yes, agreed. The thing with Sanheim is he need to be stronger on the puck in his own end, and ne needs to join the rush and skate, that is his strongest asset.
- jd250

That describes every defenseman on the team.

To many variables (unfortunately) like guys coming and going…more injuries. Besides how could I get you your winnings after I obviously lose, when I’m not even sure I’m allowed back in your country? Lol.
With that said I still think his over all numbers analytically will be the best of his career.
- landros 2

That is what makes the wager fun!
Canadians can travel to the States as of Nov 8. You need proof of vaccination; your kids <18 years don't.
Fine, if you win, I will provide equivalent credit for a Poutine place anywhere in Canada of your choosing.

Then why did Saint Ronie not try to build around him and others while they were in their prime? I know why he had no real plan and failed.
- hello it's me 2050

I believe the plan was for Hextall to draft and develop a young team that could be lead by G and Jake, an then augment the team when they were ready with good FAs. I didn't have a problem with the plan, but the execution was terrible as it turned out. The drafting, and even more importantly, the developing did not produce the fruits that were hoped and the FA signings really didn't work out. Its why the team is where they are right now, and as a fan I'm quite frustrated.

Start Jones more often. Hart starting to leak goals. Book is out. High glove and you will make bread. Tampa exposed him in that shootout. The goals he gave up over the glove were embarrassing. Yes nice shots but it was pretty obvious he had no answer. He isn’t the only problem, talent is other big issue. The draft picks over the last 5-6 years have been mediocre and now the canes and rangers are showing the flyers how to draft. I hope they trade G so he has a chance at a cup. Or he leaves end of the season. This team as constructed had no chance the next 5-10 years.

Hextall never wanted to give JVR that deal.
- Just5

Really? Then who did? You think Holmgren forced his hand? I highly doubt it.

That is what makes the wager fun!
Canadians can travel to the States as of Nov 8. You need proof of vaccination; your kids <18 years don't.
Fine, if you win, I will provide equivalent credit for a Poutine place anywhere in Canada of your choosing.
- PT21

As with every wager you've ever offered on here, you never actually take any risk. If Ellis comes back and plays 40-45 games, he is most likely going to play with Provorov and a lot of time with Couturier and Giroux. That leaves the Sanheim/Ristolainen pairing to play mostly with other lines.

I believe the plan was for Hextall to draft and develop a young team that could be lead by G and Jake, an then augment the team when they were ready with good FAs. I didn't have a problem with the plan, but the execution was terrible as it turned out. The drafting, and even more importantly, the developing did not produce the fruits that were hoped and the FA signings really didn't work out. Its why the team is where they are right now, and as a fan I'm quite frustrated.
- jd250

Where the team is right now is due to where Scott and Fletcher have it. Not Hextall. I understand the frustration.

While I don't like to see anybody injured. Good. Hopefully Brassard will be back soon and they can play him on the 4th line.
- MJL

I was thinking the same thing, that turnover by Thompson on the 3rd Cane's goal last night was the last straw. We can't have players that make those types of plays and then puck watch instead of doing all you can to get the puck back.

Start Jones more often. Hart starting to leak goals. Book is out. High glove and you will make bread. Tampa exposed him in that shootout. The goals he gave up over the glove were embarrassing. Yes nice shots but it was pretty obvious he had no answer. He isn’t the only problem, talent is other big issue. The draft picks over the last 5-6 years have been mediocre and now the canes and rangers are showing the flyers how to draft. I hope they trade G so he has a chance at a cup. Or he leaves end of the season. This team as constructed had no chance the next 5-10 years.
- Keyser soze

The book is not out and he was not in anyway exposed. He's starting to give up more goals because he has had to be spectacular in every game he's played for the team to have a chance. Any insinuation that Hart is in any way a problem is comically absurd. He is a budding star goalie in this league.

I was thinking the same thing, that turnover by Thompson on the 3rd Cane's goal last night was the last straw. We can't have players that make those types of plays and then puck watch instead of doing all you can to get the puck back.
- jd250

He attempted to make the right play, his pass was just off. I agree, he didn't bust it after the turnover to get to the net.

Where the team is right now is due to where Scott and Fletcher have it. Not Hextall. I understand the frustration.
- MJL

One hope is this team was in a similar situation in 2019-2020 at this point in the season, and the Flyers have had the toughest schedule in the league so far. Thus my hope is in December the Flyers have an easier schedule, start getting some players back and go on a run similar to 2019-2020. If this happens, hopefully this new Covid-19 mutation will not shut everything down again, which would be just our luck.

One hope is this team was in a similar situation in 2019-2020 at this point in the season, and the Flyers have had the toughest schedule in the league so far. Thus my hope is in December the Flyers have an easier schedule, start getting some players back and go on a run similar to 2019-2020. If this happens, hopefully this new Covid-19 mutation will not shut everything down again, which would be just our luck.
- jd250

I'm not looking for any moral victories. It's true contention or bust. If not the season is a failure and the GM should have his job on the line. I'd rather remove Scott but that's never going to happen. Please don't talk about Covid and open the door for some to spew nonsense.

He attempted to make the right play, his pass was just off. I agree, he didn't bust it after the turnover to get to the net.
- MJL

When I played the was the number 1 pet peeve of my coach. He understood players are going to make mistakes and turn it over, but if you did not hustle back and do everything you could to make up for it, you sat the rest of the game and maybe the week, and did extra drills during practice time separate from everyone else. I learned that the hard way 1 time, and after that if I turned the puck over, even if at the end of a shift, even if I had to crawl back, I did all I could to get the puck back.

I'm not looking for an moral victories. It's true contention or bust. If not the season is a failure and the GM should have his job on the line. I'd rather remove Scott but that's never going to happen. Please don't talk about Covid and open the door for some to spew nonsense.
- MJL

Yes, good point, better to leave that of the discussion

When I played the was the number 1 pet peeve of my coach. He understood players are going to make mistakes and turn it over, but if you did not hustle back and do everything you could to make up for it, you sat the rest of the game and maybe the week, and did extra drills during practice time separate from everyone else. I learned that the hard way 1 time, and after that if I turned the puck over, even if at the end of a shift, even if I had to crawl back, I did all I could to get the puck back.
- jd250

This team is unfortunately a circus of bad fundamentals. Good teams make mistakes. They have layers in place and play as a team to cover for those mistakes. However there are different levels of mistakes. I still see piss poor line changes that lead to scoring chances against. They just don't play a sound fundamental game and that's really on the coaches. I could understand playing a player like Thompson and overlooking the lack of any offense if he was a top defensive checker, face off guy or Pker. He's none of that. I understand he's a vet player with experience but he looks cooked to me.

The JVR signing was baffling to me. We know the player he is and we know our system doesnt compliment him. We put him in a position to fail and we are now stuck with an aging asset with very little value on the market.
- Sir_Robot_Farts

We were weak on LW at the time. Our players went to bad for him. We had a different system entirely at the time. I blame prior transactions like trading Brayden Schenn that led us to having to get JvR to begin with.

Toronto wasn’t going to be able to afford him. Add in they drafted well with guys like Marner, Nylander and Mathews there wasn’t going to be fit. Philly didn’t have those high end draft picks up front for JVR to compete against. There was a fit. It’s just looking like it was 2 too many years on the term….unfortunately.
- landros 2

No. Toronto chose Tavares over JvR.

was it a good signing yes or no?
- hello it's me 2050

Our best LW’s at the time prior to signing JvR were Oskar Lindblom and Michael Raffl, so you tell me.

No. Toronto chose Tavares over JvR.
- SuperSchennBros

And ? Ones a franchise “C”….one a LW wasn’t playing on their top two lines by the end of his stay. JVR also hadn’t help lead the Leafs to any playoff success.
Much like his time in Philly, JVR is an extremely streaky player.

As with every wager you've ever offered on here, you never actually take any risk. If Ellis comes back and plays 40-45 games, he is most likely going to play with Provorov and a lot of time with Couturier and Giroux. That leaves the Sanheim/Ristolainen pairing to play mostly with other lines.
- MJL

1. After 2020 2nd round exit, I offered 2:1 (double your money wager) that Flyers would not get to the SCP final in the next 4 years. I even allowed for not betting any money, just a token wager. 2 people took me up, you were not one of them.

2. This year, I offered an even money wager the Flyers would not win the cup in the next 9 years (2022-30). You didn't take me up, even symbolically.

3. Now, I was offering a wager that Risto will be a possession drag. Not that he will be worse than Ellis/Provy. But that will be worse than average in the team. Not surprisingly, you didn't take me up.

Its fairly apparent who doesn't like to take risks.

Start Jones more often. Hart starting to leak goals. Book is out. High glove and you will make bread. Tampa exposed him in that shootout. The goals he gave up over the glove were embarrassing. Yes nice shots but it was pretty obvious he had no answer. He isn’t the only problem, talent is other big issue. The draft picks over the last 5-6 years have been mediocre and now the canes and rangers are showing the flyers how to draft. I hope they trade G so he has a chance at a cup. Or he leaves end of the season. This team as constructed had no chance the next 5-10 years.
- Keyser soze

They were high blocker side, but yes, there is trouble brewing on that front. So far though, its just inklings, not reality.

1. After 2020 2nd round exit, I offered 2:1 (double your money wager) that Flyers would not get to the SCP final in the next 4 years. I even allowed for not betting any money, just a token wager. 2 people took me up, you were not one of them.

2. This year, I offered an even money wager the Flyers would not win the cup in the next 9 years (2022-30). You didn't take me up, even symbolically.

3. Now, I was offering a wager that Risto will be a possession drag. Not that he will be worse than Ellis/Provy. But that will be worse than average in the team. Not surprisingly, you didn't take me up.

Its fairly apparent who doesn't like to take risks.


- PT21

So someone doesn't take you up on your silly wagers which are really just an attempt at Richard waving by you and really just an indicator of your overall pessimism. That doesn't make me someone who doesn't like to take risks. It makes me someone with more maturity who doesn't want to get involved in that childish nonsense.

All 3 wagers you referenced here, favor your side, and you know that. It's the equivalent of taking the hands down favorite every time.

So someone doesn't take you up on your silly wagers which are really just an attempt at Richard waving by you and really just an indicator of your overall pessimism. That doesn't make me someone who doesn't like to take risks. It makes me someone with more maturity who doesn't want to get involved in your childish nonsense.
- MJL

So, is it Richard waving or silliness or risk aversion? Because a risk averse person would have no Richard to wave.

The reason you didn't take the wager is your own risk aversion, which frankly, is a commendable way to proceed for someone like you. I honestly don't know why you feel slighted by that phrase.

For coming in at a very solid 0.05, your predictive power accuracy is in-between a stoned lizard and a constipated monkey. If I possessed such attributes, I would be risk averse too.

So, is it Richard waving or silliness or risk aversion? Because a risk averse person would have no Richard to wave.

The reason you didn't take the wager is your own risk aversion, which frankly, is a commendable way to proceed for someone like you. I honestly don't know why you feel slighted by that phrase.

For coming in at a very solid 0.05, your predictive power accuracy is in-between a stoned lizard and a constipated monkey. If I possessed such attributes, I would be risk averse too.
- PT21

Your wagers are around 80/20 in your favor. Yet you claim to be a risk taker. Man up and bring it closer to 50/50 and then you might get some props. Or maybe even some takers.

Your final statement is a compliment for me coming from a guy who really hasn't been right about anything on any subject.

And ? Ones a franchise “C”….one a LW wasn’t playing on their top two lines by the end of his stay. JVR also hadn’t help lead the Leafs to any playoff success.
Much like his time in Philly, JVR is an extremely streaky player.
- landros 2

You said Toronto couldn’t afford JvR. They could. They just chose not to.