It was unfortunate he had to play against NJ (I would have just left Emery in), but other than those extra 40 minutes his workload was not close to being overuse. He missed 10 days with a back injury, recovered, and then was playing himself back into form by playing every two days.

I find the assumption that his knee injury against Ottawa was because of overuse or due to the back injury suffered 18 days previously to be unjustified.
- Feanor

have you ever lived through a back injury? if so u would understand how it puts strain on your other body parts.

Not sure if Leight:

http://prohockeytalk.nbcs...sults-in-10-days/related/

Yup. I'm not blaming Hextall as Seravalli suggests, but the signs were basically biting the Flyers brass in the face and it seems they ignored it.
- PLindbergh31

To an extent, he can be blamed.

First, given his overall play, it's hard to rip Berube for not playing Emery more often. Berube has no power to move Emery if he lacks faith in him.

Second, Berube may feel he's coaching for his job. I recall reading somewhere that Berube had a two year deal, but can't confirm it. Either way, Berube's either up for a contract this summer or next. It's not big deal fro the Flyers to jettison him, either way. If I'm coaching like my livelihood depends on it, I'd be tempted to run Mason into the ground, because he gives me the best chance to win.

Finally, while Berube is ultimately in charge of the line up, Hextall is at the practices. He's got an office close to Berube's. They have phones. Hextall knows the same info as the coach. He knows that Mason's been dealing with nagging issues and has had to leave practice. He knows Mason mentioned tweaking the injury during the Caps game.

He could have easily gone to Berube and said, "Hey Chief, we need to be careful with Mason's minutes here. As much as we want to make a push here and get back into the mix, we have to worry more about his long term health. I understand he's the best guy you have, but we need to make sure he's good to go"

I heard Therien and Jackson say during the telecast Saturday the Schultz has been the teams best defenseman, I think Streit has been, but an argument can be made for Schultz. I think the expectations for Schultz coming out of training camp were zero. He's exceeded them exponentially. He's been pretty good.

That being said, the rest of the defense core has been so bad outside of Streit and Schultz, it's basically like being the tallest midget.
- PLindbergh31

two years ago he'd be the designated board punching bag... thats how bad things have gotten, hell lilja would look good in this mess

Yeah, at the game I wasn't even surprised he had to leave. Both Berube and the medical staff dropped the ball on this one. Sure the MRI was negative but SO WHAT. You dont play a game 7 games in a row (or whatever it was) after coming back from missing 4 games with back spasms, which by the way, where severe enough that he had to be helped off the ice.
- MBFlyerfan

Well said Sir.

I love that Sixers plan to tank is blowing up in their collective faces. The Knicks are out-tanking them.

Sixers will get the third pick, and draft some obscure schlub that won't make a bit of difference.
- PLindbergh31

Have to keep acquiring assets. The team is becoming fun to watch. 7-12 after the horrendous start without MCW. One thing they don't do is dog it out there. Yea they'll miss lots of shots. Theyre the youngest team in nba history, despite them being a laughingstock they are probably closer to contending than the flyers are. There is no dead weight on the team it's all development

Not sure if Leight:

http://prohockeytalk.nbcs...sults-in-10-days/related/
- Trainfellow

way leightt but i think he oughta stay out for this season pick it up in the summer try one more year, not like he wouldnt be our best defenseman even if he was on a prosthetic leg.[/img]

have you ever lived through a back injury? if so u would understand how it puts strain on your other body parts.
- JoeRussomanno

So a goalie can't hurt his knee making a save unless it's because of a back injury he suffered in the past?

When Mason came out of practice that day everyone assumed he had reinjured his back. As soon as that was proved false, now the assumption is the old back injury must have caused the knee injury.

It was unfortunate he had to play against NJ (I would have just left Emery in), but other than those extra 40 minutes his workload was not close to being overuse. He missed 10 days with a back injury, recovered, and then was playing himself back into form by playing every two days.

I find the assumption that his knee injury against Ottawa was because of overuse or due to the back injury suffered 18 days previously to be unjustified.
- Feanor

Continuing to play him after the knee injury, especially since it flared up in the Washington game and again in practice, was an unnecessary risk. Related or not, the guy has been dealing with multiple, nagging injuries since late December.

7 straight games, with one day off during the stretch, with a guy dealing with a nagging issue is not smart.

To an extent, he can be blamed.

First, given his overall play, it's hard to rip Berube for not playing Emery more often. Berube has no power to move Emery if he lacks faith in him.

Second, Berube may feel he's coaching for his job. I recall reading somewhere that Berube had a two year deal, but can't confirm it. Either way, Berube's either up for a contract this summer or next. It's not big deal fro the Flyers to jettison him, either way. If I'm coaching like my livelihood depends on it, I'd be tempted to run Mason into the ground, because he gives me the best chance to win.

Finally, while Berube is ultimately in charge of the line up, Hextall is at the practices. He's got an office close to Berube's. They have phones. Hextall knows the same info as the coach. He knows that Mason's been dealing with nagging issues and has had to leave practice. He knows Mason mentioned tweaking the injury during the Caps game.

He could have easily gone to Berube and said, "Hey Chief, we need to be careful with Mason's minutes here. As much as we want to make a push here and get back into the mix, we have to worry more about his long term health. I understand he's the best guy you have, but we need to make sure he's good to go"
- Jsaquella

this is why you fire the guy now

I haven't watched them play a game. Pretty sad if this is the case.

I know Mason, Giroux, and Voracek care. They've all been great.
- PLindbergh31

Nobody on the Sixers dogs it and they play hard even if they're down by 25.

Just imagine if the Flyers were made up entirely of 18-21 year olds and still didn't have the worst record in hockey. And imagine the team had several good prospects waiting in juniors as well. And imagine they had a ton of cap space. How would you feel about their bad record?

Welp, per Panaccio, Rob Zepp is the starter tongiht

So a goalie can't hurt his knee making a save unless it's because of a back injury he suffered in the past?

When Mason came out of practice that day everyone assumed he had reinjured his back. As soon as that was proved false, now the assumption is the old back injury must have caused the knee injury.
- Feanor

no, but its too much of a coincidence and being that his back was injured i, having dealt with spinal injuries, understand how you work your limbs differently and know he needed more rest than he got.

He makes sense. Since Mason returned from a back injury, he's admittedly "tweaked" something twice, and been re-injured. He has had one day off since he made his first start after the back injury, and he's played in every game since.

In fact, since December 2nd, Mason has played all but one game that he's been healthy for-which was the New Jersey game on December 11th. That big a workload, without a break, for a guy with nagging injuries is asking for trouble, no matter what his overall workload had been before.
- Jsaquella

perhaps its because they see the season slipping away playoff wise and need wins just about every night and seeing how Emery has looked, they keep running their best chance to win out there. I mean, they call Zepp up and he gets the start over Emery tonight tells you they don't feel as tho Emery gives them a good chance to win anymore.

Welp, per Panaccio, Rob Zepp is the starter tongiht
- Jsaquella

At least until the Lightning get their 4th goal

way leightt but i think he oughta stay out for this season pick it up in the summer try one more year, not like he wouldnt be our best defenseman even if he was on a prosthetic leg.
- JoeRussomanno[/img]

Didnt feel like sifting through the he said/ she said of the last blog to see if this was posted or not

Agree Kimmo should sit out not matter what, Just wish the was a team worth coming back to for him

To an extent, he can be blamed.

First, given his overall play, it's hard to rip Berube for not playing Emery more often. Berube has no power to move Emery if he lacks faith in him.

Second, Berube may feel he's coaching for his job. I recall reading somewhere that Berube had a two year deal, but can't confirm it. Either way, Berube's either up for a contract this summer or next. It's not big deal fro the Flyers to jettison him, either way. If I'm coaching like my livelihood depends on it, I'd be tempted to run Mason into the ground, because he gives me the best chance to win.

Finally, while Berube is ultimately in charge of the line up, Hextall is at the practices. He's got an office close to Berube's. They have phones. Hextall knows the same info as the coach. He knows that Mason's been dealing with nagging issues and has had to leave practice. He knows Mason mentioned tweaking the injury during the Caps game.

He could have easily gone to Berube and said, "Hey Chief, we need to be careful with Mason's minutes here. As much as we want to make a push here and get back into the mix, we have to worry more about his long term health. I understand he's the best guy you have, but we need to make sure he's good to go"
- Jsaquella

All very fair, and valid points. Can't quibble with any of this.

At least until the Lightning get their 4th goal
- PhillySportsGuy

Didnt feel like sifting through the he said/ she said of the last blog to see if this was posted or not

Agree Kimmo should sit out not matter what, Just wish the was a team worth coming back to for him
- Trainfellow

yea if he's gonna push himself and sacrifice his body more, I'd rather it be on ateam with a chance. im all about playing to win but this season is a wash.

perhaps its because they see the season slipping away playoff wise and need wins just about every night and seeing how Emery has looked, they keep running their best chance to win out there. I mean, they call Zepp up and he gets the start over Emery tonight tells you they don't feel as tho Emery gives them a good chance to win anymore.
- nastyflyergirl

I get all that. I totally understand it, too. Here's the issue.

They are not making the playoffs. This isn't new. Since the end of November it's been increasingly unlikely that they'd be a playoff team. Even before the recent stretch of games, where Mason's knee became an issue, they were basically in need of a miracle to make the playoffs.

That's why I mentioned balancing long term needs against short term realities. It's a little late to worry about wins & the playoffs. It's time to evaluate and sell pieces off. If a guy is hurt, and it's a mild nagging issue, give him the game off. Why risk making it worse?

Welp, per Panaccio, Rob Zepp is the starter tongiht
- Jsaquella

Poor guy

Not sure if Leight:

http://prohockeytalk.nbcs...sults-in-10-days/related/
- Trainfellow

Sadly, too little waaaay too late.

yea if he's gonna push himself and sacrifice his body more, I'd rather it be on ateam with a chance. im all about playing to win but this season is a wash.
- JoeRussomanno

If he can safely return, I'm all for it. Because if he can play, he can be an asset to a team in contention. Which means the Flyers can potentially turn him into a draft pick or other return.

Assuming he can safely play, he's well rested, a proven very good defenseman, with a small cap hit and excellent leadership qualities.

have you ever lived through a back injury? if so u would understand how it puts strain on your other body parts.
- JoeRussomanno

Yep.. I tweaked my back a few times lifting weights.. nothing major to the point of needing surgery or anything, though.. but I could always feel it when I came back too early and tried to push myself. I would be babying my back and start getting sloppy, and get bad form, which caused hurt on other joints and body parts. That's when you have to just walk away and heal up before you hurt something else, or hurt the original thing even worse.

Now granted, I've never been a paid athlete, so I know my mindset is "easier said than done"... but it's still the same jist...

Welp, per Panaccio, Rob Zepp is the starter tongiht
- Jsaquella

Right into the line of fire