2022-23 Flyers: How about just less suck?

[Chris p Bacon]

You can't compare last year's team to this team.

Completely different team, coaches, tactics, atmosphere, effort, mindset, identity etc.

We'll have somewhere around half the talent/skill of last year's team and still probably finish with a better record.

What does that tell us!?

Just as you can't say having Atkinson or Coots puts us in a playoff spot. It does tell us that we had poor leadership from head to toe! Better effort is great, unfortunately it's still mostly the same results.

 

[Maverick426h]

Just as you can't say having Atkinson or Coots puts us in a playoff spot. It does tell us that we had poor leadership from head to toe! Better effort is great, unfortunately it's still mostly the same results.

Yeah, it's about the same results, but you can tell by watching the games that we are a far more competitive team. There is at least accountability with Torts and the country club atmosphere we had last season will no longer fly.

Not JUST Atkinson OR Couturier, but with everyone healthy, yes, I'm willing to bet this team would be sitting in a playoff position right now.

Our players do more with less right now, that's obvious. We just don't have the Nhl level scorers or the lockdown defense to put teams away, so we lose a lot of close games. You don't really see that in the standings, aside from the 7 OTL's. Sometimes you don't even see it until you start counting how many empty-net goals we've conceded (a bunch). Those were tight, competitive, one-goal games that end up looking like blowout losses.

 

[lasgop8]

OMFG. After years of multiple people trying to help you understand the fallacy of plus/minus, you’re still quoting it as a meaningful stat. Jesus Christ. Good to see nothing has changed with you, Larry and Curly.

OMFG if you have watched this team this year at all you would know that Seeler is one of our top defenders out there. Im glad to see nothing has changed you still dont know the game. If like a fool you dont believe in plus/minus check the advanced stats .

 

[lasgop8]

Cam Atkinson on IR, Kieffer Bellows Returns to Flyers​

Also on Saturday, Cam Atkinson was placed on injured reserve. The veteran forward was cleared as of Nov. 28 but needed more time to feel he could add value to the team.

It seems as if that will not be anytime soon. There was no word if Atkinson suffered a setback or not. He was practicing with the team and was taking contact as well. Atkinson has yet to play a game for the Flyers this season.

The hits just keep on coming.

 

[lasgop8]

Man i hate losing to the Rags. I really thought since we were playing better as of late we would win that game.

DeAngelo minus 5 are you kidding me? Please play better.

Frost had a nice goal but didn't do much after that.

JVR scored to but didnt do much after.

Brown Bellows Deaslauriers and Lycksell just absolutly invisible.

Still it came down to less than 3 minutes to where we couldve tied it up.

We just need better players but we all know that already

 

[Chris p Bacon]

Man i hate losing to the Rags. I really thought since we were playing better as of late we would win that game.

DeAngelo minus 5 are you kidding me? Please play better.

Frost had a nice goal but didn't do much after that.

JVR scored to but didnt do much after.

Brown Bellows Deaslauriers and Lycksell just absolutly invisible.

Still it came down to less than 3 minutes to where we couldve tied it up.

We just need better players but we all know that already

Like we've said, the effort is there in spades, love to see that. We just don't have the fire power to finish. We don't have skilled players at the positions we need. IMO, a lot of these close games were or are due to Hart playing his ass off. Blocking shots and playing sound defense has helped but like I said, with no finishers, we're going to lose a lot of close games.

 

[lasgop8]

Like we've said, the effort is there in spades, love to see that. We just don't have the fire power to finish. We don't have skilled players at the positions we need. IMO, a lot of these close games were or are due to Hart playing his ass off. Blocking shots and playing sound defense has helped but like I said, with no finishers, we're going to lose a lot of close games.

And players like Sedlak who were playing really well get hurt of leave. Ughhh!!!

from the Athletic:

Lukáš Sedlák.

Sedlák wasn’t merely a rare unexpected bright spot for the Flyers — he was one of the few recent Chuck Fletcher transactions that appeared to have paid real dividends. It’s not that Sedlák was dominant, but he certainly proved a useful piece for the Flyers, playing as high as Line 2 at times and more than earning all of his ice time. In fact, no Flyers forward has driven play this year better than Sedlák — his 52.16 percent expected share leads the forward corps, and his +0.156 xG impact puts him in the 86th percentile among all NHL forwards.

And now, he’s gone. As in leaving the Flyers and the NHL and going back home to Czechia, most likely to play for HC Dynamo Pardubice. He was placed on unconditional waivers for the purposes of terminating his contract on Saturday.

“I made the decision yesterday. Obviously, I was thinking about it for … the reason is more than one,” Sedlák said.

 

[Maverick426h]

You may have forgotten this, but Couturier and Atkinson have both scored 30+ goals multiple times. They are not snipers, but they can certainly finish off plays repeatedly. That said, Sean Couturier has basically proven there's no task he can't handle on the ice. These two guys would fit in perfectly on a team coached by Torts because they play the way he wants his players to play.

I don't understand Atkinson's thought process or what the fuck is going on with his status, but wtf does he mean that he doesn't yet think he would add value to the team!?!

With all due respect, we're starting guys like Olle Lycksell, Kieffer Bellows and Patrick Brown on a nightly basis. These guys have fewer Nhl goals than Cam did just last season!! We don't even know if any of them are actual Nhl players yet. If Atkinson is at even just 60-70%, he's easily better than any of those three forwards. Wtf are we talking about here!?! This shit really pisses me off.

 

[Chris p Bacon]

And players like Sedlak who were playing really well get hurt of leave. Ughhh!!!

from the Athletic:

Lukáš Sedlák.

Sedlák wasn’t merely a rare unexpected bright spot for the Flyers — he was one of the few recent Chuck Fletcher transactions that appeared to have paid real dividends. It’s not that Sedlák was dominant, but he certainly proved a useful piece for the Flyers, playing as high as Line 2 at times and more than earning all of his ice time. In fact, no Flyers forward has driven play this year better than Sedlák — his 52.16 percent expected share leads the forward corps, and his +0.156 xG impact puts him in the 86th percentile among all NHL forwards.

And now, he’s gone. As in leaving the Flyers and the NHL and going back home to Czechia, most likely to play for HC Dynamo Pardubice. He was placed on unconditional waivers for the purposes of terminating his contract on Saturday.

“I made the decision yesterday. Obviously, I was thinking about it for … the reason is more than one,” Sedlák said.

Yep and he probably will be making close to what he is now to be with his family. I truly understand his decision, I mean when does this team start really competing on a cup level, dude ain't a spring chicken.

 

[lasgop8]

Kevin Hayes might be bought out after this season

Some speculation has begun about Hayes’s future with the Flyers.

www.broadstreethockey.com

For you Bacon!

 

[Chris p Bacon]

Kevin Hayes might be bought out after this season

Some speculation has begun about Hayes’s future with the Flyers.

www.broadstreethockey.com

For you Bacon!

Followed up by this gem.

Cam Atkinson out for rest of season

The Flyers have lost another one.

www.broadstreethockey.com

 

[Maverick426h]

ROFL

WTF!?!

Dude hasn't played a single game this season and he has neck surgery on December 21st, out of complete nowhere!?!

 

[Maverick426h]

This is clearly an unofficial tank job of a season. Seems more and more like the organization doesn't even want to get it's players healthy asap.

How on God's green Earth did Atkinson go from almost playing the opener, to out for months, to practicing and nearing a return, to stepping back because he didn't think he added value and then suddenly to requiring season-ending neck surgery!?

The injuries to Ellis and Couturier have seemingly been equally fumbled.

I mean, these are injuries that didn't even occur this season or in the offseason, correct!? Has there been zero progress or rehabilitation during the offseason for all of these guys!?

Theoretically, all three of them should've been ready to go in fucking preseason or early regular season.

 

[Maverick426h]

I think it's literally only a matter of time before they announce Couturier is out for the entire season and Ellis is retiring.

 

[Maverick426h]

We should've let Risto walk or traded his rights and then signed Gaudreau. How happy can that guy possibly be in Columbus!? You think we're bad? They are five points behind us and have given up the 2nd most goals in the Nhl.

At least then we would have a legit superstar in his prime to build around. I still can't believe he signed there. Does he honestly expect to lead the Blue Jackets to a Stanley Cup in our lifetime?

 

[lasgop8]

Followed up by this gem.

Cam Atkinson out for rest of season

The Flyers have lost another one.

www.broadstreethockey.com

I guess we really are going for that top draft pick you wanted.

 

[awaz]

We should've let Risto walk or traded his rights and then signed Gaudreau. How happy can that guy possibly be in Columbus!? You think we're bad? They are five points behind us and have given up the 2nd most goals in the Nhl.

At least then we would have a legit superstar in his prime to build around. I still can't believe he signed there. Does he honestly expect to lead the Blue Jackets to a Stanley Cup in our lifetime?

Honestly, I'd trade the Flyers roster and contract situation for the Blue Jackets one. In a heartbeat. They're bad, sure. But they have 6.75M tied up on defense past 23-24. They've got a bunch (18.5M) tied up in Laine and Gaudreau, but at least Gaudreau is actually good. They only add Kuraly at 2.5M in terms of guys signed beyond 23-24. And with how bad they are, they'll be in position to get some good draft picks in the next couple seasons. They seem to actually know they're bad and are behaving accordingly.

Meanwhile the Flyers have 18.1M tied up on defense past 23-24 on 3 guys that nobody would look at as a strong top 4 defense. And they have 35M tied up in a forward group signed past 23-24 that is tied for 2nd worst in the league in goals per game. And save for Couturier, Gaudreau is leaps and bounds better than all of them. Couturier and Atkinson make them better, sure. But even assuming they come back from 2 back surgeries and a neck surgery at 100%, how much better do they really make them?

I don't know where you get your optimism from with this team right now, but I'd love a taste of it. Because I don't see this team being anywhere close to competitive for 5 years. And every day they keep Fletcher risks adding more time on to that.

 

[lasgop8]

Honestly, I'd trade the Flyers roster and contract situation for the Blue Jackets one. In a heartbeat. They're bad, sure. But they have 6.75M tied up on defense past 23-24. They've got a bunch (18.5M) tied up in Laine and Gaudreau, but at least Gaudreau is actually good. They only add Kuraly at 2.5M in terms of guys signed beyond 23-24. And with how bad they are, they'll be in position to get some good draft picks in the next couple seasons. They seem to actually know they're bad and are behaving accordingly.

Meanwhile the Flyers have 18.1M tied up on defense past 23-24 on 3 guys that nobody would look at as a strong top 4 defense. And they have 35M tied up in a forward group signed past 23-24 that is tied for 2nd worst in the league in goals per game. And save for Couturier, Gaudreau is leaps and bounds better than all of them. Couturier and Atkinson make them better, sure. But even assuming they come back from 2 back surgeries and a neck surgery at 100%, how much better do they really make them?

I don't know where you get your optimism from with this team right now, but I'd love a taste of it. Because I don't see this team being anywhere close to competitive for 5 years. And every day they keep Fletcher risks adding more time on to that.

Whose the 3 defenseman that nobody would look at as a strong top 4?

 

[awaz]

Whose the 3 defenseman that nobody would look at as a strong top 4?

Provorov, Sanheim, and Risto. You might have 2 top 4 pieces there, but it's not like you have a no doubt about it #1 or #2 guy there at this point.

The other, of course, shouldn't be on NHL ice let alone in the top 4.

 

[awaz]

On the bright side, at least Gauthier seems to be impressing for the most part. Looks like he's going to be a top-line / top PP guy for the US at world juniors. Stood out, according to Pronman, in their pre-tournament game against Finland. And has put up some good numbers at BC.

"Gauthier’s combination of size, quickness and skill made him a consistent threat too. They both have another level to give but it was a good start for them as the go-to players for USA."

WJC 2023 takeaways: Wright, Bedard shine in Canada win

Shane Wright and Connor Bedard both recorded three-point games for Canada.

theathletic.com