Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Firing Blanks and Shifting Fortunes

Dead on as always Bill. It was an extremely frustrating game to attend.

The thoughts you offer here prety much echoes the thoughts I made earlier this morning on the game day thread. It was a disapointing game for the Flyers overall. But like you said, have ot have tunnel vision and move on.

When will the return Holmgren got for Bobrovsky (Stolarz and Leier) start paying dividends at the NHL level?

The team looks scarily like the team that started this year. Good defense and not allowing goals, but pathetic offense and not really getting the second chance opportunities let alone capitalizing on the few that they do get.

The good news is that Berube fixed this problem early in the season when the team had no confidence, so hopefully they will be able to fix it much faster when they team has the confidence they now possess.

They are not getting shot through from the point after maintaining zone pressure. If the defense not have to pressure the points it is easy to collapse around the forwards and take away rebound and second chance opportunities.

Also, Giroux needs to make better decisions. There are quite a few chances where he really needs to shoot the damn puck, but either hesitates or tries to force a pass.

When will the return Holmgren got for Bobrovsky (Stolarz and Leier) start paying dividends at the NHL level?
- PLindbergh31

why?

Simply put that game was frustrating. Bill covered everything I would have added. I do not understand why they cannot figure it out against teams like Columbus and New Jersey.

For the most part it seems as if the Flyers are more talented. They just do not put in the consistent effort required to win these games.

I think someone mentioned it last night but it sure seemed like Bob was trying to kick out the rebounds as far as possible past the flyers who were right in the crease

whatever the case, the bounces sure haven't been going flyers way lately

I'm going to have to disagree: McElhinney doesn't get a shutout if he was in net last night; Bob made some very good saves on a few sequences.

No way Mason can be faulted for last night's game. Who would even suggest that?

Flyers PP is letting them down. Not only are they not scoring, they aren't even really getting good pressure and coming out of the 2 minute advantage with some momentum...quite the opposite last night, the Blue Jackets appeared to get energy from the Flyers man-advantages.

Oh well, on to Boston.

Holmgren's returns for a Vezina winning goaltender, and a 30 goal scoring power forward are:

A 6th defenseman, and a few draft picks that may or may not be NHL players.

Sorry, have to do better than that.

Flyers will make the playoffs ... and I see a penguin in the road ahead.

get it on. bang a gong.

Holmgren's returns for a Vezina winning goaltender, and a 30 goal scoring power forward are:

A 6th defenseman, and a few draft picks that may or may not be NHL players.

Sorry, have to do better than that.
- PLindbergh31

Stolarz leads the OHL in save percentage and is 2nd in the whole CHL in save percentage...

Holmgren's returns for a Vezina winning goaltender, and a 30 goal scoring power forward are:

A 6th defenseman, and a few draft picks that may or may not be NHL players.

Sorry, have to do better than that.
- PLindbergh31

Laviolette had a lot to do with getting rid of Bob. So did Snider. Homer is probably 3rd on the responsible parties list. And when he was on the Flyers, did you think Bob was Vezina good?

Stolarz leads the OHL in save percentage and is 2nd in the whole CHL in save percentage...
- PhillySportsGuy

That's great. Doesn't necessarily equate at the NHL level. Isn't he still at least 2 years away if not more?

Holmgren's returns for a Vezina winning goaltender, and a 30 goal scoring power forward are:

A 6th defenseman, and a few draft picks that may or may not be NHL players.

Sorry, have to do better than that.
- PLindbergh31

Hmm
he also acquired a pretty good starting goalie for a 3rd round pick and a solid, mobile, puck moving dman for a 2nd and a 3rd. I guess those moves don't count.

All GMs make good deals and bad. Overall I think Holmgren has been pretty solid. His 1st rounders have been very good and I think overall he's done a decent job in making trades. The overall results have also been good. In 6 full seasons, he's made the playoffs 5 times, gone to conference finals and 1 cup final. Is that great? No, but I think it's better than average and there's no guarantee that replacing him with GM ? , is going to be any better.

Barring a total late season collapse and missing the playoffs, I'm willing to give Holmgren at least another year.

Holmgren's returns for a Vezina winning goaltender, and a 30 goal scoring power forward are:

A 6th defenseman, and a few draft picks that may or may not be NHL players.

Sorry, have to do better than that.
- PLindbergh31

They may or may not be a future Vezina-winning goaltender or 30 goal scorer.

Sound ridiculous, right?

Well so does your argument. No one knows whether or not Bob would be a Vezina winning goaltender. JVR would probably turn into a 30 goal scorer, but let's not pretend that he was lighting the lamp all the time here in Philadelphia, or was consistant as Claude Giroux has been for the past three months.

Also, calling Luke Schenn a sixth defenseman is laughable.

Do you even like the Flyers?

Laviolette had a lot to do with getting rid of Bob. So did Snider. Homer is probably 3rd on the responsible parties list. And when he was on the Flyers, did you think Bob was Vezina good?
- wolfhounds

Vezina good? Maybe not. But who didn't recognize the tools? Great lateral movement, great work ethic, etc... Just because a young player gets benched by the coach, doesn't mean he has to be traded.

Laviolette had a lot to do with getting rid of Bob. So did Snider. Homer is probably 3rd on the responsible parties list. And when he was on the Flyers, did you think Bob was Vezina good?
- wolfhounds

i thought he clearly had the potential to be vezina good. was disappointed they moved on from him, but am happy with mason. i'm over it.

why?
- -davies-

We all know why that question was asked!

That's great. Doesn't necessarily equate at the NHL level. Isn't he still at least 2 years away if not more?
- PLindbergh31

So you're saying that's a strike against him, then?

That's great. Doesn't necessarily equate at the NHL level. Isn't he still at least 2 years away if not more?
- PLindbergh31

Mason and Bob have nearly identical stats. Im not sure why you're complaining about. If Mason ends up being just as good as Bob, the Flyers end up winning out by getting a legit goaltending prospect in Stolarz. The Flyers as a team were outplayed last night. They didn't deserve to win.

Holmgren's returns for a Vezina winning goaltender, and a 30 goal scoring power forward are:

A 6th defenseman, and a few draft picks that may or may not be NHL players.

Sorry, have to do better than that.
- PLindbergh31

Where to start! When Holmgren traded Bobrovsky, was he a Vezina winning goaltender? And did anyone think he would be in the very next Season? Let's start there.

They may or may not be a future Vezina-winning goaltender or 30 goal scorer.

Sound ridiculous, right?

Well so does your argument. No one knows whether or not Bob would be a Vezina winning goaltender. JVR would probably turn into a 30 goal scorer, but let's not pretend that he was lighting the lamp all the time here in Philadelphia, or was consistant as Claude Giroux has been for the past three months.

Also, calling Luke Schenn a sixth defenseman is laughable.

Do you even like the Flyers?
- KGBflyers10

Calling a player who plays on the third pairing, and is last in icetime amongst defenseman on the team a 6th defenseman is laughable?

Someone doesn't have to blindly defend every single move a team makes to be a fan.

That's great. Doesn't necessarily equate at the NHL level. Isn't he still at least 2 years away if not more?
- PLindbergh31

Your wrong. Nick cousins was a top point getter in a loaded chl. Booyah!!!!