If Hextall pawns Vinny off on anyone (after having gotten an asset for Zac Rinaldo), he's Executive of the Year. Shut down the voting.
- johndewar

Agreed!

I would add Streit, B Schenn, and Raffl to that list.
- MJL

I think Read is playing better than Raffl right now. At least in the games I have watched (approx 2/3rds)

I feel like Voracek is doing all the right things. He'll score. Eventually.
- johndewar

There was that one play where he was behind the net where it appeared like he was gearing up for something big... Then he lost the puck

Then he's not going anywhere.
- GudasNew

Love the avatar

Giroux, Voracek, and Mason are all borderline what could be considered elite players. That's 3. Neuvirth is playing outstanding hockey right now, but will he sustain it? Saying he does, that's four. DelZotto is a good defenseman. Couturier is a good defensive center. Simmonds is a good power forward. That's seven, due to not including Neuvirth in my original count...the rest are a rookie, journeymen and steaming piles of monkey crap at best.
- aantny88

FTFY

I think Read is playing better than Raffl right now. At least in the games I have watched (approx 2/3rds)
- YuenglingJagr

I thought Read was one of the players who had a good game last night. Overall, other than Neuvirth, White, Vandevelde, Bellemare before he got hurt, and to a lesser extent Laughton, nobody is having a good season on this team.

I didn't think Ek could make such a moronic statement, but I was wrong
- aantny88

I think the more incredible thing would be if he said something that wasn't moronic. Hearing this "rumor" pretty much ensures it isn't true.

There is some track record of them relying on veterans though (briere, iginla, beauchemin)

I think Read is playing better than Raffl right now. At least in the games I have watched (approx 2/3rds)
- YuenglingJagr

Kind of like saying that a kick in the balls is better than a baseball bat upside the head.

He's playing afraid to fail, and he's failing because of it. He's holding the puck too long because he's afraid to have his pass intercepted, he's staying away from traffic because he doesn't want to cough up the puck, he's taking "safer" shots because he doesn't want them blocked. It's ugly.
- BulliesPhan87

The hesitation and doubt in his game is obvious.

I honestly think effort had little to do with the performance this game. I think it has had less to do with a lot of the losses than people are saying. This is not a group that doesn't care, that treats games frivolously, that doesn't want to win. They just flat out are a mediocre team. I see guys competing hard on the walls, trying to do what they can most shifts, but when all you can do isn't all that much, well...nuts.

They need perfect performances to have a shot at winning if their opponents aren't going to hand it to them. This is basically last year minus the sterling PP and Voracek leading the Art Ross race. Nothing new -- just last year's struggles accentuated with this year's bad luck.
- Mononoke

Yeah, the effort-level isn't perfect nor probably consistent enough, but with the way people talk it's like they're just showing up and cashing paychecks.

When your team is at a severe disadvantage, no matter the opponent, poop that can go wrong will go wrong. Gripping sticks, hurrying passes, getting too cute, etc etc etc. All are symptoms of no confidence in themselves and each other.

I thought Read was one of the players who had a good game last night. Overall, other than Neuvirth, White, Vandevelde, Bellemare before he got hurt, and to a lesser extent Laughton, nobody is having a good season on this team.
- MJL

Agreed I was just referring to the list of "good players" that was being created. I would add Read before Raffl.

The hesitation and doubt in his game is obvious.
- MJL

thinking about all those millions is alot of pressure

The hesitation and doubt in his game is obvious.
- MJL

I'm not in the locker room so I can't say for sure, and I hate to do something so cliched as invoke this name again, but imo they really need a Pronger-esque presence to take Jake to task.

I would not retain salary to trade Lecavalier.
- MJL

The retained salary would still come off the books if he retires

I'm not in the locker room so I can't say for sure, and I hate to do something so cliched as invoke this name again, but imo they really need a Pronger-esque presence to take Jake to task.
- BulliesPhan87

Hire Timonen
Fire Lappy

Yeah, everyone loves Lappy for what he did as a player, but as a coach, meh. No loss, IMO

I just think it's a bad idea. Finding a top 10 center is as hard as finding a top 10 dman.

If they wanted to make a major move, they should have traded Jake at last year's deadline. They opted to re-sign him, which was fine.

I feel their are much better options than trading Giroux. They can deal guys like Simmonds, Streit and B Schenn for mid-late first rounders. Look at what happened with Joe Thornton. The Bruins dealt him and got nothing in return. They were able to rebuild anyway, but imagine how many cups they would have won if they kept Thornton with Chara, Bergeron and Krejci.
- PhillySportsGuy

Yeah... trading G is a HUGE roll of the dice. Maybe it works out like Recchi, maybe it blows up in your face like Seguin/Thornton.

And yeah, the blockbuster move would have been to deal Jake last year. That ship has sailed. The deals that are left are for guys like Read, Simmer, Streit... guys that aren't going to command a team-altering return.

I'm not in the locker room so I can't say for sure, and I hate to do something so cliched as invoke this name again, but imo they really need a Pronger-esque presence to take Jake to task.
- BulliesPhan87

Call up Morin just for the purpose of beating players up in the locker room

The retained salary would still come off the books if he retires
- YuenglingJagr

Retaining the max is still a better option than a buyout. I'd do it in a second.

Call up Morin just for the purpose of beating players up in the locker room
- YuenglingJagr

Hell, I'd happily dress him right now over Schultz or Manning.

There was that one play where he was behind the net where it appeared like he was gearing up for something big... Then he lost the puck
- Trainfellow

Yep, just slid off his stick, and right to a Washington player going the other way. The frustration in his body language was palpable.

Hire Timonen
Fire Lappy

Yeah, everyone loves Lappy for what he did as a player, but as a coach, meh. No loss, IMO
- BiggE

they should bring Gordon up and Lappy down

Yeah, the effort-level isn't perfect nor probably consistent enough, but with the way people talk it's like they're just showing up and cashing paychecks.

When your team is at a severe disadvantage, no matter the opponent, poop that can go wrong will go wrong. Gripping sticks, hurrying passes, getting too cute, etc etc etc. All are symptoms of no confidence in themselves and each other.
- Tomahawk

If anyone think's people are saying that they're just showing up and cashing paychecks, which insinuates that the players don't give a dam, than that is on those who are making that poor judgement of what is being said.
Secondly, there is a big difference between average effort, and the effort level that is necessary game to game and shift to shift to play in the NHL. Top teams and top players also consistently give that 2nd effort, such as when they get beat, or make a mistake, they work to erase it. That does not happen with this team. When effort is given as a reason, it refers to situations such as in last night's game, when the Flyers had a bunch of PP's and a chance to take over the game, yet there were situations where the Flyers were outworked and outnumbered on the puck, when they have the man advantage. There's a lot of issues with this team right now, effort is definitely one of them. I thought the effort in last night's game was improved somewhat, but no where near where it should've been. Did you see a desperate team playing with a high level of urgency last night? I didn't.

Hire Timonen
Fire Lappy

Yeah, everyone loves Lappy for what he did as a player, but as a coach, meh. No loss, IMO
- BiggE

I wouldn't be heartbroken. The PK has been less than stellar (i.e. poop) for a while now.

Hell, I'd happily dress him right now over Schultz or Manning.
- BiggE

Do you think that is what is best for Morin right now?

The retained salary would still come off the books if he retires
- YuenglingJagr

Good point.