This. The Flyers were actually a strong shot generation PP and even performed OK in the goals department if we are talking season stats. They finished 11th in the league in Goals/60 and 5th in Shots/60.

It's what down during the stretch that made me nervous. It used to be just a a few teams who would implement the hyper aggressive swarm Ghost/Streit and G strategy. But then it felt like every team started doing it. Flyers are a fantastic PP when people play off them. When they don't....it's a disaster. There is an exact strategy for throwing our PP in a loop. It has always been slow, methodical, patient, static...it is being exploited like never before now. Adapt or die. They need to act more like a dynamic 5-man unit -- faster pace, better flow, less predictable.
- Mononoke

The 3 players that touch the puck for almost the entire PP were injured...so trailing off at the end of the season isnt that ridiculous to me. I do think that they shouldve been able to counter the aggressive play of the PK...if they were able to move quicker and work in Schenn/Simmer plus Jake returns to being dangerous...then teams being aggressive will work right into the hands of the Flyers. I am not ready to say scrap it

sorry but even that is too much. if GMs were smart (which we know they arent) Fleury would be handed out for next to nothing. Obviously someone is going to overpay...but there are more goalies that should/need to be traded than teams that need goalies so teams really could be holding out until someone breaks.

obviously stamkos plays into this a little bit. in my opinion they should resign him and trade Bishop
- YuenglingJagr

i would hope for that. but i'm with you in that it still may not come back. realistically, i would like to get a second. i think that can be done.

Russomanno will be livid
- Crimsoninja

Him, livid? Naaaahhhhhhh....... Shirley you jest!

This. The Flyers were actually a strong shot generation PP and even performed OK in the goals department if we are talking season stats. They finished 11th in the league in Goals/60 and 5th in Shots/60.

It's what down during the stretch that made me nervous. It used to be just a a few teams who would iplement the hyper aggressive swarm Ghost/Streit and G strategy. But then it felt like every team started doing it. Flyers are a fantastic PP when people play off them. When they don't....it's a disaster. There is an exact strategy for throwing our PP in a loop. It has always been slow, methodical, patient, static...it is being exploited like never before now. Adapt or die. They need to act more like a dynamic 5-man unit -- faster pace, better flow, less predictable.
- Mononoke

The way to beat the high pressure PK is for the passers (G & Jake) to start shooting more, rather than trying to force a pass through, and let Simmonds and Schenn crash the net for deflections and rebounds. Then, when the PK starts playing G and Jake to shoot, rather than pass like they do now, you feed it to Ghost.

On the PK, they definitely need to pressure more aggressively, this is easier if you have some quick guys up high that can get right up in the puck carriers face.

Either way, you have to constantly tweak things and make changes, even relatively small changes, or any special teams unit will start to stagnate. I'm not concerned with Mullen, he has a pretty successful track record over a number of seasons in running a powerplay. Lappy though, he concerns me. He may be a great guy, but I think they could use a fresh voice in regards to the PK.

What it means is there isn't a book and even if there were a book, it wouldn't be shared among the teams so that magically every team could easily shut them down. By and large the Flyers problems were self-inflicted and other teams simply took advantage of them.
- Scoob

Shared among the teams? All it takes is video scouting, which all coaches and PK coaches do. They see video of other teams implementing extremely aggressive skating at a stationary Giroux or Ghost, see it working, and do the same. It isn't magic. No one says the Flyers PP can be cast a spell on so as to never score. It's that the PP strategy they implement at present has chinks in the armor that are being exploited by more and more teams. So, yes, it is self-inflicted from a strategic sense.

The 3 players that touch the puck for almost the entire PP were injured...so trailing off at the end of the season isnt that ridiculous to me. I do think that they shouldve been able to counter the aggressive play of the PK...if they were able to move quicker and work in Schenn/Simmer plus Jake returns to being dangerous...then teams being aggressive will work right into the hands of the Flyers. I am not ready to say scrap it
- YuenglingJagr

One thing that could help is more movement. They have a tendency to stay in one spot and try to force the puck through. Get them moving around, let Jake slide low, pull Schenn up high, have G and Ghost swap spots now and then and you will confuse the PK and create openings.

That's the thing. Teams know the Pens (and other teams) are in a bind, so it takes the leverage away from the Pens. In an ordinary year, Murray could get you a Schneider-like return. This year, there'd have to be more. Not a ton more, but more.
- jmatchett383

You think? I don't. Schneider had a larger body of work and three seasons in the NHL before he got traded for the 9th pick.

Andrew Ladd is presently vacationing in Summerland, British Columbia.

I bought 2 tickets. We leave tomorrow.
- Mononoke

Yeah I know I spent the whole morning and afternoon with him.

The 3 players that touch the puck for almost the entire PP were injured...so trailing off at the end of the season isnt that ridiculous to me. I do think that they shouldve been able to counter the aggressive play of the PK...if they were able to move quicker and work in Schenn/Simmer plus Jake returns to being dangerous...then teams being aggressive will work right into the hands of the Flyers. I am not ready to say scrap it
- YuenglingJagr

Injuries had little to do with it imo -- teams have always done this, just more now. The bolded is the primary factor. 2/5 skaters don't touch the puck except to retrieve and move it. Jake's side isn't worked enough either. I think the half-wall players are too on the perimeter and up high. Large areas of the ice aren't even worked.

The only way to beat people skating fast at you is to move the puck faster and to more people. You have the man advantage. Use it.

You think? I don't. Schneider had a larger body of work and three seasons in the NHL before he got traded for the 9th pick.
- Scoob

Murray was named AHL goalie of the year 1 year ago and just showed that he is good enough to win a Stanley Cup. Now, what role he played is debatable, but he seems to have the poise of a 10-year vet and is only going to, presumably, get better. He's not exactly some guy who came out of nowhere and played well for a month.

Shared among the teams? All it takes is video scouting, which all coaches and PK coaches do. They see video of other teams implementing extremely aggressive skating at a stationary Giroux or Ghost, see it working, and do the same. It isn't magic. No one says the Flyers PP can be cast a spell on so as to never score. It's that the PP strategy they implement at present has chinks in the armor that are being exploited by more and more teams. So, yes, it is self-inflicted from a strategic sense.
- Mononoke

So we're kind of saying the same thing from a slightly different viewpoint.

The other side of the coin is that the Flyers staff sucks because clearly they weren't watching other teams' PP to figure out how to have an effective one.

Murray was named AHL goalie of the year 1 year ago and just showed that he is good enough to win a Stanley Cup. Now, what role he played is debatable, but he seems to have the poise of a 10-year vet and is only going to, presumably, get better. He's not exactly some guy who came out of nowhere and played well for a month.
- jmatchett383

Right, but still not worth a top 10 pick. Probably not even a top 25 pick. That's overpaying for the shiny object du jour.

Imho, of course.

One thing that could help is more movement. They have a tendency to stay in one spot and try to force the puck through. Get them moving around, let Jake slide low, pull Schenn up high, have G and Ghost swap spots now and then and you will confuse the PK and create openings.
- BiggE

maybe let konecny just go rover

Shared among the teams? All it takes is video scouting, which all coaches and PK coaches do. They see video of other teams implementing extremely aggressive skating at a stationary Giroux or Ghost, see it working, and do the same. It isn't magic. No one says the Flyers PP can be cast a spell on so as to never score. It's that the PP strategy they implement at present has chinks in the armor that are being exploited by more and more teams. So, yes, it is self-inflicted from a strategic sense.
- Mononoke

The answer is within far more than it is about what other teams are doing. The chinks in the armor are being caused by execution and decision making, more then they are by the strategy of the opposition in my opinion.

To reiterate what I said before, I'd like to see some new wrinkles added to the same PP setup that they can take advantage of. One example would be Giroux could drop down lower, and Gostisbehere could slide more towards the left point, while Simmonds could rotated to the other side of the net, bringing in a goal mouth pass from Giroux into play, drawing defenseman down, opening up Schenn more, while Giroux could also look for Voracek sliding in.

Right, but still not worth a top 10 pick. Probably not even a top 25 pick. That's overpaying for the shiny object du jour.

Imho, of course.
- Scoob

I think it would. He's a goalie with some pretty good credentials, and is young enough that he can be your goalie of the present and future.

Also, I thought that the Schneider trade was an overpayment. But it happened.

So we're kind of saying the same thing from a slightly different viewpoint.

The other side of the coin is that the Flyers staff sucks because clearly they weren't watching other teams' PP to figure out how to have an effective one.
- Scoob

Frog protection

The other side of the coin is that the Flyers staff sucks because clearly they weren't watching other teams' PP to figure out how to have an effective one.
- Scoob

Well, I didn't say I was firing Mullen. Remodeling a PP is a much tougher task than telling your PK unit to not cluster (frank) each other in front of your goalie and go at the puck carrier more. I do have some issues with why a kid like Laughton isn't getting PP time, but the issue is really w/ PP1.

Sometimes coaches do suck and sometimes they're incapable of changing. I don't think Mullen is the former. He deserves a season to prove he isn't the latter.

Yeah I know I spent the whole morning and afternoon with him.
- Streit2ThePoint

Well, looks like I have an extra ticket.....anyone who is interested in journeying to Summerland, BC to vacation with Mr. Ladd, please let me know.

And that's very nice you spent the morning and afternoon with him. I'm sure you caught some nice fish. But he promised me midnight skinny dipping.

Well, looks like I have an extra ticket.....anyone who is interested in journeying to Summerland, BC to vacation with Mr. Ladd, please let me know.

And that's very nice you spent the morning and afternoon with him. I'm sure you caught some nice fish. But he promised me midnight skinny dipping.
- Mononoke

Ill give you the 6th overall pick for it

Frog protection
- YuenglingJagr

I think we're on the same page.

I think it would. He's a goalie with some pretty good credentials, and is young enough that he can be your goalie of the present and future.

Also, I thought that the Schneider trade was an overpayment. But it happened.
- jmatchett383

Murray's glove hand is meh but he's so calm no matter what happens and when he gets down into the butterfly he's an animal. He's certainly not "unproven" but he also doesn't strike me as an elite #1 at this point in time either. Tough decision

Frog protection
- YuenglingJagr

That's a good one

Umberger buyout is official, per the team twitter feed

Umberger buyout is official, per the team twitter feed
- Jsaquella

I hope for his sake he can stay in good health and find a job somewhere in the league should he want.

I hope for his sake he can stay in good health and find a job somewhere at league minimum should he want.
- Mononoke

Oh, for sure. I hope he finds a gig and plays well. He's a good guy & was a good teammate last year through the awful year