The Official 5,000 Posts for a Flyers Stanley Cup in 2015!

[lasgop8]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...new-darkwing-duck-mask--photos-153314031.html

 

[JBM73]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...new-darkwing-duck-mask--photos-153314031.html

Can Darkwing Duck play D, and would Anaheim make him available? I'm tired of Chy's orange cone and picture of Timonen as the 2nd pairing.

 

[chy1127]

Can Darkwing Duck play D, and would Anaheim make him available? I'm tired of Chy's orange cone and picture of Timonen as the 2nd pairing.

You guys will come around to my theory of orange cone - Picture of Timonen pairing.

 

[JBM73]

From ESPN Insider:

More than ever, the righty-lefty balance on defense is a critical part of the game. “It’s crucial,” said Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.

Babcock articulated the reasons why effectively, which we’ll get to in a moment, and he should be the guy to do it. People around hockey credit him and the Team Canada staff for bringing this roster construction advantage to the forefront. With all things equal, and granted the ability to pick from the deepest talent pool in the world, GM Steve Yzerman and his coaching staff opted for balance on defense. It worked out pretty well.

“At the Olympic level, when you’re playing the best in the world, even on the big ice, you wanted left-right,” Babcock said. “It’s that much more important here.” It shouldn’t be surprising then that Yzerman’s Tampa Bay Lightning have a nice balance in their top four on defense with righties Anton Stralman and Andrej Sustr available to pair with Victor Hedman and Jason Garrison.

Hitchcock and St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong, another Team Canada architect, can roll out a balanced top four with righties Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk complementing Jay Bouwmeester and Barret Jackman.

Peter Chiarelli, another Team Canada builder, has righties in Dougie Hamilton and Adam McQuaid (when healthy) capable of playing in the top four with Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg for the Boston Bruins.

The Rangers top four is balanced with lefties Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal complementing righties Dan Girardi and Dan Boyle.

Lindy Ruff, another Team Canada coach, and the Dallas Stars have gone to great lengths to add righties to the roster, promoting John Klingberg and trading for Jason Demers. GM Jim Nill has drafted four right-handed shot defensemen since joining the Stars.

These guys have transferred the Team Canada model to the NHL. “You have the best coaches in the world analyzing it and saying the game is fast,” Nill said. “That’s where it’s evolved.”

Said Ruff: “The best pairs are all righty-lefty.”

He’s right. Besides the ones mentioned above, you have Duncan Keith (L) and Brent Seabrook (R) in Chicago, Jake Muzzin (L) and Drew Doughty (R) in Los Angeles, Oliver Ekman-Larsson (L) and Zbynek Michalek (R) in Arizona, Brian Campbell (L) and Aaron Ekblad (R) in Florida, Andrei Markov (L) and P.K. Subban (R) in Montreal, Roman Josi (L) and Shea Weber (R) in Nashville, Paul Martin (L) and Kris Letang (R) in Pittsburgh -- on and on it goes.

So what’s the advantage? There was some debate, but the consensus felt the biggest advantage was in the offensive zone. We’ll let some of our most informed weigh in on the offensive zone advantage.

Florida defenseman Willie Mitchell: “In the offensive zone, it’s really nice for keeping pucks in. Now, it’s more critical than ever. Teams are being more aggressive on their forecheck, in order to have a good forecheck you need all five to be a part of it. What’s happening is [opposing teams are] moving the puck up quick to the winger in their defensive zone. You need those offensive defensemen to be able to pinch up. Every team calls it a different thing. ‘Shrink,’ or whatever you want to call it. If you’re just sitting there and doing that on your offside, you can’t win that battle against the winger. That’s where it’s critical.”

Babcock: “When the puck comes up to the point and they’re coming out at you, when you’re on your wrong side, you bang it to the bottom -- right back into traffic. When you get it [on your forehand], you can shoot it up now [with] a one-timer at the net, to get a shot on goal and create three or four chances. You can get it over across the rink, across the top, instead of jamming back in the same side.”

Nill: “In the offensive zone, I see it all the time. The puck is shot around the boards. A righty can shoot it or send it back down low. A lefty -- everyone in the rink knows where it’s going.”

Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski agrees with the advantages in the offensive zone but believes the biggest advantage comes in the neutral zone. Teams that can get in and out of the neutral zone quickly and with speed have an advantage in the puck possession game.

Balance on defense is one way to add to that speed. “If you have that righty lefty a lot of times in the neutral zone, it’s so much easier to play quick. D-to-D [passes] are crisp,” Goligoski said. “That guy is set and looking up the ice already as opposed to a lefty on the right side, you have to throw it to his forehand, he has to get it and then get up the ice and make a play.”

The area of the ice where it is least necessary is in the defensive zone but it certainly has its advantages in a time when teams are much more aggressive in pressuring defensemen. The speed and aggressiveness of the game right now is higher than it’s ever been making that balance, that extra second an edge teams desperately seek.

“More teams are coming with two guys. We had a couple years where every team was trap. Every team sent one guy. You went D to D, you had time,” Ruff said. “Even if you were a lefty, you had time. Now with the second guy coming, you’ll see off most faceoffs in the neutral zone, almost all teams are sending two guys. If you go D to D and you’re caught on your backhand, you have no play.”

In examining the top fours throughout the league, keeping in mind it’s a fluid group because of promotions and injuries, finding the righty remains a challenge. Of the 120 defensemen that populate the top fours throughout the league, only 46 are right-handed.

Supply and demand drove up the interest and price of righties in free agency last year like Matt Niskanen, Boyle and Stralman. It’ll happen again this year with potential free agent right-handed defensemen Johnny Boychuk, McQuaid and Michalek.

The same goes for the trade market where a right-handed shot like Michalek and Jeff Petry or Tyler Myers becomes especially attractive. If the Capitals fall out of the playoff race, add Green to that list of trade options.

Finding that balance remains a challenge, perhaps no more so than to the coach who may feel the strongest about it. There isn’t a single right-handed shot defenseman on Babcock’s Red Wings, which changes the way they have to do everything. They’re winning but it’s not an ideal setup, which puts Detroit at the top of the list to acquire one of the previously mentioned defensemen. “We do a lot different because we have [the imbalance],” Babcock said. “We talk a lot about it. We spend a lot of time faceoff-wise to handle it. The reality is you are what you are. You have to make it work.”

 

[chy1127]

I think more importantly for the Flyers rather than the righty-lefty dmen would be to actually have NHL caliber players on the blue line.

 

[lasgop8]

I think more importantly for the Flyers rather than the righty-lefty dmen would be to actually have NHL caliber players on the blue line.

 

[lasgop8]

From ESPN Insider:

More than ever, the righty-lefty balance on defense is a critical part of the game. “It’s crucial,” said Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.

Babcock articulated the reasons why effectively, which we’ll get to in a moment, and he should be the guy to do it. People around hockey credit him and the Team Canada staff for bringing this roster construction advantage to the forefront. With all things equal, and granted the ability to pick from the deepest talent pool in the world, GM Steve Yzerman and his coaching staff opted for balance on defense. It worked out pretty well.

“At the Olympic level, when you’re playing the best in the world, even on the big ice, you wanted left-right,” Babcock said. “It’s that much more important here.” It shouldn’t be surprising then that Yzerman’s Tampa Bay Lightning have a nice balance in their top four on defense with righties Anton Stralman and Andrej Sustr available to pair with Victor Hedman and Jason Garrison.

Hitchcock and St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong, another Team Canada architect, can roll out a balanced top four with righties Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk complementing Jay Bouwmeester and Barret Jackman.

Peter Chiarelli, another Team Canada builder, has righties in Dougie Hamilton and Adam McQuaid (when healthy) capable of playing in the top four with Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg for the Boston Bruins.

The Rangers top four is balanced with lefties Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal complementing righties Dan Girardi and Dan Boyle.

Lindy Ruff, another Team Canada coach, and the Dallas Stars have gone to great lengths to add righties to the roster, promoting John Klingberg and trading for Jason Demers. GM Jim Nill has drafted four right-handed shot defensemen since joining the Stars.

These guys have transferred the Team Canada model to the NHL. “You have the best coaches in the world analyzing it and saying the game is fast,” Nill said. “That’s where it’s evolved.”

Said Ruff: “The best pairs are all righty-lefty.”

He’s right. Besides the ones mentioned above, you have Duncan Keith (L) and Brent Seabrook (R) in Chicago, Jake Muzzin (L) and Drew Doughty (R) in Los Angeles, Oliver Ekman-Larsson (L) and Zbynek Michalek (R) in Arizona, Brian Campbell (L) and Aaron Ekblad (R) in Florida, Andrei Markov (L) and P.K. Subban (R) in Montreal, Roman Josi (L) and Shea Weber (R) in Nashville, Paul Martin (L) and Kris Letang (R) in Pittsburgh -- on and on it goes.

So what’s the advantage? There was some debate, but the consensus felt the biggest advantage was in the offensive zone. We’ll let some of our most informed weigh in on the offensive zone advantage.

Florida defenseman Willie Mitchell: “In the offensive zone, it’s really nice for keeping pucks in. Now, it’s more critical than ever. Teams are being more aggressive on their forecheck, in order to have a good forecheck you need all five to be a part of it. What’s happening is [opposing teams are] moving the puck up quick to the winger in their defensive zone. You need those offensive defensemen to be able to pinch up. Every team calls it a different thing. ‘Shrink,’ or whatever you want to call it. If you’re just sitting there and doing that on your offside, you can’t win that battle against the winger. That’s where it’s critical.”

Babcock: “When the puck comes up to the point and they’re coming out at you, when you’re on your wrong side, you bang it to the bottom -- right back into traffic. When you get it [on your forehand], you can shoot it up now [with] a one-timer at the net, to get a shot on goal and create three or four chances. You can get it over across the rink, across the top, instead of jamming back in the same side.”

Nill: “In the offensive zone, I see it all the time. The puck is shot around the boards. A righty can shoot it or send it back down low. A lefty -- everyone in the rink knows where it’s going.”

Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski agrees with the advantages in the offensive zone but believes the biggest advantage comes in the neutral zone. Teams that can get in and out of the neutral zone quickly and with speed have an advantage in the puck possession game.

Balance on defense is one way to add to that speed. “If you have that righty lefty a lot of times in the neutral zone, it’s so much easier to play quick. D-to-D [passes] are crisp,” Goligoski said. “That guy is set and looking up the ice already as opposed to a lefty on the right side, you have to throw it to his forehand, he has to get it and then get up the ice and make a play.”

The area of the ice where it is least necessary is in the defensive zone but it certainly has its advantages in a time when teams are much more aggressive in pressuring defensemen. The speed and aggressiveness of the game right now is higher than it’s ever been making that balance, that extra second an edge teams desperately seek.

“More teams are coming with two guys. We had a couple years where every team was trap. Every team sent one guy. You went D to D, you had time,” Ruff said. “Even if you were a lefty, you had time. Now with the second guy coming, you’ll see off most faceoffs in the neutral zone, almost all teams are sending two guys. If you go D to D and you’re caught on your backhand, you have no play.”

In examining the top fours throughout the league, keeping in mind it’s a fluid group because of promotions and injuries, finding the righty remains a challenge. Of the 120 defensemen that populate the top fours throughout the league, only 46 are right-handed.

Supply and demand drove up the interest and price of righties in free agency last year like Matt Niskanen, Boyle and Stralman. It’ll happen again this year with potential free agent right-handed defensemen Johnny Boychuk, McQuaid and Michalek.

The same goes for the trade market where a right-handed shot like Michalek and Jeff Petry or Tyler Myers becomes especially attractive. If the Capitals fall out of the playoff race, add Green to that list of trade options.

Finding that balance remains a challenge, perhaps no more so than to the coach who may feel the strongest about it. There isn’t a single right-handed shot defenseman on Babcock’s Red Wings, which changes the way they have to do everything. They’re winning but it’s not an ideal setup, which puts Detroit at the top of the list to acquire one of the previously mentioned defensemen. “We do a lot different because we have [the imbalance],” Babcock said. “We talk a lot about it. We spend a lot of time faceoff-wise to handle it. The reality is you are what you are. You have to make it work.”

Balance does mean a lot sometimes but with our D we just need to upgrade.

 

[lasgop8]

From ESPN Insider:

More than ever, the righty-lefty balance on defense is a critical part of the game. “It’s crucial,” said Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.

Babcock articulated the reasons why effectively, which we’ll get to in a moment, and he should be the guy to do it. People around hockey credit him and the Team Canada staff for bringing this roster construction advantage to the forefront. With all things equal, and granted the ability to pick from the deepest talent pool in the world, GM Steve Yzerman and his coaching staff opted for balance on defense. It worked out pretty well.

“At the Olympic level, when you’re playing the best in the world, even on the big ice, you wanted left-right,” Babcock said. “It’s that much more important here.” It shouldn’t be surprising then that Yzerman’s Tampa Bay Lightning have a nice balance in their top four on defense with righties Anton Stralman and Andrej Sustr available to pair with Victor Hedman and Jason Garrison.

Hitchcock and St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong, another Team Canada architect, can roll out a balanced top four with righties Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk complementing Jay Bouwmeester and Barret Jackman.

Peter Chiarelli, another Team Canada builder, has righties in Dougie Hamilton and Adam McQuaid (when healthy) capable of playing in the top four with Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg for the Boston Bruins.

The Rangers top four is balanced with lefties Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal complementing righties Dan Girardi and Dan Boyle.

Lindy Ruff, another Team Canada coach, and the Dallas Stars have gone to great lengths to add righties to the roster, promoting John Klingberg and trading for Jason Demers. GM Jim Nill has drafted four right-handed shot defensemen since joining the Stars.

These guys have transferred the Team Canada model to the NHL. “You have the best coaches in the world analyzing it and saying the game is fast,” Nill said. “That’s where it’s evolved.”

Said Ruff: “The best pairs are all righty-lefty.”

He’s right. Besides the ones mentioned above, you have Duncan Keith (L) and Brent Seabrook (R) in Chicago, Jake Muzzin (L) and Drew Doughty (R) in Los Angeles, Oliver Ekman-Larsson (L) and Zbynek Michalek (R) in Arizona, Brian Campbell (L) and Aaron Ekblad (R) in Florida, Andrei Markov (L) and P.K. Subban (R) in Montreal, Roman Josi (L) and Shea Weber (R) in Nashville, Paul Martin (L) and Kris Letang (R) in Pittsburgh -- on and on it goes.

So what’s the advantage? There was some debate, but the consensus felt the biggest advantage was in the offensive zone. We’ll let some of our most informed weigh in on the offensive zone advantage.

Florida defenseman Willie Mitchell: “In the offensive zone, it’s really nice for keeping pucks in. Now, it’s more critical than ever. Teams are being more aggressive on their forecheck, in order to have a good forecheck you need all five to be a part of it. What’s happening is [opposing teams are] moving the puck up quick to the winger in their defensive zone. You need those offensive defensemen to be able to pinch up. Every team calls it a different thing. ‘Shrink,’ or whatever you want to call it. If you’re just sitting there and doing that on your offside, you can’t win that battle against the winger. That’s where it’s critical.”

Babcock: “When the puck comes up to the point and they’re coming out at you, when you’re on your wrong side, you bang it to the bottom -- right back into traffic. When you get it [on your forehand], you can shoot it up now [with] a one-timer at the net, to get a shot on goal and create three or four chances. You can get it over across the rink, across the top, instead of jamming back in the same side.”

Nill: “In the offensive zone, I see it all the time. The puck is shot around the boards. A righty can shoot it or send it back down low. A lefty -- everyone in the rink knows where it’s going.”

Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski agrees with the advantages in the offensive zone but believes the biggest advantage comes in the neutral zone. Teams that can get in and out of the neutral zone quickly and with speed have an advantage in the puck possession game.

Balance on defense is one way to add to that speed. “If you have that righty lefty a lot of times in the neutral zone, it’s so much easier to play quick. D-to-D [passes] are crisp,” Goligoski said. “That guy is set and looking up the ice already as opposed to a lefty on the right side, you have to throw it to his forehand, he has to get it and then get up the ice and make a play.”

The area of the ice where it is least necessary is in the defensive zone but it certainly has its advantages in a time when teams are much more aggressive in pressuring defensemen. The speed and aggressiveness of the game right now is higher than it’s ever been making that balance, that extra second an edge teams desperately seek.

“More teams are coming with two guys. We had a couple years where every team was trap. Every team sent one guy. You went D to D, you had time,” Ruff said. “Even if you were a lefty, you had time. Now with the second guy coming, you’ll see off most faceoffs in the neutral zone, almost all teams are sending two guys. If you go D to D and you’re caught on your backhand, you have no play.”

In examining the top fours throughout the league, keeping in mind it’s a fluid group because of promotions and injuries, finding the righty remains a challenge. Of the 120 defensemen that populate the top fours throughout the league, only 46 are right-handed.

Supply and demand drove up the interest and price of righties in free agency last year like Matt Niskanen, Boyle and Stralman. It’ll happen again this year with potential free agent right-handed defensemen Johnny Boychuk, McQuaid and Michalek.

The same goes for the trade market where a right-handed shot like Michalek and Jeff Petry or Tyler Myers becomes especially attractive. If the Capitals fall out of the playoff race, add Green to that list of trade options.

Finding that balance remains a challenge, perhaps no more so than to the coach who may feel the strongest about it. There isn’t a single right-handed shot defenseman on Babcock’s Red Wings, which changes the way they have to do everything. They’re winning but it’s not an ideal setup, which puts Detroit at the top of the list to acquire one of the previously mentioned defensemen. “We do a lot different because we have [the imbalance],” Babcock said. “We talk a lot about it. We spend a lot of time faceoff-wise to handle it. The reality is you are what you are. You have to make it work.”

Balance does mean a lot sometimes but with our D we just need to upgrade. Bring on the kids.

 

[chy1127]

Balance does mean a lot sometimes but with our D we just need to upgrade. Bring on the kids.

I was reading an article where Hexy was talking about Morin. He said over and over that he wont rush him. At the same time he said Morin pushed for a spot this year and he would have to see how he does in camp next year. I think he has a good shot to stick next year. We have a log jam of dmen but Hexy will find a way as long as Morin is a top 6.

 

[lasgop8]

Byfuglien, Jets took advantage of enforcer-less Flyers | Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia

 

[lasgop8]

I was reading an article where Hexy was talking about Morin. He said over and over that he wont rush him. At the same time he said Morin pushed for a spot this year and he would have to see how he does in camp next year. I think he has a good shot to stick next year. We have a log jam of dmen but Hexy will find a way as long as Morin is a top 6.

I don't want to rush them this year either but I am tired of our defense stinking for like 4 years already. Let play them the league is getting younger and younger and Its not like they wouldn't gain experience.

 

[chy1127]

I don't want to rush them this year either but I am tired of our defense stinking for like 4 years already. Let play them the league is getting younger and younger and Its not like they wouldn't gain experience.

I am with you. I will be surprised if he isn't on the team next year. Although our top 5 (uses the term loosely) are all under contract for next year, MDZ and Schultz are not. MDZ is probably gone and I would have no problem bringing Schultz back. Morin makes the team and will be at least 2nd pairing from the start.

 

[lasgop8]

I am with you. I will be surprised if he isn't on the team next year. Although our top 5 (uses the term loosely) are all under contract for next year, MDZ and Schultz are not. MDZ is probably gone and I would have no problem bringing Schultz back. Morin makes the team and will be at least 2nd pairing from the start.

This stinks we gotta find a way to get rid of some of the dead weight back there . Come on Hexi get creative.

 

[lasgop8]

How can we ever win a cup if we cant even get 5K posts on this thread?

 

[chy1127]

This stinks we gotta find a way to get rid of some of the dead weight back there . Come on Hexi get creative.

Tonya Harding with a lead pipe to A Mac comes to mind. At least he will still get a shit load of money and we put him on LTIR.

 

[chy1127]

How can we ever win a cup if we cant even get 5K posts on this thread?

About 1000 posts per month gets us there.

 

[chy1127]

How can we ever win a cup if we cant even get 5K posts on this thread?

A little over 30 a day sounds about right.

 

[chy1127]

How can we ever win a cup if we cant even get 5K posts on this thread?

Almost 1/2 way there for our daily requirement.

 

[chy1127]

5 Lineup Changes the Philadelphia Flyers Should Consider for the New Year | Bleacher Report

#4 is for you las.

 

[chy1127]

Emery back in net tonight and it looks like Rinaldo still out. Mason joining team as injury not serious. His is not expected to play, however, on Saturday.