vis

7 minutes ago, FD19372 said:

Boo Hoo.

Tend to agree, but different people respond better to different tactics.  And some people don't respond at all, regardless of the tactic.  I'm not criticizing the staff, as I think this team generally needs the "whip" until it earns the staff's trust.  So, at this point, I tend to agree that those that don't respond are probably better off parting ways.  Besides, this group has had a variety of coaches and styles over the years and they haven't done much under any of them.

Wonder what the coach/player dynamic is like inside the locker room these days.  Vigneault has not been shy about challenging players publicly and adjusting TOI accordingly.  I love his approach.  You know Therrien is being hard (probably borderline abusive) on some of the players.  Not sure what Yeo's style is, but you've seen him be (embarrassingly) passionate at practice.  Wonder how all this is sitting with the players, particularly Messrs. Voracek and Gostisbehere.  Voracek looks completely lost, moreso than usual.  Ghost has been bad, though I thought he started OK.  I don't think Voracek or Ghost respond well to the whip.  At what point do things get beyond repair between the staff and those two players?  Honestly, I can see Jake and Ghost basically shutting down rather than rising up.  Their days are likely numbered.

On another note, is anyone aware of a site that tracks the number of times a player is tossed from the FO circle?  I swear Hayes was tossed from more FOs than he took in the NJ game.  Aside from that, I love what Hayes brings to the team.

Just now, notfondajane said:

Wishful thinking

Well, he's relegated Voracek to fourth line duty at times.  Others might find their way there or to press box.  I don't think AV will make empty threats.  Doesn't strike me as the type and the sense I get is that Fletcher has his back.  Except for Hayes, Fletcher has little history with these players.

At least the quotes have become angry.  Last year they would have been talking about moral victories and BS.  The lip service has improved.  Let's see if the game does.

Vigneault had some choice words, implying that guys who don't play the right way might lose their spots (it was in Carchidi's column, but I can't access it at work).   Would be nice if **** starts hitting the fan.  Kind of had it with the BS.  

40 minutes ago, murraycraven said:

Speaking of Ghost - does anyone think he will return to form?

Of the games I saw before the Isles game, I didn't think Ghost was that bad.  Better than he was last year.  But, that Morin/Ghost pairing was real bad vs. the Isles.  

Looking for a 4-3 OT win tonight.

41 minutes ago, MaineFlyFan said:

Did Michael Neuvirth retire?.....Asking for a friend.....

Tried to, but cut himself signing his retirement papers.  Out 4-6 months with a UBI.

Looked like they went out hard after the CBJ win.  Way out of sync and behind the Islanders.  Rough game.  Toss the tape in the trash.

Hart will be fine in the long run.  He's going to have rough stretches.  I just hope they don't ruin his confidence one way or another.  I would not send him to the Phantoms.

Does Stewart play tonight?  Wouldn't mind seeing what he can do in place of Bunnaman.  No offense to Bunnaman, but I wouldn't replace Raffl or Pitlick.  

No matter what happens, imagine Elliott will stay in net the entire game with the B2B with EDM tomorrow. Could get real ugly if they don't get on the Flames early.

Curious to see what kind of ice time Voracek gets.

Really solid win on all fronts.  Nice to see when they get NHL-quality coaching and NHL quality goaltending.  Imagine that...

However, the Devils did not make it hard on the Flyers at all.  Still, they handled the opponent the way good teams do by playing their own game and not sinking to the Devils' level.

In the first period, I feared this would be one of those games where we play well but struggle to score, the other team scores on a PP or two and we lose.

13 minutes ago, radoran said:

Effectively, most local fans will have a chance to see one full game live in the first two weeks of the season.

Tough way to start to the season for fans, but maybe some team camaraderie can be built during this stretch. 

On 10/3/2019 at 11:06 AM, AJgoal said:

I like Craig from Flyperbole when he comes on, and actually like that podcast from BSH, even if it is rambling and nonsensical 4/5 of the time.

Listening to Craig is like listening to paint dry.  I get zero entertainment/knowledge from him.

On 10/2/2019 at 8:54 PM, yave1964 said:

Chicklets is freaking AWESOME! Best podcast on the net period bar none including every single one. Bissonette and Whit and the rear admiral are vulgar, profane obscene and everything else I love. 

I get that the humor and wrench talk isn't for everyone, but it is indeed the most entertaining hockey podcast out there.  Look forward to each episode.  I don't care if they hate the Flyers and are Penguins fluffers, but Biz and Whitney are hilarious.  They don't take themselves too seriously.  Player interviews are phenomenal.  Chiclets and 31 Thoughts are really the only hockey podcasts I listen to.  BSH is a joke.  

22 minutes ago, Digityman said:

God this is a boring way to start the season.  

Just brutal.  Anticlimactic.  Can't barely watch the game live, then have to wait five days for another game.  Some teams have already played three games.

I have a fear that Jake is going to be trying to do too much out there.  Let's hope it has more positive than negative effects.

Flyers 3, Hawks 1.  Carter Hart steals the game.  V with a goal and assist.  Hayes with an ENG.

Little concerning that he wasn't up for the competition in pro camp.  One thing to dominate among draftees and rookies.

13 minutes ago, mojo1917 said:

It will be interesting to see what the roster looks like by Thanksgiving.  I can't help but think this team is going to be good.

 

They won't be good until after Thanksgiving, imo.  Think they need time to acclimated to AV and vice versa.

Why is he skating with a migraine?  Also, seems unusual that it's been problematic for weeks.  I thought migraines were episodic in nature and lasting a few hours to a few days.  Unless he's constantly getting barraged by headaches, which seems very abnormal to me.  Again, if they are that bad, he probably shouldn't even skate.  I get occular migraines, and mine aren't debilitating like for some others, but moving around a lot makes it worse.

10 hours ago, brelic said:

Who are the locks among forwards?

 

G, Coots, TK, JVR, Hayes, Lindblom, Raffl, Laughton, Patrick.

Wow, has Voracek been that bad in camp? 

However, with Patrick hurt at the moment, it seems there are three open spots.

10 hours ago, brelic said:

Pitlick, Stewart, Andreoff, Rubtsov, Farabee, Frost, Vorobyev, NAK.

 

Who's it gonna be? Who's gonna step up their game and EARN those spots?

I'd rank the chances as follows:

Rubtsov has the best chance, imo.  All quotes from management indicate he's done a lot to merit a spot.  If Patrick is hurt, it makes sense to keep him up.  Once Patrick is back, I think Rubtsov may go to the AHL unless he looks real good and forces Laughton to wing.  Alternatively, I suppose they can try him at RW. 

Think Vorobyev could land a spot, but, unless he picks it up or Rubtsov falters, I think Rubtsov has him beat.

I don't see Farabee or Frost making the roster.  I don't think either of them has played in a way that makes it hard to send them to the AHL.  Plus, I don't think bottom six minutes helps them much.  Rather see them get top time in the AHL.

Here's where things get interesting.

-- Pitlick was a FA signing.  It would be odd if they parted ways with him.

-- Stewart seems to have done some good stuff in camp.  Maybe he gets a spot on merit?

-- NAK's waiver status makes me think they keep him.

-- Andreoff is probably ticketed for the Phantoms.

With Patrick hurt, I think Rubtsov, NAK, Pitlick and Stewart are on the roster.  They will have a hard choice, and may lose a player to waivers, once Patrick comes back.  I suppose they could send Rubtsov back to the AHL.

More interesting to me is the logjam on defense...

Good signing.  

Who thinks he’s here for the duration of the contract?

12 hours ago, Gee Bee said:

I hope you are correct that  He is certainly not the type of player that can go into the season cold. He needs to sign now 

I have no insight at all, other than that a rational player - not solely focused on $$ - would cut the crap.  Marner did.  Konecny ain’t Marner.  

2 hours ago, ruxpin said:

 I really want to say they brought him to the NHL way too fast. To me, it was a move driven by PR rather than good hockey sense.   I think that's true, but if the guy is going to burst his jugular just brushing his teeth, it may ultimately not make a difference. It just might have made him more effective in the 5 games he was in. 

I hear you on the first part, but I think he’d probably be injured wherever he’s playing (or not playing, as it were).   

12 hours ago, ruxpin said:

The article on NBC sports Philly has Fletcher quoted saying they knew about it. But I regardless agree with all of that. 

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/flyers/tough-say-if-injured-nolan-patrick-will-be-ready-flyers-regular-season-opener

Thanks.  Tweet I saw earlier suggested it was a surprise.  Still ridiculous that he can’t get through an offseason without injury.  Must have caught Neuvirthitis.  

What is the injury?  Any detail, other than UBI?  How do you come to camp injured an no one knowing about it?  Did he get hurt getting off the plane?  I just don’t understand how this wasn’t known in advance.  Was he hiding whatever it is?  I’m so frustrated with this kid.  

3 minutes ago, intheslot said:

Jordon Hall....reporter..

VOORHEES, N.J. — Travis Konecny was nowhere to be seen Friday at Flyers Skate Zone as 2019 training camp got underway.

And the vibes from his general manager and head coach regarding his absence weren't exactly rosy.

"I'm very disappointed that T.K. is not here," Alain Vigneault said after his first practice leading the Flyers. "It's the start of a new era, a new group, I felt that it was very important for everybody to be here. 

"With my time in the NHL, my experience, anybody that falls behind — whether it's injury or in T.K.'s situation not coming to camp — usually it takes them a little bit of time to get back at it, especially at this time with a new coaching staff and new way of doing things. 

"It's unfortunate, but I'm going to work with the players that are here and going to work extremely hard with those players."

The entire offseason has passed and Konecny, an important forward to the Flyers' 2019-20 season, remains a restricted free agent. While it's unclear when he'll be in camp, the intricacies to why the Flyers and his representation can't agree to terms on a new contract became a bit clearer Friday.

GM Chuck Fletcher said the Flyers are willing to be flexible but would "prefer a longer-term deal right now." That certainly makes sense for the Flyers because Konecny is only 22 years old and hasn't fully blossomed yet. Locking up Konecny for more years before he potentially hits a different tier should attract the Flyers.

While a bridge deal might make sense for Konecny's camp, long-term security isn't bad, either. There are risks and rewards to both avenues, for both sides. It'll be about compromising.

"I honestly don't know what to say," Fletcher said. "I've been doing this 25 years, I think we go about it the right way, but we just can't seem to get to the same language on this one.

"Still have a ways to go. I don't really know how to characterize it, both sides are trying. It's been a little quiet recently, so we'll look to find a solution that will break the impasse."

Are the sides differing on years or money?

"Both," Fletcher said. "They have some specific demands with respect to term. We're trying to work with them in that regard. We're a little more flexible, I think we would look at a two- or three-year deal or a longer-term deal. We prefer a longer-term deal right now, so certainly that makes it a little bit more difficult when you narrow the scope of length of term you're negotiating on. We'll continue to work at it."

For now, the Flyers have to practice, prepare and move forward without Konecny. Negotiations can change quickly, but nothing sounds promising at the moment and the Flyers have a preseason game on Monday. There's a new head coach and two new assistant coaches. There's no doubt time is precious in camp.

"It certainly doesn't help him," Fletcher said. "For us, he's a good player and can help our team. For now, you guys hear these clichés all the time, but it's no different than when you get an injury during the season, you don't have a player. We believe we have good depth, we like our depth, there's opportunity now for other players to step up and show what they can do. We'd rather Travis was here, but he's not, so we just have to move on without him and hopefully at some point he gets in."

Not a good way to start the season.  granted, he's not the only kid in this situation. Tons of RFAs out there.  In some ways, I don't blame him for wanting to see how the market shakes out.  But he's not Marner, Tkachuk or Laine.  He can't afford to miss camp.  He needs to learn a new system and, frankly, needs to learn how to play any system.  

Honestly, I kind of expect him to sign soon.  Lot of pressure brought to bear above.