2024-25 Roster Thread #2: Midseasonnar

[Beef Invictus]

Torts said to MM to look for other plays and not do it every time. Then he said a few weeks ago if he told the guys how to play offense he would be laughed out of the room.

"Do something else" is the definition of calling him out. It's incredible stuff

 

[Flyerfan4life]

"Do something else" is the definition of calling him out. It's incredible stuff

im not telling you not to do it.. im just telling you not to do it.

sounds like def. freedom to be creative in the moment...

 

[Larry44]

The overrating of the Flyers talent level by some is comical. Just because someone plays on a top line or top pair for a mediocre team does not mean they are legit top line/pair players.

Here is an honest breakdown of the Flyers talent level

Elite: Konecny
Potential to become elite: Michkov
Well above average: Sanheim
Slightly above average: York
Average with potential to improve: Brink, Foerster, Ersson
Solid, average NHL players: Cates, Frost, Tippett, Farabee, Couts

Among the prospects

Potentially elite: Zavragin
Potentially above average: Bonk, Bjarnsson, Luchanko, Barkey

Barring massive lottery luck coupled with Zavragin becoming the next Roy/Hasek, this team isn’t winning Cup in 2028 or anytime shortly thereafter.

Excellent assessment. Couts was an elite player before his back surgeries - and occasionally since. The Flyers don’t have top end talent in the lineup or coming. Buium and Perrault would’ve been nice adds.

 

[CerpinTaxt]

Excellent assessment. Couts was an elite player before his back surgeries - and occasionally since. The Flyers don’t have too end talent in the lineup or coming. Buium and Perrault would’ve been nice adds.

Talent psh. Who needs talent when you've got Bonk and Luchanko as the highlights of your prospect pool

 

[deadhead]

Keep an eye on Barkey, he's on an elite roll since he recovered from mono.
Scoring at almost a 2 ppg rate.
Exactly the kind of player people keep asking them to draft.

I certainly wouldn't count on Perrault as a guaranteed star.
Benson, who was considered the better player in the 2023 draft, in his second season isn't exactly burning up the league, 43g 7-7 14 at ES.
Doesn't mean he won't eventually figure it out, but the transition to the NHL for undersized players isn't always smooth sailing.

Barkey will have similar issues, now 5'10 171, probably can't carry more than another 5-10 lbs on his lean frame. So he'll have to learn like Brink, how to deal with contact in the dirty areas.

 

[Magua]

Keep an eye on Barkey, he's on an elite roll since he recovered from mono.
Scoring at almost a 2 ppg rate.
Exactly the kind of player people keep asking them to draft.

I might be the high guy on Barkey, and I am rolling my eyes. The prospect pool reeks in skill — there aren’t many others to “keep an eye on.” Barkey’s physical tools are below average, and it’s absurd to guess how that swings. Also, you’ve never watched him play, speaking of eyes.

I certainly wouldn't count on Perrault as a guaranteed star.
Benson, who was considered the better player in the 2023 draft, in his second season isn't exactly burning up the league, 43g 7-7 14 at ES.
Doesn't mean he won't eventually figure it out, but the transition to the NHL for undersized players isn't always smooth sailing.

Benson is 19, and how he won in juniors was outlier stuff. He’s a ~25th percentile skater right now (maybe worse). Never should’ve rushed him — probably should’ve been on the Stankoven timeline. If he was in juniors and playing at the WJC for 2 seasons, he’d be praised.

No one says Perreault is a guaranteed star. But he could be a likely top 6 complementary piece.

But really the entire point of your post is this: saying without saying that Barkey is as good a prospect as Perreault. Yada yada yada……marvel at this prospect pool. We all see it.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

@LegionOfDoom91 Remember when they came up with those ridiculous prop bets for Dwayne Haskins’ 40 time like he was a running QB? And there were actual people who bet the Under? Those are the people nodding along to this Barkey-Perreault thing. 100% overlap.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Cates-Jett-Barkey

Who would stop that line?

 

[Strawberry Fields]

Cates-Jett-Barkey

Who would stop that line?

Gonna be fun to watch them under the tutelage of coach Laughton in a decade.

 

[deadhead]

I might be the high guy on Barkey, and I am rolling my eyes. The prospect pool reeks in skill — there aren’t many others to “keep an eye on.” Barkey’s physical tools are below average, and it’s absurd to guess how that swings. Also, you’ve never watched him play, speaking of eyes.



Benson is 19, and how he won in juniors was outlier stuff. He’s a ~25th percentile skater right now (maybe worse). Never should’ve rushed him — probably should’ve been on the Stankoven timeline. If he was in juniors and playing at the WJC for 2 seasons, he’d be praised.

No one says Perreault is a guaranteed star. But he could be a likely top 6 complementary piece.

But really the entire point of your post is this: saying without saying that Barkey is as good a prospect as Perreault. Yada yada yada……marvel at this prospect pool. We all see it.

No, I have no idea how good Barkey, Perreault or Benson will be.
Both TK and Farabee started at 19, took a big step up at 20.
That's why they play the games.

However, stating that Perreault would have been a better pick than Bonk is a stretch, Perreault might become a solid top 6 forward, but Bonk has the same chance of being a solid top 4 D-man.

 

[Larry44]

I might be the high guy on Barkey, and I am rolling my eyes. The prospect pool reeks in skill — there aren’t many others to “keep an eye on.” Barkey’s physical tools are below average, and it’s absurd to guess how that swings. Also, you’ve never watched him play, speaking of eyes.
----
But really the entire point of your post is this: saying without saying that Barkey is as good a prospect as Perreault. Yada yada yada……marvel at this prospect pool. We all see it.

Barkey is a player with a lot of spirit to his game, but he's tiny, has average speed and very good skills and hockey sense. He's kind of like Brink in that regard. We'll see how he does the rest of this year then in the AHL next year, if he's eligible.

 

[freakydallas13]

No, I have no idea how good Barkey, Perreault or Benson will be.
Both TK and Farabee started at 19, took a big step up at 20.
That's why they play the games.

However, stating that Perreault would have been a better pick than Bonk is a stretch, Perreault might become a solid top 6 forward, but Bonk has the same chance of being a solid top 4 D-man.

It's really not a stretch.

 

[deadhead]

Barkey is a player with a lot of spirit to his game, but he's tiny, has average speed and very good skills and hockey sense. He's kind of like Brink in that regard. We'll see how he does the rest of this year then in the AHL next year, if he's eligible.

He's eligible for AHL next season. I expect him to spend a season there, like Brink, needs to get stronger and work on his straight line speed.
Brink missed a year due to his shoulder, started last year at 22 and is emerging at 23.
Brink is now an above average skater, same with Cates - both were below average when they first went pro.

Now how much you can improve skating? Strome improved, but from terrible to bad.
Some guys lack the quick twitch muscles, others need to just rework their mechanics.

 

[Magua]

Barkey is a player with a lot of spirit to his game, but he's tiny, has average speed and very good skills and hockey sense. He's kind of like Brink in that regard. We'll see how he does the rest of this year then in the AHL next year, if he's eligible.

I think Brink was a better draft year prospect honestly. Higher skill, little more projectable in boards play, and actually a better skater. Brink has always had sneaky lateral agility and edge work; his stride was just a bit broken. Barkey is more in the flat skater group, like a smaller Farabee.

 

[Larry44]

I think Brink was a better draft year prospect honestly. Higher skill, little more projectable in boards play, and actually a better skater. Brink has always had sneaky lateral agility and edge work; his stride was just a bit broken. Barkey is more in the flat skater group, like a smaller Farabee.

Agreed. Brink is one of my favourite players right now, just because he's so clever and effective. I actually think Alex Ciernik has a better chance of making it than Barkey, simply because of his speed.

Brink is a great example of the time it takes to develop a full-time NHLer who is not an elite talent. Drafted 2019. He's finally settled in 4 years later. Most of the kids we draft this year won't be contributing until 2030...

 

[Beef Invictus]

Agreed. Brink is one of my favourite players right now, just because he's so clever and effective. I actually think Alex Ciernik has a better chance of making it than Barkey, simply because of his speed.

Brink is a great example of the time it takes to develop a full-time NHLer who is not an elite talent. Drafted 2019. He's finally settled in 4 years later. Most of the kids we draft this year won't be contributing until 2030...

Ciernik is the way of the future

 

[ybnvs]

That's funny, b/c Michkov has tried the Michigan multiple times, hasn't succeeded yet, but hasn't been called out by Torts once.

Diminished ice time. Loss of shifts. Loss of responsibilities.

He's been called out.

 

[deadhead]

First, Ciernak has to get to the SHL and show he can play at that level.
Tuomaala is fast, and Gendron is quick, both can shoot, neither has a clue about the rest of their game.
Speed and quickness are no different that size, nice if you have it, but it doesn't make you a player.

 

[deadhead]

Diminished ice time. Loss of shifts. Loss of responsibilities.

He's been called out.

He's also playing much better since his workload was cut.
Still playing 15:10 a night the last ten games when he has bounced back.
You could see his "dead legs" when he was being overworked.
Kid just turned 20, never played this intense a schedule and at the NHL level.

Why would you run your franchise player into the ground and get him injured?

 

[Beef Invictus]

Diminished ice time. Loss of shifts. Loss of responsibilities.

He's been called out.

Also told to stop trying it, which is the definition of calling out

 

[Curufinwe]

Agreed. Brink is one of my favourite players right now, just because he's so clever and effective. I actually think Alex Ciernik has a better chance of making it than Barkey, simply because of his speed.

Brink is a great example of the time it takes to develop a full-time NHLer who is not an elite talent. Drafted 2019. He's finally settled in 4 years later. Most of the kids we draft this year won't be contributing until 2030...

Yup. Cates was drafted in 2017 and just now in 2025 became Tortorella's 1C.

 

[renberg]

I don't care who the Flyers prospects are at LHV, until that program is adjusted for true hockey improvement along with a change in coaching personnel, guys will go there to have their careers die.

 

[deadhead]

I don't care who the Flyers prospects are at LHV, until that program is adjusted for true hockey improvement along with a change in coaching personnel, guys will go there to have their careers die.

This is mythology.

Most of the Flyers current starters spent time at LHV with no ill effects:
Foerster, Brink, Frost, Laughton, Sanheim, York, Zamula, Ersson

The ones that went directly to Philly, TK, Farabee, Cates (after 4 years in college).

I'd say they do a much better job of development coaching than game day coaching at LHV.
Andrae has improved, Grans has improved.

The biggest problem with LHV is lack of talent, when you go down the list of Wheeler's top 15 prospects, the only ones in LHV are Andre (3), Kolosov (7), Grans (11), McDonald (12), Tuomaala (14)
Rizzo and Desnoyers were on the list last season but graduated.

Next year they should add Bonk???, Barkey, Sotheran, Bump?, Knuble? Mann, Bjarnason.
They'll lose Andrae, Lycksell, maybe Desnoyers/Wisdom/Eklind (RFAs), Gardner/Belpedio/Gleason/Peterson/Makiniemi (UFAs)
Ciernak should graduate to the SHL but is probably a couple years away from coming over.

 

[Curufinwe]

Two games vs NJ this week and the Isles yet again.

Then next week it's Colorado, Utah, Washington and Pit.

And after that it's the best time of the season - two weeks with zero Flyer games.

 

[freakydallas13]

This is mythology.

Most of the Flyers current starters spent time at LHV with no ill effects:
Foerster, Brink, Frost, Laughton, Sanheim, York, Zamula, Ersson

The ones that went directly to Philly, TK, Farabee, Cates (after 4 years in college).

I'd say they do a much better job of development coaching than game day coaching at LHV.
Andrae has improved, Grans has improved.

The biggest problem with LHV is lack of talent, when you go down the list of Wheeler's top 15 prospects, the only ones in LHV are Andre (3), Kolosov (7), Grans (11), McDonald (12), Tuomaala (14)
Rizzo and Desnoyers were on the list last season but graduated.

Next year they should add Bonk???, Barkey, Sotheran, Bump?, Knuble? Mann, Bjarnason.
They'll lose Andrae, Lycksell, maybe Desnoyers/Wisdom/Eklind (RFAs), Gardner/Belpedio/Gleason/Peterson/Makiniemi (UFAs)
Ciernak should graduate to the SHL but is probably a couple years away from coming over.

Foerster and York both played about 1 season combined worth of AHL games (Foerster just over 1 season, York just under) over several years, they didn't exactly spend a ton of time there developing. Brink too has played less than a seasons worth of AHL games I believe.

Plus how do you prove there were no ill development effects, considering we wouldn't be able to tell if they could have been better in a better AHL development environment?

Two games vs NJ this week and the Isles yet again.

Then next week it's Colorado, Utah, Washington and Pit.

And after that it's the best time of the season - two weeks with zero Flyer games.

"The Islanders zone" part of the schedule is even more of a chore to watch than regular Flyers game.