2017-18 roster talk: the positive perfect power of nine

[Tripod]

Elliott update:
7 games playing very good/great: .933 SV% in each game or more
3 meh games: .913-.914 SV% in each of those games
3 bad games: .882 or below in those games

I said before the year I expected Elliott to be at .915 SV for the year. Those 3 bad games really hurt him including the Nashville farce where his coach let him down.

He is at .912 now for the year...but looking at it game for game...he has been good. Only 3 bad games in 13. The other 10 games he gave us chances to win.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

The Flyers are 12th in the league in save percentage with a .912%.

5v5 - 1st .941%
ES - 2nd .931%
PK - 25th .847%
PP - 30th .726%

 

[Lindberg]

The Flyers are 12th in the league in save percentage with a .912%.

5v5 - 1st .941%
ES - 2nd .931%
PK - 25th .847%
PP - 30th .726%

That PK does not look good, but the PP I'd wager is a bit misleading since I'd assume most shots on net there are from prime chances.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

That PK does not look good, but the PP I'd wager is a bit misleading since I'd assume most shots on net there are from prime chances.

It’s really not a large enough sample to draw from like the others but I just included it anyway to give full clarity. The others are more important. The Flyers have given up 3 short handed goals so far (7 is the most in the NHL by the Isles). The Flyers goalies are 8/11 on save attempts while on the PP so that’s what sinks the percentage.

 

[Hurricane28]

Since the beginning of November, Elliott has played very well. Too bad they're not scoring

 

[bb12]

2 things I'd like to see. Tk getting a line to stay together. He gets shuffled too much. Leave this line the way it is.

Read needs to be sent back and someone neeeds to be recalled to slot in for the wiese for a few games. He is playing flat our poor

 

[McNasty]

Their offensive problems are systemic as much as they are personnel. There's a reason for the huge discrepancy between the team sv% at 5v5 and 4v5. They play a system designed around going out there and not getting scored on with the idea that if you do that consistently enough you'll squeak a turd or two into the other team's net and win the game.

 

[Curufinwe]

Assuming Gudas is out for the rest of this month, this is what I hope Hextall would do.

Waive Read. Recall Vecchione. Demote Alt when MacDonald is ready to be activated.

Giroux-Couturier-Voracek
Weal-Filppula-Simmonds
Raffl-Patrick-Konecny
Leier-Laughton-Vecchione
Weise, Lehtera

Provorov-MacDonald
Ghost-Hagg
Sanheim-Manning

If you need a 7th dman, waive Lehtera.

 

[Rebels57]

Assuming Gudas is out for the rest of this month, this is what I hope Hextall would do.

Waive Read. Recall Vecchione. Demote Alt when MacDonald is ready to be activated.

Giroux-Couturier-Voracek
Weal-Filppula-Simmonds
Raffl-Patrick-Konecny
Leier-Laughton-Vecchione
Weise, Lehtera

Provorov-MacDonald
Ghost-Hagg
Sanheim-Manning

If you need a 7th dman, waive Lehtera.

Love the forward lines, but give me Morin-Sanheim as the 3rd pair..or at least rotated in.

Shame they won't happen.

 

[Hurricane28]

Like I said in another thread, I would put Leier with TK and Patrick. TK and Leier's speed would create problems. They are also sneaky good along the boards.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

Like I said in another thread, I would put Leier with TK and Patrick. TK and Leier's speed would create problems. They are also sneaky good along the boards.

I don't hate that idea, but am I right in thinking that Martel has more NHL offensive potential than Leier? It's probably a huge unknown at this point, but if it's true, and we want to go with your thinking, I wouldn't mind leaving Leier where he is and calling up Martel and give him a shot with TK and NP. We are starved for goals - I just don't see what it could hurt to give it three or five or 10 games. If we never saw Weise suit up again, I'd throw myself a party or something, and there are no words for how done I am with the ****ing Tortoise.

 

[deadhead]

VdV has more offensive potential than Leier. At some point a player is what he is, 27g last year and this year and 1-3 4.
Martel has a lot more offensive potential than Leier, neither hits worth a damn, both are roadskill in tight areas, but Leier has improved as a possession player and forechecker.
The question is whether Martel's offense is a bigger plus than the potential falloff on the forecheck.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

VdV has more offensive potential than Leier. At some point a player is what he is, 27g last year and this year and 1-3 4.
Martel has a lot more offensive potential than Leier, neither hits worth a damn, both are roadskill in tight areas, but Leier has improved as a possession player and forechecker.
The question is whether Martel's offense is a bigger plus than the potential falloff on the forecheck.

Considering our lack of firepower, I'd say it's worth a shot.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

VdV has more offensive potential than Leier. At some point a player is what he is, 27g last year and this year and 1-3 4.

I just want to be clear here. You're saying Chris VandeVelde, who couldn't even come close to .5 PPG in the AHL until his Age 26 season, had more offensive potential than a guy who did it at 22, then took another step up at 23? When the older, lesser talented player was also a possession black hole?

You're going to base this on luckboxing his way into shooting 13% a few years ago, aren't you?

 

[FLYguy3911]

You're saying Chris Vandevelde has potential?!?!?

 

[Tripod]

VdV has more offensive potential than Leier. At some point a player is what he is, 27g last year and this year and 1-3 4.
Martel has a lot more offensive potential than Leier, neither hits worth a damn, both are roadskill in tight areas, but Leier has improved as a possession player and forechecker.
The question is whether Martel's offense is a bigger plus than the potential falloff on the forecheck.

Leier has 4 points in his first 33 career games from age 21-23
VDV had 4 points in his first 46 career games from age 23-26

 

[deadhead]

Leier is scoring around the VdV line, and he shows no signs of being anything but a 4th line scrub who skates fast and does little else. He looks better on the PK, but VdV was more effective (GA/60) as a PK killer, even if he looked ugly doing it. Leier is not the answer to anything, anymore than Cousins. Leier can't hit anyone, and he consistently loses the puck along the boards.

If Leier is around in a year or two, you'll be scapegoating him.

 

[Rebels57]

You're saying Chris Vandevelde has potential?!?!?

If people haven't blocked him after this comment, they never will

 

[Magua]

Couturier tied for 13th in shots in the NHL (with Jake fwiw). He is on pace for 275 shots. His previous career high (or even projected) was 165 back in 2013-14. And he only moved to the PP a couple weeks ago. Schenn only had 178 shots in each of the last two seasons. Even Simmonds usually only gets 220 or so......he's pacing for around 170 (talking about his injury). 275 shots would be the most since Giroux in 2014-15.

So, yes, Sean Couturier is pacing for 49 goals, which is slightly more than his previous career high of 15 goals, and he's shooting 17.9% -- which isn't THAT crazy in a career year, especially for someone who lives around the net, but will most likely drop a few points -- but those shot totals don't lie. Even by the eye, he's not even hesitating to shoot, where in years past he would often pass out of shooting areas. He's on a mission.

If his shots per game dips to 2.75 shots down from current rate of 3.35, and his shooting % regresses to last year's 11.7%.......he would still end up with 31 goals. You shoot that much in the areas he does, you'll get yours, slumps or not. And yes, he plays with half-decent passers who give you open looks and not just garbage collecting.

 

[Hurricane28]

Leier spends much more time in the offensive zone than VdV did.

 

[deadhead]

Wayne Simmonds asks what's wrong with garbage collecting?
Couts is getting goals because he's crashing the net area and when you do that, rebounds come your way along with passes.

The guy who is going to score is Patrick, he has the ice vision and good hands, once he fills out enough to be the immovable object in that area in front of the blue paint, watch out. Right now he's still a baby.

 

[deadhead]

Leier spends much more time in the offensive zone than VdV did.

So did Rinaldo. With the same results.
At some point you have to move than skate around, throw bad angle shots at goal, and kill a minute or two.
I'm not asking for 20 goal scorers on the 4th line, but between the three of them, 20+ ES goals isn't too much.
2016-17: VdV/PEB/Luby, (Gordon, Leier, McDonald) had 17 ES goals, this year 1 ES goal
2015-16: VdV/PEB/White (McDonald, Umberger) had 17 ES goals
2014-15: VdV/PEB/White (Rinaldo) had 22 ES goals

3 or 4 more goals out of that line would probably have won us a couple games: 10-7-3 wouldn't look so bad.
In fact, it would have us in the playoffs.

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

In 17 games Martel has 14 5v5 primary points. How is he not on this team is beyond me.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

In 17 games Martel has 14 5v5 primary points. How is he not on this team is beyond me.

Roadkill.

 

[bennysflyers16]

In 17 games Martel has 14 5v5 primary points. How is he not on this team is beyond me.

Gotta marinate ,,, plus I’m sure Hexy don’t want to admit his Weise mistake ,,, or he likes him.