Was thinking about this another way...

Bench VDV and he comes back motivated and still maxes out at a 4th line player.
Bench a Raffl or Ghost , they come back motivated and you see a tangible impact..
- opeth_pa

I think about it this way...

Bench VDV and replace him with a better player like Lyubimov, and you see a tangible impact.

I don't think he needs motivation. Ghost has been struggling a bit going all the way back to the end of last season and the playoffs. Teams at this point have at least partially "figured him out" and we see that in the way they pay attention to him on the ice. They did two things, one, they adjusted to how they play him in the offensive zone and PP, and two, they started attacking his side of the ice when he is in his own zone.

IMO Ghost hasn't done a good enough job adjusting to this so far. Maybe getting a birds eye view will help him to clear his head and refocus on some changes he needs to make in his game in both zones.

So....point made, lesson learned. Get him back on the ice, he has kept AMacs seat warm enough.
- MBFlyerfan

Provorov may keep that seat warm next game...

Did Scotty Bowman ever scratch a player, what about Babcock or Quenville?
- opeth_pa

is this a trick question?

I don't think he needs motivation. Ghost has been struggling a bit going all the way back to the end of last season and the playoffs. Teams at this point have at least partially "figured him out" and we see that in the way they pay attention to him on the ice. They did two things, one, they adjusted to how they play him in the offensive zone and PP, and two, they started attacking his side of the ice when he is in his own zone.

IMO Ghost hasn't done a good enough job adjusting to this so far. Maybe getting a birds eye view will help him to clear his head and refocus on some changes he needs to make in his game in both zones.

So....point made, lesson learned. Get him back on the ice, he has kept AMacs seat warm enough.
- MBFlyerfan

I think some of his "struggles" you speak of are from not shooting 25% like he did when he first entered the league. It was unsustainable, but he is still generating offense. I actually saw an improvement in his overall play the last couple games (but I missed a couple as well)

At some point the team is going to have to do something about the defense. We can talk all we want about the youth and bright future, but somethings gotta give. We need a solid dman for the younger guys to look up to. Even if that guy isn't a leader, it could still be a skilled player that the young guys can learn from by watching. I don't think they need their hands held in every regard. We just don't have that.

There's also the argument that "team defense" needs to improve (which is true), but I think that is repeated so often because the defense corps, as a whole, is quite weak and they need the rest of the team to bail them out of bad situations.

There aren't any major additions that could be made via free agency in the near future, so we may have to bite the bullet and trade someone like Schenn+ to get it done. I'm not saying "trade everyone for everyone else", but there needs to be an upgrade sooner than later.

I think some of his "struggles" you speak of are from not shooting 25% like he did when he first entered the league. It was unsustainable, but he is still generating offense. I actually saw an improvement in his overall play the last couple games (but I missed a couple as well)
- YuenglingJagr

I agree it was unsustainable. But I also notice he is no longer getting those wide open one timers from the point he was getting with regularity when he first came in to the league.

If fumbling the puck at the blue line is reason to be scratched, Provorov should sit out the rest of November.
- Feanor

It is more than that but also, ones a highly paid vet and the other is learning the ropes at this level. Which one do you think should be afforded more patience?

Provorov may keep that seat warm next game...
- dragonoffrost

I'd be just fine with that really. Give him a chance to re set in a way. He's just got to stay positive as do we all regarding his development. It might take this year and next or longer for him to put it all together but he will.

Loved seeing jvr with the hat trick the other game. (frank) that still pisses me off. Oh well.

I think it was a good move to put Ghost in the stands for the evening. It gave him an opportunity to watch the game and let him visualize some of the things he needs to work on - his own end. This is not going to hurt his development. We have to remember he is a 2nd year player and this is not uncommon. This should not only help him but this should grab the attention of the whole team. Mason is playing better now and if the rest of the team picks up their game like him there should be more wins coming.

I'd be just fine with that really. Give him a chance to re set in a way. He's just got to stay positive as do we all regarding his development. It might take this year and next or longer for him to put it all together but he will.

Loved seeing jvr with the hat trick the other game. (frank) that still pisses me off. Oh well.
- Hextall271

Provorov makes the occasional mistake, as do all rookies, but overall he has played pretty well and seems to be playing better as the season goes on. I don't see any reason to sit him. One thing they may want to consider is sitting Streit now and then when they are playing back to back. He's pushing 39 and it may be wise to give him a night off every once in a while. The guy who should sit though is AMac. He isn't horrible, but they simply have 6 other Dmen who bring more to the table.

I'd be just fine with that really. Give him a chance to re set in a way. He's just got to stay positive as do we all regarding his development. It might take this year and next or longer for him to put it all together but he will.

Loved seeing jvr with the hat trick the other game. (frank) that still pisses me off. Oh well.
- Hextall271

Oh I'm perfectly fine also with the scratch of Provorov also. It really could help him to see a game or two every so often from the press box. The key is he has to understand it's nothing but a teaching tool.

JVR is water under the bridge to me. I will still every now and then break out the jersey for a game. But really when he was traded he wasn't going to be more than a third line winger here playing with talent that wouldn't have help him get to where he's gotten in Toronto.

Provorov makes the occasional mistake, as do all rookies, but overall he has played pretty well and seems to be playing better as the season goes on. I don't see any reason to sit him. One thing they may want to consider is sitting Streit now and then when they are playing back to back. He's pushing 39 and it may be wise to give him a night off every once in a while. The guy who should sit though is AMac. He isn't horrible, but they simply have 6 other Dmen who bring more to the table.
- BiggE

Oh I won't be shocked if Streit sits a few games even though he has the A on the sweater. They can make sure to call them maintenance days and assign the A to MDZ or Jake.

We have 8 servicable defenseman. Yes 6 are better than numbers 7 and 8 but it is what it is and I think that the number of scouts in the arena last night may be because of our surplus and Trouba being in the same building.

Yes, Provorov had a few miscues but for the last 5 games he has been one of our best defenseman. No need to sit him, Ghost was playing very poorly and not from an offensive standpoint. I don't mind Ghost being bench but like mentioned before he needs to be in the lineup next game.

AMac assist + Flyers win = no lineup changes coming

AMac assist + Flyers win = no lineup changes coming
- jmatchett383

I think about it this way...

Bench VDV and replace him with a better player like Lyubimov, and you see a tangible impact.
- Feanor

Yes! If you have better players on your roster and yet Chris Vandevelde plays on, Dave Hakstol hasn't provided the best roster available. Now my biggest worry has become, let's say Hak actually scratches Vandevelde to show he plays no favors and we actually put together some wins during this time, does he look again to scratch someone more deserving to get his boy back in. On past rosters, most of knew who the 13th or 14th forwards were. Right now I have no idea and that's a problem for me.

Yes, Provorov had a few miscues but for the last 5 games he has been one of our best defenseman. No need to sit him, Ghost was playing very poorly and not from an offensive standpoint. I don't mind Ghost being bench but like mentioned before he needs to be in the lineup next game.
- ClaudeFather

It may not be for current play if Provorov sits, it may be a teaching tool as the view from off the ice for a game can help you understand your role better. I know there's video but sometimes watching live at game speed action is a better teaching tool.

The kid is 19 years old and in his first season of PRO hockey. It's a step and every tool to make sure he develops into what they want him to be should be used.

AMac assist + Flyers win = no lineup changes coming
- jmatchett383

How was the mall?

from the leafs thread...too funny not to share

Saw. Tweet last night that said the nhl should go back to junior until it's ready to handle marner

edit:found https://twitter.com/atful...status/799420462346498048

I don't mean to be a jerk but being a healthy scratch and being benched are two different things. Being a healthy scratch is not dressing for a game. Getting benched is missing a shift or two or basically not being allowed to play for the rest of the game because you've been sucking, so you watch your other teammates play from the bench.

Yes! If you have better players on your roster and yet Chris Vandevelde plays on, Dave Hakstol hasn't provided the best roster available. Now my biggest worry has become, let's say Hak actually scratches Vandevelde to show he plays no favors and we actually put together some wins during this time, does he look again to scratch someone more deserving to get his boy back in. On past rosters, most of knew who the 13th or 14th forwards were. Right now I have no idea and that's a problem for me.
- SuperSchennBros

I think we can hold off on worrying about that

Yes! If you have better players on your roster and yet Chris Vandevelde plays on, Dave Hakstol hasn't provided the best roster available. Now my biggest worry has become, let's say Hak actually scratches Vandevelde to show he plays no favors and we actually put together some wins during this time, does he look again to scratch someone more deserving to get his boy back in. On past rosters, most of knew who the 13th or 14th forwards were. Right now I have no idea and that's a problem for me.
- SuperSchennBros

Hak has Lyubimov and Gordon as 13 and 14. But there's also Leier and Laughton in the AHL who are in their last season of being waiver-exempt, and could easily play 10 minutes on the 4th line and kill penalties for the Flyers right now.

Bad goalie Steve Mason is 4th all-time for games played as a Flyer goalie.

Bad goalie Steve Mason is 2nd in career save pct. as a Flyer.

How was the mall?
- YuenglingJagr

Honestly, it was great. No line, so she got to do all of the pre-Santa activities (put her picture in an elf video, etc.). Went right up to Santa, then walked around for a while. Got caught up on 2 episodes of Timeless. Good times.

I think we can hold off on worrying about that
- YuenglingJagr

Maybe. Take the examples of Riley Cote and Jody Shelley. You knew these were your extra forwards, right? They knew they're role and I'm sure accepted they were sitting most nights. Does anyone on this roster believe they are the 13th or 14th forward?