GDT: #39 | Flyers at Golden Knights | Thursday, January 2, 2025 | 10:00 PM | NBCSP+, 93.3 FM

[deadhead]

If we hadn't won the lottery, we'd have taken Suzuki instead of Patrick.

 

[MJL66]

Few plays embody the Flyers than the 2 scenarios where Michkov had the puck in the corner and not a single Flyer made himself a pass option.

Happens repeatedly. There is a complete lack of offensive structure on the team. A coaching failure. It's all individual play and improvisation.

Think lines might look something like this next year:

Foerster - Cates - Brink
Tippett - Frost - TK
Couts - Luchanko - Michkov
Farabee - Poehling - Hathaway
Lycksell (if they sign him),

York - Sanheim
Andrae - Zamula/Bonk
Seeler - Drysdale
Grans

I expect Laughton and Risto to be traded at the TDL or before the draft.

I expect Frost to be moved. I hope he is for his sake.

 

[freakydallas13]

If we hadn't won the lottery, we'd have taken Suzuki instead of Patrick.

I legitimately don't understand what you are trying to say here. All of the arguments I think this line of thinking is supporting are incredibly nonsensical or bad faith.

 

[deadhead]

I legitimately don't understand what you are trying to say here. All of the arguments I think this line of thinking is supporting are incredibly nonsensical or bad faith.

Flyers were originally going to pick at #13. Of course, we might have settled for Robert Thomas at #20 as a consolation prize.

 

[FlyerNutter]

The Flyers couldn’t find Robert Thomas if he was sitting on their face

 

[Magua]

If we hadn't won the lottery, we'd have taken Suzuki instead of Patrick.

Got a source on that one, chief? Or is that just the most convenient thing for the narrative? Maybe they would’ve selected Cal Foote, who went one pick after. But then again it might be too absurd for Hextall to select a 6’3 RHD from the WHL with an NHL father. We’re only talking about the team that took Ratcliffe over Robertson 12 hours later.

Or maybe they trade down and select Frost anyway, who they had highly rated. And don’t trade Schenn. The certainty with which you speak about unknowable things and hypotheticals is galling.

 

[freakydallas13]

Flyers were originally going to pick at #13. Of course, we might have settled for Robert Thomas at #20 as a consolation prize.

...and? Or are you just saying the Flyers were supposed to pick 13th but picked 2nd instead? That's not something anyone here disputes I would imagine.

 

[Adam Warlock]

If they had input, those trades would be made.
Holmgren fired Hextall for not making moves like these.

Huh? What?
The Cates line hasn't been the problem, nor has it caused any problems on the other lines.
Foerster and Brink were both struggling before they were matched with Cates.

The problem is the goalies, period. STs too, but you could live with that with decent goalies.
Since the Cates line was put together - Nov 25 (18 games):
xGF/60: 2.73 (2), xGA/60 1.86 (1), xGF 59.55% (2)
HDCF/60: 11.52 (7), HDCA/60: 8.58 (4), HDCF 57.33% (2)
GF/60: 2.95 (3), GA/60: 2.78 (25)
PP xGF/60: 4.51 (32), PK xGA/60: 11.36 (32)
all situations goaltending: (GA - xGA)/60: +1.10

So if we are convinced this Cates line can sustain this play...why are we playing Mich with Laughton, TK with Poehling, and Coots with Hathaway? Seems ike you could easily make a 1st line and a 4th line out of those 6 but for some reason we are making 2 third lines?

I forgot to incluse tippett to his favorites list but thats the answer. He

 

[Flyerfan4life]

You guys know what the weirdest part about Hextall was?

That he did a press conference at an airport hotel after he was fired.

That’s still wild to think about.

not as sad as that one coach who got left at the airport with suitcases in hand after being promptly fired at an away game...

jesus that was such a low tier move

 

[CerpinTaxt]

Could we collectively agree to stop feeding new trolls? The old ones are bad enough as is.

 

[deadhead]

So if we are convinced this Cates line can sustain this play...why are we playing Mich with Laughton, TK with Poehling, and Coots with Hathaway? Seems ike you could easily make a 1st line and a 4th line out of those 6 but for some reason we are making 2 third lines?

I forgot to incluse tippett to his favorites list but thats the answer. He

Problem is lack of centers. Laughton already moved to LW, Couts will move there once they have a center to re place him.

Torts just looking for a combo that works, right now the other three lines are misfit toys.
Couts simply can't drive a line (really didn't when he was younger, took off with G at LW).
Poehling is a 4C, lacks the skill to play up higher.

Frost is working hard, but no combo with him so far has stood out. Laughton is trying to give him a LW who'll do the dirty work, Farabee just isn't strong enough along the boards, Tippett isn't a mucker either, and Tippett and Michkov on the same line is a defensive nightmare.

 

[Adam Warlock]

Problem is lack of centers. Laughton already moved to LW, Couts will move there once they have a center to re place him.

Torts just looking for a combo that works, right now the other three lines are misfit toys.
Couts simply can't drive a line (really didn't when he was younger, took off with G at LW).
Poehling is a 4C, lacks the skill to play up higher.

Frost is working hard, but no combo with him so far has stood out. Laughton is trying to give him a LW who'll do the dirty work, Farabee just isn't strong enough along the boards, Tippett isn't a mucker either, and Tippett and Michkov on the same line is a defensive nightmare.

Konecny-Couturier-Michkov
Farabee-Frost-Tippett

TK and Mich will mean Couts doesnt have to carry and he can use his IQ to support the other 2.

The Frost line can be a sheltered scoring line while Cates line plays harder minutes.

We wont see that tho bc he loves Tippett too much.

 

[HeadLiceHatty]

Konecny-Couturier-Michkov
Farabee-Frost-Tippett

TK and Mich will mean Couts doesnt have to carry and he can use his IQ to support the other 2.

The Frost line can be a sheltered scoring line while Cates line plays harder minutes.

We wont see that tho bc he loves Tippett too much.

Agree, this is the best they can do with lines. Coots had his best game in what? 5 years? playing with those two, and it wasn't against bums, it was against a top tier Wild team.

 

[deadhead]

Konecny-Couturier-Michkov
Farabee-Frost-Tippett

TK and Mich will mean Couts doesnt have to carry and he can use his IQ to support the other 2.

The Frost line can be a sheltered scoring line while Cates line plays harder minutes.

We wont see that tho bc he loves Tippett too much.

I'm sure at some point every combo will be tried, TK - Couts - Michkov have played 66 minutes together.

I still see this year and next year as extended auditions, identifying the core players going forward, extending the RFAs, and so on.

It's obvious what this team needs, another center to go with Jett, another full sized D-man (when Risto is traded), depending on how Andrae and Drysdale develop, another puck moving D-man, and another goalie for the pipeline. But this may take 2-3 years to develop/trade for these players.

I expect trades, both before the draft and maybe before the season, but there is no rush, Briere isn't trying to put the finishing touches on a playoff team, he's trying to garner more assets and maybe a consolidation trade for a key young player.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I'm sure at some point every combo will be tried, TK - Couts - Michkov have played 66 minutes together.

I still see this year and next year as extended auditions, identifying the core players going forward, extending the RFAs, and so on.

It's obvious what this team needs, another center to go with Jett, another full sized D-man (when Risto is traded), depending on how Andrae and Drysdale develop, another puck moving D-man, and another goalie for the pipeline. But this may take 2-3 years to develop/trade for these players.

I expect trades, both before the draft and maybe before the season, but there is no rush, Briere isn't trying to put the finishing touches on a playoff team, he's trying to garner more assets and maybe a consolidation trade for a key young player.

It's hardly certain Jett is even a 4C, much less more. You're putting some wild expectations on this kid.


You've also claimed it's an "audition season" for what, five years running now?

 

[Flyerfan4life]

It's hardly certain Jett is even a 4C, much less more. You're putting some wild expectations on this kid.


You've also claimed it's an "audition season" for what, five years running now?

i predicted the moment they went offboard that Jett would never wear a NHL jersey on any other franchise... but here hes a roster lock..

this place loves meat n potato nobodies

 

[renberg]

I expect trades, both before the draft and maybe before the season, but there is no rush, Briere isn't trying to put the finishing touches on a playoff team, he's trying to garner more assets and maybe a consolidation trade for a key young player.

JMO but Briere needs to get creative and successful fast. The Flyers are rapidly becoming a fourth rate interest in town. The Eagles are ruling the fall and now into the winter since it’s January and PO time. In a few weeks some fans will start to focus on ST with the Phillies. The Inky is carrying articles on the now on almost a daily basis. The Flyers are fortunate that the Sixers and Big Five basketball is off right now or interest in them would crater even further. Philly is a city with a fair amount of discretionary income but it will be spent on entertainment that is successful. Not on a tired ass team that hasn’t been competitive in almost a decade. One that is being led by a coach whose actions would lead you to hire an attorney if your children were treated by a person who had his leadership techniques.
There’s no time left for the Flyers to fool around. Attendance at the games is declining as is viewership, merchandise sales and interest in general. You can see this trend right here on this site. The number of posters has declined as well as the posts. Check the game day threads. It’s a decline across the board.

 

[MJL66]

Problem is lack of centers. Laughton already moved to LW, Couts will move there once they have a center to re place him.

Torts just looking for a combo that works, right now the other three lines are misfit toys.
Couts simply can't drive a line (really didn't when he was younger, took off with G at LW).
Poehling is a 4C, lacks the skill to play up higher.

Frost is working hard, but no combo with him so far has stood out. Laughton is trying to give him a LW who'll do the dirty work, Farabee just isn't strong enough along the boards, Tippett isn't a mucker either, and Tippett and Michkov on the same line is a defensive nightmare.

You're incorrect about Couturier when he was younger. He was used in a checking role and while he was doing it, he controlled play and scored at a 2nd line level at ES while playing often against top lines. Couturier should not move to the wing. He belongs at center.

 

[deadhead]

Meh. If they tanked, it would be even worse as they were horrible for 3-4 years, and bad for 2-3 more, and odds are they wouldn't land a franchise player (see the Rangers), but a couple good players, one partial flop, and an organization stripped of young talent (only way they could end up that bad).

This team is competitive, if they had average goalies they'd be a borderline PO team like last season.
But if you want a rebuild, you have to live with young players and their mistakes.

The fact that they consistently come back from deficits make them exciting to watch, unlike most hockey teams, being down 2 goals in the second half of the second period isn't "game over." Well, at least until the goalies let in another Mr. Softee.

 

[deadhead]

You're incorrect about Couturier when he was younger. He was used in a checking role and while he was doing it, he controlled play and scored at a 2nd line level at ES while playing often against top lines. Couturier should not move to the wing. He belongs at center.

Couts 5x5 pp/60:
2011-12: 1.69
2012-13: 1.16
2013-14: 1.53
2014-15: 1.36
2015-16: 2.02
2016-17: 1.76
2017-18: 2.08
2018-19: 2.08
2019-20: 2.43
2020-21: 2.44
2021-22: 1.01
2023-24: 1.53
2024-25: 1.32

 

[freakydallas13]

Meh. If they tanked, it would be even worse as they were horrible for 3-4 years, and bad for 2-3 more, and odds are they wouldn't land a franchise player (see the Rangers), but a couple good players, one partial flop, and an organization stripped of young talent (only way they could end up that bad).

This team is competitive, if they had average goalies they'd be a borderline PO team like last season.
But if you want a rebuild, you have to live with young players and their mistakes.

The fact that they consistently come back from deficits make them exciting to watch, unlike most hockey teams, being down 2 goals in the second half of the second period isn't "game over." Well, at least until the goalies let in another Mr. Softee.

Yeah, it would be horrible watching a bad team for multiple years. Thank god the last 12 years the Flyers have been great.

 

[Lord Defect]

The problem is they have been a borderline playoff team since they weren’t a deep playoff team and they either don’t see a problem with it, don’t care, don’t know how to fix it, or all of the above.

 

[HeadLiceHatty]

The problem is they have been a borderline playoff team since they weren’t a deep playoff team and they either don’t see a problem with it, don’t care, don’t know how to fix it, or all of the above.

As long as Comcast keeps seeing those dollar signs when fans keep showing up, absolutely nothing will change. They could give two f***s that we're a middling shit house team and will continue to be, as long as the fans keep coming and buying 20$ beers. #culture

 

[BernieParent]

Meh. If they tanked, it would be even worse as they were horrible for 3-4 years, and bad for 2-3 more, and odds are they wouldn't land a franchise player (see the Rangers), but a couple good players, one partial flop, and an organization stripped of young talent (only way they could end up that bad).

This team is competitive, if they had average goalies they'd be a borderline PO team like last season.
But if you want a rebuild, you have to live with young players and their mistakes.

The fact that they consistently come back from deficits make them exciting to watch, unlike most hockey teams, being down 2 goals in the second half of the second period isn't "game over." Well, at least until the goalies let in another Mr. Softee.

Thanks once again for Worst Case Scenario, dead. It is much more fun to remain in the throes of mediocrity for another decade, playing dead-puck hockey and hoping to loser point into the second wildcard position. They can then trundle up to the draft podium to use the 16th overall pick on a role-player who tops out as a decent 2nd liner so their meat 'n potatoes franchise idiom can persist for another generation in genuflection to black-and-white photos of a Stanley Cup victory.

Live with young players' mistakes, you say? Yes, please. And not see certain ones get healthy-scratched for not blocking enough shots or dumping enough pucks into the offensive corner boards? Not watching them play down to low-event ice time. I am also fine with riding the current goaltending trio through the season because they are learning to play in the NHL.

 

[deadhead]

The problem is they have been a borderline playoff team since they weren’t a deep playoff team and they either don’t see a problem with it, don’t care, don’t know how to fix it, or all of the above.

They are fixing it, not the way people here want them to, but they certainly have a plan.
They're the 3rd youngest team in the NHL, they've accumulated extra draft picks and should add a couple more.

The fact that they're too good to tank also means they need to add less talent to compete.

Live with young players' mistakes, you say? Yes, please. And not see certain ones get healthy-scratched for not blocking enough shots or dumping enough pucks into the offensive corner boards? Not watching them play down to low-event ice time. I am also fine with riding the current goaltending trio through the season because they are learning to play in the NHL.

Players don't get benched for not dumping pucks, they get benched for failing to back check or not fighting for the puck along the boards or repeating brain dead mistakes.