Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Is System to Blame?

Great read Bill. It is truly a pleasure to have you write insightful blogs everyday. Thanks

Great work, Bill. I have to think Lava will look at film of this series closely in order to come up with ways to counter the tight-checking system of the Devils. The NHL is a copycat league & there will probably be more teams playing akin to the Rangers & Devils in the East next season.

As for personnel, I would like to see Paul Gaustad in Philly this Fall.

Unfortunately, this is one of the primary questions many of us had after last season.
My feeling was that Holmgren attempted to answer it by changing the makeup of the team with 3 major trades. He gave notice that this was Laviolette's team, not the players'. Now here we are, a year later, with the same questions we had after last season.
I'd like to see new assistants to bring a little different perspective, and some fresh input.

I think any system can work......with the right players at the right time.....we had a lot of banged up players.....like everyone this time of year but we had a lot more banged up rookies.....we will be better next year....our window is open for 5 years and we will have a chance to win the cup in the next few years...we need to have some luck , health, and gm Paul cont to tweak this team as needed.

Bill
Great read as always.

I like the way you point out the differing perspectives of Homer and Lavvy when comparing their idea of need to improve defense. I think in many ways their perspectives may be job related. Holmgren looks at the team/season holistically. It is all related. Laviolette has always been one who preached learn from it and move on but stay "in the system". He does not use "big picture" planning, he plans for the next game based on the last few. He is a coach and is dealing with what is right in front of him and that makes sense....

to a point.

As Bill knows from my annoying tweets and posts during and after games, I am not sold on Laviolette's system being all that. It relies too heavily on catching lightning in a jar. It is definatley fun to watch when the players are up on their skates. Imagine Lindrose in his prime playing the Laviolette system? :-) But the reality of the long season and the ebbs and flows of players energy levels, and then the intense grind of the playoffs...Laviolette's style when clickingis lethal. We know that, we get that. Terry Murray, Ken Hitchcock both use/used more conservative (both in energy expended and in risks taken) and protect players from exposure (remember the pounding that Desjardens and Svoboda took under Barber's open left wing lock). It is those little things, how to protect/defend your players from a forecheck when you only have left handed defensemen, that are the difference...they are the things that make getting through 82 games easier and allow for their to be more physically in the tank for the playoffs...

IMHO...

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Is System to Blame?
- bmeltzer

Obviously the system Laviolette employs can work. The man has a Stanley Cup on his resume, as well as a second Final berth and has also had fair to good success with teams that were not the most talented on paper.

That said, hockey can largely be a battle of match-ups and adjustments. Either the Flyers players failed to execute the adjustments & system properly or the coach failed to make effective adjustments. The blame probably lies in the middle, but it's a fair question.

Laviolette's system is a highly demanding one, that requires a lot of effort and can look really bad if it's not executed properly.

Thanks again, Bill, for your insight

if the flyers added a game changer on d, it would have the most significant impact...someone other teams need to game plan for. any other additions are fairly routine w/ plenty of options.

Bill
Great read as always.

I like the way you point out the differing perspectives of Homer and Lavvy when comparing their idea of need to improve defense. I think in many ways their perspectives may be job related. Holmgren looks at the team/season hollistically. It is all related. Laviolette has always been one who preached learn from it and move on but stay "in the system". He does not use "big picture" planning, he plans for the next game based on the last few. He is a coach and is dealing with what is right in front of him and that makes sense....

to a point.

As Bill knows from my annoying tweets and posts during and after games, I am not sold on Laviolette's system being all that. It relies too heavily on catching lightning in a jar. It is definatley fun to watch when the players are up on their skates. Imagine Lindrose in his prime playing the Laviolette system? :-) But the reality of the long season and the ebbs and flows of players energy levels, and then the intense grind of the playoffs...Laviolette's style when clickingis lethal. We know that, we get that. Terry Murray, Ken Hitchcock both use/used more conservative (both in energy expended and in risks taken) and protect players from exposure (remember the pounding that Desjardens and Svoboda took under Barber's open left wing lock). It is those little things, how to protect/defend your players from a forecheck when you only have left handed defensemen, that are the difference...they are the things that make getting through 82 games easier and allow for their to be more physically in the tank for the playoffs...

IMHO...
- wbon22

I think that Laviolette's system is more than catching lightning in a bottle, my concern is the adjustments when they run into a Rangers or Devils style team that forechecks the Hell out of opposing defensemen and swarms on defense and blocks a ton of shots and keeps the Flyers from getting to the net for second chances and rebounds.

More importantly doesn't generally allow for the high wire passing act that the Flyers use, where guys like Giroux and Timonen hold the puck and wait for something to open up. Teams like the Rangers and Devils don't give them time to do that sort of thing.

Great article Bill

In the 2005-2006 year NHL GPG was 6.1. Lavas cup year

2011-2012 year NHL GPG was 5.3.

5.3 is at the level of prelockout NHL late 90's and early 2000's

Chris Pronger

enough said.

Great article Bill

In the 2005-2006 year NHL GPG was 6.1. Lavas cup year

2011-2012 year NHL GPG was 5.3.

5.3 is at the level of prelockout NHL late 90's and early 2000's
- Just5

Looks like we are back to the way things were...where's Hatcher and Rathje when we need them?

the flyers should try hard to sign justin schultz im not sure if they have a shot but im sure every tam in the leauge will put an offer in

Laviolette's system is a highly demanding one, that requires a lot of effort and can look really bad if it's not executed properly.
- Jsaquella

You hit the nail on the head here. It's not so much an offensively-minded system as much as it is a pressure-the-puck system. If the players are swarming and turning pucks over, it's a thing of beauty to behold. If there's any hesitation, confusion or indecisiveness on the execution side of things, things can fall apart in a hurry.

Just because the remaining teams all tend to play conservatively doesn't mean the Flyers should chuck their identity out the window. It's served them well since Lavi came to town, and the Flyers have had relatively strong postseason showings to boot.

You hit the nail on the head here. It's not so much an offensively-minded system as much as it is a pressure-the-puck system. If the players are swarming and turning pucks over, it's a thing of beauty to behold. If there's any hesitation, confusion or indecisiveness on the execution side of things, things can fall apart in a hurry.

Just because the remaining teams all tend to play conservatively doesn't mean the Flyers should chuck their identity out the window. It's served them well since Lavi came to town, and the Flyers have had relatively strong postseason showings to boot.
- Tomahawk

i agree also i think we all forget that we have one of the youngest teams in the leauge with all the changes we made im surprised we made it as far as we did if we keep our core and add some young dman we will be the team to beat for many years

You hit the nail on the head here. It's not so much an offensively-minded system as much as it is a pressure-the-puck system. If the players are swarming and turning pucks over, it's a thing of beauty to behold. If there's any hesitation, confusion or indecisiveness on the execution side of things, things can fall apart in a hurry.

Just because the remaining teams all tend to play conservatively doesn't mean the Flyers should chuck their identity out the window. It's served them well since Lavi came to town, and the Flyers have had relatively strong postseason showings to boot.
- Tomahawk

At most I'd advocate for minor tweaks and adjustments. They did lose to the Devils in 5, but that series was a few inches from being 2-1 Flyers after game three, and the Devils were basically winning one or two goal games.

The valid question could be does Laviolette's system run a team down over a long season, especially key parts like Kimmo Timonen, who are older players.

Chris Pronger

enough said.
- Rimland

agreed

he has a way of making any system look just fine

i agree also i think we all forget that we have one of the youngest teams in the leauge with all the changes we made im surprised we made it as far as we did if we keep our core and add some young dman we will be the team to beat for many years
- griouxmvp2012

You are entirely correct.

Time for a little honesty. What would you have said if someone had suggested during the preseason that Giroux would have a break out season and establish himself as a super star, maybe the most exciting young talent in the league. And, that Couturier would have a remarkable rookie campaign along with superb years from Reid, Schenn, Voracek and Simmons. Would you have been certain they were a 100 point team or they had the depth and talent to destroy the Pens in the playoffs?

I think Flyer management and coaching have been wonderful. This is a very young team. Flyer fans should discuss strengths and weaknesses but they should not stop celebrating a great year and the even greater potential it is offering.

You are entirely correct.

Time for a little honesty. What would you have said if someone had suggested during the preseason that Giroux would have a break out season and establish himself as a super star, maybe the most exciting young talent in the league. And, that Couturier would have a remarkable rookie campaign along with superb years from Reid, Schenn, Voracek and Simmons. Would you have been certain they were a 100 point team or they had the depth and talent to destroy the Pens in the playoffs?

I think Flyer management and coaching have been wonderful. This is a very young team. Flyer fans should discuss strengths and weaknesses but they should not stop celebrating a great year and the even greater potential it is offering.
- spatso

Well said.

You are entirely correct.

Time for a little honesty. What would you have said if someone had suggested during the preseason that Giroux would have a break out season and establish himself as a super star, maybe the most exciting young talent in the league. And, that Couturier would have a remarkable rookie campaign along with superb years from Reid, Schenn, Voracek and Simmons. Would you have been certain they were a 100 point team or they had the depth and talent to destroy the Pens in the playoffs?

I think Flyer management and coaching have been wonderful. This is a very young team. Flyer fans should discuss strengths and weaknesses but they should not stop celebrating a great year and the even greater potential it is offering.
- spatso

Amen.

Can we have Justin Faulk?

Can we have Justin Faulk?
- jak521

i think the lyers should make a push for justin schiltz if he dont sign with the ducks

i think the lyers should make a push for justin schiltz if he dont sign with the ducks
- griouxmvp2012

That's where the 50 contract limit hurts them. Does Schultz immediately step in to the NHL with the Flyers? Maybe, but he had a much better shot at immediate NHL work with the Ducks.

Also, it's not realistic to expect a kid straight from the NCAA to step in and be the dynamic player the Flyers seem to be targeting on defense.

USA makes it 5-0 in the 3rd against Finland.

And Salmela nails Goligoski into the boards. Frustration.

Chris Pronger

enough said.
- Rimland

x2