I just find it difficult to blame Hakstol's system when it did so well against good competition (not directed at you). Forechecking was tenacious and aggressive; NZ play was guarding the blue line; puck was retrieved in the d zone and quickly outletted up the middle. We all know the personnel blows, which makes it even more impressive they looked good in only their first few games with the system. It has nothing to do with the system because the players aren't even playing it anymore. They play like they're ECHL players defending a 5 goal lead against the Gretzky led Oilers (don't ask me how they got that lead haha).
- Mononoke

Amen!

You made this statement

"You say core, I limit that to G and Jake, everyone else is replaceable."

"Everyone else" is pretty clear. I consider Laughton very much a part of the core.
- MJL

i'll clarify

read, Simmonds, raffl, gagner, bellemare, white, vdv, umberger, vinny

Flyers should look to deal any of these this spring when their on the outside looking in

i'll clarify

read, Simmonds, raffl, gagner, bellemare, white, vdv, umberger, vinny

Flyers should look to deal any of these this spring when their on the outside looking in
- Just5

I would keep Simmonds and Raffl unless I was blown away by a deal. I also would be reluctant to deal Read, but with the direction of the team, and what I think the approach is going to be next season, that makes some sense.

I just find it difficult to blame Hakstol's system when it did so well against good competition (not directed at you). Forechecking was tenacious and aggressive; NZ play was guarding the blue line; puck was retrieved in the d zone and quickly outletted up the middle. We all know the personnel blows, which makes it even more impressive they looked good in only their first few games with the system. It has nothing to do with the system because the players aren't even playing it anymore. They play like they're ECHL players defending a 5 goal lead against the Gretzky led Oilers (don't ask me how they got that lead haha).
- Mononoke

There's really no rational explanation how they go from being 4-2-2, playing well vs Tampa Bay & Dallas, beating Chicago and New York, and heading into a stretch where they can solidify themselves and turn a good start into a very good one, and the wheels fall completely off.

They play differently. I agree it's not systemic. They made mistakes and play with zero discipline. There's just no easy explanation. Injuries? Sure. Playing down to so called lesser teams? Sure. But man, it started raining, and now they need to build an Ark

We can all rack our brains to try and give an explanation, but one thing is for sure. This team does not have much of a margin of error to make the playoffs. If they don't turn it around soon, they could be in too big of a hole to recover from real quick.

We can all rack our brains to try and give an explanation, but one thing is for sure. This team does not have much of a margin of error to make the playoffs. If they don't turn it around soon, they could be in too big of a hole to recover from real quick.
- MJL

I never saw this team as a playoff team to start the year, but I also didn't expect to see the type of hockey I've seen the past 5 games either.

Anyone worried about the future timeline for this team ?

My main concern is regarding the young group of our stud D prospects coming up and being NHL ready and effective (3-4 years ?) and the age of our current forwards. Our elite guys (G and Jake for example) are going to be 31-32 years old by that time.

Giroux: 27
Voracek: 27 (this summer)
Simmonds: 27
Read: 29
Gagner: 26

Being patient, developing prospects, accumulating and keeping draft picks is the GM's philosophy, I get it in today's cap world, but seeing the prime years of your best players on a bad team waiting for our D prospects is a painful reality.
- Chris48

I think Couturier and BSchenn are more likely to be here going forward than Gagner and Read.

But we will need some of the F prospects to contribute. Konecny, Cousins, Leier, Martel, NAK, Lindblom, Fazleev, Vorobyov and Marody are in the pipeline but our 2016 1st could be the best of them with guys like Matt Tkachuk and Max Jones available.

I never saw this team as a playoff team to start the year, but I also didn't expect to see the type of hockey I've seen the past 5 games either.
- five4fighting10

Even though there were some issues still, I was really encouraged by how they were playing to start the season, then there was a complete 180.

Anyone worried about the future timeline for this team ?

My main concern is regarding the young group of our stud D prospects coming up and being NHL ready and effective (3-4 years ?) and the age of our current forwards. Our elite guys (G and Jake for example) are going to be 31-32 years old by that time.

Giroux: 27
Voracek: 27 (this summer)
Simmonds: 27
Read: 29
Gagner: 26

Being patient, developing prospects, accumulating and keeping draft picks is the GM's philosophy, I get it in today's cap world, but seeing the prime years of your best players on a bad team waiting for our D prospects is a painful reality.
- Chris48

It's an issue but what is your solution?

It's an issue but what is your solution?
- opeth_pa

There's two ways to go. The first one would be very difficult, and part of what got them to this point, is to supplement the roster with trades and free agency. The other is to bite the bullet, and just wait for the drafting and development to catch up, which includes wasting prime years of multiple players. There needs to be a constant influx of young talent, along with veteran turnover, so this kind of gap is removed.

Pavel Bure or Alexander Ovechkin
Sergei Fedorov or Pavel Datsyuk
Peter Forsberg or Evgeni Malkin
Paul Kariya or Rick Nash
Teemu Selanne or Patrick Kane
- Scoob

This is the correct response

The ducks in 11-12 had an 80 pt season with perry and getzlaf in their primes. Obviously they've had ultimate success before that and rebounded sharply, but I guarantee no one was thinking of trading them. G frustrates me a lot. He lacks attention to detail sometimes and is retaliatory. But he's not a robot either. When this team eventually gets back into the playoffs is when his full value will be realized.

I don't worry about G and Jake entering their 30's, part of me thinks they'll mature and maybe take even better care of their bodies in the offseason. They can't do it all by themselves, Raffl has looked so bad this year.

The ducks in 11-12 had an 80 pt season with perry and getzlaf in their primes. Obviously they've had ultimate success before that and rebounded sharply, but I guarantee no one was thinking of trading them. G frustrates me a lot. He lacks attention to detail sometimes and is retaliatory. But he's not a robot either. When this team eventually gets back into the playoffs is when his full value will be realized.

I don't worry about G and Jake entering their 30's, part of me thinks they'll mature and maybe take even better care of their bodies in the offseason. They can't do it all by themselves, Raffl has looked so bad this year.
- Just5

So you're saying the Flyers will make the ECF in 2019-2020, then proceed to be the worst team in hockey the next season, with Giroux needing an appendectomy?

General question: If you can leave out injuries and are starting a team today, would you take:

Pavel Bure or Alexander Ovechkin
Sergei Fedorov or Pavel Datsyuk
Peter Forsberg or Evgeni Malkin
Paul Kariya or Rick Nash
Teemu Selanne or Patrick Kane
- jmatchett383

Today?
Bure: speed kills
Federov: bigger, faster, better
Forsberg: stronger, better all around game, will to win
Kariya: More skilled, smarter
Selanne: he's awesome and Kane is a douche

How about for Defense?

Rob Blake or Shea Weber
Mark Howe or Duncan Keith
Paul Coffey or Eric Karlsson
Ray Bourque or PK Subban
Chris Chelios or Drew Doughty
- Baxter27

Weber: bigger and meaner
Howe: better combo of speed, skill and smarts
Coffey: In 3 on 3 OT he'd be near unstoppable
Bourque: That was a joke? Right?
Doughty: pre lockout, would have been Chelios. Even though I hatecthat head hunting wiener

So you're saying the Flyers will make the ECF in 2019-2020, then proceed to be the worst team in hockey the next season, with Giroux needing an appendectomy?
- Mononoke

I think they're elite players and are being dragged down. As long as we can make a serious run in the next 7 years, which I think we can do given the course we're taking, I have no concerns with the age discrepancy

that laugh seemed very forced imo
- aightwebang17

it was only the 2nd time i saw it...and that's how i laugh...sometimes...sorry

You made this statement

"You say core, I limit that to G and Jake, everyone else is replaceable."

"Everyone else" is pretty clear. I consider Laughton very much a part of the core.
- MJL

I don't. The core to me are the irreplaceable upper skilled guys who are unlikely to be moved, heavily relied on and leadership group of the team. To say Laughton is a core player is like saying Morin, Sanheim or Provorov are already core players. This is like saying Brayden Schenn and Couturier were core players from the moment they got here. I feel once Laughton has a role, produces regularly and becomes a leader in some fashion. Just my opinion, I might be wrong.

Can we just trade for Phaneuf? I'd rather have Phaneuf at full $$ than Vinny and AMac. Throw in a prospect to make it worth the Leafs time. They get a good prospect and help tanking

Today?
Bure: speed kills
Federov: bigger, faster, better
Forsberg: stronger, better all around game, will to win
Kariya: More skilled, smarter
Selanne: he's awesome and Kane is a douche
- BiggE

Completely agree.

Bure would score 60+ in todays game
People forget how great Fedorov was. He made Stevie Y play second fiddle. Should rename the Selke after him.

The other 3 arent close

I never saw this team as a playoff team to start the year, but I also didn't expect to see the type of hockey I've seen the past 5 games either.
- five4fighting10

I didn't expect playoffs, but I expected a team that would compete. By looks of it right now, we get neither

I didn't expect playoffs, but I expected a team that would compete. By looks of it right now, we get neither
- Jsaquella

As long as they compete for Auston Matthews...

As long as they compete for Auston Matthews...
- Tomahawk

Kid's already hurt. Guess the Flyers played a game over there that we missed

Kid's already hurt. Guess the Flyers played a game over there that we missed
- Jsaquella

Flyers helped the Oilers long term chances at getting Matthews last night. Could you imagine if they won? I'd quit my hockey fandom and switch to ultimate frisbee or something

Flyers helped the Oilers long term chances at getting Matthews last night. Could you imagine if they won? I'd quit my hockey fandom and switch to ultimate frisbee or something
- Mononoke

Stick with the Eagles, just as depressing, but the season is 66 games shorter