Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 4/18/13 vs. Devils

Rangers must lose
Winnipeg must lose

LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!



LET'S GO FLYERS!!! CLAP! ~ CLAP! ~ CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!!!

Is Andrei Loktionov hurt or something?

Columbus currently holds the 8th playoff spot in the west with 4 games left. Go Bob!

If they do make it to the playoffs it will make for one heck of a cinderella story.

Is Andrei Loktionov hurt or something?
- johndewar

He's day to day with an undisclosed injury.

He's day to day with an undisclosed injury.
- MJL

Thanks!

It's funny that teams with great defensemen but no offense are in the running for Seth Jones precisely because they wouldn't trade their star defensemen for forward help but they are considered prudent for not selling the defensemen for less than half an opposing team's roster.

Collecting defensemen while sitting at the bottom of the standings is just as bad as collecting forwards and having no defensemen at the bottom of the standings.

It's funny that teams with great defensemen but no offense are in the running for Seth Jones precisely because they wouldn't trade their star defensemen for forward help but they are considered prudent for not selling the defensemen for less than half an opposing team's roster.

Collecting defensemen while sitting at the bottom of the standings is just as bad as collecting forwards and having no defensemen at the bottom of the standings.
- Flyers_01

Yep, you have to have a balanced team.

Thanks!
- johndewar

That's all the info that I could find. And it's pretty vague.

I'm hoping that we give Mason the start.

It's nice having a goalie back there who can play the puck effectively!

It's funny that teams with great defensemen but no offense are in the running for Seth Jones precisely because they wouldn't trade their star defensemen for forward help but they are considered prudent for not selling the defensemen for less than half an opposing team's roster.

Collecting defensemen while sitting at the bottom of the standings is just as bad as collecting forwards and having no defensemen at the bottom of the standings.
- Flyers_01

There's other prospects who are as good as Seth Jones. If I was picking first, I'd take Nathan MacKinnon.

Also, which team with great defensemen are in the hunt for the top pick? Right now, in the bottom ten, there's Nashville & Phoenix. Nobody else has a guy who is a Norris level player. There's teams that have some good young defensemen, but they're not elite guys yet.

There's other prospects who are as good as Seth Jones. If I was picking first, I'd take Nathan MacKinnon.

Also, which team with great defensemen are in the hunt for the top pick? Right now, in the bottom ten, there's Nashville & Phoenix. Nobody else has a guy who is a Norris level player. There's teams that have some good young defensemen, but they're not elite guys yet.
- Jsaquella

Read the last six words in Darth Vader's voice a la TESB: "...not a Jedi yet."

Loving the Mucinex sinus spray and the high I get from it. Yay Meds!

There's other prospects who are as good as Seth Jones. If I was picking first, I'd take Nathan MacKinnon.

Also, which team with great defensemen are in the hunt for the top pick? Right now, in the bottom ten, there's Nashville & Phoenix. Nobody else has a guy who is a Norris level player. There's teams that have some good young defensemen, but they're not elite guys yet.
- Jsaquella

Those are the 2 specific teams i was talking about. Both have been linked to the Flyers in the past and both probably would've been better off with a more balanced team but who wanted astronomical trade value for their defensemen. Nashville in particular, $27 mill and counting over the last 12 months (including this coming offseason) with no playoffs. Apparantly Weber is not the key to them making the playoffs as they thought.

Is Andrei Loktionov hurt or something?
- johndewar

Pointless in his left seven games. He skated on "5th line" with the healthy scratches (Barch, Kostopoulos) at practice yesterday. Still possible he could end up in the starting lineup tonight, however.

http://www.nj.com/devils/...call_alex_urbom_from.html

Pointless in his left seven games. He skated on "5th line" with the healthy scratches (Barch, Kostopoulos) at practice yesterday. Still possible he could end up in the starting lineup tonight, however.

http://www.nj.com/devils/...call_alex_urbom_from.html
- bmeltzer

Thanks! Thought he looked like a good prospect that NJD got for almost nothing.

It's never good to be on the 5th line....

Pointless in his left seven games. He skated on "5th line" with the healthy scratches (Barch, Kostopoulos) at practice yesterday. Still possible he could end up in the starting lineup tonight, however.

http://www.nj.com/devils/...call_alex_urbom_from.html
- bmeltzer

Former King and current Devil? Probably due for a 2-goal night against the Flyers if he plays.

Hey Bill wanted your take on the flyers seemingly more inspired play with the additions of young defensemen in the line up. I love to see the Mannings of the world getting a chance. I truely feel there is only so much you can learn in the AHL and can even develop bad habits can happen such as Gus being able to use his speed to overcome a poorly timed pinch in the AHL but in the NHL it leads to prime scoring chance for the over team.

Those are the 2 specific teams i was talking about. Both have been linked to the Flyers in the past and both probably would've been better off with a more balanced team but who wanted astronomical trade value for their defensemen. Nashville in particular, $27 mill and counting over the last 12 months (including this coming offseason) with no playoffs. Apparantly Weber is not the key to them making the playoffs as they thought.
- Flyers_01

It seems to me that you're assuming that Nashville thought they could make the playoffs with just Weber, and not building a better team around him. Also have to consider if trading Weber would mean they make the playoffs. There's always two sides of it. And all the variables and possibilities need to be considered. In my opinion, Nashville absolutely made the right choice.

Those are the 2 specific teams i was talking about. Both have been linked to the Flyers in the past and both probably would've been better off with a more balanced team but who wanted astronomical trade value for their defensemen. Nashville in particular, $27 mill and counting over the last 12 months (including this coming offseason) with no playoffs. Apparantly Weber is not the key to them making the playoffs as they thought.
- Flyers_01

Some flyers fans believe that a Norris calibre #1 one defenseman is needed to win a Stanley Cup yet I can name teams that have won without them; Carolina and Pittsburgh since the lockout. Yet you cant name teams that have won a cup without a top notch center. And usually those winning teams are two deep at the position.

Hey Bill wanted your take on the flyers seemingly more inspired play with the additions of young defensemen in the line up. I love to see the Mannings of the world getting a chance. I truely feel there is only so much you can learn in the AHL and can even develop bad habits can happen such as Gus being able to use his speed to overcome a poorly timed pinch in the AHL but in the NHL it leads to prime scoring chance for the over team.
- mhbst7

I'm not Bill but I believe there are certain players that can thrive at the NHL level compared to the AHL because there is no chance for them to over think. It's akin to a team playing up (or down) to the level of their competition, on a personal scale. Thing is, if you can't trust them at the AHL level they often won't get a shot unless they impress at preseason camp.

I'm missing some playoffs math

Some flyers fans believe that a Norris calibre #1 one defenseman is needed to win a Stanley Cup yet I can name teams that have won without them; Carolina and Pittsburgh since the lockout. Yet you cant name teams that have won a cup without a top notch center. And usually those winning teams are two deep at the position.
- psuhockey

It certainly is possible to win the Stanley Cup without a top #1 defenseman. I don't know that it has to be a Norris caliber player. But the odds of winning a Cup are definitely better with a top all situations #1 defenseman.

It certainly is possible to win the Stanley Cup without a top #1 defenseman. I don't know that it has ot be a Norris caliber player. But the odds of winning a Cup are definitely better with a top all situations #1 defenseman.
- MJL

No doubt. I was jabbing at the trade everyone for a defenseman crowd.

Columbus currently holds the 8th playoff spot in the west with 4 games left. Go Bob!

If they do make it to the playoffs it will make for one heck of a cinderella story.
- Flyers_01

bob wins the cup / con smythe/ vezina.....go flyers