like Berube basically throws away the end of PPs sometimes and that is not something that should be overlooked. 20-30 seconds is not nothing especially when you see Wayne score 16 seconds into our first PP. Some will say I'm just looking for any reason to pick on Berube, but this is just something I've noticed, more so of late.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Tampa Not Too Tired to Stifle Flyers, 3-1; Forsberg Wrap
- bmeltzer

One step closer to Mitch Marner, eh Tomahawk

Potential realistic trades that help the flyers draft position but don't involve them

Edmonton gets Shattenkirk and Elliott
STL gets Eberle

Uh, Nick Schultz was last nights Barry Ashbee recipient. Not debatable.
- Tomahawk

Schultz played well, but it is certainly debatable. MacDonald had a strong game last night, not debatable.

One step closer to Mitch Marner, eh Tomahawk
- ob18

5'10" 164 pounds. Decent size for a women's beach volleyball player.

I can't for the life of me remember the last time AMac broke up a rush at the blue line, or snuffed out a scoring chance with a strong defensive stick, or connected on a stretch pass, or won a board battle, or hit the damned net on a shot...

He's supposedly this 'solid 2nd-pair guy' (conspicuously walked back from 'legit top-pair shut down force')
- Tomahawk

Who called him that?

The evolution of the arguments against MacDonald are very interesting. Now that his Corsi stats are basically the same as Coburn's and Schultz's (and much better than Grossmann's despite getting the same % of OZ starts) those are ignored in favor of just claiming he never does anything right, even after he had a good game.

He was solid overall, but didn't look great on the failed PK that led to their game winning goal.
- Feanor

The Bolts outnumbered the Flyers defenseman 3 to 2 around the net. A forward has to drop down faster to help out there.

One step closer to Mitch Marner, eh Tomahawk
- ob18

Draft has always been my favorite day of the hockey calendar, but this year's going to be extra sweet. I've got so many favorites already, Marner among them.

He was solid overall, but didn't look great on the failed PK that led to their game winning goal.
- Feanor

and this is the heart of the problem

Schultz has been very solid and even played well beyond expectations for what was supposed to be a #7 defenseman

But they have him and Coburn playing against top lines every night and vs #1 PP units

In no scenario should this happen on a contending team

They just have no other options right now

3. I may be nitpicking here, but I've noticed this now at the past 2 games I was at (Thursday, last night). I probably notice it more in person than on TV because you can see away from the puck more easily when players are changing. But, I've now seen multiple power play's lately where Berube sends out Rinaldo, Raffl, VDV, etc when there are still 20-30 seconds left on the PP. Now, I'd get sending Raffl out with Giroux and Jake to get the full line for when the PP expires since I could make an argument that Raffl should be on the PP. And I also understand sending out those guys if there's 5-10 seconds left because the PP really is all but over. But I feel like Berube basically throws away the end of PPs sometimes and that is not something that should be overlooked. 20-30 seconds is not nothing especially when you see Wayne score 16 seconds into our first PP. Some will say I'm just looking for any reason to pick on Berube, but this is just something I've noticed, more so of late.
- five4fighting10

It's not nitpicking. It's a good example how how dumb the coach is.

Schultz played well, but it is certainly debatable. MacDonald had a strong game last night, not debatable.
- MJL

Value per dollar: Schultz > Amac

Now that's not debatable.

Value per dollar: Schultz > Amac

Now that's not debatable.
- JFlyers00

Indeed.

Not a bad write up...



http://thehockeywriters.c...ty-of-vincent-lecavalier/
- Fast_Eddie_1

The dude who wrote this is a complete dufus so I can't take it seriously.

5'10" 164 pounds. Decent size for a women's beach volleyball player.
- PLindbergh31

Size isn't everything
Nikita Kucherov 5'11" 171lbs and has 29 points (12g,17a) in 33 games with a+18
Tyler Johnson is 5'9" 182lbs and has 33 points (10g,23)a in 33 games with a +19

I can't for the life of me remember the last time AMac broke up a rush at the blue line, or snuffed out a scoring chance with a strong defensive stick, or connected on a stretch pass, or won a board battle, or hit the damned net on a shot...

He's supposedly this 'solid 2nd-pair guy' (conspicuously walked back from 'legit top-pair shut down force'), but from watching just about every game he's played as a Flyer, I just see a guy who is average across the board, and woefully deficient in gaps and physical play, and who's supposed gift with the puck leads to no appreciable offense... he looks like Randy Jones to me.

They're getting so much more out of Schultz, and were getting so much more out of MDZ before Coach Rube decided to cut his role on AMac/Coburn's return.

It's been said before here, but it bears repeating... just because you pay a guy a top salary, doesn't make him a top player. It just makes it so you won't have the $ and assets needed to match up depth-wise with teams like TB.
- Tomahawk

This is a perfect example of the lack of objectivity. And the above post says that you simply aren't going to look at MacDonald objectively. Especially with how strong of a game he played last night. When and by whom, was MacDonald ever labeled a legit top pair shut down force? LOL. More evidence of what this post is really about. And it's not really about MacDonald. LOL
Add to the fact that the shortcomings in Del Zotto's game lately, which is the reason why he is scratched, are ignored as if they didn't exist.
They aren't paying MacDonald top money, unless you think you could get a "legit top pair shut down force" for 5M a year!
Bottom line is that the term that best describes describe your post is pure hyperbole.

Size isn't everything
Nikita Kucherov 5'11" 171lbs and has 29 points (12g,17a) in 33 games with a+18
Tyler Johnson is 5'9" 182lbs and has 33 points (10g,23)a in 33 games with a +19
- Artyukhin76

Yeah, but can they hit? If not, obviously useless as hockey players.

Value per dollar: Schultz > Amac

Now that's not debatable.
- JFlyers00

Schultz has absolutely played above expectations, and is a bargain for his cost. No doubt about that. And we know that they overpaid MacDonald in free agency. That doesn't change how good of a player MacDonald is.

This is a perfect example of the lack of objectivity. And the above post says that you simply aren't going to look at MacDonald objectively. Especially with how strong of a game he played last night. When and by whom, was MacDonald ever labeled a legit top pair shut down force? LOL. More evidence of what this post is really about. And it's not really about MacDonald. LOL
Add to the fact that the shortcomings in Del Zotto's game lately, which is the reason why he is scratched, are ignored as if they didn't exist.
They aren't paying MacDonald top money, unless you think you could get a "legit top pair shut down force" for 5M a year!
Bottom line is that the term that best describes describe your post is pure hyperbole.
- MJL

Amac has been very bad this year. He has not played well enough to come close to justifying his contract. It's that simple.

Who called him that?

The evolution of the arguments against MacDonald are very interesting. Now that his Corsi stats are basically the same as Coburn's and Schultz's (and much better than Grossmann's despite getting the same % of OZ starts) those are ignored in favor of just claiming he never does anything right, even after he had a good game.
- Feanor

Idk. I wanna get rid of Amac at all costs. That being said, I don't think he's that bad of a player. Hes your average second pair guy in my opinion. I just don't think he's worth his contract. Some will argue that was market value, but that's bs. If that's what he would of gotten in the open market, then you let him walk. You only make a signing like that if you're an average 3-5 defender away from being a contender, which we weren't. The picks we traded from him are just salt in the wounds.

Although I believe Amac was a huge reason we made the playoffs last year. So if last year's first round exit was worth a 3rd rounder and 2015 2nd plus 6 years at 30 mil..... I guess whatever floats your boat.