Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Youngsters Lift Flyers Over Habs, 5-2,; Musings: Flyers at the Break

Who are these guys ?

Here comes the important part for Fletcher. To not get sucked in by fools gold.

Any validity to Ek’s reporting in regards to vets vowing for Simmonds? If so, why wasn’t that shown on the ice earlier in the season?

Fletcher needs to stay the course and sell off a few pieces to remake the forward mix. Plenty of cap room to upgrade the roster in the offseason as well.

So that's what it's like when a goalie steals a game for you.

So that's what it's like when a goalie steals a game for you.
- BadCowboyDan

Yah, it was an odd feeling. I forgot what that was like.

Dam, it’s about time there playing like a team, they look very good right now

Lindblom did a great job on the konecny goal. Winning the race and the physical battle to jam the puck up the boards

Another great read.

A really sad aspect of last year and this year was that Brian Elliot made this team competitive. A sometimes flawed, physically damaged battling goalie made a big difference. The team believed in him. He picked them up when they made mistakes.

This year started off with no goalies picking up the defense/team when mistakes were made...or at least not often enough. Hart has been a breath of fresh air.

The change to the PP, taking Ghost off the number one unit and therefore limiting his minutes, has actually improved his 5 on 5 play. He appears to hit every shift at full speed and fully focused. Provorov actually finally looks healthy. He is showing signs of the confidence and two way game he played last season.

Getting the young forwards up and running as it were...and JvR coming around..this team will at least be a lot more fun to watch for the rest of the season.

Here comes the important part for Fletcher. To not get sucked in by fools gold.

Any validity to Ek’s reporting in regards to vets vowing for Simmonds? If so, why wasn’t that shown on the ice earlier in the season?

Fletcher needs to stay the course and sell off a few pieces to remake the forward mix. Plenty of cap room to upgrade the roster in the offseason as well.
- StepfordSam

I agree. Carter Hart is the main event. The rest of this roster still has a lot of curtain jerkers.

It's nice to see the dyke get hot and Patrick have his moments, but if Hart didn't exist, it'd be a lot of doom and gloom heading into the bye week.

I agree Hart is the rock. Everything else has been window dressing

Patrick flashes his brilliance enough for me to be sold on him as a future all star.

I hope he stays healthy through the rest of the year.

I'm still just one goal behind Laine for 2019.

I'm still just one goal behind Laine for 2019.
- jmatchett383

How many behind am I?

Bill,

Great writeup as always. Maybe over the break can you elaborate on

Scott Gordon and Rick Wilson, who have starkly contrasting personalities and systematic preferences that had to be gradually implemented on the fly.

Probably too early to tell but its interesting to see signs of life that might be tied back to the coaches: JVR (short demotion, previous relationship in TOR), TK (short demotion), Patrick (move to 3C for easier matchups), Lindblom (increased TOI in more situations), the signature Hak move of moving G to wing undone. I admit at first I wasn't seeing much in Gordon to make me think he would be around for long, but if this continues it would be interesting to know how much is players just reverting to the mean and how much is coaching.

I agree Hart is the rock. Everything else has been window dressing


- Just5

The play in the 2nd and 3rd period was not window dressing. It was an indication of how this team is capable of playing all season.

Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Youngsters Lift Flyers Over Habs, 5-2,; Musings: Flyers at the Break
- bmeltzer

I'm glad to see our boys playing well but where the (frank) was this all year?
The players must have really wanted hexy and hak gone.
They can play...when they want to...

I'm glad they try when the season is already shot and the only thing left to do is blow the core up but hey....

Go flyers!!!

Hart IS the real deal.
Patrick isnt a bust
Gordon can coach

Wonder how we will look now thst Gordon has a full week to implement system changes

Wonder how we will look now thst Gordon has a full week to implement system changes
- Tfaehner

Are they allowed to practice this week? Whatever they do, I hope they clean up their defensive zone coverage. Also for heavens sake, please add a reversal play to their set defensive zone faceoff break out.

Are they allowed to practice this week? Whatever they do, I hope they clean up their defensive zone coverage. Also for heavens sake, please add a reversal play to their set defensive zone faceoff break out.
- MJL

Yes it's a bye week. They cant during asg break but yes during the bye. He will likely give them a few days off practice for 4 and than asg break

Are they allowed to practice this week? Whatever they do, I hope they clean up their defensive zone coverage. Also for heavens sake, please add a reversal play to their set defensive zone faceoff break out.
- MJL

I hope they use the time to practice because I don't want them to come back looking flat. Plus it will really show how committed they are to winning. I get players need time off to recover, but this is the time to work on cleaning up mistakes.

Yes it's a bye week. They cant during asg break but yes during the bye. He will likely give them a few days off practice for 4 and than asg break
- Tfaehner

If I am part of the core of this team, I want at least 3 days of practice this week. C'mon boys let's become a stronger team, not just for this year, but for next season. We have to work on things that are struggling or fixing small things that can end up causing a breakdown.

At least this is how a successful team thinks.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.....5 days, if they can't do 3 days of work then I question things.

Wonder how we will look now thst Gordon has a full week to implement system changes
- Tfaehner

By CBA mandate, there are no practices allowed during a team's bye week. Players can certainly work out on their own if they choose to, and rehabbing players will be on the ice to stay on their program timetables but otherwise, the players are basically on vacation. Most will be traveling elsewhere or the married-with-children ones will spend the time with their families.

The next Flyers practice will be a Sunday afternoon practice from today, one day ahead of hosting Winnipeg at the WFC.

By CBA mandate, there are no practices allowed during a team's bye week. Players can certainly work out on their own if they choose to, and rehabbing players will be on the ice to stay on their program timetables but otherwise, the players are basically on vacation. Most will be traveling elsewhere or the married-with-children ones will spend the time with their families.

The next Flyers practice will be a Sunday afternoon practice from today, one day ahead of hosting Winnipeg at the WFC.
- bmeltzer

That's ridiculous every other league allows practice during byes

If I am part of the core of this team, I want at least 3 days of practice this week. C'mon boys let's become a stronger team, not just for this year, but for next season. We have to work on things that are struggling or fixing small things that can end up causing a breakdown.

At least this is how a successful team thinks.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.....5 days, if they can't do 3 days of work then I question things.
- Glak18

Again, CBA mandates that it is off-time. The Flyers are not allowed to practice during the bye or the All-Star break. That expires next Sunday at 2 p.m., and this when the team will practice again.

That's ridiculous every other league allows practice during byes
- Tfaehner

Not the NHL. No practices, no team travel allowed (even if the players themselves wanted to) during CBA-mandated schedule breaks and four off-days per month.