Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: State of the Team

Bill,

I would love to hear your take on Hextall's comments of the Flyers "not playing poorly."

Holy poop. Glancing at the last thread you people want to trade Ghost and Gudas.

Yes, trading 2 of our best d-men should make the team better! You guys are beneath hockeybuzz GMs. This poop is hard to read tbh. Provorov-Ghost/Sanheim-Gudas is the best top 4 they could come up with, not that this play to not lose, safety first moron of a coach could wrap his head around that. More Hagg, more Manning, more MacDonald! That’s the ticket!

There needs to be some sort of change here. Teams that lose 9 in a row don't magically turn things around on their own.

One thing won't fix this team. That doesn't mean nothing should happen. It means quite a few things need to happen. I'm not saying they all need to be addressed this instant but the idea that things will sort themselves out as the season progresses just seems a tad too wishful for me.

Is it total panic for many here yet?

Agreed on most of what you said Bill. I was embarrassed at the game when the "fire Hakstol" chants started. I felt like asking every fan who participated, including the clown 2 seats over from me, if they thought that would fix everything.

Do I think Hakstol's seat should be getting warm? You're darn right. I don't like seeing Manning getting as much ice time as he has been and definitely don't agree with both Weise and Lehtera in the lineup over Weal and Leier. And I'm pretty sure with the goalie pulled, Nolan Patrick never got on the ice even when the "2nd unit" was out there.

There's a lot I question Hakstol for, but firing him right now will not be a magic bullet.

Bill,

I would love to hear your take on Hextall's comments of the Flyers "not playing poorly."
- ggunky

Point 2 of today's blog and the first portion of the Flyer Buzz podcast go into detail about thw topic of how they've been playing and what needs to get better to play well in a non-fragmented way.

Holy poop. Glancing at the last thread you people want to trade Ghost and Gudas.

Yes, trading 2 of our best d-men should make the team better! You guys are beneath hockeybuzz GMs. This poop is hard to read tbh. Provorov-Ghost/Sanheim-Gudas is the best top 4 they could come up with, not that this play to not lose, safety first moron of a coach could wrap his head around that. More Hagg, more Manning, more MacDonald! That’s the ticket!
- Mononoke

In fairness I was also getting rid of Filppula. I'm on tilt after it became clear my true love is lost forever

There needs to be some sort of change here. Teams that lose 9 in a row don't magically turn things around on their own.
- hereticpride

Not sure I agree with that. It doesn't take "magic" but it does take being honest about what needs to be addressed. Flyers still tied for fewest 5-on-5 GA in NHL this season despite a few recent bad games in that regard. It's a start. Lots of parity in NHL.

This is same core group that had 106 points over 2016 calendar year (essentially second half of 2015-16 season and first-half of last season over about 85 games). The 2017 calendar year has been ugly. The real level of time is somewhere in between.

Crazy thoughts.

The flyers seem hell bent on “roles”.

Strongly disagree with that. Play the best player available if they are ready for the NHL.

Just my thoughts I suppose.

There is no excuse for an NHL club with the financial resources like the Flyers to expose its fans to players like Lehtera year after year.

I guess we will see if this team can get it self turned around .....if we take Hextall at his word and from comments I heard today, of course we can’t, then he doesn’t see a change coming because the performance is not indicative of their record.
I just hope fans realize that most rebuilds don’t work....it’s tough going from brutal to contender. There are more failures then success stories. It’s wonderful that everyone got on board with this new patient Philadelphia Flyers mantra, but the development of the prospects will be the key to its success....is Hackstol the guy to help develop these kids ? Obviously Hextall thinks he is other wise their performance over the last year would have gotten him fired.

Not sure I agree with that. It doesn't take "magic" but it does take being honest about what needs to be addressed. Flyers still tied for fewest 5-on-5 GA in NHL this season despite a few recent bad games in that regard. It's a start. Lots of parity in NHL.

This is same core group that had 106 points over 2016 calendar year (essentially second half of 2015-16 season and first-half of last season over about 85 games). The 2017 calendar year has been ugly. The real level of time is somewhere in between.
- bmeltzer

True. They are doing some things well but what they aren't doing well is a must to be addressed in my book.

In response to that then the change I would suggest falls to Lappy. The PK is a mess and there have been numerous 2nd chances thrown his way when the penalty kill goes bad. Do it now. Do it at the end of the season. It just needs to be done.

Crazy thoughts.

The flyers seem hell bent on “roles”.

Strongly disagree with that. Play the best player available if they are ready for the NHL.

Just my thoughts I suppose.

There is no excuse for an NHL club with the financial resources like the Flyers to expose its fans to players like Lehtera year after year.


- flyer_nutter

No different from any other team.

Other NHL teams have stud players as their 13th forward

No different from any other team.

Other NHL teams have stud players as their 13th forward
- MJL

Raise your standards sir.

Crazy thoughts.

The flyers seem hell bent on “roles”.

Strongly disagree with that. Play the best player available if they are ready for the NHL.

Just my thoughts I suppose.

There is no excuse for an NHL club with the financial resources like the Flyers to expose its fans to players like Lehtera year after year.
- flyer_nutter

Well they throw their money at certain players putting them tightly up against the cap. Then they get stuck taking back bad contracts trying to balance it all out. If anything the Flyers could benefit from being more shrewd financially in my opinion.

As far as roles go I think I get what you're saying and I agree. The players who give you the best chance to win belong on the ice. If it's a top prospect so be it. If Wiese is playing out of his mind with Patrick and said prospect can't come up... so be it. I don't see these decisions being made however.

Raise your standards sir.
- flyer_nutter

Nothing to do with standards.

Well they throw their money at certain players putting them tightly up against the cap. Then they get stuck taking back bad contracts trying to balance it all out. If anything the Flyers could benefit from being more shrewd financially in my opinion.

As far as roles go I think I get what you're saying and I agree. The players who give you the best chance to win belong on the ice. If it's a top prospect so be it. If Wiese is playing out of his mind with Patrick and said prospect can't come up... so be it. I don't see these decisions being made however.
- hereticpride

I get that management doesn’t cater to fans and they shouldn’t.

However playing VDV, Vinny, Manning, Weise/Lehtera when it’s obvious they are poor players is just frustrating. That’s really the best you can find as an organization? Rebuild or not?

Flyers aren’t losing only because of these guys, but they sure as hell aren’t winning because of them.

I think I wish I'd waited a month to buy those tickets for the Toronto game on the 12th, I probably could've gotten them a fair bit cheaper.


Ah well. Go ahead. Panic. Fire Giroux. Trade Hakstol.

Definitely looking forward to your take on Lappy.

The PK has been consistently bad for awhile (even going back to last year and prior) and I don't see any noticeable change, from an x's and o's standpoint.

Lately, they've even put Giroux back on the PK and I thought the whole idea of taking him off of the PK is to keep him from wearing down.

You are right in noting their 5v5 defensive play, but their PK is murdering this team right now. It now stands at 29th and on a team that is developing talent and trying to cultivate better 5v5 play, even an average PK would make a world of difference in wins and losses.

Well they throw their money at certain players putting them tightly up against the cap. Then they get stuck taking back bad contracts trying to balance it all out. If anything the Flyers could benefit from being more shrewd financially in my opinion.

As far as roles go I think I get what you're saying and I agree. The players who give you the best chance to win belong on the ice. If it's a top prospect so be it. If Wiese is playing out of his mind with Patrick and said prospect can't come up... so be it. I don't see these decisions being made however.
- hereticpride

Taking on a contract that you would otherwise not want in order to gain other valuable assets is a frequent tactic of teams like the Flyers in the position they're in. They took on Lehtera and his contract in order to acquire the two first round picks,one of which was Frost and because they can with the cap situation they have. Did you read what Bill wrote about him? So we should fret and moan about Lehtera who when all is said and done and the Flyers are hopefully becoming a top team, won't even be around?

Using young players and putting them in roles and responsibilities just because they're the most talented before they're ready for it is about the worst thing you can do in player development. Hextall alluded to this last night.

I think I wish I'd waited a month to buy those tickets for the Toronto game on the 12th, I probably could've gotten them a fair bit cheaper.


Ah well. Go ahead. Panic. Fire Giroux. Trade Hakstol.
- Doc_Sarcasm

I went through the Season that Shall Not Be Named and I'm sure we'll make it through this one OK, too.

/Fire Stevens
//Trade Carter

I went through the Season that Shall Not Be Named and I'm sure we'll make it through this one OK, too.

/Fire Stevens
//Trade Carter
- johndewar

Personally i don’t blame G one bit. What else do they want him to do for the club?

Drive the Zamboni?

Personally i don’t blame G one bit. What else do they want him to do for the club?

Drive the Zamboni?
- flyer_nutter

He has 29 points in 25 games so far, Giroux is not even close to being apart of what is wrong with this team. The players around him need to step up.

In fairness I was also getting rid of Filppula. I'm on tilt after it became clear my true love is lost forever
- YuenglingJagr

No, he's amazing, and we need him at 2C. Remember how well he did last year too? It's Christmas time, and you can't get rid of his veteran presents.

I got to page 8-9 or so and just found it too nauseating to continue. Everyone is so much saner and has more interesting discussions at pizzabuzz. I've been going there more and more.

That's exactly why Hextall signed Wiese. His FA signings have been exceptionally poor.