The Official: 10,000 Posts for a Flyers Stanley Cup! (.. eventually)

[awaz]

Flyers sticking to long-term plan of keeping young core intact | NJ.com

good.

 

[JBM73]

Other than the whole Bryz/Bob disaster, my only real criticism is how late to the party he was in terms of stocking the team's D. The Flyers are looking to compete for the Cup in the next couple of years, but the best D prospects are 3-4 years away from having any impact. Having said that, let's play the hindsight game. If you had it to do all over again, who would you draft:

2011 1st Round - C Sean Couturier or D Dougie Hamilton (Bos)
2012 1st Round - C Scott Laughton or D Olli Maata (Pit) or D Mike Matheson (Fla)
2012 2nd Round - G Anthony Stolarz or D Dillon Fournier (Chi)

Hockey's Future - #1 NHL Draft & Hockey Prospect Magazine

Those are the guys who could potentially have had the biggest impact on the D. I'm not arguing either way, you make the call. Hamilton is currently a mainstay on the Boston blueline and has a ton of potential. Maata has had a significant impact for a depleted Pittsburgh D. Matheson is currently the top rated NCAA d-man prospect. Fournier has battled injuries, but at one point was projected as a 1st round pick with strong play at both ends of the ice.

What say you? Would you go back in time and change a pick if you could?

 

[EVille3]

I think it is a little early to tell on the 2012 guys. Laughton could be traded if they extend B. Schenn this off-season as they would be set down the middle for the forseeable future.
As for Courturier, I would definitely take him over Dougie Hamilton. His two way play will be an assest for years to come shutting down the top scorers of the opposition. Look how frustrated he made Malkin when he was only 18 two years ago in the playoffs. I feel his offense will continue to evolve and he will be a perenial candidate for the Selke trophy going forward.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I think it is a little early to tell on the 2012 guys. Laughton could be traded if they extend B. Schenn this off-season as they would be set down the middle for the forseeable future.
As for Courturier, I would definitely take him over Dougie Hamilton. His two way play will be an assest for years to come shutting down the top scorers of the opposition. Look how frustrated he made Malkin when he was only 18 two years ago in the playoffs. I feel his offense will continue to evolve and he will be a perenial candidate for the Selke trophy going forward.

Also, it's easy for people to play revisionist history but in the draft you don't draft based on need, you draft based on best available player - and you can't assume the Flyers would utilize Olli Maatta the same way the Penguins do

The Flyers made the right decision by drafting Scott Laughton because he's a good trade chip - the Flyers are probably set down the middle now and you know teams in the league really want good centers and you could get a young, up and coming defenseman for Scott Laughton

It's better to get needs via trade after drafting the best available players because those are going to be teams other needs as well

 

[lasgop8]

Other than the whole Bryz/Bob disaster, my only real criticism is how late to the party he was in terms of stocking the team's D. The Flyers are looking to compete for the Cup in the next couple of years, but the best D prospects are 3-4 years away from having any impact. Having said that, let's play the hindsight game. If you had it to do all over again, who would you draft:

2011 1st Round - C Sean Couturier or D Dougie Hamilton (Bos)
2012 1st Round - C Scott Laughton or D Olli Maata (Pit) or D Mike Matheson (Fla)
2012 2nd Round - G Anthony Stolarz or D Dillon Fournier (Chi)

Hockey's Future - #1 NHL Draft & Hockey Prospect Magazine

Those are the guys who could potentially have had the biggest impact on the D. I'm not arguing either way, you make the call. Hamilton is currently a mainstay on the Boston blueline and has a ton of potential. Maata has had a significant impact for a depleted Pittsburgh D. Matheson is currently the top rated NCAA d-man prospect. Fournier has battled injuries, but at one point was projected as a 1st round pick with strong play at both ends of the ice.

What say you? Would you go back in time and change a pick if you could?

Matta and Matheson were the 10th and 11th defenseman drafted that year so it not like they pinpointed to star in the NHL and we have yet to see what Laughton could bring us. Hopefully he keeps growing at this rate and has a very good NHL career for us.

 

[JBM73]

Also, it's easy for people to play revisionist history but in the draft you don't draft based on need, you draft based on best available player - and you can't assume the Flyers would utilize Olli Maatta the same way the Penguins do

The Flyers made the right decision by drafting Scott Laughton because he's a good trade chip - the Flyers are probably set down the middle now and you know teams in the league really want good centers and you could get a young, up and coming defenseman for Scott Laughton

It's better to get needs via trade after drafting the best available players because those are going to be teams other needs as well

I agree you draft best player available - in the 1st round. After that, you need to be drafting a mix of players so that you have prospects at every position.

As to trading Laughton, I agree to an extent. The problem is that while drafting forwards is less risky, they have less trade value. Defensemen are riskier picks as a smaller % of draftees actually develop into NHL players, but have more trade value than forwards when you hit on a true prospect as a result. It is VERY unlikely that the Flyers could offer Laughton and get either Maatta or Matheson in return.

 

[awaz]

Other than the whole Bryz/Bob disaster, my only real criticism is how late to the party he was in terms of stocking the team's D. The Flyers are looking to compete for the Cup in the next couple of years, but the best D prospects are 3-4 years away from having any impact. Having said that, let's play the hindsight game. If you had it to do all over again, who would you draft:

2011 1st Round - C Sean Couturier or D Dougie Hamilton (Bos)
2012 1st Round - C Scott Laughton or D Olli Maata (Pit) or D Mike Matheson (Fla)
2012 2nd Round - G Anthony Stolarz or D Dillon Fournier (Chi)

Hockey's Future - #1 NHL Draft & Hockey Prospect Magazine

Those are the guys who could potentially have had the biggest impact on the D. I'm not arguing either way, you make the call. Hamilton is currently a mainstay on the Boston blueline and has a ton of potential. Maata has had a significant impact for a depleted Pittsburgh D. Matheson is currently the top rated NCAA d-man prospect. Fournier has battled injuries, but at one point was projected as a 1st round pick with strong play at both ends of the ice.

What say you? Would you go back in time and change a pick if you could?

only one i would've changed is maata instead of laughton.. and i said that at the time too, i dont think laughton was a great pick for the flyers. granted, he's looked good since they've taken him, and all signs point to him being a valuable NHL player, i just think you have to balance need and 'best available'. in that situation, loaded up the middle, weak on the back end, i think you have to pass on the best available guy.

Also, it's easy for people to play revisionist history but in the draft you don't draft based on need, you draft based on best available player - and you can't assume the Flyers would utilize Olli Maatta the same way the Penguins do

The Flyers made the right decision by drafting Scott Laughton because he's a good trade chip - the Flyers are probably set down the middle now and you know teams in the league really want good centers and you could get a young, up and coming defenseman for Scott Laughton

It's better to get needs via trade after drafting the best available players because those are going to be teams other needs as well

same thing as above, i think the laughton pick you could've gone dman instead of best available, just because 'best available' also lined up with where the flyers were deepest. and while young centers carry a lot of value, young dmen still carry a lot more value. i'm all for draft the best, then trade for what you need, but the value of a projected defense-first, agitating, center doesn't line up with a puck-moving defensemen right now.

I agree you draft best player available - in the 1st round. After that, you need to be drafting a mix of players so that you have prospects at every position.

As to trading Laughton, I agree to an extent. The problem is that while drafting forwards is less risky, they have less trade value. Defensemen are riskier picks as a smaller % of draftees actually develop into NHL players, but have more trade value than forwards when you hit on a true prospect as a result. It is VERY unlikely that the Flyers could offer Laughton and get either Maatta or Matheson in return.

i guess i could've just come down here and said i agreed w/ this

 

[lasgop8]

Yesterday i walk out of my building to go home and i walk right into mark Messier on a break from filming a commercial there. I got to shake his hand pretty cool.

 

[awaz]

Yesterday i walk out of my building to go home and i walk right into mark Messier on a break from filming a commercial there. I got to shake his hand pretty cool.

haha wow, that's awesome las!

 

[JBM73]

Interesting re-look at the 1st round of the 2012 draft:

NHL scouts re-rank 2012 NHL draft - The Hockey News

 

[lasgop8]

Interesting re-look at the 1st round of the 2012 draft:

NHL scouts re-rank 2012 NHL draft - The Hockey News

Looks like the winners are
Vasilevski up 9 spots and Laughton Matta and Matteau 8 spot jump each

I like what i see.

 

[Maverick426h]

I hope we keep both Couturier and Laughton. I would just like to see them be our 2nd and 3rd line centers here eventually. I don't know that Schenn or Lecavalier are responsible enough defensively to continue to hold down one of those spots

 

[lasgop8]

People who need to start playing up to expectations:
Vinny Lecav
B Schenn
Couts
Downie

 

[JBM73]

Brutal stretch of games coming up.

 

[JBM73]

People who need to start playing up to expectations:
Vinny Lecav
B Schenn
Couts
Downie

Not sure which is worse at the moment - the 2nd line or the D as a whole. Vinny-Schenn-Simmonds is just a horrible, horrible line right now. Maybe it's just the Vinny factor. Put him at C or put him in the press box. Mason looks like he needs a game off.

 

[lasgop8]

Not sure which is worse at the moment - the 2nd line or the D as a whole. Vinny-Schenn-Simmonds is just a horrible, horrible line right now. Maybe it's just the Vinny factor. Put him at C or put him in the press box. Mason looks like he needs a game off.

Mase played well enough but yes you are right he does look like he needs a rest. Any word on Emery coming back or do we throw Heeter into the fire vs in one of the Pitt games.

 

[JBM73]

Mase played well enough but yes you are right he does look like he needs a rest. Any word on Emery coming back or do we throw Heeter into the fire vs in one of the Pitt games.

Emery practiced with the team on Monday, so I think he's close. I doubt Heeter gets a start.

 

[Cobiemonster]

With the Flyers not playing on Saturday, Steve Mason should be able to play in those two games - I think it might be a bit more mental than physical with him, but they need the points - and he's been pretty good regardless

 

[JBM73]

For anyone who had missed it:

Jay Rosehill vs Frazer McLaren, Mar 8, 2014 - Flyers vs Leafs - hockeyfights.com

 

[awaz]

With the Flyers not playing on Saturday, Steve Mason should be able to play in those two games - I think it might be a bit more mental than physical with him, but they need the points - and he's been pretty good regardless

i assume you mean until saturday?

i'd say if emery is healthy, he'll get one. if he's not, mason will start both. i dont forsee them playing heeter unless they absolutely have to