Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 3/28/24 @ MTL

Not worried about Washington, just need to stay ahead of Detroit and they’re in. 3rd or a wildcard is immaterial, does it really matter who they play in round one if the choices are NYR, CAR, BOS or FLA?

Just get in. Missing and picking 15th or 16th would be extremely disappointing.

And, if we are going to be honest, if they miss by a point or 2 or via a tiebreaker, Tortorella needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror. His OT strategy has absolutely cost this team points.

I hope that they don't have an after gauntlet hangover.

Would like the Flyers to go on a 6-2-1 run here to close out the season and secure a playoff spot. It starts tonight, the final stretch! Overall the team is playing really well, and would be in better shape if they started their best offensive players in OT. My hope is someone gets to Torts and makes him alter his approach to OT.

I hope that they don't have an after gauntlet hangover.
- Phillywhiteout

This is what concerns me. It would be in line with expectations for them to come out flat.

Would like the Flyers to go on a 6-2-1 run here to close out the season and secure a playoff spot. It starts tonight, the final stretch! Overall the team is playing really well, and would be in better shape if they started their best offensive players in OT. My hope is someone gets to Torts and makes him alter his approach to OT.
- jd250

They seem to be playing better then their record would indicate but with 36 wins and 37 losses they are really just a mediocre below .500 team right now based on wins and losses.

This is what concerns me. It would be in line with expectations for them to come out flat.
- Letterkenney

Wouldn’t shock me at all. I hope they bring it but expect that they might struggle which isn’t good. Montreal is no cake walk. They just beat the avs.

Would like the Flyers to go on a 6-2-1 run here to close out the season and secure a playoff spot. It starts tonight, the final stretch! Overall the team is playing really well, and would be in better shape if they started their best offensive players in OT. My hope is someone gets to Torts and makes him alter his approach to OT.
- jd250

I don’t think anyone can change Tort’s mind on virtually any subject. He’s as stubborn as they come.

I don't want to keep beating this poor horse, but the staff, and Poehling, need to be more cognizant of the situation. If Poehling was laboring he owes it to the team to say he shouldn't be out there to start OT. And it should have been up to the staff if Poehling was playing the "Im ok" line to keep him out.

I don’t think anyone can change Tort’s mind on virtually any subject. He’s as stubborn as they come.
- BiggE

I expect we’ll see dealauriers out in ot alongside Hathaway and staal.

I don't want to keep beating this poor horse, but the staff, and Poehling, need to be more cognizant of the situation. If Poehling was laboring he owes it to the team to say he shouldn't be out there to start OT. And it should have been up to the staff if Poehling was playing the "Im ok" line to keep him out.
- MBFlyerfan

He shouldn’t have been out there to begin with. If you need a guy to win a draw and get off it’s coots. It’s madness

I don’t think anyone can change Tort’s mind on virtually any subject. He’s as stubborn as they come.
- BiggE

That's my biggest issue with Torts and it is indeed maddening!!

I don’t think anyone can change Tort’s mind on virtually any subject. He’s as stubborn as they come.
- BiggE

To be fair, that's pretty much all NHL coaches

To be fair, that's pretty much all NHL coaches
- MJL

Yeah, but not all to the degree of Torts.
Then there were guys like Roger Neilson who was always willing to try something new.

He shouldn’t have been out there to begin with. If you need a guy to win a draw and get off it’s coots. It’s madness
- Hextall271

That is a whole other (related) discussion. Coots has been playing three games in a row with Cates, why separate them then?

That is a whole other (related) discussion. Coots has been playing three games in a row with Cates, why separate them then?
- MBFlyerfan

Cates shouldn’t have been out there either.

The opening duo should have been Coots/TK followed by Frost/Tippett.

Cates shouldn’t have been out there either.

The opening duo should have been Coots/TK followed by Frost/Tippett.
- BiggE

But that would make sense.

To be fair, that's pretty much all NHL coaches
- MJL

Wow, I just had a seizure. You actually almost gave Torts the benefit of the doubt. Almost!

Not worried about Washington, just need to stay ahead of Detroit and they’re in. 3rd or a wildcard is immaterial, does it really matter who they play in round one if the choices are NYR, CAR, BOS or FLA?

Just get in. Missing and picking 15th or 16th would be extremely disappointing.

And, if we are going to be honest, if they miss by a point or 2 or via a tiebreaker, Tortorella needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror. His OT strategy has absolutely cost this team points.
- BiggE

Jersey's heating up. They finally have decent goaltending.

Jersey's heating up. They finally have decent goaltending.
- Tomahawk

I was listening to the NHL Network in the car yesterday, and they said that the Laffs outshot the Devils 25-10 in the first period the other night and that Allen was other worldly. Kept them in the game, and they came back and won. I mentioned that I haven't discounted the Devils although others on here certainly have. They should have made that move for the goalie earlier instead of waiting for the trade deadline.

Jersey's heating up. They finally have decent goaltending.
- Tomahawk

Really baffling how they waited until the very end to make a move to address an apparent need. Why Was the GM that indecisive? What was he waiting for?

I expect we’ll see dealauriers out in ot alongside Hathaway and staal.
- Hextall271

Torts' dream OT trio!

Jersey's heating up. They finally have decent goaltending.
- Tomahawk

8 points and 3 teams to jump is way too many with 9 games left. For them to be an issue for us.

They seem to be playing better then their record would indicate but with 36 wins and 37 losses they are really just a mediocre below .500 team right now based on wins and losses.
- hfc355

Honestly, I have a real problem counting OT losses as real losses and using it to artificially deflate the team's record to push forth a false narrative. OT is 3 on 3 which is not real hockey. And the shootout is even less real hockey. Sure, real hockey or not, OT and shootouts count as 1 additional standings point, but it's unfair to use OT losses as a basis to call a team mediocre.

The Flyers this year are well above a mediocre team and anyone who wants to say they are not have not been watching. The Flyers have stood toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the league and have beaten many of them. And even teams they have not beat, like the Rangers, they have been right there in most of the games. The Flyers are not an elite or top tier team in the league, but they are, at least to me, a 2nd tier team; a team that should be in the playoffs and a team that a top team would not be eager to play. It's been a good hockey season and no one should discount this.

I still can't get over the fact they started Poehling in overtime when he appeared to be carrying an injury.