Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Lose, Rinse, Repeat; Straka

I'm just going to pretend Petr Straka was part of the Bob trade.

I'm just going to pretend Petr Straka was part of the Bob trade.
- phillydentist

Bill can we please assume that Mason will get the rest of the starts? Also are there any call ups you think would benifit from getting a few games at the NHL level? My goal is not to lose as many as possible, but to give some guys a shot and perhaps a look at what it will take to become an everyday NHLer.

Bill can we please assume that Mason will get the rest of the starts? Also are there any call ups you think would benifit from getting a few games at the NHL level? My goal is not to lose as many as possible, but to give some guys a shot and perhaps a look at what it will take to become an everyday NHLer.
- mhbst7

I think McGinn (if fully healthy) should be in the lineup, even if no other call-ups are made in place of Rosehill. Part of Rosehill's presence in the lineup is to be a deterrent from players on other teams taking runs at our better players. Thank God no one like Chris Neil ran around gunning for Voracek last night.

Also, as I see this team going nowhere slowly (they can't seem to do much quickly), I'd like to have the team play Shelley and Knuble int he last game as long as both are healthy, as it will likely be the last NHL game either will play. It would be the classy thing to do.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Lose, Rinse, Repeat; Straka
- bmeltzer

Quick question: Now that there is basically no chance to make the playoffs, does it not make sense to shut Timonen down for the rest of the season and let his foot start to heal up?
Along the same line, what's the point of allowing Briere to return and play again this season? Why risk another concussion and lose the option of a buyout?

Quick question: Now that there is basically no chance to make the playoffs, does it not make sense to shut Timonen down for the rest of the season and let his foot start to heal up?
Along the same line, what's the point of allowing Briere to return and play again this season? Why risk another concussion and lose the option of a buyout?
- BiggE

of course

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Lose, Rinse, Repeat; Straka
- bmeltzer

I made mention of this last night, they're just not a good puck possession team. They rarely keep sustained pressure in the offense zone, badly beaten in the neutral and are often pinned inside their own zone.

Too many passengers, not enough drivers up front.

Having a solid puck-moving defenseman would be a start.

pretty much done rooting for a playoff spot, should we start rooting for a higher draft pick, right now were like 6th, is it possible to be a top 3?

Quick question: Now that there is basically no chance to make the playoffs, does it not make sense to shut Timonen down for the rest of the season and let his foot start to heal up?
Along the same line, what's the point of allowing Briere to return and play again this season? Why risk another concussion and lose the option of a buyout?
- BiggE

Only thing I can think of is, on the very remote possibility that Danny Briere is tradeable, that you can prove the guy is healthy before the summer.

Danny's days here, unfortunately, are numbered.

Bob for Vezina...........Bryz lost in the woods........Holmgren looking for him.....Mr.Snider please tie a can to your GM's ass.And somewhere in sunny LA Richards and Carter smile just a little brighter.

This is just beyond sad.......How do you give up a breakaway on PK?! I was flabbergasted and hammered at that point. In order to watch Flyers play you have to be drunk, so I made it into a game:

1 shot for a Goal Against 2 shots if it was a weak goal
1 shot for a dumb penalty by Hartnell
2 shots for each breakaway against Philly
3 shots for an own goal
1 shot for every time a defenceman was sliding on the ice on his stomach
1 shot for every time Gervais left his man on the rush
2 shots for every PP flyers finish without a shot on goal

So there was 6 shots for breakaways and 3 for goals. It was the 1st time I had drank in a while so I was plastered after the 1st

Bob for Vezina...........Bryz lost in the woods........Holmgren looking for him.....Mr.Snider please tie a can to your GM's ass.And somewhere in sunny LA Richards and Carter smile just a little brighter.
- nellie04

Richards and Carter have to be loving this....Defending cup champs, back in the playoffs and playing good hockey as of late. All while basking in the LA sun! I love the guys we got back on the trade but it set this team back a few seasons.

pretty much done rooting for a playoff spot, should we start rooting for a higher draft pick, right now were like 6th, is it possible to be a top 3?
- mydoglicks

it's a lottery, so a top 3 pick is possible no matter how they finish

1 shot for every time a defenceman was sliding on the ice on his stomach

- xShoot4WarAmpsx

For a couple of our d-men, this is a go-to move.

it's a lottery, so a top 3 pick is possible no matter how they finish
- bradleyc4

i thought the lottery was for the #1 pick and no team will lose more then one spot, like right now we are 6th so we would either pick #1 or #7 or #6 if the worst team remains the #1 pick

Cause I'm bored and the rest of the season is basically just playing out the string, here are my grades for the Flyers players for this season

GOAL
Bryz: B - Overall he has been solid, however at a cap hit of 5.7 million solid is just not good enough. While the play in front of him has been atrocious, he rarely seems to make that momentum turning save that the top goalies always seem to make, and his record on breakaways is just pathetic.

other goalies: Incomplete, no one has played enough to merit a grade.

D
Timonen: A- Plays thru pain and plays hard EVERY shift. Yes he's had to take a few bad penalties due to his loss of a half step or so, but he is still great on the pp and his leadership is invaluable.

L. Schenn: B+ Has gotten better as the season has gone on which is something can be said for very few players on this team. Looks to have the potential to be a good NHL shutdown defender and makes a decent first pass out of the zone.

Coburn: D By far the biggest disappointment on the Flyers blueline and perhaps overall. Constant turnovers, bad decisions and poor positioning are just inexusable.

Mezaros: Incomplete, has been healthy enough to earn a grade

Grossmann: B+ Is very good at being what he is: a solid physical shutdown Defenseman. Asking him to do any more is pointless.

Gervais: C- Was brought in to be a 6/7 guy. Asking him to play more than 10-12 minutes on the 3rd pair is asking too much. On the down side, makes too many boneheaded plays for a player with that much experience.

Foster: D Generally ineffective even in a limited role.

Gustafsson: D Just can't see him ever playing regularly in the NHL. Basically a younger version of Danny Syvret.

Huskins and Lauridsen: Both get incompletes, too small a sample size to make a sound judgement.

Coming in few minutes, the forwards

i thought the lottery was for the #1 pick and no team will lose more then one spot, like right now we are 6th so we would either pick #1 or #7 or #6 if the worst team remains the #1 pick
- mydoglicks

That is correct

i thought the lottery was for the #1 pick and no team will lose more then one spot, like right now we are 6th so we would either pick #1 or #7 or #6 if the worst team remains the #1 pick
- mydoglicks

That is correct. Chance of winning the lottery increases the worse you finish as it's a weighted lottery.

Richards and Carter have to be loving this....Defending cup champs, back in the playoffs and playing good hockey as of late. All while basking in the LA sun! I love the guys we got back on the trade but it set this team back a few seasons.
- flyerfan28

Losing Pronger set this team back. Not those two.

Gustafsson: D Just can't see him ever playing regularly in the NHL. Basically a younger version of Danny Syvret.


- BiggE

A "D" here seems a bit harsh. I can't see how he merits anything worse than a C+.

I think with time, Gus can be in your defensive rotation at the NHL level.

injuries or not this team is freakin boring like Homer's personality

Richards and Carter have to be loving this....Defending cup champs, back in the playoffs and playing good hockey as of late. All while basking in the LA sun! I love the guys we got back on the trade but it set this team back a few seasons.
- flyerfan28

Neither of those guys are asked to do in LA what they were asked to do here (i.e.--be the face/leaders of the franchise). Good for them for their success, but don't go thinking that they would have enjoyed the same success here as I don't think that would have been the case.

Cause I'm bored and the rest of the season is basically just playing out the string, here are my grades for the Flyers players for this season

GOAL
Bryz: B - Overall he has been solid, however at a cap hit of 5.7 million solid is just not good enough. While the play in front of him has been atrocious, he rarely seems to make that momentum turning save that the top goalies always seem to make, and his record on breakaways is just pathetic.

other goalies: Incomplete, no one has played enough to merit a grade.

D
Timonen: A- Plays thru pain and plays hard EVERY shift. Yes he's had to take a few bad penalties due to his loss of a half step or so, but he is still great on the pp and his leadership is invaluable.

L. Schenn: B+ Has gotten better as the season has gone on which is something can be said for very few players on this team. Looks to have the potential to be a good NHL shutdown defender and makes a decent first pass out of the zone.

Coburn: D By far the biggest disappointment on the Flyers blueline and perhaps overall. Constant turnovers, bad decisions and poor positioning are just inexusable.

Mezaros: Incomplete, has been healthy enough to earn a grade

Grossmann: B+ Is very good at being what he is: a solid physical shutdown Defenseman. Asking him to do any more is pointless.

Gervais: C- Was brought in to be a 6/7 guy. Asking him to play more than 10-12 minutes on the 3rd pair is asking too much. On the down side, makes too many boneheaded plays for a player with that much experience.

Foster: D Generally ineffective even in a limited role.

Gustafsson: D Just can't see him ever playing regularly in the NHL. Basically a younger version of Danny Syvret.

Huskins and Lauridsen: Both get incompletes, too small a sample size to make a sound judgement.

Coming in few minutes, the forwards
- BiggE

Sorry Timonen is not an A. He is doing ok but is responsible for a lot of defensive errors. Was on for both goals against last night. Makes up for it on the PP. My view is a B at best.
I think you are a bit hard on Coburn.

Neither of those guys are asked to do in LA what they were asked to do here (i.e.--be the face/leaders of the franchise). Good for them for their success, but don't go thinking that they would have enjoyed the same success here as I don't think that would have been the case.
- johndewar

Besides the fact that you guys pummeled us last year in the playoffs, I was a hell of a lot more scared of a Richards Flyers team than a Giroux Flyers team.