Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: One of Those Glass Half-Full, Half-Empty Nights

Just remember: they could be the Islanders.

Just remember: they could be the Islanders.
- jmatchett383

and have four stanley cup banners hanging from the rafters.

and have four stanley cup banners hanging from the rafters.
- Doc_Sarcasm

Those banners aren't winning them many games this year.

In the end, there was a skills competition (AKA a shootout) with a bonus point on the line. For the Flyers, that almost always means settling for one point instead of two. Last night was no exception.

I love how year in and year out this franchise does nothing to improve in shootouts and routinely piss point after point away. People throw their hands up and say, well it's a gimmick, it's not part of hockey... I don't necessarily disagree with that sentiment, but as long as it's in the rules of the NHL being the worst team in the league at it is unacceptable.

In the end, there was a skills competition (AKA a shootout) with a bonus point on the line. For the Flyers, that almost always means settling for one point instead of two. Last night was no exception.

I love how year in and year out this franchise does nothing to improve in shootouts and routinely piss point after point away. People throw their hands up and say, well it's a gimmick, it's not part of hockey... I don't necessarily disagree with that sentiment, but as long as it's in the rules of the NHL being the worst team in the league at it is unacceptable.
- PLindbergh31

Wasn't Jussi Jokinen on waivers a little bit ago?

I still would like to believe that we never placed Hall on waivers.

Hi Bill-
Mark Streit is playing exactly how the hundreds of Islander fans described to us at the time of the signing. How come these fans could recognize that we are overpaying for him (too much $ AND too many years) but the flyers pro scouts and Homer couldn't see it? Seems to me that the flyers management rushed to judgement without fully evaluating the player and the financial impact of this contract.

Sure appears to be a decision they will regret.

I will take full responsibility for the loss. I turned it on as Rosehill was getting into a fight (why they cut away when it was clearly going on was beyond me) and watched until the end of the first. I missed the second, saw both the 3rd/4th Senators goal, flipped away and then came back for the end of OT/shootout.

So basically, I saw 0 Flyers goals, 3/4 Ottawa goals, and the shootout.

and have four stanley cup banners hanging from the rafters.
- Doc_Sarcasm

I'm sure they're a great comfort to fans who haven't seen a playoff series victory since 1993.

Hi Bill-
Mark Streit is playing exactly how the hundreds of Islander fans described to us at the time of the signing. How come these fans could recognize that we are overpaying for him (too much $ AND too many years) but the flyers pro scouts and Homer couldn't see it? Seems to me that the flyers management rushed to judgement without fully evaluating the player and the financial impact of this contract.

Sure appears to be a decision they will regret.
- jeffherrm

I still believe he will be bought out after the second or third year of the deal, when (hopefully) guys like Hagg/Alt/Gostisbehere should be pushing for jobs.

Mark Streit has been a major disapointment this year....his play early was average and he has now slipped to below average....Frankly I think he should see the press box.....This deal by Holmgren appears to be another swing and a miss....4 more years with a "no trade"....wow.
As JVR starts to come into his own as a power forward who can skate and score, the Flyers have a plodding defenceman who with any luck may develop into a average 4th .....wow.
and what do we have?? a GM who likes his team???? (whats he supposed to sayI guess) and an owner who thinks Holmgren has done a great job???
Honesltly I never used to miss any games.....now some are actually painful to watch.....the lack of effortand compete by Giroux and Vorecek B. Schenn on some nights is insulting to this organization and to me as a fan.

In the end, there was a skills competition (AKA a shootout) with a bonus point on the line. For the Flyers, that almost always means settling for one point instead of two. Last night was no exception.

I love how year in and year out this franchise does nothing to improve in shootouts and routinely piss point after point away. People throw their hands up and say, well it's a gimmick, it's not part of hockey... I don't necessarily disagree with that sentiment, but as long as it's in the rules of the NHL being the worst team in the league at it is unacceptable.
- PLindbergh31

They did the most important thing they could do to improve in shootouts - they got a goalie who is pretty good at them (and more importantly is a very good goaltender in general.) Mason has a career shootout SV% of .658. The Flyers all time SV% in shootouts is only .575 - 31st in a league with 30 teams.

I would love it if we had one of those weird 4th line guys who was a shootout master, but stopping the other team is more important. Read and Giroux both have great career shootout records, they just didn't get it done last night. And Couturier was very unlucky.

Mark Streit has been a major disapointment this year....his play early was average and he has now slipped to below average....Frankly I think he should see the press box.....This deal by Holmgren appears to be another swing and a miss....4 more years with a "no trade"....wow.
- landros 2

Three more years after this one, and Streit is not listed as having a NTC on capgeek.

Three more years after this one, and Streit is not listed as having a NTC on capgeek.
- Feanor

His 35+ and cap hit are as good, if not better, than an ironclad NMC.

I still believe he will be bought out after the second or third year of the deal, when (hopefully) guys like Hagg/Alt/Gostisbehere should be pushing for jobs.
- jmatchett383

Cap-hit on buy-out after 2-years:
2015-16 $1,125,000
2016-17 $2,875,000
2017-18 $1,625,000
2018-19 $1,625,000


Cap-hit on buy-out after 3-years
2016-17 $2,583,333
2017-18 $1,333,333


Keep in mind, they'll be thinking about buying out Hartnell and Vinny as well...

I think there will be trade partners for Vinny and Streit in their last year since their cap hit will be well under their actual salary. And they might be able to move Pronger for the last two years of his deal to a poor team struggling to hit the cap floor.

Three more years after this one, and Streit is not listed as having a NTC on capgeek.
- Feanor

I guess I could of said 3 1/2....

When was Brayden Schenn's last goal?

Never liked the Streit deal. I was optimistic that he might be a nice surprise and really be a solid qb for the Flyers PP. Instead he's not as smooth and confident with the puck and has a very tough time getting looks through traffic and to the net for someone making his salary. He's a lot slower than I thought as well.

Three more years after this one, and Streit is not listed as having a NTC on capgeek.
- Feanor

Kicking fans when they're down...

Cap-hit on buy-out after 2-years:
2015-16 $1,125,000
2016-17 $2,875,000
2017-18 $1,625,000
2018-19 $1,625,000


Cap-hit on buy-out after 3-years
2016-17 $2,583,333
2017-18 $1,333,333


Keep in mind, they'll be thinking about buying out Hartnell and Vinny as well...
- Tomahawk

I don't think Hartnell gets bought out only because he seems pretty popular amongst his teammates.

Cap-hit on buy-out after 2-years:
2015-16 $1,125,000
2016-17 $2,875,000
2017-18 $1,625,000
2018-19 $1,625,000


Cap-hit on buy-out after 3-years
2016-17 $2,583,333
2017-18 $1,333,333


Keep in mind, they'll be thinking about buying out Hartnell and Vinny as well...
- Tomahawk

If by 16-17 the cap ceiling is 80-85 million the buyout may not be such a big deal. I doubt they will buyout Vinnie; if injuries sideline him, he can go on LTIR or retire without any cap penalty. Hartnell will end up an overpaid 2nd or 3rd liner but with the way the cap is skyrocketing, 4-5 mil cap hits may not be such a big deal in a few years.

Never liked the Streit deal. I was optimistic that he might be a nice surprise and really be a solid qb for the Flyers PP. Instead he's not as smooth and confident with the puck and has a very tough time getting looks through traffic and to the net for someone making his salary. He's a lot slower than I thought as well.
- Pixote Andolini

It's Bryz all over again... you have to wonder if Homer even consults his pro scouts on these kinds of moves... it definitely doesn't seem like he does any due diligence (talking to the player's former coaches, teammates, other team's scouts, etc.). It would have been pretty easy to find out that Streit was no Erik Karlsson.

I drank myself under the table last night and missed the last half of the game.
Sigh...
Unusual even for me. As I force myself to watch them win or lose.
I'm actually glad we made it out with a point.

Never liked the Streit deal. I was optimistic that he might be a nice surprise and really be a solid qb for the Flyers PP. Instead he's not as smooth and confident with the puck and has a very tough time getting looks through traffic and to the net for someone making his salary. He's a lot slower than I thought as well.
- Pixote Andolini

If the PP was a well oiled machine, with Streit at the controls, you could live with him.

I don't even feel like he's playing the PP particularly well at this point.