Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Flyers Lose Final Game of 2016, Mason Injured; WJC Update

Doomed

water finding its level...

"Hakstol, who made no bones about his displeasure with costly first period penalties taken by Claude Giroux and Roman Lyubimov in the St. Louis game, scratched Lyubimov in San Jose"

I get making players accountable for poor play or penalties but Lyubimov has 2 penalties all season. it irritates me to have benched him most of the Blues game and to scratch him last night.

water finding its level...


- ggunky

The book is out on Philly. They back off and play a collapsed zone defensive system in which you can just hammer them down the wall on the pinch keeping them pinned in their own zone for long stretches. Keep cycling and skating and eventually you'll have either a powerplay or a fantastic chance to score.

The Flyers also don't quite have the horses that a lot of other teams do. We're playing on borrowed time with at least 2-3 players in the lineup on any given night. It's just what it is.

They can obviously still be better and contend for a wildcard spot but it's going to be a helluva battle.

"Hakstol, who made no bones about his displeasure with costly first period penalties taken by Claude Giroux and Roman Lyubimov in the St. Louis game, scratched Lyubimov in San Jose"

I get making players accountable for poor play or penalties but Lyubimov has 2 penalties all season. it irritates me to have benched him most of the Blues game and to scratch him last night.
- nastyflyergirl

I knew when he got that penalty he'd be scratched. I'm surprised his skates touched the ice after he came out of the box. In Hakstol's defense, Luby hasn't looked as fast and aggressive and the insane whirling dervish we saw earlier in the month but he hasn't looked bad or scratch-worthy IMO.

With the Flyers scuffling offensively, Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol's decision to make rookie forward Travis Konecny a healthy scratch in San Jose was puzzling and hard to defend.


THIS!

"Hakstol, who made no bones about his displeasure with costly first period penalties taken by Claude Giroux and Roman Lyubimov in the St. Louis game, scratched Lyubimov in San Jose"

I get making players accountable for poor play or penalties but Lyubimov has 2 penalties all season. it irritates me to have benched him most of the Blues game and to scratch him last night.
- nastyflyergirl

Agreed. It's especially galling that the coach apparently thought they had a better chance to win with guys like Gordon and Weise in the lineup rather than TK and Lyubimov. Makes no sense at all.

I've been a pretty big supporter of Hak for the most part, I really like his system and his calm demeanor on the bench. But man, some of his lineup choices are just flat out bad.

Doomed
- Streit2ThePoint

Not impressed with the slump for sure. Hoping for a win vs Anaheim but they are similar to San Jose will push us around with their size and I find we actually play worse vs them. Can't believe the offsense has dried up so badly. Gotta find a way to stop the slide.

Chicken Little?
Hindenburg?
Titanic?

TK scratched and VDV in always and forever?

Why we always make a scrap heap piece of sheet look like a Vezina winner?

Once again the west coast swing will begin to drown our hopes?

Not impressed with the slump for sure. Hoping for a win vs Anaheim but they are similar to San Jose will push us around with their size and I find we actually play worse vs them. Can't believe the offsense has dried up so badly. Gotta find a way to stop the slide.
- Hextall271

Put Steit on LTIR and bring up Morin, then waive Gordon and bring up CMac for the Anaheim game. They need more size to match up with the big forwards on these CA teams. I'd go with:

Raffl-G-Jake
TK-Couturier-Simmonds
Lyubimov-Cousins-Schenn
VdV-PEB-CMac
healthy scratch: Leier

And, assuming Gudas is good to go, I'd change up the D pairs and go with:

Provorov-Gudas
MDZ-Manning
Morin-Ghost

healthy scratches: AMac and Schultz

Time to make some changes, the current lineup is not getting it done.

Yup, lets keep our 5th liners in, they would be on any other team, and scratch a young player that competes and adds offense. Makes complete sense to me.

I knew when he got that penalty he'd be scratched. I'm surprised his skates touched the ice after he came out of the box. In Hakstol's defense, Luby hasn't looked as fast and aggressive and the insane whirling dervish we saw earlier in the month but he hasn't looked bad or scratch-worthy IMO.
- Pixote Andolini

He had about 5 mins of playing time when he took the penalty and finished with something like 6 so he had 1-2 more shifts and I believe they came late in the 3rd. I understand stars get special treatment and have no issue with that. I don't want to see Giroux, etc benched for stuff like that but I do get a tad irritated when it seems like certain players get away with egregious penalties or turnovers while others don't. I just really don't like the mix of 52-14-22 and 76-78-27. I personally want to see a 4th line that is an energy line. Speed and skill. Leier, cousins and Luby types. Not saying all 3 of those players, just mean players of that type.

Put Steit on LTIR and bring up Morin, then waive Gordon and bring up CMac for the Anaheim game. They need more size to match up with the big forwards on these CA teams. I'd go with:

Raffl-G-Jake
TK-Couturier-Simmonds
Lyubimov-Cousins-Schenn
VdV-PEB-CMac
healthy scratch: Leier

And, assuming Gudas is good to go, I'd change up the D pairs and go with:

Provorov-Gudas
MDZ-Manning
Morin-Ghost

healthy scratches: AMac and Schultz

Time to make some changes, the current lineup is not getting it done.
- BiggE

coots on the second line and schenn on the third? Sorry but coots looks lost out there and has been completely ineffective. He belongs on the third till he at least gets his wheels going and can displace schenn. In my opinion schenn doesn't get moved until that happens.

With regards to Hakstol...
As the great teacher and motivator with the "STARE"
Why couldn't he reach Gagner and torts can to the tune of 28 points already...

I like some things he does but have wondered how will he motivate paid players vs kids in college for the duration of a season and playoffs...
All TBD i guess.

Agreed. It's especially galling that the coach apparently thought they had a better chance to win with guys like Gordon and Weise in the lineup rather than TK and Lyubimov. Makes no sense at all.

I've been a pretty big supporter of Hak for the most part, I really like his system and his calm demeanor on the bench. But man, some of his lineup choices are just flat out bad.
- BiggE

I have not soured on Hakstol at all but I don't like some of the personnel decisions like you mentioned. Of course that can be said for all coaches. I won't remotely pretend to know more than Hakstol, Hextall, etc but I just don't get some of the moves.

He had about 5 mins of playing time when he took the penalty and finished with something like 6 so he had 1-2 more shifts and I believe they came late in the 3rd. I understand stars get special treatment and have no issue with that. I don't want to see Giroux, etc benched for stuff like that but I do get a tad irritated when it seems like certain players get away with egregious penalties or turnovers while others don't. I just really don't like the mix of 52-14-22 and 76-78-27. I personally want to see a 4th line that is an energy line. Speed and skill. Leier, cousins and Luby types. Not saying all 3 of those players, just mean players of that type.
- nastyflyergirl

ohhhhhh youuuuuu!!!!!!. Making sense again. knock it off!!!!!!!

Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Flyers Lose Final Game of 2016, Mason Injured; WJC Update
- bmeltzer

Elias Pettersson
Michael Rasmussen
Nikita Popugayev
Maxime Comtois
Eeli Tolvanen

Too soon?

With the Flyers scuffling offensively, Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol's decision to make rookie forward Travis Konecny a healthy scratch in San Jose was puzzling and hard to defend.


THIS!
- BiggE

Agreed. Kony has been noticeable and one of the better players in the St.Louis game.

Elias Pettersson
Michael Rasmussen
Nikita Popugayev
Maxime Comtois
Eeli Tolvanen

Too soon?
- ob18

Agreed. Kony has been noticeable and one of the better players in the St.Louis game.
- ggunky

Exactly. The only thing the kid learned from watching that game is that a lot of his teammates aren't very good players. I'm pretty sure he had already figured that one out for himself.

Not impressed with the slump for sure. Hoping for a win vs Anaheim but they are similar to San Jose will push us around with their size and I find we actually play worse vs them. Can't believe the offsense has dried up so badly. Gotta find a way to stop the slide.
- Hextall271

they are a team of extremes it seems. Obviously they aren't as good as a 10 game win streak and getting points in 13 of 15 games or whatever it was but I also don't think they are as bad as they looked vs NJ, STL and SJ. they need to find consistency.

- BiggE

Start saving up

https://thewhiskeywash.co...hint-it-is-mostly-scotch/

coots on the second line and schenn on the third? Sorry but coots looks lost out there and has been completely ineffective. He belongs on the third till he at least gets his wheels going and can displace schenn. In my opinion schenn doesn't get moved until that happens.
- jmdodgeser4

11-14-93 looked good early on so I am completely ok with trying 11-14-17 (I want to keep 28-93 together). Coots just needs to get the rust off. they still need 2 more top 9 players in my opinion to be a real contender.

Start saving up

https://thewhiskeywash.co...hint-it-is-mostly-scotch/
- ob18

Just a bit outside of my price range.

All kidding aside, a friend of my father's who spent his life in the liquor business and was a scotch drinker, told me to never buy any scotch over 30 years old. Not because it won't be good, but he said most scotches reach peak flavor by year 30 and selling older bottles is just a way for the distillery to make more money. According to him, you really can't taste any difference between a 30 year old quality single malt and one that is 50 years old.