GDT: #65: FLYERS at Rangers, Sunday, Mar. 1, 2020, 12:00 pm ET

[Adam Warlock]

Whats now? Are we going for 1st place? Or "only" 2nd?

Thing is...that Washington game now has become a lot more important than the Carolina one. I might be tempted to give Hart that one.

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

However, it comes down to Hart raising his road game to at least NHL average, in that case we're a top 8 team.

They have the 6th best record in the league. They're already around a top 8 team, even with Hart's road woes and non-hockey "injuries" to two key young forwards.

They're still missing a true 3C in this lineup and could use an on form Ghost ready for the playoff run.

Unfortunately, they still are in a tier below the top clubs, IMO. It's not necessarily prohibitive of a long playoff run, but they still likely have to gauntlet through Pittsburgh and Washington to get to the ECF where probably Boston or Tampa will be waiting. That's why this isn't likely going to be their year, but anything can happen once you're in.

Hart is the key because this is the best the skaters have looked as a group in a long time.

 

[AndHeMissedTheNet]

With the way the Jackets have fallen off, if we win this in regulation it would almost be impossible for the Flyers to miss the playoffs. Their fate is in their hands.

At this point i'm less concerned with missing the playoffs and more with who their 1st round opponent would be. There's 2 that i want to avoid at all costs: the Bruins and, strangely enough, the Isles.

 

[BiggE]

If they can get a healthy Ghost in for Hagg and Hart starts playing well on the road, then they can play with anyone. Getting NoPa back, even as just a 4C upgrade over Thompson would be a sweet bonus!

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

I say it should be Hart tomorrow. Its playoff caliber hockey from here on out. Ride the kid except for back to backs

 

[Rebels57]

Going to need that last change to get the Panarin line away from the haunting presence of Sean Gerald Couturier.

If he doesn't win the Selke this season, we riot.

 

[Striiker]

I assume this one will be much more difficult. In NY and they won't be playing the 2nd game of a back-to-back.

I mean... it's not like it could get any easier, right?

 

[Rebels57]

*BARK* *BARK* *BARK*

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

I think we win on Sunday. The difference this year is that the 10 game winning streak comes without the 10 game losing streak. In the playoffs there is typically a day off between games as well. I like our chances.

 

[deadhead]

*BARK* *BARK* *BARK*

Did TK bite Laughton and turn him rabid?

 

[AdamParrot]

If Isaac isn't wrong, they swap Laughton with JVR.

I can to understand that if they expect Panarin will play against 3rd or 4th line.

We really need Patrick so much. With him this team would be huge. And Ghost in instead Hogg of course.

 

[flyersfan187]

I want that first round extra home game so just win.

 

[deadhead]

If Isaac isn't wrong, they swap Laughton with JVR.

I can to understand that if they expect Panarin will play against 3rd or 4th line.

We really need Patrick so much. With him this team would be huge. And Ghost in instead Hogg of course.

Of course, it could also be AV experimenting with lines, if Patrick actually returns, even without Farabee up, he's juggling 13 forwards. Add Farabee and it's 14 forwards. Mix and match.

It's not EA sports, you don't pick the 12 with the highest ratings, it's more like a jigsaw puzzle that changes every game, which 12 fit together best AND match-up best (opposing team, home and away).

For away games, it may come down to avoiding any obviously weak lines defensively that a team like the Rangers would want to exploit - against a more balanced road opponent, you might want the best offensive lines.

 

[AdamParrot]

But you can pick better players instead 4th line shit player every hour, every day, every game.

Easy.

One day when Grant and Thompson will be HS it's mean we have our best offense lineup.

 

[deadhead]

But what is our best defensive forward lineup?
Frost is our worst forward defensively.
Farabee is middle of the road right now.
So a smart HC tries to find the right balance for each game.

Next year, a strong Farabee and stronger, more experienced Frost may be closer to becoming solid two way players. But right now there's no obvious choice. Which is why AV is juggling.

 

[AdamParrot]

Patrick + Farabee > Grant + Thompson. Every day. Every game.

 

[deadhead]

Patrick + Farabee > Grant + Thompson. Every day. Every game.

That's opinion, and unsubstantiated.
For one thing, we have no idea if Patrick can play and at what level THIS year. Grant may be better, or not.
For another it's not Farabee v Thoopson but Farabee v Laughton, Farabee isn't going to play 3C or 4C.
Again, it's not EA Sports, you can't just say player A is better than player B if they play different positions.

Which is why AV is going to let them play, if Patrick is ready, he'll go to the AHL, I'm sure they'll monitor him, and then if he survives, he'll get some NHL games. Then we'll know if he can contribute.

Lindblom > Farabee, Laughton or Grant.
But not this year.

 

[AdamParrot]

Farabee on 2LW, Laughton 3C > Laughton 2LW, Grant 3C

I don't know. Seriously we are talking about 4th liners? My god.

This team had a lot of these players... Weise, Varone, Gordon, Goulbourne, Lehtera, Filppula, MacDonald, Gross, Lilja... a lot of trash players almost all decade but still there are fans who defend these tier players.

And Grant and Thompson both are in tier of 4th line players at best my god.

Kings, Caps, Pens, Blues in their cup running had young players in bottom-six instead these shit veterans. But yes, still defend these shits players. Give them a few games, AV will know they are bad and they will be HS.

And draft pick assets went away for nothing.

That's all.

 

[AdamParrot]

Another thing. Everyone knows which players were big problems in our 2010' run. Krajicek, Parent, #1 goalie.

Even they have Prongs, Kimmo, Carle, Coburn in TOP4, "just only" two players did big difference in games. But yes, still defend these players who are just were bad all their career, are bad and will be bad. Easy.

 

[AdamParrot]

Hart in net. Great!

 

[phlflyer1]

*BARK* *BARK* *BARK*

Would love to know what that POS Lemieux was saying as Hayes was laughing at him all the way to the bench.

 

[Larry44]

Would love to know what that POS Lemieux was saying as Hayes was laughing at him all the way to the bench.

LeMeow: My daddy was a good player.
Hayes: Are you sure he’s your biological father? Lol!

 

[deadhead]

Farabee on 2LW, Laughton 3C > Laughton 2LW, Grant 3C

I don't know. Seriously we are talking about 4th liners? My god.

This team had a lot of these players... Weise, Varone, Gordon, Goulbourne, Lehtera, Filppula, MacDonald, Gross, Lilja... a lot of trash players almost all decade but still there are fans who defend these tier players.

And Grant and Thompson both are in tier of 4th line players at best my god.

Kings, Caps, Pens, Blues in their cup running had young players in bottom-six instead these shit veterans. But yes, still defend these shits players. Give them a few games, AV will know they are bad and they will be HS.

And draft pick assets went away for nothing.

That's all.

Laughton is better at 2LW than Farabee, I think that's become obvious the last few games.
Some of this is physical maturity, some of this is chemistry with Hayes.

Laughton v Grant at 3C, nobody knows, which is why AV is giving Grant a few games there, Laughton is much better at LW than C, similar issue to Giroux.

Bottom six forwards in the playoffs (by EV TOI):
Kings 2011-12: Penner (29), King (22), Stoll (29), Richardson (26), Fraser (27), Nolan (22)
Kings 2013-14: Carter (29), Richards (28), Toffoli (21), Pearson (21), Lewis (27), Clifford (23)
Caps 2017-18: Stephenson (23), Vrana (21), Smith-Pelly (25), Connolly (25), Beagle (32), Burakovsky (22), Chiasson (27)
Pens 2015-16: Kunitz (36), Sheary (23), Cullen (39), Rust (23), Kuhnhackl (24)
Pens 2016-17: Sheary (24), Bonino (28), Cullen (40), Wilson (24), Hornqvist (30), Hagelin (28), Rowney (27)
Blues 2018-19: Blais (22), Thomas (19), Bozak (32), Steen (34), Barbasheev (23), Maroon (30), Sanford (24)/Fabbri (23).

Only 3 players under 22 years old:
Toffoli 6'0 197
Pearson 6'1 210
Thomas 6'0 188
(4) 22 year old players:
King 6'4 229
Nolan 6'3 219
Burakovsky 6'3 201
Blais 6'2 205

Notice any common denominator with these seven players?

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Would love to know what that POS Lemieux was saying as Hayes was laughing at him all the way to the bench.

The trainer’s face behind Hayes is the funniest part of it imo.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Carter Hart will start.