Late in games, when the game is on the line, you typically rely on your veteran players to either hold a lead or get a tying goal. These are your best players in whatever circumstance you happen to be in late in games. You might have heard the expression "shortening the bench"? Well, this is what that means.
- jd250

I know what it means. Again don't agree with your veteran players need to be out there. Your best players need to be out there. That doesn't automatically include "veterans".

Do not care if it is a rookie or a 10 year vet.

what? So your vets /experienced should be your best players? Do not agree with that in any way if that is what you are implying.
- hello it's me 2050

Once again, “best” at what? Defense, offense, faceoffs, puck-retrieval? Also, shouldn’t the situation dictate? Up a goal, down a goal, 3 players just got stuck on the ice for a two minute PK shift, no time-out or is there? etc. Your statement to play the best players seems lazy.

Once again, “best” at what? Defense, offense, faceoffs, puck-retrieval? Also, shouldn’t the situation dictate? Up a goal, down a goal, 3 players just got stuck on the ice for a two minute PK shift, no time-out or is there? etc. Your statement to play the best players seems lazy.
- NC Flyers Fan

Didn't realize when I said your best players it needed to be spelled out for every situation. Clearly up or down a goal may have diff "best" players.

Whole point was you do not just play your vets because they are "experienced".

Didn't realize when I said your best players it needed to be spelled out for every situation. Clearly up or down a goal may have diff "best" players.

Whole point was you do not just play your vets because they are "experienced".
- hello it's me 2050

Sure, it takes time for a level of trust to be given to younger players. Meaning that it is hard to call someone the “best” at something that they have rarely or never done before. The difference between comparing skill set would then include experience.

Personally, I just hope AV strikes a balance. Farabee, for instance, is young but would be someone I would hope gets a little leeway to gain that experience.

Sure, it takes time for a level of trust to be given to younger players. Meaning that it is hard to call someone the “best” at something that they have rarely or never done before. The difference between comparing skill set would then include experience.

Personally, I just hope AV strikes a balance. Farabee, for instance, is young but would be someone I would hope gets a little leeway to gain that experience.
- NC Flyers Fan

No it isn't difficult to see who you better players are in a given situation. Use whatever adjective you want. I am not just putting a guy out there because he is a "vet" if I have better options.

No it isn't difficult to see who you better players are in a given situation. Use whatever adjective you want. I am not just putting a guy out there because he is a "vet" if I have better options.
- hello it's me 2050

Of course not, but sometimes the vet might be better right?

Let’s use old man Yandle as a hypothetical example. Say the Flyers are down a goal and get a PP in the last minute of the game. Yandle up to that point has been the Flyers best PP quarterback so he is inserted. However, he turns the puck over this time resulting in a goal against. Game over.

Let’s say you didn’t really care for Yandle and are now arguing that the coaches should have obviously put Provorov in there he is more responsible defensively. But of course they played the vet! Best option to score and best option not to get scored against? Okay then. If the Flyers don’t score there, they also lose so same outcome.

Of course not, but sometimes the vet might be better right?

Let’s use old man Yandle as a hypothetical example. Say the Flyers are down a goal and get a PP in the last minute of the game. Yandle up to that point has been the Flyers best PP quarterback so he is inserted. However, he turns the puck over this time resulting in a goal against. Game over.

Let’s say you didn’t really care for Yandle and are now arguing that the coaches should have obviously put Provorov in there he is more responsible defensively. But of course they played the vet! Best option to score and best option not to get scored against? Okay then. If the Flyers don’t score there, they also lose so same outcome.
- NC Flyers Fan

If he turns the puck over oh well it happens. If he is the best option in that situation then he is on the ice. No matter the end result.

Ivan is also a vet at this point.

If he turns the puck over oh well it happens. If he is the best option in that situation then he is on the ice. No matter the end result.

Ivan is also a vet at this point.
- hello it's me 2050

Agreed.

Of course he is, but if I said York the board would implode.

Agreed.

Of course he is, but if I said York the board would implode.
- NC Flyers Fan

I cant wait to see Nate n the last 30 seconds while ex selke is in the bench; assuming he just didn't come off. Or Brassard in the last 30 down a goal.

Agree...but unfortunately they are in "MUST MAKE THE PLAYOFF MODE".....thats their main goal for this year. Good chance guys like Brassard..Thompson break down sometime during the year and someone like Frost gets a shot...good chance AV grows tired of Yandles poor defensive play and York gets a shot this year. They arent making the team out of camp but there are roads to making the roster later in year
- hfc355

If after all they did this past off season and what they traded, if making the playoffs is their main goal, there is something seriously wrong.

Brassard and Thompson are depth signings, here to play in the bottom 6 until some of the younger forwards are ready to step into the NHL full time. Clearly, Frost, Foerster and Tanner L are the centers of the near future, and O'Brien in about 2 years.
- jd250

I don't know that Foerster will be a center in the NHL plus he's only 19. Laughton should be the 3rd line center and Laczynski and Bunnaman battling for the 4th line center spot. Thompson would be fine as a part time 4th liner but Brassard shouldn't be on the team. It remains to be seen but I'll be surprised if both Brassard and Thompson aren't every game players for the majority of the season.

I cant wait to see Nate n the last 30 seconds while ex selke is in the bench; assuming he just didn't come off. Or Brassard in the last 30 down a goal.
- hello it's me 2050

I’m sure in the past there have been situations that Thompson would have been the best defensive forward option, but let’s wait and see those young players again, he may not be “best” currently. The coaches need to look to the future a little also, testing the younger players to see where they are at and let them gain experience in doses.

Brassard better be further down the list if guys like TK rebound and Farabee progresses. They need a balance. I just hope everything goes smoothly for the takeoff. That will be important for this busy season.

If after all they did this past off season and what they traded, if making the playoffs is their main goal, there is something seriously wrong.
- MJL

That can’t be the main goal.

I’m sure in the past there have been situations that Thompson would have been the best defensive forward option, but let’s wait and see those young players again, he may not be “best” currently. The coaches need to look to the future a little also, testing the younger players to see where they are at and let them gain experience in doses.

Brassard better be further down the list if guys like TK rebound and Farabee progresses. They need a balance. I just hope everything goes smoothly for the takeoff. That will be important for this busy season.
- NC Flyers Fan

nate stinks. Has no business on tis roster. He will be overplayed by the head coach. Zero doubt about it.

Once again, “best” at what? Defense, offense, faceoffs, puck-retrieval? Also, shouldn’t the situation dictate? Up a goal, down a goal, 3 players just got stuck on the ice for a two minute PK shift, no time-out or is there? etc. Your statement to play the best players seems lazy.
- NC Flyers Fan

Exactly

nate stinks. Has no business on tis roster. He will be overplayed by the head coach. Zero doubt about it.
- hello it's me 2050

Hardly anything = zero doubt. Let’s see it play out.

Yes, I think another year like last year would put any coach on the firing line. What is not clear to me is if this team quit last year, and if they did why? Did they quit on their coach or did they quit because of Covid, or something else? If the team quits again this year, that will be on AV and his staff and given the changes that were made this off season, I don't see AV surviving. That said, I think the chances the Flyers repeat last year with the team they have now is very, very small, in fact I would be shocked if this team did not make the playoffs at least.
- jd250

Flyers have no chance of being as bad as they were last year even if they brought the same team back. They will improve. The question is what is their goal. Making the playoffs and getting bounced in round 1 will they consider it a successful season? The every other playoff scenario. Its time to expect more and I dont see this team being able to produce that.

It’s cute how Fletcher and more importantly Vigneault get to side step the blame from last season, in particular the stagnation and regression of youth.

All the players fault.

I’m sure the genius that is Dillabaugh agrees as well.

Who would you have picked to make it not a wasted pick?


https://www.eliteprospect...raft/nhl-entry-draft/2018

To be fair, you can only choose someone chosen after him to make it a non wasted pick.
- MBFlyerfan

I hear what you're saying, but still... there were better ways to spend a top-50 pick than a guy who tops out at Nik Grossmann. Not every pick needs to be a home run swing, but you also don't wanna strike out while drag bunting either.

If he were RH, I might understand the pick more, since it would fill an organizational need. But with Morin and Hagg already in the fold, it always seemed like an odd choice.

RIP Norm Macdonald

I hear what you're saying, but still... there were better ways to spend a top-50 pick than a guy who tops out at Nik Grossmann. Not every pick needs to be a home run swing, but you also don't wanna strike out while drag bunting either.

If he were RH, I might understand the pick more, since it would fill an organizational need. But with Morin and Hagg already in the fold, it always seemed like an odd choice.
- Tomahawk

Looking at the draft prospects for next year and all those RHDs, I am definitely getting my hopes up. If the Flyers pass, it will sting.

I don't know that Foerster will be a center in the NHL plus he's only 19. Laughton should be the 3rd line center and Laczynski and Bunnaman battling for the 4th line center spot. Thompson would be fine as a part time 4th liner but Brassard shouldn't be on the team. It remains to be seen but I'll be surprised if both Brassard and Thompson aren't every game players for the majority of the season.
- MJL

Foerster hasn't regularly played center in two seasons. He's a winger. Ditto Wisdom.

I hear what you're saying, but still... there were better ways to spend a top-50 pick than a guy who tops out at Nik Grossmann. Not every pick needs to be a home run swing, but you also don't wanna strike out while drag bunting either.

If he were RH, I might understand the pick more, since it would fill an organizational need. But with Morin and Hagg already in the fold, it always seemed like an odd choice.
- Tomahawk

Here is a perfect example. Braun is 34 and slotted to play on the 3rd pair and on the PK. Possibly with Yandle. He's what 36? So you need role playing defenseman. If you can draft a player in the 2nd round as a defenseman that turns out to be as good as Nik Grossman. You've made a solid pick and filled a team need.

Didn't realize when I said your best players it needed to be spelled out for every situation. Clearly up or down a goal may have diff "best" players.

Whole point was you do not just play your vets because they are "experienced".
- hello it's me 2050

Well, in many cases you actually do ...

I don't know that Foerster will be a center in the NHL plus he's only 19. Laughton should be the 3rd line center and Laczynski and Bunnaman battling for the 4th line center spot. Thompson would be fine as a part time 4th liner but Brassard shouldn't be on the team. It remains to be seen but I'll be surprised if both Brassard and Thompson aren't every game players for the majority of the season.
- MJL

I think Frost will be ready by late January, early Feb at which time I see him being called up and slotted into the 3rd line center role, barring injury of course. That means Brassard, Thompson, and Tanner L split 4th line center role based on health and match-ups. And as you noted, they can fall back on Bunnaman and Laughts if need be. I think the Flyers are in a good spot in this instance.