Fun time overall, sat one row up from the club seats - had one rowdy Flyers fan in front of us that took things a little too seriously.

Truthfully, it was about what I expected from the club - but watching live does give you a bit of a different angle.

Giroux just looks so slow out there, the explosive breakaway stride is not there. The team is quite small, average speed and truly needs more skill. They were pushed around all night.

Systems wise, I get the impression that Hak is trying to have them play (ironic) an LA kind of north/south heavy on the boards scheme. Problem is that this club doesnt have the muscle to pull it off.

Outside of Simmonds, Provorov and Konec - most looked very vanilla.
- flyer_nutter

Glad you had a good time.....too bad they didn't repay you with a 60 minute effort. I turned down free tickets a little while back for the game in TO....such a hassle to get there to just get frustrated and have to hang out with Leaf nation. The Peg has some real good young talent...their going to get better quickly as they add to the supporting cast.

Probably Neuvirth with Stolarz backing up, with all the hopes Stolie explodes onto the scene.
- BulliesPhan87

Next year is year 4 under Hextall. Has to be a year of making strides and improving. If that is the tandem next year it is a very poor plan.

Nuevirth has been pretty bad this year, not to mention he's not durable.
The small sample of Stolarz was very good, but playing behind what is likely to beat a bad defensive team next year isn't a great plan when you don't have another goaltender you can count on. IMO if the tandem next year is Nuevirth/Stolarz you are punting the season before it starts.

So the same in person as on tv??
- PLindbergh31

Haha I guess.

Would like to know if Hak even said anything to the boys yesterday. (frank)ing mute behind the bench.

One may think a bit of motivation would help. Crazy thoughts. Voracek frustrated me. Schenn invisible.

PK - holy poop was it passive.

I'm hoping Friedman gets in a few games until Hagg and/or O'Neill are back.
- nastyflyergirl

Saturday's game is on WFMZ. Maybe that'll be Friedman's debut.

Sounds like the Flyers... chasing a big name goalie once he's no longer any good.
- BINGO!

Yeah someone for the fans to throw stuff at!

Dont care what they pay him if he truly is the target, but dont want a lengthy term.

Bishop got beat out by a kid in Tampa, and has an injury history himself. Just seems like a very 'Flyers' kind of move.

Would still rather have kept Mason and give more games to Stolarz/Lyon.
- flyer_nutter

F it I'll go 7.5 over 3 for Bishop. Sign another vet goalie for under a mil. Bishop is better than Mason. We have the cap space why not, if anything it neuters Hexy's ability to make another Weise type depth poop signing

That seems unlikely. The Flyers and Pens couldn't even agree on a trade for Streit.
- Feanor

Did you hear something on this? The way I read it they just got TB to pay him

I think he stays in LA after being a big part of their playoff run.
- Feanor

I think you're the only one that got it

Did you hear something on this? The way I read it they just got TB to pay him
- YuenglingJagr

MacKenzie talked about it on his podcast.

The deck of cards hexy gave him has a lot of holes. Watching nick Schultz is painful. Read has scored now 4 goals in the last 55 games as examples. Not great options, but as mentioned several times his usage is odd with the roster. If both assistants need to be replaced, what good reason is to save the head coach. I'm not sure other then pride from the guy who hired him
- ravishingone

Here are my reasons for questioning Hak:

1. Goaltender usage
2. Overabundance of PK minutes for PEB/VdV
3. Veterans not being held accountable for making the same mistakes as kids
4. No improvement in the PK from the start of the season
5. Way too many players having down years

Here are my reasons for giving him at least one more year:

1. The team overall lacks speed and talent, making it hard to be consistently successful
2. His best Dman is a just turned 20 rookie. That's another tough thing to overcome
3. Both goalies have had long stretches of subpar play
4. Giroux has been mediocre to awful for much of the season
5. For the most part, though not so much last night, the team seems to play hard for him.

Overall, I'd give Hak a C- for this season, compared to the B+ I gave him last year. Obviously, I was hoping for improvement rather than a step back, but he just doesn't have a lot to work with and unless this team gets stellar goaltending like they did down the stretch last year, they just aren't going to be anywhere near a playoff team with this roster. As I've said before, I think next year really is make or break for Hak.

Need to tank this trip...get to #9. It's doable
- Just5

Considering the next 3 teams they play are all much better overall teams, it shouldn't be that hard.

Next year is year 4 under Hextall. Has to be a year of making strides and improving. If that is the tandem next year it is a very poor plan.

Nuevirth has been pretty bad this year, not to mention he's not durable.
The small sample of Stolarz was very good, but playing behind what is likely to beat a bad defensive team next year isn't a great plan when you don't have another goaltender you can count on. IMO if the tandem next year is Nuevirth/Stolarz you are punting the season before it starts.
- PLindbergh31

Agreed on all counts. I don't see what he or Hakstol see in Neuvy. They handed this guy the reins at the most crucial juncture of the season and he failed, but they still gave him the raise.

I want to say we have to hope Hextall's going to bring a major upgrade to the forward core, because we'll need the scoring to have a prayer. I'm not really trusting his forward acquisitions.

Not even going to bother with all previous pages today...how we doin'?

Not even going to bother with all previous pages today...how we doin'?
- Scoob

If you have anything to inspire confidence, now would be a great time sir.

Not even going to bother with all previous pages today...how we doin'?
- Scoob

Just peachy, you?

Flyers have only won one playoff series in six freaking years. This core is garbage, and the last couple idiot coaches didn't get much accomplished. Berube , Hakstol, Stevens. LoL

F it I'll go 7.5 over 3 for Bishop. Sign another vet goalie for under a mil. Bishop is better than Mason. We have the cap space why not, if anything it neuters Hexy's ability to make another Weise type depth poop signing
- Just5

I really think they want Neuvirth.

Vegas has much better options than him to choose from.

So I honestly believe there is a very real chance we see this roster to start next year.

Konecny-G-Simmer
Schenn-Couts-Voracek
Lindblom-Flipper-Read
Cousins-Laughton-Weise
Bellemare

Raffl moved

Provy-Amac (sadly)
Sanheim-Gudas
Ghost-Morin
Manning

Neuvy-Stolie.

It's kind of funny. Hextall has always said it will be a patient approach and at first everyone loved the idea of a different path then before. But when he actually sticks to his plan, people can't stand the patient approach.

This was always going to take 4,5,6 years to really take effect. They needed to trim some fat and start really focusing on drafting players. I think there was an article about seeing Hextalls plan taking form in the Phantoms. They were terrible for a while. They finally have their own picks coming into the system and also have added some solid AHL vets.

Now the Giroux thing could put a hiccup in the plan if his decline comes faster then expected and he can't rebound next year. But the plan all along was going to take time.

Everyone seems to think hextall won't be aggressive in trades or signings but I disagree. He's only said he won't sacrifice his youth for short term fixes. His goal is to build a team that can have sustained success. not just a burst of 1-2 years.

Saturday's game is on WFMZ. Maybe that'll be Friedman's debut.
- Feanor

sweet

If you have anything to inspire confidence, now would be a great time sir.
- BulliesPhan87

Um, er, uh, oh, I know! The sun'll come out tomorrow!

I really think they want Neuvirth.

Vegas has much better options than him to choose from.
- flyer_nutter

That contract is beyond headscratching if vegas doesn't take him

Just peachy, you?
- BiggE

Workin' from home today so I'm pretty darn okay

It's kind of funny. Hextall has always said it will be a patient approach and at first everyone loved the idea of a different path then before. But when he actually sticks to his plan, people can't stand the patient approach.

This was always going to take 4,5,6 years to really take effect. They needed to trim some fat and start really focusing on drafting players. I think there was an article about seeing Hextalls plan taking form in the Phantoms. They were terrible for a while. They finally have their own picks coming into the system and also have added some solid AHL vets.

Now the Giroux thing could put a hiccup in the plan if his decline comes faster then expected and he can't rebound next year. But the plan all along was going to take time.

Everyone seems to think hextall won't be aggressive in trades or signings but I disagree. He's only said he won't sacrifice his youth for short term fixes. His goal is to build a team that can have sustained success. not just a burst of 1-2 years.
- J35Bacher

Well said.

Re: Giroux - unless he's got some degenerative thing going on I think he'll have a much better year next year.

I don't see a three way deal to get the Flower. It's a shame about Hart being so young, he is the class of the WHL. I know Everett plays a structured defensive system, but damn he looks impressive.

Unless the market dries up for Bishop, I can't see Hexy giving him 4 or 5 years. The only other trade option for a bridge is call Dallas. I do believe Bernier is the play. Isn't the goalie coach have LA ties also?