Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Schedule, Prospects, Brink, Poehling, and More

So many head-scratching decisions by Torts and management.

DB should have known better than to give Torts Poehling as an option with so many young forwards vying for icetime and opportunity. What's happening to Frost, Brink, etc now is a direct result of that mistake.

Ditto bringing back Belpedio and signing Staal on the back end. You just knew Andrae and Zamula wouldn't be given time to work through any issues. And once Risto and Staal are healthy... York had better watch out.

Bill, what in the world would make you think this team would do the right thing with these prospects. As much as RP is a nice depth signing for the fourth line, this is the issue with a guy like Torts running the show

Bill read your prospect article and it was interesting, but how do the flyers rank in prospects vs the league

Poehling does serve a valuable role in making Cates lack of production this season not seem quite so bad by comparison.

If Torts wasn't so in love with having a useless goon on the 4th line, there would be room for all the young players in the lineup.

Atkinson-Couturier-Foerster
Farabee-Frost-Konecny
Tippett-Laughton-Brink
Cates-Poehling-Hathaway

It's not like Poehling is a geezer. But in regards to the likes of Staal I get the criticism.

Ditto bringing back Belpedio and signing Staal on the back end. You just knew Andrae and Zamula wouldn't be given time to work through any issues. And once Risto and Staal are healthy... York had better watch out.
- Tomahawk

If the D are all healthy, I think it will look like this:

York-Sanheim
Staal-Walker
Seeler-Risto
Zamula

Bill, what in the world would make you think this team would do the right thing with these prospects. As much as RP is a nice depth signing for the fourth line, this is the issue with a guy like Torts running the show
- ClaudeFather

Is it just Tortorella or is it the organization as a whole? Recall the debates we had on the Flyers ability to develop players?

Is it just Tortorella or is it the organization as a whole? Recall the debates we had on the Flyers ability to develop players?
- MJL

A scratch here and there is no big deal, the frost thing was dumb. Torts is making the calls, RP should be a fourth liner or in the presser

A scratch here and there is no big deal, the frost thing was dumb. Torts is making the calls, RP should be a fourth liner or in the presser
- ClaudeFather

The reasons for a scratch is a big deal. Tortorella continues to use scratches punitively and with pettiness. He seems to have the approval of management on that. If you feel a young player is worn down or is having a confidence issue or repeated and numerous mental lapses. A temporary move out of the lineup can help. However, ups and downs with young players should be expected. The best thing to do is to be patient, work with them in coaching and continue to play them and put them in the best position to succeed. That's not being done in that manner in my view and the Flyers continue to be flawed in their player development strategies.

The reasons for a scratch is a big deal. Tortorella continues to use scratches punitively and with pettiness. He seems to have the approval of management on that. If you feel a young player is worn down or is having a confidence issue or repeated and numerous mental lapses. A temporary move out of the lineup can help. However, ups and downs with young players should be expected. The best thing to do is to be patient, work with them in coaching and continue to play them and put them in the best position to succeed. That's not being done in that manner in my view and the Flyers continue to be flawed in their player development strategies.
- MJL

Ok, Bill… 🙄

https://nypost.com/2023/1...lled-in-on-ice-collision/

Petgrave arrested for manslaughter in the Adam Johnson death.

A scratch here and there is no big deal, the frost thing was dumb. Torts is making the calls, RP should be a fourth liner or in the presser
- ClaudeFather

Kinda where I’m at. I like some of the things the coaching staff has achieved. I like that there is accountability where there wasn’t before. BUT if he plan is to develop the young guys some of his decision’s certainly don’t lend to that. I’m also of the opinion that you need leadership…but how many mentors are needed? Simply put it’s the older guys that should be rotating in and out of the line up to sit Frost for that long was flat out dumb as you stated.

Poehling does serve a valuable role in making Cates lack of production this season not seem quite so bad by comparison.

If Torts wasn't so in love with having a useless goon on the 4th line, there would be room for all the young players in the lineup.

Atkinson-Couturier-Foerster
Farabee-Frost-Konency
Tippett-Laughton-Brink
Cates-Poehling-Hathaway
- Feanor

for all your cates hate. compared to scott.

https://www.naturalstattr...&td=&tgp=410&lines=single

Kinda where I’m at. I like some of the things the coaching staff has achieved. I like that there is accountability where there wasn’t before. BUT if he plan is to develop the young guys some of his decision’s certainly don’t lend to that. I’m also of the opinion that you need leadership…but how many mentors are needed? Simply put it’s the older guys that should be rotating in and out of the line up to sit Frost for that long was flat out dumb as you stated.
- landros 2

No issue with sitting Brink down when he’s fighting it a bit. 1 or 2 games and then he needs to go back in and play for a while. This shouldn’t be something where a guy is in out in out. Let the kid watch, then play him. The issue here is are we scratching Brink because he hit a wall or is he scratched because torts thinks RP is going to give him a better chance to win the game. Maybe it is both and it lined up but it can’t be just the latter

for all your cates hate. compared to scott.

https://www.naturalstattr...&td=&tgp=410&lines=single
- Peter Richards

Laughton has 8 ESP and Cates has 3. Last season they produced at similar rates, this season is a different story.

Cates is also struggling defensively this year. You can forget the silly "Selke candidate" storyline.

No issue with sitting Brink down when he’s fighting it a bit. 1 or 2 games and then he needs to go back in and play for a while. This shouldn’t be something where a guy is in out in out. Let the kid watch, then play him. The issue here is are we scratching Brink because he hit a wall or is he scratched because torts thinks RP is going to give him a better chance to win the game. Maybe it is both and it lined up but it can’t be just the latter
- ClaudeFather

Poehling moved up to the 3rd line? Remember last year when he was playing McEwen 17 minutes a game for a stretch?

Laughton has 8 ESP and Cates has 3. Last season they produced at similar rates, this season is a different story.

Cates is also struggling defensively this year. You can forget the silly "Selke candidate" storyline.
- Feanor

Sample size matters. To this point in the season, Cates P/60 has dropped even further from the pedestrian level he was at last season. From 1.37 to 1.05. That's not good. His defensive game has slipped, which I don't expect to last. All points to a current struggle.  

https://nypost.com/2023/1...lled-in-on-ice-collision/

Petgrave arrested for manslaughter in the Adam Johnson death.
- MBFlyerfan

It’s not surprising. The game was televised nationally. Yet all you can find is low quality video. You would think someone would be breaking this down frame by frame. Several of those that spoke at the funeral expressed anger. We’ll see where this goes.

Laughton has 8 ESP and Cates has 3. Last season they produced at similar rates, this season is a different story.

Cates is also struggling defensively this year. You can forget the silly "Selke candidate" storyline.
- Feanor

last year laughton had a career year in points, first time he had more than 40. Cates is in his second year. his numbers are hampered a bit when he played more minutes when coots was out, and the entire team played terrible.

cates is credited with 11 takeways, only behind coots. scott has 3.

cates with 2 giveawys, scott with 4.

just a little sophmore slump. funny as he is the target. York is similar.

Bill, reading this article was a reminder that you are the best writer in Flyers history. Thanks for your work.

The reasons for a scratch is a big deal. Tortorella continues to use scratches punitively and with pettiness. He seems to have the approval of management on that. If you feel a young player is worn down or is having a confidence issue or repeated and numerous mental lapses. A temporary move out of the lineup can help. However, ups and downs with young players should be expected. The best thing to do is to be patient, work with them in coaching and continue to play them and put them in the best position to succeed. That's not being done in that manner in my view and the Flyers continue to be flawed in their player development strategies.
- MJL

in your view is the key word cliff. Bill said he was fighting it a bit. You are not there everyday so see what's going on. You have zero idea what has been said between the coaches and Brink. There is no down side to sitting a game here or there.

flyers are flawed in the drafting/development area. Doesn't mean everything they do is wrong.

Bill,
Really appreciate getting to read your perspective on Poehling, and I hope the Brink scratch is just a rest for while getting used to the marathon that is the NHL season. He has really been a bright spot.
Also, thank you and others for the content on Flyers prospects. It is great to have info in both forms. Sometimes I only read and at other times, I only listen.
Happy upcoming holiday season!

Sample size matters. To this point in the season, Cates P/60 has dropped even further from the pedestrian level he was at last season. From 1.37 to 1.05. That's not good. His defensive game has slipped, which I don't expect to last. All points to a current struggle.  
- MJL

what have you seen in his defensive game to say it has slipped?

If the D are all healthy, I think it will look like this:

York-Sanheim
Staal-Walker
Seeler-Risto
Zamula
- Feanor

Apparently risto is close to returning. Should be a party in our end.