Flyguys03

If any team is going to catch them, its the Pens.

While this is true, aren't we way overdue to hit on a 2nd rounder (I mean IF we actually used one). Shea Weber was a 2nd rounder, so they're not exactly chopped liver.

Draft is pretty shallow after 15th pick this year, according to some.

Serious contender, maybe not. I don't think they're going to win a Cup this year and I didn't think so before the season started either. But they're a playoff team and have been closer to the top of the conference than the bottom.

Who cares about the regular season? They don't play crap teams like the islanders in the POs. With this defense and goaltending, they are most like one and done.

Because the Flyers ARE a contender. They currently have the 2nd most points in the Eastern Conference, you can't be much more of a contender than that. Even if it's not "their year", the playoff experience will be invaluable for young guys like Read, Voracek, Couturier, Schenn, etc... Timonen and Carle are two of the team's leaders in TOI, they rely on those guys a lot. Trade one of them and the chances of making the playoffs diminish significantly. If you're this close, and I do think the Flyers are close, there's no point in taking a step backwards.

They aren't really a contender. Not with this defense and goaltending. The regular season does a good job of fooling people. How many games have they won against top tier playoff games?

Without a doubt. Wait for the off-season and the new CBA and go from there. They aren't winning a cup this year. And talk of adding Hal Gill should make any fan run for the hills. Just give the kids their 1 playoff series experience and fix the defense and goaltending this offseason.

It was a good performance. I look forward to his next one in early March.

Western Conference team.

With a new CBA coming up and questions about some players on this team, it would be wise to wait until the offseason to do anything.

I lived in DC for 25 years. I know it pretty well. I also know that there is a difference between disrespect and differences of opinion.

In any event, this not about me or you. It's about Tim Thomas. You have your opinion, I "respectfully" disagree.

Huh? What does living in DC have to do with anything? Anyone paying attention can see the harm both parties are causing our country and our future. They don't give a sh!t about us. That is pretty disrespectful.

If you don't feel disrespected by the guys in DC who continue to do things that harm our country and our future, I am not sure what to tell you.

Do you believe everything everyone says?

Believe it or not, there are some of us that realize that both parties suck. Not everyone is a sheep that toes a party line.

Who is "us"?

Really?

Um... yeah, right.

I can't mind read. I can only go by what he said. And that is what he said.

Yeah, true. His owner and GM are only publicly disappointed in him.

I'm sure the team - all of two of which have the same rights - support his "Constitutional rights" to pick and choose whatever team events he deigns to join them on.

That was not a "very good teammate" move. Period.

Eh, It's only a big deal to people that want to make it be one. Quite honestly neither of us know how his teammates feel. I personally wouldn't give a sh!t, but thats because I agree with him. Mostly likely there are some that do care and some that don't. It's a stupid photo op at the white house for a fringe sport that no one really cares about in this country. If we didn't have 24 hour news coverage and things like twitter, it would be a non-issue.

In 1997 Charleton Heston, who was a rather vocal advocate of conservative issues, was a Kennedy Center honoree. He showed up, despite the fact that the event was hosted by Bill and Hillary Clinton. In 2008 Barbra Streisand, no fan of George W Bush, was a Kennedy Center honoree. She also showed up, saying that for one night art took precedence over politics. This is called having some respect and some class.

When do politicians start to have respect for us? That includes the OFFICE of the President.

The office of the President of the United States always deserves respect. This wasn't a fund raiser or an invitation for a private dinner with the Obamas, it was a traditional event staged by the office of the President. If Obama wasn't the president right now, someone else would be and the event would still have been held. It really has nothing to do with Obama, it's about public recognition of a championship team. Thomas made it political, Obama didn't.

Thomas said it wasn't about Obama. It was about our politicians in general.

The president doesn't deserve respect because he is the president. Respect is earned. We have had at least 3 decades of presidents that have disrespected the position and the country. Maybe if Tim Thomas supported legislation that takes away more freedoms and intrudes on private citizens lives, he would be a better Patriot!!!

Thomas wasn't invited to the White House. The Boston Bruins team was invited to the White House.

The owner specifically asked on several occasions for Thomas to be present with his teammates. The team obviously wanted him to go. The people who WERE INVITED were "inconvenienced" by his decision to showboat and when you have your owner practically begging you to go, it just might "hurt" when you virtually spit in his face.

His absence - as the Conn Smythe/Vezina winner - was obviouly going to attract attention. What do you think Neely should have said when the question was inevitably asked?

If Bryzgalov didn't attend a team funciton of this nature, he'd be roasted. ROASTED.

I'm disappointed in Thomas, and not for his political views. I'm disappointed that Thomas would do that to his teammates.

Please. It's a visit to the white house. It's not like he skipped a childrens cancer event. I am pretty sure his teammates will be just fine. Hopefully they support him and his constitutional rights. If not, they aren't very good teammates.

Good for Thomas. He is exactly right as well. f**k the douchebags in DC.

They aren't winning a cup this year. Wait until the off season and make moves then to shore up the defense and have bryz taken out by the russian mafia.

All it takes is a streak one way or the other to reverse fortunes. Lundy goes cold and the Rangers are doomed. Bryz or Bobs gets hot and the Flyers soar. The Rangers are only 4 points ahead... one single Winter Classic's worth of points based on a 3-2 game.

The Rangers are a built team. The Flyers are rebuilding, and still breathing on their heels. With the depth the Flyers have and four scoring lines, they are overcoming their goaltending issues most games. The Rangers can not mimic that.

Weak defense and goaltending don't win you a cup. Obviously you could inject "ifs" all day long to make your point stand up. As they are built right now, the rangers are closer as their defense and goaltending is MUCH better than the flyers.

Closer than the flyers, that's for sure.

In fairness, you're incorrect. Carter has played in 30 games, Couturier has played in 40.

A notable difference in number of games played, but Carter also averages about 8 minutes more of ice time PER GAME. Cater has played about 600 minutes this year (30 games * 20 TOI), Couturier has played est 480 (40 * 12 TOI).

It ain't the number of games that explains the difference, I'm afraid.

Not to mention, Carter also plays on a top line and seldom on the PK. Couturier plays on a fourth line and a lot of his time is on the PK.

Clearly I was using hyperbole. But Carter has played a lot of those games still injured. He is a better offensive player than couturier is right now.

It's worth noting that at this point in the season, Coutourier has just one fewer point than Carter (16 to 17 pts).

It's also worth noting that there is a 21 point differential between their plus/minus (Carter is -9, Couturier is +12).

In fairness, Carter has played like 12 games.