Seems the penguins series has taken the life out of them, whether it's mentally or physically. The devils also came prepared to out work the flyers and did their homework. Bryz has to be frustrated at being left on an island.
- funmaster18

I actually think the week off after the Pens series has hurt the Flyers. The Flyers have no answers.

Kimmo is getting old. This is when we need Carle to step up. You've stated he's a core member of this team. Well he's sure not showing it much imo.
- rockychocbill

I feel the biggest mistake management can make is not get another top pairing guy for the team.

Carle and Coburn are not those players.

Kimmo is getting worn down, age is catching up big time.

I mean personally I'm ecstatic that they lost. Now I get to tell everyone how I was right about how awful this team is!
- funmaster18

Ding ding ding!

How can a Coach adjust strategically, when his team is being outworked and outplayed all over the ice? Losing puck battle after puck battle. Struggling to create offense. Scotty Bowman behind the Flyers bench right now wouldn't change the outcome tonight.
- MJL

Oh ok, I guess it's not part of a coaches job to have the team ready to compete. Good to know.

Kimmo is getting old. This is when we need Carle to step up. You've stated he's a core member of this team. Well he's sure not showing it much imo.
- rockychocbill

Like I said, I don't agree with your assessment of Carle's game.

Listen, we're not going to get answers until the end of the season, but I think it's pretty clear that the team is mentally or physically spent, along with injuries to a few players. This isn't a Richards-Carter era team, where they just skate along and hope for the best because they can score at will. This team competes--we know that--so personally, I'm going with the idea that the rookies, especially, just don't have anything else to give.
- KGBflyers10

Maybe the rooks are getting tired, but where are JVR and Simmonds to pick up the slack? Jagr is already in off season mode. Sad, just sad.

This team and it's young forwards have shown that they can play solidly defensively. By it's very nature a team made up of young players is inconsistent at times. It is a process that doesn't happen overnight. That's why teams develop over time and Seasons into top teams. This team has the core nucleus to be a top future team.
- MJL

Deja Vu from the Caarter/Richards era.

Carle isn't the only d-man that's playing poorly, but he does apparently think he's due a big raise, and I just don't see it. Give me a playoff performer any time over someone who is 'good' during the regular season.

Seems the penguins series has taken the life out of them, whether it's mentally or physically. The devils also came prepared to out work the flyers and did their homework. Bryz has to be frustrated at being left on an island.
- funmaster18

i don't know that i buy that - as the flyers jumped to a 3-0 series lead, and had a full week to rest up and then quickly prepare for the devils. the emotional baggage isn't there for the devils as the rivalry has really dried up. i thought the flyers would be a bit sluggish at home with the long layoff, but would be fully prepared to play starting in game 3. if anything, they've gotten worse with each game it seems. i'm at a loss for the lack of compete. i don't pin it on the prior series.

Oh ok, I guess it's not part of a coaches job to have the team ready to compete. Good to know.
- PLindbergh31

What can a Coach do to have the team ready to compete? How does he accomplish that? So your saying that the Flyers are being outplayed because Laviolette didn't get them ready to compete in a game where they were already down 2 games to 1? Do you honestly really believe that to be the case?

Seems the penguins series has taken the life out of them, whether it's mentally or physically. The devils also came prepared to out work the flyers and did their homework. Bryz has to be frustrated at being left on an island.
- funmaster18

They are panicking with the puck and the forwards are overly concerned with starting rushes.

Deja Vu from the Caarter/Richards era.

Carle isn't the only d-man that's playing poorly, but he does apparently think he's due a big raise, and I just don't see it. Give me a playoff performer any time over someone who is 'good' during the regular season.
- wolfhounds

Exactly. And I hope they take that into account when thinking about Simmer and being the prototypical Flyer.

Like I said, I don't agree with your assessment of Carle's game.
- MJL

I could walk you through two goals in the last two games where he was terribly slow to react to his check after coming off the wall. He was wandering around today creating unnecessary d zone coverage overlaps. He looks slow and tired. Somebody else tell me I'm wrong here.

Maybe the rooks are getting tired, but where are JVR and Simmonds to pick up the slack? Jagr is already in off season mode. Sad, just sad.
- rockychocbill

Jagr is useless in a series like this. He's not going to work in the trenches. Simmons has been easily knocked off the puck and rushes/forces every pass and shot. JVR is in la la land. I can't say I agree with all of the line juggling, either.

They are panicking with the puck and the forwards are overly concerned with starting rushes.
- Just5

The Flyers just look like their skating with concrete skates.

As a core. Yes I believe so. With Cooties, Schenn, Briere and Giroux.

However you do have to wonder about JVR. Next year is a huge year. He needs to bring it.

Just for a purely speculatory approach, I would be looking to replace JVR and Jagr with players that are more defensively responsible and have more grit.
- flyer_nutter

You need a blend of players on a team.

this sucks, I wanted the flyers to win the cup before the end of the world in december.
- vejim

Flyers winning the Cup would assure the end of the world

I could walk you through two goals in the last two games where he was terribly slow to react to his check after coming off the wall. He was wandering around today creating unnecessary d zone coverage overlaps. He looks slow and tired. Somebody else tell me I'm wrong here.
- rockychocbill

overall, he's been awful this series. and i'm not a carle hater.

Oh is that why Hartnell and JVR and Briere were so bad themselves in their own zone? The youthful infection has caught them? How come someone like Talbot escapes this infection?
- PT21

I didn't come close to saying anything of that nature.

sixers and phillies won

Exactly. And I hope they take that into account when thinking about Simmer and being the prototypical Flyer.
- PT21

Yeah, he's practically invisible. Him and Schenn need to hit to be effective, but apparently they've forgotten how to do that.

Jagr is useless in a series like this. He's not going to work in the trenches. Simmons has been easily knocked off the puck and rushes/forces every pass and shot. JVR is in la la land. I can't say I agree with all of the line juggling, either.
- funmaster18

they've all been bad. jagr has been especially invisible. the load shouldn't be on his shoulders though.

Flyers winning the Cup would assure the end of the world
- GoFlyersGoSlovakia

One of these decades they will win it.

Giroux, Jake, Simmonds, JVR, Schenn, Couturier, Wellwood, Gus, Grossmann, Coburn, Carle, Read

What's their average age?

Hartnell, Talbot?

Briere, Jagr, Timmo, Llija?

12 guys young 28 and younger I think. 2 guys around 30 and 4 old timers.

5 of tonight's lineup are rookies, jake and Simmonds not a whole lot of playoff experience.
I didn't expect them to win the cup. I will watch Tuesday but I am not very optimistic?

they've all been bad. jagr has been especially invisible. the load shouldn't be on his shoulders though.
- hammarby31

Hard to skate and get your legs moving when you cant control the puck.

sixers and phillies won
- TheSteeg10

hockeybuzz