Minus 2022 if you look at the last 5 NHL drafts the most productive player has not been the #1 overall pick. Tanking is irrelevant. It’s about recognizing & drafting talent/skill.
-Fopa21

No one said the Flyers have to be picking number 1 overall. Just get into the top 4 of this year's draft and the Flyers will get an all-star talent.

You can lead a horse to water..............

CA/60 Blocked shots/60
Columbus 64.84 (32nd) 17.25 (3rd)
Chicago 63.87 (31st) 16.60 (4th)
Anaheim 63.39 (30th) 14.18 (17th)
Philadelphia 61.92 (29th) 18.38 (2nd)
Vegas 61.18 (28th) 19.21 (1st)

Of course, I fell asleep in the first 5 minutes of the game. These 10:00 starts are just impossible for me to stay up. Wife stayed up and said it was a hard fought game for the Flyers.

How did York play last night?
- Letterkenney

York played well.

JVR didn't have a point but could have as much as a four-assist game. MacEwen had three Grade A chances. Frost had two and started a near tic-tac-toe sequence with JVR that MacEwen wasn't able to finish. At least last night, that line clicked albeit mostly in the first 30 mins of regulation. MacEwen was really good on the walls.

How did Kaplan look?
- landros 2

I liked him last night, he is a big kid already and holds his own out there. He didn't get on the scoresheet I don't think but he was involved quite a bit on both ends.

Of course, I fell asleep in the first 5 minutes of the game. These 10:00 starts are just impossible for me to stay up. Wife stayed up and said it was a hard fought game for the Flyers.

How did York play last night?
- Letterkenney

I only watched the first period. York looked really good in the first period in my opinion.

Some apparently don't watch hockey games enough to see that Hayes has single handedly cost the Flyers not one but two overtime losses this year because of colossally stupid give-aways that he was not capable of recovering from. Players like Tippet, who did not see 1 second of OT play last night (at least that I recall) have shown repeatedly that when they make mistakes, they have the speed to get back and recover from them. Playing a player like Hayes in OT with all that open ice while you have players like Frost and Tippet sitting on the bench is colossally stupid IMO!

Some on this site apparently have not figured out that the Flyers do not have the offensive talent to possess the puck and compete toe to toe with other teams in the NHL. Therefore the Flyers don't possess the puck much, and thus will give up a ton of shot attempts. Unlike the teams of the past 2 years where the Flyers routinely gave up more than 30 shots per game and over 25 scoring chances per game, this year's team is allowing less shots through and limiting higher danger scoring chances. They are doing this not because they are immensely talented but because they are in the passing and shooting lanes.

The OT goal against last night had nothing to do with Hayes lack of speed and everything to do with turning the puck over. Hayes momentum was going forward towards the net when he turned the puck over. He then had to make a turn to skate the other way. While Marchessault was already heading the other way and had a head start. Hayes made a gallant effort and certainly matched skating speed with the Vegas goal scorer as he was less than a stride behind on the play. Which can clearly be seen on the replay. Had nothing to do with a lack of recovery speed. Hayes needs to stop turning pucks over in bad spots. Hayes is a leading scorer on the team. He is and should be playing in OT.

Blocking shots is better than not blocking shots but it is not an indicator of being a good defensive team. Having a high shot block total per game for the Flyers is an indicator that they are a poor defensive team. Not a good defensive team. The numbers provided clearly show a correlation between high blocked shot totals and a lack of shot prevention ability. As Tomahawk stated, it's just a different kind of stink.

York played well.

JVR didn't have a point but could have as much as a four-assist game. MacEwen had three Grade A chances. Frost had two and started a near tic-tac-toe sequence with JVR that MacEwen wasn't able to finish. At least last night, that line clicked albeit mostly in the first 30 mins of regulation. MacEwen was really good on the walls.
- bmeltzer

Thanks, Bill. Need to get Frosty scoring on his chances.

I only watched the first period. York looked really good in the first period in my opinion.
- MJL

Thanks. Glad to hear that York played well. I was trying to stay awake, but I can only fight the head nods for so long.

The Flyers are giving up high danger chances at a higher rate this season then they did last season. Although that is a smaller sample size than a full season of last year. The Flyers are one of the worst teams in the league in terms of CA, SCA and HDCA. They're towards the bottom 3rd of the league in GA/GP. The only reason that is the case is because of goaltending. The Flyers are one of the worst defensive teams in the league. As well as being one of the worst offensive teams in the league. It is all tied together.

The Flyers are giving up high danger chances at a higher rate this season then they did last season. Although that is a smaller sample size than a full season of last year. The Flyers are one of the worst teams in the league in terms of CA, SCA and HDCA. They're towards the bottom 3rd of the league in GA/GP. The only reason that is the case is because of goaltending. The Flyers are one of the worst defensive teams in the league.
- MJL

You really don't have to put the word defensive behind the word worst. They are simply one of the worst teams in the league. Cutter ranked 39th in the world in 21 year olds (and under) by THN. Caufield ranked 18th and York ranked 83rd. The only other Flyer ranked in the top 100 is Foerster at 88th. Yep!

No one said the Flyers have to be picking number 1 overall. Just get into the top 4 of this year's draft and the Flyers will get an all-star talent.
- jd250

All-star talent supposedly. If it was that easy there wouldn’t be “busts”

Thanks, Bill. Need to get Frosty scoring on his chances.
- Letterkenney

It would have been fun to see Frost on a team like the Habs or Sabres. They create a ton of chances.

You really don't have to put the word defensive behind the word worst. They are simply one of the worst teams in the league. Cutter ranked 39th in the world in 21 year olds (and under) by THN. Caufield ranked 18th and York ranked 83rd. The only other Flyer ranked in the top 100 is Foerster at 88th. Yep!
- Phillywhiteout

THN had Patrick rated as a top 2 player in the draft in 2017. We all know how that one aged… It’s really just one guys opinion….maybe two. Let’s see what York and Brink become and Foerster for that matter. Some of these guys don’t even see these guys play and rely on other peoples opinions.

Thanks. Glad to hear that York played well. I was trying to stay awake, but I can only fight the head nods for so long.
- Letterkenney

I watched the entire game and thought he played really well. Hopefully he can build on this one.

THN had Patrick rated as a top 2 player in the draft in 2017. We all know how that one aged… It’s really just one guys opinion….maybe two. Let’s see what York and Brink become and Foerster for that matter. Some of these guys don’t even see these guys play and rely on other peoples opinions.
- landros 2

To be fair Patrick's issues were mostly injury related. Hard to see that spate of injuries incoming in 2017 although I guess he had injury issues prior to being drafted which is why I wanted them to pass on him. That being said, even if he had stayed healthy I doubt his upside would be as good as some others drafted around him.

To be fair Patrick's issues were mostly injury related. Hard to see that spate of injuries incoming in 2017 although I guess he had injury issues prior to being drafted which is why I wanted them to pass on him. That being said, even if he had stayed healthy I doubt his upside would be as good as some others drafted around him.
- Phillywhiteout

That’s my point. I read all the articles on prospects. All lot of times they do get it right. A lot of times they don’t. I never really hope for a certain player, because for the most part I haven’t seen the guy very much. So many different times over the years I’ve watched the Flyers stroll up to the podium and say a name that I just scratch my head….one such time they said the name Peter Forsberg….THN had him rated in the second rnd. As far as Patrick, his draft year wasn’t particularly good…I hoped like the rest it was just injury related. We now know the Flyer Hockey op’s didn’t even have a consensus on him…and know why…but I can see why they made the choice. It’s disappointing but in the end it was the wrong one. A decision that still effects the team 5 years later. All you can do as a fan is hope the guys in charge get it right….so far with Cutter, the kid looks to be a very high end prospect…those numbers as a 18 year old in NCAA are a very good sign.

That’s my point. I read all the articles on prospects. All lot of times they do get it right. A lot of times they don’t. I never really hope for a certain player, because for the most part I haven’t seen the guy very much. So many different times over the years I’ve watched the Flyers stroll up to the podium and say a name that I just scratch my head….one such time they said the name Peter Forsberg….THN had him rated in the second rnd. As far as Patrick, his draft year wasn’t particularly good…I hoped like the rest it was just injury related. We now know the Flyer Hockey op’s didn’t even have a consensus on him…and know why…but I can see why they made the choice. It’s disappointing but in the end it was the wrong one. A decision that still effects the team 5 years later. All you can do as a fan is hope the guys in charge get it right….so far with Cutter, the kid looks to be a very high end prospect…those numbers as a 18 year old in NCAA are a very good sign.
- landros 2

Picking prospects is like wine... some years there's a great vintage and even mediocre wine makers can make good wine. Other years, the vintage is not very good and even good winemakers make mediocre wines. This coming draft is likely an excellent vintage.

Re: Cutter, he looks very good so far. We'll get a chance to see him against elite competition at the WJC coming up in a few weeks.

Picking prospects is like wine... some years there's a great vintage and even mediocre wine makers can make good wine. Other years, the vintage is not very good and even good winemakers make mediocre wines. This coming draft is likely an excellent vintage.

Re: Cutter, he looks very good so far. We'll get a chance to see him against elite competition at the WJC coming up in a few weeks.
- Letterkenney

Hopefully the kid has a good WJR.
Now …wine is something I can relate too….

That’s my point. I read all the articles on prospects. All lot of times they do get it right. A lot of times they don’t. I never really hope for a certain player, because for the most part I haven’t seen the guy very much. So many different times over the years I’ve watched the Flyers stroll up to the podium and say a name that I just scratch my head….one such time they said the name Peter Forsberg….THN had him rated in the second rnd. As far as Patrick, his draft year wasn’t particularly good…I hoped like the rest it was just injury related. We now know the Flyer Hockey op’s didn’t even have a consensus on him…and know why…but I can see why they made the choice. It’s disappointing but in the end it was the wrong one. A decision that still effects the team 5 years later. All you can do as a fan is hope the guys in charge get it right….so far with Cutter, the kid looks to be a very high end prospect…those numbers as a 18 year old in NCAA are a very good sign.
- landros 2

Agreed about Cutter. To be a freshman in college and putting up those numbers is a good sign. Let's just hope the injury bug doesn't bite him like it seems to have done with so many other prospects.

No one said the Flyers have to be picking number 1 overall. Just get into the top 4 of this year's draft and the Flyers will get an all-star talent.
- jd250

I said it. I don't know why people don't get the the logic: yes, you can miss (like a Patrick or JvR, both #2's), but that doesn't invalidate the argument. Sure you can fail to make lemonade with some lemons, but you can't make it without lemons! The #1s are the lemons.
#1's and # 2's, but especially #1's are the things without which you don't win in the cap era. TB doesn't win without building around Hedman and Stamkos. Pens built around Fleury, Sid, and Malkin. Chicago around Kane and Toews. I can keep going.
It's the only reasonable strategy in the cap era where you can't buy them in free agency.
To say any other strategy is better is rubbish.

Some apparently don't watch hockey games enough to see that Hayes has single handedly cost the Flyers not one but two overtime losses this year because of colossally stupid give-aways that he was not capable of recovering from. Players like Tippet, who did not see 1 second of OT play last night (at least that I recall) have shown repeatedly that when they make mistakes, they have the speed to get back and recover from them. Playing a player like Hayes in OT with all that open ice while you have players like Frost and Tippet sitting on the bench is colossally stupid IMO!
- jd250

Torts is part of #tankwatch2023

Don't sell him short... he wbata this team to eventually have talent on it

Some apparently don't watch hockey games enough to see that Hayes has single handedly cost the Flyers not one but two overtime losses this year because of colossally stupid give-aways that he was not capable of recovering from. Players like Tippet, who did not see 1 second of OT play last night (at least that I recall) have shown repeatedly that when they make mistakes, they have the speed to get back and recover from them. Playing a player like Hayes in OT with all that open ice while you have players like Frost and Tippet sitting on the bench is colossally stupid IMO!
- jd250

Shhh we need to hide this until we can dump him with max salary retained to some team