The NHL should be concerned.

The overall player, skill level, size, reach, etc, it's better than it's ever been. Even the bottom 6 forwards can skate like the wind and for the most part scored off the charts in juniors at least. The goalies are too good and trending a lot bigger in size as well. Defensive schemes to collapse and have the whole team blocking shots is only compounding the issue of low goal scoring league-wide.

Cousins and Straka both have ample AHL experience and should get a look soon. Sadly, Laughton is likely gonna be out for a while and Leier can go back down, so there are the 2 spots needed for them.
- BiggE

Leiers just getting his feet wet. If we're going to give these guys an opportunity, they need to be given time. I think leier should get 15-20 games before they decide what to do

The NHL should be concerned.

The overall player, skill level, size, reach, etc, it's better than it's ever been. Even the bottom 6 forwards can skate like the wind and for the most part scored off the charts in juniors at least. The goalies are too good and trending a lot bigger in size as well. Defensive schemes to collapse and have the whole team blocking shots is only compounding the issue of low goal scoring league-wide.
- Pixote Andolini

The NHL should be concerned.

The overall player, skill level, size, reach, etc, it's better than it's ever been. Even the bottom 6 forwards can skate like the wind and for the most part scored off the charts in juniors at least. The goalies are too good and trending a lot bigger in size as well. Defensive schemes to collapse and have the whole team blocking shots is only compounding the issue of low goal scoring league-wide.
- Pixote Andolini

These 3 things they should look at

1. Stricter line changes. Player can't go on the ice until the player he's replacing skates come off the ice

2. Make it a penalty to body slide along the ice to block a shot or a pass (or lay across the goal line in a scrum). Players can go down on one knee to block a shot

3. Make it legal to kick pucks into the net. There's no reason why this shouldn't be legalized now

These 3 things they should look at

1. Stricter line changes. Player can't go on the ice until the player he's replacing skates come off the ice

2. Make it a penalty to body slide along the ice to block a shot or a pass (or lay across the goal line in a scrum). Players can go down on one knee to block a shot

3. Make it legal to kick pucks into the net. There's no reason why this shouldn't be legalized now
- Just5

ok

ok
- Giroux_Is_God

I must be crazy right? I mentioned it in here before these reported discussions from this summer. Yeah I got lit up like a Christmas tree in here

http://www.hockeyfeed.com...ajor-changes-to-the-game/

I must be crazy right? I mentioned it in here before these reported discussions from this summer. Yeah I got lit up like a Christmas tree in here

http://www.hockeyfeed.com...ajor-changes-to-the-game/
- Just5

That'd be the stupidest rule change I've ever seen in any sport

Cousins and Straka both have ample AHL experience and should get a look soon. Sadly, Laughton is likely gonna be out for a while and Leier can go back down, so there are the 2 spots needed for them.
- BiggE

Exactly -- Cousins and Straka aren't kids. They've been down there long enough, are old enough, where this isn't desperation.

Production should lead to promotion, even if it's temporary. Cousins is tied for fifth in league scoring, after 13 games, and is in his third season down there. He's 22 years old. He led the Phantoms -- admittedly a weaker team, but still -- in scoring last season.

And...you drafted him. I am not saying that he is anything other than a young player, a prospect. But with the way the NHL team is performing, and likely a roster slot available, this shouldn't be a difficult question of bringing him up.

Michael Raffl has one goal. You just made Brayden Schenn a healthy scratch two games ago. Scott Laughton is likely hurt. Ryan White is hurt.

Cousins deserves as much of an opportunity as the guys who aren't producing -- we're 20 games in. A guy with one goal might need to take a seat so we see if another guy can create offense

Will lose the lottery to the Oilers
- Winning

we're becoming edmonton... slowly but surely... patience

I must be crazy right? I mentioned it in here before these reported discussions from this summer. Yeah I got lit up like a Christmas tree in here

http://www.hockeyfeed.com...ajor-changes-to-the-game/
- Just5

i said same as well back when tortorella was coaching the rangers... it seemed like that squad would lay three guys in the crease and two in the slot.

The NHL should be concerned.

The overall player, skill level, size, reach, etc, it's better than it's ever been. Even the bottom 6 forwards can skate like the wind and for the most part scored off the charts in juniors at least. The goalies are too good and trending a lot bigger in size as well. Defensive schemes to collapse and have the whole team blocking shots is only compounding the issue of low goal scoring league-wide.
- Pixote Andolini

Part of it is the coaches, too -- you have guys who would rather lose 2-1 than win 5-4

You have to wonder if guys like Ray Whitney and Ray Ferraro would have gotten a sniff in today's game -- Ferraro was talking about it one night during a broadcast, about how it's baffling to him that you are praised for being a one-way player when you can only play defense, but you are criticized for being a one-way player who can only play offense

Ferraro said -- and I agree -- that the barometer should be how hard you play. If you play hard, as an offensive player who doesn't defend well, that should matter and should get you a slot in a lineup

Part of it is the coaches, too -- you have guys who would rather lose 2-1 than win 5-4

You have to wonder if guys like Ray Whitney and Ray Ferraro would have gotten a sniff in today's game -- Ferraro was talking about it one night during a broadcast, about how it's baffling to him that you are praised for being a one-way player when you can only play defense, but you are criticized for being a one-way player who can only play offense

Ferraro said -- and I agree -- that the barometer should be how hard you play. If you play hard, as an offensive player who doesn't defend well, that should matter and should get you a slot in a lineup
- AllInForFlyers

Interesting point.

I have the answer for you. Right or wrong- it's the "lazy" stigma.

Part of it is the coaches, too -- you have guys who would rather lose 2-1 than win 5-4

You have to wonder if guys like Ray Whitney and Ray Ferraro would have gotten a sniff in today's game -- Ferraro was talking about it one night during a broadcast, about how it's baffling to him that you are praised for being a one-way player when you can only play defense, but you are criticized for being a one-way player who can only play offense

Ferraro said -- and I agree -- that the barometer should be how hard you play. If you play hard, as an offensive player who doesn't defend well, that should matter and should get you a slot in a lineup
- AllInForFlyers

Your exactly right here. Look no further than Hak's and the flyers comments after their 1-0 shutout loss, after falling into last place in the league in scoring. Would everything have been so peachy if they lost 6-5?

Interesting point.

I have the answer for you. Right or wrong- it's the "lazy" stigma.
- Giroux_Is_God

I'm sure that's how some look at it -- offensive production is so damn easy, anyone can do it

Part of it is the coaches, too -- you have guys who would rather lose 2-1 than win 5-4

You have to wonder if guys like Ray Whitney and Ray Ferraro would have gotten a sniff in today's game -- Ferraro was talking about it one night during a broadcast, about how it's baffling to him that you are praised for being a one-way player when you can only play defense, but you are criticized for being a one-way player who can only play offense

Ferraro said -- and I agree -- that the barometer should be how hard you play. If you play hard, as an offensive player who doesn't defend well, that should matter and should get you a slot in a lineup
- AllInForFlyers

Couldn't agree more...oh hey thsts great you are a defensively sound player..

Right now our starting first line winger and our 2 line center have 3 points each.

You still need to score to win so let's take players that are average at best offensively to this point and play a defensive system choking off any chance at offense.

Your exactly right here. Look no further than Hak's and the flyers comments after their 1-0 shutout loss, after falling into last place in the league in scoring. Would everything have been so peachy if they lost 6-5?
- Just5

I feel pretty comfortable that we all know the answer to that one

These 3 things they should look at

1. Stricter line changes. Player can't go on the ice until the player he's replacing skates come off the ice

2. Make it a penalty to body slide along the ice to block a shot or a pass (or lay across the goal line in a scrum). Players can go down on one knee to block a shot

3. Make it legal to kick pucks into the net. There's no reason why this shouldn't be legalized now
- Just5

Increasing the size of the nets would be a great start. But maybe the "right" answer might be the hardest to implement. The players have gotten so much bigger...maybe the size of the playing surface needs to increase as well.

The loss of revenue from losing some seats wouldn't be ideal...but eventually revenue will decline further if the game continues to lose fans to boredom.

Couldn't agree more...oh hey thsts great you are a defensively sound player..

Right now our starting first line winger and our 2 line center have 3 points each.

You still need to score to win so let's take players that are average at best offensively to this point and play a defensive system choking off any chance at offense.
- opeth_pa

Watching the Flyers as a Sens fan, your transition D is very bad. The D does not get the puck up the ice and that I would say this is your biggest problem. If del zotto is your #1 D - all your problems begin and end right there.

You guys are solid at Center as the flyers always Are, but if these guys aren't getting pucks at speed then not much they can do.

And your goalie is very average - I've never understood why the Flyers have never had a mentally tough NHL goalie with all those great teams they had, I don't think anyone in the NHL has been slightly nervous to face a Flyers goalie since Pele Lindburgh.

Ghost doe
- Nucker101

Supporting a tank

i'd sit gagner

I'm fine with waiting till the deadline. Stockpile assets for the future. I've lost hope this group turns it around.
- JoeRussomanno

That's fine, I'd sit Gagner, too. He's a one way player who isn't producing. If he's not scoring he's literally doing nothing else

Couldn't agree more...oh hey thsts great you are a defensively sound player..

Right now our starting first line winger and our 2 line center have 3 points each.

You still need to score to win so let's take players that are average at best offensively to this point and play a defensive system choking off any chance at offense.
- opeth_pa

This is an absolute travesty, 20 games in

I don't put that on Dave Hakstol and Ron Hextall, because players play. They need to produce

But the bottom line is that 1LW is absolutely killing them, 1RW is paid to produce and isn't, and nobody else is doing enough to offset that in any way whatsoever

I like players on this team. Some more than others. But it is completely unacceptable that 1/4 of the season is gone and some of these players have produced at the levels they have

Supporting a tank
- ob18

It's how you get the best kids for you to drool over.

They're two points out of dead last. No one even has to root for a tank job. They really are this bad.

Part of it is the coaches, too -- you have guys who would rather lose 2-1 than win 5-4

You have to wonder if guys like Ray Whitney and Ray Ferraro would have gotten a sniff in today's game -- Ferraro was talking about it one night during a broadcast, about how it's baffling to him that you are praised for being a one-way player when you can only play defense, but you are criticized for being a one-way player who can only play offense

Ferraro said -- and I agree -- that the barometer should be how hard you play. If you play hard, as an offensive player who doesn't defend well, that should matter and should get you a slot in a lineup
- AllInForFlyers

Very good point. A couple of weeks ago I questioned whether the players feel stifled playing in a defensive-first system. No one really jumped on that, and MJL countered that he doesn't view Hak's system as defensive.

I still maintain it's a valid point. Both Berube's system and Hak's system are similar, and these players haven't played particularly well in either. The team was much more dynamic under Laviolette. Other teams have a more dynamic offense.

So yes, the Flyers lack the general talent of those teams. But maybe the system isn't getting the most out of the talent we have either.

Supporting a tank
- ob18

No, we're supporting a multi-year strategy in which acquiring the highest draft pick possible this year is a key element

It's how you get the best kids for you to drool over.

They're two points out of dead last. No one even has to root for a tank job. They really are this bad.
- hereticpride

Still want to see some level of effort..........I'm well aware of the potential of the draft eligible prospects.