Outside of how the Flyers are playing, which has been fun, the downside is not knowing when injured players are going to return. Fans are getting zero timelines. I think we were told during the first half of last season that Atkinson could return at anytime and of course it never happened. The defense definitely need all the help we can get on the backend. I’m not putting my hopes into a Drysdale return but who knew that we would actually miss Ristolainen and Seeler as much as we are?


For me the time of giving “looks” is over. That can wait until September. Put the best possible team on the ice and make playoffs.
- roenick97

pretty much everyone when you look at who the other otpionsare/were.

pretty much everyone when you look at who the other otpionsare/were.
- hello it's me 2050

Oh, is this what everyone has been saying all along?

Oh, is this what everyone has been saying all along?
- roenick97

go re-read your own question.

5 on 5 available ice time was down due to how many penalties the Flyers took. Frost doesn't play on the PK.
- MJL

Then explain why he had the second lowest ES TOI, and it was by a wide margin. He had 8, Brink (who they are also not fond of) had 7:20 and Gurianov (who does not know the system) had 8:20. Everyone else had well over 10 min. My guess is, it is another case of dinosaur-itis. The powers that be would rather put their opponent (and fans) to sleep than actually playing an entertaining form of hockey. I was at the game and the only thing keeping me up was the fact that it was freezing....

That saucer pass by Frost for a breakaway was a beaut.
- Hesh_

He stole the puck in the defensive zone to make it all happen too.

It looked like Drysdale dislocated his shoulder on that hit. That's 12-16 weeks to fully recover, so I don't expect him back this year. He needs to get stronger which he will, but he also needs to keep his head up all the time!

RR has played well for the Flyers since Tort's and Shaw have worked with him. I think Torts said it correctly the other day in his presser, everybody hates RR around here and it's stupid because he is a good player.
- jd250

He's a good player, but we just gave up sooooo much or him and then paid him way toohooo muc, that, as a fan, it is almost impossible to like him. Not his fault, but the facts area the facts

Then explain why he had the second lowest ES TOI, and it was by a wide margin. He had 8, Brink (who they are also not fond of) had 7:20 and Gurianov (who does not know the system) had 8:20. Everyone else had well over 10 min. My guess is, it is another case of dinosaur-itis. The powers that be would rather put their opponent (and fans) to sleep than actually playing an entertaining form of hockey. I was at the game and the only thing keeping me up was the fact that it was freezing....
- mr4tno

Where his ice time is relative to his teammates is a different conversation than what his total ice time was. Every player who didn't kill penalties saw his overall ice time reduced from average.

Where his ice time is relative to his teammates is a different conversation than what his total ice time was. Every player who didn't kill penalties saw his overall ice time reduced from average.
- MJL

someone as talented as frost should be utilized on the PK. not like he hasnt done it in the past.

The worry is that i think that's the shoulder he had surgery on as well. I think the team line on this is that they expected him back at some point. Please no. Keep him out.

I certainly don't hate him. I hate his contract and what we gave up to give him. Had we signed him as a UFA for 2 mil a year, I'd be fine.
- Hextall271

Yes, I didn't like the Risto extension either. It was stubbornness by Fletcher in the end I think, and not willing to admit the team was going nowhere and needed to rebuild.

someone as talented as frost should be utilized on the PK. not like he hasnt done it in the past.
- hello it's me 2050

I agree. Again I think there is a blind spot where Torts is concerned. I always go back to that Hartnell video where Hartnell proves he is doing the right thing despite what Torts says and it doesn't matter.

Yes, I didn't like the Risto extension either. It was stubbornness by Fletcher in the end I think, and not willing to admit the team was going nowhere and needed to rebuild.
- jd250

Why are you arbitrarily against some players being extended and for others? Either the team is rebuilding or they're not in regards to older players.

A win is a win but man that was ugly. They better play better than that over the next 7 games otherwise it’s gonna be a baaaad stretch.

Bill, any word of the 3 missing defensemen? Can we expect any returns during this tough stretch?
- mikeyo27

The Flyers are hoping Drysdale or Ristolainen can return by the end of the season. They expect that Seeler will be back in a couple weeks.

i haven't been on for a few days but did I hear correctly that Johansen's agent is the same as Gauthier's? If so this looks like a poop show waiting to happen.

The Flyers are hoping Drysdale or Ristolainen can return by the end of the season. They expect that Seeler will be back in a couple weeks.
- bmeltzer

Do they all have body injuries Bill?

i haven't been on for a few days but did I hear correctly that Johansen's agent is the same as Gauthier's? If so this looks like a poop show waiting to happen.
- FlyersGrace

I want to know about this "injury" he apparently has. Was it hidden from the Flyers before the deal? Is that why they are angry with the agent?

He stole the puck in the defensive zone to make it all happen too.
- Tomahawk

Wow now.. he's a terrible defensive player, that can't be true. hahah

The Flyers are hoping Drysdale or Ristolainen can return by the end of the season. They expect that Seeler will be back in a couple weeks.
- bmeltzer

The Drysdale situation puzzles me as it looked very bad from the outset.

Yes, I didn't like the Risto extension either. It was stubbornness by Fletcher in the end I think, and not willing to admit the team was going nowhere and needed to rebuild.
- jd250

Flyers best defenseman tho...

i haven't been on for a few days but did I hear correctly that Johansen's agent is the same as Gauthier's? If so this looks like a poop show waiting to happen.
- FlyersGrace

For what it's worth, Farabee and Sean Walker have the same agent as well. I think it was just Friedman speculating. He went on to say that Johansen was ready to make it work but might be dealing with an injury or maybe something else. The whole thing is weird, but I doubt it starts and stops with he has the same agent as Gauthier.

He's becoming an injury prone player too. Missed 16 games last year (I think he was healthy scratched for one) and he could very well miss half this season. Hated the trade, hated the contract and now the player can't even stay healthy.
- TobyFlenderson

To be fair, who could have predicted that a guy who spent his whole career chasing big hits might start to break down as he approached 30.

For what it's worth, Farabee and Sean Walker have the same agent as well. I think it was just Friedman speculating. He went on to say that Johansen was ready to make it work but might be dealing with an injury or maybe something else. The whole thing is weird, but I doubt it starts and stops with he has the same agent as Gauthier.
- TobyFlenderson

Everyone benefits if he just sits out the rest of this season. Torts and company don't want him on the Flyers, and Johansen sure as poop doesn't want to play in the AHL.

For what it's worth, Farabee and Sean Walker have the same agent as well. I think it was just Friedman speculating. He went on to say that Johansen was ready to make it work but might be dealing with an injury or maybe something else. The whole thing is weird, but I doubt it starts and stops with he has the same agent as Gauthier.
- TobyFlenderson

I think the legal term (as stated elsewhere) for the guy is "family advisor" since Gauthier is still playing NCAA. However, going back to the statement Gauthier made about his refusal to come to the Flyers being a "family matter" sounds like word salad. SO did the family advisor make it a family matter ?
Hey if Flyers management is vengeful enough to trade for and bury a guy in the minors to screw the agent and the remainder of the guys career, I am getting out the popcorn, especially with the "issue/injury"

I haven't noticed really. Sad part is that he wasn't playing that terribly. We kind of need him now as what we're trotting out there isn't going to get us to the playoffs and we might still be screwed with RR and seeler. If I'm the flyers, I shut down Drysdale. He is going to come back and pop that shoulder right out again. It's sad, but doesn't look like the team did its diligence on that trade.
- Hextall271

I have my worries with DB. I know he was backed in a corner but drysdale does very very little for me. He rarely flashed and was pretty much a mess defensively. He’s s work in progress but also missing requisite size from the get go, with defensemen you are in a hole to start.

Gurianov? Really? I know it’s a minor league trade. But why is he here on the team now? Cmon.

He's a good player, but we just gave up sooooo much or him and then paid him way toohooo muc, that, as a fan, it is almost impossible to like him. Not his fault, but the facts area the facts
- mr4tno

It seems like the Flyes gave up a lot, but when you look at it now, they really didn't give up all that much for Risto. Buffalo did not hit on their 1st round pick that year, and I'm not sure the Flyers would have done any better. That was a weird draft year if you recall with Covid. Haag was a throw in. The 2nd round pick last season was a good pick I would have loved the Flyers to keep. It's the years and AAV of the extension that for me is harder to swallow, especially since it should have been clear to Fletcher that his plan failed and he needed to pivot.

Where his ice time is relative to his teammates is a different conversation than what his total ice time was. Every player who didn't kill penalties saw his overall ice time reduced from average.
- MJL

Only looking at ES TOI makes the conversation relative to his teammates. One could argue that because he does not PK his ES TOI should be higher because he is more rested, and quite frankly more effective than most others