Do the Flyers Make the Playoffs Next Year?

[Larry44]

I voted maybe. Way too early to tell. A lot will depend on what they decide to do with the goaltending and whether that works. Also whether they give the kids on D and a F a chance to play over terrible veterans. Depends who they lose in the Expansion draft, who they pick in the first round, etc...

 

[deadhead]

If Vandevelde is re-signed especially with kids coming, i will have serious lack of faith in this management group. And I know Vandevelde is only a fourth liner, but it shows that there are serious deficiencies in player evaluation with a too big of emphasis on character.

If Vandervelde is resigned to less than a $1M, it's up to the kids to send him to Lehigh, like Gordon this season.
If they can't jump that hurdle, look for new kids.

 

[Rebels57]

If Vandervelde is resigned to less than a $1M, it's up to the kids to send him to Lehigh, like Gordon this season.
If they can't jump that hurdle, look for new kids.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Voted maybe but leaning more towards no than yes at this point.

 

[whitstifier]

there seems to be a mistake, I think you are posting on the wrong team's forum here

No? Curious to know why you don't think there's a good chance that the Flyers win a round or two in the playoffs next season. The Flyers are adding a ton of talent.

 

[PAZUZU]

I voted yes. Certainly not gonna call them cup contenders though.

 

[Magua]

Maybe. I could see them with Flip for a full year and some young players filtered in and no one important traded getting a Wild Card, maybe even winning a round at best. But it's tough competition in the Metropolitan, and I doubt it's changing next year. So they could easily finish just outside too. Goaltending will be vital too.

You figure with more talent and guys due for positive regression, they'll be improvement. But then again, I'm not entirely sure. Unless Hakstol and Hextall do some serious introspection and recognize their own faults and the team's true faults, there's no guarantee that positive regression comes. Could just be a more talented team underachieving. Issues are not simply talent.

My real hot take answer would be this though: does it honestly matter? I want them to keep doing well long-term, but next season, I just don't care if they make the playoffs or not just to get some minor short-term gratification. They'll go into next season with the same roster most likely, trying to pointlessly compete as a bubble team, solving little long-term that needs to be solved.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Voted maybe because I expect them to be a bubble team, but the division is not getting easier.

I don't know if I am going to go as far as saying it would require a coaching change for me to consider voting yes, but it would at least demand a more reasoned approach to player deployment.

*Edit* Pretend I included Magua's last paragraph in here as well.

 

[Curufinwe]

There should be at least three new prospects on the team between Morin/Sanheim/Hagg and Lindblom. That's what I'm most interested in seeing next season.

 

[whitstifier]

Maybe. I could see them with Flip for a full year and some young players filtered in and no one important traded getting a Wild Card, maybe even winning a round at best. But it's tough competition in the Metropolitan, and I doubt it's changing next year. So they could easily finish just outside too. Goaltending will be vital too.

You figure with more talent and guys due for positive regression, they'll be improvement. But then again, I'm not entirely sure. Unless Hakstol and Hextall do some serious introspection and recognize their own faults and the team's true faults, there's no guarantee that positive regression comes. Could just be a more talented team underachieving. Issues are not simply talent.

My real hot take answer would be this though: does it honestly matter? I want them to keep doing well long-term, but next season, I just don't care if they make the playoffs or not just to get some minor short-term gratification. They'll go into next season with the same roster most likely, trying to pointlessly compete as a bubble team, solving little long-term that needs to be solved.

See, I don't understand this. The Flyers will start the season with a 1C and two 2Cs. At least one of Sanheim, Morin or Myers will make the team out of camp. Lindblom will also join the team. That's at least 3 significant adds: Filppula, Sanheim and Lindblom. Another D acquired at a reasonable cost could really help--Campbell through UFA or an ED bargain. These are moves that aren't going to compromise the long term and would improve the team a good bit.

If the team doesn't make the playoffs next season, fans should be rightfully disappointed. The blame on Hakstol is getting out of hand. Look at a team lik Columbus. They have a crappy head coach, but a very talented roster. I'm not convinced that the BJs are in much better shape than the Flyers

 

[Striiker]

If Vandervelde is resigned to less than a $1M, it's up to the kids to send him to Lehigh, like Gordon this season.
If they can't jump that hurdle, look for new kids.

He's already been outplayed and should be in Reading.

Outplaying him obviously isn't what gets him off the roster. If it was he wouldn't have played a single game all year.

 

[Magua]

See, I don't understand this. The Flyers will start the season with a 1C and two 2Cs. At least one of Sanheim, Morin or Myers will make the team out of camp. Lindblom will also join the team. That's at least 3 significant adds: Filppula, Sanheim and Lindblom. Another D acquired at a reasonable cost could really help--Campbell through UFA or an ED bargain. These are moves that aren't going to compromise the long term and would improve the team a good bit.

If the team doesn't make the playoffs next season, fans should be rightfully disappointed. The blame on Hakstol is getting out of hand. Look at a team lik Columbus. They have a crappy head coach, but a very talented roster. I'm not convinced that the BJs are in much better shape than the Flyers

I never said they were compromising the long-term. I just deep down see a team that's trying to spin plates competing now.....while also rebuilding. I don't believe you can really do both without not doing all you can do for one or the other. I just don't see this team as more than a vanilla bubble team, still several more seasons away from making any serious step forward, even with whoever we add next year. That's why I don't really care if we get that short-term pleasure of a Wild Card or not. It hasn't seemed to matter that we did so last year. There are important decisions to be made in the near future, and I do wonder if Hextall, being the safe man he is, will make them or just take the safe route and keep spinning plates.

I see a team with a 1C exiting his prime, who is just getting older (I'm not advocating trading Giroux, and still think he will be important). I see much of the core, also not getting younger, that have question marks. Filppula helps next year as a third center.....but he's a stop-gap who helps us to be a better bubble team for 1 year. The trade was good value, so I'm not arguing against it. I'm just assessing what the real point of it is. Say we trade a player like Schenn for prospects in the summer, and use Flip to help replace some of the points in the short-term, or ship him out at the deadline. That makes sense to me short and long term. I'm just unsure if Flip's actual purpose extends further than helping us be a better bubble team for 1 season, because Hextall is wedded to the old school concept of staying "competitive." I see a team with a lot of prospects coming in who will still need time to cut their teeth. I see a team with key players shortly being up for what could be cumbersome contracts. And all the while, we're not really competing in the short term.

I worry about this team languishing between seasons like the last one and this one. But, yes, if everyone is kept and other pieces added, if we don't make the playoffs, that would be a disappointment in terms of the capabilities of this roster. But given all the issues and flaws still up in the air long-term, I'm just not sure why that bar to reach is so important in the first place.

 

[hatcher]

Coaching is exactly why the jackets are winning.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

To those that want to add a vet D, even a cheaper one, where are you finding a roster spot if you want to work in Sanheim, Morin, and Hagg? The obvious answer is sending Manning down, but do we really think that's in the cards? Even if you do send Manning down, AMac would have to go as well and we know for sure that's not happening. The vet is already there, whether we like him or not.

The reason I ultimately have only a small issue with Filppula is that he won't be blocking anyone of particular note. Different story on the back end.

 

[PAZUZU]

See, I don't understand this. The Flyers will start the season with a 1C and two 2Cs. At least one of Sanheim, Morin or Myers will make the team out of camp. Lindblom will also join the team. That's at least 3 significant adds: Filppula, Sanheim and Lindblom. Another D acquired at a reasonable cost could really help--Campbell through UFA or an ED bargain. These are moves that aren't going to compromise the long term and would improve the team a good bit.

If the team doesn't make the playoffs next season, fans should be rightfully disappointed. The blame on Hakstol is getting out of hand. Look at a team lik Columbus. They have a crappy head coach, but a very talented roster. I'm not convinced that the BJs are in much better shape than the Flyers

My eye test says Bob is better than Mason by a decent margin, but you are on point with the rest.

 

[Rebels57]

I never said they were compromising the long-term. I just deep down see a team that's trying to spin plates competing now.....while also rebuilding. I don't believe you can really do both without not doing all you can do for one or the other. I just don't see this team as more than a vanilla bubble team, still several more seasons away from making any serious step forward, even with whoever we add next year. That's why I don't really care if we get that short-term pleasure of a Wild Card or not. It hasn't seemed to matter that we did so last year. There are important decisions to be made in the near future, and I do wonder if Hextall, being the safe man he is, will make them or just take the safe route and keep spinning plates.

I see a team with a 1C exiting his prime, who is just getting older (I'm not advocating trading Giroux, and still think he will be important). I see much of the core, also not getting younger, that have question marks. Filppula helps next year as a third center.....but he's a stop-gap who helps us to be a better bubble team for 1 year. The trade was good value, so I'm not arguing against it. I'm just assessing what the real point of it is. Say we trade a player like Schenn for prospects in the summer, and use Flip to help replace some of the points in the short-term, or ship him out at the deadline. That makes sense to me short and long term. I'm just unsure if Flip's actual purpose extends further than helping us be a better bubble team for 1 season, because Hextall is wedded to the old school concept of staying "competitive." I see a team with a lot of prospects coming in who will still need time to cut their teeth. I see a team with key players shortly being up for what could be cumbersome contracts. And all the while, we're not really competing in the short term.

I worry about this team languishing between seasons like the last one and this one. But, yes, if everyone is kept and other pieces added, if we don't make the playoffs, that would be a disappointment in terms of the capabilities of this roster. But given all the issues and flaws still up in the air long-term, I'm just not sure why that bar to reach is so important in the first place.

Minnesota felt a lot like this last season.

Added Boudreau and Staal and suddenly they are elite.

 

[whitstifier]

I never said they were compromising the long-term. I just deep down see a team that's trying to spin plates competing now.....while also rebuilding. I don't believe you can really do both without not doing all you can do for one or the other. I just don't see this team as more than a vanilla bubble team, still several more seasons away from making any serious step forward, even with whoever we add next year.

This is contradictory.

I feel like you are being unreasonably cynical, to the point of trashing the NHL talent among the Flyers current group.

Even if in decline (debatable), Giroux is a 1C. Couturier and Filppula are 2Cs. The Flyers now have pretty good C depth. 4C is still pretty lousy; I'll give you that. With Schenn, Simmonds, Voracek, Konecny, they have some of the best top 6 winger depth in the league. Adding Lindblom to the mix should help the top 9 tremendously. Raffl, Read, Weise are all good possession players in the bottom 6. This is a pretty good group of forwards and holes at 3/4LW and 4C can easily get fixed through small trades or in system. As for the D, there are currently 3 top pairing players on the team: Gostisbehere, Gudas and Provorov. At least 1 top 4 D will make the team from camp. It'd be nice to add a vet like Campbell who's proven to be a good teacher for younger players. And, as has been mentioned often, there are going to be D available around the ED at a relatively low price. I'm not really seeing the glaring holes that require a few more seasons to fix. Maybe goalie? But, I won't bother with that--too much variability. For example, Mason and Bobrovsky are the same age and have had similar results over the last 3 seasons. Yet, Bobrovsky is in a different league now? Mason could return to form next season while Bobrovsky could slip and the whole "what have you done for me lately" narrative would shift dramatically.

I don't think I'm pumping up the prospects here. That's to say, I don't assume that Sanheim and Lindblom will be world breakers next season. If those two are merely quality second pairing and middle six players, respectively, then the Flyers should vastly improve.

 

[whitstifier]

Minnesota felt a lot like this last season.

Added Boudreau and Staal and suddenly they are elite.

Minnesota, Columbus, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal have greatly improved from last season to this season. Very dramatic and largely unexpected changes, no?

 

[Tripod]

To those that want to add a vet D, even a cheaper one, where are you finding a roster spot if you want to work in Sanheim, Morin, and Hagg? The obvious answer is sending Manning down, but do we really think that's in the cards? Even if you do send Manning down, AMac would have to go as well and we know for sure that's not happening. The vet is already there, whether we like him or not.

The reason I ultimately have only a small issue with Filppula is that he won't be blocking anyone of particular note. Different story on the back end.

AMac should be the one demoted to LV. He won't be taken, so can come and go as injuries occur. Manning should be the #7.

 

[Rebels57]

Minnesota, Columbus, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal have greatly improved from last season to this season. Very dramatic and largely unexpected changes, no?

Yep. No reason we cant bounce back..but a new voice is needed in the lockeroom...whether it be full coaching staff or just the assistants.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

AMac should be the one demoted to LV. He won't be taken, so can come and go as injuries occur. Manning should be the #7.

You know I agree, I just don't see it happening. Likewise, I still don't see much upside in Hagg, but they do.

You have Gudas, Gostisbehere, and Provorov as locks. If you send AMac down and keep Manning on the NHL roster, signing a vet D means you're saying one of the 3 Phantoms D is staying down for the year, even if the designation rotates a bit. Adding a veteran D of note I would hope isn't in the cards unless you're demoting both AMac and Manning.

 

[renberg]

Just wondering how many of you watched Hakstol's teams at ND? They were known for defensemen who could get the puck out of their defensive end up to the forwards and then helped keep the puck in the offensive zone. That isn't what has happened here and the reason for that isn't necessarily the head coach.
The Flyers have arguably the most inept defense in the league. I would like to have seen Hakstol be able to pull rabbits out of hats but no team is going to look good with MDZ, Streit, Schultz and Manning being half of the defensive corps night in and out. That just wasn't going to happen. Thankfully half of the ones that have been here most of the year will be replaced next season. My call is that the Flyers will improve to be a PO team next year and the main reason for it will be having a better back end. IDK if Murphy is the guy to develop the young defensemen. The Flyers may need to make a change there-Timonen or Kjell?

 

[Sawdalite]

I voted Yes.

I think the team will take a huge step forward next year with the addition of Sanheim and Morin. The D group will likely be

Provorov - Gudas
Morin - Ghost
MacDonald - Sanheim
Manning

The forward group should also be stronger with a full year of Fillipula and Lindblom.

Konency - Giroux - Simmonds
Lindblom - Couturier - Voracek
Read - Fillipula - Schenn
Raffl - Cousins - Laughton
Bellemare

On paper, I think we are as good as any team in the Metro except Washington and Pitt. I think we are as good as the Rangers and Columbus, and better than the Islanders.

Crazy thing as our prospect pool should still be very deep next year with Myers, Hagg, Rubtsov, 2017 1st rounder, Allison, Carter, ....

In that Forward Group, I'm sorry to note that Weise is not included... unless Las Vegas selects him, he is in the mix for a few more Seasons.

As for my Vote; I'm picking a solid 'Maybe'.

To vote 'Yes' to me means that... with the majority of the Roster returning and mostly Rookies replacing those who aren't... we are basically placing the blame on missing the PostSeason on Schultz, MDZ, Streit, VV and Mason... on top of the failure of the returning Players, including the Core... The returning Players and Core are what they are and will be what they will be; to me the failure to make the POs is by no means on the shoulders of the Players who are/might be leaving... and the Core and Returning Players cannot guarantee that they will play any differently... And it is too much to ask of Rookies to make that much of a difference -- but I will admit that Provo and Ghost may well up their game a notch or three -- Also it is too much to assume that VF and Weal will make all that much of a difference nor to suggest that Hexy can nail a FA that can make that much difference.

Basically, I see the same Core and similar support next Season as this Season was... meaning a Bubble Team... and therefore a solid 'Maybe'... with hope of better Seasons ahead.

This Core... while they still have good years in their tanks... MUST learn how to be consistent and how to bring their 'A-Game' more often... But TBH, what I truly believe is they need a 'Heart' Player to Lead them... one who brings his teammates up to a higher level like Pronger did. IMO, when Pronger went down, the Flyers lost their chance to compete for the Cup... Look at 2010; have they displayed anything similar to that since, when it comes to will to win... to excel... for any extended period? When push came to shove in 2010, they rose to the occasion in the Stretch Run ans PostSeason ... and with NHL quality goaltending they could have won the Cup.

JMO

 

[JojoTheWhale]

In 2010, they were barely above .500 under Lavi and had lost 10 of 15 heading into the playoffs. I know they made a run, but that season gets the rose-colored treatment.

The following year was the sustained excellence before the wheels fell off.

 

[Johnk0728]

It's hard to make a real guess now. If it's the same roster with some young dman then it will be the same thing as in the last few years....A borderline playoff team that will need a hot goalie to make the playoffs. Btw...Who is the starting goalie?