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

[awaz]

Heh, we lost some of our daily posters whenever the new management took over SportsHoopla. Really slowed us down. We need more flyers fans!

 

[Cobiemonster]

Remaining schedule for the Flyers: Buffalo, Florida, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Carolina

There's no doubt the Flyers should be able to beat Buffalo, Florida and Carolina - I think we can all agree on that - four points behind the Rangers with two games in hand, with the teams they have left and the two games in hand, those two games equal four possible points, which they should get, so think of it this way:

Flyers tie the Rangers with 91 points by getting those four points(from the two games in hand) - and then the last three games of the season for each team will determine who gets the two seed

Should be interesting - Flyers got a huge break with Ottawa beating the Rangers in regulation

 

[lasgop8]

Big win! Rags here we come.

 

[JBM73]

Philadelphia Flyers: 5 NHL Free Agents To Target This Offseason

 

[Maverick426h]

Tuesday night should be interesting. We are at Florida and the NYR are home against Carolina. These two teams both recently took out a desperate Dallas Stars team. The Jackets have a test with Phoenix visiting.

If we focus and get two points, it could be virtually a playoff and top three seed clinching night. A four point lead on Columbus with three games to play would be about insurmountable. They'd have to acquire 5-6 points and hope we go winless.

 

[JBM73]

Out of pure curiosity, has anyone ever seen LeCavalier playing with Couturier and Read? I can't recall having seen it, unless perhaps it was early in the season. I know it may not make the most sense on paper, as that line is used in more of a shutdown role and defense certainly isn't one of Vinny's strengths, but at this point what the heck? Why not give it a shot, considering he doesn't really fit in anywhere else? Offensively, he's got the size to battle in the corners and a laser shot that Read and Coots lack. Seems to me there's at least reasonable potential for them to click.

Thoughts?

 

[awaz]

Out of pure curiosity, has anyone ever seen LeCavalier playing with Couturier and Read? I can't recall having seen it, unless perhaps it was early in the season. I know it may not make the most sense on paper, as that line is used in more of a shutdown role and defense certainly isn't one of Vinny's strengths, but at this point what the heck? Why not give it a shot, considering he doesn't really fit in anywhere else? Offensively, he's got the size to battle in the corners and a laser shot that Read and Coots lack. Seems to me there's at least reasonable potential for them to click.

Thoughts?

i wouldn't hate it, because i really like the way lecavalier is playing right now and it's a shame to see him 'wasted' on the 4th line. my only concern is i think read/couts need more of a banger to be effective offensively. their best linemate this season has been downie, probably by leaps and bounds. and it sounded like they were effective again last night with rinaldo there. as much as i like raffl and think he should fit on that line, it didn't seem to work full time in the few games leading up to this one.

so while i like what you're saying in theory, read and couts just don't seem to generate offense without that board presence that guys like rinaldo and downie generate. they get in hard, hit the dmen on the forecheck, and read/couts are two of the best on the team at jumping rushed/risky outlet passes and turning them in to offense.

now that i type this out and think about it, i wonder what that line would look like with simmonds on it..

 

[lasgop8]

Out of pure curiosity, has anyone ever seen LeCavalier playing with Couturier and Read? I can't recall having seen it, unless perhaps it was early in the season. I know it may not make the most sense on paper, as that line is used in more of a shutdown role and defense certainly isn't one of Vinny's strengths, but at this point what the heck? Why not give it a shot, considering he doesn't really fit in anywhere else? Offensively, he's got the size to battle in the corners and a laser shot that Read and Coots lack. Seems to me there's at least reasonable potential for them to click.

Thoughts?

Who plays center Vinny or Couts? Weve seen Vinny play a much better brand of hockey when at center.

 

[EVille3]

last night they put raffl in center of schenn and simmonds...has the shipped passed on vinnie centering that line and leaving raffl on the 4th line? i thought part of the reason vinnie slumped is because he didn't adjust to the wing well...

 

[JBM73]

I agree that Coots-Read seem to play better with a banger, and that Vinny plays better at C. I'm just desperately trying to find somewhere he fits in. I don't know if I can take 4 more years of trying to find a spot for this guy (and his NMC)....

 

[awaz]

Philadelphia Flyers: 5 NHL Free Agents To Target This Offseason

Did my 5 before reading the article. i tried to rule out guys that i thought would be too expensive (ie, niskanen) or guys that i don't think will leave where they are (ie, dan boyle)

Radim Vrbata: i still think the flyers need a bonafide 'goal scorer' for the top 6. he fits that mold.

Matt Moulson: see Vrbata description. i'd like to see one of them, not both.

Andrew MacDonald (resign): i've loved what i've seen from him since the trade. he might be the flyers best dmen since.

Ray Emery (resign): solid backup

Tom Gilbert: in leiu of any bonafide top pair guys, i'd like to see them add another decent puck mover to battle gus for the 6/7 spot. this is if they cant get timonen to take like a 1 year, 3 million deal.

 

[Cobiemonster]

last night they put raffl in center of schenn and simmonds...has the shipped passed on vinnie centering that line and leaving raffl on the 4th line? i thought part of the reason vinnie slumped is because he didn't adjust to the wing well...

Michael Raffl looked good last night, that whole line did

I think Vinny is fine as a 4th line center, he'll be fresh and it'll help them on PP's

 

[awaz]

Philadelphia Flyers: 5 NHL Free Agents To Target This Offseason

and now that i've read it..

Ryan Johansen - not gunna happen. he'll be columbus' #1 center for the next 10 years.

Justin Schultz - i'd be interested, but again, i doubt it happens.

Radim Vrbata -

Matt Niskanen - i think he's gunna get a contract teams will regret

PK Suban - LOL. if he ends up in philly i'll try to go to a game naked.

 

[EVille3]

Philadelphia Flyers: 5 NHL Free Agents To Target This Offseason

I don't care much for this list. Considering 3/5 are RFA...

 

[Cobiemonster]

I don't care much for this list. Considering 3/5 are RFA...

It's not a reasonable list at all, it's more of a wish list that will never happen

 

[JBM73]

Michael Raffl looked good last night

Raffl seems to play well everywhere they play him - for the first couple of games. Not sure where he fits in the long term, but it's nice to have versatile players like that.

 

[awaz]

It's not a reasonable list at all, it's more of a wish list that will never happen

i think there are a lot of people out there that still dont really understand Restricted Free Agency. IMO, it pretty much means they're staying with the team their on, or they'll be traded. it has more in common with a guy in the final year of his contract at the trade deadline, than it does with actual free agency. except now you're just dealing with the guys rights. he can say no if he wants to, after you've already traded for 'him'.

 

[JBM73]

My top targets would be:

1) Matt Niskanen (Flyers almost HAVE to try to do this)
2) Steve Ott (in lieu of Downie to play with Coots/Read)

Assuming the Flyers are stuck with Vinny, it would look like this:

Hartnell-Giroux-Voracek
Schenn-LeCavalier-Simmonds
Ott-Couturier-Read
Raffl-Laughton-Rinaldo/Rosehill

Streit-Coburn
Grossmann-Niskanen
MacDonald-Schenn
Lauridsen

Mason
Emery

 

[lasgop8]

Raffl seems to play well everywhere they play him - for the first couple of games. Not sure where he fits in the long term, but it's nice to have versatile players like that.

He seems to get open a lot and get quality scoring chances. If he ever starts putting the in he will have 25 per saeason.

 

[awaz]

My top targets would be:

1) Matt Niskanen (Flyers almost HAVE to try to do this)
2) Steve Ott (in lieu of Downie to play with Coots/Read)

Assuming the Flyers are stuck with Vinny, it would look like this:

Hartnell-Giroux-Voracek
Schenn-LeCavalier-Simmonds
Ott-Couturier-Read
Raffl-Laughton-Rinaldo/Rosehill

Streit-Coburn
Grossmann-Niskanen
MacDonald-Schenn
Lauridsen

Mason
Emery

i really just worry about Niskanen pulling a Ville Leino. Has one breakout, dominant season, gets a huge pay day, and then plays albatross.

and i HATE Ott with a passion. but i actually think that would be a really good signing. he's a faceoff wizard though (if i remember correctly), so you probably want him taking draws, even if coots 'plays center'.

edit: ott is at 52% this season, not as good as i had thought. still think it'd be a good signing