BobbyClarkeFan16

Nope. This is just the typical fast start and then it collapses after Hallowe'en. I fully expect that they'll be bottom barrel by the end of November. The only thing I'm looking forward to this year is Travis Sanheim finally breaking out and it's looking like he is.

I'm pretty sure Couturier got along with Hakstol. It was Dave who moved Claude to the left side that allowed Couturier to center that line. I'm certain there's big props there. As for Couturier in Seattle, you have to put him as the top guy. And could you picture the battles with Couturier and MacKinnon or Eichel or McDavid? That would be some incredible hockey to watch.

Couturier looked really good last night. He definitely didn't look like a guy who missed two years and he seemed like he got better and better as the game went on. The offense is still a little bit of a work in progress and that might have been the only area that needed improvement. Hopefully Farabee on his wing will help.

Sanheim is going to have a monster year. After the broken for debacle last year and learning yet another system, Sanheim got time to work out and he added 15 pounds of muscle to his frame. He's a solid 6'3, 220 pounds now and he's basically been given the green light to take over. With his skating and puck handling, he should easily hit the 50 point mark this year. Best trade that never happened.

I'd they thought Couturier was the missing piece and if he's proven to be healthy, I could certainly see them parting with Wright, especially if the Flyers ate some of that Couturier contract.

Yep. I'd want Wright instead of the first round pick.

I wonder if the Kraken would consider moving Shane Wright instead. I'd take a chance on him. Francis and Hakstol are ****** his development.

Well, this franchise ran Ghost out of town. Pretty certain that the senior advisors would do the same here. Boqvist doesn't bring enough ROAR PHYSICALITY to the position in their minds.......

I hope all the to prospects have big years. I also hope Laperriere gets fired soon. Gendron, Desnoyers and Wisdom all on different lines instead of playing together to develop chemistry. He really is a ****** doorknob who has no business coaching and developing players.

Too bad he couldn't be shot into outer space and never to return.

Honestly, I'm not opposed to using Frost as the number one center, Cates as the number two and Couturier as the number three to start the year. I know that a number still have questions about Frost and his role on the club, but the second half of last season showed he can do the job. As for Cates, honestly, I see Yanni Gourde upside with him. Just let him continue to play and let him have his linemates. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Laughton bumped to the fourth line, Brink moved to the left side of Cates and Atkinson to his right side. I know Tortorella said he likes his fourth line and it won't change, but dropping Laughton to the fourth with Poehling and Hathaway makes it that much better and would be forechecking demons.

You never know how the draft will unfold. They had the 7th overall choice and ended up with the 2nd best talented player in the draft. A pick in the top 8 is perfectly fine. You're still building and you're still getting a good player, regardless. Honestly, I don't think this club is going to win a lot of games. The defense is still a major work in progress, the goaltending is still debatable, the forwards are decent, and the coaching of special teams is suspect. I see them with a bottom five finish. But I want to see competitiveness and some of the core guys become guys who hate losing more than they live winning.

I get some are not happy with the Allison move, but let's face it, the guy is always hurt. If he blossoms elsewhere, good for him. But during his time in Philadelphia, he was always hurt. He simply couldn't be relied upon. I'm guessing this means Foerster and Brink are making the team.

It's the Russian version of "The Shift."

The KHL is also a notoriously tough league in terms of developing young players. Thoreson went there as a 26 year old and they gave him all the ice time in the world. Kirill Kaprizov was there until he was 23 and he didn't have a point per game season until his final year there. Context and usage are everything. Michkov is going to be ok.

I don't think the players, coaching staff or management want a full on tank. And I kind of get it. If you create an environment of losing, then the players become accustomed to it. Now, if the Flyers are out of the playoff race by December/January, then yes, embrace a tank. Move players, add draft picks and prospects and take on some extra salary to make the returns that much greater. Personally, I think they'll be out of the race by mid November, but you can always be competitive, even when losing. I think that's what they're going to try to establish this year.

I've always been a fan of his. Just a silky smooth defensive defenseman that is smart with the puck and can get it out of the zone with relative ease. He's not a physical guy and that seems to be a problem with teams, which I don't understand. Why the brawn over brains thinking is still endorsed is beyond me.

I think the best news about Couturier is that he's 100% healthy, not just his back. He had a chance to heal knee, ankle and shoulder injuries. The Flyers might end up having to do maintenance days with him and give him time off every now and again to ensure his health is good, similar to what they do in basketball.

I'm hoping Peterson refuses to report and becomes a free agent.

I also see that Jacob Bernard-Docker was waived in Ottawa today. There's another first rounder I'd love to see Philadelphia take a chance on. Smart, right handed defenseman that was stuck in numbers issue in Ottawa.

Wisdom - Desnoyers - Gendron If Puckhead can't put that together as a line, then he should be **** canned. Enough messing around. Let these guys play and build chemistry together.

I think we're all going to have to live with Couturier not going anywhere. Too many people like him. The only way he gets moved is if he wants out. Atkinson should garner a pick of he's healthy and scoring goals. If that's the case, the Flyers might be best served waiting until the deadline to move him.

Michkov's got superstar written all over him. He's so good and he's making Rotenberg look like a fool. Now watch next season when Rotenberg tries to make him look bad again and Rotenberg mysteriously "disappears" from the KHL. It's too bad though that Michkov won't get to play in the WJC. Kid did nothing wrong other than his nationality and he and his cohorts who would be on the team are being made to pay for it. I hate the IIHF some times......

Kaprizov 2.0. I'm good with that!!!!

Lyksell flubbed at least three sure fire goals and that knocked the wind out of Frost. I still don't understand why they removed Foerster from the line when they were all playing well.