2024-25 Roster Thread #1: The Beginninging

prototypical4thliner

Registered User
Jan 12, 2017
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Flyers were top ten in 5x5 metrics last year, as well as PK.
Goaltending and PP cost them a playoff spot.
Goaltending probably can't get worse (it was bottom 5), and Michkov will help the PP.
The only players gone are Atkinson and Walker, and metrics were as good after trading Walker and half the defense injured.

So they have as much of a shot at a PO spot as bottom ten.

Comes down to goalies, young players improving, and Couts, Drysdale and Risto staying healthy.
Risto looked very good in camp, Drysdale still a work in progress.
Couts is probably the "joker," great metrics last season (as always) but couldn't create offense.
Ersson is a question mark for the workload he is going to be subjected to as the unquestioned number 1. He fell apart last year and that was with Hart getting a ton of starts to begin with. His workload is going to increase. Fedotov and Kolosov are even bigger question marks.

Defense is essentially run back with the exception of Sean Walker, who graded as one of their better defenders.

There is nothing to suggest that goaltending doesn’t have the real potential to crater this year. To think that it can’t be worse is just blindly being wishful.
 

volnoir

Registered User
Nov 13, 2015
331
456
The Flyers don't have enough upside to control their fate. They only ever came close because several teams were surprisingly bad. That's probably the biggest factor. A couple of those teams get back on track and they're never really close this year.

I'm pumped for Michkov but I have a bad feeling that Couturier is wearing down, and that guy losing even a single step is a huge blow for the team. He's pulled so much weight for so long. Teams with weak depth get hit harder when their few good players decline or get hurt. Middle of the pack to bottom 10 or bottom 5 are all in the cards, a huge range, depending on health and whether or not the team finishes their journey of quitting on the coach.
Also wait until Couts gets benched and the team slumps because there is only so much of A$$hat torts mind games a team can take.
 

deadhead

Registered User
Feb 26, 2014
50,931
22,193
Ersson is a question mark for the workload he is going to be subjected to as the unquestioned number 1. He fell apart last year and that was with Hart getting a ton of starts to begin with. His workload is going to increase. Fedotov and Kolosov are even bigger question marks.

Defense is essentially run back with the exception of Sean Walker, who graded as one of their better defenders.

There is nothing to suggest that goaltending doesn’t have the real potential to crater this year. To think that it can’t be worse is just blindly being wishful.
Ersson played 31 of the last 36 games, doubt his workload is going to "increase."

Goaltenders need recovery time, so playing 50 or so games isn't a problem as long as they're spaced out (though if he is chosen for the Swedish team they'll have to give Fedotov a few more starts).

Watching Ersson this fall, he looks to be in the same form he was before he was overworked.
Fedotov/Kolosov can't be as bad as Peterson/Sandstrom. Well, they can, but it's unlikely.
 

BernieParent

In misery of redwings of suckage for a long time
Mar 13, 2009
25,173
45,929
Chasm of Sar (north of Montreal, Qc)
I admire their ability to find new axes of ridiculousness. Incredible dedication to the bit. I hope a Zamboni plays Goalie next.
Here's a @Beef Invictus inspired image.

output.jpg
 

Beef Invictus

Revolutionary Positivity
Dec 21, 2009
130,351
170,877
Armored Train
They were on a 100 point pace when Hart went MIA.
25-15-6
Next 11 games
5-5-1
Rest of season
8-13-4

Metrics were as good or better after Hart
Hart: xGF% 52.18, HDCF% 52.58%
After Hart: xGF% 52.37%, HDCF% 54.00%

This despite Walker traded, Risto hurt, Drysdale and Seeler nicked up and Couts wearing down.
The goalie collapse and the PK coming back to earth were the primary culprits.
The PP sucked before and after.

The two key areas that need improvement, the PP and finishing.

Well finishing and PP are bad by design, so that's not going to improve. And Tortorella teams are famous for starting fast and fading, so pace isn't impressive. Neither are numbers devoid of context.

Again, several teams had down seasons. Flyers still aren't in the mix if they bounce back.
 
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GKJ

Global Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
193,197
43,602
When Luchanko was given a low number, it was his job to lose.

Also, when it comes to optics vis a vis Buium, not nearly enough people give a shit about that for them to care.

The 9-game tryout, I am skeptical unless he just gets blown out of the water by real NHL games. It’s something people talk about but is rarely utilized. He’s on the team, and he’s on it until he’s off it.
 

JojoTheWhale

"You should keep it." -- Striiker
May 22, 2008
35,811
110,704
Is this for the 9 games, or are they doing the whole year to have their PR win after everyone scoffed at them for passing Buium?

I wish I thought it was PR. At least that would mean a 3 week detour and then a return to sanity.

Unfortunately, I think it’s the simple answer as usual. They think he’s the exception to every rule and are pushing him even harder than Pastrnak got. The top-down approach is more flawed than average. Hopefully they hit big on a couple more picks and it doesn’t matter. That’s about all I have left to bolster me.

Side note: Unless someone has reported it, I have no idea why annyone would assume this is 9 Games. It might be, but we’re in essentially uncharted waters.
 

BiggE

SELL THE DAMN TEAM
Jan 4, 2019
25,060
65,777
Somewhere, FL
When Luchanko was given a low number, it was his job to lose.

Also, when it comes to optics vis a vis Buium, not nearly enough people give a shit about that for them to care.

The 9-game tryout, I am skeptical unless he just gets blown out of the water by real NHL games. It’s something people talk about but is rarely utilized. He’s on the team, and he’s on it until he’s off it.
Knowing the imbeciles that are running this team, they’ll probably wait until mid season when he crashes into the rookie wall to send him back, ala Sbisa, and waste a year of his ELC.
 

GKJ

Global Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
193,197
43,602
Knowing the imbeciles that are running this team, they’ll probably wait until mid season when he crashes into the rookie wall to send him back, ala Sbisa, and waste a year of his ELC.
What they did to Sbisa was criminal, but it fooled Bob Murray into thinking he was prepared enough to make a big piece in the Pronger trade, and then he sent him back to juniors, which he was rumored to not be happy to feel compelled to do.

And now he’s here with us, so…
 

The Burdened

Registered User
May 1, 2017
3,239
4,271
rooting for him.
he could score 20 goals as a rookie and the same people will still be shitting their pants coping.
 

Beef Invictus

Revolutionary Positivity
Dec 21, 2009
130,351
170,877
Armored Train
I wish I thought it was PR. At least that would mean a 3 week detour and then a return to sanity.

Unfortunately, I think it’s the simple answer as usual. They think he’s the exception to every rule and are pushing him even harder than Pastrnak got. The top-down approach is more flawed than average. Hopefully they hit big on a couple more picks and it doesn’t matter. That’s about all I have left to bolster me.

Side note: Unless someone has reported it, I have no idea why annyone would assume this is 9 Games. It might be, but we’re in essentially uncharted waters.

It also wouldn't just be about Buium; their plan was to have The Solution Cutter Gauthier as the second part of the Michkov young duo. That went haywire, so now their Need they may have drafted for was to replace that, and they're pushing him out there now because that's what their mental schedule demands.

There are way more bad in-character explanations for their reasoning than there are good ones.
 

trostol

Learn to swim, Learn to swim
Jan 30, 2012
17,336
17,581
R'lyeh
rooting for him.
he could score 20 goals as a rookie and the same people will still be shitting their pants coping.
I haven't watched a single preseason game...has he shown you that he will be able to that? Everything I have read , is he is exciting to watch but no where near polished yet to put up 20 as a rookie
 

Curufinwe

Registered User
Feb 28, 2013
56,992
45,406
rooting for him.
he could score 20 goals as a rookie and the same people will still be shitting their pants coping.
The last 18 year old forward the Flyers put on the team is now 30 and has never scored 20 goals in a season.

The second last 19 year old forward the Flyers put on the team suffered a serious head injury in his 9th NHL game and is now out of the league aged 26.

Cope with that.
 

blackjackmulligan

Registered User
Jun 17, 2022
3,710
1,792
I haven't watched a single preseason game...has he shown you that he will be able to that? Everything I have read , is he is exciting to watch but no where near polished yet to put up 20 as a rookie
Play the if and luck game he coud get there.
 

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