Prove it to me .. present facts that clearly demonstrate the Flyers' players are getting poorly coached by Rocky Thompson on the PP.
- jd250

LOL. They have the worst ranked PP in the NHL. They repeatedly move the puck around the perimeter, with player not in a shooting position. They don't show any clear discernible strategy. Just aimless passing of the puck with hesitation. Making them easy to defend. On many of their PP's, numerous players are not in a shooting or attack position. One can clearly see this watching the game.

Now you prove that it's not coaching

USMNT with a strong win vs Mexico last night

Rocky Thompson is not the problem here, not by a long shot. This game perfectly illustrates this. Bad goalie or not, when Florida gets a chance they bury it. When the Flyers get a chance, the shot is blocked or sails 5 feet about the net into the glass. How can you expect a PP to be good if you don't have enough players that know how to snipe in tight spaces? It's not about who has the biggest shot, but who has a the quickest release with accuracy. Maybe Foerster can develop that, but I have not seen anyone else on the Flyers that can do this. It's just lazy to think the problem must be Rocky Thompson when its been this way for years before he came here.
- jd250

Sorry but this is the NHL… results matter. I’m sure Rocky is a great guy… but with his leadership stewarding the PP has been historically bad. It’s stagnant and predictable…
They still pass up plays that are there because they are looking for something better. That my friend is on coaching when we are 70 games into the season and it looks no better.

LOL. They have the worst ranked PP in the NHL. They repeatedly move the puck around the perimeter, with player not in a shooting position. They don't show any clear discernible strategy. Just aimless passing of the puck with hesitation. Making them easy to defend. On many of their PP's, numerous players are not in a shooting or attack position. One can clearly see this watching the game.

Now you prove that it's not coaching
- MJL

You just proved my point ... I don't disagree with any observations you have made here. It's on the players! Do you honestly think the players are coached to just aimlessly pass the puck around the perimeter with hesitation as you point out?

Sandstrom was awful last night. Flyers played well enough to win. Keep this forward group together.

You just proved my point ... I don't disagree with any observations you have made here. It's on the players! Do you honestly think the players are coached to just aimlessly pass the puck around the perimeter with hesitation as you point out?
- jd250

No, that's wrong. When player keep making thr same errors in strategy and approach. It is on the coaching to correct those issues. They're not being corrected. Watch other teams who even an average PP. They show a clear strategy of attack. Non existent with the Flyers PP. As a fan, it's easy to see why they don't have a good PP. It's not all coaching but a big part of it. It's ignorance on your part to dismiss coaching.

Sandstrom was awful last night. Flyers played well enough to win. Keep this forward group together.
- mickel25

Scoring 1 goal on a backup is considered "playing well enough"?

Sorry but this is the NHL… results matter. I’m sure Rocky is a great guy… but with his leadership stewarding the PP has been historically bad. It’s stagnant and predictable…
They still pass up plays that are there because they are looking for something better. That my friend is on coaching when we are 70 games into the season and it looks no better.
- landros 2

What did you think of the Flyers puck retrieval on the PP in last night's game? I thought it was atrocious. Is that on the coach or the desire of the players on the ice? Torts and Thompson have mentioned numerous times that the players need to shoot more and move the puck quickly, two passes then shoot, rinse and repeat. The players just don't do it because they are not good enough to do it. The Flyers lack talent, we all know this. I love Poehling as a player, but if he is on your PP you are in trouble, though he had a lucky assist last night in the 3rd period.

No, that's wrong. When player keep making thr same errors in strategy and approach. It is on the coaching to correct those issues. They're not being corrected. Watch other teams who even an average PP. They show a clear strategy of attack. Non existent with the Flyers PP. As a fan, it's easy to see why they don't have a good PP. It's not all coaching but a big part of it. It's ignorance on your part to dismiss coaching.
- MJL

Zone entry is one area that coaching can impact the PP and I have seen improvement as the season has gone along. But once the Flyers are set up in the o-zone, it's on the players to execute, and the top players on the Flyers are just not good enough. Let's start with the faceoffs. How many times do the Flyers lose that first o-zone faceoff and have to chase the puck down the ice, killing the first 20 seconds of the PP. It happens far too often. You watch Florida, they win their faceoffs on the PP, and they start with immediate pressure. Is that on the coach? How about the ability to one time a puck with accuracy. You saw Florida do it several times and get pucks on net, with the Flyers the puck is sailing 10 foot over the net. Is that on the coach? The bottom line is the players are just not good enough. I love Poehling, but he should not be on the PP. You love Farabee, the OK player with OK skill, but he should not be on the PP. Just not good enough.

They can’t move the puck around except on the perimeter. They don’t threaten with seam passes, they have the talent to be better than this
- Just5

Do they have the talent to make a pass, sure they do. Do they have the collective vision and imagination? I don't think so. Frost does, Drysdale does, but that's about it.

Zone entry is one area that coaching can impact the PP and I have seen improvement as the season has gone along. But once the Flyers are set up in the o-zone, it's on the players to execute, and the top players on the Flyers are just not good enough. Let's start with the faceoffs. How many times do the Flyers lose that first o-zone faceoff and have to chase the puck down the ice, killing the first 20 seconds of the PP. It happens far too often. You watch Florida, they win their faceoffs on the PP, and they start with immediate pressure. Is that on the coach? How about the ability to one time a puck with accuracy. You saw Florida do it several times and get pucks on net, with the Flyers the puck is sailing 10 foot over the net. Is that on the coach? The bottom line is the players are just not good enough. I love Poehling, but he should not be on the PP. You love Farabee, the OK player with OK skill, but he should not be on the PP. Just not good enough.
- jd250

Is San Jose more skilled? They have one of the better power plays in the league. Their one unit looked downright lethal against us with 3rd liners

What did you think of the Flyers puck retrieval on the PP in last night's game? I thought it was atrocious. Is that on the coach or the desire of the players on the ice? Torts and Thompson have mentioned numerous times that the players need to shoot more and move the puck quickly, two passes then shoot, rinse and repeat. The players just don't do it because they are not good enough to do it. The Flyers lack talent, we all know this. I love Poehling as a player, but if he is on your PP you are in trouble, though he had a lucky assist last night in the 3rd period.
- jd250

Teams like Chicago (without Bedard for 1/3 of the season), Sanjose, Arizona….have better PPs….lol….the Flyers personnel is easily superior. Beyond puck retrieval… The entrance into the zone is the same play. Predictable. They lose far too many Faceoffs to start PP’s…and they are stagnant (stationary) which makes puck retrieval tougher.
As far as Poehling….I think he gets PP time because he actually looks like he listens and is coachable. Should he be there? Why not? That’s how bad it it is….but to absolve the coaching is way to easy and lazy argument to suggest we simply have a lack of talent. If that was the case why are they in a playoff position?
Is it only the PP that the players don’t listen to coaching?

Do they have the talent to make a pass, sure they do. Do they have the collective vision and imagination? I don't think so. Frost does, Drysdale does, but that's about it.
- jd250

Konecny? York? Farabee? Hell even Risto use to put up 20 + pp points a year.

Scoring 1 goal on a backup is considered "playing well enough"?
- WhiskeyMan

They pretty much dominated that entire game. They did not finish and Stolarz was good. If they play that way most nights that is what you want.

I know, I know. They only scored once. Some nights you just don't finish.

then you would have killed DB for trading assets to get a backup goalie for a playoff run. We would have seen post after post stating .. IT'S NOT A REBUILD, IT'S NOT A REBUILD. And honestly, even if the Flyers gave up a 5th round or later pick for a goalie would that goalie be really any better?
- jd250

I agree with you here. Who would the Flyers have picked up that would have made them better for just a 5th round pick?

There was noone.

They pretty much dominated that entire game. They did not finish and Stolarz was good. If they play that way most nights that is what you want.

I know, I know. They only scored once. Some nights you just don't finish.
- mickel25

I thought they played a really good tight game. Stollie was solid and our stiff let in two stoppable pucks and looked shaky on everything else….I mean they held one of the best teams in the NHL to 15 shots….most of which were not overly tough except maybe 2 or 3.
Move on I guess…because that type of effort gets you 2 points 90% of the time.

What did you think of the Flyers puck retrieval on the PP in last night's game? I thought it was atrocious. Is that on the coach or the desire of the players on the ice? Torts and Thompson have mentioned numerous times that the players need to shoot more and move the puck quickly, two passes then shoot, rinse and repeat. The players just don't do it because they are not good enough to do it. The Flyers lack talent, we all know this. I love Poehling as a player, but if he is on your PP you are in trouble, though he had a lucky assist last night in the 3rd period.
- jd250

Are you seriously trying to blame it on the desire of the players with the way they have played for the entire season? Look at the rest of their game. Is there a lack of desire in other elements? What do they do, just stop caring on the PP?

Rocky Thompson needs to be replaced. He is ineffective. It's that simple

Zone entry is one area that coaching can impact the PP and I have seen improvement as the season has gone along. But once the Flyers are set up in the o-zone, it's on the players to execute, and the top players on the Flyers are just not good enough. Let's start with the faceoffs. How many times do the Flyers lose that first o-zone faceoff and have to chase the puck down the ice, killing the first 20 seconds of the PP. It happens far too often. You watch Florida, they win their faceoffs on the PP, and they start with immediate pressure. Is that on the coach? How about the ability to one time a puck with accuracy. You saw Florida do it several times and get pucks on net, with the Flyers the puck is sailing 10 foot over the net. Is that on the coach? The bottom line is the players are just not good enough. I love Poehling, but he should not be on the PP. You love Farabee, the OK player with OK skill, but he should not be on the PP. Just not good enough.
- jd250

You're not listening. As usual. I clearly said it is not all on coaching. However, they're not well coached on the PP. It is completely asinine to state that Farabee should not be on the PP. You continue to have flawed and just plain ignorant opinions on players.

To be fare that would be misguided… Hart did that before he was ever a Flyer.
- landros 2

How is it misguided? Hart knew this was going to happen at some point. If he were still w the team it would be Hart and Ersson - two capable goalies. Due to his actions we now have a starter in the NHL and an AHL tender.

That's on the players, not the coach. Do you honestly think Thompson is coaching the players to be stagnant on a 5-3? The mistake a lot people make is they think good PPs are due to coaching, they are not. The PP is mainly dependent on the skill, desire and imagination of the players. For example, York is a very good defenseman, but he is not close to the skill level of a Jamie Drysdale. Zamula is even further away. Frost is probably the most creative forward the Flyers have and I like him in the pivot or the half wall. However he is not enough, the Flyers lack shooters that can one time with accuracy. Until they get this, the PP will not improve.
- jd250

Yes, but indecision causes hesitation. These players look like they have no clue what to do on the PP. It's as if they aren't being coached at all. If your take is right why even bother to have a coach?

What goalies were traded at the deadline?
- MJL

What's that have to do with anything? A good GM finds a way to fix what was sure to become a glaring sore spot.

Yes, but indecision causes hesitation. These players look like they have no clue what to do on the PP. It's as if they aren't being coached at all. If your take is right why even bother to have a coach?
- Phillywhiteout

Exactly. The hesitation comes from indecision and a lack of confidence. Players are not in a dangerous position. There is no strategy to isolate and create openings. Puck movement is stagnant and on the perimeter.

USMNT with a strong win vs Mexico last night
- THE BLACK HAND

Wow, we all can sleep better tonight with that important news! Thanks for contributing totally worthless info as usual.

What's that have to do with anything? A good GM finds a way to fix what was sure to become a glaring sore spot.
- Phillywhiteout

Seriously? There has to be a player available that is an upgrade. Should the Flyers have traded a high level asset just to get a back up for the rest of this season? When they don't have a legit shot at contending? The Flyers didn't upgrade in net at the deadline because there was no legitimate option, taking in all the variables available.

Wow, we all can sleep better tonight with that important news! Thanks for contributing totally worthless info as usual.
- Phillywhiteout

This is what causes your problems. If you're not interested, just bypass it.