Laviolette Under Pressure to Change the System?

[Embiid]

Sounds to me that Lavi is going to double down based on the second article....remains to be seen how much he'll adjust when we play more defensive teams like NJ, NYR and even Tampa. He better have a plan other than just attacking..

I think this bears watching and like I said...Bryz and Lavi better make a pact to save each other's jobs..they are being watched and rightfully so..

Something that became abundantly clear after the Flyers' playoff elimination last year was that general manager Paul Holmgren wanted to see Peter Laviolette make a few adjustments to his offense-oriented system. The GM perceived a need for the club to improve its team defense and keep things a little bit more under control in front of Ilya Bryzgalov, as the team did during the month of March.

Holmgren was very straightforward about his views when asked about it on media day after the team's playoff elimination by New Jersey.

Said Holmgren, "There is no question in my mind that we have to do a better job with goals against. It is related to Ilya a little bit. It is related a little bit to how we play. We are an offensive team that can score. We just finished a five-game series where we didn't score a lot of goals. We certainly didn't generate a lot of offensive chances."

A step toward putting some action behind that ambition was asking John Paddock to be the eye-the-sky assistant coach looking primarily at the team defense aspects of the game and communicating his findings to Laviolette.

Another step: In his media availability session yesterday, Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider put some not-so-subtle pressure on Laviolette to sacrifice a bit of scoring in the name of lowering the team's goals against average.

Snider hammered home that message twice. First, he was asked about his expectations for Ilya Bryzgalov this year. Couched in an obligatory expression of confidence in the team's big-ticket goalie was a challenge to focus a little more on team defense.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Bill-Meltzer/Meltzers-Musings-Captaincy-System-Adjustments/45/48508

Lavi says...

Flyers will be in attack mode again, Peter Laviolette says

Some folks, including the team's chairman, have suggested the Flyers need to change their style this season and tighten up their defense.

After the third day of training camp Tuesday in Voorhees, coach Peter Laviolette conceded that the Flyers can give goalie Ilya Bryzgalov more support this year, but made it clear he does not plan to change the team's modus operandi: attack, attack, attack.

And attack some more.

Laviolette likes to talk about playing with "jam," and his 2013 edition will not be different.

"I think teams always want to play good defense; they always want to take care of their own end," he said after another fast-paced practice. But . . . "I can tell you that the first thing I said to my team is that we're going to attack. We're going to put pucks behind and we're going to go after it."

A year ago, the Flyers allowed 2.74 goals per game, placing them 20th in the 30-team league.

Those numbers are why Ed Snider, chairman of the Flyers' parent company, Comcast-Spectacor, talked about his team's defense in a far-ranging news conference early Tuesday.

Just back from a week's vacation spent celebrating his 80th birthday on the Caribbean island of St. Barts, Snider talked optimistically about the season. But he mentioned last season's defensive struggles and its effects on Bryzgalov.

"I think a lot of his problems had to do with the different style we played as opposed to Phoenix," said Snider, referring to Bryzgalov's previous team, "and I really believe we'll probably tighten it up a bit to help him out. And I think he's a damn good goalie."

Laviolette, whose team has a bulked-up defense, understands his boss' concerns.

Just because the Flyers will be in attack mode, "that doesn't mean we can't take care of our own end," the coach said. He added: "Certainly I think the defense can be better, but so can our specialty teams and other areas of the game."

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports...attack_mode_again__Peter_Laviolette_says.html

Click to read more...

 

[CootaRoo]

DEFINITELY take that under for Giroux.

 

[Qyburn]

Whatever needs to be addressed regarding this issue, the Penguins series shouldn't even be a part of the discussion. It was an anomaly and a freak of nature. Maybe even a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

Somewhat related, it really bugs me how Penguin fans stick by the idea that their team was playing like garbage. "We played like crap! Fleury was atrocious! The team wasn't even trying!" What a steaming load of BS. Both teams played their hearts out and one of them came up short.

 

[Teezax]

I think it's absolutely necessary if we want a sniff at a good playoff run.
While we all love the attack attack attack philosophy, and it makes for exciting hockey, tinkering needs to be made to give our D and goaltender a chance. It was painful to watch at times last year how bad Bryz had it.

 

[LEIFey]

Whatever needs to be addressed regarding this issue, the Penguins series shouldn't even be a part of the discussion. It was an anomaly and a freak of nature. Maybe even a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

Somewhat related, it really bugs me how Penguin fans stick by the idea that their team was playing like garbage. "We played like crap! Fleury was atrocious! The team wasn't even trying!" What a steaming load of BS. Both teams played their hearts out and one of them came up short.

Defense mechanism. It's painful to have to admit that you got outplayed by a hated rival.

 

[BillDineen]

I think the best comment was from Meltzer in the article's forum:

"But if this another case of trying to win last year's Cup this year -- which was what management was too guilty of every year from 1995 until 2009-10 -- then I think a little too much blame is being pinned on the coach they hired to implement exactly what he's preached during his tenure thus far."

That says it all for me.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Depending on how stubborn Lavi is about this it could be his last "full" season with the team. It also depends on how successful he is while being stubborn.

 

[Embiid]

I think the best comment was from Meltzer in the article's forum:

"But if this another case of trying to win last year's Cup this year -- which was what management was too guilty of every year from 1995 until 2009-10 -- then I think a little too much blame is being pinned on the coach they hired to implement exactly what he's preached during his tenure thus far."

That says it all for me.

True..management has to take responsibility but they are also now seemingly challenging their coach to show some adaptability and they are trying to facilitate it with bringing in Paddock. If Lavi continues to get stuck in his attack attack echo chamber after management has insinuated that they want to see some adjustments well then that will be pinned on the coach..regardless of whether it's right or wrong.

 

[CS]

"The GM perceived a need for the club to improve its team defense and keep things a little bit more under control in front of Ilya Bryzgalov, as the team did during the month of March."

We're ****ed. Ilya is terrible. In fact, the funny thing about the late push of last season, including March, is that our defense was actually extremely depleted and playing far worse than the early goings of the season when Bryz couldn't save a thing.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Yeah, I don't get these claims about March being our best defensive month. I watched teams routinely come in and shell Bryz.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Depending on how stubborn Lavi is about this it could be his last "full" season with the team. It also depends on how successful he is while being stubborn.

Coach Hatcher, perhaps?

 

[TheDrizzle81]

Whatever needs to be addressed regarding this issue, the Penguins series shouldn't even be a part of the discussion. It was an anomaly and a freak of nature. Maybe even a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

Somewhat related, it really bugs me how Penguin fans stick by the idea that their team was playing like garbage. "We played like crap! Fleury was atrocious! The team wasn't even trying!" What a steaming load of BS. Both teams played their hearts out and one of them came up short.

I respond to them with, our team played just as bad.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

I am not sure they can just come in and change the system even if they wanted to that quickly. What do we have a 1 week training camp? Changing the system is not an option this season. Unless we want to take a step back this season. Something that the fans and management would not tolerate.
Of course we need to tighten up defensively. But that has more to do with personel then anything, I am not sure this group will be better defensively in front of Bryzgalov.

 

[flyersfan187]

It says something when Homer goes out and gets Schenn/Grossmann when in Lavy's system you should have more mobile d-men.

 

[Beef Invictus]

It says something when Homer goes out and gets Schenn/Grossmann when in Lavy's system you should have more mobile d-men.

It does. Our personnel are not in line with our system. It's easier to change the coach than the players.

 

[Embiid]

I am not sure they can just come in and change the system even if they wanted to that quickly. What do we have a 1 week training camp? Changing the system is not an option this season. Unless we want to take a step back this season. Something that the fans and management would not tolerate.
Of course we need to tighten up defensively. But that has more to do with personel then anything, I am not sure this group will be better defensively in front of Bryzgalov.

I don't think overhauling the system is really the issue...I think Snider and Homgren realize that is not in the cards this "season." However, I do think they want to see him be more malleable and adjust to situations where his system is obviously not working. He has to show more adaptability. That is just a basic law of nature..if you can't adapt or show no willingness to due so you will quickly become extinct. Lavi is going to have to think out of the box a little more than he has IMO....if he doesn't he won't remain. I personally think he's got an odd roster situation. They got more stay at home types back on D to protect Bryz a little more but it's kind of a hybrid situation where there are not enough mobile D to do the pinching and attacking he wants his forwards to employ. Remains to be seen how defensively responsible the forwards will be in instances where they need to tighten things up. I know in the past he has gotten on his forwards for being to spread out too far between the D.

 

[duffy9748]

It does. Our personnel are not in line with our system. It's easier to change the coach than the players.

Randy Carlyle would be a good fit with this roster. He likes to roll his top forwards and a checking line. The personnel is there for that system.

 

[Garbage Goal]

Yeah our d-men don't naturally fit the system at all. Timonens the best offensively of the bunch yet he's the oldest and will be fortunate to get 40 points in a regular season. We would be lucky to get 30 from any of the rest in a normal season. Funnily enough, Carle was probably our most mobile and offensively capable d-man.

 

[Clyde Donovan]

I don't know if it's as much as the D being mobile as it is getting that first breakout pass out quickly and accurately to the forwards. Our defense seemed to hesitate making the first pass in our zone against the Devils and it turned into either a Devil quickly forechecking and stealing the puck or a useless dump off the glass that turned into an easy turnover to the Devils.

 

[CS]

Either way, we won't get anywhere unless Bryzgalov plays better.

We don't have Pronger and a younger Timonen to make Leighton look like a god anymore.

When Bryzgalov starts earning that contract, then all of these issues will go away.

We don't have a bad defense. Maybe it's not perfect for Laviolette's system, but Timonen, Coburn, Meszaros, Grossmann, and LSchenn have all proven they can play great hockey at this level.

Now we just see who shows up. The defense or Bryz...or best case scenario -- both.

Based on training camp so far, I'm doubting that Bryz shows up, and it'd be terrible to throw away a great coach because the organization rushed into a commitment with a flake goaltender.

 

[Qyburn]

I'd avoid placing too much blame on either the coaching or the management. Though it seems like forever ago, it wasn't all that long ago that Pronger's future became a near-certainty, and not having him available changes everything as far as the system and long-term team outlook. A signing of that magnitude takes some time to recover from. It's kind of hard to blame anyone for injuries (unless your name is Carl Lindros).

 

[Garbage Goal]

I like our d personnel a lot and on paper it's pretty well balanced even if it lacks a younger top pairing anchor. Problem is it doesn't mesh with the system at all really.

As for Bryz, I haven't been following training camp so ill just wait and see. Even though we were desperate for a long term starter at the time it wasn't smart to sign a guy that hadn't proven himself outside Phoenix's system long-term. There weren't many options available though.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Either way, we won't get anywhere unless Bryzgalov plays better.

.

Exactly. See the puck. stop the puck. Its all we ask. concentrate on stopping the puck. Nobody is asking him to be a vezina caliber goalie. Just be consistant. I am not crazy about .880 half the games and .930 the rest.

 

[Embiid]

I like our d personnel a lot and on paper it's pretty well balanced even if it lacks a younger top pairing anchor. Problem is it doesn't mesh with the system at all really.

As for Bryz, I haven't been following training camp so ill just wait and see. Even though we were desperate for a long term starter at the time it wasn't smart to sign a guy that hadn't proven himself outside Phoenix's system long-term. There weren't many options available though.

On paper it certainly doesn't seem to mesh with the system I agree and yeah the key is a good first pass but when teams like the Devils bum rush our D they are not mobile enough to even have a chance to get the first pass b/c we're running around like idiots trying to get puck possession. This is what concerns me but we have to see the actual product this year on the ice. Right now the setup seems counterintuitive.

 

[Embiid]

Exactly. See the puck. stop the puck. Its all we ask. concentrate on stopping the puck. Nobody is asking him to be a vezina caliber goalie. Just be consistant. I am not crazy about .880 half the games and .930 the rest.

Byrz has to make the first save and do so with some kind of control so the D has a chance at puck possession in the D zone so they can make that first pass. Bryz has to support the D and the D has to support him..obviously. Remains to be seen what Bryz we get but sounds like frustrated mental Bryz is already surfacing. I mean what percentage of goaltending is mental? Seriously, if his head isn't screwed on straight and he's moving laterally like a sloth in net or letting in deflating first goals our D is going to become irrelevent....