Post-Game Talk: #18 | Flyers at Canadiens | November 19, 2022 | 7:00 PM |

[mr4tno]

This is the saddest commentary on this team - only 2 pages of post game comments....

 

[ybnvs]

What happened to Laughton?

 

[Crescent Street]

This is the saddest commentary on this team - only 2 pages of post game comments....

Organization doesn't care/inept, so why should we?

 

[ybnvs]

What happened to Laughton?

Found the replay for anyone else wondering:

 

[BernieParent]

Tippett was phenomenal in this game. I think some of his passes were more impressive than the goals. The one that set up Frost in front was pretty slick.

Sanheim needs to sneak in like that more often. Nice anticipation and sweet goal.

Are they going to lose Laughton too? Coots, Atkinson, JVR, TK, Allison, Laughton. That’s just unbelievable.

I thought the Hockey Fights Cancer segment just before the game was pretty special. Made me tear up seeing those young kids fighting for their lives. I wish them and their families well. Hits harder when you’re a parent too.

I thought it was exceptional how much they involved the Flyers players to emphasize the "We all play on the same team" theme.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

I am way more impressed with Mac's puck skills this year vs his board work tbh. He's got decent bottom 6 skills. He scored 52points in the AHL a few seasons ago, 18 points on the pp. Pretty respectable totals. He is scoring at a decent clip right now, and the underlying metrics are pretty stable, but I do wonder if he sustains his scoring touch.

My issue with him is his lack of anticipation. Just because he gets to the boards doesn't mean he is getting results. I imagine he has a lot of pressures, but I know he doesn't have many turnovers. He just can't process quick enough.

MacEwen has indeed made some surprising skill plays this season. But he also has won many races to pucks. He's been an effective player.

He's 7th on the team in points with 7 in 16 games. That's 3 more points than golden boy Frost, who has 4 in 17 games.

Yet "objective" posters continue to beat on Zack relentlessly. It's silliness. The man has more than done his job for a $900k depth player.

 

[VladDrag]

MacEwen has indeed made some surprising skill plays this season. But he also has won many races to pucks. He's been an effective player.

He's 7th on the team in points with 7 in 16 games. That's 3 more points than golden boy Frost, who has 4 in 17 games.

Yet "objective" posters continue to beat on Zack relentlessly. It's silliness. The man has more than done his job for a $900k depth player.

Do you think MacEwen is a better offensive player than Frost?

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Do you think MacEwen is a better offensive player than Frost?

Do you think that's what I argued?

Regardless, he's been the more productive offensive player.

 

[deadhead]

MacEwen right now is what people thought NAK would become, but didn't. But NAK had a 30 game stretch like this before his career went down the toilet, so let's see MacEwen keep this up for a full season. MacEwen is bigger than NAK but not quite as fast, NAK is a tad bit more skilled but both are bottom six on their best night - the difference is MacEwen has a non-stop motor where NAK ran hot and cold.

Tippett has steadily improved all season, he's playing with confidence, it's obvious he's been told to shoot and keep on shooting, and he's starting to believe in his shot. He's become responsible on defense and playing a 200 foot game. What's not to like?

Frost played his best game of the season, what got him more PT is what he's continuing to do, which is play responsible hockey - because even in this game he wasn't an offensive force, made some nice plays, but he's not nearly as good offensively as Suzuki, which means if he doesn't play a two way game he's as useless as tits on a Bull.

Sedlak carried a line with Deslauriers and Bellows, I think an extension will be forthcoming if he isn't traded at the TDL, best 4C the Flyers have had since PEB, and he can move up and play LW. Reason I'd extend him is to provide an anchor for players like Desnoyers and Wisdom on the bottom six the next couple years.

Willman and Bellows are on the team b/c they're running out of warm bodies. Brown at least can fill in and do some good things, but he's best suited as the 13th forward.

TDA and Provorov just don't have good chemistry, but Risto is playing his best hockey as a Flyer, Braun seems ageless and Sanheim is getting his mojo back. Seeler continues to surprise, nothing pretty but quietly effective. I'd actually consider Seeler - TDA, TDA needs a partner who'll play it safe and CYA.

It's becoming obvious that the team is getting comfortable with Torts' scheme and have bought in.
I mean to play this well on the road, with TK out, Laughton goes down, basically patching lines together on the fly.

Torts' problem all season is being able to field three decent lines, which is why he's stuck with Cates at C, even before he was injured, Laughton just didn't look comfortable there. But with Cates at center, it wasn't like he was trying to screw Frost, there simply weren't enough wings to go around, and it's just gotten worse. This game Hayes got stuck with the dregs, dragging WIllman and Brown around. Then to just field two lines Torts moved Hayes to wing. Which is a glimpse of Hayes' future, he lacks the speed to be a top 6 center in today's game, but is a legitimate scorer - a lot of teams put scoring veterans on a 3rd line and pick their spots to get the most out of them.

This is an extended tryout camp, but without Couts, they can't make anything work. Even if you go with
Farabee - Frost - Tippett
Hayes - Cates - MacEwen
who the heck is your third line with Laughton and TK out?
And with Hayes at center, who are his wings and the LW for Cates?
They'll probably recall Laczynski or Lycksell or both, but that still won't solve the problem.

 

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

MacEwen has indeed made some surprising skill plays this season. But he also has won many races to pucks. He's been an effective player.

He's 7th on the team in points with 7 in 16 games. That's 3 more points than golden boy Frost, who has 4 in 17 games.

Yet "objective" posters continue to beat on Zack relentlessly. It's silliness. The man has more than done his job for a $900k depth player.

Zach the player isn't the problem. Zach's usage is. He's a bottom six/fourth line forward. We have a first round pick in Lehigh Valley in Tyson Foerster who's offers much more skill and ability than Zach and he's stuck there. For a rebuilding team, or so we're told a rebuilding team, does it not make sense to have the first round pick playing in the NHL, learning the NHL game? Does it not make sense that you want the first round pick playing in that middle six spot, especially when that's his upside? Or does the first round pick need to continue being schooled in the Ian Laperriere 'checking-only-no-skill' development school in Lehigh Valley because that's how you develop players in Uncle Schmuck's world?

So yeah, using an inferior player in a role that they simply aren't suited for, is a problem. And it's been a problem for four years. Isn't a GM's job to ensure that the team continually gets better? If that's the case, why has this club gotten progressively worse under Schmuck? Would you say that's good GMing?

 

[deadhead]

Zach the player isn't the problem. Zach's usage is. He's a bottom six/fourth line forward. We have a first round pick in Lehigh Valley in Tyson Foerster who's offers much more skill and ability than Zach and he's stuck there. For a rebuilding team, or so we're told a rebuilding team, does it not make sense to have the first round pick playing in the NHL, learning the NHL game? Does it not make sense that you want the first round pick playing in that middle six spot, especially when that's his upside? Or does the first round pick need to continue being schooled in the Ian Laperriere 'checking-only-no-skill' development school in Lehigh Valley because that's how you develop players in Uncle Schmuck's world?

So yeah, using an inferior player in a role that they simply aren't suited for, is a problem. And it's been a problem for four years. Isn't a GM's job to ensure that the team continually gets better? If that's the case, why has this club gotten progressively worse under Schmuck? Would you say that's good GMing?

After watching Foerster, I think he needs a year in the AHL and a summer working on his skating. He's 20, and he's not some uber-talent being buried, he's a skilled player with mediocre skating skills who needs work. And I wouldn't rush Desnoyers or Wisdom, they're also 20 and have missed some PT the last two seasons, again, don't rush them to appease bored fans.

Laczynski and Lycksell are probably the closest to NHL ready, and you might look at Marody, Brooks is still injured, I think.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Just stop, dude. You aren't being realistic. Any team is going to struggle with RW depth if it loses its top three RWs to injury.

Oh, and Fletcher's top RW prospect, Bobby Brink, is out due to injury.

Oh, and JVR who can play RW is out due to injury.

Oh, and they were playing with a short bench due to Laughton's injury.

Oh, and the organization's prospect depth is limited because of so many draft whiffs that pre-date Chuck.

Meanwhile Zack MacEwen has done an admirable job playing above his pay grade at RW with 7 points in 16 games.

To complain about MacEwen this season is to complain based on reputation and personal dislike rather than his play.

MacEwen was being ridiculously overused even when injuries didn't force such usage. PP time is ridiculous. No wonder our PP is at the bottom again.

 

[Beef Invictus]

After watching Foerster, I think he needs a year in the AHL and a summer working on his skating. He's 20, and he's not some uber-talent being buried, he's a skilled player with mediocre skating skills who needs work. And I wouldn't rush Desnoyers or Wisdom, they're also 20 and have missed some PT the last two seasons, again, don't rush them to appease bored fans.

Laczynski and Lycksell are probably the closest to NHL ready, and you might look at Marody, Brooks is still injured, I think.

"Laczynski is close to NHL ready," backpedals the guy who penciled him into every roster in the summer as an NHL ready player who now has to retract that because he must agree with Fletcher.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

NAK's career went down the drain as he proceeded to play in the SCF, win a Cup, get signed by the Leafs, and then claimed by the Caps.

I'm not a smart man but... I think i'll side with the braintrusts in those organizations over Chuck Fletcher/French Allen and Co.

 

[deadhead]

Caufield has a great shot, and is an agile skater, but he's pretty much DeBrincat II, that is, he'll score for a while, but he's awful on defense, and with that small body and lacking elite speed, once the dings and wear and tear erode his scoring skills, he'll be a disaster on a big second contract. Kind of guy you draft if you're already a good team and can shelter him and take advantage of his skill package.

The difference with Patrick Kane is his elite speed, he's still a black hole on defense, but his speed has allowed him to outscore his deficiencies for a decade.

 

[VladDrag]

Do you think that's what I argued?

Regardless, he's been the more productive offensive player.

No I don’t think that’s what you argued. Nor was it meant as an argumentative statement.

Do you think that MacEwen is a better offensive player than Frost? It’s a simple yes or no question.

 

[deadhead]

NAK's career went down the drain as he proceeded to play in the SCF, win a Cup, get signed by the Leafs, and then claimed by the Caps.

I'm not a smart man but... I think i'll side with the braintrusts in those organizations over Chuck Fletcher/French Allen and Co.

NAK went scoreless for 14 games n the playoffs, was benched, then went unsigned by that team while they signed two veteran forwards over him, was waived by his next team, and immediately got himself suspended for a dirty hit on his 4th team in two years.

Sugarcoat it all you want, that's a downward spiral.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Oh what a burden it would be to have Debrincat, truly. God forbid a team have any skill. Fletcher has decreed that skill and offense are bad,.so therefore Debrincat must be bad.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

NAK went scoreless for 14 games n the playoffs, was benched, then went unsigned by that team while they signed two veteran forwards over him, was waived by his next team, and immediately got himself suspended for a dirty hit on his 4th team in two years.

Sugarcoat it all you want, that's a downward spiral.

Ah, you're removing any and all context. Well done.

 

[Beef Invictus]

NAK went scoreless for 14 games n the playoffs, was benched, then went unsigned by that team while they signed two veteran forwards over him, was waived by his next team, and immediately got himself suspended for a dirty hit on his 4th team in two years.

Sugarcoat it all you want, that's a downward spiral.

He wasn't benched. He was injured. You know better than to judge a player solely by point production, too. All of these things have been pointed out to you repeatedly, so you know better.


You are willingly and knowingly lying to defend a failure on Fletcher's part.

 

[bennysflyers16]

Shocked that Laughton hit happens with the enforcers we dress ?

Cole Caufield critiques now , will it ever end ?

 

[Beef Invictus]

NAK's career went down the drain as he proceeded to play in the SCF, win a Cup, get signed by the Leafs, and then claimed by the Caps.

I'm not a smart man but... I think i'll side with the braintrusts in those organizations over Chuck Fletcher/French Allen and Co.

I remember when being used by an NHL coach alone was proof that a player is worthwhile. Now, suddenly, being used by an NHL coach on a Cup winning team with so much depth they could have Burakovsky on the 4th line isn't proof a player has merit.

Really hilarious how the standards blatantly shift as needed to defend the worst management in the NHL.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

I remember when being used by an NHL coach alone was proof that a player is worthwhile. Now, suddenly, being used by an NHL coach on a Cup winning team with so much depth they could have Burakovsky on the 4th line isn't proof a player has merit.

Really hilarious how the standards blatantly shift as needed to defend the worst management in the NHL.

I'll get this out of the way:

"LOL, WHAT DEPTH?!?!"

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

P.S.

 

[TCTC]

He wasn't benched. He was injured. You know better than to judge a player solely by point production, too. All of these things have been pointed out to you repeatedly, so you know better.


You are willingly and knowingly lying to defend a failure on Fletcher's part.

He obviously has little to no trade value and not much on-ice value either. Otherwise he wouldn't get waived all the time. Caps fans are already fed up with him.