no use harping on it as GH and ND will not be sat under any circumstance except injury.
- hello it's me 2050

They both do what they are paid to do. Whether or not you think that is an important job is another story.

I actually didn’t and don’t mind that signing at all. You just didn’t figure it would be at the expense of our first round picks lol. Maybe RP is a backfill to Laughton if we trade him, bit of a utility player
- ClaudeFather

What Torts said about Poehling signing a one year deal during the post game press conference was chilling to me. He said he liked that he bet on himself and signed a prove it type contract. I read it as a not so subtle shot against Frost.

Pumped we have rangers flyers Friday, always looked forward to that game
- ClaudeFather

I see there are a lot of Black Friday games now…fun day.

- The team def plays “harder” and does not seem to quit. That is a good thing.
- Nothing wrong in any way sitting a player to reset and get a mental break. Despite what Cliff says. When it becomes common like with Frost then it is an issue.
- GH has been well not good imo. He doesn’t offer much so far that I can see. Just out there looking to hit instead of playing hockey.
- They are not rebuilding in any way. Probably giving themselves high fives saying Cutter will be here in less than a year, MM the following year.
- Being competitive was the plan all along and then see where cards may fall. Does ex selke and Cam slow down at some point and hit a wall? If so will the team sink?
- Just need to stay the course for the next 2 months to become buyers at the deadline!!!!
- Anyone think the RR situation will linger and he sits all year?

They both do what they are paid to do. Whether or not you think that is an important job is another story.
- landros 2

Disagree a little on GH. He was a solid player. Looks diff than in years past. Looks like just out there to hit.

Correct on your premise.

What Torts said about Poehling signing a one year deal during the post game press conference was chilling to me. He said he liked that he bet on himself and signed a prove it type contract. I read it as a not so subtle shot against Frost.
- MBFlyerfan

plus I am sure he didnt have team beating down his door in any way. what he could get.

The kind of people who would value Poehling over Frost won't understand or even care about measures of performance. They only care about adjectives like "heavy" and some dream where Ryan Poehling will make a difference in some hypothetical PO series. Don't even bother. I'm sure the Flyers crack numbers crew has long given up feeding any info to Torts.
- Tomahawk

They said Steve Yzerman was soft and not a playoff guy….how do guys know what a player brings to the playoffs before they actually get there? Heavy is great, but you still need to score more then the other team.

plus I am sure he didnt have team beating down his door in any way. what he could get.
- hello it's me 2050

Agreed. I am fine with him getting a shot on a one year deal. He has been ok thus far.

Cates is the dude that needs to sit a few games off and upon his return a move to wing.

They said Steve Yzerman was soft and not a playoff guy….how do guys know what a player brings to the playoffs before they actually get there? Heavy is great, but you still need to score more then the other team.
- landros 2

Agreed. Maybe Frost is Danny Briere in the playoffs? Not saying he is or isn't. Just to be clear.

The kind of people who would value Poehling over Frost won't understand or even care about measures of performance. They only care about adjectives like "heavy" and some dream where Ryan Poehling will make a difference in some hypothetical PO series. Don't even bother. I'm sure the Flyers crack numbers crew has long given up feeding any info to Torts.
- Tomahawk

To be fair Poehling has spent most of the season on the 4th line. How would Frosts numbers look playing with Hathaway and ND?

Come on boys, this week kicks off the holiday season. Happy thanksgiving. Can’t we all get along? The constant bickering is nauseating, getting real old. It doesn’t always have to be a johnson measuring contest, on who knows what or I told you so about this player becoming whatever. The team is winning as of right now and is fun to watch. Give Torts credit for that. Whether he is the coach to win the whole thing, time will tell. Also don’t approve the way he’s handling the Frost situation, but I’m not ready to tar and feather him, for his complete body of work to this point. Let’s try to enjoy some entertaining and winning hockey while it’s in front of us. We all know that could change quickly. One again Happy Thanksgiving and let’s go Flyers.
- Laceemup88

Couldnt agree with you more about the bickering - perhaps they can set up their own war room or better yet perhaps with some of those who are self proclaimed SME's. they will land a front office job and not have as much time to bicker

This season I wasnt expecting much based on the fact that the roster is made up of at best 3rd and 4th line vets on other clubs and up and coming youngsters that are competing for jobs and getting their much needed experience.

Outside of the Ottawa game early on, the games Ive seen which have been most, the team isnt just skating the clock down. 5 SH goals at this point for whats been labelled as a bottom 3 team has been refreshing - the PP again, with what they have talent wise they arent going to scare the opponent off worrying about catching themselves out of position. I expect the youth to use that experience they are gaining now for continual improvement brecause each game is a learning experience

Happy Thanksgiving!

It points to you trying to nitpick one game on shot/chance generation. And Laine has been horrible this year.
- ClaudeFather

here's a comparison to Owen Tippett. which should not be fair considering. Looks like Laine being out prob help columbus more than it hurt them.


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

here's a comparison to Owen Tippett. which should not be fair considering. Looks like Laine being out prob help columbus more than it hurt them.


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

Shhh, it was an incredibly stupid decision according to MJL so please ignore those stats

here's a comparison to Owen Tippett. which should not be fair considering. Looks like Laine being out prob help columbus more than it hurt them.


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

I think they are nuts trying to play Laine at center, and then scratching him when he doesn't succeed right away at a totally new position.

I think they are nuts trying to play Laine at center, and then scratching him when he doesn't succeed right away at a totally new position.
- MBFlyerfan

Have you heard the player speak? He has absolutely zero confidence in himself or his game at this time. That scratch is not some absurd tactic, it is what it is.

I have to agree that it's strange cause Frost's numbers would indicate that he is playing fine when he is playing. His offensive numbers need to improve, but he needs to play to make that happen. He has more hits than most of the forwards and his plus/minus is just fine compared to the others that you mentioned. Torts must just think that he doesn't give the effort. I dunno, but it is confusing.
- Phillywhiteout

Frost needs to be on the scoresheet to keep his spot in the lineup - jd250

do you win playoff games by soring more goals than the opposing team?
- hello it's me 2050

Nope

Get the puck in deep
Play heavy
Chip it off the glass
Play a 200 ft game
Get your face punched in

That’s how you win playoff games

Why are you digging up old posts to attack someone....give it a rest man,
- bradster

Because this blog is the only thing he has in his life.

To be fair Poehling has spent most of the season on the 4th line. How would Frosts numbers look playing with Hathaway and ND?
- Dkos

poehlig is nothing more than a 4th line center so to try to compare hos and frost numbers is a bad comparison.

Because this blog is the only thing he has in his life.
- Angus4444

post all weekend except for a 6 hour window of I assume sleep.

Yes, because he's still going to scratch other players such as Brink. Still going to favor other players even when they're playing worse than the players he is scratching. Still keeping Deslauriers in the lineup while scratching young players. Will still keep overplaying players like Poehling. Just like he did last year with McEwen, etc.
- MJL

Poehling is a good player, wouldn't you agree? He has played well on the 4th line this year and has played very well since being moved up in the lineup. I don't see why people are so focused on his playing time. He has nothing to do with Frost IMO.

Frost needs to be on the scoresheet to keep his spot in the lineup - jd250
- corduroy

He needs to generate offense, whether that be points or scoring chances. Tell me, how did Frost look against Carolina and Vegas, two very good teams? Besides the one drop pass to Tippet for the early goal against Carolina, he did not generate much. Now, I praised Frost for some nifty plays and posted that I thought sometimes he thinks the play faster than his linemates so they are not ready for passes he makes, but in the end he did not have two good games, and thus he sits again.

I don’t really see the Frost situation as a Torts issue as much as a Briere/Jones created problem. If you want Tortorella to eat his vegetables (young players with skill) don’t keep putting candy (Poehling, ND, Hathaway, Staal) on his plate.
- Dkos

Tortorella is driving this bus and he has sold his BS to Briere and Jones. That much is obvious. Others have said it before me but now there is no doubt that the Flyers are not focused on rebuilding. They're focused on winning while mixing in a few young players if it doesn't get in the way of winning in their eyes. Have to build that culture and standard. They are only delaying the inevitable. This is going to set the Flyers back years.

What I’ve learned today on here…the Flyers winning is setting this team back years….a horrible archaic coach just led us to 5 straight wins. Super star Morgan Frost getting benched is a hill some are willing to die on. Fancy stats show we didn’t deserve to win last night against a really bad team. Apparently the coach in Columbus is just as dumb as Torts because he scratched Patrick Laine


- landros 2

I'll suspend just this once to reply to your rhetoric. Yes, the Flyers current path is setting the team back. It is not a path to building a legit cup contending team. It is a path to being a mediocre bubble playoff team that won't get the high draft picks that it needs to truly rebuild. The 5 wins are meaningless. Last years team had several winning streaks of 4 games. Benching Frost is a symbol of Tortorella's archaic methods of not liking certain kinds of players. Regardless of their effectiveness. The kind of team that Tortorella envisions is not a team that will become a legit contender. It is a team of grinders and checkers with a mild sprinkling of just enough offense in his eyes. Rather than a team of skill, talent and speed. Which is what is needed to truly win in today's NHL. He has to have someone to "pick" on. He has done that his entire career to numerous skilled players. If it's not Frost, it will be someone else. He's not happy unless he has that.

That fancy stats stated that the Flyers didn't deserve to win, was never stated. That is an idiotic response. The stats from the Columbus game clearly showed that Columbus competed and matched the Flyers play in 5 on 5 hockey. They didn't win and can't win because they can't score and didn't finish. While the Flyers did, which is why they deserved to win.
The coach in Columbus is dumb. He's biting off his nose to spite his face. Removing one of the few players in his lineup that can actually finish. Instead of coaching a player, just scratch him. Paying him a lot of money and cap space not to play. In the process of devaluing a potential asset just as Tortorella has done. The best thing for Columbus is to get Laine playing well so they can potentially trade him. Hard to do with him sitting in the press box.

Hopefully, you actually do learn something here.

Shhh, it was an incredibly stupid decision according to MJL so please ignore those stats
- ClaudeFather

Interesting. Show me where I stated that Laine was playing well?


You're also replying to a poster whom, no matter how many times it is explained to him. Doesn't understand the difference between counts and rates.