If they have faith in Tokarski as an NHL backup he should be on the team now instead of Lyon and play one of these next five games to see how he fares
- Feanor

i agree.

Personally I don't think we trade him without a young lineup player coming back in return. Whether it's a right wing left wing etc I'll slide in player we trade for. Than you can add lindblom next year. I don't see much besides lindblom vecchione and Morin being up next year. Vecchione being 4c for filp
- Tfaehner

They are in good position to bring in a RFA guy that a team will struggle to sign. i.e. detroit

Personally I don't think we trade him without a young lineup player coming back in return. Whether it's a right wing left wing etc I'll slide in player we trade for. Than you can add lindblom next year. I don't see much besides lindblom vecchione and Morin being up next year. Vecchione being 4c for filp
- Tfaehner

I typically agree with that.


I think NAK is making a very strong case for next season though.

This partcular passage stood out to me.




Ghost and Konecny are both playing the best hockey of their careers playing the way Hak wants them to play.

Sanheim simply didnt earn his playing time IMO.
- MBFlyerfan

The article is an embarrassment and really the author has an incredibly low hockey IQ

I typically agree with that.


I think NAK is making a very strong case for next season though.
- VladDrag

Having too many good players isn't really a bad thing, but it does feel like there is a certain point where it becomes less important to get like a number of assets for a guy like Simmonds. Really I just want one good one. Is Ottawa going to pay up for Mark Stone? Does Minnesota have the space to keep Zucker? Maybe Chicago uses Hartman for one last go with their core. Lots of possibilities. I would prefer a recent prospect, but teams are less likely to give up on them now. I would be in an ejaculatory based coma if Simmonds got someone like Glass/Necas/Vilardi. All it takes is one idiot and we know that the Flyers arent negotiating from a position of need.

An interesting topic and per hockeybuzz rules, I don't completely agree with this. They are both playing the best hockey of their careers, and I think that is all Hakstol really cares about (as long as they win). Hakstol seems to have a reputation of being like a my way or the highway guy and unwilling to change. I don't see it that way. There have been a few things that have changed since he started. They used to dump and chase more, he has tried to work from the defense out, he has changed forechecking and seems to have changed PK strategies, and he has let defensemen join the cycle (something that stopped at times).


- YuenglingJagr

A lot of this is incorrect. There have been a lot of false narratives on this site about Hakstol's systems and what he lets players do. Such as the ridiculous notion that Hakstol's offense was built around point shots being the top strategy of his offensive system. That was false. About Hakstol not letting defenseman play aggressively, that was false. Hakstol has always taught and installed a 5 man offensive attack and give defenseman the green light to play aggressively offensively.

I think it is a mutual change, with an element of trust. Both players have shown what good they are capable of, and Hakstol now trusts that what they do will lead to good things. They both have freedom to do some of the stuff they previously tried to do and got benched for when it wasnt working out. Also, they've both just gotten better at making good plays.


- YuenglingJagr

I disagree with this also. Konecny's game has grown in leaps and bounds in the last few months. They aren't doing the same stuff now that before got them benched. That's incorrect. Konecny has made major improvements in his puck management and play away from the puck. He has also shown that it's finally clicking where offense comes from at the NHL instead and making individual junior level plays that don't work in the NHL. So while your comment that they both have gotten better at making plays is true, they have been elevated because of the process that they went through in getting better in the important areas of the game and earned that promotion. Hakstol has done a fantastic job developing Konecny as a player.

What specifically would you say Ghost is doing differently this year as opposed to last year besides making less mistakes and having better luck? He certainly isn't playing less aggressive.
- YuenglingJagr

Gostisbehere's all around game is infinitely better than it was last year and his play away from the puck in his own zone is so much better that it was in the past. He was really bad in the defensive zone last year for most of the season. He is playing the best all around hockey of his career by far. It's easily noticeable.

Having too many good players isn't really a bad thing, but it does feel like there is a certain point where it becomes less important to get like a number of assets for a guy like Simmonds. Really I just want one good one. Is Ottawa going to pay up for Mark Stone? Does Minnesota have the space to keep Zucker? Maybe Chicago uses Hartman for one last go with their core. Lots of possibilities. I would prefer a recent prospect, but teams are less likely to give up on them now. I would be in an ejaculatory based coma if Simmonds got someone like Glass/Necas/Vilardi. All it takes is one idiot and we know that the Flyers arent negotiating from a position of need.
- YuenglingJagr

Yeah simmer for a high end prospect/border nhl ready would be amazing. As far as the rfa I don't see hextall going after anyone older than 26

I would say continually coming out flat in the first period is mainly on the coach. People will say they were pretty slow starters under Berube, but the goal differential wasn't nearly as bad (-5), and most of the personnel is different now. Out of the 23 top ice time getters in 13-14 + 14-15, only six remain.
- Feanor

This is the NHL, get yourself up for a game. This is not high school hockey.

When it comes to Hak as a coach, three things stand out to me:

a) -28 in the 1st period
a) 27th best PK
b) 25th in goals scored at 5 on 5

It's hard to envision playoff success for a team that starts games poorly more often than not, has a terrible PK, and struggles to score goals during the most common phase of play.
- Feanor

The only thing that stands out to me that is really a major issue there is the PK. When looking at scoring at 5 on 5, you have to look at overall talent and not just focus on coaching. I also don't like when rankings are used without context. The Flyers have scored 101 goals at 5 on 5 play. The team in 10th place has scored 110. One hot streak from the Flyers in scoring and they could be right there.

The PK is and has been a huge issue. If they had even a modest improvement and been killing at 80% this season, their position in the standings would likely be much stronger.

The only thing that stands out to me that is really a major issue there is the PK. When looking at scoring at 5 on 5, you have to look at overall talent and not just focus on coaching. I also don't like when rankings are used without context. The Flyers have scored 101 goals at 5 on 5 play. The team in 10th place has scored 110. One hot streak from the Flyers in scoring and they could be right there.

The PK is and has been a huge issue. If they had even a modest improvement and been killing at 80% this season, their position in the standings would likely be much stronger.
- MJL

And if you are going to point out 5 on 5 goals scored, you have to point out 5 on 5 goals against. Which has shown a vast improvement.

Hextall really does run a locked down operation.

McKenzie had nothing but common speculation when talking about the Flyers goaltending situation on TSN just now. Plan to see how Neuvirth and Lyon fare. Niemi and Mrazek are available and may inquire about one of Buffalo's goalies.

Brandon Manning, Jori Lehterä and Dale Weise walk into a bar...

Brandon Manning, Jori Lehterä and Dale Weise walk into a bar...
- funmaster18

you'd figure that Weise would have seen at least one of them do it

Hextall really does run a locked down operation.

McKenzie had nothing but common speculation when talking about the Flyers goaltending situation on TSN just now. Plan to see how Neuvirth and Lyon fare. Niemi and Mrazek are available and may inquire about one of Buffalo's goalies.
- Baxter27

i don't know why they don't bring up tokarski.

niemi? jfc, no. mrazek, i guess maybe. buffalo, not interested.

Brandon Manning, Jori Lehterä and Dale Weise walk into a bar...
- funmaster18

...and they never come out.

USA!

Brandon Manning, Jori Lehterä and Dale Weise walk into a bar...
- funmaster18

...and Brandon Manning picks a fight with the biggest dude in the bar and takes a beating. Jori Lehtera tries to get a drink at the bar, but is too slow to react and doesn't get a drink before last call. Dale Weise gets a drink before last call, but flat out drops his drink.

/waits for judges scoring

Brandon Manning, Jori Lehterä and Dale Weise walk into a bar...
- funmaster18

And split their heads open.

...and Brandon Manning picks a fight with the biggest dude in the bar and takes a beating. Jori Lehtera tries to get a drink at the bar, but is too slow to react and doesn't get a drink before last call. Dale Weise gets a drink before last call, but flat out drops his drink.

/waits for judges scoring
- johndewar

You forgot the other patrons wondering why the manager of the place won't allow Oskar Lindblom into the bar and why the bartender won't allow some players to sit at the bar.

you'd figure that Weise would have seen at least one of them do it
- KINGKENZO

With that long face he was probably the first one to hit the wall.

With that long face he was probably the first one to hit the wall.
- MBFlyerfan

Re the Flyers goaltending:

I think Hextall will make a move. He’s not going to take the chance of Neuvy getting hurt a few days after the deadline and having to roll down the stretch with Lyon/Tokarski

In 2016-17 only Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome topped the 2 ppg threshold.
2015-16 it was Christian Dvorak and Mitch Marner
2014-15 it was Mitch Marner and Conner McDavid (2.55!!!)

That's some pretty amazing company for Frost.


Side Note: No one eclipsed 2 PPG before the 14-15 season except for John Tavares in the 07-08 season.

^ If Strome pans out along with Ratcliffe, man we are going to have some big boy wingers. And we have Allison! Nice complimentary size for TK, Frost, German.
- arichardson22

Spot on. Great size/speed lineup. Get back to some Flyers hockey.