The idea is to limit Giroux's time and keep him where he can contribute (PP and PK maybe).
And slot Frost on 1st line with Couturier and Voracek, somebody who'd be hungry, hustle all the time, put himself in open position where those 2 can feed him.
Frost had a success in such role in short stretch this season.

Again you just need to do something, keeping status quo and hoping Giroux wakes up is just not gonna happen.
- Keith25

You did read where Bill Meltzer stated that Frost is not viable candidate for the lineup now, correct?

The idea is to limit Giroux's time and keep him where he can contribute (PP and PK maybe).
And slot Frost on 1st line with Couturier and Voracek, somebody who'd be hungry, hustle all the time, put himself in open position where those 2 can feed him.
Frost had a success in such role in short stretch this season.

Again you just need to do something, keeping status quo and hoping Giroux wakes up is just not gonna happen.
- Keith25

I will respectfully disagree.

The idea is to limit Giroux's time and keep him where he can contribute (PP and PK maybe).
And slot Frost on 1st line with Couturier and Voracek, somebody who'd be hungry, hustle all the time, put himself in open position where those 2 can feed him.
Frost had a success in such role in short stretch this season.

Again you just need to do something, keeping status quo and hoping Giroux wakes up is just not gonna happen.
- Keith25

Are you aware of a lot of instances where a team, facing elimination in the playoffs, brings in a player who twice could not stay in the lineup in the regular season and hasn't played in many months and plays him on the first line?

By a lot, I mean any?

Hedman is their best player. Vasileskiy after him. Then Kucherov/Point.
Imagine Kucherov/Point being your 3rd and 4th best player.
- PLindbergh31

Point is actually smaller than Farabee, but on the ice, he never 'plays small.'

Are you aware of a lot of instances where a team, facing elimination in the playoffs, brings in a player who twice could not stay in the lineup in the regular season and hasn't played in many months and plays him on the first line?

By a lot, I mean any?
- PT21

I think the point is that with our lack of speed, maybe we could have gotten frost in instead of bunneman to make the thought more plausible. I mean who could have ever thought about trying speed in the bottom six instead of grit?

Are you aware of a lot of instances where a team, facing elimination in the playoffs, brings in a player who twice could not stay in the lineup in the regular season and hasn't played in many months and plays him on the first line?

By a lot, I mean any?
- PT21

Putting Frost into the lineup would reek of desperation and most likely not produce positive results. Ghost playing might help (especially if they put him on PP1) but I don't think AV is going to change the lineup. I think at this point, he'll go down with the ship and the crew that got them this far. Any word on why Raffl isn't playing? Is he hurt?

Putting Frost into the lineup would reek of desperation and most likely not produce positive results. Ghost playing might help (especially if they put him on PP1) but I don't think AV is going to change the lineup. I think at this point, he'll go down with the ship and the crew that got them this far. Any word on why Raffl isn't playing? Is he hurt?
- aantny88

Raffl hasn’t played to make sure Vandevelde I mean Thompson is in the lineup.

It’s just about intensity. If they play like they played the last two periods of game 4 for the rest of the series they can win it. If they play timid they’re out.

You did read where Bill Meltzer stated that Frost is not viable candidate for the lineup now, correct?
- MJL

Just like his description earlier of what ghost hasn’t brought.

Raffl hasn’t played to make sure Vandevelde I mean Thompson is in the lineup.
- Shrike

I really hope that isn't the case. Raffl's been a pretty valuable guy to have on the team because of his versatility and he's sitting for Thompson or Grant? FFS!

Raffl hasn’t played to make sure Vandevelde I mean Thompson is in the lineup.
- Shrike

Raffl is injured.

Bill, your NHL Flyers article got me pumped up. LETS GO BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s just about intensity. If they play like they played the last two periods of game 4 for the rest of the series they can win it. If they play timid they’re out.
- Boyer83

Everything in this series is being over analyzed. It really is simple. Flyers have to stop turning the puck over in their own end, and their top players have to produce.
Majority of the turnovers have been unforced, they have time to make a high percentage safe play with the puck, and they panic/rush and turn the puck over constantly and it ends up in the back of their net a fair amount of the time.

We played our best game in Game 4 and still lost. We need to get a goal or two quickly and have Hart shut the door. Then focus on Game 6. One at a time.

Hart has to steal this one for us. We are still having too many breakdowns. Elliott tried to keep us in it but without generating any offense, it was just a matter of time.

Let's go boys! No handshake line tonight.
- cdearth23

Agreed. Hope you're right.

Everything in this series is being over analyzed. It really is simple. Flyers have to stop turning the puck over in their own end, and their top players have to produce.
Majority of the turnovers have been unforced, they have time to make a high percentage safe play with the puck, and they panic/rush and turn the puck over constantly and it ends up in the back of their net a fair amount of the time.
- PLindbergh31

Yep - fix that and anything can happen. They're not playing horribly - just shooting themselves in the skates.

Any word on why Raffl isn't playing? Is he hurt?
- aantny88

Bill wrote this in today's blog (under "Flyers Outlook," 5th paragraph):

"Michael Raffl, who has been out of the Flyers' lineup the last two games, did not take warmups on Sunday; a likely indication that his absence is injury-related and not a coach's decision."

Yep - fix that and anything can happen. They're not playing horribly - just shooting themselves in the skates.
- Scoob

Exactly. The turnovers by in large self inflicted. The Islanders have a strong heavy forecheck game, but the Flyers are just recklessly passing the puck around in their own end like it's a grenade.

We’re in trouble if we believe Morgan Frost will rescue this team from elimination.
- SuperSchennBros

More of we are averaging less than two goals a game, willing to try something new.

Bill wrote this in today's blog (under "Flyers Outlook," 5th paragraph):

"Michael Raffl, who has been out of the Flyers' lineup the last two games, did not take warmups on Sunday; a likely indication that his absence is injury-related and not a coach's decision."
- Bendecko

Thank you! I must have missed that in the blog yesterday.

Yep - fix that and anything can happen. They're not playing horribly - just shooting themselves in the skates.
- Scoob

I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or worse They're down 3-1 in the series due to mostly self-inflicted wounds and have no one to blame but themselves? Or are they being outplayed significantly by the Isles because they're the better team?

I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or worse They're down 3-1 in the series due to mostly self-inflicted wounds and have no one to blame but themselves? Or are they being outplayed significantly by the Isles because they're the better team?
- aantny88

The Islanders have beaten the Flyers 6 out of 7 games this year, so it's fair to call them the better team, but I'd like to see the Flyers play their "A" game and see what happens.

I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or worse They're down 3-1 in the series due to mostly self-inflicted wounds and have no one to blame but themselves? Or are they being outplayed significantly by the Isles because they're the better team?
- aantny88

Self inflicted wounds being capitalized on by a hard-working team.

The Islanders have beaten the Flyers 6 out of 7 games this year, so it's fair to call them the better team, but I'd like to see the Flyers play their "A" game and see what happens.
- PLindbergh31

We are comparable. The systems maybe aren’t the best matchup. But they have executed. And have one of the best coaches guiding them well.

We are comparable. The systems maybe aren’t the best matchup. But they have executed. And have one of the best coaches guiding them well.
- Peter Richards

Yep. The Islanders don't have superior talent to the Flyers. It shouldn't be as one sided as it has been. Trotz is a very good coach, I think Vigneault is as well. I've disagreed with some of his lineup decisions, but with the Covid restrictions who knows what players are available.

Yep. The Islanders don't have superior talent to the Flyers. It shouldn't be as one sided as it has been. Trotz is a very good coach, I think Vigneault is as well. I've disagreed with some of his lineup decisions, but with the Covid restrictions who knows what players are available.
- PLindbergh31

Yes. But hands down I take Trotz over AV. Not that AV is bad. Just what Trotz has been able to get from his players year after year is impressive. Glad he got his ring.