Imagine if Michkov had players that could finish to play with? This is a tough one to lose. The Flyers played really well, doubled up Toronto in shots. To not get a point at least is a shame.
- jd250

The Flyers no doubt played their behinds off. Shot totals don't exactly tell the story though. The Flyers threw a ton of pucks at Woll tonight that were low to very low quality shot selections. Players like Michkov and Konecny absolutely keep shooting the biscuit and from all angles/situations on the ice, but the majority of the teams shots are low quality at best.

Imagine if Michkov had players that could finish to play with? This is a tough one to lose. The Flyers played really well, doubled up Toronto in shots. To not get a point at least is a shame.
- jd250

It would help if the head coach wasn't such as jackass. When Michkov was on the ice at 5 on 5. Shot attempts were 18-3 Flyers. He had an expected goals result of 98.86%. Scoring chances were 6-0 Flyers. High danger chances were 4-0 Flyers. Yet Michkov only gets 9:45 of 5 on 5 ice time. Tortorella wants to check and defend to win games. They're competitive in the first two periods and then get more conservative in the 3rd. It's a 2-2 game and they can't score. Arguably their most talented offensive players, sees 4 shifts in the 3rd period. Tortorella sucks.

He’s not blessed with talented teammates and his GM won’t get any.
- mikeyo27

He can't get any. The model is very clear on how to obtain top tier quality—through the draft and through proper mentorship and leveling up in the minors (see the Detroit Redwings about 15 years ago). The only way to obtain top quality talent is through UFA but it's usually an absurd overpayment and when the player acquired has already played their best games. The Flyers find themselves in the unique position of being a bottom / basement tier team yet still saddled with a salary cap unable to make those massive offseason acquisitions of top tier talented UFA players.

It would help if the head coach wasn't such as jackass. When Michkov was on the ice at 5 on 5. Shot attempts were 18-3 Flyers. He had an expected goals result of 98.86%. Scoring chances were 6-0 Flyers. High danger chances were 4-0 Flyers. Yet Michkov only gets 9:45 of 5 on 5 ice time. Tortorella wants to check and defend to win games. They're competitive in the first two periods and then get more conservative in the 3rd. It's a 2-2 game and they can't score. Arguably their most talented offensive players, sees 4 shifts in the 3rd period. Tortorella sucks.
- MJL

Michkov got hurt in the 3rd and left the ice for several minutes. That definately impacted his playing time in the 3rd. After two periods Michkov was up there in ice time. But you just go on hating on Torts.

It would help if the head coach wasn't such as jackass. When Michkov was on the ice at 5 on 5. Shot attempts were 18-3 Flyers. He had an expected goals result of 98.86%. Scoring chances were 6-0 Flyers. High danger chances were 4-0 Flyers. Yet Michkov only gets 9:45 of 5 on 5 ice time. Tortorella wants to check and defend to win games. They're competitive in the first two periods and then get more conservative in the 3rd. It's a 2-2 game and they can't score. Arguably their most talented offensive players, sees 4 shifts in the 3rd period. Tortorella sucks.
- MJL

Yeah it's been driving me bonkers. I was not at all happy when they announced his hiring, now 3 seasons deep as I mentioned before - it could actually work out to the Flyers advantage, inadvertently though of course. Perhaps we should come up with a special word for it: The Torts Tank.

He can't get any. The model is very clear on how to obtain top tier quality—through the draft and through proper mentorship and leveling up in the minors (see the Detroit Redwings about 15 years ago). The only way to obtain top quality talent is through UFA but it's usually an absurd overpayment and when the player acquired has already played their best games. The Flyers find themselves in the unique position of being a bottom / basement tier team yet still saddled with a salary cap unable to make those massive offseason acquisitions of top tier talented UFA players.
- Pixote Andolini

Huh? The Flyers have no business signing top tier UFAs at this point in the rebuild. A team does that when they are close and need a player to push them over the top. Right now the Flyers would pick 8th if the season ended today. If they make a few obvious trades by the deadline, they will fall further and get an even better pick.

Yeah it's been driving me bonkers. I was not at all happy when they announced his hiring, now 3 seasons deep as I mentioned before - it could actually work out to the Flyers advantage, inadvertently though of course. Perhaps we should come up with a special word for it: The Torts Tank.
- Pixote Andolini

Do you guys have any clue as to what happened to Michkov in the 3rd? He missed more than half the period after the collision with Laughton.

Michkov got hurt in the 3rd and left the ice for several minutes. That definately impacted his playing time in the 3rd. After two periods Michkov was up there in ice time. But you just go on hating on Torts.
- jd250

Because he's cooked as a HC. At best he should be a video advisor up in the rafters, not a full-fledged HC. Also his gaggle of assistants need to go kick rocks. I'm still dumbfounded that he was able to actually sell Rocky Thompson as the PP coach to Comcast/Briere/Jones.

Michkov got hurt in the 3rd and left the ice for several minutes. That definately impacted his playing time in the 3rd. After two periods Michkov was up there in ice time. But you just go on hating on Torts.
- jd250

Don't know the man personally to hate him. He just isn't a good coach. You continue with the childish replies such as hating the Flyers or hating Tortorella. No he wasn't up there in ice time. He was behind a number of players. Ryan Poehling, top center in 5 on 5 ice time. It's laughable.

He can't get any. The model is very clear on how to obtain top tier quality—through the draft and through proper mentorship and leveling up in the minors (see the Detroit Redwings about 15 years ago). The only way to obtain top quality talent is through UFA but it's usually an absurd overpayment and when the player acquired has already played their best games. The Flyers find themselves in the unique position of being a bottom / basement tier team yet still saddled with a salary cap unable to make those massive offseason acquisitions of top tier talented UFA players.
- Pixote Andolini

Vegas would beg to differ. They are ruthless sending players out to acquire more talented players. Sure, they spent on Pietrangelo as a UFA, but certain Dmen can age gracefully. Pietrangelo seems to fit in that category.

Do you guys have any clue as to what happened to Michkov in the 3rd? He missed more than half the period after the collision with Laughton.
- jd250

Yes I'm aware. He went back and sat on the bench after that collision with Laughton, fresh rasberries on his cheek and nose while Laughton went down the hallway for repairs / evaluation. Later a spotter most likely pulled Michkov from the bench for evaluation.

Before that occurred however, Michkov was still seeing somewhat limited TOI, skating on a line with the super talented Ryan Poehling.

Huh? The Flyers have no business signing top tier UFAs at this point in the rebuild. A team does that when they are close and need a player to push them over the top. Right now the Flyers would pick 8th if the season ended today. If they make a few obvious trades by the deadline, they will fall further and get an even better pick.
- jd250

Do you actually follow hockey? Actually follow the Flyers. They and other teams have routinely used free agency to try and build teams. Do you remember Kevin Hayes? Was that to push them over the top?

Vegas would beg to differ. They are ruthless sending players out to acquire more talented players. Sure, they spent on Pietrangelo as a UFA, but certain Dmen can age gracefully. Pietrangelo seems to fit in that category.
- Trox88

They're also burning bridges. They did Fluery dirty a couple seasons ago. Also the Pietrangelo signing was a result of letting Stone sign elsewhere as a UFA.

The Flyers don't have aging stars like Stone to subtract from their cap. They also don't have $8.8M to UFA sign a player like Pietrangelo. What am I missing here?

Don't know the man personally to hate him. He just isn't a good coach. You continue with the childish replies such as hating the Flyers or hating Tortorella. No he wasn't up there in ice time. He was behind a number of players. Ryan Poehling, top center in 5 on 5 ice time. It's laughable.
- MJL

Poehling is a perfectly fine 4th line center. He should be playing about 12 minutes a night in total. It would make more sense to play the slower skating center who can pass the puck over the center who skates fast.

They're also burning bridges. They did Fluery dirty a couple seasons ago. Also the Pietrangelo signing was a result of letting Stone sign elsewhere as a UFA.

The Flyers don't have aging stars like Stone to subtract from their cap. They also don't have $8.8M to UFA sign a player like Pietrangelo. What am I missing here?
- Pixote Andolini

Maybe that Stone still plays for Vegas?

Huh? The Flyers have no business signing top tier UFAs at this point in the rebuild. A team does that when they are close and need a player to push them over the top. Right now the Flyers would pick 8th if the season ended today. If they make a few obvious trades by the deadline, they will fall further and get an even better pick.
- jd250

I meant to say the real way to obtain top tier talent is through the draft and that UFA signing of top players is usually a bad overpayment and one the Flyers can't even do because of how ridiculously overextended their current cap situation is.

Maybe that Stone still plays for Vegas?
- MJL

My bad I meant Jonathan Marchessault.

They're also burning bridges. They did Fluery dirty a couple seasons ago. Also the Pietrangelo signing was a result of letting Stone sign elsewhere as a UFA.

The Flyers don't have aging stars like Stone to subtract from their cap. They also don't have $8.8M to UFA sign a player like Pietrangelo. What am I missing here?
- Pixote Andolini

Stone is still there. They have traded for Eichel, Stone, Hertl, Barbashev, and Hanifin. They have traded or moved on from players like Fleury, Smith, Tuch, and Marchessault. It's agressive team building looking at the entire organization and identifying players that need to be moved and upgraded. McCrimmon is a very good GM.

My bad I meant Jonathan Marchessault.
- Pixote Andolini

Flyers currently picking 9th overall. 2 points back of a top 5 pick.

Flyers currently picking 9th overall. 2 points back of a top 5 pick.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

After Laughton and Michkov avoiding serious injury, best news of the night.

Flyers currently picking 9th overall. 2 points back of a top 5 pick.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Just reinforces and supports Briere's recent comments of "You look at the teams that are stuck at the bottom of the standings – it’s so tough to get out of it. That was part of why we talked about the rebuild. We didn’t want to fall all the way down to the bottom. We wanted to stay competitive and have our young guys learning through a competitive team and a team that has a chance to win and make the playoffs, because it’s so tough to get out of there."

Thank goodness the Flyers young guys are learning though a competitive team that has a chance of making the playoffs. Wouldn't want them stuck at the bottom.

Just reinforces and supports Briere's recent comments of "You look at the teams that are stuck at the bottom of the standings – it’s so tough to get out of it. That was part of why we talked about the rebuild. We didn’t want to fall all the way down to the bottom. We wanted to stay competitive and have our young guys learning through a competitive team and a team that has a chance to win and make the playoffs, because it’s so tough to get out of there."

Thank goodness the Flyers young guys are learning though a competitive team that has a chance of making the playoffs. Wouldn't want them stuck at the bottom.
- MJL

Laughton's kiss on Michkov's helmet will be part of the marketing campaign for season ticket sales in the summer with Laught's 5 yr extension announced. Flyers "culture" is the best in hockey. And trust us, this is the year Rocky figures out the PP.

Didn’t see the game with Wild playing.But Phil Myers 18 min, an assist, two blocked shots and five hits. Was he that good?

i just want the TDL already