Post-Game Talk: #80| FLYERS 0 at Devils 1 (OT) | Tue., April 4, 2017

[Ghosts Beer]

I guess I like MDZ more than most. Surprised that nobody took a shot at him at the deadline.

I know some smart Flyers fans who love MDZ. I don't see it. I understand he occasionally flashes talent, but I think he's completely unreliable, and that his good games are outnumbered by his subpar ones. He's not particularly good offensively for a guy whose game leans that way; he's not strong defensively; he's not big; he's pretty mistake prone; seems like an expansion caliber player to me.

 

[Striiker]

First, Hakstol is very limited by injuries right now, he has to field a team, this seems to be ignored by many in this thread.

Second, there's probably an unwritten rule that you let your top veterans to play out the string to "pad their stats", especially those closer to free agency but also players trying to turn a bad season around - and benching them would signal to the team you don't care about winning (which might be true but . . .)

Konency is a known quality at this point, he looks sloppy which is usually a sign of fatigue in a young player. I don't think he's going to learn a lot the last two games, especially b/c they don't know where he fits right now (G&V need a mucker at LW). I want to get him to rest, then get into an offseason weight program, and hit TC rested and stronger.

MV came too late, no practice, Baker Award on Friday, realistically he'd have been better off with the Phantoms in the playoffs getting a taste of professional hockey one notch below the NHL.

It's nice that Morin got a taste, but the Phantom playoff run is more important to his development this year.

Other than that, there really is nothing to do but play out the string and hope no one gets seriously injured (see Ghost, Giroux starting slow after surgery).

So, to compensate for a roster depleted by injuries, he reduces the playing time of one of their better scorers and also continues to healthy scratch another player?

And, if he's doing these things in response to injuries, how come he was doing the exact same things earlier in the year when the team was healthy?

Hmmmm..... almost as if you're pulling excuses out of your *** with nothing to back them up... that's odd...

 

[Rebels57]

So, to compensate for a roster depleted by injuries, he reduces the playing time of one of their better scorers (while he also continues to healthy scratch another player)?

And, if he's doing these things in response to injuries, how come he was doing the exact same things earlier in the year when the team was healthy?

Hmmmm..... almost as if you're pulling excuses out of your *** with nothing to back them up... that's odd...

He has decided that no matter what, he is going to take the "Pro Every Hakstol Decision" stance and will now justify every single action in any way he can.

The fact that he is using phrases like "there's probably an unwritten rule" to reason with a Hakstol decision says it all.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I know some smart Flyers fans who love MDZ. I don't see it. I understand he occasionally flashes talent, but I think he's completely unreliable, and that his good games are outnumbered by his subpar ones. He's not particularly good offensively for a guy whose game leans that way; he's not strong defensively; he's not big; he's pretty mistake prone; seems like an expansion caliber player to me.

He's good on the rush but he is just bad on a cycle. He's really predictable. If it looks like he is passing to a guy he is definitely passing there. If it looks like he is shooting he is definitely shooting. It makes him easy to defend. Nobody has to second guess with him.

 

[Curufinwe]

He's good on the rush but he is just bad on a cycle. He's really predictable. If it looks like he is passing to a guy he is definitely passing there. If it looks like he is shooting he is definitely shooting. It makes him easy to defend. Nobody has to second guess with him.

That's why he's never been great on the PP here, even though hes scored a lot of ES points in two of his three Flyers seasons.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?agg...&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,&sort=evPoints,points

 

[deadhead]

Hagg deserves a shot as well after 3 years in the AHL.
He's sorta the forgotten man.
But he'll add size to this defense, in a couple years no one is going to push this group around.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Hagg deserves a shot as well after 3 years in the AHL.
He's sorta the forgotten man.
But he'll add size to this defense, in a couple years no one is going to push this group around.

I'd rather have Hagg be here than Schultz, AMac, Manning or MDZ.

I think his simplified D game and his size can add some good stuff to this team. He may not be as offensively minded as MDZ, but he's sure as **** more reliable on the back end.

 

[deadhead]

With Provorov, Ghost and Sanheim on the defense next year, we really don't have much of a need for what MDZ brings, and could definitely use a more responsible D-man at LD.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Hagg is built like a granite statue. Between him/Gudas/Provorov this soft D will start being a pain to go against

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

good to hear that Morin at least played ok in his first game. probably was a good game to get his feet wet in against a bad offensive team. Lets see how he does this weekend if he plays.

 

[kelmitchell]

So, to compensate for a roster depleted by injuries, he reduces the playing time of one of their better scorers and also continues to healthy scratch another player?

And, if he's doing these things in response to injuries, how come he was doing the exact same things earlier in the year when the team was healthy?

Hmmmm..... almost as if you're pulling excuses out of your *** with nothing to back them up... that's odd...

Thats literally every post

 

[deadhead]

The obsession with VdV continues.
You really have to wonder about people who focus on a player who is going to be history in a few weeks.

 

[bb12]

The obsession with VdV continues.
You really have to wonder about people who focus on a player who is going to be history in a few weeks.

You really have to wonder if you watch the games.

 

[deadhead]

Every one.

On the list of reasons this season was a disappointment, VdV's 8 minutes a night at ES is about 10th. Especially given that the available replacements might have garnered maybe 2-3 more goals at best, and made no difference otherwise.

Which is why the obsession is so weird.
Far more important issues:

Giroux, Voracek and Ghost's off seasons.
The bad play by Both goalies.
Schenn playing out of position at C.
Raffl, Read's injuries
The need to play three of MDZ, Manning, Schultz, Streit and MacDonald every night.
Simmonds inconsistent play at ES
Weise's dramatic falloff from his last three seasons

All mattered more to this team's success or failure than whether VdV, Luby, Leier or any other stiff played 8 minutes a night on the 4th line.

Hopefully, between Laughton, MV, and whoever gets demoted from the top 9, we can put together a better fourth line next year.

But finding the right guys for the top 9 (fit as well as talent), integrating the rookies on defense, and more consistent goalie play will be a lot more important than the fourth line next season.

 

[kelmitchell]

You really have to wonder if you watch the games.

he doesnt, he likes to contradict himself alot, while trying to make others seem unintelligent, which never works

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Every one.

On the list of reasons this season was a disappointment, VdV's 8 minutes a night at ES is about 10th. Especially given that the available replacements might have garnered maybe 2-3 more goals at best, and made no difference otherwise.

Which is why the obsession is so weird.
Far more important issues:

Giroux, Voracek and Ghost's off seasons.
The bad play by Both goalies.
Schenn playing out of position at C.
Raffl, Read's injuries
The need to play three of MDZ, Manning, Schultz, Streit and MacDonald every night.
Simmonds inconsistent play at ES
Weise's dramatic falloff from his last three seasons

All mattered more to this team's success or failure than whether VdV, Luby, Leier or any other stiff played 8 minutes a night on the 4th line.

Hopefully, between Laughton, MV, and whoever gets demoted from the top 9, we can put together a better fourth line next year.

But finding the right guys for the top 9 (fit as well as talent), integrating the rookies on defense, and more consistent goalie play will be a lot more important than the fourth line next season.

All true. Except I don't think Raffl's and Read's injuries mattered one iota.

 

[Striiker]

You still somehow don't get it. How many times does it need to be explained before you get it through your head?

The problem isn't Vandevelde. He'll be gone soon.

The problem is that Hakstol can't evaluate talent and value properly. So, as a result, he plays someone like Vandevelde over superior players. Vandevelde won't be here, but there could be a new Vandevelde, meaning someone who is overused for no reason, who receives preferential treatment that they don't deserve and hurts the team as a result. Playing too much time and in too many important situations.

You can keep saying Hakstol had no choice, but that's flat out incorrect... and you know it.

Maybe next year it's Manning playing over Morin or Sanheim or Hagg, even though he plays worse than them.
Maybe Weal regresses to his true AHL form and he still sees time over Konecny or Lindblom.
When teams make or miss the playoffs by a matter of one or two points, any decisions like this can be the difference between lottery pick and postseason. We can't afford to have a coach be detrimental to an already borderline playoff team.

 

[Hurricane28]

Playing Vandevelde 5 minutes more than Konecny is a problem.

 

[deadhead]

Does Konency play the PK?
Because that was the difference in PT.

Nor do I care if Konency plays at all the last couple games, he's had a full NHL season. I'm more interested in seeing if he comes to camp stronger next year than what he does in the last two games this year.

That's why this is so obsessive, Voracek has another meh game, "crickets." VdV plays 9 ES minutes, "screaming."

Only reason VdV even dressed was Weal was ill.

And none of this matters.

 

[Flyerfan4life]

LOL at all you guys who think VdV isnt coming back..

just accept it... its going to happen

 

[Hurricane28]

LOL at all you guys who think VdV isnt coming back..

just accept it... its going to happen

Its not. He hasn't seen his role elevated at all, and was going to be scratched until Weal got sick. The organization is showing signs of moving on.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

LOL at all you guys who think VdV isnt coming back..

just accept it... its going to happen

If Hextall wanted him to stay, he probably would of re-signed him already. I doubt he's coming back. If anything, it's an AHL contract because we clearly have better people on this team than him and I think Hextall knows this, and he's the one who says who gets signed, not Hak.

 

[Rebels57]

Its not. He hasn't seen his role elevated at all, and was going to be scratched until Weal got sick. The organization is showing signs of moving on.

Aside from Hakstol defiantly giving him almost 15 minutes of ice time in a game he was supposed to be scratched.

FWIW, I do think he is finally gone.

There are simply too many forwards to account for:

1. Giroux
2. Voracek
3. Simmonds
4. Schenn
5. Couturier
6. Konecny
7. Filppula
8. Raffl
9. Read
10. Weise
11. Bellemare
12. Cousins (RFA)
13. Vecchione (RFA)
14. Lyubimov (RFA, probably goes back to Russia)
15. Possibly Laughton (RFA, no longer waiver exempt)
16. Possibly Lindblom
17. Possibly Weal (UFA)
18. Possibly Leier (RFA, no longer waiver exempt)

Even if one of them is claimed by Vegas and Lube leaves, that is still 16 forwards in the mix.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Plus there is a good chance that Lindblom will be here and Weal has already shown to perform better. There is no way Hextall can keep him around and boot players off that deserve better.

Hextall is going to get Lindblom over here next season. He said he wants him here. Here are the forwards that will most likely be here:

Giroux
Voracek
Simmonds
Schenn
Couturier
Raffl
Weise
PEB
Read
Lindblom
Konecny
Vecchione

That's 12 "signed" or "will be signed" forwards.

 

[hatcher]

All true. Except I don't think Raffl's and Read's injuries mattered one iota.

Exactly. VDV meant nothing all year. Raffl and Read suck worse as there paid more. Top players were for the most part flops but VDV should have scored 30 in that 8min frame. VDV better not be back or hexy should be gone.