Who is he not holding accountable?
- YuenglingJagr

Well Maninng and VdV have got far more ice time than they deserve based on their performances.

I agree. But like someone (Feanor) had said, we'd have the option to put Gagner on waivers to see if someone would claim him. I don't think he or Umberger, although they play a different game, make the Flyers better or worse if they're switched out.
- jmatchett383

True, but at 3.2 million, I doubt he gets claimed on waivers. They have a better chance of just trading him for "future considerations", that way they can offer to retain some of the contract to get him out of here.

If everyone is healthy, I'd waive Manning and go with:

Schenn-G-Jake
Read-Coots-Simmonds
Raffl-Laughton-Gagner
VDV-PEB-White
spare: Umberger
here only cause we can't rid of his worthless ass: Vinny

MDZ-Gudas
Medvedev-Streit
Ghost-Schenn
spare: Schultz
- BiggE

I'd swap a few players around and go with:

Laughton - G - Schenn
Raffl - Gagner - Jake

I don't think Vinny will retire at all. Read an article this morningthat interviewed him about his current state with the flyers and if retirement has crossed his mind . "No it hasn't. I'm mentally tough." Sounds like he's completely ok sitting on the sidelines cashing in checks

Another LHD?
- Feanor

Switch-hitting needs to become a thing in hockey.

And that is my main point. Could Manning perhaps develop some more and improve a bit? Maybe. Is he ever going to be a top 4 guy? No, he's not.
- BiggE

Yeah I know....I just had an issue with saying a guy is who he is this soon after regular NHL time. not all players and especially defensmen get it right away. We agree that there is less risk in losing him for nothing due to the Flyers depth at defense. I just think you could do much worse than Manning as a 7.

At least they are playing solid hockey the last 3 games. Tomorrow is a good test, they don't play well against the Devils at all. A win tomorrow night, and the ship might be heading in the right direction.
- PLindbergh31

until the skipper throws the crew over the deck

Who is he not holding accountable?
- YuenglingJagr

do you think Medvedev should have been scatched all those games while others were not performing well? why was he singled out?

do you think any of the forwards should have had a game or 2 in the press box because of their performance?

I'd swap a few players around and go with:

Laughton - G - Schenn
Raffl - Gagner - Jake
- Tomahawk

why not Raffl - Couts- Jake... I don't get the insistence on keeping read with couts. Are they like siamese twins or something?

I know what you are assuming. You must be forgetting someone though. Because the opening night roster had 14 forwards. Fully healthy the Flyers will be scratching 2 forwards, so McDonald has to be sent back down and then the decision will be made on who to remove to keep Ghost
- YuenglingJagr

Yes...so like I said, the same opening night roster plus Ghost minus Manning, which should put them right at the ceiling.

Switch-hitting needs to become a thing in hockey.
- Tomahawk

Haha as in an ambidextrous guy who has L and R sticks on the bench? There are some guys (Phaneuf) who are more comfortable playing the opposite side. Someone did have a write up of which Flyers prospects were okay with playing the other side, but I forget where I saw it.

I don't think Vinny will retire at all. Read an article this morningthat interviewed him about his current state with the flyers and if retirement has crossed his mind . "No it hasn't. I'm mentally tough." Sounds like he's completely ok sitting on the sidelines cashing in checks
- arichardson22

He also said he's going to play his entire contract out. It came off kind of spiteful.

why not Raffl - Couts- Jake... I don't get the insistence on keeping read with couts. Are they like siamese twins or something?
- JoeRussomanno

Reads defense is what keeps him matched up against other teams top line. I agree though, I would love to see Raffl with Coots and then Read with G

Yes...so like I said, the same opening night roster plus Ghost minus Manning, which should put them right at the ceiling.
- jmatchett383

Misunderstood I guess...thought you were suggesting McDonald stays on the Flyers

do you think Medvedev should have been scatched all those games while others were not performing well? why was he singled out?

do you think any of the forwards should have had a game or 2 in the press box because of their performance?
- rinaldo

Let's not forget that Med has been playing a different game, on a different rink, his whole life... I doubt he had much time to be watching NHL hockey, too.

Parts of his game translated very easily to NA (NZ, transition, point-play)... but he's been an adventure in his own zone. Maybe they wanted him to take some time to learn/observe/absorb while they got a better read on Manning?

He also said he's going to play his entire contract out. It came off kind of spiteful.
- PhillySportsGuy

My thoughts exactly. It's almost like his mentality is oh you guys don't want me? I'll show you how much you don't want me

maybe not that far.....guys in that role don't always need a lot of ahl seasoning!!
- rinaldo

Well, they've already called up Cousins/Leier over him. Straka would probably be next in line because the Flyers don't really have a drop-in replacement need for Ghoul like the did for Ghost where he was a drop-in replacement for Streit. Also, once everyone's healthy, they'll have 14 forwards already and be up against the cap. I'm not saying it won't happen, I just don't think he's higher than about 18th on their depth chart.

True, but at 3.2 million, I doubt he gets claimed on waivers. They have a better chance of just trading him for "future considerations", that way they can offer to retain some of the contract to get him out of here.
- BiggE

They could do what the Flyers did for old what's his name from Detroit in 12/13: a conditional 7th if Gagner is resigned by June 30th.

Yeah I know....I just had an issue with saying a guy is who he is this soon after regular NHL time. not all players and especially defensmen get it right away. We agree that there is less risk in losing him for nothing due to the Flyers depth at defense. I just think you could do much worse than Manning as a 7.
- YuenglingJagr

Yes you could, it's called Bruno Gervias. That said, I don't think Manning is anything special and is fairly easily replaceable.

do you think Medvedev should have been scatched all those games while others were not performing well? why was he singled out?

do you think any of the forwards should have had a game or 2 in the press box because of their performance?
- rinaldo

I have no idea why Medvedev was scratched for that many games, but that is an example of Medvedev being held accountable. Did he respond?

Vdv gets more ice time than I would prefer, but I dont see him as a reason the Flyers are losing games.

He also said he's going to play his entire contract out. It came off kind of spiteful.
- PhillySportsGuy

But he has $200 billion sitting in his TD Bank account, why would he want to collect a few million more as opposed to not getting paid a few million more?

Haha as in an ambidextrous guy who has L and R sticks on the bench?
- YuenglingJagr

YES!

Imagine how valuable that would be if somebody could pull it off.

My thoughts exactly. It's almost like his mentality is oh you guys don't want me? I'll show you how much you don't want me
- arichardson22

It's basically all about whether he's comfortable being a healthy scratch for the rest of his career. It appears he is

I have no idea why Medvedev was scratched for that many games, but that is an example of Medvedev being held accountable. Did he respond?

Vdv gets more ice time than I would prefer, but I dont see him as a reason the Flyers are losing games.
- YuenglingJagr

I really do believe that VdV is a golden boy because of his UND connection to Hakstol. Hak probably likes his game and trusts him on the ice from his old UND days, and that probably leads to favoritism. All coaches have favorites and no one is 100% without bias, but I would like to see VdV's minutes reduced.

why not Raffl - Couts- Jake... I don't get the insistence on keeping read with couts. Are they like siamese twins or something?
- JoeRussomanno