Ghost going to be scratch according to Dave Isaac.

I am desensitized at this point, but I do think he should've made a stronger play against Aho on that first goal against
- YuenglingJagr

If they are going to scratch the dmen for making mistakes then all of them should sit. At least Ghost is young. so (frank)ing annoying to me

Ghost going to be scratch according to Dave Isaac.

I am desensitized at this point, but I do think he should've made a stronger play against Aho on that first goal against
- YuenglingJagr

Ghost was one of many hot messes even with the PP assist.

If they are going to scratch the dmen for making mistakes then all of them should sit. At least Ghost is young. so (frank)ing annoying to me
- nastyflyergirl

He is young so he learns by sitting....don't you get how this works by now!?!?

Ghost was one of many hot messes even with the PP assist.
- MBFlyerfan

Ghost, Streit, Manning, AMac yup.... any defenseman not named Provorov. I'm numb to it now.

Ghost, Streit, Manning, AMac yup.... any defenseman not named Provorov. I'm numb to it now.
- dragonoffrost

Yep, coupled with lazy forwards and just a general lack of effort, this team can be pretty bad.

(I quoted this one because I didn't want to go back to when you spoke about getting 'the one').

What's your thoughts on Rubstov? I said this before and hoping for you to respond, but never saw it. I have heard/seen/read that people believe he might have 1c ceiling. What's your take on that statement?
- VladDrag

I am and have been a big fan. I've seen all of his Q games so far. He's a player that grows on you with each watch. Really really smart as a 200 ft player (though he's not Coots defensively), tenacious as heck, real solid skater, still needs to fill out and gain muscle, but he has a lot of just natural strength....wins so many boards battles, is hard to knock off the puck, and routinely muscles other guys off it, with his body or phenomenal stick checking (he's an absolute hound on the forecheck and backcheck). What grows on you is the skill. He's sometimes too smart where he'll go for the higher % play and not the risky dazzle one. But he can carry the puck on a string through traffic and is a great passer, and has a great shot. But then, when you're not expecting it, he will dazzle you and walk a guy or something. He does have a ton of talent. He's just always in "control" with it...that's the word I like most for him.

Truthfully, good as he is doing, he's a summer birthday and hasn't played much this year, and I don't want to see him rushed so that he plays too safe and reliable and doesn't showcase his skill, as was going on in Russia. I wouldn't mind him going back to the Q the next year and not going to the AHL to just keep on gaining offensive confidence. But we'll see in 9 months. It can change. Does he have 1C ceiling? I'd be hesitant to say that for anyone not drafted top 5 and hesitant anyway....I'd cautiously say a top 6 ceiling. But people tend to conflate PP and 5v5. I am unsure if he's an elite PP guy, at least as a QB. That's the difference between a good 200 ft, 45 point player and 60+ and being what people oversimplify as a "1C." He's playing the half wall now. Funny enough, I think he might actually be pretty solid in more of a bumper role, but I'm just speculating.

I feel like one of Giroux or Coots should be sitting before Ghost...

I guess the thought process they have is nothing to be gained by sitting G or Coots..

If they are going to scratch the dmen for making mistakes then all of them should sit. At least Ghost is young. so (frank)ing annoying to me
- nastyflyergirl

This. This. THIS.

How do you single out only him? It's amazing. Manning was far worse on that pair alone. It's obvious that the other scratches did nothing to improve his game and only further tanked his confidence in a season from hell. What is Hakstol hoping to prove at this point? Turn him into an actual ghost of himself? (frank).

This. This. THIS.

How do you single out only him? It's amazing. Manning was far worse on that pair alone. It's obvious that the other scratches did nothing to improve his game and only further tanked his confidence in a season from hell. What is Hakstol hoping to prove at this point? Turn him into an actual ghost of himself? (frank).
- Mononoke

It is better to reliably offer nothing than to unreliably offer anything

I feel like one of Giroux or Coots should be sitting before Ghost...

I guess the thought process they have is nothing to be gained by sitting G or Coots..
- opeth_pa

I want G scratched to wake this team up but if Schenn is sick I think G has to play. But the next chance I had to scratch G I'd do it.

It would kind of be fitting to scratch the current captain for lazy play on the night they honor past captains.

I want G scratched to wake this team up but if Schenn is sick I think G has to play. But the next chance I had to scratch G I'd do it.

It would kind of be fitting to scratch the current captain for lazy play on the night they honor past captains.
- dragonoffrost

I'm all for waking the team up with some drastic measures but I don't think it would be wise to publically humiliate Giroux like that. That's a good way to turn the team against Hakstol instead of unite them with him. Plus, Giroux looked like a player with some pretty significant confidence issues last night, not one without effort.

It is better to reliably offer nothing than to unreliably offer anything
- YuenglingJagr

Somewhere VdV smiled where you said this because that describes his play perfectly.

I'm not in favor of tanking. I'm also not in favor of pretending to be a team on the rise.

Keep Simmonds. Keep Voracek. Trade Giroux. Trade Schenn. Euthanize Read.

Win.
- FlyersNapTime

Can you get Duchene and Landeskog for Giroux and Schenn?

Can you get Duchene and Landeskog for Giroux and Schenn?
- section32

Don't know.

It is better to reliably offer nothing than to unreliably offer anything
- YuenglingJagr

Clearly Hextall is fine with all this.

I'm just really happy for Hakstol that he has the strength of character to scapegoat Ghost for a complete team loss. It's brave really. But the good news is he will learn so much watching from the press box. You just wait; he'll be a different man. Let's be honest, going to this well for the 3rd time, it's likely this is for multiple games now too. Stunning and brave.

Clearly Hextall is fine with all this.

I'm just really happy for Hakstol that he has the strength of character to scapegoat Ghost for a complete team loss. It's brave really. But the good news is he will learn so much watching from the press box. You just wait; he'll be a different man. Let's be honest, going to this well for the 3rd time, it's likely this is for multiple games now too. Stunning and brave.
- Mononoke

How can you be so blind? Ghost was clearly responsible for the Flyers only having 6 shots through 2 periods and only scoring 1 goal. 100% on Ghost.

Ghost going to be scratch according to Dave Isaac.

I am desensitized at this point, but I do think he should've made a stronger play against Aho on that first goal against
- YuenglingJagr

I don't agree with it, but based on last night, nobody should be immune.

Clearly Hextall is fine with all this.

I'm just really happy for Hakstol that he has the strength of character to scapegoat Ghost for a complete team loss. It's brave really. But the good news is he will learn so much watching from the press box. You just wait; he'll be a different man. Let's be honest, going to this well for the 3rd time, it's likely this is for multiple games now too. Stunning and brave.
- Mononoke

If you want to make the case that scratching a young player helps him refocus, then fine. But if you want to keep scratching the young player, then you have to question how much confidence the coach is destroying.

How can you be so blind? Ghost was clearly responsible for the Flyers only having 6 shots through 2 periods and only scoring 1 goal. 100% on Ghost.
- opeth_pa

You mean Couturier. I'll let you off this once.

I am and have been a big fan. I've seen all of his Q games so far. He's a player that grows on you with each watch. Really really smart as a 200 ft player (though he's not Coots defensively), tenacious as heck, real solid skater, still needs to fill out and gain muscle, but he has a lot of just natural strength....wins so many boards battles, is hard to knock off the puck, and routinely muscles other guys off it, with his body or phenomenal stick checking (he's an absolute hound on the forecheck and backcheck). What grows on you is the skill. He's sometimes too smart where he'll go for the higher % play and not the risky dazzle one. But he can carry the puck on a string through traffic and is a great passer, and has a great shot. But then, when you're not expecting it, he will dazzle you and walk a guy or something. He does have a ton of talent. He's just always in "control" with it...that's the word I like most for him.

Truthfully, good as he is doing, he's a summer birthday and hasn't played much this year, and I don't want to see him rushed so that he plays too safe and reliable and doesn't showcase his skill, as was going on in Russia. I wouldn't mind him going back to the Q the next year and not going to the AHL to just keep on gaining offensive confidence. But we'll see in 9 months. It can change. Does he have 1C ceiling? I'd be hesitant to say that for anyone not drafted top 5 and hesitant anyway....I'd cautiously say a top 6 ceiling. But people tend to conflate PP and 5v5. I am unsure if he's an elite PP guy, at least as a QB. That's the difference between a good 200 ft, 45 point player and 60+ and being what people oversimplify as a "1C." He's playing the half wall now. Funny enough, I think he might actually be pretty solid in more of a bumper role, but I'm just speculating.
- Mononoke

Thanks for the comment. I want to see him make it, and I have no idea why.

I don't agree with it, but based on last night, nobody should be immune.
- MJL

I'd really like to know what other line up changes have been made. Curious why only that and a couple players missing was reported from practice.

If you want to make the case that scratching a young player helps him refocus, then fine. But if you want to keep scratching the young player, then you have to question how much confidence the coach is destroying.
- PhillySportsGuy

Death Star levels. Do we really think that this will be another 1 game wake-up call scratch? It's a good chance we're looking at a few games minimum. It's turning from walking on egg shells to walking on switchblades for a player whose gave revolves around confidence and risk taking. Ghost's confidence is already not in a good place with this tough results season. He looked like a husk after the other 2 scratches. And I'm sure it doesn't help long-term relationships. It's not even tough coaching at this point: it's draconian and solves nothing.

Ghost was poor last night, in that game. Full stop. Manning was even worse on that pair. And the entire team, from top to bottom, was a disaster. It's a scapegoat job pure and simple. I really really do hope he has the same steely gaze when he looks inward to the job he and his coaching staff are doing. Not a single player hasn't regressed from last year (ignoring injuries). It's worrisome.

This. This. THIS.

How do you single out only him? It's amazing. Manning was far worse on that pair alone. It's obvious that the other scratches did nothing to improve his game and only further tanked his confidence in a season from hell. What is Hakstol hoping to prove at this point? Turn him into an actual ghost of himself? (frank).
- Mononoke

Nobody can make a reasonable argument that other players don't deserve to be scratched. First of all, it's fine to discuss the reasoning of it, but many times we've been given reports of a player being a scratch for a game, only to find that player in the lineup. So first, we have to see if it comes to fruition. We can only speculate, but perhaps if we remove the emotion and being pissed about, maybe we can figure out why. Probably still won't agree with it.

Ghost going to be scratch according to Dave Isaac.


- YuenglingJagr

Maybe the third time will be the charm. Clearly he hasn't started or stopped doing whatever it is they want him to start or stop doing.

I know, I know...scratching CV is the real answer.

This. This. THIS.

How do you single out only him? It's amazing. Manning was far worse on that pair alone. It's obvious that the other scratches did nothing to improve his game and only further tanked his confidence in a season from hell. What is Hakstol hoping to prove at this point? Turn him into an actual ghost of himself? (frank).
- Mononoke

Is there something going on we don't know about? Bill mentioned something about Brennan and how he has a lot of talent but the knock has been he hasn't worked hard on his game where a kid like Manning, who has limited ability, has worked hard on his game. I mean is it something like that? He doesn't seem to be a player like that but without inside info who knows