The tank was never possible with torts. He’s too good of a coach.
- Just5

He is definitely not a coach you hire if a tank is on the table.

Cates should become a 3rd line mainstay once they get some more offensive skill. Responsible defensive player with a bit of offensive skill
- hfc355

if he is ever healthy again, i would be interested in seeing him on Coots' wing

Exactly. He is a center. He’ll be a solid 3rd line center for years.
- Just5

He's not a center. Tortorella is forcing a round peg into a square hole. He can play the center spot defensively but does not have the puck skills to play center. If Couturier comes back, they have Frost and the potential to draft a center. I have no interest in a 3rd line checking center. That's archaic and old school. I want 3 scoring lines who play responsibly away from the puck.

Tippett has really improved using the Dman as a screen. After listening to rhe Torts presser, he implies there can be even more to Tippett's game.
- Trox88

Guys like him, Frost and Allison are being given every opportunity to have success this year.

FWIW on tanking if you're upset to be somewhat better than expected: if you're not first, it ain't even close to worth it. Was there ever a chance you were catching Chicago with TK on the team? I can tell you without a doubt, intentionally and happily tanking made me despise the Buffalo Sabres for years. And it failed miserably to boot. Jack Eichel is as talented as you might want, but he gets injured every year and is a total Mbumhole. That said, you'll still probably have an 8% shot or so at Bedard.

Risto at 18 minutes a night, not on the PP, and only a -4 at 36 games in. Seems like he's improving to me. Yes or no?

An NHL season is full of streaks, I’ll enjoy this one while it lasts
- wcorvette

The team is finding its footing as far as how they want to play and everyone’s role. They’re taking off in that aspect while I think they’re catching some teams that might be taking a collective breath over the course of a long season

FWIW on tanking if you're upset to be somewhat better than expected: if you're not first, it ain't even close to worth it. Was there ever a chance you were catching Chicago with TK on the team? I can tell you without a doubt, intentionally and happily tanking made me despise the Buffalo Sabres for years. And it failed miserably to boot. Jack Eichel is as talented as you might want, but he gets injured every year and is a total Mbumhole. That said, you'll still probably have an 8% shot or so at Bedard.

Risto at 18 minutes a night, not on the PP, and only a -4 at 36 games in. Seems like he's improving to me. Yes or no?
- lacaprup

He's a 3rd pair defenseman at this point.

FWIW on tanking if you're upset to be somewhat better than expected: if you're not first, it ain't even close to worth it. Was there ever a chance you were catching Chicago with TK on the team? I can tell you without a doubt, intentionally and happily tanking made me despise the Buffalo Sabres for years. And it failed miserably to boot. Jack Eichel is as talented as you might want, but he gets injured every year and is a total Mbumhole. That said, you'll still probably have an 8% shot or so at Bedard.

Risto at 18 minutes a night, not on the PP, and only a -4 at 36 games in. Seems like he's improving to me. Yes or no?
- lacaprup

Risto has simplified his game, making some better passes, and is slotted correctly this year. He’s never going to be a guy that moves the needle, he’s overpaid, but it’s better than previous seasons. Little less panic in his game this year, he still plays hot potato at times

FWIW on tanking if you're upset to be somewhat better than expected: if you're not first, it ain't even close to worth it. Was there ever a chance you were catching Chicago with TK on the team? I can tell you without a doubt, intentionally and happily tanking made me despise the Buffalo Sabres for years. And it failed miserably to boot. Jack Eichel is as talented as you might want, but he gets injured every year and is a total Mbumhole. That said, you'll still probably have an 8% shot or so at Bedard.

Risto at 18 minutes a night, not on the PP, and only a -4 at 36 games in. Seems like he's improving to me. Yes or no?
- lacaprup

Chicago is getting bedard. No chance of this not happening.

It's just nice to go into every game thinking that they have a chance to win. They rarely get outplayed anymore. They obviously still lack depth, but some of the young guys seem to be finding their games and TK is a shooting star right now. You add that Ersson may push Hart to be better and you now may have a pretty damn good goalie tandem. Play the Caps (revenge game) and the Bruins in the next 2 games on the road, so will be interesting to see how they handle that. I know tanking may very well be the best thing for this team, but I just can't root for a team to lose. If I truly wanted them to tank I wouldn't even bother watching the games.

Chicago is getting bedard. No chance of this not happening.
- Just5

Forget what I was listening to, someone mentioned no way the league allows them to get him after the disgusting crime that was unearthed from 2010. Karma I would think doesn’t land him there

Forget what I was listening to, someone mentioned no way the league allows them to get him after the disgusting crime that was unearthed from 2010. Karma I would think doesn’t land him there
- ClaudeFather

This implies that the NHL lottery isn't on the up and up.

This implies that the NHL lottery isn't on the up and up.
- Scoob

Just something to think about. Did the ping pong balls really just land on the Penguins for Crosby? Is there still any shenanigans today?

Just something to think about. Did the ping pong balls really just land on the Penguins for Crosby? Is there still any shenanigans today?
- ClaudeFather

Absent proof to the contrary, I have to say yes.

Torts is a coach after my own heart! He took the iPads away from his kids just like i have do! You can call him archaic but I have not seen a Flyers team play this well in an awful long time, so much so I almost forgot what good hockey and Flyers looked like. Torts and his staff deserve a lot of credit IMO. Just hearing Torts explain how the short handed goal was set up by reading that the puck was on the backhand of the defenseman meaning his back is to the play and therefore you go gave me goose bumps. The Flyers are anything but passive on the PK and now lead the league in short handed goals!

Chicago is getting bedard. No chance of this not happening.
- Just5

Better then Arizona I guess.

FWIW on tanking if you're upset to be somewhat better than expected: if you're not first, it ain't even close to worth it. Was there ever a chance you were catching Chicago with TK on the team? I can tell you without a doubt, intentionally and happily tanking made me despise the Buffalo Sabres for years. And it failed miserably to boot. Jack Eichel is as talented as you might want, but he gets injured every year and is a total Mbumhole. That said, you'll still probably have an 8% shot or so at Bedard.

Risto at 18 minutes a night, not on the PP, and only a -4 at 36 games in. Seems like he's improving to me. Yes or no?
- lacaprup

Based on the analytics over the last 30 games, Risto is the Flyers best defenseman. But even without the analytics you can see Risto has vastly improved since working with Shaw

Torts is a coach after my own heart! He took the iPads away from his kids just like i have do! You can call him archaic but I have not seen a Flyers team play this well in an awful long time, so much so I almost forgot what good hockey and Flyers looked like. Torts and his staff deserve a lot of credit IMO. Just hearing Torts explain how the short handed goal was set up by reading that the puck was on the backhand of the defenseman meaning his back is to the play and therefore you go gave me goose bumps. The Flyers are anything but passive on the PK and now lead the league in short handed goals!
- jd250

This is a classic example of looking at the smallest of samples and ignoring the whole. The Flyers PK is passive and sits at a mediocre 75%. That gave you goose bumps? Pressuring a player with the puck when he is not in a passing or shooting position is a basic fundamental of penalty killing and defensive play. It's taught in high school.

Based on the analytics over the last 30 games, Risto is the Flyers best defenseman. But even without the analytics you can see Risto has vastly improved since working with Shaw
- jd250

Please provide those analytics. You're climbing up that hill again. He hasn't improved. He's gone from being a top 4 NHL defenseman to being a 3rd pair NHL defenseman. At a 5M cap hit

It would be a disservice to the players of this team to take out their kneecaps at the trade deadline going into the playoff push.

What center rentals are available for this team now that they’re right back in it?

So let’s maximize some resources here. The Flyers still have their 1st round picks coming up right? Including an extra in 2024?

Let’s start there and see what we can bring in. The 2026 and 2027 2nd rounders should be on the bargaining table as well.

I love this team.
- Scoob

It’s like that scene from Major League when the grounds crew were talking about the tribe halfway through and one of them says, “this team is not that fffing bad.” Wonder what they look like w Selke and Atkinson.

Risto has simplified his game, making some better passes, and is slotted correctly this year. He’s never going to be a guy that moves the needle, he’s overpaid, but it’s better than previous seasons. Little less panic in his game this year, he still plays hot potato at times
- ClaudeFather

Well said. Still a 5th dman and worth 3.75 mill tops, but he can play at the 5 spot in the nhl.

It would be a disservice to the players of this team to take out their kneecaps at the trade deadline going into the playoff push.

What center rentals are available for this team now that they’re right back in it?

So let’s maximize some resources here. The Flyers still have their 1st round picks coming up right? Including an extra in 2024?

Let’s start there and see what we can bring in. The 2026 and 2027 2nd rounders should be on the bargaining table as well.
- StepfordSam

The Flyers don't need to do anything at the TDL. They'll be acquiring Sean Couturier at that point.

Torts is a coach after my own heart! He took the iPads away from his kids just like i have do! You can call him archaic but I have not seen a Flyers team play this well in an awful long time, so much so I almost forgot what good hockey and Flyers looked like. Torts and his staff deserve a lot of credit IMO. Just hearing Torts explain how the short handed goal was set up by reading that the puck was on the backhand of the defenseman meaning his back is to the play and therefore you go gave me goose bumps. The Flyers are anything but passive on the PK and now lead the league in short handed goals!
- jd250

Things worked out nicely last night but I wouldn't go that far. Very often they just collapse down low and let the offense move the puck easily.

It’s like that scene from Major League when the grounds crew were talking about the tribe halfway through and one of them says, “this team is not that fffing bad.” Wonder what they look like w Selke and Atkinson.
- Joe Nardone

lol! Yes, it's all relative, but all things considered, I love this team.