Based on what I saw as his junior tendencies, I think Patrick could actually be a good complement on the right side on the PP1. Patrick had a much higher tendency to use his very accurate shot anytime he was from the center-lane to the right wing. On the left side, he would tend to skate to center to shoot or down the left wing to pass across. He might be more successful personally, and provide a different angle of attack on our current PP1 with the better control/distribution/netfront players on PP1.

If I'm correct, he could provide an added shooting component from the right side that Voracek does not provide usually. At the same time, Voracek could provide his higher level of puck control and distribution to the PP2. Voracek might help make our PP2 more relevant working the same position he does currently on the first.

This is not necessarily the answer, but something I've felt for awhile based on what I remember watching of him in junior.
- The_Journeyman

Not a bad thought, but I hesitate to take Jake off the top PP unit. He's got 20 PP points, which is tied for 5th in the league. That top unit is really starting to find a groove, and I'd hesitate to break it up right now.

Ghoule did a great job today in his first game even though the line was caved in after the goal. They need to not have their patented let down against crap competition tomorrow.
- Just5

ty

Not a bad thought, but I hesitate to take Jake off the top PP unit. He's got 20 PP points, which is tied for 5th in the league. That top unit is really starting to find a groove, and I'd hesitate to break it up right now.
- VladDrag

Agreed, but it might be worth a brief try. Patrick is already working the right side on PP2 but he seems to be relied on more to control the puck there. Right now, I don't think that is his game at this level. Ripping quick shots as he moves from the boards to the slot is in my opinion. Whether that helps the team on the powerplay is another matter.

Agreed, but it might be worth a brief try. Patrick is already working the right side on PP2 but he seems to be relied on more to control the puck there. Right now, I don't think that is his game at this level. Ripping quick shots as he moves from the boards to the slot is in my opinion. Whether that helps the team on the powerplay is another matter.
- The_Journeyman

I think it is something to think about in the future.

Ghoule did a great job today in his first game even though the line was caved in after the goal. They need to not have their patented let down against crap competition tomorrow.
- Just5

Didn't get to see how he played, only got to see the 3rd period and he played 35 seconds in that period, but was happy to see him use his body effectively to generate a scoring chance and goal. It's a nice way to start his career.

I am a guy who doesn't like the call up, not because of Ghoul himself, but because of the way it came. I don't see him as a guy that will consistently impact the game, but I actively root for him to change my mind.

He accused Hakstol of having a love affair with Hagg and listed it as his biggest issue with Hakstol as a coach. I have posted a number of times that I felt it was time for Hagg to sit some games. With that said both Hagg and Manning are better NHL defenseman right now than Sanheim is.
- MJL

Exactly. Hagg was doing well at the beginning of the season when Ghost was at least making some pretense of defending. Now, he is dragging Provorov down.

At the beginning of the game Ghost-Provy were ugly at times. At end of game Hagg-Ghost were ugly, but Provy-AMac looked really solid. Hmmm. Is that Hagg's fault? Other thing I have noticed that I find alarming: AMac has taken on the "offensive defenceman" role in his pairing with Hagg. He has made some nice outlet passes, sure, but I think I speak for everyone when I say he is NOT a guy you want pinching and carrying the puck.

Flyers have 5 off days after tomorrow. Time to install new D pairings and let them get some chemistry: Provy-Hagg, Sanheim-AMac, Ghost-Manning/Gudas. Or send Sanheim down and put Ghost back with AMac. Stop the insanity.

Ghoul on pace for 40 goals

I think it is something to think about in the future.
- MJL

I agree, but I also wonder about Sanheim as well and what his role will be on PP1, if at all. A lot of good things to look forward to.

Exactly. Hagg was doing well at the beginning of the season when Ghost was at least making some pretense of defending. Now, he is dragging Provorov down.

At the beginning of the game Ghost-Provy were ugly at times. At end of game Hagg-Ghost were ugly, but Provy-AMac looked really solid. Hmmm. Is that Hagg's fault? Other thing I have noticed that I find alarming: AMac has taken on the "offensive defenceman" role in his pairing with Hagg. He has made some nice outlet passes, sure, but I think I speak for everyone when I say he is NOT a guy you want pinching and carrying the puck.

Flyers have 5 off days after tomorrow. Time to install new D pairings and let them get some chemistry: Provy-Hagg, Sanheim-AMac, Ghost-Manning/Gudas. Or send Sanheim down and put Ghost back with AMac. Stop the insanity.
- hockeyal

MacDonald simply made a rare bad decision when he pinched in on a strong side pinch which led to a 2 on 1 goal against. All 3 Flyer forwards were directly in front of him so he knew he did not have back check support behind him. With the score at 4-0, time, place and score dictates not to pinch. That has nothing to do with who his partner is.

How can you possibly use a decision made with regards to one player and call it a weakness in how he handles playerS? Hextall was absolutely correct to protect Laughton in the expansion draft and he is a good player for the Flyers currently. This hard on you have for Laughton is baseless.

Give me one example of how he is risk averse with regards to waivers and how that has hurt the Flyers?
- MJL

Flyers struggling on the PK. Guess who is not? Vegas. Guess who is the leader of their PK????

No way Laughton gets taken by Vegas anyway. Or anyone else if he gets waived. He's not an NHL center.

I googled "Hextall losing assets waivers" and got over a hundred hits. As for hurting the team, ask yourself what is standing in the way of giving some Phantoms players a few games? 23.

MacDonald simply made a rare bad decision when he pinched in on a strong side pinch which led to a 2 on 1 goal against. All 3 Flyer forwards were directly in front of him so he knew he did not have back check support behind him. With the score at 4-0, time, place and score dictates not to pinch. That has nothing to do with who his partner is.
- MJL

I'm not blaming him for the goal, or saying that was a bad decision. I'm saying that if Ghost was the player in that spot, or Provorov, it might have worked. I'm saying that it's not why they paid him a stupid amount of money, and it makes no sense to pair two stay at home defenders, and less to have them out with your top line.

Flyers struggling on the PK. Guess who is not? Vegas. Guess who is the leader of their PK????

No way Laughton gets taken by Vegas anyway. Or anyone else if he gets waived. He's not an NHL center.

I googled "Hextall losing assets waivers" and got over a hundred hits. As for hurting the team, ask yourself what is standing in the way of giving some Phantoms players a few games? 23.
- hockeyal

The statement that he is not an NHL center is absurd. Bellemare was a staple on the Flyers PK when he was here. The Flyers struggled on the PK when Bellemare was a staple on it so that invalidates that comment.

Your comment about what you got when you googled is so ridiculous, I'm not even going to comment on it. You didn't answer my question.

The Flyers didn't seem to have an issue with 23 when they called up Goulbourne.

I'm not blaming him for the goal, or saying that was a bad decision. I'm saying that if Ghost was the player in that spot, or Provorov, it might have worked. I'm saying that it's not why they paid him a stupid amount of money, and it makes no sense to pair two stay at home defenders, and less to have them out with your top line.
- hockeyal

You should blame him for that goal because he is the main culprit. It was a bad decision. Nothing to do with who he is paired with. The Flyers don't have the perfect mix of players to avoid these types of things. The Provorov/Gostisbehere pairing has a lot of good factors going for it. I don't like the MacDonald Hagg pairing either but I'm not going to ignore things that are positive for the Flyers.

why did Amac pinch on that play
- Buzzo

He has become the offensive defender on that pair by default, and he doesn't know how to do that. Hakstol derp.

The way Voracek gets the puck to the net, I wonder if eventually Lindblom could make it to that line. I know he’s supposed to be good in front of the net. Not sure if he skates well enough to keep up on that line. Also would free up Raffl to play on what could be a very effective 4th line, so they could roll 4 solid lines.

You should blame him for that goal because he is the main culprit. It was a bad decision. Nothing to do with who he is paired with. The Flyers don't have the perfect mix of players to avoid these types of things. The Provorov/Gostisbehere pairing has a lot of good factors going for it. I don't like the MacDonald Hagg pairing either but I'm not going to ignore things that are positive for the Flyers.
- MJL

The Proverov/Ghost pairing has a much worse +/- than the Provorov/AMac pairing and is on ice for a very high proportion of goals against since they were put together. Typically, Provorov is flying around and Ghost is standing there in his own end waiting of the chance to play offense. Somebody pointed out that Ghost has the opportunity to be good in his own end if he starts using his speed. I think that is right, but somebody has to impress upon him its time to start doing that.

damn, you know we won today hockeyal?

The Proverov/Ghost pairing has a much worse +/- than the Provorov/AMac pairing and is on ice for a very high proportion of goals against since they were put together. Typically, Provorov is flying around and Ghost is standing there in his own end waiting of the chance to play offense. Somebody pointed out that Ghost has the opportunity to be good in his own end if he starts using his speed. I think that is right, but somebody has to impress upon him its time to start doing that.
- hockeyal

Feel free to post the statistics on that. That pairing is dominant offensively at 5 on 5 and plays a lot with the Giroux line and they carry play which is a very good thing for the Flyers.

The statement that he is not an NHL center is absurd. Bellemare was a staple on the Flyers PK when he was here. The Flyers struggled on the PK when Bellemare was a staple on it so that invalidates that comment.

Your comment about what you got when you googled is so ridiculous, I'm not even going to comment on it. You didn't answer my question.

The Flyers didn't seem to have an issue with 23 when they called up Goulbourne.
- MJL

How long do you think Goulbourne will stick around? He'll be gone tomorrow night.

Are you really trying to say that there is nobody on the Phantoms that could help the big club, but for room on the roster?

He has become the offensive defender on that pair by default, and he doesn't know how to do that. Hakstol derp.
- hockeyal

Hockey doesn't work that way. There is no defined offensive or defensive defender on a pairing.

Feel free to post the statistics on that. That pairing is dominant offensively at 5 on 5 and plays a lot with the Giroux line and they carry play which is a very good thing for the Flyers.
- MJL

Give me an example of a championship team that had two puck moving defensemen on their #1 pairing? You can't.

How long do you think Goulbourne will stick around? He'll be gone tomorrow night.


- hockeyal

Doesn't matter. The fact that they called him proves your comment that the roster limit is not stopping the Flyers from calling up players. You also have not come close to proving the false narrative that Hextall is risk avers with regards to waivers.

Are you really trying to say that there is nobody on the Phantoms that could help the big club, but for room on the roster?
- hockeyal

Seriously?

Give me an example of a championship team that had two puck moving defensemen on their #1 pairing? You can't.
- hockeyal

It's worse than I thought. First of all who determines who is a puck moving defenseman and who isn't?

Off the top of my head. Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin.

Hockey doesn't work that way. There is no defined offensive or defensive defender on a pairing.
- MJL

Hahahahaha. Have you ever played hockey? So Paul Coffey and Charlie Huddy were both equally likely to drive play? Or Kimmo and Coburn? LOL.

Hahahahaha. Have you ever played hockey? So Paul Coffey and Charlie Huddy were both equally likely to drive play? Or Kimmo and Coburn? LOL.
- hockeyal

That's two different kinds of players. In modern hockey systems wise offense is played with a 5 man attack. For example you erroneously think that MacDonald pinched because he is now designated the "offensive" defenseman of the pairing. That's not the case. Strong side pinches are a part of the Flyers systems play and it's the same for every defenseman on the team. It's a read and react decision.