Right now, if you put Crosby in place of Giroux, Crosby would be carrying this team offensively, and would still be one of the top players in the league. No doubt. I'm not expecting Giroux to be Crosby, but he has to be much better than he has been lately.
- MJL

You think the way the league treats Crosby compared to everyone else doesn't have a lot to do with this? You come near him or touch him its a penalty. He would not get the same treatment if he was in Philly, not even close. You think Crosby would of got called if he was tangled up with Callahan last night....No freakin way. Its an absolute disgrace.

You think the way the league treats Crosby compared to everyone else doesn't have a lot to do with this? You come near him or touch him its a penalty. He would not get the same treatment if he was in Philly, not even close. You think Crosby would of got called if he was tangled up with Callahan last night....No freakin way. Its an absolute disgrace.
- djepp12

I don't think the conspiracy theory has anything to do with it, no. Giroux deserved that penalty last night, he instigated the contact.

I don't think the conspiracy theory has anything to do with it, no. Giroux deserved that penalty last night, he instigated the contact.
- MJL

Absolutely. Then g flopped. Screw him he's playing like a wussy

Of course a player like Callahan scores against the Flyers. It always astounds me that garbage players and struggling players always seem to score against the Flyers. Geez even a team like Arizona that has a total of 6 wins has 2 victories over the flyers. We are 1/3 of their total wins!
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

These facts make me very sad.. We can't even split vs this glorified ahl team?

To be honest, it doesnt mean anything to me what Crosby does when Malkin is out of the lineup..

1. Crosby is still the best player of the world. Giroux , while a star player is not the best player in the world.

Story over for me..

Doesnt mean Giroux doesnt need to play better..we need the angry ginger not the Hak version of him which is apparently no emotion..

Coots being out makes the argument between those that overvalue him and those that undervalue him moot for the next month.. Because of that attention will focus to Schenn so those that overvalue him and those that undervalue him will have a target..

Of course a player like Callahan scores against the Flyers. It always astounds me that garbage players and struggling players always seem to score against the Flyers. Geez even a team like Arizona that has a total of 6 wins has 2 victories over the flyers. We are 1/3 of their total wins!
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Isnt a goalie anywhere that stops that Callahan play..sometimes the other team makes a great play...

To be honest, it doesnt mean anything to me what Crosby does when Malkin is out of the lineup..

1. Crosby is still the best player of the world. Giroux , while a star player is not the best player in the world.

Story over for me..

Doesnt mean Giroux doesnt need to play better..we need the angry ginger not the Hak version of him which is apparently no emotion..

Coots being out makes the argument between those that overvalue him and those that undervalue him moot for the next month.. Because of that attention will focus to Schenn so those that overvalue him and those that undervalue him will have a target..
- opeth_pa

Giroux is a ginger?

Your opinion, not factual as you claim.
- puckhead17

I agree that Mason was the better goalie. He is subjected to too many point blank opportunities and had not chance at 2 of the goals and little chance at 2 others. Why is it the Flyers rarely get opportunities the Flyers seem to give up? the team defense must improve and the turnovers must stop.

Wha??????

I must have missed our MALKIN in our lineup somewhere?
seriously dude?
You cover Crosby, you get Malkin, you cover Giroux, you get Coots?, Cousins?

Wow
- puckhead17

I agree with you there. Giroux is always going to be matched up against the checking line.......at home maybe to a letter degree. My concern is that he just doesn't seem as dynamic as he has in the past. He was never a speedster but he was always quick and dynamic. I fear the injuries may have taken its toll on him.

I agree that Mason was the better goalie. He is subjected to too many point blank opportunities and had not chance at 2 of the goals and little chance at 2 others. Why is it the Flyers rarely get opportunities the Flyers seem to give up? the team defense must improve and the turnovers must stop.
- nastyflyergirl

I think we all forget sometimes that this is a rebuild process.. On our back end, there are major issues. When we sit what a lot of people would consider is our most skilled dman (MDZ), and regularly dress Amac, you know there's a problem. Help is on it's way, but we don't have a ton of talent on D compared to other teams.

I am far more worried about others than Giroux moving forward. Even if he is in decline, he can still be a very effective guy.

My worry is when you have a guy 5 years into his career and he's still maddeningly inconsistent in terms of production and being involved, that's a bigger issue. The Flyers expect Brayden Schenn to be an impactful top 6 guy. He's more pssenger than driver. They expect Couturier to be a high end 2C who can fill a shut down role and score 20-25 goals. He might not be that.

If that's the case, they need to address it.
- Jsaquella

I said it on twitter last night, I miss the Schenn who played with a burr up his ass and was physical like in the playoffs in what season 2012? since then he has patches where he plays like that but not often enough. he is most effective when playing like that IMHO

I haven't seen one hint of chemistry between the top line. They're getting hemmed in their own zone constantly and attacking as individuals in the offensive zone, unless they're in a prime scoring area of course...Then they decide to pass. I can't remember that combination ever working in the past and I have my doubts it will work this time around. Move Schenn down the line up so he can provide more value on a thin offensive line up.

Vandevelde may be the popular whipping boy around here but it's really Bellemare who has earned a seat in the press box for me. Countless failed clears and definitely isn't providing the energy on the fore check he's provided in the past.

Manning has now cost them 2 games by my count with careless blown coverage late in a game. It's pretty basic fundamentals to tie a guy's stick up when he's anywhere around your crease. He had a great start but his play is getting more erratic by the game. Time for him to sit.

Raffl-Giroux-Voracek
Konecny-Schenn-Simmonds
Read-Cousins-Weise
Vandevelde-Laughton-Lyubimov

Provorov-Streit
Macdonald-Gudas
Del Zotto-Ghost
- Baxter27

Manning isn't the guy I'd sit for MDZ. Streit has not been good. he played all of 14 mins last night and basically not at all on the PK. He has been a good player since coming here but he looks pretty done this year.

Let's just look at last season. Malkin only played 57 games last season. Crosby scored 36 goals, and 49 assists for 85 points and finished 2nd in the league in scoring. I'm not sure that you should be questioning anyone's credibility.
- MJL

I don't understand t he constant comparisons to Crosby. Stupid Lavy. Crosby is a generational talent. Giroux has been a top player in the league but its crazy to think he is to be a Crosby

I'm not entirely convinced that Giroux has reached, The Decline. He needs to be more engaged and it would be nice to free him up against lesser competition but to do that you're going to have to aquire another big time center. I wouldn't be opposed to shopping our 1st this year + other assets but realistically team defense is the bigger issue and until that is shored up it doesn't really matter whether Giroux is scoring or not.

Hockeylover I just saw your post since my phone was still on that page

"Big too points.."

F u

Trade Giroux.

Manning isn't the guy I'd sit for MDZ. Streit has not been good. he played all of 14 mins last night and basically not at all on the PK. He has been a good player since coming here but he looks pretty done this year.
- nastyflyergirl

Streit is definitely in the decline but he's not getting burned at critical points in the game. Manning's play has cost them some points over the last couple weeks.

Happy Thanksgiving all
I'm thankful for Mason regaining his form,
Getting to see Provorov's first of many goals, a potential top pair guy in the making,
Wayne Simmonds who embodies everything it is to be a Flyer,
Konecny who appears a star in the making,
Having Bill as our blogger,
And last but not least, all the Flyers fans here, giving us a place to discuss everything Flyer to the most important to the obscure and weird

Cheers!

The answer is to sit AMac. It's not even funny that stats on vs off

The answer is to sit AMac. It's not even funny that stats on vs off
- Mononoke

AMac MUST play. I dont remember the exact number of games but he has to play around 56 to be eligible to be left unprotected for Vegas.

AMac MUST play. I dont remember the exact number of games but he has to play around 56 to be eligible to be left unprotected for Vegas.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Wow. I had no idea. I hope Hextall knows this!

Trade Giroux.
- Giroux_Is_God

lets get an eric lindros like return for him and win a cup for once

AMac MUST play. I dont remember the exact number of games but he has to play around 56 to be eligible to be left unprotected for Vegas.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

He has to play zero NHL games to be eligible for the expansion draft. None. Zilch. Nada. MacDonald could have spent the entire season in the AHL and still be eligible for the expansion draft

The games played rule applies to the team, as each team has to expose at least 1 defenseman who played at least 60 games in 2016-7 or 70 combined games over 2015-16 and 2016-17 and is under contract for 2017-18. Right now they have 2 guys that meet that criteria:Radko Gudas & Brandon Manning.

Any player with over 2 pro seasons after age 20, regardless of games played, has to be exposed or protected, which is why Mark Alt and Anthony Stolarz have to be protected or exposed, just like Andrew MacDonald

So you're saying MacDonald doesn't need 56 games...? He needs 52?

So you're saying MacDonald doesn't need 56 games...? He needs 52?
- Mononoke

Don't matter, Vegas ain't taking him unless Hextall bribes them