News Article: Morin, Myers and the Future of the Flyers’ Defense

baudib1

Registered User
Apr 12, 2016
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I noted last night that the Bruins are well over 100 games played by rookies this year. That's not an unusual number.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the best team in the league and they play 3 rookies per night regularly - Mathieu Joseph (11:38 TOI), Cirelli (played 18 games last year, 14:36 TOI), and Cernak (17:59). They do this thing where they alternate their defenseman and Cernak plays 2 out of 3 games.

Joseph is a year younger than NAK, drafted a year and two rounds later (120th overall) and had a similar year in the AHL last year (53 points in 70 games).

Cernak is 4 months younger than Myers and has played 9 fewer AHL games with 20 fewer points (45 to 25).
 

Rebels57

Former Flyers fan
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Great read OP. Regarding Morin, i was able to get my "annual post-holiday check on Sam" through his cousin 2 weeks ago. Sam is hopeful new regime will treat him better. Last time, Jan 2018, i was told Sam was more than fed up with Philadelphia especially after training camp went so well for him so i was actually surprised he resigned for 3 yrs last summer.

Cant wait to see him play with Lehigh.

Can you blame him?

He should been in the lineup in 16-17 playing those 28 games that the 34 year old Nick f***ING Schultz played.

Then he should have earned a spot out of camp prior to the start of the 17-18 seasons, but instead management/coaching decided to gift that spot to Robert Hagg, who is a slower, smaller, and less effective in every way defensemen.

Instead he got to dress in 2 games for the Flyers in 17-18.

Kid has been treated like shit so far here.
 

deadhead

Registered User
Feb 26, 2014
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"Myers should not be promoted. He hasn't done that well."

"Actually, he's done historically well for his age given no PP1 time."

"Okay, but that's just because defensemen like him get promoted quickly."

o_O

I thought you couldn't rely on statistics with prospects? :sarcasm:
You had to watch them?

I've watched Myers, and he doesn't jump out, players in the AHL who are clearly NHL ready are pretty obvious.
Sanheim two years ago didn't look nearly as good as Sanheim last year when he was sent down and made it clear he didn't belong at the AHL level.
Myers is improved, but given that he physically outclasses everyone he goes against, he doesn't dominate the way I'd expect. Flashes, but not consistent.
Sure, he could play in the NHL right now, but it won't make a rat's ass of difference in his progress if he doesn't come up until the TDL either.
For one thing, I'm not sure the coaching on the NHL team is necessarily better than that on the AHL team right now.
 

Beef Invictus

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I thought you couldn't rely on statistics with prospects? :sarcasm:
You had to watch them?

I've watched Myers, and he doesn't jump out, players in the AHL who are clearly NHL ready are pretty obvious.
Sanheim two years ago didn't look nearly as good as Sanheim last year when he was sent down and made it clear he didn't belong at the AHL level.
Myers is improved, but given that he physically outclasses everyone he goes against, he doesn't dominate the way I'd expect. Flashes, but not consistent.
Sure, he could play in the NHL right now, but it won't make a rat's ass of difference in his progress if he doesn't come up until the TDL either.
For one thing, I'm not sure the coaching on the NHL team is necessarily better than that on the AHL team right now.

Do you have the AHL confused with Jrs? The AHL is generally comparable in size to the NHL.
 

macleish1974

Crash.....Heart of a Lion
Aug 2, 2005
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I have seen Morin play here in LV. Before the injury, he was very very good. Nobody wanted to go in the corner on his side of the ice. But he could make the first pass out of the d zone. And he made up any mistakes with his quickness. But my concerns are can he cover someone, one on one, turn the wrong way and recover? Or someone with rocket speed twist him into a pretzel?
 
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deadhead

Registered User
Feb 26, 2014
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I noted last night that the Bruins are well over 100 games played by rookies this year. That's not an unusual number.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the best team in the league and they play 3 rookies per night regularly - Mathieu Joseph (11:38 TOI), Cirelli (played 18 games last year, 14:36 TOI), and Cernak (17:59). They do this thing where they alternate their defenseman and Cernak plays 2 out of 3 games.

Joseph is a year younger than NAK, drafted a year and two rounds later (120th overall) and had a similar year in the AHL last year (53 points in 70 games).

Cernak is 4 months younger than Myers and has played 9 fewer AHL games with 20 fewer points (45 to 25).

Boston is playing rookies at forward b/c they have zero depth, Donato (22) and JFK (22) aren't exactly burning up the league.
Last year they had well marinated rookies, Kuraly (25), Grzelcyk (24), Heinen (22), DeBrusk (21) was #14 pick. Accairi didn't start until he was 26.

Tampa is a more legitimate example, but they've marinated their share of prospects. They just hit pay dirt on a trio of 21 year olds.

Flyers have Lindblom (22) and Hart (20) this year so far.
Flyers could have Morin (23), NAK (22), Myers (21), Vorobyev (21), Friedman (23) up at some point this spring
Frost (20), Rubtsov (21), Kase (22), Bunnaman (21), Twarynski (22) at some point next year, possibly Farabee (19) depending how he looks in TC.

So I don't see much difference.
 

KrazyKat

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May 27, 2013
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Would anyone trade Myers for Kapanen?
They need a young D, and Myers is a hard chip to part with.
But getting Kapanen would be sweet!
You can then ship Simmonds somewhere for either a low end 1st round pick.
Then aim to sign a guy like Karlsson in the off-season.

Then hopefully we score a top 5 pick as well.
 

Rich Nixon

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I have seen Morin play here in LV. Before the injury, he was very very good. Nobody wanted to go in the corner on his side of the ice. But he could make the first pass out of the d zone. And he made up any mistakes with his quickness. But my concerns are can he cover someone, one on one, turn the wrong way and recover? Or someone with rocket speed twist him into a pretzel?

This is where his reach and a smart game come into effect. He'll be OK if he isn't jumping into plays he shouldn't be (as some of our less fleet-footed defensemen currently do), and if he is paired with a guy who can make those up-ice plays (Ghost, Sanheim, Provorov, Myers) he should be able to hang back and retreat early. If his stick's good enough and he can hold a lane, he should be more than capable against the rush.

I mean, Chara might be the model he wants to base his game on...though he's less effective now, even 3-4 years ago he was still one of the tougher defenders to get around given his foresight and sheer wingspan.
 
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Rebels57

Former Flyers fan
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Would anyone trade Myers for Kapanen?
They need a young D, and Myers is a hard chip to part with.
But getting Kapanen would be sweet!
You can then ship Simmonds somewhere for either a low end 1st round pick.
Then aim to sign a guy like Karlsson in the off-season.

Then hopefully we score a top 5 pick as well.

No. You dont trade a 6'5 right-handed two-way defensemen for a middle 6 winger. Should be obvious.
 

Beef Invictus

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If Morin can recover and hit his potential it would be fun if he and Myers had great chemistry. It's a hulking DPE duo but with modern NHL skillsets.
 

BobbyClarkeFan16

Registered User
Nov 29, 2005
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This is what Bob Clarke hoped Hatcher and Ratje, our dual pylons of failure.

In fairness, nobody expected Rathje to pull an ass muscle that rendered him incapable of playing. As for Hatcher, his knee needed replacing. That should have been caught during routine medical evaluation. Something tells me that he was signed as a favour to Hitchcock.
 

Beef Invictus

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In fairness, nobody expected Rathje to pull an ass muscle that rendered him incapable of playing. As for Hatcher, his knee needed replacing. That should have been caught during routine medical evaluation. Something tells me that he was signed as a favour to Hitchcock.


Lol it's the Flyers, their evaluation probably involved a stool sample and bloodletting.
 
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Tripod

I hate this team
Aug 12, 2008
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Morin will stay up because he has to clear waivers. I would be shocked if he plays once off of IR.
Going to be a little while until he is in game shape
I disagree. He 100% should get into some games as he has been skating for months and is expected to be healthy by February. I also expect a 2 conditioning stint to LV to get a few games in their first somewhere around mid-February.

Assuming no setbacks of course.
 

Rich Nixon

No Prior Knowledge of "Flyers"
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My favorite line was "the characteristically impatient Flyers' brass." That is always my greatest fear with this team.

I'll be working on my next piece in the next few days and am considering looking at the longest-tenured members of the front office.
 

renberg

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Dec 31, 2003
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I disagree. He 100% should get into some games as he has been skating for months and is expected to be healthy by February. I also expect a 2 conditioning stint to LV to get a few games in their first somewhere around mid-February.

Assuming no setbacks of course.
Morin was on the ice at practice today. It was reported that in a month he'll be ready for NHL play. Two weeks here getting in physical shape; two weeks in LV getting into game shape. Back up to Philly and bye bye to AMac.
 
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Outlaw Samurai

FROST WARNING in effect
Jun 24, 2018
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Morin was on the ice at practice today. It was reported that in a month he'll be ready for NHL play. Two weeks here getting in physical shape; two weeks in LV getting into game shape. Back up to Philly and bye bye to AMac.

Great news. He can literally take a dump at centre ice every game and I'll still cry tears of joy that the turd Farmer is FINALLY taken out back and shot.
 
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