The one thing that nobody has mentioned is that more than anything Trotz outcoached Vigneault in this series. On paper the Flyers have more talent but on the ice the Isles play as a team, hard work, precision coverage and that is coaching. AV gave them four pp chances with no chance challenges, too many men on the ice, needing some offence and Gost riding the pine. It is all hindsight but line matchups and player usage was not good imo. How can you not get your top six forwards scoring, Konecny was dreadful and could not hit the net if there was no goalie, Giroux is so predictable it is easy to defend, Couts was playing hurt and it showed, JVR is useless as tits on a bull, soft and defensive liability. Gost has to be traded and he will do fine elsewhere. The only guys that really brought their game was Hayes, Hart, Hagg was surprisingly decent, and Provorov was steady as usual. Niskanen was a mess most of the time and Gost would have been a way better option on the pp. Anyway, great season has come to an end. Let hope for some much need changes to tweak this machine. Yes Myers was fantastic and the future is bright for him.
- joegreif17

But yes, for sure AV did not have a good series

Yeah that’s about as much commentary as one can add. I know you feel like us, Bill, when you write one this short. Very anti-climatic ending to the season. Not much left to say today.

I was just going over the series stats and this one blew my mind how inept the Flyers PP performed. The Flyers went 0-13 on the PP during the series with a total of 12 shots, 12! The Islanders in Game 4 against the Flyers had 1 PP opportunity, and had a whopping 9 shots during it. I know it hockey you wins some and you lose some, but that manner in which they lost was so disheartening. It's Game 7, it's do or die, and to have battle back from 3-1 to lay such a whimper is just terrible.

I was just going over the series stats and this one blew my mind how inept the Flyers PP performed. The Flyers went 0-13 on the PP during the series with a total of 12 shots, 12! The Islanders in Game 4 against the Flyers had 1 PP opportunity, and had a whopping 9 shots during it. I know it hockey you wins some and you lose some, but that manner in which they lost was so disheartening. It's Game 7, it's do or die, and to have battle back from 3-1 to lay such a whimper is just terrible.
- Pat MaGroin

Yep, power play was definitely a reason why they lost the series. Disgraceful really, hopefully Therrien will go, not that he is solely to blame. I also dont like Sanheim and Niskanen on the 2nd unit together, seems very awkward to me.

Bill Meltzer: Wrap" Season Ends with a Whimper in Gamen7 Blowout
- bmeltzer

There are a lot of building blocks but everyone has to play their role Competently, including coaches.

Sean Couturier acting as a shutdown center but number one center is ridiculous. James van Riemsdyk getting scratched or acting as net screen on the second power play unit is a waste.

It was a lot of waste and too much pride. You can work your way down to the players by there.

Bruce you coward, you're big mouth jinxed your team.

The one thing that nobody has mentioned is that more than anything Trotz outcoached Vigneault in this series. On paper the Flyers have more talent but on the ice the Isles play as a team, hard work, precision coverage and that is coaching. AV gave them four pp chances with no chance challenges, too many men on the ice, needing some offence and Gost riding the pine. It is all hindsight but line matchups and player usage was not good imo. How can you not get your top six forwards scoring, Konecny was dreadful and could not hit the net if there was no goalie, Giroux is so predictable it is easy to defend, Couts was playing hurt and it showed, JVR is useless as tits on a bull, soft and defensive liability. Gost has to be traded and he will do fine elsewhere. The only guys that really brought their game was Hayes, Hart, Hagg was surprisingly decent, and Provorov was steady as usual. Niskanen was a mess most of the time and Gost would have been a way better option on the pp. Anyway, great season has come to an end. Let hope for some much need changes to tweak this machine. Yes Myers was fantastic and the future is bright for him.
- joegreif17

Ghost sucks! He is a soft cupcake defensively and doesn't provide enough offense to counteract that. That's why he was in the press box where he belonged. I wanted him traded a couple of years ago when he would have fetched a nice package back. So much for that now. No one gonna be lining up for a guy that was basically a healthy scratch for the playoffs.

I mean the Islanders top 2 lines are equal if not better than ours. And Pelech and Pulock are nothing to sneeze at. I'll give you that Hart is better than their goalies, but we just lost to them in in 7 games, not sure how we can be considered better or more talented than them. Now, can we beat them in a best of 7 next year, sure, but we didnt do it this year so we're not better than the Islanders.
- Cootehill

Not to mention the Isles obliterated a star-studded Caps team in the previous round. Islanders are talented, young, and have a brilliant coach.

The core is completely rotten. Remember when clode was better than Crosby lol. I member. He is a terrible leader and I take the C off of him as hopefully that would encourage him to ask for a trade.

The gm doesn’t have it easy as this team is between a rock and hard place. There is no way I resign couturier for the deal he will command. Jvr jake ghost is a lot of wasted money that come playoff time doesn’t produce.

The jack Adams finalist had no semblance of an answer for any other isles did. That’s a concern.

Maybe one blue chip diff maker in frost rest of fwd prospects god only knows.

So many teams seem to draft not just good players, but very god players/all-stars after the 1st round


Kucherov
Palat
Tyler Johnson
Pavelski
Benn
Pastrnak
Marchand
Bergeron
Mark Stone

When was the last time we drafted a stud forward after the first round?
- PT21

Pastrnak was. 1st rounder.

As for you claim of "so many teams" drafting all stars past the first round, I don't see many recent players...would they theyd be more prevalent.

But past the 1st round, Lindblom is the best in recent memory.

You need an elite forward.
We need an elite d-man.
Nylander for Provorov?

This single game reinforced a few things. Trotz is an amazing coach. Goaltending alone was not the Flyers issue for all those years. Either AV has no faith in some players or they were really hurt to play Lindblom 16 minutes in back to back playoff games.

We need to basically move all the “top” lines down one. We need to have the player depth to keep Giroux on the wing so he doesn’t wear down offensively. Morgan Frost, TK, Farabee, they are the future. AV has to give them the top 6 minutes.

You need an elite forward.
We need an elite d-man.
Nylander for Provorov?
- Rang

Lol we are not moving Provorov.

And if somehow we did we’re getting more than Nylander.

Bill Meltzer: Wrap" Season Ends with a Whimper in Gamen7 Blowout
- bmeltzer

Bill,

Wasn’t one of the goals an empty netter? Hart did not give up 4 goals on 26 shots

Hart
Couturier
Provorov
Myers

Together those players are the current core of the team as it performed this postseason. Average age of the core is 24. Hasn’t reached it’s prime.

Players like TK, Patrick and Lindblom should have been joining this group this season but the progress isn’t linear. You all know the issues.

I think trading Ghost and JVR make the most sense. Myers gets a longer contract, bring back Pitlick, NAK, Hägg, and possibly Elliott and Lyon.

Reality is there will not be any big changes. Will basically be the same team with diff internal options filing out the roster. We will get the Patrick is expected back and frost will be on the team. With or without a trade the d is set. Give Elliott 1 year league min deal or get someone else for 1 mill

Braun grant thompson Pitlick should not be resigned in any way shape or form.

Not sure can move jvr or ghost without another teams problems coming back. Do you sell high on Laughton or resign him for 4 million per

This team is also pussified and soft as butter

Hart
Couturier
Provorov
Myers

Together those players are the current core of the team as it performed this postseason. Average age of the core is 24. Hasn’t reached it’s prime.

Players like TK, Patrick and Lindblom should have been joining this group this season but the progress isn’t linear. You all know the issues.

I think trading Ghost and JVR make the most sense. Myers gets a longer contract, bring back Pitlick, NAK, Hägg, and possibly Elliott and Lyon.
- NC Flyers Fan

Who are u trading jvr and ghost to? Easier said than done.

Montreal 93
Carolina 06
New Jersey 95 (arguable)
Boston 11 (also arguable)

It is certainly not impossible
- easY

Whoa.

Off the top of my head Boston had Chara at a time when he was among the best,they had Thomas around the time he won the Vezina, they had Bergeron on the doorstep of being the best defensive forward since Datsyuk, and Krekjci was pretty good too. Iirc, Marchand played on the 3rd line.

Carolina had down the middle Eric Staal, and didnt Brindy win the Selke around that time?

Devils had Brodeur, Stevens, Niedermayer, all HOFers. They had Holik: one of the best defensive forwards.

Would have to look up Habs. But the fact that you came up with so few teams in 28 years and even then some of those should be excluded proves my point.

Pastrnak was. 1st rounder.

As for you claim of "so many teams" drafting all stars past the first round, I don't see many recent players...would they theyd be more prevalent.

But past the 1st round, Lindblom is the best in recent memory.
- jmatchett383

Yes,sorry.

I dunno what you mean by recent. I chose current players from top teams off the top of my head. If I wanted to go back I would include the likes of Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

Goddammit Philly.

I asked you to do ONE thing. Just one. Send the boring-ass Islanders home and meet my Lightning in the ECF.

Gritty is soooooo disappointed.

You folks don't deserve Gritty. You have let him down. Disappointed him.

Who are u trading jvr and ghost to? Easier said than done.
- login

That’s why Fletcher gets the big bucks.

You need an elite forward.
We need an elite d-man.
Nylander for Provorov?
- Rang

Fans tend to overvalue their own players. There is even a name for it:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endowment_effect

I remember at one time how high you guys were on Luke Schenn on HockeyBuzz.

Goddammit Philly.

I asked you to do ONE thing. Just one. Send the boring-ass Islanders home and meet my Lightning in the ECF.

Gritty is soooooo disappointed.

You folks don't deserve Gritty. You have let him down. Disappointed him.
- GalacticStone

Well, you wanted a long series. On observed merit, that's 3 games more than what it should have been.

Fans tend to overvalue their own players. There is even a name for it:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endowment_effect

I remember at one time how high you guys were on Luke Schenn on HockeyBuzz.
- PT21

I am well endowed

Not to mention the Isles obliterated a star-studded Caps team in the previous round. Islanders are talented, young, and have a brilliant coach.
- BroadSTmayhem

Did you see the way the Caps played? They were never interested.

We will find out how good the Isles are in the next series. I especially am interested in seeing how they defend the TB forwards.