Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Flyers Daily, Looming Lineup Decisions for Tuesday

0-3 oilers will be looking to smack someone around
will be a tough game

* Will Emil Andrae enter the lineup (and PP2) in Edmonton? If so, one of Egor Zamula (rough patches in both Vancouver and Calgary) or Erik Johnson (seventh D on the depth chart) will come out on Tuesday.

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The answer to that question should always be Erik Johnson. He should never be playing over a healthy player at this stage of his career.

Given the lead time on Seeler's injury it's ridiculous that they weren't prepared for him to miss significant time on the road trip and having EJ forced to play the 1st two games.

I feel like Laughton should be scratched. I get he assisted on the shorthanded goal but outside that I don't think he has played great in both games to my novice eyes.

Again this comes back to roster construction and why the need to have all 3 of Laughton, Poehling and Cates on the roster.

0-3 oilers will be looking to smack someone around
will be a tough game
- 2Real

Sad to say I am starting to think this might be a get right game for them and might take the Oilers puck line.

* Will Emil Andrae enter the lineup (and PP2) in Edmonton? If so, one of Egor Zamula (rough patches in both Vancouver and Calgary) or Erik Johnson (seventh D on the depth chart) will come out on Tuesday.

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The answer to that question should always be Erik Johnson. He should never be playing over a healthy player at this stage of his career.

Given the lead time on Seeler's injury it's ridiculous that they weren't prepared for him to miss significant time on the road trip and having EJ forced to play the 1st two games.
- Flyers_01

They were prepared. They chose to take a 14th FWD instead of 8D. EJ is there for this very reason. It isnt as if they played games with 5D because they new Seeler was hurt and did nothing. Andrae is there now, there is no reason to sit him Tuesday. It would be negligent to sit Andrae. Why call up a young player to not play him. I can understand why not having him in CGY due to travel but going forward he should be in the lineup or sent down

Sad to say I am starting to think this might be a get right game for them and might take the Oilers puck line.
- J35Bacher

We thought the same about the game against the Blackhawks. The Oilers aren't playing together at all right now. Maybe too many new faces, maybe they lost too may "middle-six, and/or second-pair" types that they can't really recover.

The Hawks just put a bunch of pressure on McDavid and Draisaitl (tight checking when they had the puck, and tight coverage when they didn't). It seemed to frustrate the heck out of them. Their team defense (and their defensemen overall) are not very good at the moment. I'd be interested to see how Torts directs the Flyers to play. Good Luck!

* Will Emil Andrae enter the lineup (and PP2) in Edmonton? If so, one of Egor Zamula (rough patches in both Vancouver and Calgary) or Erik Johnson (seventh D on the depth chart) will come out on Tuesday.

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The answer to that question should always be Erik Johnson. He should never be playing over a healthy player at this stage of his career.

Given the lead time on Seeler's injury it's ridiculous that they weren't prepared for him to miss significant time on the road trip and having EJ forced to play the 1st two games.
- Flyers_01

I agree that: a) The Flyers had plenty of lead time to better prepare for Vancouver and Calgary knowing that Seeler was almost certain to be unavailable, and b) Johnson is the No. 7 at this end stage of his NHL career.

But I don't know if it should always be EJ out under any and all circumstances.

Zamula was below par in both Vancouver and Calgary and Andrae can step into (and be an upgrade) on PP2. Johnson sealing off the wall started the SHG sequence in Calgary and he gets his sliver of credit for the 5-for-5 PKing personnel credit (with Ersson getting the biggest piece) on Friday.

I'm OK with Johnson out in Edmonton, especially given that Zamula is far more mobile. I'm OK with Zamula out because he flat out did not play well enough the first two games. Either which way, it's a spot of concern in the lineup, knowing that the weakest link tends to get exposed by better opponents.

I feel like Laughton should be scratched. I get he assisted on the shorthanded goal but outside that I don't think he has played great in both games to my novice eyes.

Again this comes back to roster construction and why the need to have all 3 of Laughton, Poehling and Cates on the roster.
- J35Bacher

He's the NHL shorthanded points leader over the last two seasons plus the first two games this year. Even putting aside the leadership piece, that's going to keep him in the lineup to play Edmonton. Doubt that scratching him even comes up in the coach's meeting.

Bill, do you think we have the right mix of vets and young players on the team right now? Is there any vet or young player you would ship out in exchange for another?

On this day, October 14th, in 1979, The Philadelphia Flyers began a streak that no other NHL team has come close to since!

He's the NHL shorthanded points leader over the last two seasons plus the first two games this year. Even putting aside the leadership piece, that's going to keep him in the lineup to play Edmonton. Doubt that scratching him even comes up in the coach's meeting.
- bmeltzer

My problem is if they truly were offered a first or 2nd he should have been moved. I think having all of Poehling, Cates and Laughton is redundant in terms of the type of player. I am ok with Laughton if you don't have Poeling and Cates. But all 3 to me is the issue.

It is almost 8 millon on 3 guys that play 4th line and sub a little on the 3rd line. I just kind of think it is faulty roster construction.

They were prepared. They chose to take a 14th FWD instead of 8D. EJ is there for this very reason. It isnt as if they played games with 5D because they new Seeler was hurt and did nothing. Andrae is there now, there is no reason to sit him Tuesday. It would be negligent to sit Andrae. Why call up a young player to not play him. I can understand why not having him in CGY due to travel but going forward he should be in the lineup or sent down
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Their decision to take a 14th forward not withstanding, no they were not. They made the decision to call up Andrae before game 1. There was no new injury information, nor was anyone else injured. Their plan was that Seeler was going to play.

That was clearly an "Oh Fck" moment where they hoped Seeler would recover in one hand and failed to prepare in the other.

There is no other way to spin the timing of the move. They were one defensive injury from having to play 5 defensemen in games one and two in an entirely foreseeable scenario.

This is roster building with your gut instead of using your brain.

Bill, do you think we have the right mix of vets and young players on the team right now? Is there any vet or young player you would ship out in exchange for another?
- therabbi

In terms of age/experience distribution, I think there's a decent mix of kids, young vets and a few older vets. In terms of skill/role distribution I still don't think there's enough offense at center and still light on true top 3 D (with no true No. 1 level guy for a playoff team).

On this day, October 14th, in 1979, The Philadelphia Flyers began a streak that no other NHL team has come close to since!
- jd250

I feel like Laughton should be scratched. I get he assisted on the shorthanded goal but outside that I don't think he has played great in both games to my novice eyes.

Again this comes back to roster construction and why the need to have all 3 of Laughton, Poehling and Cates on the roster.
- J35Bacher

Culture dammit!!

No one duplicates The Room on the roster or in the NHL

Per Charlie, the lines today are (note Poehling as the likely scratch, along with Andrae)

Tippett - Frost - Michkov
Konecny - Luchanko - Foerster
Laughton - Couturier - Brink
Deslauriers - Cates - Hathaway

York - Sanheim
Johnson - Drysdale
Zamula - Ristolainen

Andrae "paired" with Poehling for reps purposes. Not sure about why Laughton subbed for Farabee and Deslauriers moved into Laughton's spot.

I'm no NHL coach or scout but why wouldn't you move Cates to wing and keep Nic in the press box? I know he wants to get him a game soon, but Edmonton has a "little" speed and last change...

Bill, do you think we have the right mix of vets and young players on the team right now? Is there any vet or young player you would ship out in exchange for another?
- therabbi

With the Bolshevik salary cap its no way to trade players in and out.

0-3 oilers will be looking to smack someone around
will be a tough game
- 2Real

They showed us their glaring weaknesses in this 3 losses. But i understand what you mean.
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I'm no NHL coach or scout but why wouldn't you move Cates to wing and keep Nic in the press box? I know he wants to get him a game soon, but Edmonton has a "little" speed and last change...
- cdearth23

Yup. But "Torts" has decided that Cates is a better center than wing.

* Will Emil Andrae enter the lineup (and PP2) in Edmonton? If so, one of Egor Zamula (rough patches in both Vancouver and Calgary) or Erik Johnson (seventh D on the depth chart) will come out on Tuesday.

--------------

The answer to that question should always be Erik Johnson. He should never be playing over a healthy player at this stage of his career.

Given the lead time on Seeler's injury it's ridiculous that they weren't prepared for him to miss significant time on the road trip and having EJ forced to play the 1st two games.
- Flyers_01

Johnson has been brutally bad in the first two games in my opinion. Zamula has had some rough spots. There is also an issue with Drysdale. It's early but through the first two games, Drysdale looks like an offensive puck moving defenseman who is brutally bad defensively that make no impact on the game with his offense and puck moving skill. Not a great combination. If he doesn't improve, he will find himself in Tortorella's doghouse.

Farabee banged up?

They were prepared. They chose to take a 14th FWD instead of 8D. EJ is there for this very reason. It isnt as if they played games with 5D because they new Seeler was hurt and did nothing. Andrae is there now, there is no reason to sit him Tuesday. It would be negligent to sit Andrae. Why call up a young player to not play him. I can understand why not having him in CGY due to travel but going forward he should be in the lineup or sent down
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Common sense. Going on the road, knowing that Seeler was injured and not ready to play. Taking 14 forwards and only 6 D, is not being prepared.
Should I link to the post you made recently stating that calling up a player such as Andrae would " not be easy"?

Per Charlie, the lines today are (note Poehling as the likely scratch, along with Andrae)

Tippett - Frost - Michkov
Konecny - Luchanko - Foerster
Laughton - Couturier - Brink
Deslauriers - Cates - Hathaway

York - Sanheim
Johnson - Drysdale
Zamula - Ristolainen

Andrae "paired" with Poehling for reps purposes. Not sure about why Laughton subbed for Farabee and Deslauriers moved into Laughton's spot.
- bmeltzer

I’m not going to lie. My opinion of Farabee is, he seems to have started off strong in each game and slowly faded away. That isn’t saying he deserves to be scratched. He has points in both of each games.