any word, predictions on who starts in net for the Flyers?
I have to agree with this. Right now, everything is going wrong. And it's all feeding off each other. Negativity breeds bad luck, and right now, everything is negative. Once just one thing goes right, our fortunes will begin to change.
Giroux is obviously not a 0 point scorer. Once he buries one, things will get easier for him. The first one's just the hardest. Once that flood gate breaks, it will get easier for the rest of the team.
Steve Mason has statistically been one of the worst goalies (if not the worst) in the NHL since that Calder win... which was five years ago. That is not a small sample size, especially considering he even put up terrible numbers last year behind the same team that Bob played well enough to win a Vezina behind.
It's great that he has looked confident in the truly small sample size in Philly, but let's not pretend the criticism he received in Columbus wasn't deserved. His numbers there were awful.
Hi guys,
Wings lines appear to be this for the game (Babcock changed them in practice yesterday):
Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Bertuzzi
Franzen - Weiss - Abdelkader
Cleary - Andersson - Alfredsson
Miller - Glendening - Tootoo
Defense pairings are the same.
I'm looking forward to this one tonight. Good luck!
I also very much enjoyed reading the OP here. Very well done.
In all likelihood a comfortable victory for Detroit, when you factor in that players show no signs of adapting to any new system and that it's a back-to-back game as well.
The games we all expect to lose we usually win, so heres hoping that happens. I'm working while this one is going on, so hopefully that will keep my mind off the game as much. Been a pretty disappointing start though boys.
My concern is that it's not simply that things are going bad. The team
can't even make the plays that should be the simplest things to do. And it's not just one guy, it's every. Single. Player.
Things are just going bad, this team just looks like a, they have absolutely no idea what they're doing or b, none of them are nearly as good as we though.
Some gameday music that really sums up the team so far this year:
Wish they brought up Akeson.
Starting to think we really overestimated Simmonds' abilities and he's regressing to how he was with the Kings: a gritty 3rd liner who can't do much of anything with the puck on his stick.
Otherwise, I dont get all the B. Schenn hate (not this thread, but recently). Guys been one of the only ones getting consistent scoring chances, and he's also our leading scorer.
Couturier as well; he could use some more confidence in the offensive zone, but he's one of the only ones that consistently drives play up the ice from what I've noticed. Even with that black hole Talbot trying to move the puck the other way.
We really need to see more from Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds and Hartnell. 2/3 of our top 6 has been garbage so far. Still don't know what the hell Chief was thinking putting Simmonds on the top line. Hartnell shouldn't be there either (if he wasn't injured) with how he's played since the start of last season.
Some Detroit fans are actually predicting a Flyers win. I'm surprised.
Simmonds has always been a 2nd/3rd line in-between guy. I classify him as a slightly better version of Hartnell (who, in my opinion, was always overrated). Good for anywhere from 20 to 30 G in most seasons where he plays well and is utilized but aside from that his uses are pretty much limited to energy and grit. He's a good PP presence and all-around net presence. He'll probably never do much better then 60 P in his career or 30 G and that's always been true of him. I expect he'll average out as a 25 G, 50'ish P guy a la Hartnell.
Schenn has been great at putting himself in great scoring positions and finishing on good chances but other then that he's being the same Schenn he always has been in the NHL. Lots of talent, always looks like he's a step away from breaking out, but never taking that step.
Yeah there's been lots of questionable lineup decisions. From Newbury to Rosehill to Hartnell and Simmonds to Talbot. Lecavalier was our only consistent force on offense even in the slightest ways so with him out I wouldn't expect anything at all really.
Some Detroit fans are actually predicting a Flyers win. I'm surprised.
I've been getting the impression that that's the best Schenn has to offer. Seems like a guy who can be a good complimentary player/finisher but never someone that will drive possession and create good scoring chances on his own. Reminds me of JVR. Very frustrating. But he's still pretty new to the NHL and hopefully we'll see the breakout we've all been hoping for.
I'm aware of his stats with Columbus. That basically amounts to three seasons of starting with the Calder season excluded. Three seasons is a small sample size, even for a goalie especially when considering it was early in his career.
I never said the criticism was deserved, but let's also not pretend like people still bash him and act like he's still like he was in Columbus.
Those who still criticize him probably see his 11 games in Philly as a more probable outlier than the 171 games he played in Columbus after his Calder win. It's a criticism that has validity.
I don't know in what world 171 games played by a goalie would be considered a small sample size...
I really hope he turns it around here, because he certainly has the physical tools. He could be starter here for a while if he gets his head on his shoulders.