GDT: #81| Saturday, Apr 8 2017| Blue Jackets at Flyers |12:30 p.m. ET| CSN

[deadhead]

The momentum started when they got Filppula, not due to "meaningless" games.
10-7-2 since March
Better balance on the lines, better goalie play

Some thoughts:
1) gee, good wrist shots really make a difference, PEB had a perfect shot, Provorov showed how you can use the wrist shot to make a defenseman into a screen, Voracek actually shot the puck accurately and scored.

2) they need to resign Weal, he has great hands

3) Lindblom - G - V
Weal - Filppula - Simmonds
Konency - Couts - Schenn
Read/Weise - Laughton - PEB
Konency would add speed to the Couts line, Lindblom muscle to the G & V line

4) this scheme will work fine with better defensemen and the forwards being responsible in cycling back when the defensemen attack in the O-zone, with Provorov, a healthy Ghost, Sanheim, and Gudas and Morin firing from the point, they'll look much better next year.

5) I trust Hextall's judgment on goalies, I think he knows more about what to look for at that position than this entire board combined and squared. He has a tad bit of experience.

 

[Striiker]

Are we pretending that 10-7-2 is a great stretch? That's winning 10 of 19 games...

 

[Tripod]

Are we pretending that 10-7-2 is a great stretch? That's winning 10 of 19 games...

Well, it is a 95 point pace so a playoff spot.

 

[Striiker]

Well, it is a 95 point pace so a playoff spot.

Yeah, if you keep that pace over the course of an entire season it's good.

I'm saying as an individual stretch it isn't a good example of "momentum".

If you're trying to make a point that a team got hot after a certain event, then I'd be expecting a stretch more impressive than that.

 

[deadhead]

And you don't have to make a huge leap from that to get to 100 points, which is a solid playoff team.

We're still 2-3 years from all the kids showing up, but the first wave hits next year (or maybe this season, but not enough to turn the tide), and the team should become increasingly fun to watch.

I think the only thing that will tank next season will be putrid goalie play, they're good enough to overcome "mediocre," but less than .900% is too much for almost any team to overcome, as we saw the first half.

 

[Flyerfan4life]

So to the surprise of none on here, the Flyers do what they usually do and perform masterfully in meaningless games. I am displeased with my hope over the past couple of weeks that they would continue to lose for the best possible raft pick, but the alternative is to take pleasure in the success of a team that showed itself to be inept when it mattered.

These games are stat padding, nothing more. I don't believe in creating momentum for next season. Momentum ebbs and flows from one faceoff to the next, and too many factors happen over a nearly five-month period, including an extended stretch of watching the playoffs, to believe that plusses in play right now will have any effect to start next season. This is particularly true with the questionable coaching decisions that was too often counterintuitive to player ups and downs.

What's worse, the attitudes from the coach, as expressed here and throughout the season, and some of the emerging decisions going into next season are already starting to sour my optimism for progress going into 2017-18. Patience, as Hextall encouraged, does not equate to acceptance of mediocrity in effort, game plans, or contract renewals. Even the wonderful season Provorov is completing is paled by great players having a good season, good players doing okay, and poor players being rewarded for hitting their low ceilings.

One of the few benefits of missing the playoffs -- again -- would be to land a promising draft pic. Yet the can't even seem to do that right. Of course there is a chance that Hextall and the scouts can find a later-round gem, but the odds drop with every slot they give up.

Few seasons in the 42 I have followed the Flyers have left as bad a taste in my mouth as this one.

im 100% behind this post... i feel like this season is a direct reflection of what we will see next season..

even then im sure some will say lets be patient and give him ANOTHER 2 years... soon it will be 10 yrs since the SC finals, and we are actualy worse of then then...

 

[Embiid]

im 100% behind this post... i feel like this season is a direct reflection of what we will see next season..

even then im sure some will say lets be patient and give him ANOTHER 2 years... soon it will be 10 yrs since the SC finals, and we are actualy worse of then then...

Agree in spades with BP's post as well. This season I was pretty much disengaged throughout. The most boring brand of Flyers hockey I have watched spaning three plus decades. This team is great at trying their hardest to play honestly mediocre. The Flyers are now getting so used to having a long summer vacation that they are putting school teachers to shame.....this may sound funny but it is actually quite sad.

 

[BernieParent]

The momentum started when they got Filppula, not due to "meaningless" games.
10-7-2 since March
Better balance on the lines, better goalie play

Some thoughts:
1) gee, good wrist shots really make a difference, PEB had a perfect shot, Provorov showed how you can use the wrist shot to make a defenseman into a screen, Voracek actually shot the puck accurately and scored.

2) they need to resign Weal, he has great hands

3) Lindblom - G - V
Weal - Filppula - Simmonds
Konency - Couts - Schenn
Read/Weise - Laughton - PEB
Konency would add speed to the Couts line, Lindblom muscle to the G & V line

4) this scheme will work fine with better defensemen and the forwards being responsible in cycling back when the defensemen attack in the O-zone, with Provorov, a healthy Ghost, Sanheim, and Gudas and Morin firing from the point, they'll look much better next year.

5) I trust Hextall's judgment on goalies, I think he knows more about what to look for at that position than this entire board combined and squared. He has a tad bit of experience.

On March 1, the Flyers stood at 12th place in the East, 6th in the Met. Their chances were slim to none then. I'll concede that the game against the Maple Leafs was the most meaningful after the TDL, and they pooped that one away and then the one against Boston two days later. 5-2 in their last 7 is as meaningless as they come.

 

[Garbage Goal]

So to the surprise of none on here, the Flyers do what they usually do and perform masterfully in meaningless games. I am displeased with my hope over the past couple of weeks that they would continue to lose for the best possible raft pick, but the alternative is to take pleasure in the success of a team that showed itself to be inept when it mattered.

These games are stat padding, nothing more. I don't believe in creating momentum for next season. Momentum ebbs and flows from one faceoff to the next, and too many factors happen over a nearly five-month period, including an extended stretch of watching the playoffs, to believe that plusses in play right now will have any effect to start next season. This is particularly true with the questionable coaching decisions that was too often counterintuitive to player ups and downs.

What's worse, the attitudes from the coach, as expressed here and throughout the season, and some of the emerging decisions going into next season are already starting to sour my optimism for progress going into 2017-18. Patience, as Hextall encouraged, does not equate to acceptance of mediocrity in effort, game plans, or contract renewals. Even the wonderful season Provorov is completing is paled by great players having a good season, good players doing okay, and poor players being rewarded for hitting their low ceilings.

One of the few benefits of missing the playoffs -- again -- would be to land a promising draft pic. Yet the can't even seem to do that right. Of course there is a chance that Hextall and the scouts can find a later-round gem, but the odds drop with every slot they give up.

Few seasons in the 42 I have followed the Flyers have left as bad a taste in my mouth as this one.

Yeah, I'm with you there Bernie. As I generally am with whatever you post.

This season has been both boring and painful. I can accept those and I can accept rebuilding. What I can't accept is how god awfully predictable this team is, that the fact that they ruin their draft pick positioning at the ass end of the season, after they've already been long eliminated, surprises approximately nobody. Most people predicted this either facetiously or seriously and it's because you could see it coming from a mile ****ing away. Just like coaching problems and bad free agent signings is synonymous with this team nowadays, so is performing their best in absolutely meaningless games. That I can't accept because it's just ****ing depressing and sad.

 

[Delete99991]

That Provorov - Gostisbehere pairing is a sight to behold.

 

[Beef Invictus]

It's also something many of us have wanted to see for a long time. Of course it naturally makes the other pairs weaker, but it's a glimpse of a possible future

 

[Delete99991]

I don't see how it can work over a season. No way can Ghost play that many minutes.

But in spurts it is fantastic

 

[deadhead]

Provorov - Ghost
Morin - Sanheim
Hagg - Gudas

End of game go with Provorov - Gudas
When Myers joins the team, one of Ghost/Sanheim moves to LHD.

 

[Tripod]

I don't see how it can work over a season. No way can Ghost play that many minutes.

But in spurts it is fantastic

Who knows. If say a Morin/Gudas pairing next year turns into a beast defensive pair, it could make sense.

But personally, I hope to see Gudas with Provy and Ghost with Morin. Then of course Sanheim gets the rookie treatment of having AMac as his partner.

 

[Striiker]

Provorov - Ghost
Morin - Sanheim
Hagg - Gudas

End of game go with Provorov - Gudas
When Myers joins the team, one of Ghost/Sanheim moves to LHD.

Would probably be better to have Sanheim-Hagg and Morin-Gudas.

Sanheim is better on the left and Hagg can play right.

Plus, Morin and Gudas together would be pure destruction.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Sanheim plays the right side when he's paired with Hagg. Not sure if it's for developmental purposes or they feel he's better there. I find Hagg's game is pretty much the same on either side and playing him on the right side gives him a chance to take one timers which he's pretty good at. I don't think AMac is leaving Provy's side unless Hextall takes him off the roster.

 

[Rebels57]

Did Provy-Ghost play together all game?

 

[Tripod]

Did Provy-Ghost play together all game?

No...just a few shifts in the 3rd and they created pressure on offense.

 

[FLYguy3911]

They never changed the Provorov goal? Seemed to pretty clearly go off of Couturier.

 

[Larry44]

Agree in spades with BP's post as well. This season I was pretty much disengaged throughout. The most boring brand of Flyers hockey I have watched spaning three plus decades. This team is great at trying their hardest to play honestly mediocre. The Flyers are now getting so used to having a long summer vacation that they are putting school teachers to shame.....this may sound funny but it is actually quite sad.

I've basically tuned them out for the last month. Can't be bothered to watch a team going nowhere. Now it looks like they could stupidly blow a chance at a top 10 pick in the process. Absolutely have to lose to Carolina in regulation tomorrow and hope LA can win too.

This team is so meh they can't even tank correctly.

I wanted to like the Hakstol signing, but he's turned out to be a complete crashing bore. Dull style. Ridiculous line combos and personnel decisions. He won't get fired, so we have another season of waiting, watching and hoping he gets fired. I'm not sure I want him in charge of breaking all the rookies in next year, esp. on D.

 

[Larry44]

They never changed the Provorov goal? Seemed to pretty clearly go off of Couturier.

Yes, you can see Couts' sleeve move and the puck change direction.

 

[Striiker]

So you guys didn't realize that rebuilding through the draft would be painful?

You think the Blackhawks were fun to watch just before they assmebled their current core by drafting? How about the Pens?

It hasn't even as bad for us as most teams when they rebuild. We've made the playoffs every other year and at the very least we're seeing the rewards of the drafting. This year was miserable but it could be way worse and at the very least they're moving in the right direction. The flaws the team has right now are covered in the prospect pool, so at least there's a reason for real optimism.

Does Hakstol suck? Yeah, every coach does. They all do the same stupid **** that earns hate from the fanbase. Pens just won the cup last year and they ***** about their coach constantly with complaints that sound exactly like the ones in here. When the team is improved in the next few years, not even his stupidity will be able to mess it up. They'll either be successful or not, but that depends on the players and how good they become. Team win in spite of coaching, not because of it.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

I am as happy to be rid of Hartnell as I am to be rid of Vinnie. Maybe more.
I kid you not.

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

I am as happy to be rid of Hartnell as I am to be rid of Vinnie. Maybe more.
I kid you not.

I just wish Umby wasn't attached in that trade. Between

 

[renberg]

Just noticed that Hartnell has that NMC which means he has to be protected in the ED. Another reason to be happy with Hextall's moving him out of here.