I'd be willing to bet that if the Flyers added some more top defenseman to the lineup, their PK percentage would improve.
- MJL

Trade for top dmen like Polak and Hunwick?

PK has been awful for 3 years despite some great goaltending 5v5, amid poor defense. Does a goalie magically lose skill there? Or maybe it's playing your worst players there or a PK coach who tells his PKers to cluster(frank) in the slot.

Using a 1 month sample is a stretch.
- Mononoke

Ding, ding, ding!

Go look at their 5v5 save %s over the years (or Mason's alone), and then look at PK save %. There's a disconnect.

- Mononoke

Im not afraid to say when someone has done more research then I have which you clearly have on this.

The impression I had is that during the 10 game streak goaltending was a str of this team and that contributed to things like their PK being much higher then it is or was at any other point of this season. The opposite is also applicable that poor goaltending has contributed to poor PK numbers outside of the streak.

So, with many of us, including me, thinking that the Flyers need to find another solid center for next season, here are some names that intrigue me. First up, a couple of RFA's who they would need to trade for:

Sam Bennett
Mikhail Grigorenko

Obviously Bennett would cost more and has a much higher upside, but Grigorenko could possibly fill a need at 3C.

And, the UFA's

Martin Hanzal
The big guy would be a nice 3C fit here, but he is injury prone and that is a concern. While his health issues may keep the cost down somewhat, he still may cost more than they'd want to spend even if available

Mike Fisher
I doubt he wants to leave Nashville to go anywhere, and he'll be 37 next season, but if he were willing to sign a 1 year deal, I'd have interest

Patrick Berglund
Depending on how many years and how much he'll cost, he could be a perfect fit.

Nick Bonino
The Pens won't have much to spend on a guy like Bonino, but he also won't cost a fortune. He could also be a decent short-term 3C fit.

Thoughts?
- BiggE

No no no no no on Grigorenko.

I agree, no way Fisher moves on, but I'd love him.

Bonino is gonna cash in, especially if they win another Cup or even go on SCF run. So I'd love to have him, but he'll be pricey.

Hanzal doesn't interest me.

If Berglund is available, he'd be my choice.

I doubt it because they have a bunch of back to backs left. Integrating a ball dominant player like Simmons won't be seamless either. They'd also need to pass several teams to get there.

I guess anything is possible, but I hope fans don't expect it to happen because it probably won't. This run of winning every close game isn't going to last forever.
- PhillySportsGuy

I don't expect it, not in the least. But a month ago, I would have thought it was flat out impossible, rather than just improbable.

Mike Fisher
I doubt he wants to leave Nashville to go anywhere, and he'll be 37 next season, but if he were willing to sign a 1 year deal, I'd have interest

- BiggE

Mr Underwood ain't leaving Smashville.

Im not afraid to say when someone has done more research then I have which you clearly have on this.

The impression I had is that during the 10 game streak goaltending was a str of this team and that contributed to things like their PK being much higher then it is or was at any other point of this season. The opposite is also applicable that poor goaltending has contributed to poor PK numbers outside of the streak.
- opeth_pa

Why did you use PK numbers from 11/1/16 to 11/30/16 when you were talking about the 10 game winning streak which went from 11/27/16 to 12/14/16?

Go look at their 5v5 save %s over the years (or Mason's alone), and then look at PK save %. There's a disconnect.

The year Mason finished 2nd in NHL behind Price I believe at 5v5 (14-15), he had a .944 save % 5v5. And a .844 save % PK. This year, where we all know he has been subpar? He has a .909 5v5 save %.....and .854 on the PK. He is actually higher there than his career year. Last year? .937 save % 5v5....and .820 on the PK. Higher than there too. A poor save % on the PK is the only constant over the years, regardless of how well he does 5v5.

So how is Mason on the PK actually outperforming his two better years right now? Because it's a lot more than the goalie, unless you really believe Mason can be great 5v5 and then forget how to play goalie on the PK (and that's not even true this year). There's a large enough sample to see that this is systemic from Lappy/Hak down. They choose to play the worst players on the team there, and choose to have poor tactics. A lot of the PK goals against are just blown coverages or complete screens or whatnot -- just unlikely saves on the part of Mason.
- Mononoke

I co-sign all of this. I don't like their passive strategy, but I'd still put most of the blame on the usage of bad players.

No no no no no on Grigorenko.

I agree, no way Fisher moves on, but I'd love him.

Bonino is gonna cash in, especially if they win another Cup or even go on SCF run. So I'd love to have him, but he'll be pricey.

Hanzal doesn't interest me.

If Berglund is available, he'd be my choice.
- jmatchett383

Berglund would be my guy too unless Fisher was willing to come here on a 1 year deal which is highly unlikely. Sam Bennett really intrigues me, but I doubt there is a deal to be made to get him.

So the coach is not to blame whatsoever for anything that goes wrong. It's solely a lack of talent? Wow, hard to believe Hak wasn't hired by an NHL team years ago if he's that good a coach.
- BiggE

The reason for every loss is lack of effort. That's it.

So, with many of us, including me, thinking that the Flyers need to find another solid center for next season, here are some names that intrigue me. First up, a couple of RFA's who they would need to trade for:

Sam Bennett
Mikhail Grigorenko

Obviously Bennett would cost more and has a much higher upside, but Grigorenko could possibly fill a need at 3C.

And, the UFA's

Martin Hanzal
The big guy would be a nice 3C fit here, but he is injury prone and that is a concern. While his health issues may keep the cost down somewhat, he still may cost more than they'd want to spend even if available

Mike Fisher
I doubt he wants to leave Nashville to go anywhere, and he'll be 37 next season, but if he were willing to sign a 1 year deal, I'd have interest

Patrick Berglund
Depending on how many years and how much he'll cost, he could be a perfect fit.

Nick Bonino
The Pens won't have much to spend on a guy like Bonino, but he also won't cost a fortune. He could also be a decent short-term 3C fit.

Thoughts?
- BiggE

Hanzal is good but he's the damn walking wounded every single year. And he would cost too much. Sam Bennett would cost a ton in a trade. Grigs just sucks and he is a wing.

Bonino and Berglund are definitely good fits to me and are at the top of my list. It's pretty much just them available to sign tbh. I like Berglund more. But UFAs get paid market cost. With expansion, trades could be done for expansion exposed players. There will be plenty of 3C types.

Why did you use PK numbers from 11/1/16 to 11/30/16 when you were talking about the 10 game winning streak which went from 11/27/16 to 12/14/16?
- Feanor

My fault, I didnt know the exact dates of the streak but knew it was generally around then.

Mr Underwood ain't leaving Smashville.
- dragonoffrost

Just playing devils advocate, but if Nashville ends up not wanting to re-sign him, does he just retire or would he look to sign somewhere else?

The reason for every loss is lack of effort. That's it.
- PhillySportsGuy

Just playing devils advocate, but if Nashville ends up not wanting to re-sign him, does he just retire or would he look to sign somewhere else?
- BiggE

With the Mrs. I'd retire

With the Mrs. I'd retire
- dragonoffrost

edit: I could see him going to Vegas, maybe the Mrs. wants to do a high paid run at one of the casinos for a few months?

Berglund would be my guy too unless Fisher was willing to come here on a 1 year deal which is highly unlikely. Sam Bennett really intrigues me, but I doubt there is a deal to be made to get him.
- BiggE

Berglund is everything Hakstol would want at 3C. Big strong forechecker. Good 2-way with shutdown abilities. Could probably average 30 points as an actual threat offensively. Strong possession stats. Can take tough usage and d zone starts and is good at the dot. Can PK. He makes a world of sense, contract depending.

With the Mrs. I'd retire
- dragonoffrost

Yeah, I'm sure I could find some other activity to fill my time if I was him.

Berglund is everything Hakstol would want at 3C. Big strong forechecker. Good 2-way with shutdown abilities. Could probably average 30 points as an actual threat offensively. Strong possession stats. Can take tough usage and d zone starts and is good at the dot. He makes a world of sense, contract depending.
- Mononoke

Yup, it will all come down to the length of a deal and the $$$ as always, but he really would be a nice fit. With Lindblom coming over, and without knowing who they lose in the expansion draft, signing Berglund could give them a top 9 of:

Raffl-G-Jake
TK-Coots-Simmonds or Schenn
Lindblom-Berglund-Schenn or Simmonds

That would be a nice upgrade over what they are putting out there now.

edit: I could see him going to Vegas, maybe the Mrs. wants to do a high paid run at one of the casinos for a few months?
- BiggE

Yeah your edit might happen. It'll be Vegas or Smashville

No no no no no on Grigorenko.

I agree, no way Fisher moves on, but I'd love him.

Bonino is gonna cash in, especially if they win another Cup or even go on SCF run. So I'd love to have him, but he'll be pricey.

Hanzal doesn't interest me.

If Berglund is available, he'd be my choice.
- jmatchett383

BONINOBONINOBONINOBONINOBONINO NICK BO NINO!!

Yeah, I'm sure I could find some other activity to fill my time if I was him.


- jmatchett383

swinging?

BONINOBONINOBONINOBONINOBONINO NICK BO NINO!!
- Streit2ThePoint

that was you this whole time?

Your statement was incorrect even if we assume by "their PK" you meant "their PK during November, ignoring the rest of the season for some reason".



11 comes after 10.

Also the 10 game winning "streak" didn't begin until 11/27/16 against Calgary.
- Feanor

You ever gonna say what their highest rank was?

You ever gonna say what their highest rank was?
- YuenglingJagr

Grand Fleet Admiral?