Flyers 2017 Training Camp Discussion Thread

[Rebels57]

"And the Ignore List grew by one that day."

 

[Maurice of Orange]

This year we'll actually be able to judge that, the last two years he was shooting blanks, realistically which of the bottom five defensemen (Streit, MDZ, Schultz, Manning, MacDonald) or the bottom seven forwards last year (Read, VdV, PEB, Luby, Cousins, Leier, Gordon). And that makes it difficult to make adjustments since you're shuffling a half dozen forwards and three defensemen around. Now Hakstol has enough talent, and a varied mix of talent, that he can actually make meaningful adjustments.

That would be all fine and well but he'll end up playing MacDoanld and Manning as if they were top 4 d-men when they are not.

 

[Dumpster Flyers]

you lose more credibility the more you speak.

I'd be curious to hear what the circle**** thinks Sanheim's faults are (from their point of view). Or is he just a perfect hockey player?

 

[Appleyard]

Sanheim played last season in the AHL versus top lines most nights - he was paired with Morin for 3/4 of the season - and played very well defensively.

His defensive 'shortcomings' are massively overstated, it is almost a cliche from a combination of his offensive talent and the way he was required to play in Calgary.

He took some time to settle in the AHL but after a month or so was never really phased defensively, no more so than either Morin or Hagg anyway.

Can he still improve? Yes. Of course. But he is a well-rounded two-way defenseman and has earned his spot in the NHL.

 

[kelmitchell]

Argument could be made he took it over last year as well. This year he might have competition.. from the rookies, not the vets.

We all know that you meant amac is and will be our #1

 

[deadhead]

Before you trash MacDonald and Manning, 197 D-men played 500 minutes or more last year.
So just being healthy has value.
MacDonald 146 CF%, Manning 60th CF%
Manning 166 GF%, Manning 174th GF%

They weren't very good, but there weren't 180 better defensemen either.
They're average bottom pairing guys, but so are L Schenn, Streit, MDZ, and Schultz. Coburn is close.
Manning is paid like a bottom guy, MacDonald . . .
We forget how long it's been since the Flyers fielded 4 top defensemen who were top 4 defensemen.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

That’s a hell of a turd you just polished there.

 

[FatTugboatFlahr]

And you caught him shit handed.

 

[deadhead]

Sanheim played last season in the AHL versus top lines most nights - he was paired with Morin for 3/4 of the season - and played very well defensively.

His defensive 'shortcomings' are massively overstated, it is almost a cliche from a combination of his offensive talent and the way he was required to play in Calgary.

He took some time to settle in the AHL but after a month or so was never really phased defensively, no more so than either Morin or Hagg anyway.

Can he still improve? Yes. Of course. But he is a well-rounded two-way defenseman and has earned his spot in the NHL.

Watching Sanheim in preseason, it's all a matter of focus for him.
When he bears down on defense, he has the size and strength to handle NHL players, the speed to get back and the reach to break up plays.
It's when he tries to do too much, like skate through the opposing team or forces passes, he gets into trouble.
A safe game for Hagg is knowing not to try and do too much, a safe game for Sanheim is to pick your spots and make sure you don't hang your teammates out to dry.
Which is why, if we trade a D-man in a year or two, it will be Ghost before Sanheim.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Lol nevermind.

 

[Lotusflower]

Have you been to a game since it started yet?

Nah. I've never been to agame live before. I'll be at the first 3 home games this year tho. I've lived in the city my whole life and these will be first games so im real stoked.

My rebuttal would be "Have you been to a WWE/F event?" Can't be that bad. I'll probably join into be honest.

 

[NycFlyer2]

If Hakstok keeps playing **** lineups, it should eventually lead to him being fired. That's if the Flyers stumble out of the gate.

We have a pretty tough schedule to start the season. Given the youth and new faces, it may take awhile to gel. If we are .500 by Thanksgiving I'd be pleasantly surprised and Hakstol will deserve a lot of credit. If not it will be tough to catch the teams in front of us and Hak will most likely be gone at the end of the year if not sooner.

 

[deadhead]

Hextall will judge Hakstol on how well the kids develop, Hakstol can't control the goalies (chosen by Hextall) and is limited with what he can do with aging veterans (i.e. either G & V show they fit where this team is going or it's up to Hextall to make changes).
Hextall brought in the new PP coach, so that'll be more on him.

Hakstol's most important role is to get the team to play his up tempo scheme and to get the forwards to be aware of the cycle when D-men attack and avoid too many breakaways. And that's about getting the young players to mesh with the veterans and play like a team.

I think there will be struggles initially, but by January, this team should be clicking on all cylinders.
If the goalies are at least average (instead of bottom five like last season) they should end up with 95 points or so and a shot at the playoffs.
91 points is about "average" for a hockey team, so I expect them to be a little above average this season.

 

[Random Forest]

I'd be curious to hear what the circle**** thinks Sanheim's faults are (from their point of view). Or is he just a perfect hockey player?

I think you're overly critical, but I am super curious what Stizzle thinks is Sanheim's biggest weakness. Probably that he skates too fast. Maybe that he's so damn good looking he distracts his teammates.

 

[eramosat]

Just read through 3 pages of unhappy posts...

Just take a deep breath and relax guys.

Nothing's happened yet so don't get worried yet. If they actually do end up making these awful decisions then we can all freak out together. But until then you're just making yourself upset because of what might happen, which accomplishes nothing.

Look at the bright side, no matter what we'll at the very least see a handful of young guys on the team. Patrick is a lock, two of the D prospects at least, Konecny and Provorovs second year, healthy Ghost, and if you like bad players, a full year of Weal. Id love to see all of the young guys here immediately too, but this is definitely going to be a better team than last year by a large margin. Plus, injuries will happen sooner than later and the potential send-downs will boomerang back up.

Correct! Completely.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

I've seen enough to feel that Sanheim belongs on the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017-2018. That's my official position.

I can agree with this. But all have to relax if he starts going thru a rough patch and is given a blow for a game or 2 every now and then.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Just read through 3 pages of unhappy posts...

Just take a deep breath and relax guys.

Nothing's happened yet so don't get worried yet. If they actually do end up making these awful decisions then we can all freak out together. But until then you're just making yourself upset because of what might happen, which accomplishes nothing.

Look at the bright side, no matter what we'll at the very least see a handful of young guys on the team. Patrick is a lock, two of the D prospects at least, Konecny and Provorovs second year, healthy Ghost, and if you like bad players, a full year of Weal. Id love to see all of the young guys here immediately too, but this is definitely going to be a better team than last year by a large margin. Plus, injuries will happen sooner than later and the potential send-downs will boomerang back up.

you are talking to the same group of fans who were pulling their hair out over certain players struggling in the 2nd or 3rd pre season game lol

 

[Flyerfan4life]

Before you trash MacDonald and Manning, 197 D-men played 500 minutes or more last year.
So just being healthy has value.

LOL did you really just say they should be used cuz they managed to stay healthy ???


wait wait wait... coach put me in, see i can breath....

 

[GKJ]

Sanheim played last season in the AHL versus top lines most nights - he was paired with Morin for 3/4 of the season - and played very well defensively.

His defensive 'shortcomings' are massively overstated, it is almost a cliche from a combination of his offensive talent and the way he was required to play in Calgary.

He took some time to settle in the AHL but after a month or so was never really phased defensively, no more so than either Morin or Hagg anyway.

Can he still improve? Yes. Of course. But he is a well-rounded two-way defenseman and has earned his spot in the NHL.

If that's trend every time he moves up a level, the only way to get past it will be to play through it.

 

[deadhead]

LOL did you really just say they should be used cuz they managed to stay healthy ???


wait wait wait... coach put me in, see i can breath....

Actually, it does matter because when you start having injuries, you wake up one day with Brennan or LaMarche playing defense for you.

 

[VoiceOfTheFlyers]

I think there's a decent chance we might see the final 2 cuts today.

 

[kudymen]

I was killed by flu last evening, not reading anything, just lying down, coughing and thinking. And God damn was it better than the last few pages I've just read, except for LoD's post

 

[bb12]

In order for us to be a team with the slightest hope to compete we cannot have Weise, Read and Lethra all in the line up up front and Manning and Amac on the back end.

Hextall needs to take a page out of Torontos book and know, this is a younger mans league now and icing 3 rookies on the back end and 3 up front isn't so bad. Not to mention Lindbolm played pro, he understands the mans game, Hagg and Leier has 3 years of AHL time and Morin 2. As much as they are rookies they have the experience. Sanhiem and Patrick are the 2 with the least and they don't look out of place.

 

[Tripod]

In order for us to be a team with the slightest hope to compete we cannot have Weise, Read and Lethra all in the line up up front and Manning and Amac on the back end.

Hextall needs to take a page out of Torontos book and know, this is a younger mans league now and icing 3 rookies on the back end and 3 up front isn't so bad. Not to mention Lindbolm played pro, he understands the mans game, Hagg and Leier has 3 years of AHL time and Morin 2. As much as they are rookies they have the experience. Sanhiem and Patrick are the 2 with the least and they don't look out of place.

Agreed. I said it before, if rookie Provy can lug around AMac all year, no reason he can't do the same with Hagg this year. Especially with a year of experience, gaining strength, etc.. under his belt.

That leaves Morin and Sanheim to be better than MDZ, Schultz, Manning and Streit. That is easily done replacing last year's version of those players.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

That leaves Morin and Sanheim to be better than MDZ, Schultz, Manning and Streit. That is easily done replacing last year's version of those players.

You know what else bud, and even more important IMO than if they are better than scrubs of yore - at some point, we have to let them acclimate to the NHL level. There's a limit to how much they can grow away from the NHL, and this is the perfect time to let them get their feet wet, while our realistic season targets are still at a lower level. I feel like I have typed that about a billion times in the past year, and I'm sure I have, but it remains true.