When Alain Vigneault made his much-ridiculed comments referred to the team "being on the right track" amid their swan dive in the standings in March -- and their horrifically ballooning team goals against average -- he was referring to the underlying puck possession stats getting significantly better.

And when Claude said the next day "If we keep playing the way we've been playing we will win more games than we lose", what did he mean ?

Don’t they say, at 300 NHL games you should know what you have in a player? Patrick is at 197, next year is a make or break year for him providing he’s healthy, has a good summer of training and we have a normal 82 game schedule.
- Dave21Brown

WTF stop being rationale. This is the flyers blog so the typical northeast gloom and doom is more warranted.

Not hard to understand that injuries derail careers sometimes. Especially head injuries.

He went second overall behind Hischier. Is there really that much of a difference between their health in the NHL thus far?

Patrick has missed 82 NHL games. Hischier 59. So they’ve both significantly had inconsistent time to grow/adapt/mature.

Yet Hischier has been asked to do way more. Basically NJ 1C, offense driver, faced other teams top pairing & now the captain leader of the organization. Meanwhile Patrick has played with significantly more talent, had the fortunes to be hidden play more in depth role & done jack squat.

Patrick 197 30 40 70 -37
Hischeir 230 57 89 146 -15

It’s not even close to how far away Patrick is from being anywhere of significance. & it goes without saying Pettersson drafted three spots behind Patrick has out performed him too.
- Fopa21

Drafting position is your whole argument.

While you’re add it, post Sidney Crosby’s career numbers and Bobby Ryan’s career numbers together.

Which of those players helped turn things around here?
- ClaudeFather

In what universe were you expecting to get Tavares or Panarin? I was never expecting to get either guy because they already made it clear where they were going. So what is your point? Why haven’t we signed Sidney Crosby?

So you take more stock in draft position than production because you just told us all Patrick would be out of the league in three years. Patrick producing at all keeps him in the league. Draft picks are just lottery tickets.
- SuperSchennBros

Is nail yakupov not real. That’s a number 1 overall pick. Keep thinking you have a clue tho

Drafting position is your whole argument.

While you’re add it, post Sidney Crosby’s career numbers and Bobby Ryan’s career numbers together.
- SuperSchennBros

My whole logic is one guy sucks has proven nothing & the other has proven he has what it takes.

They have both missed significant time, same draft class 1 & 2 overall. It doesn’t get more logical of a comparison. But you obviously don’t understand logic just hope & prayer.

Is nail yakupov not real. That’s a number 1 overall pick. Keep thinking you have a clue tho
- Fopa21

What does Nail Yakupov have to do with anything? Your argument is that Patrick was a high draft pick, compare him to Nico Hechier as far abs not keeping up and than being up Nail Yakupov. Nail Yakupov didn’t even have any relatable injuries to Patrick.

Which once again, your argument is drafting position when Patrick wasn’t a first overall pick.

My whole logic is one guy sucks has proven nothing & the other has proven he has what it takes.

They have both missed significant time, same draft class 1 & 2 overall. It doesn’t get more logical of a comparison.
- Fopa21

So were Crosby and Ryan, which is why I mock your example

What does Nail Yakupov have to do with anything? Your argument is that Patrick was a high draft pick, compare him to Nico Hechier as far abs not keeping up and than being up Nail Yakupov. Nail Yakupov didn’t even have any relatable injuries to Patrick.

Which once again, your argument is drafting position when Patrick wasn’t a first overall pick.
- SuperSchennBros

Patrick was ranked higher than Nico. Taken 1 spot back both have had same injury issuses. Yet with nico you can see a star with Patrick you see nothing.

Did he flip you a puck in warm ups or something. Geez

In what universe were you expecting to get Tavares or Panarin? I was never expecting to get either guy because they already made it clear where they were going. So what is your point? Why haven’t we signed Sidney Crosby?
- SuperSchennBros

And now he changes the narrative

So were Crosby and Ryan, which is why I mock your example
- SuperSchennBros

There was no debate between crosby & ryan. But that’s your example. Cute

There was no debate between crosby & ryan. But that’s your example. Cute
- Fopa21

Yes but once again, your debate is draft position. New Jersey has always needed a top line center or a top line anything for this matter. We haven’t, at least not currently. NJ was gonna lean hard on Hechier regardless. We never needed to.

And now he changes the narrative
- ClaudeFather

How did I change the narrative? You claimed we missed on Tavares, Panarin. I ask you how, if they knew where they were going.

If you think the narrative has changed. It’s because you’re losing your own argument.

Let’s be honest we don’t know and possibly the flyers don’t know what they have with Patrick.
I posted a week or so ago that the flyers should use the 21-22 season to evaluate him.
Comparing a guy to this player and that player doesn’t really help.
If I had to give an answer as to why NP played as much as he did and got PP2 time I’d have to say they were trying to pump him up and give the kid some confidence.
Obviously the kid had talent. The question is does he have the fortitude to overcome injuries and medical issues.
My biggest concern is he is thinking to much and not trusting his skills.

Yes but once again, your debate is draft position. New Jersey has always needed a top line center or a top line anything for this matter. We haven’t, at least not currently. NJ was gonna lean hard on Hechier regardless. We never needed to.
- SuperSchennBros

Come on man. Stop. The only reason why I’m using those two is because the were both debated. I could care less if they went 1 & 2 or 100 & 101. They went next to eachother have both faced injury issues. It’s a fair comparison.

Lean hard is one thing. To make a 21 year old your captain/leader is completely another. It goes to show you the type of hockey player/person he is & he carries all that weight on his shoulders when Patrick couldn’t even carry 4th line duties responsibly.

Again Nico here save us. Top match ups, lead, score, defend, play with cast offs on a dog poop team for a few years.

Patrick we’re going to ease you in play as 3c but give you first & second pp time, play with G, Jake, JVR, TK & FAILED.

Thank goodness we didn’t lean on Patrick I couldn’t imagine his play being any worse.

How can you debate this lol

Patrick was ranked higher than Nico. Taken 1 spot back both have had same injury issuses. Yet with nico you can see a star with Patrick you see nothing.

Did he flip you a puck in warm ups or something. Geez
- Fopa21

but their injuries and subsequent situations are nothing alike..

How did I change the narrative? You claimed we missed on Tavares, Panarin. I ask you how, if they knew where they were going.

If you think the narrative has changed. It’s because you’re losing your own argument.
- SuperSchennBros

Lmao you changed it, you Moron! The bottom line is they did not choose to come here

but their injuries are nothing alike..
- CRUSH IT LIKE ME

Is this nolan patrick? All it is is excuses. You have to be nopa. Everything has to be completely even & fair & the same.

Your a guy who likes the participation trophies huh

Come on man. Stop. The only reason why I’m using those two is because the were both debated. I could care less if they went 1 & 2 or 100 & 101. They went next to eachother have both faced injury issues.

Lean hard is one thing. To make a 21 year old your captain/leader is completely another. It goes to show you the type of hockey player/person he is & he carries all that weight on his shoulders when Patrick couldn’t even carry 4th line duties responsibly.

Again Nico here save us. Top match ups, lead, score, defend, play with cast offs on a dog poop team for a few years.

Patrick we’re going to ease you in play as 3c but give you first & second pp time, play with G, Jake, JVR, TK & FAILED.

Thank goodness we didn’t lean on Patrick I couldn’t imagine his play being any worse.

How can you debate this lol
- Fopa21

When the best example you can come up with is nail Yakupov, you’re clearly unaware of passed first overall picks who didn’t reach expectations. Chris Phillips, Erik Johnson, Alexander Daigle.

We have given Patrick plenty of lean but when you have Giroux and Couturier, there really is no reason to push. Plenty of time to grow though.

Lmao you changed it, you Moron! The bottom line is they did not choose to come here
- ClaudeFather

Buddy, I’ve given you the passed ten years of examples of how we can bring UFAs to Philly and I’ve given you nothing but space to prove me wrong and you can’t. No narrative has been changed. Tavares left a good situation with the Islanders to go home to Toronto. Panarin wanted to play on the biggest stage in New York, rather than a team that has barely any stage in Columbus. If you’re mad thar New York isn’t Philadelphia, well not many cities are. Cheer for the rangers.

Buddy, I’ve given you the passed ten years of examples of how we can bring UFAs to Philly and I’ve given you nothing but space to prove me wrong and you can’t. No narrative has been changed. Tavares left a good situation with the Islanders to go home to Toronto. Panarin wanted to play on the biggest stage in New York, rather than a team that has barely any stage in Columbus. If you’re mad thar New York isn’t Philadelphia, well not many cities are. Cheer for the rangers.
- SuperSchennBros

Exactly , Philadelphia isn’t New York it isn’t Toronto. We aren’t attracting any big name UFAs , thanks for confirming that. We get the second or third tier guy that you still have to overpay for. It’s worked out great! Thanks for playing .

Exactly , Philadelphia isn’t New York it isn’t Toronto. We aren’t attracting any big name UFAs , thanks for confirming that. We get the second or third tier guy that you still have to overpay for. It’s worked out great! Thanks for playing .
- ClaudeFather

“The guy” in FA anymore is not a in their prime player more often than not.
Panarin wasn’t coming here.
Free agency isn’t what it used to be so it’s not really a strong argument that top Free agents don’t want to come here.
There are factors such as cap space roles on the team etc to factor in.

“The guy” in FA anymore is not a in their prime player more often than not.
Panarin wasn’t coming here.
Free agency isn’t what it used to be so it’s not really a strong argument that top Free agents don’t want to come here.
There are factors such as cap space roles on the team etc to factor in.
- bird_dog_pa

Makes sense, right? Like, you’ll never see the 2000 UFA class ever again. Like, I don’t understand why he’s crying.

What are you talking about. Morgan Frost is 5'11 at around 170. Theres tons of guys in the NHL that are established scorers and players at his height or shorter. Patrick Kane is 5'10, 177. Brayden Point is 5'10, 183. Trocheck, Tatar, Quinn Hughes, Aho.. Their all 5'10 175-185 lbs. And those are just the guys at 5'10.

How can you criticize the kid when he played all of 2 games this season and just 20 last. Im going to assume its a lot easier to put on weight and muscle than it is to conjure up talent out of thin air. And since he already has it, I'm sure he'll be fine.

I'll also go out on a limb and say his couches, parents, and youtube probably told him.. hey you know this full contact sport hockey that you play, you might get injured from time to time. Criticize patrick all you want, I know I do, but jeez, can you give the kid a full season at least.
- Thrashahoy

Two games and he is broken...
All of guys mentioned have grit and a driving engine to their game, yet to be seen in this kid.
I must say I got really excited his first few games when he scored and had some super deft passes, then off a cliff.
Hope I'm wrong on all of the above young "talent" but we are a team of pure middle of the pack mentality folks....

Does anybody else kinda feel bad for NoPa? The kid missed 2 whole seasons having headaches and pain during most of that time. He probably stayed with his parents and they took care of him like good parents would, right?
Then he comes back to play hockey, totally rusty and off sync and adjusting to a new system with no practice days or time to work on improvements.
On top of that, he is living in a covid world and basically locked down inside of his house.
I know people want to write him off a a bust (qnd he definitely sucked bad this season, really bad) but he has all of the talent and skill there.
He will never be what he once could be because he has lost an edge to his game, but he can still be a very productive NHLer
I really feel bad for the kid. That's a lot to have to adjust to in a crazy short period of time.
He may be depressed on top of everything else.
Let's see how he does this upcoming season
Also with the way that fans treat him I wouldn't be surpriaed at all if he did want to leave this place. If he does he will go to a new city with a chip on his shoulder and tear the league up.
You already know how this goes for ex flyers