How do you truly feel about this team's near future in 19/20?

[TH1Pool]

We can all agree that this season has been an adventure. I look at our current roster, and the potential prospects who might make the jump next year - and I feel pretty optimistic. I know we've been here before - promising roster that looks ready to take a leap...but I truly believe this potential roster + Carter Hart *knock on wood* could do some consistent damage next year.

***forgive me if any aspect of this is impossible due to contract details

JVR - Coots - Giroux
*Top 6 FA* - Patrick - TK
Lindblom - Frost - Voracek
NAK - Laughton - Raffl
---
Provorov - Sanheim
Hägg - Myers
Gostisbehere - Gudas
Sam Morin
---
Hart
Stolarz

What are your thoughts? Not what you post on here in the heat of the moment when the team is pissing you off, but what do you feel when you're alone at home in the bathroom pondering your most true and personal musings?

Click to read more...

 

[PHILOUDELPHIA]

EVERYONE, Can I get your Gut feeling. You CAN handle the Truth. What the Hell is going on with this Hockey team. The Philosophy of Hextall to now Chuck is different. At least he knows with this season let the young guys play and get experience. Hart looks great, but our D still has flaws and I'm still waiting for them to stop making the daily mistakes.

WHO NEEDS TO GO?
Who should we get in July

WHAT IS YOUR GUT FEELING?

 

[deadhead]

Nothing really has changed, this season was always going to be a transition year, if the goalies had been healthy to start the season (at least Lyon, then Elliott, then Stolarz) the team would have had a shot at the playoffs, but weren't going to go deep.

Hart was always going to be the starting goaltender at some point, probably next season, he just accelerated that schedule.

Guys like Sanheim, Patrick, Lindblom, were going to go through growing pains, same with Myers, Frost, etc when they arrive this spring/next year. While Provorov's first half was a disappointment, he's turned it around since. Until a critical mass of young talent has a couple full seasons under their belts, this will be an inconsistent team.

It comes down to Fletcher's moves, both at the TDL and this summer. If he fools himself into thinking this is a playoff caliber team and no changes need to be made, they're at the mercy of a rookie goaltender and whether he can continue to play at an elite (> .920 S%) level for the rest of the season and the playoffs - which is asking a lot of a 20 year player.

If Fletcher is realistic, he'll want to make some changes in both the forwards and defense, because both units are talented but imbalanced. Adding Frost allows Giroux to move back to wing as Patrick grows into the 2C role. Trading Simmonds will allow the addition of a more skilled RW at 5x5 play, and promoting NAK/Bailey, moving Laughton to the 4th line should strengthen that line, but they need to find a 4C (don't think Vorobyev has the wheels for that role). On defense, they need a veteran RHD to balance the group, moving out AMac and demoting Hagg isn't the solution, it's who you move in that matters - too many LHDs, not enough RHDs. Backup goalie depends on Stolarz, is he as good as any veteran they can add?

If Fletcher makes the right moves, which will probably involve one FA signing and one major trade, this could be a 100+ point team next year that can make noise in the playoffs - but they're probably 2-3 years from being Cup contenders, need the kids to grow up, and to add Farabee, Ratcliffe, O'Brien etc. and for players like Rubtsov to fill out the roster from top to bottom. And build AHL prospect depth so that young players are well marinated and ready to step up when the inevitable injuries occur.

 

[TH1Pool]

EVERYONE, Can I get your Gut feeling. You CAN handle the Truth. What the Hell is going on with this Hockey team. The Philosophy of Hextall to now Chuck is different. At least he knows with this season let the young guys play and get experience. Hart looks great, but our D still has flaws and I'm still waiting for them to stop making the daily mistakes.

WHO NEEDS TO GO?
Who should we get in July

WHAT IS YOUR GUT FEELING?

Do you feel better now?

 

[Lord Defect]

I feel like the trade deadline and the offseason are too important this year to accurately gauge next year

 

[FlyTimmo]

I expect to be disappointed

 

[AdamParrot]

It's about coaching staff.

Team looks really good on paper. But we need really good head coach for them.

 

[renberg]

The fate for '19-20 will depend on who the new HC will be. I go with Defect above in that the TDL and off season adjustments to the roster will be a key. Most of the roster is ready to play but there are some kinks to work out of it between trades, a FA signing or two and the elevation of prospects. A sharp HC should be able to put the pieces in order for a run in the POs next spring and win a round or two.

 

[baudib1]

I think most qualified HC candidates should make this team a bonafide contender next year.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

They need a 2C, a first pairing D, & Hart to keep it up.

I think Hart has solved their biggest problem, but those 2 other holes must be fixed for the team to ascend from average.

 

[deadhead]

Patrick will be the 2C, he's already picking up his game, he'll be in his 3rd season and his second healthy offseason.
The hole will be Simmonds' replacement, and Laughton really needs to be back on the 4th line.

A number of alternatives:

Giroux - Couts - Voracek/TK
Lindblom - Patrick - TK/Voracek
JVR - Frost - ???

or

JVR - Couts - Giroux
Lindblom - Patrick - TK/Voracek
??? - Frost - Voracek/TK

Two physical two way centers and a fast two way center anchoring the top three lines.
That makes it easier to move forwards around.

 

[renberg]

They need a 2C, a first pairing D, & Hart to keep it up.

I think Hart has solved their biggest problem, but those 2 other holes must be fixed for the team to ascend from average.

You don't think that Patrick can be the 2C?

 

[wankstifier]

You guys are gonna look f***in silly when they win the cup this year

 

[Ghosts Beer]

You don't think that Patrick can be the 2C?

I consider it a huge hole until he actually proves he can fill it on a consistent basis. I feel way better with him as the 3C.

 

[Starat327]

Next seasons results - if we want to be sustainable - will ultimately be based on coaching. Sure, we could have someone have a monster season and make the playoffs like 17-18 but we are seeing this year what happens when you don't help to make the people around him better.

If we don't get an upgrade in coaching, this is going to be more of the same. The talent on this team is more than sufficient to be a playoff team, they just need better systems - specifically on special teams.

 

[Rebels57]

All depends on who they hire as coach.

 

[PHILOUDELPHIA]

Do you feel better now?

Yeah I do

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Gotta believe it will be improved one way or another. If prospects/UFAs make an impact the ceiling is limitless. If they don't I still think the team will fare better than this year.

 

[kudymen]

I don't think I can respond to this poll. I am too confused with Hart's immediate success, Sanheim's upwards trending development, Provorov's and Ghost's struggles, as well as with our special teams' rollercoaster. In my mind it can both be too good (which I kind of hoped for before 18-19) or shit again. I just don't know. I have to pass answering.

 

[YEM]

Hart is the true wild card here [along with whatever additions come via trade deadline & free agency] but I imagine next year they'll be the middling team competing for the wild card spots...essentially they'll be what we expected them to be this season.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

Is Provy a #1 D?

 

[baudib1]

I consider it a huge hole until he actually proves he can fill it on a consistent basis. I feel way better with him as the 3C.

2C isn’t a huge hole, we have a perennial Selke candidate in that role.

 

[NicolasAubeKubel]

They need a 2C, a first pairing D, & Hart to keep it up.

I think Hart has solved their biggest problem, but those 2 other holes must be fixed for the team to ascend from average.

Morgan Frost and Phil Myers?

 

[Tripod]

I consider it a huge hole until he actually proves he can fill it on a consistent basis. I feel way better with him as the 3C.

That's where having Giroux is key. We can move him to C, sliding Patrick down and Frost to wing. But 100% agree, we need Patrick or Frost to be ES producing players. Ideally, both.

I think we fill Simmonds RW spot before adding a C though.

 

[NicolasAubeKubel]

I expect them to use Frost like Tampa uses Johnson and Point. They don’t really have a “3C” because they move the 3rd guy up and double shift him on the wing to get him big minutes. Basically using a top 8 instead of a top 9.