Straka is hurt
- MJL

And behind Leier, Cousins and McDonald in the established pecking order even if he was healthy.

MDZ and Gudas were dreadful
- vejim

the flyers bottom 6 is putrid. Seems like they have 2 4th lines. Some of these guys are fringe nhl players. An upgrade is needed badly imo.

I thought Gagner had a pretty strong game. If he comes out of the lineup when Couturier comes back, while Umberger, Laughton, VdV and White remain untouchable, I have a stamp ready for Hakstol's hand.


- Feanor

When everyone is healthy, I"d like to see Gagner stay up and White and Umberger sit. You could perhaps make a case that Laughton should sit before White, but, since they aren't a contender, I think it's more important that the kid stays in the lineup.

I'd go with:

Voracek-G-Simmonds
Read-Couturier-Schenn
Raffl-Gagner-Weal
VDV-Bellemare-Laughton

I thought Gagner had a pretty strong game. If he comes out of the lineup when Couturier comes back, while Umberger, Laughton, VdV and White remain untouchable, I have a stamp ready for Hakstol's hand.


- Feanor

White needs to turn his game around or he needs to go. Last year I really liked him and what he brought to the bottom 6. This year, not so much.

When everyone is healthy, I"d like to see Gagner stay up and White and Umberger sit. You could perhaps make a case that Laughton should sit before White, but, since they aren't a contender, I think it's more important that the kid stays in the lineup.

I'd go with:

Voracek-G-Simmonds
Read-Couturier-Schenn
Raffl-Gagner-Weal
VDV-Bellemare-Laughton
- BiggE

I'd demote Laughton since 8-10 minutes a night is not enough to develop properly. I'd also start using White properly as a 4th line center who takes faceoffs, and never sees a second of PK time.

Voracek-G-Simmonds
Read-Couturier-Schenn
Raffl-Bellemare-Gagner
VDV-White-Weal
Umberger

the flyers bottom 6 is putrid. Seems like they have 2 4th lines. Some of these guys are fringe nhl players. An upgrade is needed badly imo.
- rinaldo

instead of 3rd and 4th line it's more like a 4th and 5th line

... I think it's more important that the kid stays in the lineup.
- BiggE

Yeah, gotta take the long view with him. Might not be playing too great, but he's learning valuable lessons night after night.

I'd demote Laughton since 8-10 minutes a night is not enough to develop properly. I'd also start using White properly as a 4th line center who takes faceoffs, and never sees a second of PK time.

Voracek-G-Simmonds
Read-Couturier-Schenn
Raffl-Bellemare-Gagner
VDV-White-Weal
Umberger
- Feanor

The only thing I don't like about this is having 2 centers that basically contribute no offense whatsover, but, it's still much better than what they put on the ice last night.

Yeah, gotta take the long view with him. Might not be playing too great, but he's learning valuable lessons night after night.
- Tomahawk

He actually made some nice plays last night, if he had been playing with someone who actually has some skill, rather than RJ, perhaps he picks up an assist or 2.

When your team is playing the 4th game in 6 nights, and you are forced to overplay the 1st line because you lack depth, it's hard to expect any different result than what we saw last night. Losing Couturier is just huge for this team. He is their best two way center, one of the top possession guys, a key penalty killer, is basically a 3rd Dman in the D zone, and a guy who can eat up minutes and match up against anyone. If he's out for more than a game or two, any chance of making the playoffs is likely over.
- BiggE

I agree that the loss of Couturier was a big factor. He's really the glue of this team, and his presence would've significantly changed the game in my opinion. I think overplaying the top line is being drastically overblown. Giroux played about a 1:30 of ice time above his season ES average. It amounts to a couple of shifts.

I didn't mention anything about the bottom 6. The biggest reason by far that the Flyers lost that game was that the Flyers top players, their top line, and top defense pair in particular, got drastically outplayed by the Pens top players. The top 2 lines were on the ice for both ES goals against. The other main reason was the PK giving up 2 goals.
- MJL

Really? Gosh, the top 2 lines were on the ice for 2 ES goals against?
Which lines are the only lines generating offense?
Dump on the only players producing for the club?
Lets not dump on the 2/4th lines last night, as they didn't give up any ES goals.
They don't produce zilch, but that's another story.
Again, go argue with someone else.

I'd demote Laughton since 8-10 minutes a night is not enough to develop properly. I'd also start using White properly as a 4th line center who takes faceoffs, and never sees a second of PK time.

Voracek-G-Simmonds
Read-Couturier-Schenn
Raffl-Bellemare-Gagner
VDV-White-Weal
Umberger
- Feanor

Demoting Laughton right now is going to have a huge effect on his mental psyche. It's like when the Flyers brought up Sbisa and traded him to Anahiem and they sent him back to juniors.

Laughts has been quite frankly bad at times, sure, but he's also showed some strong play as well. I would keep him on the wing for the rest of the year, take some pressure off him, put him with Bellemare and maybe Weal...Not really sure what my lines would look like.

Top-six actually didn't play badly. Bottom-six got caved.

Top-pair had their worst night of the season -- not surprisingly, considered who they were up against and the schedule.
- Tomahawk

You mostly got it backwards. Other than when the Flyers had to overuse Bellemare against the Pens top players, due to the absence of Couturier, the bottom 6 held their own. It was the Flyers top players who got caved.

Every Canadian team could miss playoffs for the first time since NHL-WHA merger in '79
- Streit2ThePoint

the flyers bottom 6 is putrid. Seems like they have 2 4th lines. Some of these guys are fringe nhl players. An upgrade is needed badly imo.
- rinaldo

Role player = player with little skill set, grinder.

Lecavalier 7 GP 3G 1A
- Streit2ThePoint

Should of kept

29 teams in NHL get that bounce that Schenn didn't get. Guarantee it.

Role player = player with little skill set, grinder.
- puckhead17

if you say so.

When your team is playing the 4th game in 6 nights, and you are forced to overplay the 1st line because you lack depth, it's hard to expect any different result than what we saw last night. Losing Couturier is just huge for this team. He is their best two way center, one of the top possession guys, a key penalty killer, is basically a 3rd Dman in the D zone, and a guy who can eat up minutes and match up against anyone. If he's out for more than a game or two, any chance of making the playoffs is likely over.
- BiggE

All true words my friend!!

Also, lovin all the "we missed Coots" posts.

Trade him. He's shown me nothing. 3C at best on a contender.

instead of 3rd and 4th line it's more like a 4th and 5th line
- funmaster18

And this!!!

You mostly got it backwards. Other than when the Flyers had to overuse Bellemare against the Pens top players, due to the absence of Couturier, the bottom 6 held their own. It was the Flyers top players who got caved.
- MJL

Wrong. These were by far the worst possession forwards last night.

http://www.naturalstattri...eason=20152016&game=20695

PEB
VDV
White

Gagner and Read played against Malkin as much as these guys, but had better possession numbers.

Really? Gosh, the top 2 lines were on the ice for 2 ES goals against?
Which lines are the only lines generating offense?
Dump on the only players producing for the club?
Lets not dump on the 2/4th lines last night, as they didn't give up any ES goals.
They don't produce zilch, but that's another story.
Again, go argue with someone else.
- puckhead17

I did not offer a commentary on the entire season, or who has been producing for the Flyers this seasons. My comments were on what happened in last nights game. The bottom 6 for the most part last night held their own. It was the Flyers top players who got drastically outplayed at ES last night, and why the Flyers lost the game. That and the PK giving up two PP goals.

Now if we want to look at a wider scale view, everyone agrees that the Flyers need to upgrade their forward depth. The Pens are a team that is vulnerable with their bottom two lines. The Flyers unfortunately don't have the player to take advantage of that weakness, because they have the same weakness.

Also, lovin all the "we missed Coots" posts.

Trade him. He's shown me nothing. 3C at best on a contender.
- Giroux_Is_God

They've gone into hibernation for the winter