I didn't get to watch a lot of the game yesterday, but I'm a tad disappointed with the roster decisions. It seemed our team was quicker and more exciting in preseason when the younger guys were in; had more of a jump to our game. But yesterday we looked like the same damn team from last season.
- arichardson22

I attribute some of that to knowing the roster decisions were pretty much made before that game. I hate the last game of preseason for that reason.

I just hope it isn't a sign of how they will start the season.

That's the rumors I've heard. I think this could be a blessing. Hope that the kids do well on the west coast and force Hextall and Hakstol to figure out the puzzle.
- dragonoffrost

It takes rookies a while....there will be some bumps in the road....it appears Hextall doesn't want 3 guys that fit that description.....I think back to Provorov last year in Chicago I believe. Rough, rough night. But the Flyers committed to him and let him Play through it. Its pretty tough to come up and not have those bumps in the road. Hextalls best comment was " you never really know if a rookie is ready". True dat.

Sadly, after what just happened in Vegas it's hard to care that much about hockey.
- BiggE

terrible

Interview today, holy sweet (frank)
- Giroux_Is_God

rack em

How much of a plan do they really need? Two of them apparently are going to make the team. If they wanted all 3, there are a few options. Trade somebody or waive and demote.
- MJL

It will be interesting to see what the Flyers do this year and next with their defense. Manning comes off the books this year, but Gudas and McDonald do not come off until 2021.

They have one prospect who should be in the NHL (Morin or Sanheim, whoever is sent down), and Myers and Friedman who look like they have a real chance at the NHL.

I understand that the prospects need to prove themselves, and it's purely hypothetical at this point, but it's still something that interests me.

Interview today, holy sweet (frank)
- Giroux_Is_God

Good luck!

It will be interesting to see what the Flyers do this year and next with their defense. Manning comes off the books this year, but Gudas and McDonald do not come off until 2021.

They have one prospect who should be in the NHL (Morin or Sanheim, whoever is sent down), and Myers and Friedman who like they have a real chance at the NHL.

I understand that the prospects need to prove themselves, and it's purely hypothetical at this point, but it's still something that interests me.
- VladDrag

It is really the entire team that is in that situation. Forwards and goalies are deep too

And Matt Read.
- ggunky

I don't mind Read sitting there and being scratched...though I do think it should be Weise that is scratched with Lindblom playing (and Read waived).

The issue is Weise, not Read

I don't mind Read sitting there and being scratched...though I do think it should be Weise that is scratched with Lindblom playing (and Read waived).

The issue is Weise, not Read
- YuenglingJagr

The issue is Hextall, Hakstol, and Holmgren, and their lack of balls.

Play the rookies, they earned it.

It is really the entire team that is in that situation. Forwards and goalies are deep too
- YuenglingJagr

Forwards look a bit better, Read and Flip come off next year, Lehtera, Raffl, Weal, Simmonds the following year. That's not say they don't resign any of those players, but they will have to make some tough decisions.

At the very least, in the next two years, 3 roster spots open up. They also have tradeable assets in that group.

Again, it's going to be interesting to see how they move forward.

The issue is Hextall, Hakstol, and Holmgren, and their lack of balls.

Play the rookies, they earned it.
- MBFlyerfan

lol

Honestly, I don't agree with just throwing the rookies out there at this point. But yes, I would say that they haven't handled this the way I would've preferred.

From an article by Nick Som:

To put it mildly, I respectfully disagree (besides the fact that Lindblom getting the pink slip officially ruined my final roster prediction). The idea that Oskar Lindblom didn’t do enough to earn a spot on the roster because he scored only one goal in a mere 2 games is a load of horse manure. Guess how many points Matt Read, Jori Lehtera, and Dale Weise scored in the preseason? Hint: not as many as Lindblom.

And to reduce one’s evaluation of Lindblom to #pointzzz is to completely ignore the positive impact he made on the ice every night. Lindblom was a powerhouse along the boards, winning puck battles and making smart plays. His Corsi For % of 81.82% led the team. You heard that correctly: Oskar Lindblom did a better job of generating shot attempts and preventing opponent’s shot attempts than anyone else on the Flyers.

Lindblom will be donning the Orange and Black shortly, as soon as the injury bug hits or a forward has a particularly disappointing first couple weeks. But Lindblom’s failure to make the team is the clearest sign of Hextall’s senseless veteran fetish to date. Even in the face of such talent, it still wasn’t enough to overcome Hextall’s bias.

I just don't get it. I want to believe it was the right move or had good reasoning behind it, but some of the other decisions contradict the proposed reasons for sending him down.

Forwards look a bit better, Read and Flip come off next year, Lehtera, Raffl, Weal, Simmonds the following year. That's not say they don't resign any of those players, but they will have to make some tough decisions.

At the very least, in the next two years, 3 roster spots open up. They also have tradeable assets in that group.

Again, it's going to be interesting to see how they move forward.
- VladDrag

Patrick and Konecny are really the only forwards that they've picked that was like immediately ready. A lot of their picks have been up front have been on the "project" side, but I do believe they will progress and show why they were picked. It is just difficult to say they will be ready and pushing for a job next offseason.

lol

Honestly, I don't agree with just throwing the rookies out there at this point. But yes, I would say that they haven't handled this the way I would've preferred.
- YuenglingJagr

But they aren't just "throwing them out there". They have earned the right to play.

I'm not really bothered by Lindblom as much as I am bothered ESPECIALLY about Morin.

And watching that poop show last night, the same old Flyers....I couldn't help but think, hmmm, I wish Big Sam was out there at that point to change the way the Icelanders did that....or , I wish Sandheim was out there, he could have moved the puck out of there a little faster....or hmmm, I think Lindblom would have done a better job winning that board battle....

But I guess with that cup run they are planning this season, they want a little more experience in the lineup.

Wait....

How much of a plan do they really need? Two of them apparently are going to make the team. If they wanted all 3, there are a few options. Trade somebody or waive and demote.
- MJL

I don't disagree with you. My point is simply that Hextall does not appear to be prepared to do what needs to be done to keep all three on the roster.

It will be interesting to see what the Flyers do this year and next with their defense. Manning comes off the books this year, but Gudas and McDonald do not come off until 2021.

They have one prospect who should be in the NHL (Morin or Sanheim, whoever is sent down), and Myers and Friedman who look like they have a real chance at the NHL.

I understand that the prospects need to prove themselves, and it's purely hypothetical at this point, but it's still something that interests me.
- VladDrag

You bring another good reason why it's necessary to get the three young defenseman as much experience as possible as soon as possible providing they're ready for it. There are more young defenseman coming!

Patrick and Konecny are really the only forwards that they've picked that was like immediately ready. A lot of their picks have been up front have been on the "project" side, but I do believe they will progress and show why they were picked. It is just difficult to say they will be ready and pushing for a job next offseason.
- YuenglingJagr

100% agree. I imagine that Lindblom will be in the nhl mid season. Maybe next season you have Vorobyev and Vecchione. After that, you have Rubstov -- likely AHL next season -- and after that it's very difficult to predict where the prospects are going to be.

I don't disagree with you. My point is simply that Hextall does not appear to be prepared to do what needs to be done to keep all three on the roster.
- ManCity

I don't think that is true. I think they're going to do what they think is the best thing to do at this point in time. If he and his staff thought the best thing to do was to keep all three of the young defenseman, he would not hesitate to do what needs to be done. Have we forgotten what happened coming out of camp in 14/15?

From an article by Nick Som:

To put it mildly, I respectfully disagree (besides the fact that Lindblom getting the pink slip officially ruined my final roster prediction). The idea that Oskar Lindblom didn’t do enough to earn a spot on the roster because he scored only one goal in a mere 2 games is a load of horse manure. Guess how many points Matt Read, Jori Lehtera, and Dale Weise scored in the preseason? Hint: not as many as Lindblom.

And to reduce one’s evaluation of Lindblom to #pointzzz is to completely ignore the positive impact he made on the ice every night. Lindblom was a powerhouse along the boards, winning puck battles and making smart plays. His Corsi For % of 81.82% led the team. You heard that correctly: Oskar Lindblom did a better job of generating shot attempts and preventing opponent’s shot attempts than anyone else on the Flyers.

Lindblom will be donning the Orange and Black shortly, as soon as the injury bug hits or a forward has a particularly disappointing first couple weeks. But Lindblom’s failure to make the team is the clearest sign of Hextall’s senseless veteran fetish to date. Even in the face of such talent, it still wasn’t enough to overcome Hextall’s bias.

I just don't get it. I want to believe it was the right move or had good reasoning behind it, but some of the other decisions contradict the proposed reasons for sending him down.
- mikel33

Fantastic stuff, thank you.

But they aren't just "throwing them out there". They have earned the right to play.

I'm not really bothered by Lindblom as much as I am bothered ESPECIALLY about Morin.

And watching that poop show last night, the same old Flyers....I couldn't help but think, hmmm, I wish Big Sam was out there at that point to change the way the Icelanders did that....or , I wish Sandheim was out there, he could have moved the puck out of there a little faster....or hmmm, I think Lindblom would have done a better job winning that board battle....

But I guess with that cup run they are planning this season, they want a little more experience in the lineup.

Wait....
- MBFlyerfan

That isn't what I am saying. I think all of them are good enough and ready enough to be on the Flyers. I think the issue was not doing it last year (because some of them were still ready). Without trying to sound like a broken record, I want the rookies put in low pressure, easier competition (sheltered) situations for them to get acclimated to the NHL and let them take on more responsibility as they earn it. 50% of the defense playing their first NHL game (1 game meant little, especially Hagg's). They shouldn't have too much of an issue doing it with 2 of the rookies, but 3 I think presents a little problem.

Lindblom there isn't much of an excuse. I don't see how that lineup is the best they could've put on the ice at all. And Lindblom was never this elite, top line scorer. He is just a guy that makes all the right plays and is skilled enough to put the puck in the net. I would've thought the team would be all over that. There is nothing he needs to work on that couldn't be done at the NHL level, so sending him back seems more a matter of convenience than anything else.

You bring another good reason why it's necessary to get the three young defenseman as much experience as possible as soon as possible providing they're ready for it. There are more young defenseman coming!
- MJL

Damn shame no one suggested that last year

Hi, is this the "Glass is Half Full Club" meeting?

Yes?

Great, thanks. I'd like to say something.

THE GLASS ISN'T HALF FULL!!!!!1 IT'S FRANKING EMPTY AND SMASHED ON THE FLOOR!!!!!!1

Thanks. I'll sit down now.

But they aren't just "throwing them out there". They have earned the right to play.

I'm not really bothered by Lindblom as much as I am bothered ESPECIALLY about Morin.

And watching that poop show last night, the same old Flyers....I couldn't help but think, hmmm, I wish Big Sam was out there at that point to change the way the Icelanders did that....or , I wish Sandheim was out there, he could have moved the puck out of there a little faster....or hmmm, I think Lindblom would have done a better job winning that board battle....

But I guess with that cup run they are planning this season, they want a little more experience in the lineup.

Wait....
- MBFlyerfan

That's my biggest issue, there really isn't a good reason not to play the rookies. I always thought Sanheim was going back down due to numbers regardless of how good he came off in the preseason. And, I was okay with it prior to camp (I will admit I didn't see him too much last season in the AHL), but the kid has proven he's ready. He can play in the NHL now. He should be here.

At some point, they are going to need to get some NHL data on these kids and evaluate it.

From an article by Nick Som:
- mikel33

Who is he?

Vegas. Terrible.