GDT: #64: Rangers at FLYERS, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, 7:00 pm ET

[Tripod]

Well said. My guess is Thompson and Grant will get a few games to acclimate themselves and later next week Farabee gets called back up to fill in for the week link. Just a hunch.

I really believe Farabee will be recalled next week and play against Buffalo Mar 7th. But he could be recalled for the Washington game(road game) to make sure we have 13 forwards just in case. But not sure if he will play vs Wash and Canes. But having a fresh body vs Canes on a b2b might make the most sense if they want a few games of Grant/Thompson. With 3 games in 4 days it makes sense to swap him in for whoever is struggling.

 

[deadhead]

From what I read, the Flyers weren't one of them. I think it was Pens, Bruins, TB, Dal, and someone else. STL maybe?

If Thornton turned down the Pens, Blues/Vegas and Bruins he certainly wasn't interested in coming to Philly.

 

[deadhead]

I really believe Farabee will be recalled next week and play against Buffalo Mar 7th. But he could be recalled for the Washington game(road game) to make sure we have 13 forwards just in case. But not sure if he will play vs Wash and Canes. But having a fresh body vs Canes on a b2b might make the most sense if they want a few games of Grant/Thompson. With 3 games in 4 days it makes sense to swap him in for whoever is struggling.

I think the next few games are the auditions for Grant/Thompson, it's not like AV hasn't plugged in LHV players for a few games to evaluate them, why would he do that with two veterans he just obtained? If he was willing to go with Rubtsov for 3 games, and Vorobyev for a month, I don't think he's worried about Grant, despite having to endure the withering criticism from HF posters.

Once AV has a feel for the two newcomers, their strengths and weaknesses, he'll then decide how he's going to rotate 14 (maybe 15 if he likes what Bunnaman brought the team) forwards over the next month, both to help win a playoff spot and for the playoffs.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

If Thornton turned down the Pens, Blues/Vegas and Bruins he certainly wasn't interested in coming to Philly.

The angle put forth in previous posts isn't what was reported by LeBrun, who is super plugged into San Jose. What he actually said was that 3 or 4 teams showed real interest, but Thornton only wanted to go to a surefire contender. Dallas was interested but never made an offer, although he probably would have agreed. He supposedly would have also gone to Pittsburgh/Vegas/Boston/Colorado, but there wasn't serious interest.

 

[flyersjim73]

I really believe Farabee will be recalled next week and play against Buffalo Mar 7th. But he could be recalled for the Washington game(road game) to make sure we have 13 forwards just in case. But not sure if he will play vs Wash and Canes. But having a fresh body vs Canes on a b2b might make the most sense if they want a few games of Grant/Thompson. With 3 games in 4 days it makes sense to swap him in for whoever is struggling.

Sounds about right. Let him get a couple in Lehigh to keep him fresh and then get him back up after letting the new guys get used to their new team/teammates.

Depth and veterans are a good thing as long as they’re used correctly.

 

[PhlthyRich]

From what I read, the Flyers weren't one of them. I think it was Pens, Bruins, TB, Dal, and someone else. STL maybe?

So if Thorton didn't like the Cup odds for Pens, Bruins and TB then maybe we shouldn't worry about facing them in playoffs!

 

[Striiker]

Love this quote form Charlie O'Connor (Athletic)

The Flyers can now be expected to roll over bad teams. And it’s that truth that allowed Vigneault and his team to use the Sharks game as a time for experimentation, to test out their new acquisitions in not-insignificant roles, without serious concern that shuffling the line combinations in the middle of a winning streak would lead to a crushing loss.
Suddenly, the Flyers have the leeway to play the long game in roster construction, without sacrificing the short-term beyond aesthetics. It’s a luxury that only good teams truly have.

OK good, so then there's now ZERO excuse to not put in Ghost!

 

[deadhead]

There's one excuse not to play Ghost, and probably the reason he hasn't played yet, his knee (or more likely, the muscles in that leg) are not 100% and they want him to practice/rehab a few more days.

 

[Tripod]

Sounds about right. Let him get a couple in Lehigh to keep him fresh and then get him back up after letting the new guys get used to their new team/teammates.

Depth and veterans are a good thing as long as they’re used correctly.

Yeah...I know I said it before, but after this little trial so AV can get a handle on the 2 new guys, I would fully support a rotation of healthy scratches to keep everyone ready for the playoffs. And that rotation would not include our top 5 F(G, Jake, Couts, TK, Hayes) or if someone is playing really well...keep them in....like Laughton right now.

But scratching Pitlick for a game while Farabee play. Then the following game, Raffl sits. Then Grant. Then Thompson, etc...

We are going to need all 13 guys and quite possibly Bunny and Frost too if injuries occur. Maybe even Patrick.

 

[deadhead]

Plus, AV wants to see the newcomers in action to get a feel how to build lines with different players.

Even if he decided they weren't good enough, injuries happen, and you don't want to go blind into key games without seeing them on the ice for a few games.

I don't get the angst, once again, a perfectly logical move, add two veterans for depth, size and experience, then play them a few games to see them in action and let them get comfortable with their new teammates, becomes a focal point of criticism.

"Wait and see" before jumping to conclusions is verboten around here.

We've had Fletcher for a whole year, he hasn't traded a prospect yet, he only gave up real draft picks in one deal and recouped the 2nd rd pick in the draft. Frost and Farabee aren't exactly buried, Bunnaman got a long stretch to show he's a NHL caliber player, NAK is now a starter. Take a deep breath and relax.

 

[BritainStix]

In Hagger we trust. Keep that luck rolling baby!

 

[PhlthyRich]

OK good, so then there's now ZERO excuse to not put in Ghost!

I'd like Ghost too, but I get it. Our team defense has played well during our win streak. Keeping any team to 3 shots in the final 28 minutes is impressive too

 

[Striiker]

I'd like Ghost too, but I get it. Our team defense has played well during our win streak. Keeping any team to 3 shots in the final 28 minutes is impressive too

The forward lines played well but they certainly didn't mind screwing with that.

And actually the defense hasn't played well. The third pair has played awful but been lucky.

 

[TB87]

It's kind of shocking how poor NYR's 5v5 defensive/suppression metrics are this season. If they didn't have 3 above average goalies, they'd be getting run out of the arena most nights. They're team defense was expected to be bad. I just didn't expect their true level of awfulness.


*5v5 Score & Venue Adjusted Stats 2019-2020 Season to date*
CA/60: 61.53 (31st)
xGA/60: 2.63 (31st)
SCA/60: 29.60 (29th)
HDCA/60: 12.51 (29th)



Not having to face Shestyorkin at all this week is certainly a positive. Flyers gotta win this game and on Sunday afternoon as well. Crush NYR's playoff dreams.

 

[deadhead]

It's kind of shocking how poor NYR's 5v5 defensive/suppression metrics are this season. If they didn't have 3 above average goalies, they'd be getting run out of the arena most nights. They're team defense was expected to be bad. I just didn't expect their true level of awfulness.


*5v5 Score & Venue Adjusted Stats 2019-2020 Season to date*
CA/60: 61.53 (31st)
xGA/60: 2.63 (31st)
SCA/60: 29.60 (29th)
HDCA/60: 12.51 (29th)



Not having to face Shestyorkin at all this week is certainly a positive. Flyers gotta win this game and on Sunday afternoon as well. Crush NYR's playoff dreams.

But, but they added so much offensive skill in the off-season.
Isn't controlling the puck the best defense? Or so I've been told.

 

[dragonoffrost]

If Thornton turned down the Pens, Blues/Vegas and Bruins he certainly wasn't interested in coming to Philly.

He didn't turn them down. They didn't make offers that San Jose wanted for him.

 

[flyersfan187]

It is something how I expect the Flyers to win now which hasn’t happened since Lavy was coach. I think it is safe to assume that AV was the best coach available for us. I just wish he got his wish and had Frost up.

 

[flyersnorth]

Maybe even Patrick.

Man, I'd love to see Patrick again this year... but with 19 games left, is it realistic? And would it actually make the team better at this point given his entire year off hockey and contact?

Absolute best case scenario is that he's cleared for contact TODAY, takes two weeks before he can play a real NHL game, so March 12th against the Bolts.

That would give him 12 regular season games in a playoff dog fight.

That, to me, is the absolute best case scenario. More realistically, we're looking at a maximum of a handful of NHL games.

I dunno, I just don't see it.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

But, but they added so much offensive skill in the off-season.
Isn't controlling the puck the best defense? Or so I've been told.

The best defense is whatever works best for you. The best offense is whatever works best for you. The best team is the one with the biggest gap between the two no matter how you get there.

The required baseline of skills traditionally associated with offense is higher than it's ever been and rapidly rising, but we're still in a capped market. I think it's a reasonable conclusion to draw from the Fletcher era maneuverings that the Flyers think that the market undervalues some aspects of effective defense. I hope they're right whether we ever know what it was or not.

 

[flyersnorth]

The best defense is whatever works best for you. The best offense is whatever works best for you. The best team is the one with the biggest gap between the two no matter how you get there.

The required baseline of skills traditionally associated with offense is higher than it's ever been and rapidly rising, but we're still in a capped market. I think it's a reasonable conclusion to draw from the Fletcher era maneuverings that the Flyers think that the market undervalues some aspects of effective defense. I hope they're right whether we ever know what it was or not.

And in reality, the "best" regular season team rarely wins the Stanley Cup in the modern era.

That's what makes the NHL exciting, and why games are played on the ice and not spreadsheets.

 

[Rich Nixon]

And in reality, the "best" regular season team rarely wins the Stanley Cup in the modern era.

That's what makes the NHL exciting, and why games are played on the ice and not spreadsheets.

I looked into this a week or two ago, because I honestly think the Flyers have a pretty decent shot of making a real run at the thing this year. Here is the regular season finish (leaguewide standings) for every Cup winner since the 05-06 lockout:

2019: 12th
2018: 6th
2017: 2nd
2016: 4th
2015: 7th
2014: 10th
2013*: 1st
2012: 13th
2011: 7th
2010: 3rd
2009: 8th
2008: 1st
2007: 4th
2006: 4th

*short 2013 season

It isn't even a "best regular season team doesn't always win the Cup" thing. Less than half of those teams even finished in the top 5. Just as many 6th-16th teams win the Cup as top-5 teams, and 4 of the 7 top-5 teams that won the damn thing were in the immediate post-lockout era. The last decade has favored the field over the top teams.

It might be more telling to look at second-half records, because just glancing at these teams, many seem to be groups that got hot in January and February and carried that through to the end (hell, the 2013 Blackhawks didn't even win a single game until January, wink).

The Flyers have their weaknesses, and we all have apprehension after the last 4-5 years (not to mention the 35 years before that)...but unless something catastrophic happens, I don't think it's wrong to get a little hopeful again.

We'll have to win a round first, of course.

 

[Tripod]

Man, I'd love to see Patrick again this year... but with 19 games left, is it realistic? And would it actually make the team better at this point given his entire year off hockey and contact?

Absolute best case scenario is that he's cleared for contact TODAY, takes two weeks before he can play a real NHL game, so March 12th against the Bolts.

That would give him 12 regular season games in a playoff dog fight.

That, to me, is the absolute best case scenario. More realistically, we're looking at a maximum of a handful of NHL games.

I dunno, I just don't see it.

I realistically don't see Patrick playing. And even if he got himself into a position to, a lot would depend on the 3 games he gets in the AHL to see how he does.

And even then, I still would likely only have him as the #4C.

BUT

What if he looked good in the AHL...then good in say 2-3 NHL games...would he be worse than having Grant in the lineup? Or Thompson?

The good thing with him, is that we CAN put him in a lower role and he is good defensively. But I honestly don't think he plays.

 

[dragonoffrost]

One thing we have to remember is there is a cap still. There isn't a roster count limit but there still is the cap and waiver rules to fit under the cap.

The cap goes away when the regular season ends.

 

[Rich Nixon]

One thing we have to remember is there is a cap still. There isn't a roster count limit but there still is the cap and waiver rules to fit under the cap.

The cap goes away when the regular season ends.

I didn't even think of how the Thompson/Grant moves impact that.

 

[dragonoffrost]

I didn't even think of how the Thompson/Grant moves impact that.

Pittsburgh is going to make out like crazy as they used the LTIR money from Guentzel to get people then will add him back when the playoffs start.

There was talk St Louis was going to be able to use Tarasenko's money earlier in the year but then as he progressed through his rehab it was figured he'd be back before the season ends.