2019/20 Roster Thread XXX - AKA the Ghost Thread

[dragonoffrost]

The lines should've been:

Giroux-Frost-TK
Pitlick-Laughton-NAK
JVR-Hayes-Raffl
Farabee-Couts-Voracek

Obviously with Frost as 1C, Laughton as 2C, and Couturier as 4C.

And no matter how you number them you better damn well pray the Pitlick-Laughton-NAK line don't ice the puck or say hello to the fresher of Sid or Gino. Sullivan is going to feast on the weakest line no matter who is on it if they ice the puck.

 

[Tripod]

Frost played 18 games between 11/19 and 12/28, averaging 11:34 at ES. Nine other forwards averaged more, so he was clearly the 3C.

NHL.com Stats

But his most common linemates were Giroux and Konecny, with whom he enjoyed a 57 CF%.

Morgan Frost - Teammates - On Ice - Natural Stat Trick

Huh....so he was doing ok. Imagine that. I was fine with him being a 30+ point pace C while getting 3rd line minutes. Hell, it's what Patrick was the last 2 years....and Patrick was more infuriating by being MIA until mid Jan both years.

The odd thing is, if they had demoted Frost on Dec 6th after going pointless in 7 straight games, you could understand demoting him to try and get confidence going. But after that stretch, he had 4 points in his last 9 games. So he got thru the patch that likely frustrated him and he was back to a 36 point pace....all at ES. So he was doing fine.

It just seems like they "hung" that SJ game on him on the 1st game back from X-Mas break and yet the goals, to my recollection, were not on him. Hell, he had a CF of 52.17% that game, scoring chances were 10-7 in our favour when he was on the ice...as were high danger at 5-4. And yet it was Couts, G, TK that got smoked...all 37.5 or below CF% while scoring chanced were crushed 3-12, 3-11, 4-12.

Just saying.

 

[FlyerNutter]

Huh....so he was doing ok. Imagine that. I was fine with him being a 30+ point pace C while getting 3rd line minutes. Hell, it's what Patrick was the last 2 years....and Patrick was more infuriating by being MIA until mid Jan both years.

The odd thing is, if they had demoted Frost on Dec 6th after going pointless in 7 straight games, you could understand demoting him to try and get confidence going. But after that stretch, he had 4 points in his last 9 games. So he got thru the patch that likely frustrated him and he was back to a 36 point pace....all at ES. So he was doing fine.

It just seems like they "hung" that SJ game on him on the 1st game back from X-Mas break and yet the goals, to my recollection, were not on him. Hell, he had a CF of 52.17% that game, scoring chances were 10-7 in our favour when he was on the ice...as were high danger at 5-4. And yet it was Couts, G, TK that got smoked...all 37.5 or below CF% while scoring chanced were crushed 3-12, 3-11, 4-12.

Just saying.

The stranger thing to me was Fletcher’s comments during that recorded update where we expected more news on Patrick (wasn’t too long ago).

He basically said that he hopes Frost starts getting more minutes and was pleased with his game, if I remember correctly.

A bit after, they sent him down. I really didn’t expect it.

 

[bennysflyers16]

Maybe they play Elliott vs Pens....then see what that outcome is before making a decision on game 2.

So sad that Lyon is still an option, quite clear he has no NHL future, but maybe he surprises us.

Plus the way this team comes out after long breaks, they both may play vs the Pens

 

[tucson83]

And no matter how you number them you better damn well pray the Pitlick-Laughton-NAK line don't ice the puck or say hello to the fresher of Sid or Gino. Sullivan is going to feast on the weakest line no matter who is on it if they ice the puck.

especially when you throw an inexperienced center out there, it's major mismatch, i would rather have him on the wing, he's got the speed for it. that's why they need a third line experienced center, that's why st.louis won the cup because they had experienced centers and binnington.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

This very well could be Lyon’s last year in the organization. He’s a UFA this summer.

 

[Striiker]

Incompetence.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Goner.

 

[GapToothedWonder]

Yes. Let's leave it to the last game of the season and a shootout to see if we make into the playoffs

Oh yeah that's what I was saying hey?

"Meeeh nobody wants to have a hockey conversation here, it's just the hive being mean"

Brutal.

 

[Starat327]

Oh yeah that's what I was saying hey?

"Meeeh nobody wants to have a hockey conversation here, it's just the hive being mean"

Brutal.

The contrarians may actually have enough people now to be their own hive.

 

[Curufinwe]

And no matter how you number them you better damn well pray the Pitlick-Laughton-NAK line don't ice the puck or say hello to the fresher of Sid or Gino. Sullivan is going to feast on the weakest line no matter who is on it if they ice the puck.

The 4th line in practice was

Pitlick-Bunnaman-NAK

 

[TB87]

I would submit that usage in high leverage game situations speaks exponentially more toward a coach “trusting” a player than Zone Starts.

For the life of me, I don’t understand why so much is read into the latter.

~60% of all NHL skaters shifts start On The Fly. I also struggle to comprehend why so much importance is placed on zone starts. It only has an effect at a micro-level on shot differential on a shift-to-shift/in-game basis. Taken at a macro-level, it has no statistically significant effect on shot differential.

Which begs the question: Why does anyone give a shit about zone starts if there is research out there that show that they’ve only been shown to be statistically significant in extremely small samples?

For further reading if anyone needs further convincing:
How much do zone starts matter part I: (Maybe) not as much as we thought

How much do zone starts matter part II: A lot on their own, not that much in aggregate


The second article in particular sheds a lot of light on this topic.

 

[Adam Warlock]

Laughton Hayes and Farabee was a really good line earlier in the season...glad its back.

I really dont mind the line up outside of the PP. Raffl is clearly the spot they need to upgrade...either by adding a wing or a center and G back to wing.

 

[Magua]

I like how after Farabee looked so good with Couturier and Voracek (still on their PP line), against that same Penguins team yet, he’s back with McGruff. They’re really in love with that Laughton-Hayes-Farabee line. Laughton in particular has been garbage since his return. Raffl coming off injury inserted right into the top line too.

As for the PP, I couldn’t imagine taking off Niskanen for Gostisbehere. A player who has recorded 47 PP points the previous 2 seasons, compared to Niskanen’s 2. One is right handed after all, and no one timers are allowed. Michel gets it. Sanheim’s probably surprised he didn’t draw the short straw for once. Ghost will be a 3rd pair defenseman not used at special teams.....and people will complain about stats. So it is written.

 

[Striiker]

So he had a full practice but isn’t ready yet? Or is he healthy and these idiots are healthy scratching him? Or does he play and is getting completely f***ed over on the PP?

All bad options.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

The break from Therrien’s stupidity was refreshing so good to see him back to work leaving no doubts.

 

[TB87]

Lyon started playing for the Phantoms in 2016.

If by this point he can’t play a sliver of games in the NHL and provide a competent/average performance, I don’t know what kind of development is going on down there - and why the hell they are wasting their time with him.

Elliot Pens. Lyon Avs.

They know he isn’t good so they’ve be reticent to use him this season at the NHL level. He’s a floppy fish who consistently has looked completely overwhelmed at the NHL level. Flyers will lose if he gets any of the starts in this upcoming Back-to-Back.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

I’m hesitant to complain about it because it’s at least making a decision with some upside, but I have never liked the fit of a Sanheim-Myers pairing. Nothing I’ve seen in their ~20 Games together this year has made me reconsider this stance.

 

[Curufinwe]

This year Niskanen has 9 PPP and Ghost has 5.

But I don't think he'll be playing on Friday anyway.

 

[FlyerNutter]

They know he isn’t good so they’ve be reticent to use him this season at the NHL level. He’s a floppy fish who consistently has looked completely overwhelmed at the NHL level. Flyers will lose if he gets any of the starts in this upcoming Back-to-Back.

Hes looked like a flopping fish, and taking himself out of position for every performance I’ve seen out of him in the NHL.

Goaltending depth is important, especially with a team relying on an older backup they can’t ride too hard. I’m not sure wtf the point is of Lyon and JF Berube this year. That tandem. One guy who isn’t developing and the other a 28 year old who has been shit in his brief NHL stints.

 

[Beef Invictus]

It's probably a bad idea to throw anyone into a full back to back coming off an injury. I have no problem with Ghost sitting Friday and going Saturday instead.

 

[Curufinwe]

They know he isn’t good so they’ve be reticent to use him this season at the NHL level. He’s a floppy fish who consistently has looked completely overwhelmed at the NHL level. Flyers will lose if he gets any of the starts in this upcoming Back-to-Back.

That makes it sound like there's a chance he starts against Pittsburgh. Elliott would have to be injured for that to happen.

There's a real chance Elliott starts both and the Flyers lose both in regulation.

 

[TB87]

I’m hesitant to complain about it because it’s at least making a decision with some upside, but I have never liked the fit of a Sanheim-Myers pairing. Nothing I’ve seen in their ~20 Games together this year has made me reconsider this stance.

They’ve only been a passable pairing in maybe a handful of games at the NHL level to date. They’re frequently a mess

 

[TB87]

That makes it sound like there's a chance he starts against Pittsburgh. Elliott would have to be injured for that to happen.

There's a real chance Elliott starts both and the Flyers lose both in regulation.

They could lost both in regulation. I’m just more confident that they’d have a shot to win in either game w/ Elliott in net.

 

[dragonoffrost]

The 4th line in practice was

Pitlick-Bunnaman-NAK

I hadn't seen the lines at practice. I was going off the lines in the quoted post and what Sullivan will do if they are the in game lines. (Of course moved around to be not a joke)