Post-Game Talk: #42 | Flyers at Wild | January 12, 2024 | Flyers win 4-3 (OT)

[Beef Invictus]

If a player has elite skills and can execute such plays, Tortorella won't punish him.


That's why I'm not worried about Michkov playing for Torts.

The team was successfully executing those cross-ice plays last season, and he got in front of the press, complained about it, vowed to stop them, and did, tanking scoring.

And that's good of course. Who am I to question the Tortorella. He says you can't win by scoring goals and that the team doesn't need talent, I'm sure he's right.

 

[Alex K]

The team was successfully executing those cross-ice plays last season, and he got in front of the press, complained about it, vowed to stop them, and did, tanking scoring.

And that's good of course. Who am I to question the Tortorella. He says you can't win by scoring goals and that the team doesn't need talent, I'm sure he's right.

Unfortunately I missed last season. That's interesting, could you post the link?
Torts definitly won't allow the whole team play like this, but I still think if Matvey translates his huge talent to NHL, Torts won't interfere.

 

[TCTC]

Drysdale is such a breath of fresh air. One of my favorite players on the team already. We haven't had a player who can skate with the puck like he does in a long time.

 

[deadhead]

If a player has elite skills and can execute such plays, Tortorella won't punish him.


That's why I'm not worried about Michkov playing for Torts.

Torts has always contended you can teach defense, you have to have talent for offense.
And he's very aggressive using D-man on the offense, but it requires forwards smart enough to know when to cycle back to CYA for an aggressive D-man (looking at you, Tippett!)

The PP started turning around when Zamula was put on it, he's got a limited skill set (below average skater, lacks bulk) but he's cool under pressure on the PP (still learning in the D-zone), handles the puck well in a small area (Sanheim's downfall on the PP) and can get his wrist shot on net on a regular basis (forget the slap shot, a wrist shot that gets through traffic is better for deflections and harder to read).

 

[Fight4yourRight]

I’ll agree with you there, HeadDead. Zamula > Sanheim on the PP.

 

[Random Forest]

Zamula’s limited skill set kind of forces the PP to simplify and focus on getting traffic and just getting pucks to the net. He should not be the permanent answer, but it’s been okay getting the other players on the unit to just settle down and stop forcing things.

I think my ideal PP1 right now would be:

Farabee
Tippett-Frost-Konecny
Drysdale

Then run plays where Tippett and Drysdale switch to open up one timers from the left side from Drysdale or looks to Frost drifting into the high slot. Maybe Couturier instead of Farabee for faceoffs and low board battles, but I don’t think Couturier is as effective as Farabee once possession is established.

PP2 would be:

Couturier
Brink-Foerster-Sanheim
Zamula

Giving Sanheim the range to walk from the right wall to the point and rotate out with Zamula.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Didn’t think they had it in them to come back. This team doesn’t quit I will give them that.

 

[PDX Flyer]

I don’t think there has been a Flyer that I’ve just enjoyed watching him skate so much since Gags.

I’m right there with you. Gagne is one of my favorite players ever. It’s weird cuz I’m not a draft/scout guy but when I saw we traded for Jamie, I was stoked. Never followed him on the ducks but remember him from draft hype. Hope the injury bug is gone. We have a gamer.

Give the pups a scratch from me and Bernie

 

[renberg]

Drysdale is such a breath of fresh air. One of my favorite players on the team already. We haven't had a player who can skate with the puck like he does in a long time.

He also makes and receives passes at a high degree of skill. This is where the Flyers PP has gone wrong. Too many of the guys on it aren't good at moving around the puck and getting it to the right guy/place for hot shot. Provorov was notorious for mishandling the puck on the PP. Having Z, Drysdale and Sanheim at the top to move the puck changes everything. Now some of the forwards need to up their game with their ability to take a pass and put aquatic shot on the goal.

 

[BernieParent]

Sanheim reading and hearing all of this praise for Drysdale's skating as something new and wonderful for the Flyers:

 

[Jack Straw]

I’m right there with you. Gagne is one of my favorite players ever. It’s weird cuz I’m not a draft/scout guy but when I saw we traded for Jamie, I was stoked. Never followed him on the ducks but remember him from draft hype. Hope the injury bug is gone. We have a gamer.

Give the pups a scratch from me and Bernie

Scritches have been given and appreciated.

 

[TCTC]

Sanheim reading and hearing all of this praise for Drysdale's skating as something new and wonderful for the Flyers:

View attachment 802198

Sanheim is a good puck mover, but he's not as shifty and quick as Drysdale. Probably because he's simply bigger. I've noticed that he looks a lot bigger this year. He's put on some muscles it seems and it seems to be helping his game, especially defensively.

 

[Curufinwe]

Sanheim’s defensive results were better last year… of course, he wasn’t the undisputed #1 dman last year.

 

[BernieParent]

Sanheim is a good puck mover, but he's not as shifty and quick as Drysdale. Probably because he's simply bigger. I've noticed that he looks a lot bigger this year. He's put on some muscles it seems and it seems to be helping his game, especially defensively.

I can't disagree with your assessment of Drysdale, although to the majority of us, it is 2 games of viewing. It's just the longstanding downplay of Sanheim's offensive ability by this franchise that makes me chuckle.