Here's some clips from just one game (albeit from 2013 -- but Grossmann, when healthy is essentially the same player and people were saying the same things back then)...they clearly shows Grossmann is not the sloth-footed inept passing player some portray to be:

- exlund

I mean...to be fair- some of these are just routine plays. Coming from someone not in the argument.

Lol every time I click a Flyers blog I swear there is a gif battle every time
- znagle

Click any time. You'll see just a regular battle.

Guess we'll find out what Grossmann's value is to the team.

Click any time. You'll see just a regular battle.
- Giroux_Is_God

The Butter Battle

best flyers captains and primeau dont go together... mkay
- JoeRussomanno

YOU ARE MY MORTAL ENEMY

The Butter Battle
- PhillySportsGuy

YOU ARE MY MORTAL ENEMY
- GOA88

He could have handled the Bill Barber thing a lot better... but other than that, what is there to not like about Keith Primeau as captain? All heart.

He could have handled the Bill Barber thing a lot better... but other than that, what is there to not like about Keith Primeau as captain? All heart.
- ThirdEye

Such a man

Well isn't it as much on you to dislike a player as much as it is for those to like him? In my opinion Grossmann has been one of our best defensemen this season. The fact that he's not great with thepuck and has even worse foot speed is something we've all been aware of since we traded for him. In fact Bill who covers Dallas also warned us of everything you've mentioned the day he was aquired. Nicolas Grossmann was a long established player in the NHL before coming here, we can't expect him to change now. I'm not even sure that I would.
- SuperSchennBros

Has nothing to do with me liking or disliking a player. I watch the games & look into the numbers and use both to form an opinion of whether or not the guy is a good player or not.

For me Grossmann simply doesn't do enough to be called one of the team's top defensemen. It's an opinion. Like yours it's neither right or wrong. I simply choose to use more than one criteria to judge a player. I can watch a YouTube highlight reel of any NHL player and come to a conclusion that he's great.

I don't know about anyone else, but I watch a lot of hockey. But I can't watch every single game in a given night. So I'm going to use stats, both traditional and advanced, to give me more information. I will also try to find video of a player if I'm going to discuss him and haven't seen him.

as for Grossmann, I like him. He's a warrior. He plays hard and plays hurt. The trouble is, in my opinion based on stats & watching him play the game, is that he no longer plays very well.

Has nothing to do with me liking or disliking a player. I watch the games & look into the numbers and use both to form an opinion of whether or not the guy is a good player or not.

For me Grossmann simply doesn't do enough to be called one of the team's top defensemen. It's an opinion. Like yours it's neither right or wrong. I simply choose to use more than one criteria to judge a player. I can watch a YouTube highlight reel of any NHL player and come to a conclusion that he's great.

I don't know about anyone else, but I watch a lot of hockey. But I can't watch every single game in a given night. So I'm going to use stats, both traditional and advanced, to give me more information. I will also try to find video of a player if I'm going to discuss him and haven't seen him.
as for Grossmann, I like him. He's a warrior. He plays hard and plays hurt. The trouble is, in my opinion based on stats & watching him play the game, is that he no longer plays very well.
- Jsaquella

Yea, he is solid but he is beat up now and to me he is a 3rd pair kinda guy. I do believe that every team needs a Grossmann type though. Just not 3-4 Grossmann types like the Flyers have. Which is the problem.

Seems like the reporters are saying MacDonald is not likeling being benched and doesn't agree with Berube. Maybe he'll ask for a trade.

Seems like the reporters are saying MacDonald is not likeling being benched and doesn't agree with Berube. Maybe he'll ask for a trade.


- J35Bacher

Good luck with that

I would like to throw something out there and see how you guys feel about it. As long as I've been a Philadelphia Flyers fan I've always hated the New Jersey Devils for a number of different reasons. when I first started using this site I've stated those reasons a number of times. The number one reason why I hate the New Jersey Devils is, they play such a boring brand of hockey. During the 90's the Devils were one of the closest teams you could come to in considering to be a dynasty yeam at that time. Outside of Scott Stevens, they were boring but they won and they won un bunches. Now when i through these feelings out there, I have asked if you guys would throw away the Flyers current style (at that time of grit and toughness) for the Devils' style if it meant winning? Keep in mind that the trade of Hartnell for Umberger is an example of such a style. An exciting character guy for a very dull player. Scoring and grit for discipline and speed. Are you okay with the growing pains that comes with the culture change?

Has nothing to do with me liking or disliking a player. I watch the games & look into the numbers and use both to form an opinion of whether or not the guy is a good player or not.

For me Grossmann simply doesn't do enough to be called one of the team's top defensemen. It's an opinion. Like yours it's neither right or wrong. I simply choose to use more than one criteria to judge a player. I can watch a YouTube highlight reel of any NHL player and come to a conclusion that he's great.

I don't know about anyone else, but I watch a lot of hockey. But I can't watch every single game in a given night. So I'm going to use stats, both traditional and advanced, to give me more information. I will also try to find video of a player if I'm going to discuss him and haven't seen him.

as for Grossmann, I like him. He's a warrior. He plays hard and plays hurt. The trouble is, in my opinion based on stats & watching him play the game, is that he no longer plays very well.
- Jsaquella

Do you like Grossmann? Do...you?

I mean...to be fair- some of these are just routine plays. Coming from someone not in the argument.
- Giroux_Is_God

Not just that, but you can cherry pick videos of good play from just about any player, good or bad, so it really doesn't do much, but I think the poster has been right in his opinion on Grossmann. And I really think the point is that Grossmann is capable of making the routine puck moving plays, and that's really all that should be expected of him. If there is a breakdown in team play, and he has to do more, he gets in trouble. I also don't think his play should be without criticism, and he ocasionally makes an unforced error due to a bad pass, or outlet. Last night before he got hurt, he struggled in the first period.

Here's some clips from just one game (albeit from 2013 -- but Grossmann, when healthy is essentially the same player and people were saying the same things back then)...they clearly shows Grossmann is not the sloth-footed inept passing player some portray to be:

Grossman takes the puck off the faceoff win and moves it behind the net which he uses to pick the forechecker, he then skates it out with the puck confidently before making a solid lead pass to Giroux to key the breakout. Later in the sequence he helps out deep to keep the cycle going:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXyA_DWh5KM

Grossman clears from deep in the D zone, setting up posession deep in the Pens: zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTw9FfkGVeA

Grossman clears the zone for a line change, then moves the puck to Briere who loses it, then Grossman makes a great defensive play deflecting the dangerous pass from Neal to Malkin in the low slot up to B Schenn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvSK2rUcQ78

Coby fights off Crosby to gain control in the defensive zone, makes a cross ice pass to Grossman who makes a nice pass up to Fedotenko to send him off into the offensive zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSEkqawEueA

This is a nice sequence for Grossman and Coby. Coby fights for a puck along the defensive boards, Grossman comes in, gets the puck and curls around the slot before hitting G with a sweet pass that sends him off on the rush. They gain the zone and get to work, Grossman makes a nice pinch to keep it in along the far boards (25 sec of the vid). The guys set up and apply more pressure, with the Coburn moving the puck from the umbrella...the Pens get it out but Coburn skates back and makes a cross ice pass to Timonen who deftly enters back into the offensive zone, Lots of solid puck moving:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXTsXZE_CYA

Coby and Grossman pass to shake off pressure from Crysby before moving the puck up to Coots:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XLAdz9x_lE

Grossman wins a battle along the D sideboards and gets the puck to Couturier who gets it to Talbot and out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKLdz8_G60Y


Grossman scores:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGwQKoZgIH0
- exlund

He's an NHL defenseman. He's also human. I can live with this.

Seems like the reporters are saying MacDonald is not likeling being benched and doesn't agree with Berube. Maybe he'll ask for a trade.


- J35Bacher

Retire???

Seems like the reporters are saying MacDonald is not likeling being benched and doesn't agree with Berube. Maybe he'll ask for a trade.


- J35Bacher

Well with Grossmann out for 3 weeks MacDonald is going to play every game. I hope he does request a trade. To be rid of the contract I'd take a 6th round pick for him.

I would like to throw something out there and see how you guys feel about it. As long as I've been a Philadelphia Flyers fan I've always hated the New Jersey Devils for a number of different reasons. when I first started using this site I've stated those reasons a number of times. The number one reason why I hate the New Jersey Devils is, they play such a boring brand of hockey. During the 90's the Devils were one of the closest teams you could come to in considering to be a dynasty yeam at that time. Outside of Scott Stevens, they were boring but they won and they won un bunches. Now when i through these feelings out there, I have asked if you guys would throw away the Flyers current style (at that time of grit and toughness) for the Devils' style if it meant winning? Keep in mind that the trade of Hartnell for Umberger is an example of such a style. An exciting character guy for a very dull player. Scoring and grit for discipline and speed. Are you okay with the growing pains that comes with the culture change?
- SuperSchennBros

I thought the 03/04 team was kind of like that. Sure, they had some name players like Roenick, Gagne, Primeau, Recchi, and Amonte, but they didn't have a real game-breaker of elite superstar. They weren't very glitzy or glamorous. They were a well-coached, hard-working bunch. Their leading scorer had 78 points, and their next highest was Handzus at 58. It wasn't really "boring" but it wasn't the mid-80s Oilers, either. I'd have no problem with a team like that.

that is a badass picture of a badass dude.
- stayinthefnnet

true. unfortunately, he's wearing the wrong (frank)ing jersey in this picture.

Well with Grossmann out for 3 weeks MacDonald is going to play every game. I hope he does request a trade. To be rid of the contract I'd take a 6th round pick for him.
- PLindbergh31

He can request whatever he likes, but he's still untradeable.

He can request whatever he likes, but he's still untradeable.
- jmatchett383

Probably so.

I simply choose to use more than one criteria to judge a player.
- Jsaquella

Well with Grossmann out for 3 weeks MacDonald is going to play every game. I hope he does request a trade. To be rid of the contract I'd take a 6th round pick for him.
- PLindbergh31

Seems like the reporters are saying MacDonald is not likeling being benched and doesn't agree with Berube. Maybe he'll ask for a trade.


- J35Bacher

I would worry if he thought otherwise.