Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Boston, Slow Starts, Special Teams, Injury Updates

After the half-hour ceremony finally concluded, the Flyers made first-period goals by Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek (in his Flyers debut) stand up the rest of the way. Making his Flyers debut, Ilya Bryzgalov (22 saves on 23 shots) outdueled reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas (27 saves on 29 shots) to earn the victory.

Before my time here but I can just imagine what the blog was like the night of/day after this one

lots of info on this one, Bill. Thanks for taking the time. Flyers decided to reward you by waiting until you hit submit to loan out Neuvirth

Great read, as always.

3) Through the first nine games of the 2018-19 regular season, the Flyers have been maddeningly inconsistent from game to game and, sometimes, from period to period.
- bmeltzer

So would it be fair to say they've been consistent in their inconsistency?

9) Michal Neuvirth is ready to be cleared for a conditioning assignment to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, per Ron Hextall. The announcement of the assignment came this morning.
- bmeltzer

Any guesses on what they will do with Pickard?

lots of info on this one, Bill. Thanks for taking the time. Flyers decided to reward you by waiting until you hit submit to loan out Neuvirth

Yay! Michael Neuvirth is back! We were officially just put over the hump...

Good job Bill.

Looks like Flyers decided to reward you by waiting until you hit submit to loan out Neuvirth

I predict that Hak's last game as Flyers coach will be a blowout loss to the Pens on December 1st, 2018, which is followed by a four day break. Even Hextall can't keep watching this blocked toilet of a team and pretending it's fine forever.

I predict that Hak's last game as Flyers coach will be a blowout loss to the Pens on December 1st, 2018, which is followed by a four day break. Even Hextall can't keep watching this blocked toilet of a team and pretending it's fine forever.
- Feanor

Hes not getting fired

Any guesses on what they will do with Pickard?
- Atomic Wedgie

Take him out back and put him out of his misery.

Hes not getting fired
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Almost every coach gets fired eventually. If the Flyers can fire a Cup winner like Laviolette, they can certainly fire a college coach with a year and change left on his deal.

Post

So would it be fair to say they've been consistent in their inconsistency?
- Atomic Wedgie

Nothing. They need to see if Neuvirth can actually survive the trip to LHV, let alone make it through a game, before they do anything.

But, once they waive Pickard, you can have him. He’s mediocre at best.

Coots is still feeling the affects of the knee. Seems slower and has been out of position a few times. He gave up on the play on the Vegas goal after he flubbed the clear. Could still be pain or knee not 100%. Loss of camp time definitely affecting him. Hopefully he finds his game soon.

Provy does not seem like himself. He'll pick up soon. Kid's a warrior.

Raffl loss hurts. He is a NHL serviceable player that can move through line up.

Boston is game #10. Sloppy play aside and poor goaltending aside, 5 and 5 after these 10 games is a positive. Tough opening schedule. Let's get all this bs corrected before we start to play more divisional games.

Thanks, Bill. Great stuff.

Hes not getting fired
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

He will certainly get fired, all coaches do at some point. With only one year left on his deal, he probably is one extended slump away from getting the axe. Even if he makes it through the season, if they miss the playoffs or go down easily in the first round, he’s gone.

Coots is still feeling the affects of the knee. Seems slower and has been out of position a few times. He gave up on the play on the Vegas goal after he flubbed the clear. Could still be pain or knee not 100%. Loss of camp time definitely affecting him. Hopefully he finds his game soon.

Provy does not seem like himself. He'll pick up soon. Kid's a warrior.

Raffl loss hurts. He is a NHL serviceable player that can move through line up.

Boston is game #10. Sloppy play aside and poor goaltending aside, 5 and 5 after these 10 games is a positive. Tough opening schedule. Let's get all this bs corrected before we start to play more divisional games.

Thanks, Bill. Great stuff.
- cdearth23

Gonna be a tough game tomorrow, a win would be really nice.

Not a great schedule for a team that's lost the plot. Arizona and LA aren't good either, but the Flyers usually struggle to beat them on the road.

at BOS
vs NYI
at ANA
at LAK
at SJS
at ARZ

I predict that Hak's last game as Flyers coach will be a blowout loss to the Pens on December 1st, 2018, which is followed by a four day break. Even Hextall can't keep watching this blocked toilet of a team and pretending it's fine forever.
- Feanor

Predicting or hoping?

I highly doubt we win tomorrow.

Having said that, I can totally see us winning like 4 or 5-1 and then losing the next 4 games.

Predicting or hoping?
- MJL

I hope he gets fired before that. The team looks worse now than when he took over three years ago.

He will certainly get fired, all coaches do at some point. With only one year left on his deal, he probably is one extended slump away from getting the axe. Even if he makes it through the season, if they miss the playoffs or go down easily in the first round, he’s gone.
- BiggE

Exactly. We have seen too much now to make excuses for Hak. We keep seeing these players that we know can play at a high level not performing at that level, at least not consistently. And the slow starts, the inconsistent play period to period, these intangibles that aren't a direct result of talent, at some point it has to be on the coach to fix these things. I think Hak had a pretty long leash, and I was hopeful he could help this team improve... but I think that leash is pretty short now.

I predict that Hak's last game as Flyers coach will be a blowout loss to the Pens on December 1st, 2018, which is followed by a four day break. Even Hextall can't keep watching this blocked toilet of a team and pretending it's fine forever.
- Feanor

Would love to see this happen but who do they hire? There is not a lot of quality sitting out there. Vigneault?

So broad street hockey has been doing this Sounds from the Lockerroom segment and it’s essentially post-game interviews.

The most recent one is post-Avs loss and aside from Simmonds saying the typical “we need to be better” the young guys had some interesting answers. NoPa specifically noted the team can’t wake up and dominate late in the game when down/losing; you have to bring this for 60 minutes. And Sanheim and Hagg spoke similarly saying it has to be a full 60 minutes. And these are young players fighting for minutes and trying to establish themselves in a tough NHL league; it makes me wonder a little if some of the vets (other than the scapegoats Weise, Lehtera) are the ones shooting this team in the foot whether it’s an effort thing or just not mentally preparing for games. Idk what it is but we need to steer this ship.

Sigh.