I'd like to know what analytics if any, told them to walk away from Dougie Hamilton. Man I wish the Flyers had signed him.
- MJL

I guess they felt they could get more value/$ on the open market, which turned out to be true. They also had the depth to take that chance. Working out pretty well for them so far.

I guess they felt they could get more value/$ on the open market, which turned out to be true. They also had the depth to take that chance. Working out pretty well for them so far.
- Tomahawk

It is but when you're a team in their position, there is an ultimate goal. A player like Hamilton can make them better but there is a salary cap of course.

I'd like to have their coach.

Which brings me to another point. Watching the Devils last night. I'm not a Lindy Ruff fan. I think he's been ridiculously overrated. However he had his team playing with more structure and cohesion than the Flyers. The have a forward curl back and hit him in stride on the breakouts. Other teams do that or hit a guy in the neutral zone and have a streaking forward in puck support come up in a close lane on a give and go. All to generate speed to enter the zone. The Flyers either rim the puck up the wall or chip off the glass into a puck battle. Or they try a long low percentage stetch pass. That's just on breakouts. The Flyers are so poorly coached.

I'd like to have their coach.
- MJL

I second this. Brindy is just ridiculously perfect as a coach.

I second this. Brindy is just ridiculously perfect as a coach.
- Tomahawk

That's another mistake the Flyers have been making in process. You need to use assistant coaching spots or the head spot in the AHL to develop and groom future coaches. Sorry but I just don't see Lapairiere as a future NHL head coach. They had two retreads as assistants at the NHL level. They need some fresh modern blood.

I guess they felt they could get more value/$ on the open market, which turned out to be true. They also had the depth to take that chance. Working out pretty well for them so far.
- Tomahawk

What depth? Ian Cole, seems to be consistently playing on the right side (as LHD).

See, they are on the brink, and they did not sign Dougie. We are not on the brink, we resigned Couts, (very similar age) and we had far more of a replacement for him than Ian Cole is for Dougie.

It is but when you're a team in their position, there is an ultimate goal. A player like Hamilton can make them better but there is a salary cap of course.

I'd like to have their coach.

Which brings me to another point. Watching the Devils last night. I'm not a Lindy Ruff fan. I think he's been ridiculously overrated. However he had his team playing with more structure and cohesion than the Flyers. The have a forward curl back and hit him in stride on the breakouts. Other teams do that or hit a guy in the neutral zone and have a streaking forward in puck support come up in a close lane on a give and go. All to generate speed to enter the zone. The Flyers either rim the puck up the wall or chip off the glass into a puck battle. Or they try a long low percentage stetch pass. That's just on breakouts. The Flyers are so poorly coached.
- MJL

He has always been good with young players, has he not though? How many guys came out his pipeline? Briere, Vanek, several lesser players (Roy, Pomminville, Hecht). Didn't Drury blossom under him?

What depth? Ian Cole, seems to be consistently playing on the right side (as LHD).

See, they are on the brink, and they did not sign Dougie. We are not on the brink, we resigned Couts, (very similar age) and we had far more of a replacement for him than Ian Cole is for Dougie.
- PT21

Cole is playing a 3rd pair/PK role for the Canes. The same role that Braun would be playing for the Flyers if Ellis wasn't hurt. Cole is not the replacement for Hamilton. They added DeAngelo and Ethan Bear.

Who is this replacement for Couturier?

What depth? Ian Cole, seems to be consistently playing on the right side (as LHD).

See, they are on the brink, and they did not sign Dougie. We are not on the brink, we resigned Couts, (very similar age) and we had far more of a replacement for him than Ian Cole is for Dougie.
- PT21

They turned Foegele into Ethan Bear. When everybody's healthy, they're quite stacked on the right side. And Ian Cole has always played both sides, IIRC.

Cole is playing a 3rd pair/PK role for the Canes. The same role that Braun would be playing for the Flyers if Ellis wasn't hurt. Cole is not the replacement for Hamilton. They added DeAngelo and Ethan Bear.

Who is this replacement for Couturier?
- MJL

Crap I forgot DeAngelo.

So, they were counting on resuscitating DeAngelo's career as Dougie's replacement?

So, any good news in Flyers country today? At least they can't lose tonight. They'll save that for tomorrow night when Vegas puts up an 8 spot on em.

So, any good news in Flyers country today? At least they can't lose tonight. They'll save that for tomorrow night when Vegas puts up an 8 spot on em.
- Phillywhiteout

Yes, that is the good news. They aren't playing tonight.

They turned Foegele into Ethan Bear. When everybody's healthy, they're quite stacked on the right side. And Ian Cole has always played both sides, IIRC.
- Tomahawk

I dunno much about this Ethan Bear guy.

What is the larger gap: Difference between Couts when you have in house Giroux, Hayes, Laughton, Frost, and any serviceable FA you could sign for a short term

or

difference between Dougie and 3 new additions, all of whom together have an combined AAV <$6m?

I dunno much about this Ethan Bear guy.

What is the larger gap: Difference between Couts when you have in house Giroux, Hayes, Laughton, Frost, and any serviceable FA you could sign for a short term

or

difference between Dougie and 3 new additions, all of whom together have an combined AAV <$6m?
- PT21

As of right now, the Flyers don't have a replacement for Couturier.

I dunno much about this Ethan Bear guy.

What is the larger gap: Difference between Couts when you have in house Giroux, Hayes, Laughton, Frost, and any serviceable FA you could sign for a short term

or

difference between Dougie and 3 new additions, all of whom together have an combined AAV <$6m?
- PT21

As good as he is, Hamilton was more of a luxury for the 'Canes. I think the gap between him and DeAngelo is quite significant, even though the production seems even right now, but at the end of the day you're talking about changing up a 2nd-pair dman versus Coots who is #1 C with nobody even close to him.

As of right now, the Flyers don't have a replacement for Couturier.
- MJL

If you take that attitude, you will always end up holding on to players too long and/or overpaying them.


Btw, another thing you two were raising earlier this year: the mentorship value of a stud player.

Who are the mentors of that very young Canes team? Staal? Well, Roo could have been that guy.

As good as he is, Hamilton was more of a luxury for the 'Canes. I think the gap between him and DeAngelo is quite significant, even though the production seems even right now, but at the end of the day you're talking about changing up a 2nd-pair dman versus Coots who is #1 C with nobody even close to him.
- Tomahawk

Wait a minute. What 2nd pairing D man? We are talking about replacing a top 3-4 RHD (Dougie), an all star, who is younger than Couts. At a critical time of the team's contention window.

Think of when they let Dougie walk. Who did they have to replace him as Slavin's partner?

Now think of our inhouse replacements or possible FA signings to replace Couts.

Are you seriously saying the first gap was smaller?

If you take that attitude, you will always end up holding on to players too long and/or overpaying them.


Btw, another thing you two were raising earlier this year: the mentorship value of a stud player.

Who are the mentors of that very young Canes team? Staal? Well, Roo could have been that guy.
- PT21

Attitude?

It's just a simple fact.

The Canes have 7 forwards and 5 defenseman that are 27 years or older .

So, any good news in Flyers country today? At least they can't lose tonight. They'll save that for tomorrow night when Vegas puts up an 8 spot on em.
- Phillywhiteout

at least they'll break the streak against Arizona

Attitude?

It's just a simple fact.

The Canes have 7 forwards that are 27 years or older and 5 defenseman.
- MJL

Yeah. In the conventional usage of the term, aka perspective.

Canes are pretty young, their core is especially young. Whatever rationale you can use to justify keeping Couts could have been used, much more strongly, for keeping Dougie.

Wait a minute. What 2nd pairing D man? We are talking about replacing a top 3-4 RHD (Dougie), an all star, who is younger than Couts. At a critical time of the team's contention window.

Think of when they let Dougie walk. Who did they have to replace him as Slavin's partner?

Now think of our inhouse replacements or possible FA signings to replace Couts.

Are you seriously saying the first gap was smaller?
- PT21

Ethan Bear has taken the majority of 5 on 5 minutes with Slavin.

Think of when they let Dougie walk. Who did they have to replace him as Slavin's partner?
- PT21

Brett Pesce? Bear?

The Canes execute a possession/attacking style to a man... they aren't reliant on a single player to create their mojo.

The Flyers rely on Coots for everything. Kevin Hayes as 1C means instant lottery.

Yeah. In the conventional usage of the term, aka perspective.

Canes are pretty young, their core is especially young. Whatever rationale you can use to justify keeping Couts could have been used, much more strongly, for keeping Dougie.
- PT21

Nothing to do with perspective. Again, a simple fact.

You just have tunnel vision on a rational that you want to have. Your attitude if you will. The rational that I have used, could not as a whole be used for Hamilton.

Ethan Bear has taken the majority of 5 on 5 minutes with Slavin.
- MJL

Well, Ethan Bear was not with the team when they decided to let Dougie go, was he? And I really don't know/remember much about the guy, but I just looked, and his stats are decidedly unremarkable, his TOI seems like that of a 2nd/3rd pairing guy at best, as does the worth of his contract.

At best, he has unproven potential. It was a big, big, big risk.

Well, Ethan Bear was not with the team when they decided to let Dougie go, was he? And I really don't know/remember much about the guy, but I just looked, and his stats are decidedly unremarkable, his TOI seems like that of a 2nd/3rd pairing guy at best, as does the worth of his contract.

At best, he has unproven potential. It was a big, big, big risk.
- PT21

So far, seems like it's working. Yes, it was a risk.

Brett Pesce? Bear?

The Canes execute a possession/attacking style to a man... they aren't reliant on a single player to create their mojo.

The Flyers rely on Coots for everything. Kevin Hayes as 1C means instant lottery.
- Tomahawk

So many things to carp about here. Grumble, grumble.

1. First, why not create your own style yourself which reduces dependence on a single player? You have to start sometime, right? There will always be a transition cost at that time, no?

2. Why is it ok for a rising cup with contending aspirations to risk not getting there, and not ok for a moribund, stagnant bubble team to risk being a lottery team?

3. How did that "non-lottery" pretensions looking now with Couts? Do you realize he is heading for 45-46 point season which, btw, happens to be exactly whereabouts Hayes would have projected?

EDIT: team