GDT: #59: FLYERS at Lightning, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, 4:00 pm ET

[flyerslducks]

Poor Bunnaman, still no respect.
last 13 games: CF 51.85%, xGF 57.15%, HDCF 62.07%
CFrel -1.88, xGFrel +5.00, HDCFrel +9.00

It's starting to look real.
Now he's limited, he's not a playmaker or big goal scorer, but he must be doing something right.
And it's not like he's being carried by top 6 wingers, NAK and Raffl are playing OK, but they're not like playing with Couts.

bunnaman has been nice but its still a small sample size. Ideally you would still want a 4th line of raffl-laughton-nak once patrick is back this season or next year.

 

[Magua]

Poor Bunnaman, still no respect.
last 13 games: CF 51.85%, xGF 57.15%, HDCF 62.07%
CFrel -1.88, xGFrel +5.00, HDCFrel +9.00

It's starting to look real.
Now he's limited, he's not a playmaker or big goal scorer, but he must be doing something right.
And it's not like he's being carried by top 6 wingers, NAK and Raffl are playing OK, but they're not like playing with Couts.

Bunnaman has been holding his own. But he's been used on the 4th line. You don't have to be carried by "top 6 wingers" to do well on the 4th line. I think you are drastically minimizing NAK and Raffl, both of whom have a long history of driving play and seem to have a developing chemistry. Raffl is also the borderline center on that line. By the eye test, there's a whole lot of NAK and Raffl each shift. Then Bunnaman appears every once in a while to win his own puck battle. He's done as well as can be expected. But I'm pretty skeptical he's not being carried by the other two all the same.

 

[deadhead]

We've seen a bunch of guys fail at 4C this year, because it is different than playing center in the top 9.
Raffl and Laughton are better LWs than centers (we'll see how Laughton holds up at 3C), Vorobyev was a "fail."

I think Bunnaman seems to have embraced the defense first aspect of that role, he has the size (smarts?) to fit that role in an AV defense.
As he gets more comfortable, he's been a bit more aggressive the last few games, but it looks like he's careful not to get caught up ice.

Given how bad he looked the first time around, he's a real surprise, skating much better and doesn't look intimidated anymore.
I'm not expecting miracles from the kid, but if he can sustain this level of play as a 21 year old rookie, that's a big boost to forward defense.

 

[baudib1]

Poor Bunnaman, still no respect.
last 13 games: CF 51.85%, xGF 57.15%, HDCF 62.07%
CFrel -1.88, xGFrel +5.00, HDCFrel +9.00

It's starting to look real.
Now he's limited, he's not a playmaker or big goal scorer, but he must be doing something right.
And it's not like he's being carried by top 6 wingers, NAK and Raffl are playing OK, but they're not like playing with Couts.

NAK is leading the team in A/60.

Who would have guessed that random prospects who aren't even in your team's top 10 will be better than the dreck Hakstol/Hextall trotted out for years?

Most of us actually.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Bunnaman is doing things right in a limited role. He’s using his size on the wall, getting to the net, skating surprisingly well. Not getting beat defensively. Unfortunately bad at faceoffs.

Still, though, an odd man out if Patrick returns &/or if they add a depth center.

 

[Stizzle]

Gee, I wonder if never getting to play with Couturier might affect Laughton's Corsi Rel. Let's look at another middle six winger who does get to play with Coots sometimes.

Farabee

PDO 5on5: 100.1

5on5 xGF%: 44.98%

5on5 Corsi For Rel: -1.72%

CF% With Couturier: 53.14%

CF% Without Couturier: 48.61%

19 years old.

 

[deadhead]

NAK is leading the team in A/60.

Who would have guessed that random prospects who aren't even in your team's top 10 will be better than the dreck Hakstol/Hextall trotted out for years?

Most of us actually.

Those random prospects were all drafted by Hextall.

The reason that dreck was trotted out for years is Hextall refused to trade assets for players who could help now, preferring to accumulate draft picks.

 

[flyersfan187]

I’m expecting NAK and Pitlick to impress again this game. It’s a shame that they’re both best as a 4rw ideally so it’ll be interesting what’ll happen with them in the off season.

 

[freakydallas13]

Oh yeah, if it's happening often then it's a cause for concern, but we've been pretty hot lately (with the exception of a few stinker periods) so if we get destroyed tomorrow I'm not worried. Annoyed maybe, depending on what goes wrong, but not worried.

So long as it doesn't lead to a downward spiral, we're still in good shape.

The thing that is the biggest difference between this year's flyers and previous year's for me is that for the most part they don't go into those 5+ game losing streaks (california trip aside) with regularity.

The team still goes into "funks" for periods at a time, but the depth is much improved so that Giroux and the vets can have an off night, but the team can still be competitive. It is very refreshing to see.

 

[DancingPanther]

19 years old.

It doesn't matter Stizzle. Quiet.

 

[flyerslducks]

We've seen a bunch of guys fail at 4C this year, because it is different than playing center in the top 9.
Raffl and Laughton are better LWs than centers (we'll see how Laughton holds up at 3C), Vorobyev was a "fail."

I think Bunnaman seems to have embraced the defense first aspect of that role, he has the size (smarts?) to fit that role in an AV defense.
As he gets more comfortable, he's been a bit more aggressive the last few games, but it looks like he's careful not to get caught up ice.

Given how bad he looked the first time around, he's a real surprise, skating much better and doesn't look intimidated anymore.
I'm not expecting miracles from the kid, but if he can sustain this level of play as a 21 year old rookie, that's a big boost to forward defense.

laughton and raffl are more than capable of being a 4th line center. Injuries to lindblom and patrick caused them (and pitlick) to navigate toward the middle 6 which is awful. They have done a decent job but if this team wants to do damage, we need them on the 4th line as this means we have the depth to keep them there. We don't have elite players on our team (other than couts). Our bread and butter was supposed to be our depth until crazy stuff happened.

 

[JXC]

The Flyers were much better off with Laughton at 3C last night than they would’ve been with Frost.

Frost is not ready. He looks hesitant, indecisive, tentative. A real step back from his first five games or so. Next year he’ll roll.

 

[onlylordsvsmorebp]

knowing this team we win 7-1...

 

[GapToothedWonder]

The Flyers were much better off with Laughton at 3C last night than they would’ve been with Frost.

Mmmm tasty tasty troll bait.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Frost is not ready. He looks hesitant, indecisive, tentative. A real step back from his first five games or so. Next year he’ll roll.

Tell that to some of the talking heads. They think he is the best option and will, will this team into the playoffs! Coaches are stupid and Frost is the 100% best option for not only making the playoffs, but he will develop into a force in the next 20 games for playoffs!!

The team is flip flopping between a summer of golf and a WC spot...but coaches are StUpId for not letting Frost figure it out.

 

[Appleyard]

Bunnaman is doing things right in a limited role. He’s using his size on the wall, getting to the net, skating surprisingly well. Not getting beat defensively. Unfortunately bad at faceoffs.

Still, though, an odd man out if Patrick returns &/or if they add a depth center.

Pretty much every single young player sucks on the draw. Takes ~3-4 seasons most of the time until guys even break even.

Flyers just happen to have had three of the most "prodigal" NHL faceoff men come through the system in the last 10 years. Giroux, Couturier and Patrick.

Patrick actually might be one of the best ~5 young players on the dot since the lockout really given age. Given his age and expected progression vs other players since his age you would expect by the time he is ~26-27 for him to be up at ~58% or so.

 

[TheKingPin]

Hart looked pretty great last game. This could be a goalie duel.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Frost is not ready. He looks hesitant, indecisive, tentative. A real step back from his first five games or so. Next year he’ll roll.

Exactly. Fans want so badly to believe he’s ready. I get it. But it blinds them to reality. They filter out all of the negatives & exaggerate the rare flashes of his skill.

He will be good. He’s not a superstar. His talent doesn’t overcome his shortcomings at an NHL level. Yet. Still has a lot to adjust to.

 

[TheKingPin]

Lol everyone is back for the game today for the lightening. Maybe Johnson is out. Maybe it will be one of those reverse logic things in hockey that happens often. Bottom guys don’t try as hard or get playing time. Top guys not up to speed.

 

[flyersnorth]

Best random stat of the day courtesy of Jordan Hall...

Since Jan 8th, Flyers have scored most goals in the NHL.

Also have second most points in that period (21). Care to guess who has the most?

 

[Prongo]

Best random stat of the day courtesy of Jordan Hall...

Since Jan 8th, Flyers have scored most goals in the NHL.

Also have second most points in that period (21). Care to guess who has the most?

Tampa bay

 

[DancingPanther]

Best random stat of the day courtesy of Jordan Hall...

Since Jan 8th, Flyers have scored most goals in the NHL.

Also have second most points in that period (21). Care to guess who has the most?

Detroit

 

[DancingPanther]

Best random stat of the day courtesy of Jordan Hall...

Since Jan 8th, Flyers have scored most goals in the NHL.

Also have second most points in that period (21). Care to guess who has the most?

Sarnia

 

[TheKingPin]

Exactly. Fans want so badly to believe he’s ready. I get it. But it blinds them to reality. They filter out all of the negatives & exaggerate the rare flashes of his skill.

He will be good. He’s not a superstar. His talent doesn’t overcome his shortcomings at an NHL level. Yet. Still has a lot to adjust to.

Hes an ok 3rd line center though. He had that one turnover at the o blue line that resulted in a goal but I haven’t seen much otherwise that makes him a liability. Myers has had a lot more big mistakes but they are doing the right thing with him.

 

[DancingPanther]

Best random stat of the day courtesy of Jordan Hall...

Since Jan 8th, Flyers have scored most goals in the NHL.

Also have second most points in that period (21). Care to guess who has the most?

Nottingham