Lindbergh31

On 6/18/2021 at 5:04 PM, CoachX said:

to clarify, when you asked the question, I jumped to the 2019-2020 season. Reading back, maybe I misunderstood. Did you mean the season that just wrapped up?

Yes I was referring to the 2020-2021 season.

51 minutes ago, CoachX said:

Absolutley! And I'm not alone. He was one of three finalists for the Jack Adams award. You don't get that by sucking. He had this team playing at a very high level, and was one of the hottest teams in the league prior to the shut down. After the shutdown, they took the first seed and won the first round of the playoffs. If you want to blame him for the Islander series, that's fine. I don't.

 

I'm not sure how it can be said he did a bad job

Well he wasn't totally at fault for the Islanders series but he didn't make adjustments in that series either.

7 hours ago, CoachX said:

I just don't understand this logic

I'm just curious do think AV did a good job last year.

19 hours ago, CoachX said:

For example? .....

As stated by other posters, Braun, Gus and the Hayes contract. This summer is his chance to put his stamp on the team, AV hopefully is a coach that will be on his way out during this coming year or at the end of the year. Giroux is someone that I hope Fletcher will trade at the deadline depending on where the Flyers are sitting in the standings. He needs to get some veterans D to help the younger ones, a good veteran backup to help Hart so they don't ruin him also. He needs to sit down with AV and tell him to start playing the younger players in bigger roles and move Giroux and Voracek into secondary roles. He needs to determine who his core group is and then start adding pieces to that core and if that means suffering through a couple of bad seasons to having a contending team like Tampa is now then I'm all for it. Problem with Philly is they don't know how to rebuild properly, see the early 90's for example.

1 hour ago, ruxpin said:

Completely agree on the Flyers.

 

Wow on Anaheim. If I'm the Ducks, I keep that package over Eichel.

I think that the Ducks are wanting Eichel to replace Getzlaf who is a UFA so they need a number one centre.

18 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

 

Yes, you're right. 

 

 Our last 3 GMs found a way to sign McDud to a 5 year $25 Million contract, psycho Bryz to a 9 year $51 Million dollar contract, Voracek to a $8.25 for seems like eternity contract, will he try or won't he JVR to a 5 year $35 million one, and mediocre Kevin Hayes to a almost eternity 7 year $7 million per deal. 

 

 Gee I can't wait for the Fletcher to 'find a way" to overpay Jones.

I'm not sure what Fletcher will do when it comes to the defense but one thing for sure, we as fans won't like it because he always seems to **** things up. Hopefully won't be the coach of this team after this coming season or sooner.

14 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

 

 

Montreal's BEST hockey, outside of Carey Price throughout the game, was probably the first 10-15 minutes.
It really looked like they were meaning business with that tough, physical play.

Now, though, I wonder if all that hitting they were doing was part of "the plan", or they simply were 'chasing the game' the Knights were dictating.
If it is the latter, the Habs really are in big trouble.

Knights took everything the Canadiens dished out, got the lead anyways, then dished out some of their own.

Marc Andre Fleury went from looking a bit rattled at first (probably a poor choice of words for a seasoned pro like him), to more wall-like as the game progressed, while all Vegas lines, it seemed, were running like the proverbial well oiled machine.

I'm hoping for a Bolts/Knights final because I believe it would be a great series to watch. Besides I can't stand the Habs or Islanders.

2 hours ago, RonJeremy said:

If McTavish and Lucuis are gone then I would

Ok what about Cole Sillinger, Mike Sillinger's son?

3 hours ago, ruxpin said:

I'd package it and someone for a first round next year.   It would be a good way to shed a salary.

True enough, being that scouts couldn't watch junior players this year, teams might fine hidden gems in the second or third round with players that should have been drafted in the first round.

56 minutes ago, CoachX said:

we ended up with the 13th pick?

Would you trade the 13th overall pick and move back in the first round and pickup an extra pick

21 hours ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

 

The Leafs have also lost in FOUR conference finals prior to that:

• vs Carolina
• vs Buffalo
• vs Vancouver
• vs Los Angeles 

They lost in the second round:

• vs Flyers
• vs Devils

Look, there's no team in the NHL that has struggled more than Toronto to break through an achieve ultimate success. They've lost in every round there is except the Final... and only because they've never been good enough to even get that far.  No team in the NHL is more "due" for a Stanley Cup than Toronto. No team in the NHL has paid more dues, or suffered through more frustration than Toronto fans. IF/WHEN Toronto wins it'll be the most DESERVING Stanley Cup victory in NHL history. It's the longest drought in NHL history. It'll be bigger than Chicago's victory and bigger than the Rangers victory. It'll be analogous to the Chicago Cubs finally winning in baseball.

 

 

 

That's exactly my point. None of the Canadian teams ever win. The Flyers never win. The Sabres never win. Pick any hardcore market with die-hard hockey fans and they never win. It's always the Carolina's, the Anaheim's, the Tampa's, the Colorado's, the Pittsburgh's, and now it'll be Vegas (just watch). It's almost NEVER one of the traditional hockey markets that wins. That's why I get frustrated.

 

 

It's not just "fill the arena". It's REVENUE. It's 20,000 people x the most expensive tickets in the NHL = Most revenue per game in NHL.

 

Toronto fans fund all of the "have-not" teams through revenue sharing. We're paying so these teams can DEFEAT US by signing players with OUR money!  The cap prevents us from spending to acquire what would be an all-star team like baseball's richest teams. Instead, we pay to support other teams. We prop them up and we lose to them.

 

When you spend the greatest amount of money on the NHL product.... you deserve to be rewarded with a great team to watch. Absolutely.

 

(I'm not saying the players deserve a championship... because they have to EARN it... but the FANS deserve a championship because the FANS have earned it.)

 

 

 

The same can be said for the Flyers, They average close to 19,000 fans per game, they're a big market team who likes to spend. Before the cap era, the Flyers, Leafs and Rangers always tried to buy their ways to a Stanley Cup which out of those 3 the Rangers did it once in '94 otherwise it didn't work. All of the big market teams are paying for the small market teams to compete in the league otherwise you'd have a league of 10 teams not 32. Personally I think it should be a league of 20 teams then the product would be a lot better. As for the fans deserving a championship just because they pay for tickets and merchandise is ********. Fans are being entertained, their lives don't change because the team they cheer for wins a championship. All they get to do is buy championship hats, t-shirts and be able to brag and bug their buddies that the team they cheered for won the championship for that year.

9 minutes ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

 

The NHL is the only major pro North American team sport where the arrogant fanbases aren't getting any payoff for their support.  In the NHL, the team with the smallest fanbase almost always wins. The Cup gets paraded around an empty parking lot. Nobody knows what the fuss is about when they roll into the parking lot to go shopping and see people waving the Cup around. That's the honest to goodness truth. In every other big team sport, the arrogant fanbases are rewarded with champions. Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Lakers, Heat, etc.... go on down the list in the other sports and look who wins all the time. It's always the hardcore markets. The NHL is the only exception. Hockey's greatest fans haven't had squat since 1993.  Three decades!

 

 

If you mean fans who tune out once the Leafs are gone, that's more frustration than anything else. That's also 99.9% of fans. There were more people watching Tampa Bay win the Stanley Cup on CBC (fans in Toronto) than there were people in Tampa Bay watching the Lightning win the Stanley Cup. Also, as I've mentioned previously, by tuning out I am creating incentive for the Leafs to win. If I watch whether they win or lose then there's no incentive for them to win the Stanley Cup. If they suffer financial hardship in the form of reduced viewership then they'll try harder to win next time. 

 

 

Huh?  They've been defeated in the 1st round in the last five or six times they've been in the playoffs. You can't "suffer any more defeat" than that. They haven't been to a Stanley Cup final in my lifetime. Last season they lost BEFORE the 1st round (vs Columbus). 

 

 

 

Losing in the first round isn't a great defeat, as for not being in the Stanley Cup finals in your lifetime well lots of the Leafs problems was bad management. Flyers fans seeing their team not win a cup at least once in the last 6 times they've made the Stanley Cup finals, that's suffering in defeat. Based on your comments as to why arrogant fanbases are rewarded with championship, then the Flyers should have won some because we can be an arrogant fanbase according to lots of opposing fans. Just because you fill your arena every game, sell lots of merchandise doesn't mean you should be entitled to a championship. Yes lots of fans in Toronto and the rest of Canada watched the finals more than people in Tampa Bay because hockey in Canada is the equivalent to baseball and football fans in the States. The NHL in the States will always the 4th for professional sports behind Football, baseball and basketball that's just the way it is. If the Leafs win the cup it will be because they grinded thru 4 rounds and came out on top not because they sold out their arena every game and since they did that they're entitled to a championship. You may see the Leafs in the cup finals in your lifetime or you may not, that's what happens when you cheer for sports teams you never know.

On 4/6/2021 at 10:46 PM, WordsOfWisdom said:

I can remember when the NY Rangers had their 50 year Cup drought and people wanted them to win in 1994. 

 

I can remember when Chicago ended their Cup drought. Once again, it felt like the entire hockey world was rooting for them.

 

So honestly and truly, if YOUR favourite team is out, would you be rooting for Toronto to win?

 

I know Toronto gets slapped with the label of "most hated" franchise in hockey... but why? People hate the Yankees because they win all the time. What's to hate about Toronto? There's probably more fans in Toronto watching Tampa hoist the Stanley Cup last year than there are in Tampa (for example). Toronto does soooooooooooo much for the NHL. A Stanley Cup for Toronto would almost be like a "thank you" for all the billions of dollars this franchise and its fans have pumped into this league. IMHO, no franchise in pro sports deserves a championship more than Toronto. 

 

You all saw the reception the Raptors got (biggest NBA parade in NBA history). I think Toronto could remind the NHL what a Stanley Cup parade really is... and why it doesn't simply involve walking around an empty parking lot with the Cup.  If Toronto won, I think an entire generation of NHL fans would get to see their first REAL Stanley Cup parade. 

 

 

Since I live four hours north of Toronto in Leafs/Habs country, I can honestly say I hate both teams equally. I'm looking so forward to a Leafs/Habs first round series for no other reason then after the series is done then there will be only one arrogant fanbase left going into round two. As much as there are some real hockey fans who cheer for the Leafs and have been cheering for them since the 70's, those would be the fans that I would be happy for if the Leafs win the cup. But there are too many Leaf fans and not hockey fans that are around and they're the most annoying fans you'd ever want to meet. The Leafs need to first get past the first round then lose in the second or third round a couple of years before they should have the chance to play in the finals. They need to suffer some defeats first. Since I have Sportsnet and TSN on my cable package, I'm stuck listening to the Leafs/Habs ******** all the time if I want to get any NHL news. And when you say "Toronto does so much for the NHL" which I think is ********, the Leafs are just lucky that they have a fanbase that is blind and delusional and will follow the team no matter what (they're like Trump voters in the States). Remember the Leafs have to learn to lose in the playoffs before they deserve to win.

11 hours ago, Howie58 said:

Before the game, one of the announcers said the Flyers had given up the first goal 19 of last 21 games.  So, tonight's would make that 20 of 22.  I looked up the probability of winning in the NHL when scoring first: It is 67%!

 

https://hockey-graphs.com/2016/11/29/behind-the-numbers-scoring-first-and-conditional-probability/

 

It is hard for me to figure out why they are so slow out of the gate?  Talent? Poor preparation from the coaching staff?  Lousy conditioning (they started the season well, now what)?  You'd figure they would be sick of losing, but that must not be the case.  They are professionals being paid a lot of money--motivation shouldn't be a factor.  It is hard to understand how bad it is.  I will give Jones and the others credit for being candid.  Taryn and Morganti aren't mincing words either.  

 

Yep, Sir Chuck has his hands full.  And I have to wonder if ending the season below .500 will lose AV his job?

 

 

Yes if they end the season below .500 maybe AV should lose his job but the leadership on this team should come into question especially Giroux and Voracek. Since the restart last year in the bubble Giroux looks and played like he wanted to anywhere else than playing hockey and it has continued this season. The good thing is he's only got one year left on his deal and I hope the Flyers don't extend him after next year. Time to move on from him and hopefully Voracek will be picked up by Seattle or trade somewhere.

1 hour ago, WordsOfWisdom said:

This whole "upper body" vs "lower body" injury nonsense needs to stop.  Just disclose the truth.

 

Either:

 

A) Frederick Andersen has a groin tear and is done for the season and playoffs. The end.

 

or

 

B) Frederick Andersen has played his way out of the starting job, and this is a convenient and pleasant way for him to retire as a Maple Leaf.

 

 

 

 

I agree with what you're saying but the Leafs aren't the only team that does this, every team in the NHL pulls this crap. But regarding your statement, I believe it's (b) he's played his way out of a job and lost the starting position to Campbell and that's why Dubas traded for the Calgary goalie. This is the best opportunity for the Leafs to get out of the 1st round of the playoffs being in the division they're in. They didn't have to face Boston or Tampa Bay thru the regular season or the first round of the playoffs. So if they don't come out of this division to at least to the semi finals then there is something wrong. But Andersen has played his last game as a Leaf.

On 4/22/2021 at 10:30 AM, OccamsRazor said:

 

It is if he is a key piece.

 

You can't just plant all these seeds and expect them to all bloom at the same time and same rate and expect them all to collectively accomplish the main goal.

 

However you need experience to help guide the youth along the way. 

 

So in my opinion it starts with the foundation which I think is shaping up.

 

Hart

 

Couturier 

Hayes

Provorov

Farabee

Koencny

Allison

Lindblom

Laughton

NAK

 

Sanheim

Myers 

Morin

 

I want to put Patrick there but a solid base.

 

So it needs filling out.

 

4 spots along the forward group.

 

4 D men.

 

So who fills that out who of the not listed is what can shape it further.

 

Giroux

Voracek

JVR

Ghost

Hagg

Braun

 

 

Pieces I call around hard to try and move.

 

I got the safe option and offer Savard a 5 year deal and plug him along side Ivan.

 

And if you can't move Ghost this wouldn't be the world's worst.

 

Provorov - Savard

Sanheim - Myers

Ghost - Hakanpää

Morin

 

This would be an upgrade in my mind.

 

York and Zamula look to be trying to break in by next year too.

 

Now the forwards well that is a separate long conversation I don't want right now.

 

But free agency must be meshed with the draft youth movement.

 

Giroux more than likely comes back for another year.

 

Hayes ain't going anywhere.

 

 

Well the Flyers have building blocks but it's up to Fletcher to put these blocks together and I don't know if he has the smarts or a plan to do that. With Hart have a so-so year it might benefit the Flyers in contract talks to get a favourable deal with him. Couturier is the number one centre with Hayes number 2 because you can't get rid of his contract. As for Voracek hopefully Seattle picks him and Giroux has one year left where depending where the Flyers are in next year's deadline, Giroux might be a chip that the Flyers can use. The number one priority this summer is to get a veteran defensemen to play with Provorov, Sanhiem and Myers could develop into your number two pairing with Morin and someone the number three. As for Ghost, try to trade him somewhere. I'm just hoping one year the Flyers get back to the promise land before I die.

20 hours ago, radoran said:

End the embarrassment.

 

$5.6M hit next season.

$1.33M the year after that.

 

Give the Kraken a 2nd to take Voracek. Retain salary.

 

Do some ****ing thing.

 

End this era of medocrity, failure, and embarrassment.

 

And fire Holmgren. I don't want to see him in the background of a highlight video.

 

Give Bob Clarke a gold watch and a retirement home in Flin Flon.

 

End it.

 

Now.

Totally agree, another option for Giroux would be to eat 50% of the cap hit next year in a trade, maybe trade him to Ottawa.

1 minute ago, Howie58 said:

They should start Lyon a few times.  He can't be any worse than our current tandem.  His only goal was really not his fault--he made a great save but the rebound went to a player nobody was watching.  

 

CF has seen a lot on the player side to work on.  I wonder if he is beginning to question the coaching?  If the youngins aren't playing, we really don't know if they can learn and grow.  I am not sure about scratching Patrick and Lindblom--is the real reason sparing them losing habits?

 

Why do I watch this? 

 

 

This remind me of 2006/07 year where Clarke resigned after 8 games and Holmgren took over. Now we'll get to see what kind of gm Fletcher is, will he get rid of AV. Hope that Giroux and Voracek are traded.

On 3/25/2021 at 9:18 PM, J0e Th0rnton said:

If you are looking for a defensively responsible guy, Burns is going to disappoint you tho.

 

ill trade you coaches too. Guy has no idea how to use offensive defensemen as skilled as Burns or Karlsson.

Jake makes $8,250,000.00 per year for the next 3 years where Burns makes $8,000,000.00 for the next 4 years so if they were be traded for each other, then the Sharks would have to add something.

2 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

They relieved him of his duties.

 

https://montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/nhl/hockey-inside-out/canadiens-fire-goalie-coach-stephane-waite

 

Get him to Philly fast.

Well then Fletcher better get off his ass and see if Waite wants to come to Philly.

On 3/23/2021 at 10:12 AM, OccamsRazor said:

 

I agree, so i ask you if you and i can see this......we know they should be able too.

 

So WTF are they waiting for??

 

To be completely out the race before they attempt to fix what wrong with the team??

Because we're armchair GM's with no creditability , but Fletcher has to realize in this strange season if they can get rid of some players for picks then go for it. He still has to get a veteran D to play with Provorov and find a sniper to go into next year. I believe Hart will be fine and be the goalie we as fans hope he will be. The bright side is this year may help the Flyers resign Hart to a friendlier contract but we'll see. As fans we just got to hope that Fletcher uses some common sense. After 45 years of cheering for this team I don't get too excited whether the Flyers do well or suck, I think the only time I'll be excited is if they ever win the cup again and I'm still alive to see it.

On 3/22/2021 at 6:45 AM, OccamsRazor said:

 

Oh there will be fans who turn on this kid especially when he struggles see Carson Wentz.

 

Hart was the main reason they got as far as they did in last year's playoffs.

 

And then when they got to the Isles series the whole team got exposed. Big guns weren't scoring and Hart can only do so much.

 

And many fans forget he too he working on his game and trying to get better every year at a young age of 22.

 

And now just like Wentz they have put the pieces in place around Hart he needs to succeed. They have no vets to guide this young defensive Corp who are all just learning to walk too.

 

And we all see it exacerbated by the exit of Niskenen.

 

And then Chuckles resigns a D man who was exposed during the playoff run because of his lack of speed in a desperation move.

 

Add then he adds a guy who is worse than Ghost in his own end.

 

That was his help for this young team.

 

So once again like Wentz GM Howie Roseman comes up short and it falls on the young hopeful youth to just carry the club.

 

And when Wentz after the previous year carried his club to the playoffs and struggle with the whole team it seems like he was single out blamed and then was easily ran out of town.

 

Not sure if you follow football but I pray this doesn't happen to this young kid too.

 

We'll see...

I don't disagree with what you're saying when it comes to some of the Philly fans but from what I've read regarding Hart, he seems to have a pretty level head on his shoulders. Fletcher does have to make some trades to get veteran D to help out the young D core which will also help Hart. It seems one of the Flyers most consistent problems is finding snipers who can score when setup. Giroux seems to not care anymore so if there is some way to trade him that would be a start.

8 hours ago, FD19372 said:

Too much passing, not enough shooting...bad entries into the zone and not enough zone time. Other than that, the Flyers power play has been great. Michel Therrien is in charge of the power play, to my knowledge.

Well with 26 games left to go and the Flyers are in the midst of their slump, they still have a chance to make the playoffs being that they play head to head with the teams in front of them unlike other years where they would need other teams to help them out to gain ground. The question is with this team right now even if they made the playoffs they'd be one and done.

5 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Stephane Waite is available he helped the Black Hawks win two Stanley Cups.

Waite would be a good mentor. There's no doubt that Hart is struggling this year but I think fans will be surprised how resilient Hart will be and overcome this bad stretch has been for him. From what I've read on Hart, he has a sports psychologist since he was in junior so we'll see how does. It wouldn't hurt to get a veteran defensemen to play along side Provorov to help him like McCrimmon did for Howe.

14 hours ago, Star said:

This was NOT a representative game of Hart, Flyer fans stand fast and keep the faith.

True enough, I remember Price having one or two of those types of games in his career. Hart will bounce back.