2019-20 Quest for the cup(The Carter Hart era begins)

[lasgop8]

That was a weak call on JVR. You guys can shit on him for a lot of things, but let's call a spade a spade here...

I will agree that was a weak call.

However it doesn't mean JVR is not a lazy player.

 

[lasgop8]

I’d push Hayes’ grade up quite a bit. On paper he looks like a bust, but imho he has shown this team “what good looks like” as far as a 200 ft game: puck control, hockey sense, hustle - many many intangibles.

between him and the coaching, our existing players’ games have been elevated.

I will agree with this. Taking our PK from worst in the league to top 10 alone is a feat in itself.

 

[purdue81]

I’d push Hayes’ grade up quite a bit. On paper he looks like a bust, but imho he has shown this team “what good looks like” as far as a 200 ft game: puck control, hockey sense, hustle - many many intangibles.

between him and the coaching, our existing players’ games have been elevated.

excluding JVR obviously

 

[lasgop8]

With you on Niskanen. I think that has been huge for the D, Provorov in particular. He's also a good voice to have in the room. I like Gudas, but he has short comings. Voracek exposed them last night on the goal. I'd definitely do the trade again, contract situations included, in a heartbeat. (though keeping money on Gudas still irks me a bit)

Hayes, agree with that one too. I'd maybe give him a B-. I think he's been their best PK-er this year and even makes the Flyers look dangerous SH for the first time in a long time.

Stewart, seems like a waste of money to me. But he's hardly playing, so I guess I'm not mad about it, but I think the cap space would've been more useful.

Braun, pretty accurate by me as well. I don't feel like the Flyers are screwed when he's out there, I think he does his part. I like having him, particularly for the PK, but I wish it was for a 2nd OR a 3rd, instead of both.

Pitlick i'd give a incomplete to. He's only played 153 minutes so far and missed training camp. I'm willing to give him a month or so more before giving him a grade. He has looked better the past couple games.

I have no idea what games you are watching if you dont feel we are screwed when Braun is out there. His ice time has been cut and he was demoted to 5/6. That should tell you all you need to know. Also besides the picks his 3.8 million could've been better spent.

 

[JBM73]

Pitlick i'd give a incomplete to. He's only played 153 minutes so far and missed training camp. I'm willing to give him a month or so more before giving him a grade. He has looked better the past couple games.

Yeah, I could have gone incomplete with Pitlick. I'm hoping his bad hands are more a result of recovering from the wrist injury than a lack of talent.

As a couple of you mentioned, he's been playing a little better lately.

 

[awaz]

I have no idea what games you are watching if you dont feel we are screwed when Braun is out there. His ice time has been cut and he was demoted to 5/6. That should tell you all you need to know. Also besides the picks his 3.8 million could've been better spent.

5/6 is a better slot for him. The hope was always that Sanheim/Ghost and Myers would serve as a better 2nd pair and Sanheim/Myers has done that since Myers came up. I'd rather have the other 5 dmen out there rather than Braun (trying to keep the faith with Ghost), but I don't go "oh great, Braun is out there, time to give up a goal" every time he steps on the ice. Like I have done with countless guys over the past few years.

3.8M probably could be better spent. But it's not killing them to have 3.8M on the 3rd pair for a guy that has the kind of playoff experience that nobody else on the roster other than Niskanen has. So the contract is not ideal, and the trade wasn't ideal, but I like how the Flyers D looks this season with Braun as a 5/6 guy. So I'll take it.

 

[awaz]

Yeah, I could have gone incomplete with Pitlick. I'm hoping his bad hands are more a result of recovering from the wrist injury than a lack of talent.

As a couple of you mentioned, he's been playing a little better lately.

I'll admit, there's some bias in giving him more time. I was excited about the type of player he's supposed to be, when they got him. So I want to see that guy before being too critical. Hopefully he keeps improving and gets there soon.

 

[Maverick426h]

Good game. I think this is proof that we can already play with anyone in the east. Our youngsters continue to battle and impress. The Caps had scored 3+ goals in 16 straight games and we held them to 1. They are obviously going to beat us in most shootouts with Oshie and Holtby, but that won't hurt us one bit in the playoffs.

We really should've won this thing in OT while we rolled through several changes and pinned them on a 3 minute long shift. Coots and G had the game on their sticks and missed by the narrowest of margins.

Props to the guy who picked G to score first...

 

[lasgop8]

5/6 is a better slot for him. The hope was always that Sanheim/Ghost and Myers would serve as a better 2nd pair and Sanheim/Myers has done that since Myers came up. I'd rather have the other 5 dmen out there rather than Braun (trying to keep the faith with Ghost), but I don't go "oh great, Braun is out there, time to give up a goal" every time he steps on the ice. Like I have done with countless guys over the past few years.

3.8M probably could be better spent. But it's not killing them to have 3.8M on the 3rd pair for a guy that has the kind of playoff experience that nobody else on the roster other than Niskanen has. So the contract is not ideal, and the trade wasn't ideal, but I like how the Flyers D looks this season with Braun as a 5/6 guy. So I'll take it.

Ghost has been playing better as of late.

 

[EVille3]

Ghost has been playing better as of late.

He has. I hope his confidence get back up and he can solidify his spot on point of PP1. I'd also really like see G back on the left wall and Jake on the right wall. Things don't seem to be clicking with them flopped. I don't know why they switched it up last year and kept it up this year...

 

[JBM73]

I'll admit, there's some bias in giving him more time. I was excited about the type of player he's supposed to be, when they got him. So I want to see that guy before being too critical. Hopefully he keeps improving and gets there soon.

I thought the same about Hartman.

 

[lasgop8]

He has. I hope his confidence get back up and he can solidify his spot on point of PP1. I'd also really like see G back on the left wall and Jake on the right wall. Things don't seem to be clicking with them flopped. I don't know why they switched it up last year and kept it up this year...

Gee may go back to wing if we ever get back both Laughton and Patrick.

 

[chy1127]

How calling up Philippe Myers has stabilized the Flyers' Blue Line

 

[lasgop8]

How calling up Philippe Myers has stabilized the Flyers' Blue Line

Now who could've seen this coming. Oh yeah that's right it was me.

 

[lasgop8]

Flyers Face Another Test In Next Round Of Back To Backs

 

[EVille3]

Gee may go back to wing if we ever get back both Laughton and Patrick.

well, yeah. I was referring more to the power play. I would see G get back on the left boards QBing the power play in his office and bringing back the threat of his one-timer.

 

[purdue81]

Crosby to miss at least 6 weeks after core muscle surgery

 

[lasgop8]

Crosby to miss at least 6 weeks after core muscle surgery

They are so far behind us i didn't even know they were still in the league.

 

[awaz]

well, yeah. I was referring more to the power play. I would see G get back on the left boards QBing the power play in his office and bringing back the threat of his one-timer.

Agree 100% G should be on the left boards. Him on the right is just silly. They have had him on the left a few times lately, and last night it kinda looked like they were just rotating around. Hopefully they settle on him playing on the left again.

 

[Sparhawk]

Although it's from the Athletic pay site, this is a fantastic read if you're into that sort of thing :
The art of the faceoff: A former NHL specialist analyzes...

"Centres who use a higher flex number (i.e., a more rigid stick) tend to have the upper hand, and Thompson is among them. Ryan O’Reilly, a perennial faceoff god, uses sticks with 105 flex (at least that’s the impression based on online retailers who sell game-used pro stock). Fellow faceoff aces Sean Couturier and Sidney Crosby also use a stiffer flex. Conversely, finesse players like Domi rarely opt to sacrifice flex, and pass up the benefits of a whippier twig at the offensive end, just to win a few more faceoffs."