Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 10/26/17 @ OTT, Phantoms Top Springfield

Bill,

What are your thoughts on Patrick possibly playing?

We are going to have posts today ripping the Flyers for taking a chance with him..

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Re Patrick:

If he passed all the protocols, felt fine when he woke up yesterday, felt and looked fine during practice and feels good when he wakes up this morning; why wouldn't they play him tonight?

I'm more curious as to the Flyers reasoning on why not give Morin a shot with AMac out for weeks and why break up the one good D pair, Hagg-Ghost, that you have right now?

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- ggunky

😊👍❤️

I didn't think this road trip after a terrible loss was a great time to throw Morin in. For me Arizona would make the most sense. But it doesn't seem like it's going to happen. The most aggravating thing about it is we knew we were going to have a young defense. If we weren't going to trust them or trust the vets we have to lead them we should of made arrangements for that.

I didn't think this road trip after a terrible loss was a great time to throw Morin in. For me Arizona would make the most sense. But it doesn't seem like it's going to happen. The most aggravating thing about it is we knew we were going to have a young defense. If we weren't going to trust them or trust the vets we have to lead them we should of made arrangements for that.
- Tfaehner

For me it's frustrating because though they are a better team (when healthy) then they were last year, they are not in any way, shape or form, a Cup contender. This is the time to get these Dmen in the lineup. I can live with them struggling if it's due to breaking in talented young players. It's a lot harder when watching guys like Manning and Weise in the lineup.

For me it's frustrating because though they are a better team (when healthy) then they were last year, they are not in any way, shape or form, a Cup contender. This is the time to get these Dmen in the lineup. I can live with them struggling if it's due to breaking in talented young players. It's a lot harder when watching guys like Manning and Weise in the lineup.
- BiggE

I would of had liked for Morin to get his chance earlier on the season. Now it seems like they almost don't trust gudas as the only veteran cause he's a hot head. I wonder if gudas got injured instead of amac if morin would be in.

Re Patrick:

If he passed all the protocols, felt fine when he woke up yesterday, felt and looked fine during practice and feels good when he wakes up this morning; why wouldn't they play him tonight?

I'm more curious as to the Flyers reasoning on why not give Morin a shot with AMac out for weeks and why break up the one good D pair, Hagg-Ghost, that you have right now?
- BiggE

So the lack of a Morin call up, is this the coach or is this the GM or is this a mixture of the 2?

What i mean is, does Hac go to Hex and say i want someone other then Manning for the duration of the AMac injury or does Hex tell Hac he has to deal with playing Manning?

I am not saying this is how the conversation went, this is simply a question on trying to understand the process for a player to be called up.

I would of had liked for Morin to get his chance earlier on the season. Now it seems like they almost don't trust gudas as the only veteran cause he's a hot head. I wonder if gudas got injured instead of amac if morin would be in.
- Tfaehner

Possibly, but doubtful. Hak seems to think that Manning is a solid reliable veteran, rather than a mediocre 6/7 guy that most of us see him as. Sadly, I think it's going to take another Dman going down for them to put Morin in the lineup.

So the lack of a Morin call up, is this the coach or is this the GM or is this a mixture of the 2?

What i mean is, does Hac go to Hex and say i want someone other then Manning for the duration of the AMac injury or does Hex tell Hac he has to deal with playing Manning?

I am not saying this is how the conversation went, this is simply a question on trying to understand the process for a player to be called up.
- ggunky

The final say is Hextall's, but I would think/hope that the coach would have some input.

Possibly, but doubtful. Hak seems to think that Manning is a solid reliable veteran, rather than a mediocre 6/7 guy that most of us see him as. Sadly, I think it's going to take another Dman going down for them to put Morin in the lineup.
- BiggE

Things can change real quick if we come back from Canada 0-2

RE: Morin.

I don't necessarily agree with the thinking that because he is a Left D only he is harder to slot in. Provorov is a left D only as well. Gudas is Right only. The issue is that the player who went down, AMac played the right side. The right call was to keep the other two pairs together and put a player on the right side with Provorov...the problem is who. Haag is the natural choice (which breaks up a solid pair) but he struggled in that role. Sanheim looked good on the right side with Provorov so maybe that is the answer.

For Morin to move up a principally left side D will have to go down. I don't agree with the thinking, but, that appears to be the way that Hakstol/Hextall are leaning.

The final say is Hextall's, but I would think/hope that the coach would have some input.
- BiggE

So it is possible Hextall is telling Hak Manning is good enough?

RE: Morin.

I don't necessarily agree with the thinking that because he is a Left D only he is harder to slot in. Provorov is a left D only as well. Gudas is Right only. The issue is that the player who went down, AMac played the right side. The right call was to keep the other two pairs together and put a player on the right side with Provorov...the problem is who. Haag is the natural choice (which breaks up a solid pair) but he struggled in that role. Sanheim looked good on the right side with Provorov so maybe that is the answer.

For Morin to move up a principally left side D will have to go down. I don't agree with the thinking, but, that appears to be the way that Hakstol/Hextall are leaning.
- wbon22

Provorov-Gudas
Ghost-Hagg
Morin-Sanheim

Problem solved. Morin and Sanheim played over half the season together at LHV last year. Yeah, I know, it's 2 rookies together, but so what? Both are talented and have experience playing together and both are better players than Brandon Manning. Shelter them as the 3rd pair and just accept that mistakes will be made from time to time. Again, it's not like Morin is replacing Eric Desjardins or Kimmo Timonen in the lineup, it's Brandon (frank)ing Manning for crissakes!

So it is possible Hextall is telling Hak Manning is good enough?
- ggunky

Possibly, we have no way of knowing.

Provorov-Gudas
Ghost-Hagg
Morin-Sanheim

Problem solved. Morin and Sanheim played over half the season together at LHV last year. Yeah, I know, it's 2 rookies together, but so what? Both are talented and have experience playing together and both are better players than Brandon Manning. Shelter them as the 3rd pair and just accept that mistakes will be made from time to time. Again, it's not like Morin is replacing Eric Desjardins or Kimmo Timonen in the lineup, it's Brandon (frank)ing Manning for crissakes!
- BiggE

I don't see any reason why that can't be done.

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"ggunky"

Possibly, we have no way of knowing.
- BiggE

Roger that.

Thank you, Sir.

Is it me or is Gudas just not very good so far? Something i see just isn't sitting right. I don't want to say he's been bad but just not good. Something just isn't fitting the eye test right now.

dfas

My take is that it is Hakstol who is making the decision on Morin. It is the head coach who generally decides who plays and who doesn't. Hextall had Morin up at the beginning of the year and Hakstol could have played him but did not. When Hextall saw Hakstol wasn't going to put him in the line-up, he didn't want him sitting and he sent him down to the Phantoms so he could play. While Hextall is very cautious with young players especially defensemen, it seems to me that this is Hakstol's call which right now is causing me to question his judgment. If Morin is not brought up during McDonald's absence, barring a rash of injuries, it does not seem like he will get any significant time with the Flyers' this year - four years after his draft year when he was the #11 pick. If he does not get any significant time this year, it will be the same logjam next year but worse for Morin, with still very few NHL games under his belt, having also to compete with Myers. I think this is very short sighted thinking on the part of Hakstol and is not in the long term interests of the organization. Four years after he was the 11th pick, two more years in junior and two years with the Phantoms, the Flyers really need to see if he can play at the NHL level.

Is it me or is Gudas just not very good so far? Something i see just isn't sitting right. I don't want to say he's been bad but just not good. Something just isn't fitting the eye test right now.
- J35Bacher

He hasn't had a strong season to this point but I expect him to rebound.

RE: Morin.

I don't necessarily agree with the thinking that because he is a Left D only he is harder to slot in. Provorov is a left D only as well. Gudas is Right only. The issue is that the player who went down, AMac played the right side. The right call was to keep the other two pairs together and put a player on the right side with Provorov...the problem is who. Haag is the natural choice (which breaks up a solid pair) but he struggled in that role. Sanheim looked good on the right side with Provorov so maybe that is the answer.

For Morin to move up a principally left side D will have to go down. I don't agree with the thinking, but, that appears to be the way that Hakstol/Hextall are leaning.
- wbon22

It's really hard to get a gauge on how the conversations behind close doors are going, but my gut is telling me the only reason Morin isn't with the Flyers has to do with comfort level in having 3 rookie D-man + Provy and Ghost in the lineup right now.

If that's the case, they should have brought up Sanheim, Hagg or Morin last season to get 20 games or so of experience. They may have the same issue next year with Myers and possibly Friedman.

My take is that it is Hakstol who is making the decision on Morin. It is the head coach who generally decides who plays and who doesn't. Hextall had Morin up at the beginning of the year and Hakstol could have played him but did not. When Hextall saw Hakstol wasn't going to put him in the line-up, he didn't want him sitting and he sent him down to the Phantoms so he could play. While Hextall is very cautious with young players especially defensemen, it seems to me that this is Hakstol's call which right now is causing me to question his judgment. If Morin is not brought up during McDonald's absence, barring a rash of injuries, it does not seem like he will get any significant time with the Flyers' this year - four years after his draft year when he was the #11 pick. If he does not get any significant time this year, it will be the same logjam next year but worse for Morin, with still very few NHL games under his belt, having also to compete with Myers. I think this is very short sighted thinking on the part of Hakstol and is not in the long term interests of the organization. Four years after he was the 11th pick, two more years in junior and two years with the Phantoms, the Flyers really need to see if he can play at the NHL level.
- Bergey

Good point.