Post-Game Talk: #36: FLYERS at Lightning, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018, 7:30 pm ET

[kudymen]

One more point than I expected, cant complain. Team still looks more confident than what we have been used to for the post however-many months

 

[GapToothedWonder]

I almost made a post about this tonight. Are MacDonald's defensive tactics taught by any coach at any level? I would guess not.

I was consistently coached to never leave my feet when ever possible. The way A Mac plays is truly mind boggling.

 

[dats81]

They’ve picked up 7 points out of 10 possible points in their last 5 games & they’re still 8 points back.

Playing well won't do it. They need to go streaking and get incredibly lucky to sniff the playoffs.

 

[baudib1]

It cannot be overstated how dumb that Carchidi tweet was btw.

There is a lot of debate among the Twitter Flyers cognoscenti about whether or not we're allowed to be excited about the return of Sam Morin.

If you wanted to play your 6-7 defensemen on a rotating basis and Morin is one of those guys, Tampa Bay is definitely a team you'd rather sit him and play, let's say, Mark Friedman.

If last night's game showed anything, it's the need for more skill up front and on the back end, because the only way to defend Tampa is to not let them have the puck.

 

[Psuhockey]

They’ve picked up 7 points out of 10 possible points in their last 5 games & they’re still 8 points back.

The only thing they will end up doing is ruining their draft position. Here’s comes the 11th overall pick.

 

[baudib1]

I'm okay with him on the 3rd line in more sheltered minutes. At least in theory. Raffl and Laughton won't cut it as linemates. The PP1 thing is such an easy fix it's laughable. He thrived in that role; the unit thrived in that role. Simmonds is being gifted minutes he's done nothing in, though you could say that for more than just the PP. Patrick could certainly hit 50 points if he played the PP1 all season and it got back into form, even with 3rd line production/minutes. We've seen it done before with Simmonds and Schenn. He needs a lifeline, and that PP net front is it. It bothers me they won't give it to him, unless something is in the works.

I've said it before, but I wouldn't even be opposed to playing him on the wing next to Couturier or Giroux. There's no shame in it; if only for experimentation short-term. Draisaitl and Reinhart aren't complaining about it, and neither are their teams. Just to ease his burden and get a kickstart. I do envision him as a center long-term, but I don't see the harm in just trying something outside the box.

I think if you see him as a center long-term, and we all do, he should just play center. Sheltered minutes, tough minutes, medium minutes, whatever. Give him Lindblom and Raffl so he can at least have the puck in the offensive zone quite a bit, but use that line in a defensive role as well (it should be a decent shutdown line). Give him as many varied assignments as possible. I think it's more important for his development that he becomes well-rounded than it is for him to get 45 points instead of 35.

 

[Doodootheclown]

It sucks Nolan Patrick is a bust, apparently. I've never seen a career end so quick. Sad.

 

[Chinatown88]

Lindblom - Patrick - Kakko

Easy fix

 

[Larry44]

I remember his one good season

Yeah, it was his everyith year, really showed potential.

 

[Flyrs21]

I remember his one good season

And it was because he played with Jaromir Jagr

 

[MorgantiDrinksBlood]

It sucks Nolan Patrick is a bust, apparently. I've never seen a career end so quick. Sad.

To be fair he hasn't shown much.

 

[Outlaw Samurai]

Absolute filthy goal.

Shockingly, the main board thread "Claude Giroux Great Goal" is filled entirely with praise and not a single dbag comment. TB fans were plentiful too. Hats off to them.

 

[phil162888]

Really? A few turnovers tonight aside, Coots has been excellent the last 20 games or so..

Its his decisions on the defensive side of the puck (one of his strengths). He's been losing his man in the slot ...not playing a tight box on the pk. Little things that when you watch the replay on a goal you'd expect someone of Couts defensive abilities to not make a mistake. He's been playing better offensively but its these mistakes like Provy someone that you would not think would make them that are killing the team. We've all come to expect brain fart decisions periodically from Macdonald, Weise, Gudas and Hagg but to see it from your 2 best defensive players hurts.

 

[mja]

Absolute filthy goal.

Shockingly, the main board thread "Claude Giroux Great Goal" is filled entirely with praise and not a single dbag comment. TB fans were plentiful too. Hats off to them.

Eh, there was that one Leafs fan who was trying to turn it into an anti-Tampa thread (because he was low-key trying to turn it into a Leafs thread, because of course he was) but happily he’s been largely and deservedly ignored.

 

[Outlaw Samurai]

Eh, there was that one Leafs fan who was trying to turn it into an anti-Tampa thread (because he was low-key trying to turn it into a Leafs thread, because of course he was) but happily he’s been largely and deservedly ignored.

Yeah, he was shot down pretty quick. I took that as more TB D is over rated, therefore Leafs are just as good, than taking away from G.

 

[phil162888]

I wonder if the Flyers would consider trading Nolan Patrick. If the new regime is committed to Giroux being back at center long term and they think Frost is the real deal perhaps they would. I'm not ready to give up on Patrick yet but he has been a disappointment this year and you have to wonder if Frost might surpass him in the eyes of the organization.

I think Patrick has been playing much better then his stats would suggest. He's been improving defensively which has been a priority for the team. The concerning piece with Patrick is that he continues to not have confidence with the puck. Which is shocking for a #2 overall pick that dominated junior.

Its obvious the injuries that robbed him some development time and the Flyers rush to have him on the roster have made him look like a kid on the ice. He makes great quick passes with the puck but doesn't seem to want to control the play with patience and he doesn't seem to have the confidence to use his shot effectively. I still believe that both of these will be addressed through his development.

He's a big kid that needs to fill out. Once he gains his confidence and the game slows down for him I think his play will improve dramatically. The org can't panic with him. His development will either take this team to the next level or cause us to tread water for the next 3-4 seasons. Stat wise.. proper line mates and PP usage would change things quickly but I'm ok with them making him earn his minutes and showcasing Simmonds. Playing center as a 18-22 year old is as difficult as being a 18-22 yr old defensemen. You get exposed and it usually costs your team. Just like Sanheim all this work on the defensive side of the game is going to pay off in spades once these two start to take off!!! Just sucks having to wait

 

[Garbage Goal]

They’ve picked up 7 points out of 10 possible points in their last 5 games & they’re still 8 points back.

Is that surprising?

The thing people always forget with this stuff is how many teams they have to leap and it’s not just how many points you pick up. It’s picking up more points than all the teams you need to leap for the rest of the season plus making up the points you’re already behind by plus factoring in games played advantages and disadvantages. This is a league with a lot of parity, teams don’t outpace each other that much even when they’re playing well. Basement teams aside.

 

[Here4ThaLids]

When Frost comes in next year and doubles Patrick’s scoring, we’ll finally see the value of marinating top picks in junior for a full two years.

 

[Striiker]

I wonder if the Flyers would consider trading Nolan Patrick. If the new regime is committed to Giroux being back at center long term and they think Frost is the real deal perhaps they would. I'm not ready to give up on Patrick yet but he has been a disappointment this year and you have to wonder if Frost might surpass him in the eyes of the organization.

 

[RANKKA]

It sucks Nolan Patrick is a bust, apparently. I've never seen a career end so quick. Sad.

deal with it

 

[Amorgus]

I finally got to watch the Giroux goal that everyone's been raving about and I'm still giddy as a schoolgirl. I can't believe that actually happened in our reality. I think Giroux entered the Matrix for a few seconds.

 

[TheKingPin]

I wonder if the Flyers would consider trading Nolan Patrick. If the new regime is committed to Giroux being back at center long term and they think Frost is the real deal perhaps they would. I'm not ready to give up on Patrick yet but he has been a disappointment this year and you have to wonder if Frost might surpass him in the eyes of the organization.

No way. I’m not huge on Patrick right now, but I’m still not looking to trade him. He will at least be a 60 pt guy when getting pp time. His finish to last year was telling. He was our best forward in the playoffs as well. I thought he’d come out with a monster season. Not sure what happened. Prob combo of Hak and focusing on the wrong things like all D. Maybe he trained too hard trying to make up for things. Who knows. But don’t trade him now.

And still got shutout vs Div rival.

I’m thinking it will take a sec. Guys were on IR. Either way I think they will be looking to arm up.

 

[flyers0909]

Some people are forgetting, or choosing to ignore, that Nolan Patrick is 20 years old...

Are the Sabres looking to trade Middlestadt for only putting up 10 points this year? How about the Avalanche with Makar, he hasn't even cracked the NHL at 20, must be a bust.

You obviously want higher production out of the #2 overall pick, but to want to give up on him and trade him at this point is insane.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

I was consistently coached to never leave my feet when ever possible. The way A Mac plays is truly mind boggling.

There are two schools of thought on that. Roger Neilson, for example, encouraged his defensemen to leave their feet on 2-on-1s.

Also, AMac actually did disrupt the pass with his glove, which many may not have realized (I didn’t notice until a 2nd replay).

 

[Curufinwe]

It sucks Nolan Patrick is a bust, apparently. I've never seen a career end so quick. Sad.

You weren't around for when the Flyers blew the 8th overall pick on a slow, stone-handed bottom 6 center when they could have had Doug "The Stud" Hamilton?