5,000 Posts for a Flyers Cup in 2018!

[Maverick426h]

Every one of those teams listed made moves at the deadline to make themselves better. I dont see how you consider TB and Bruins are in win now mode when they are both young and talented and not us in which we should always be in win now mode.

Yeah and you know what else those teams all have? An elite goalie, high end talent with extensive playoff experience all over the roster, a top five overall offense, top five power play...shall I keep going?

Our team is up and coming, but we don't check any of those boxes right now.

 

[chy1127]

These nagging injuries are so nagging!

Raffl out two weeks for Flyers

 

[chy1127]

Another "make me smile" article.

Maturing kids could make Flyers dangerous in playoffs | Sam Donnellon - Philly

 

[Maverick426h]

Another "make me smile" article.

Maturing kids could make Flyers dangerous in playoffs | Sam Donnellon - Philly

This is what I'm talking about. I can't read the article because I'm over the limit, but if guys like Konecny, Patrick, Lindblom, Provorov, Hagg and Sanheim continue to quickly learn, grow and improve via on the job training, we can be a dangerous playoff team and maybe prove we're right there with the best in the Metro. I don't see any group of rookies competing for the Cup in the Finals already in year one, but maybe we can make some noise.

A lot of these other teams not only have more proven talent and depth, but also more experience, better special teams, defense and goaltending. It's difficult to expect our guys to overcome all off that this postseason, but we will certainly go for it.

 

[Maverick426h]

These nagging injuries are so nagging!

Raffl out two weeks for Flyers

That's unfortunate, but we have the depth to get by. He's probably only our 10th or 11th best forward if we're being honest, but underrated and can play on any line.

 

[lasgop8]

These nagging injuries are so nagging!

Raffl out two weeks for Flyers

One of the few Flyers who actually put a body on somebody night in and night out.

 

[chy1127]

Anyone else think Sanheim looks like he is starting to settle in and play with some confidence?

 

[JBM73]

This is what I'm talking about. I can't read the article because I'm over the limit, but if guys like Konecny, Patrick, Lindblom, Provorov, Hagg and Sanheim continue to quickly learn, grow and improve via on the job training, we can be a dangerous playoff team and maybe prove we're right there with the best in the Metro. I don't see any group of rookies competing for the Cup in the Finals already in year one, but maybe we can make some noise.

A lot of these other teams not only have more proven talent and depth, but also more experience, better special teams, defense and goaltending. It's difficult to expect our guys to overcome all off that this postseason, but we will certainly go for it.

Depending on what part of this season you play them, the Flyers are either the team you would love to see in the playoffs or one you would be glad to avoid.

For most of the two weeks prior to Saturday night, and really, including the first part of it, they were the former version, a team with a chaotic defense corps and suspect goaltending, a team that received most of its offense from four players, and was lacking in mental toughness. Seven losses in eight games had muted talk of first place in favor of a more panicky narrative.

Then came a third period in Carolina on Saturday night in which two players not in that top four – Val Filppula and Michael Raffl — scored in a four-goal outburst. Followed by Sunday’s 6-3 victory over first-place Washington, in which the Flyers stars’ of tomorrow had a day.


Oskar Lindblom’s first NHL goal; Travis Konecny’s gladiator efforts (two blocked shots, a high stick followed by a fight); Travis Sanheim’s steady hand on defense. Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov found the net too. Even enigmatic Jordan Weal dropped a nice hint, popping loose a puck from two Capitals players to facilitate Wayne Simmonds’ second goal, which provided a three-goal lead with less than six minutes remaining.

When it looks like this, it looks as if the Flyers could make some noise in the playoffs. When it looks like this, with players from all four lines contributing and the goalie kicking out a few too, they look like a team that can go places this spring. Heck, even Matt Read figured in this one, playing goalie with Radko Gudas to keep a puck that had flipped behind goaltender Petr Mrazek from entering the net.

But the brightest beacon was the 21-year-old Lindblom, whose first-ever NHL goal recovered a lost lead late in the first period and set the table for what followed. Lindblom’s chances since he joined the team 14 games ago has been somewhat of a bellwether for this team. He did everything right except push the puck into the net, including keeping his cool as his near-misses accompanied losses.


“I don’t remember the game last week, but he had a great opportunity off a rebound at net front,’’ Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said after Sunday’s victory. “That was the first time I saw a little bit of frustration creep in, where he let it show.’’

The coach kept telling him to do what he does. Go to the net. Be strong on pucks. Players, especially linemate Jake Voracek, did too. Teammates such as goalie Alex Lyon, whom he spent much of this season playing with at Lehigh Valley, even gave him some well-intentioned ribbing. “That’s what guys do,’’ Hakstol said, after disclosing that. “Otherwise things get a little bit too tight.’’

Oh, things were tight, all right. Lindblom and Nolan Patrick did some good work to set up Voracek with the second goal Saturday night. That was his first assist, and Hakstol thought it might have led to Sunday’s goal, a wrist shot on a rolling puck that found a tiny bit of space over Caps goaltender Philipp Grubauer’s right shoulder.

“I saw it the whole way,’’ said Lindblom. “And I don’t think I could understand that it went in at first. It was a great feeling. But it was also relief.

“I blacked out a little bit.’’

On the bench moments later, the top of his helmet was hit at least two dozen times. Some guys got in two. It wasn’t just Lindblom who felt relief. Imagine if, over the next nine games, the Flyers reestablish themselves as a team that can roll four lines of pressure at you. Imagine if, between Lyon and Mrazek, they get the kind of goaltending that Brian Elliott was giving them before his untimely injury. Imagine if Elliott can return to the lineup in that form in time for the playoffs.

Imagine if Patrick continues to make plays, win faceoffs, and put up points as a second-line center, Konecny and Simmonds continue to make that third line a force to be reckoned with. Imagine Weal finding his game again, something that he at least hinted at over this four-point weekend.

Then do you really want to see this team in the first round? Your veteran team feeling the grind of the 82-game schedule just as the Flyers’ kiddie corps begins to reap the rewards of its season-long trials?

In the dressing room afterward, Konecny showed no ill effects from his night. No ice on a leg that had taken two slap shots in two shifts. No cuts from the high stick he received from T.J. Oshie. No bandage on the hand he cut on Oshie’s helmet in the fight that followed.

Nice to be 21.

“Awesome,’’ Simmonds mumbled through a swollen mouth vacated of front teeth. “Great to see. I kept telling him, that’s what winners are made of. That’s the type of effort we’re going to need out of every single guy in this dressing room.’’

 

[lasgop8]

Anyone else think Sanheim looks like he is starting to settle in and play with some confidence?

Definitely looks much better than his first trip up to the bigs but his total movements are still playing a bit of a slower pace than the game. He needs a quicker release so his shots dont get deflected by the D.

 

[Maverick426h]

Anyone else think Sanheim looks like he is starting to settle in and play with some confidence?

Yes, he just has a much higher ceiling than our vets like Manning, Gudas and MacDonald, so I would continue to roll with him and let him grow.

 

[Maverick426h]

Jackets and Panthers both in action tonight. As unlikely as it seems, we're hoping for two losses. They are on the road where both having losing records, so nothing is a given.

 

[BottleWalk]

I think some credit needs to be given to the team that played a great game and more or less slaughtered my capitals last night. I actually had the pleasure (?) of listening to the third period of the game on flyers radio with your announcer who goes into falsetto mode whenever he announces that one of his players SCORES! I heard that a few too many times last night tho lol!

The announcers did a little bit of ribbing of the capitals playoff history too, but hasn't everyone by now and given that they're from Philadelphia I guess they did represent their city well! I don't view either of our teams as cup contenders this year but after a little bit of cloud 9 that hopefully was a good kick in the ass to my squad and they couldn't seem to get off shots nor maintain possession in the part of the game I saw...

Enjoy the victory flyers fans! I do hope you play pittsburgh in the first round and that it is the most brutal beat-em-up series of the playoffs, giving any tiny sliver of chance to my team to beat the winner if we make it that far....

 

[Chris p Bacon]

My fantasy hockey team crushed everybody this season. I went 20-2 overall and I have the 1 seed. I'm currently killing my 1st round opponent 245 to 95 with still a week to go. I can thank my Avs players for most (MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Rantanen) for my success.

That's a deadly line right now, no wonder you're crushing it.

 

[mall3013]

That's a deadly line right now, no wonder you're crushing it.

Yeah, you are not kidding. I can always count on these 3 guys on any given night. Oh and not to mention I have Nikita Kucherov from TB. My team is friggin loaded. My goalies are good enough. (Quick, Dubynk, and Hellybunk?

 

[Chris p Bacon]

Yeah, you are not kidding. I can always count on these 3 guys on any given night. Oh and not to mention I have Nikita Kucherov from TB. My team is friggin loaded. My goalies are good enough. (Quick, Dubynk, and Hellybunk?

Yea IDK how you ended up with all those players but someone probably thinks you cheated lol.

 

[mall3013]

Yea IDK how you ended up with all those players but someone probably thinks you cheated lol.

It's the ESPN fantasy hockey league. I had like the 3rd or 4th pick each round and it's 10 teams. Lucky or I'm playing with a few tards? Not sure.

 

[Chris p Bacon]

It's the ESPN fantasy hockey league. I had like the 3rd or 4th pick each round and it's 10 teams. Lucky or I'm playing with a few tards? Not sure.

Lol IDK who your other players are but could def be tarded lol, Espn kind of sums it up.

 

[mall3013]

Lol IDK who your other players are but could def be tarded lol, Espn kind of sums it up.

i honestly thought I was going to run the table w my roster. I had a few injuries here and there, but I lost 2 games towards the end of the season. Now I'm smoking hot again 1st round of playiffs.

 

[Chris p Bacon]

Well no love from Boston or The Canadians! Damn.

 

[mall3013]

Btw, I'm watching my local news weather in Buffalo and I would totally f..... the weather chick!