This current line up is only a borderline playoff team when Couts and other key players are all healthy and the goalies are playing lights out.

When the goalie has an average to below average night they are toast. The goalie has to stop every makable save, and then also make some huge highlight reel saves for them to win. It isn't really sustainable. Take Couts out and they have no defensive stopper.

Take G or Jake out for any length of time and they would be toast also.

It is a piecemeal D core with everyone playing more minutes then they should. That is also the core reason the PK sucks.

The bottom six can be improved and that won't be that hard. I expect Hexy to fix this with smart free agent acquisitions this summer. One or two bottom 6 guys should be doable without breaking the cap. Maybe some forward prospects will be ready to fill in. But until they get a top franchise defenseman they aren't going anywhere. Hopefully Provorov in 3 years becomes that guy. He may make the team next year, but expecting him to be a franchise guy playing big minutes in all situations... well, 3 years if we are lucky.
- Marc D

It's going to take time for sure. That top pairing dman isn't on the market this summer even if they wanted it, so barring an unforeseen shakeup trade, they won't have it next year.

How hard is it to post a thought with any semblance of intelligence?
- KINGKENZO

Why so reactionary all the time? You'd be great on our PK

This current line up is only a borderline playoff team when Couts and other key players are all healthy and the goalies are playing lights out.

When the goalie has an average to below average night they are toast. The goalie has to stop every makable save, and then also make some huge highlight reel saves for them to win. It isn't really sustainable. Take Couts out and they have no defensive stopper.

Take G or Jake out for any length of time and they would be toast also.

It is a piecemeal D core with everyone playing more minutes then they should. That is also the core reason the PK sucks.

The bottom six can be improved and that won't be that hard. I expect Hexy to fix this with smart free agent acquisitions this summer. One or two bottom 6 guys should be doable without breaking the cap. Maybe some forward prospects will be ready to fill in. But until they get a top franchise defenseman they aren't going anywhere. Hopefully Provorov in 3 years becomes that guy. He may make the team next year, but expecting him to be a franchise guy playing big minutes in all situations... well, 3 years if we are lucky.
- Marc D

The bottom 6 is just a bad mix. I really hope they do shore that up in the offseason. Letting White walk will help to some degree. I agree with everything you've said

I guess I need to slink into the thread today... 0-3-3...and the "BLACK Partial season plan" is 0-3-4 to infinity...

I sat there the whole first period saying to myself this is going to get worse tonight. They are playing a team who got their clocks clean and they are pissed off. The Flyers had to know Anaheim wasn't going to take that beating the Penguins put on them laying down. But there they went and laid a huge egg in the first period. Out shot 15-5 and it looked worse than that really.

Then they started the second period on fire and 5 minute in the penalty parade starts. Say goodbye to the momentum they built up.

Just overall a poor night. Wish I could have seen Stolie just to make a positive out of that mess.

Well I can expect losses again on 2/29, 3/7, 3/19 and 4/7 the way this is going.
- dragonoffrost

Right there with you on the Black plan- must be us causing all of this poop

The whole team played badly, but I was really pissed with ## 28, 93, and 89.

Roo was interfered with in the first (not called) and started whining to the refs. He was not able to get back in the game for a long time.

V was off all night. His decision making, his timing were completely off. Maybe because his partner's mind (# 28) was not in the game

Gagner did not play like a North american player. With his sfotness he needs to try playing in Europe next season.

Apologies for the rant.

So last night the Devils put Brodeur's number in the rafters, and erect a statue of him... Then they take the ice and win the game.

The Flyers celebrate their 50th anniversary by laying an egg on the ice, and having some schlub who made trades that wouldn't be approved on NHL2016 cut a cake.

Pathetic!
- PLindbergh31

I don't know you personally, so I'm not sure if this is just some kind of schtick or not but if you feel this way just give up the flyers and root for the devils. Clearly nothing the flyers do make you happy so unless you are a masochist I'd suggest you move on.

It's going to take time for sure. That top pairing dman isn't on the market this summer even if they wanted it, so barring an unforeseen shakeup trade, they won't have it next year.
- Just5

When you think about this, this year's team has over performed.

Ghost has been such a great addition, as has Neuvirth.

MDZ has matured into a pretty good 2 way defenseman, from being a pretty limited offensive guy only a few years ago.

Couts has really shown everyone what he means to the team, both in being an anchor to the second line and a defensive stopper. A key guy for this team going forward.

Laughton is having a rookie learning curve year. I think he figures things out, but this year has been tough.

Simmonds, G, Jake are giving what you expect for the most part, and the core going forward. I think BSchenn is too but am less certain about him.

Boy was I excited at the start about Medvedev. I still think he could improve and be very useful with the right use and the right D partner. I don't think the Flyers feel the same way though. So overall, net neutral.

Hexy has done a great job moving some contracts and sticking to the game plan.
Moving VLC and Luke was a huge win. The return for Luke was a bit disappointing, but he wasn't going to be re signed.

Not sure if anything can be done with Amac and Umberger, but I thought the same for VLC. Maybe Umby retires?

Why so reactionary all the time? You'd be great on our PK
- Just5

damn right

So last night the Devils put Brodeur's number in the rafters, and erect a statue of him... Then they take the ice and win the game.

The Flyers celebrate their 50th anniversary by laying an egg on the ice, and having some schlub who made trades that wouldn't be approved on NHL2016 cut a cake.

Pathetic!
- PLindbergh31

i don't have the numbers, but this is generally what the flyers do every (frank)ing time they celebrate a player or a milestone. like their futility in the shootout, this is what they do celebrating themselves. you could even point to the wives carnival. how many (frank)ing times do they play horrendously and get spanked the game directly before the carnival? it's happened a lot.

i feel like we've been stuck with ned ryerson for the last 5 years. and it's not going to end for a little while yet. jfc.

The Pronger injury doomed him. I think his thought was always to get Pronger and contend and hope Pronger would play until his late 30s or 40s. During that time, the team would draft and develop defenseman so when Pronger retired, they'd have guys ready to step in. I felt like he panicked after the Pronger injury. I don't think they sign Streit, Amac or trade for Luke if Pronger is healthy.
- PhillySportsGuy

So true

i don't have the numbers, but this is generally what the flyers do every (frank)ing time they celebrate a player or a milestone. like their futility in the shootout, this is what they do celebrating themselves. you could even point to the wives carnival. how many (frank)ing times do they play horrendously and get spanked the game directly before the carnival? it's happened a lot.

i feel like we've been stuck with ned ryerson for the last 5 years. and it's not going to end for a little while yet. jfc.
- hammarby31

For how long did they always win when they played Kate Smith singing the anthem? It's coincidental.

The bottom 6 is just a bad mix. I really hope they do shore that up in the offseason. Letting White walk will help to some degree. I agree with everything you've said
- TobyFlenderson

I think VDV, White and Bellemare could be OK in a limited 4th line role. They could also be improved on with a more skill or size or speedier mix. But with a struggling Laughton, an nearly useless Umberger (for the majority of the season), Hakstol has been forced into using VDV, White and PAB as the third line, where they are way overmatched.

i don't have the numbers, but this is generally what the flyers do every (frank)ing time they celebrate a player or a milestone. like their futility in the shootout, this is what they do celebrating themselves. you could even point to the wives carnival. how many (frank)ing times do they play horrendously and get spanked the game directly before the carnival? it's happened a lot.

i feel like we've been stuck with ned ryerson for the last 5 years. and it's not going to end for a little while yet. jfc.
- hammarby31

I went to the night Leclair and Lindros were honored.

They were tied late in the game with Minny. Amac and Luke are on the ice, mess up a D zone clear, turn the puck over and Minny scores in the last 2 minutes to win.

Rinse, repeat over and over with this sad scenario.

Does Medvedev need a lot of rest or something?

Otherwise I really don't understand the insertion of a dman like Manning who lacks NHL-quality offensive skills, and then he got 100% OZ starts to boot. On a team that struggles to score it seems crazy to me.

When you think about this, this year's team has over performed.

Ghost has been such a great addition, as has Neuvirth.

MDZ has matured into a pretty good 2 way defenseman, from being a pretty limited offensive guy only a few years ago.

Couts has really shown everyone what he means to the team, both in being an anchor to the second line and a defensive stopper. A key guy for this team going forward.

Laughton is having a rookie learning curve year. I think he figures things out, but this year has been tough.

Simmonds, G, Jake are giving what you expect for the most part, and the core going forward. I think BSchenn is too but am less certain about him.

Boy was I excited at the start about Medvedev. I still think he could improve and be very useful with the right use and the right D partner. I don't think the Flyers feel the same way though. So overall, net neutral.

Hexy has done a great job moving some contracts and sticking to the game plan.
Moving VLC and Luke was a huge win. The return for Luke was a bit disappointing, but he wasn't going to be re signed.

Not sure if anything can be done with Amac and Umberger, but I thought the same for VLC. Maybe Umby retires?
- Marc D

A guy i'd have interest in this summer is gunnarson. He shouldn't break the bank

I think VDV, White and Bellemare could be OK in a limited 4th line role. They could also be improved on with a more skill or size or speedier mix. But with a struggling Laughton, an nearly useless Umberger (for the majority of the season), Hakstol has been forced into using VDV, White and PAB as the third line, where they are way overmatched.
- Marc D

Would you come back next year with laughton as the 3C with practically no competition for the role? I don't see how they can

He was the PK coach when they were 7th in the NHL with an 84.8% success rate in 2013-14. Did he forget how to coach or did the Flyers not have equal PKing replacements for Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn and Adam Hall and simultaneously get less out of guys like Matt Read & Nick Grossmann (last year) than they were getting a few seasons ago?

It's not Lappy, IMO. It's the latter.
- bmeltzer

They have enough talent to not be near bottom in the league two years in a row. Couturier and Read are still there. At some point the coaches have to take responsibility for the failure of the PK unit.

Why has White replaced Raffl despite White being useless at PKing? Why do White and VdV keep dropping down low leaving the points wide open? Hextall has been on record saying the PK needs to improve and since it hasn't Lappy should expect to be moved sideways this summer.

He was the PK coach when they were 7th in the NHL with an 84.8% success rate in 2013-14. Did he forget how to coach or did the Flyers not have equal PKing replacements for Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn and Adam Hall and simultaneously get less out of guys like Matt Read & Nick Grossmann (last year) than they were getting a few seasons ago?

It's not Lappy, IMO. It's the latter.
- bmeltzer

Bill,
The point regarding the personnel is somewhat valid for sure. I think my main issue though is there is zero adjustment. It's not like the Flyers don't have mobile forwards who can perform a high pressure PK system (Raffl, Laughton, Read, Bellamare, even VV).

It's not really a concern of mine thinking Lappy has forgotten how to coach. He was successful during the year you pointed out. But players come and go and as a coach its his job to get the best out of the group he currently has. If he doesn't have the benefit of having smart/positionally sounds players (Kimmo, Coburn, Grossmann, etc) at his disposal, then he needs to adjust. Tinkering with the PK system during the all-star break would be as good as any time wouldn't it.

I went to the night Leclair and Lindros were honored.

They were tied late in the game with Minny. Amac and Luke are on the ice, mess up a D zone clear, turn the puck over and Minny scores in the last 2 minutes to win.

Rinse, repeat over and over with this sad scenario.
- Marc D

yeah, i remember that. it's a good recent example.

Does Medvedev need a lot of rest or something?

Otherwise I really don't understand the insertion of a dman like Manning who lacks NHL-quality offensive skills, and then he got 100% OZ starts to boot. On a team that struggles to score it seems crazy to me.
- Feanor

It's part of the plan.

'Tanksyou very much for noticing my efforts'

-Hakstol

Does Medvedev need a lot of rest or something?

Otherwise I really don't understand the insertion of a dman like Manning who lacks NHL-quality offensive skills, and then he got 100% OZ starts to boot. On a team that struggles to score it seems crazy to me.
- Feanor

I'm not even hearing the "Anaheim is a big team, so put in more physical D" answer to this. Manning is not a better player than Medvedev.

I don't know. How hard is it really to make a lot of those moves that he did with a stack of blank checks and no worries about a long term vision. How hard is it to call Anaheim and ask them how many firsts they need for Pronger. How hard is it to call briere's agent and tell him hey just tell him to fly in and he's got 70 million for 8 years or whatever. Even the stroke of genious you alluded to was just undoing his own mistakes. Thank god the flyers were gifted buyouts

Coburn for zhitnik puts him one rung above mibury.
- Just5

The Carter and Richards trades were two of the best and most ballsy trades ever made.

Picking Briere over Gomez and Drury seems obvious now, but at the time they were neck and neck as the top free agents.

He was okay as a #5 defenseman. It was a steep price to pay, though, at the time.
- jmatchett383

A 2nd rounder for a 40 point dman is a bargain.

Would you come back next year with laughton as the 3C with practically no competition for the role? I don't see how they can
- Just5

3rd line RW or 4th line C. But I think he will be better next year all around.

They have enough talent to not be near bottom in the league two years in a row. Couturier and Read are still there. At some point the coaches have to take responsibility for the failure of the PK unit.

Why has White replaced Raffl despite White being useless at PKing? Why do White and VdV keep dropping down low leaving the points wide open? Hextall has been on record saying the PK needs to improve and since it hasn't Lappy should expect to be moved sideways this summer.
- Feanor

Its the D mainly that are causing the PK to stink.

Gudas/Schultz as a main shut down PK pair, vs Coburn/Timmo.

A 2nd rounder for a 40 point dman is a bargain.
- Feanor

Which player is that?