The Philadelphia Flyers are a top 5 team in the league

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Vigneault is a great coach, always been a fan of his.

 

[C0DITH]

AV changed the entire culture, Yeo has turned around a bottom of the barrel PK, and now is in the top5. It was only a matter of time before the Flyers started becoming a serious team again...I mean they have been drafting like beasts for the last 5 years. The young core is now taking over from the older core. While everyone laughed at Kevin Hayes contract, the leadership and defensive play has dramatically helped stabilize the secondary lines and PK. Fletcher has done a great job taking what was in place, and taking it to where it needs to be. If Nolan Patrick can come back healthy.......watch the f*** out haha.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

100% thought this was a hyperbolic hype thread. Whoops.

 

[StoneHands]

I said "barely" top 5. I expected better years from NYR and NJ which obviously isnt happening so i put them at 5.

Im actually not super high on Carolina either unlike others but would have Car 4th and Philly 5th. I think Car has a better roster and mostly is coming off a great season and playoff run. Will need to see more from Philly to consider them more seriously.

The problem with Philly too is they always seem to be in the mix this time of year and then fall off.

I'm sorry but I can't take anything you say serious if you believe this to be true. The Flyers are a notoriously slow starting team. They haven't been better before 12/1 than after in a long time. This is just going back to the lockout shortened season which they also started really slow and then picked it up late. I'm pretty sure this is the best record they've had by December 1st in like 20 years.

2018-19
10-12-2 before 12/1
27-25-6 after 12/1

2017-18
8-10-7 before 12/1
34-16-7 after 12/1

2016-17
11-10-3 before 12/1
28-23-7 after 12/1

2015-16
9-10-5 before 12/1
32-17-9 after 12/1

2014-15
8-12-3 before 12/1
25-19-15 after 12/1

2013-14
12-12-2 before 12/1
30-18-8 after 12/1

 

[tenken00]

The East is going to be exactly like last year. The Atlantic having the President's Trophy winner, and the Metro having 5 teams.

 

[StoneHands]

6th in points%

They're eating up the East at 12-4-3.

They've won 5 in a row, and 6 of the last 7. Make this post on Nov 19th, just over 2 weeks ago, and they're 15th overall, at 10-7-4. Behind Carolina, Montreal, Florida, and Pittsburgh in total points, and in points%. They've had 5 and 4 game winning streaks. They've had two 4 game losing streaks. In 2 weeks, where will they be? They're 9-1-4 at home, 7-6-1 on the road. That home record is exceptional, so that will come down. 9-1-4 is 129 points in 82 games. They're breaking even on the road, which is more normal. 10 of their next 15 are on the road.

This post is just a whole bunch of nothing. You're really grasping at straws trying to make it sound like this is somehow unsustainable or that it's not telling the whole story. You conveniently go back to a very specific date to make your point but why not go back another week to 11/10/19 when they were again 6th in points %? You can't just remove a 5 game winning streak from their record and then stop right after they lost 4 in a row and pretend like you're being objective about what this team really is. Their record is what it is and I'm sure they're bound to have a rough stretch of 5-6 games at some point but guess what, they'll probably also have more hot streaks too. I don't know if they'll end up 5th or 6th in the NHL when all is said and done but I fully expect them somewhere around the top 10 and very possibly top 3 in their division.

 

[Archijerej]

Wait until the Flyers fully play Vigneault's game plan to 100%. It worked well when NYR played a hybrid between Torts and Vigneault. When they fully played like Vigneault wanted, it was a total mess defensively.

This, of course, is entirely incorrect. As long as the Rangers were buying into Vignault's system and had the horses to execute, they were a fantastic team. The "hybrid" thing is a rationalization coming from a fanbase that turned on their coach. I heard a similar story from some of the fellow Habs fans this season. Apparently, we played Ducharme's system last year and now reverted to Julien's.

 

[Curufinwe]

The problem with Philly too is they always seem to be in the mix this time of year and then fall off.

Your problem is you live in an alternate reality. The Flyers are usually slow starters, even in years they make the playoffs.

 

[Rebels57]

Only going to get better too.

 

[Rebels57]

I said "barely" top 5. I expected better years from NYR and NJ which obviously isnt happening so i put them at 5.

Im actually not super high on Carolina either unlike others but would have Car 4th and Philly 5th. I think Car has a better roster and mostly is coming off a great season and playoff run. Will need to see more from Philly to consider them more seriously.

The problem with Philly too is they always seem to be in the mix this time of year and then fall off.

LMFAO. This is the exact opposite of the truth.

You know nothing.

 

[Lobodomy]

Good, now let's hope that Pens & Canes miss the playoffs

 

[Rich Nixon]

They've been irrelevant to the point that people didn't even know what their problems were, or notice when those problems were all fixed. They've had a few very good players, both veterans and youngsters, but their problems were bad coaching, bad goaltending, and absolutely no depth.

Compare these two rosters:

DECEMBER 2018​	DECEMBER 2019​
Giroux - Couturier - Konecny JVR - Patrick - Simmonds Raffl - Laughton - Voracek Lindblom - Varone - Weise Provorov - Gostisbehere Hagg - MacDonald Sanheim - Gudas Neuvirth Stolarz​	Giroux - Frost - Konecny Lindblom - Couturier - Voracek Laughton - Hayes - Farabee JVR - Raffl - Pitlick Provorov - Niskanen Sanheim - Braun Gostisbehere - Myers Hart Elliott​

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Look at the center depth, defense, and goaltending, then realize one of those teams is being coached by a guy who is about to be top-10 in all-time NHL coaching wins, while the other was coached by a sad wooden clothespin wearing a toupee.

It might surprise the people who thought adding one $9+ million star and a solid rookie was gonna somehow turn the Devils and Rangers into playoff teams, but I don't think anyone who knew what the issues were in Philly would be shocked that they're a good team now that those problems are fixed.

The BIGGEST thing for me. Win 5. Keep winning. But don’t lose 5 back like they have been doing for years. Win 6-7 in a row. Lose 1-2 and then back at winning. Isles are catchable. Maybe caps. They need to make the playoffs and win a round for this season to be a success.

They still slump, but I think the key is they don't slump the same way. They've had two four-game losing streaks and a stretch where they lost three of four. All but one of their losses came in those stretches. But here's how they went:

0-3-1
0-2-2
1-2-1

In previous seasons, those would just be straight 0-4-0 (or 0-6-0, or worse). They struggle productively: that's 6 points coming out of their 12 bad games. They've lost almost as many in OT/SO as in regulation, which is a good way to lose games without losing ground.

Low production from star players isn't equal to below average performance... it's all related to the system.

This is very true as well. With the exception of the Sedins, Vigneault has very rarely gotten great individual totals out of his players. He uses his lines very equally and spreads talent out, so you end up with very few PPG+ players, but a whole lotta guys with 50+ points.

 

[MikeK]

Coach Vig is a great coach. He knows how to get a lot out of his players.

 

[Flying Dego]

Good, now let's hope that Pens & Canes miss the playoffs

The penguins have been missing half their roster (wish I was exaggerating) and still in a playoff spot. When/if we get remotely healthy it's gonna be chaotic. The Metro is again the top division and will put in 5 teams IMO.

The flyers are surprising so far. Will be interesting to see if they faulters and drop.

 

[Ace36758]

It's an odd year. Meaning they'll make it. 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 they made it. They missed in: 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018.

Switch those around. They miss in odd years and make in even years.

 

[aufheben]

AV is excellent when he has the roster, they were getting really unlucky to start the season, and they added a pair of stellar rookies at forward. That team has a deep offense.

 

[57special]

Seem to have a good mix of vets and youth.

I liked Fletcher in MN(especially compared to the jackass that followed him), but thought he mismanaged the Vegas ED, squandered drafts picks, and overspent a little on vet FA's. Not sure how much of that was on urging from the owner, though. I know that there was some suspicion about him in PHI when he was first hired. Hopefully fans are resting a bit easier now. Fletcher does have the ability to close deals, and tends to create a healthy atmosphere around the team by treating employees, fans, and players with respect. Not a small thing, IMO.

They will have a hard time going far in the playoffs , through no fault of their own. Their conference is full of tough beats, just like the Central was when Fletcher was with MN. You just have to hope that your goalie is hot, and theirs isn't, in situations like that.

 

[C0DITH]

Hextall helped build the future/current roster but I think killed the environment. All the stories of micromanagement, lots of dictation and control....I mean I think anyone in a job who has dealt with that stuff, knows how it kills moral and productivity. Follow that up with a coach with zero NHL experience, lack of respect in the dressing room, and guys struggling with confidence, and you get the past few seasons.

Lots of Flyer fans shit on Holmgren as he was making his way out, firing Hextall and trying to leave the franchise with a strong focus moving forward....but he knew what he had to do....certainly looks like he wasn't wrong.

 

[Tripod]

There are many reasons for the improvement.

Coaching: AV, Yeo and Therrien vs Hakstol/Gordon, Laperriere, Knoblauch
PP: 14th best PP.....23rd last year
PK: 3rd best PK....26th last year
GF: 14th best....18th last year
GA: 5th this year....29th last year
Goaltending: Solid this year vs used 8 goalies due to injury last year
Depth F: Adding Hayes, Frost, Farabee, Pitlick vs Patrick(hurt), Simmonds, Varone, Weise
Depth D: Added Niskanen and Braun, Myers playing vs removed Gudas and AMac...Hagg playing way less.
Hart: Last 10 games, only 1 game allowing more than 2 goals, .936 Sv% 1.75 GAA

What is really encouraging, is that there is still a bunch more upside to this team this year:

Only Konecny and Lindblom having good years at forward. Lots of upside from most guys
Patrick has yet to play a game. Adding him in the 2nd half just adds to the depth
Provy and Niskanen playing great. The other Dmen still have more to give.
The PP still is not even close to what it can be.
The rookies: Frost, Farabee and Myers are just going to keep getting better

Giroux Frost Konecny
Lindblom Couturier Voracek
Laughton Hayes Farabee
JVR Patrick Raffl
Pitlick

Provy Niskanen
Sanheim Braun
Ghost Myers
Hagg

Hart
Elliott

With everyone healthy, that is a deep team that can score on every line, has a shutdown C, has 4 2-way C's ,has a legit top pairing, has great PKers and PP players and a great goalie/backup.

 

[Matty Sundin]

They seen to be that kinda team that does good 1 year and underperforms the next year and repeat. Lost of team have or have had this problem pattern before.

 

[JT Kreider]

Not surpised in the least that AV would make a difference early in his tenure.

Flyers fans just have to hope they dont take leads come playoff time. That's where AV always crumbles.

 

[Rich Nixon]

They seen to be that kinda team that does good 1 year and underperforms the next year and repeat. Lost of team have or have had this problem pattern before.

That was a different team, when players like Giroux and Gostisbehere were hauling trash teams to the playoffs before their backs could give out from carrying everyone. They'd get shelled once they reached the playoffs, though: They lost two 6-game series in those four years, which seems like they mighta put up a fight, were it not for a combined -21 goal differential across those 12 games.

This one seems geared to compete and perhaps contend for a while, starting as soon as this year. Much deeper, much younger, and getting better by the month.

 

[Tripod]

To the people talking about the Flyers yo-yoing the last few years, there is a reason for that. They were rebuilding on the fly. Rebuilding without going full rebuild.

When you trade Schenn with 3 years left on his deal for 2 1st rounders and a cap dump, it's because you are thinking long term, not short term. And it's part of what got Hextall fired last year. He still would not fix obvious issues and just wanted to wait...starting with Hakstol.

Essentially under Fletch and now this coaching staff, the mandate is to make the playoffs every year and then start winning playoff rounds. It's going to be tough as hell in this division, but they can't control that.

 

[tony d]

They are doing good, who knows, Carter Hart could be the goalie they'e been searching for for years.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I barely consider them a top 5 team in the metro tbh.

Top 5 team in the metro is still going to be a great team considering how tough the division is. I was shocked to see the 5th place team in the metro would be 2nd in the atlantic. Right now metro teams are 4 of the top 10 and 5 of the top 12 in the entire league.