Unacceptable.

[wbon22]

There is no way to sugar coat the last two games.
This team is simply not playing. There is next to no compete.

I can see loosing a point or outright to the Blue Jackets. They don't quit. As a team they skate every shift hard and the team is not built around just one line. They can and have beaten lots of teams ahead of them even playing shorthanded.

BUT

Falling behind the Sabres at home...where you get the chance to determine match ups....
Frankly, the system that Berube has the team playing works pretty well in the D zone and can produce goals in transition and on PP. No system is going to work if the players don't. Too often too many of the players on this team simply don't work, don't back check, do make the lazy play over the smart play.

There are manifold issues from the top to bottom. All 4 lines and all 3 d pairs need addressing.
Organizational depth in goal also is a must.

Frankly there bad better be changes coming soon. It is too late for this season, but it is never too late to start building the future.

 

[awaz]

I actually don't think it's compete. I think the Flyers have loads of compete. Emery is a battler, he just sucks. Giroux, Voracek, and Simmonds will run through a wall to win a game and a lot of secondary parts follow their lead.

The problem is the team lacks talent. And when the team lacks talent it's hard to keep a consistent compete level. You battle hard and then your goalie gives up a dumb rebound that ends in your net. You battle to try to overcome it, and your goalie just lets in a soft goal. You get it back and someone gives up a stupid turnover than ends up in your net. You can only dig deep and battle back so many times before you say 'screw it, I'm done'.

I actually think, when competitive, the Flyers compete is their biggest asset.

 

[lasgop8]

I am going to go with the compete level and lack of talent has hurt us all season. There have been too many games where we just didn't come out skating hard and thus lacking the compete level of the opponenets. We also just don't have a very good team right now especially with Emery just handing out goals. He has played well at times but with a GGA over 3 we just cant win that way. We cant score four every game he plays. I am going to church this weekend and pray for changes.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I actually don't think it's compete. I think the Flyers have loads of compete. Emery is a battler, he just sucks. Giroux, Voracek, and Simmonds will run through a wall to win a game and a lot of secondary parts follow their lead.

The problem is the team lacks talent. And when the team lacks talent it's hard to keep a consistent compete level. You battle hard and then your goalie gives up a dumb rebound that ends in your net. You battle to try to overcome it, and your goalie just lets in a soft goal. You get it back and someone gives up a stupid turnover than ends up in your net. You can only dig deep and battle back so many times before you say 'screw it, I'm done'.

I actually think, when competitive, the Flyers compete is their biggest asset.

I agree with this, look at all the games where they've come back - the competing aspect of the game is there, they do it almost every game, but the talent level isn't good enough and it's not just on defense and in goal - their forward group isn't good enough - they need better 2nd-3rd-4th liners and I've been saying this lately that they really need a 2nd line scoring center that will be consistent night in and night out - where they find that guy, I don't know, but I don't see it being any of the current guys on this roster

 

[wbon22]

I agree that there is a lack of talent...
That said, teams that win, teams that compete night in and night out don't necessarily have more talent. They do have more players buying into playing every shift hard and competing for 60 minutes.
No coasting back on the back check.

Mason has been lights out when healthy. Emery is done, something that was pretty much known after the playoffs last year.

 

[dspice07]

how did we get to this point...i would say the future looks bright but they are in such a bad spot financially it is so hard to stay positive.

 

[flyersfan4706]

how did we get to this point...i would say the future looks bright but they are in such a bad spot financially it is so hard to stay positive.

We aren't that bad financially. Nobody is due for a raise this summer, and when Voracek and Couturier look for money Luke and Grossmann will be up. We just have to wait for the bad stuff to expire, it's not like we are going anywhere in the meantime

 

[wbon22]

how did we get to this point...i would say the future looks bright but they are in such a bad spot financially it is so hard to stay positive.

I think the future does look bright. The cap situation can be at least aided with a trade or two before the deadline and or at the draft. Both Schenn brothers, Coburn and Grossmann only have one year left after this on their current contracts. The big millstones are Umberger and LeCavalier. Both have more than just next season at over 4 mill.

I knew that this was going to be a tough year. It was very clearly a holding pattern that no one wanted to call a holding pattern. IMHO Hextall is not jumping at the bread crumbs being tossed and is holding on for someone to make a real offer of assets that will allow the Flyers to clear some cap space and get a real asset in return, hopefully a 2nd round pick. (I am not crazy, I don't see them getting a 1st rounder for anyone that they can move or would want to move). In the right circumstances, to the right team, a 2nd rounder is not out of the question.

 

[chy1127]

There is so much money being spent on defense the offense is also starting to be hurt. We don't have a number 1 LW. We have 3 top 6 forwards (G, Jake, Simmonds) 7 top 9 (Couts, Schenn, Raffl and Read) and 3 bottom 3 (Vinny, Umberger and Rinaldo). There is not very much forward depth in the minors and waiting for Cap to open in 2 years means that our top guys are all 2 years older.

 

[wbon22]

There is so much money being spent on defense the offense is also starting to be hurt. We don't have a number 1 LW. We have 3 top 6 forwards (G, Jake, Simmonds) 7 top 9 (Couts, Schenn, Raffl and Read) and 3 bottom 3 (Vinny, Umberger and Rinaldo). There is not very much forward depth in the minors and waiting for Cap to open in 2 years means that our top guys are all 2 years older.

First thank you for also noting that the Flyers don't have a real top line LW.

The situation at forward is a little grim. There is Laughton, Cousins and a few others, but only a few. The real issue is that there is only a need for 4 centers on a team at a time, not 9. Strength down the middle is one thing, forcing players to play out of position is another.

A subtle change and move going forward that I would like to see, and that Hextall has somewhat demonstrated is to not rush to sign up to the 50 contract limit. He has signed players under AHL only contracts that in years gone by would have been under NHL contract. This will allow for the college free agents period (always one or two decent prospects) as well as organizational depth.

I just hope they don't screw up and get impatient and make a stupid move.

 

[chy1127]

First thank you for also noting that the Flyers don't have a real top line LW.

The situation at forward is a little grim. There is Laughton, Cousins and a few others, but only a few. The real issue is that there is only a need for 4 centers on a team at a time, not 9. Strength down the middle is one thing, forcing players to play out of position is another.

A subtle change and move going forward that I would like to see, and that Hextall has somewhat demonstrated is to not rush to sign up to the 50 contract limit. He has signed players under AHL only contracts that in years gone by would have been under NHL contract. This will allow for the college free agents period (always one or two decent prospects) as well as organizational depth.

I just hope they don't screw up and get impatient and make a stupid move.

 

[Retroram52]

When you think of no talent, just think of Rinaldo. Enough said.

 

[chy1127]

When you think of no talent, just think of Rinaldo. Enough said.

It's a very sad day in Vinny land when you get scratched in favor of Rinaldo.

 

[Retroram52]

 

[4thstreet]

It's a very sad day in Vinny land when you get scratched in favor of Rinaldo.

gotta agree

You know damn well Rinaldo will find a way to take a penalty,to cost us the game.

 

[FlyerFinFan]

I don't understand why Vinny was benched? Sure he wasn't scoring but his line was rolling. The effort seemed to be there too.

 

[lasgop8]

I don't understand why Vinny was benched? Sure he wasn't scoring but his line was rolling. The effort seemed to be there too.

That line was still rolling through the weekend now we know it wasn't because of Vinny.

 

[Cobiemonster]

That line was still rolling through the weekend now we know it wasn't because of Vinny.

This

Vinny was not noticeable on that line, it was the other two guys

I'm glad they scratched him, tired of the team kowtowing to him, he's not a good player anymore

 

[chy1127]

This

Vinny was not noticeable on that line, it was the other two guys

I'm glad they scratched him, tired of the team kowtowing to him, he's not a good player anymore

Rinaldo scars me. As we saw, his reputation alone leads to penalties.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Rinaldo scars me. As we saw, his reputation alone leads to penalties.

He needs to be gone too

Would like to see Petr Straka again