I miss them!
Everyone knows I adore Grossmann - as lumbering as he is we miss him clearing the porch and wrapping people up to, ya know, stop shots and stuff...

And I don't feel anyone we are calling up can reach Coburn's level of play.
- FlyersGrace

I swear I'm the last surviving member of the Braydon Coburn Fan Club. I also think that if he's healthy at the TDL, he's probably going to get moved since he's one of our more affordable D pieces. I would not be surprised to see Grossmann (if healthy) get moved as well.

What the Flyers would get in return, I can only guess wildly.

Honestly, to most of the older guys, the Penguins-Flyers "rivalry" is the third or fourth most important. Personally, I have a lot more hatred for the Rangers and Devils than the Penguins.
- Jsaquella

Yep, same here. It's cute how people try to make this into an in-state rivalry but it's just not there for me.

Regardless of the ramifications, I can never be happy with a Devils win. Never.
- Scoob

Fair point Scoob. I loathe the Devils. They are a terrible franchise at the moment. It's quite enjoyable.

I think the "top rivalry" depends on when you got into hockey. For me, it's the Rangers and Devils as a tight 1 and 2, and then Penguins as a distant 3rd since I got into hockey in the early 90s. People from the 70's would probably say the Bruins. People from the 80's would say Rangers. People from 05-present would say Pittsburgh.
- jmatchett383

Yup
As a kid in the 70s it was the Rangers, Bruins and Canadiens as I was too young to really remember the maulings by St. Louis back in the early days.

Later in the 80s, it became the Rangers, Islanders and Capitals

In the 90s, and pre lockout years, it was the Rangers, Devils and Leafs

And since the lockout, it's been the Rangers, followed by the Pens and the Devils.

The one constant has been the Rangers. There is no team in all of sports that I hate more than the New Yawk (frank)ing Rangers!!

He got his comeuppance when he had his forehead shattered - knocked unconscious by a Rich Pilon check and fell face first on the ice. That's what sold me on Karma in the '90s.
- tangent_man

Thanks Bill. Another nationally televised TV event to humiliate us Flyers fans. I guess it's another night of the Big Bang Theory. If we get rid of Chief, it won't solve our problems, so I hope that Hexy at least keeps him until the off season. Chief has been through a lot with this team, so I think that he has earned at least that much. Slowly I turn, step, by step.....
Ok, I will check the score updates to see if it's worth watching, but I am not expecting much tonight. Yawn.

For me it has flip flopped between the Rangers and Penguins. It was the Rangers for my entire life, but when Crosby came in to the league, the Pens started rising with a bullet. I appreciate Crosby's skill and think he is unquestionably the best player in the league, but his antics, the diving, the whining, the cheap play, the way he starts crap because he knows the refs will save him....just annoys the hell out of me.

I respected the hell out of Lemieux, Jagr, Ron Francis, those guys were class.

Malkin and Crosby, I don't respect them.
- MBFlyerfan

But here's my thing:

No matter who the player is, when you don the Rangers or Devils jersey, I will hate you. I may respect you, but I will hate you.

However, with the Penguins, it's more of a personal player hatred. If you took Crosby, Malkin, and Letang off of that team, the rivalry would subside substantially.

That is why I still say the Rangers are the #1 team rival, while Crosby is the #1 individual rival.

Most hated Flyer facial hair, Jagrs chops and Hitler mustache, and Tim Kerr's creepy flesh colored mustache. Both tied for first.

I would have put Billy Tibbetts on there. But a question for you: if he hadn't played here in 11/12, would Jagr have made the list?
- jmatchett383

I've tried to forget that Tibbetts even existed, LOL. Though I actually hated him even more when he was here, seeing him in orange and black made me sick!

Jagr would have been close, but just outside the top 10.

I disagree, I don't think Hextall has had time to get his vision anywhere near the ice. Yep, we are gonna suck for some time. My hope is that we aren't calling up some of our better prospects so that they can actually spend some time winning and not spend it on our team losing. I'm prepared to give Hextall some time to see what he can do. I'm curious to see what he does at the trade deadline and my hope is that he doesn't feel too pressured to make knee jerk moves because we are losing.
- FlyersGrace

Hextall took over a soft team, burdened by some bad contracts, and that was going to need everything to go right to be a playoff team. He had little to work with and to assume that this team is his "vision" is really being silly.

If it was that easy to fix the defense, get rid of the bad contracts and make the team better, he obviously would have done so. I'd say we need to wait until the 2016 draft to really see Hextall have an impact and take strides toward his "vision"

But here's my thing:

No matter who the player is, when you don the Rangers or Devils jersey, I will hate you. I may respect you, but I will hate you.

However, with the Penguins, it's more of a personal player hatred. If you took Crosby, Malkin, and Letang off of that team, the rivalry would subside substantially.

That is why I still say the Rangers are the #1 team rival, while Crosby is the #1 individual rival.
- jmatchett383

To each his own.

You need toughness, but you also need toughness that can play. Just adding Jay Rosehill to the line up does nothing.

People seem to forget that Hextall had limited cap space to move pieces and add toughness last summer. I don't think his preference or plan is to have a soft team, it's what the cap issues and mess left by Holmgren have given him.
- Jsaquella

I agree. I was just pointing out teams that have a 4th line that casues havoc because of the physicality it brings. I think we will have a better idea after the TDL.

I disagree, I don't think Hextall has had time to get his vision anywhere near the ice. Yep, we are gonna suck for some time. My hope is that we aren't calling up some of our better prospects so that they can actually spend some time winning and not spend it on our team losing. I'm prepared to give Hextall some time to see what he can do. I'm curious to see what he does at the trade deadline and my hope is that he doesn't feel too pressured to make knee jerk moves because we are losing.
- FlyersGrace

I think this is all an excuse. Since Hextall was highered he's made one move. He traded a top line player for an average third line player because he has less years on his deal. We're passed the mid season mark. The team is long past evaluation. He's done nothing. I'm not asking for Hextall to be fired but do something. One other regular season move to improve us isn't a knee jerk reaction. A lot of these guys shouldn't even be here in a couple years. Hextall has already freaked out on the team but for the most part has only been a spectator like the rest of us.

I've tried to forget that Tibbetts even existed, LOL. Though I actually hated him even more when he was here, seeing him in orange and black made me sick!

Jagr would have been close, but just outside the top 10.
- BiggE

Only player who was booed by the home fans every time he touched the puck for his duration as a Flyer.

Most hated Flyer facial hair, Jagrs chops and Hitler mustache, and Tim Kerr's creepy flesh colored mustache. Both tied for first.
- nbartley9

go back to bed grandpa

I disagree, I don't think Hextall has had time to get his vision anywhere near the ice. Yep, we are gonna suck for some time. My hope is that we aren't calling up some of our better prospects so that they can actually spend some time winning and not spend it on our team losing. I'm prepared to give Hextall some time to see what he can do. I'm curious to see what he does at the trade deadline and my hope is that he doesn't feel too pressured to make knee jerk moves because we are losing.
- FlyersGrace

It's going to be a process. He's made one trade that saves money in the long run, after saying that they might need to take a step back to eventually move forward, and already people are on his ass. Philadelphia typical.

The way most of these guys are playing, he'd be hard pressed to get real value in a deal anyway. The TDL, draft, and off season will be interesting, and only then will we get a glimpse of what he has in mind. I'm looking forward to the future.

Yep, same here. It's cute how people try to make this into an in-state rivalry but it's just not there for me.
- Scoob

Yep. It's a good rivalry now, or has been over the last few years, but it still doesn't compare to the blood rival Rangers.

You know that means nothing tonight, there have been many years pre-Crosby and a few during the Crosby era that we sucked; but I still loved playing you guys; its the only game my wife and kids wont even sit in the same room with me during. The death threats get on their nerves pretty quickly, im not sure why...
- nbartley9

I agree it does mean nothing. I think the rivalry between the two teams is still very strong, and from my viewpoint, I still see it as a big game simply because I want them to beat the snot out of the Pens. There really isn't anything on the line standings wise, but I think the heat is still there.

Only player who was booed by the home fans every time he touched the puck for his duration as a Flyer.
- jmatchett383

Naw they did the same whistling/booing thing for Ron Duguay of the Rags in the late 70s, early 80s.

I would have put Billy Tibbetts on there. But a question for you: if he hadn't played here in 11/12, would Jagr have made the list?
- jmatchett383

Yes, cause he was a Flyer killer. Didnt really have a problem with him for any other reason though.

I think this is all an excuse. Since Hextall was highered he's made one move. He traded a top line player for an average third line player because he has less years on his deal. We're passed the mid season mark. The team is long past evaluation. He's done nothing. I'm not asking for Hextall to be fired but do something. One other regular season move to improve us isn't a knee jerk reaction. A lot of these guys shouldn't even be here in a couple years. Hextall has already freaked out on the team but for the most part has only been a spectator like the rest of us.
- SuperSchennBros

How about the signings of Zepp, MDZ, and Bellemare? The drafting of Sanheim, Aube-Kubel, Fazleev, and Lindblom? The Schultz signing?

Do you think those were all terrible moves by Hextall?

I've tried to forget that Tibbetts even existed, LOL. Though I actually hated him even more when he was here, seeing him in orange and black made me sick!

Jagr would have been close, but just outside the top 10.
- BiggE

Tibbetts should never have been anything other than Inmate #1,000,006. He was a (frank)ing disgrace to humanity, he belonged in orange, not in Orange and Black.

Jagr on the other hand, never generated any special hate from me. There were too many other Pens who really cheesed me off. Even Mario (as great as he was), with his incessant whining irritated me more than Jagr.

I think this is all an excuse. Since Hextall was highered he's made one move. He traded a top line player for an average third line player because he has less years on his deal. We're passed the mid season mark. The team is long past evaluation. He's done nothing. I'm not asking for Hextall to be fired but do something. One other regular season move to improve us isn't a knee jerk reaction. A lot of these guys shouldn't even be here in a couple years. Hextall has already freaked out on the team but for the most part has only been a spectator like the rest of us.
- SuperSchennBros

And who says he hasn't tried? It takes two to make a deal. Teams don't really make a lot of moves until closer to the deadline because then you have a clearer picture of who is in and who is out. You also know what teams might need. Like Tampa losing Carle and LA needing defense. Also Vinny and Umberger have built maybe a little value for a playoff team needing some secondary help. I think patience this time will help in making some good deals.

I think this is all an excuse. Since Hextall was highered he's made one move. He traded a top line player for an average third line player because he has less years on his deal. We're passed the mid season mark. The team is long past evaluation. He's done nothing. I'm not asking for Hextall to be fired but do something. One other regular season move to improve us isn't a knee jerk reaction. A lot of these guys shouldn't even be here in a couple years. Hextall has already freaked out on the team but for the most part has only been a spectator like the rest of us.
- SuperSchennBros

I agree on the Hartnell for Zombie deal. It was a disgrace. IMO I just believe he could have put together a better deal even if it was some kind of package not just a one for one.
Hextall did get half decent bargain guys in Schultz and Del Zotto.

I think this is all an excuse. Since Hextall was highered he's made one move. He traded a top line player for an average third line player because he has less years on his deal. We're passed the mid season mark. The team is long past evaluation. He's done nothing. I'm not asking for Hextall to be fired but do something. One other regular season move to improve us isn't a knee jerk reaction. A lot of these guys shouldn't even be here in a couple years. Hextall has already freaked out on the team but for the most part has only been a spectator like the rest of us.
- SuperSchennBros

I would consider signing Del Zotto, Schultz, and White as moves.