Yeah, it's a long term project though. His skating is just awful, he makes Coots look like Pavel Bure


However, if he really dedicates himself every summer to power skating lessons, and agility/conditioning/core strength drills, he could be a very good player. If he can just get to where he's a mediocre NHL skater, he has all the other tools in enough abundance to be a productive top 6 forward and a beast on the pp.
- BiggE

Yep, his entire operational area should be the triangle from the corners to around 5 feet in front of the net. Plant your ass right there in front of the goalie and do your best Tim Kerr, John Leclair impression kid.

People need to realize that youth is not an immediate improvement. Look how long it took Schenn and Couturier to break out. There is not going to be much of an improvement this season, they are give or take at the same level as last season. The traded away a 60 point player in Schenn with no talent available to replace him even if he was a C playing the Wing. On Defence we lost a lot of experience replacing MDZ and Shultz with Sanheim and Hagg. While they are more skilled they are less experienced and you see that on a nightly basis with mistakes.

All of this will improve eventually but it is going to be a few seasons. These young guys are not generational talent. They cant just join the team and become top players. Like Schenn and Couturier, it is going to take a few years to break out. That being said the team has had some bad luck of late and should start winning more games but they are going to be a middle of the pack kind of team. They could make the wild card if they are lucky, which it doesnt appear so.

People need to realize that youth is not an immediate improvement. Look how long it took Schenn and Couturier to break out. There is not going to be much of an improvement this season, they are give or take at the same level as last season. The traded away a 60 point player in Schenn with no talent available to replace him even if he was a C playing the Wing. On Defence we lost a lot of experience replacing MDZ and Shultz with Sanheim and Hagg. While they are more skilled they are less experienced and you see that on a nightly basis with mistakes.

All of this will improve eventually but it is going to be a few seasons. These young guys are not generational talent. They cant just join the team and become top players. Like Schenn and Couturier, it is going to take a few years to break out. That being said the team has had some bad luck of late and should start winning more games but they are going to be a middle of the pack kind of team. They could make the wild card if they are lucky, which it doesnt appear so.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Not for nothing, but I think most of us realize this.

All of the female doging lately comes from the small handful who don't get this.

I got to see first hand the Mason melt down against the Panthers two years ago. The Flyers started out with an OT loss to the Lightning 2 days before. Then Mase went sicko and the game was over before I got my first beer. It was 4-0, 8 minutes in. That was hard to watch and my wife wouldn't let me leave. (Well I could go but she was staying, semantics. SHRUG.)

Mason spent too much time inside his own head. For the most part, I think he played well. He always played starter number of games, yet whined about it. He female doged about last year and played I think 59 games. That's starter numbers, no whining!😝
- jaws1955

You DO know why that meltdown happened, right?

Morgan Frost


If they land a prospect as good as Frost with that other pick from St. Louis, I really don't care what Schenn is doing for the Blues, I will be happy with the trade.

re the ES scoring:
Outside of the top line and Patrick (having dealt with a concussion and only played 16 games, I'll give him an incomplete), the forwards have just been atrocious at generating offense at ES. Yes, overall the team has played very well defensively at ES, but they need to find some more offense from the other 8-9 forwards and they need it soon.

re the goaltending:
Bill, I know you like Mason, but I see a guy who is just mentally soft and just doesn't have the intangibles that you want to see from a #1 on a contending team. I've always felt, he would really be better off if he just kept his mouth shut more and just concentrated on his own play. Often, I think he's his own worst enemy.

On Elliott, it's really hard to judge. Yes, he's let in some goals that he should have stopped, but he's also made some incredible saves and he's facing a ridiculous amount of good scoring chances and overall shots during the last few weeks. I'm not sure anyone else that they could have reasonably expected to bring in would be doing any better and even the best goalies in the league would be hard pressed to succeed when facing 40+ shots and playing behind a team that is a total dumpster fire on the PK right now.

Neuvirth is what he is, a streaky guy that you can't count on to be a number one because of the combo of his streaky play and injury history. At some point this season, he'll probably have a run where he looks fantastic and steals some games. However it's just as likely that he also goes ice cold or gets injured at some point too.

However, all that being said, if you start getting more secondary scoring and better play on the PK, I believe that Elliott/Neuvirth is a good enough tandem to get a team into the playoffs. The D will have another year's experience under their belt and the forward group should be deeper next season as well so I would be very disappointed if this team did not return to the playoffs in 2018-19. However, if you want to see them win a round or 2 next year, I do think they will need to upgrade the goaltending. I don't think the current guys can do that unless you get lucky and Neuvirth goes on one of his red hot streaks just as the playoffs are starting.
- BiggE

You look at the roster from 15-16 and compare it to the roster of this season, or even last season, you dont see a huge difference in talent.

Some names have changed, infact you could argue that there is more talent on this year's roster then that team of 15-16, but the talent level is close to that team of 15-16.

The biggest difference...

Goaltending.

I know, no one on here likes to point at the goalies BUT it is the truth.

Mason and Neuvy were lights out that year, 15-16, and guess what, They won games and made the playoffs.

Everything looks better when your goaltending is above average.

Looking for positives going into this next game, and I came up with the fact that Boston aren't rolling a line of Connor-Barzal-Boeser/Konecny.

Any updates on Myers? Brutal injury. He turned around to skate to the corner and it looked like his groin came apart. Pretty cool
- Just5

Looked like a knee issue to me.

Not for nothing, but I think most of us realize this.

All of the female doging lately comes from the small handful who don't get this.
- MBFlyerfan

I don't have any issue with hiccups along the way. If our young players are making coverage mistakes or try plays that won't work at this level, then so be it.

What I can't accept are the following:
- complete lack of team cohesion (i.e. the San Jose game)
- veteran players making mistakes mentioned above
- lazy, selfish penalties
- complete overreliance and dependence on "veteran presence"
- team-wide (players and coaches) inability protect multi-goal third period leads

Really, I'm fine with letting the young guys find their way. But to me, it's been the veterans of this team that have been letting them down way more than the young players.

Everything looks better when your goaltending is above average.
- ggunky

So what do you suggest?

So what do you suggest?
- Scoob

Carter Hart emergency recall?

You DO know why that meltdown happened, right?
- jmatchett383

i dont! What DID happen?

I got to see first hand the Mason melt down against the Panthers two years ago. The Flyers started out with an OT loss to the Lightning 2 days before. Then Mase went sicko and the game was over before I got my first beer. It was 4-0, 8 minutes in. That was hard to watch and my wife wouldn't let me leave. (Well I could go but she was staying, semantics. SHRUG.)

Mason spent too much time inside his own head. For the most part, I think he played well. He always played starter number of games, yet whined about it. He female doged about last year and played I think 59 games. That's starter numbers, no whining!😝
- jaws1955

That game was a special circumstance that required Mase to take time away from the team after it due to an urgent personal family matter. To me, it's totally separate from everything else that happened with Mason in Philly.

Carter Hart emergency recall?
- jmatchett383

There's only one true emergency recall goalie, and Hart's not it.

I don't have any issue with hiccups along the way. If our young players are making coverage mistakes or try plays that won't work at this level, then so be it.

What I can't accept are the following:
- complete lack of team cohesion (i.e. the San Jose game)
- veteran players making mistakes mentioned above
- lazy, selfish penalties
- complete overreliance and dependence on "veteran presence"
- team-wide (players and coaches) inability protect multi-goal third period leads

Really, I'm fine with letting the young guys find their way. But to me, it's been the veterans of this team that have been letting them down way more than the young players.
- jmatchett383

San Jose game was flat out exhaustion. They looked like a team that was on their 2nd game of a b2b

Protecting the lead bit is experience related as well. Our Best Dman is a guy in his 2nd year. Other than AMac who has 9 years under his belt you are left with 2 rookies, Ghost who is in his 3rd year and Manning who is also in his 3rd year.

That game was a special circumstance that required Mase to take time away from the team after it due to an urgent personal family matter. To me, it's totally separate from everything else that happened with Mason in Philly.
- Feanor

Coaching blunder to start him in that game?

Not for nothing, but I think most of us realize this.

All of the female doging lately comes from the small handful who don't get this.
- MBFlyerfan

I think youth can succeed early on in the right environment and under the right circumstances. There are plenty of circumstances where skill prevails over experience.

Ultimately young players will hit some adversity at some point. It could be right away (Provorov/Sanheim) or it could be 75 games into your career (Laughton/Ghost), but how they come out of that will determine how good their career can be. I do get annoyed at how the adversity fix always seems to be taking a few games off

There's only one true emergency recall goalie, and Hart's not it.
- Scoob

some heroes don't wear capes

So what do you suggest?
- Scoob

I was always a fan of my idea

Coaching blunder to start him in that game?
- Scoob

He shouldn't have started, but without knowing how aware the coach was about the situation Mason's family was experiencing I wouldn't be comfortable assuming it was all the coach's fault.

Yeah, it's a long term project though. His skating is just awful, he makes Coots look like Pavel Bure


However, if he really dedicates himself every summer to power skating lessons, and agility/conditioning/core strength drills, he could be a very good player. If he can just get to where he's a mediocre NHL skater, he has all the other tools in enough abundance to be a productive top 6 forward and a beast on the pp.
- BiggE

I've got to say that Coots has surprised me with his skating this year. Both his speed and skating with the puck. I have always been a Coots fan since he made the team at 18. He seems to have it all together this year. He is more of a force on the ice and has started to shoot more from all angles. Taking a few slappers too. But I do think his skating has improved. He is not quick, but give him 2 or 3 strides and he is eating up a lot of ground. Patrick reminds me of him a bit but with better hands.
Speaking of NP, I think he is starting to settle in. Seems to be on the puck a lot and he has that sneaky back hand, between the feet pass once or twice a game to spring someone for a good chance. Great head and eye, soft hands. Think he will be a good one.
Could be interesting to see him with Mattel and Lindblom instead of Veccs at least by next year.
Or maybe with Lindblom and Rubstov, or Radcliff.
It is hard to watch this years product today. We are seeing rookie mistakes and veteran brain farts. All at the worst possible time. We are seeing a lot of kids and we have more great kids on the way. Now is not the time for panic. I want to see better play and we will as the kids grow and the vets relax their grip on their sticks. Looking forward to see how Weal plays and if TK's goal off his stomach gets him to score with a shot.

So EDM is pretty much (frank)ed. I love how everyone defended Chiarelli saying he made all the tough moves to improve his team. Hey at least Lucic and Russell are signed for 3+ more years.

McDavid scored at an amazing pace this month and they have nothing to show for it. Do or die games start happening and their goalie goes down for multiple weeks. Stick a fork in them!

Also...the way they lost last night was hilarious

i dont! What DID happen?
- MBFlyerfan

PM sent

Great to hear/see both Frost and Strome are both having good seasons; Frost especially. If I remember correctly, teams/scouts were a little iffy on Frost at the draft because he didn’t have a point-per-game pace?

Bill,
How has Lindblom played/looked? I haven’t heard too much about him but that may be because of a busy schedule and lack of time to look into the Phantoms.

So EDM is pretty much (frank)ed. I love how everyone defended Chiarelli saying he made all the tough moves to improve his team. Hey at least Lucic and Russell are signed for 3+ more years.

McDavid scored at an amazing pace this month and they have nothing to show for it. Do or die games start happening and their goalie goes down for multiple weeks. Stick a fork in them!

Also...the way they lost last night was hilarious
- YuenglingJagr

Was a hell of a shot. Had to outwork the forward and then lasted that one in.

People need to realize that youth is not an immediate improvement. Look how long it took Schenn and Couturier to break out. There is not going to be much of an improvement this season, they are give or take at the same level as last season. The traded away a 60 point player in Schenn with no talent available to replace him even if he was a C playing the Wing. On Defence we lost a lot of experience replacing MDZ and Shultz with Sanheim and Hagg. While they are more skilled they are less experienced and you see that on a nightly basis with mistakes.

All of this will improve eventually but it is going to be a few seasons. These young guys are not generational talent. They cant just join the team and become top players. Like Schenn and Couturier, it is going to take a few years to break out. That being said the team has had some bad luck of late and should start winning more games but they are going to be a middle of the pack kind of team. They could make the wild card if they are lucky, which it doesnt appear so.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Exactly. Too many casual fans expect every rookie to be Provorov. Those guys are few and far between. I've said all along, reasonable expectations should be:
18-19: get into the playoffs, likely one and done
19-20: get in, maybe win a round, 2 if they get hot and/or lucky
20-21: start to look like a true contender

At that point, if enough of these kids develop and either Hart, Sandstrom or perhaps Ustimenko has seized the starters spot, they could be looking at a nice long window of contention.

Patience is easy to say, but not so easy to do.