Game Thread: Game 46 - Boston Bruins at Philadelphia Flyers(1-25-16): 7:00pm EST

[Maverick426h]

We may not ultimately be a playoff team this season, but I'm counting 12 wins already against current playoff teams and another 8 that we lost by either a goal or in the shootout. We've been 13-8-3 since late November and that includes a couple of three game losing streaks. However, that's still a pretty damn good record.

When this team is down, it's just easy to get on them, but I believe in this group ultimately. Get Couturier back and let's see what we can do moving forward. He's obviously a big part of this team. I wouldn't throw in the towel just yet here.

 

[flyersfan4706]

If they're bad then they don't need to be in the lineup period - you can only attempt to shelter bad players for so long - eventually they have to be on the ice at a very critical point at one time or another and they will hurt the team

The problem with this team is a lack of a strong third line center - Scott Laughton has had his moments but to me he isn't completely proven yet in that third line center role - maybe at some point he will but when someone like Couts gets hurt, nobody can step in to that role and make a difference

At some point they need to start making trades ahead of time if they can get really good returns - don't sucker yourself into thinking that this is a team that can make a playoff run - doesn't matter how good the goaltending has been - they need to keep stockpiling draft picks and give theirselves more cap space going forward - they're going to need to spend it on some depth up front in free agency eventually - look at a team like the Panthers, a few offseasons ago, they signed guys like Jussi Jokinen, Derek MacKenzie, Shawn Thornton, Dave Bolland(that one hasn't worked out yet but they get a mulligan for sure) to help complement their forward group and that's what the Flyers need to do - they don't have to go and overpay for someone in the top six necessarily(although if they can find a bargain to play up there then good) but they need to stack the third and fourth lines with veteran talent that is reliable and can play PK and provide some offense from time to time

The problem is that we don't really have any better options. Leier and Cousins have underwhelmed in the NHL but should be future bottom 6 options. Dove-McFalls and Fazleev are other possible homegrown options. Like you said free agency would be nice to bolster our depth, but the time being if you're stuck with our 4th line being in the lineup at the very least don't give them bigger minutes than you have to.

 

[Cobiemonster]

The problem is that we don't really have any better options. Leier and Cousins have underwhelmed in the NHL but should be future bottom 6 options. Dove-McFalls and Fazleev are other possible homegrown options. Like you said free agency would be nice to bolster our depth, but the time being if you're stuck with our 4th line being in the lineup at the very least don't give them bigger minutes than you have to.

The risk you make is you wear out the top guys like G who are already playing upwards of 20 minutes a game - he'll be dead by seasons end if they ride him and some of those other guys

They should call up Petr Straka and Colin McDonald and dump two of Pebbles, VV, Ryan White and RJ - those first two actually played well in the time that they were up with the big club and it really surprises me that Colin McDonald didn't get another crack at it by now especially with some of the injuries the club has had

 

[4thstreet]

The problem is that we don't really have any better options. Leier and Cousins have underwhelmed in the NHL but should be future bottom 6 options. Dove-McFalls and Fazleev are other possible homegrown options. Like you said free agency would be nice to bolster our depth, but the time being if you're stuck with our 4th line being in the lineup at the very least don't give them bigger minutes than you have to.

I think we have no other options but to go this route.The guys we have in our system at center,forward and wing are just not good enough right to step in and help out our top guys on a consistent basis.

Our defence is a year or 2 away from being top notch,but if we don't get help up front,we're screwed.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I think we have no other options but to go this route.The guys we have in our system at center,forward and wing are just not good enough right to step in and help out our top guys on a consistent basis.

Our defence is a year or 2 away from being top notch,but if we don't get help up front,we're screwed.

Plus, with the young d-men in the system and eventually coming up in the next year or two, they'll be on ELC's and they can spend the money on improving the forward group

 

[4thstreet]

Plus, with the young d-men in the system and eventually coming up in the next year or two, they'll be on ELC's and they can spend the money on improving the forward group

IMO we're 1 or 2 good wingers away from being playoff contenders.

Get a natural left and right winger(quit trying to convert god damn centers) who can pot 20+ goals,and help out Giroux before he's an old man.

We finally have decent goaltending to keep us in games,and no one can put the puck in the net.

 

[flyersfan4706]

The risk you make is you wear out the top guys like G who are already playing upwards of 20 minutes a game - he'll be dead by seasons end if they ride him and some of those other guys

They should call up Petr Straka and Colin McDonald and dump two of Pebbles, VV, Ryan White and RJ - those first two actually played well in the time that they were up with the big club and it really surprises me that Colin McDonald didn't get another crack at it by now especially with some of the injuries the club has had

I'd be fine calling both of those guys up. Regardless of who you want to sit I am not sure how Umberger is still getting this many chances. Right now is a perfect time to shake up the lines.