BearOnIce

What is The Cult? Is That Like Buck Dharma Blue Oyster Cult, the real cult?

Pronger is not Chara nor Linstrom at this point in their career's, nor in his.

You get a 1|2 paring that will be good for 5 years. Kimmo is a 3|4 next year. Colburn gets shopped, no consistency. Move Carle and get some value. Lilja gone. Gus too small. MAB years away. Marzaros a keeper. Might be nice if the Flyers had a farm system.

Move Carle. Move JVR. Shop Colburn. Start to re-load. Get 1|2 pairing for next 5 years. Kimmo will be a 3|4 by next year. This team not going anywhere this year.

I am a Lavy supporter. But, I am starting to question a system that stresses all attack and depends so heavily on forwards and defense moving up and back together for it to work. It is a finesse system that the Flyers are not ready to handle. With Pronger out, it is startling the leadership that is missing, not to mention a lack of leadership on the defense. We have kids that are getting their heads handled to them and I don't see Laviolette or Holmgren stepping in with a solution.

Lavys system is attack attack. There is no backcheck priority. The system does not work as well as it used to becuase of the better two-way forwards in the game today that get back up the ice. Rangers are a perfect example. Lavy's system is exposed by non-puck moving defensemen who are supposed to function as secondary forwards. Forwards and defensemen must ebb and flow togther. Up and back togther. The system takes a long time to gel and perfect and a young Flyers team is getting exposed. The dump and chase is a relic too. It is all about puck possession in both zones today with the speed of the game.

Enough is enough. The definition of the Comcast Spectator Flyers organzation is to put a team on the ice that is good enough to sell all of the tickets and fill all of the seats every home game WFC, oh, and sell tons of orange and black merchandise. How is that new merchandise store doing? It does not matter if after 36 years+ and counting this organization wins a Cup, as long as they get close!, as far as Comcast Spectator is concerned, this is stricty a business proposition. That is Holmgren's job description. Didn't you hear? Fill the seats Paul!! So Flyer fans don't get frustrated, invest emotionally and financially as much as you can take. Until it is excruciating. Ed is smiling over there in Bryn Mawr. Just make sure the Flyers win the fights and the fans cheer! Sparticus! Listen to your very own homers, Morgani, Jones, Coatsy, cheer you on, all the talking heads that fill the airwaves with such poignant, deep, meaningful, supportive commentary for their very own Flyers Faithful. Sell those club box seats! Hey folks, how about we get a goalie as advertised, some 1|2 defense that does not allow 3 power play goals, maybe even a power forward, the scoring as promised, and why does the Flyer system just dump and chase, add nauseum? How about some plays? Tic tac toe.. Tell you what, I hear your boos folks, but they means nothing. You paid you ticket. Ed is happy. Get Center Ice.

Thank you. Appreciate the sanity. Points well taken. Anything that Holmgren does for the rest of this season, as far as player movement, could be his un-doing. How is that you say? This Flyers team has the most promise and the most solid nucleus of any Flyers team in Flyers histrory. Change the chemistry, you may blow it. That would be Holmgrens legacy. Not good for Paul. So my advice. Flyer fans shut-up. Get some patience. This is not our year. Wait until next year. This is a work in progress. Enjoy watching it come together. This applies to you too Ed Snider.

I would look at it bigger picture and include Kimmo in the uncertainty of the D along with Carle's contract, Pronger's future, moving Lilja out for a better rental, and Bourdon's puck decision making. I see this being addressed in the off season prior to July.

I was thinking the same thing today after the Rangers loss. They are overachievers. Pronger is a huge loss. Not just his play but the leadership and accountability he brought to the back side. This youth movement is great to see. 2-3 years we'll have some special players blooming, and that is what this GM should be planning for. Not Ed's penchant for trying to win a Cup every year. Patience wins the race. Development from within.

Howie: Bear here. Yes, today was utterly deflating. Young kids have heart. Boy do I like that as a change from last year. 2-3 years rebuilding we got a chance again, but.. How does Homer get out from under the G egg he laid. Why is Bryz not tradable? NTC? Is it the contract or the present performance, or both? If it was just the performance, is there not another GM that is desperate and would take the chance? I doubt Leighton could clear waivers without some GM trying to pick him up as a steal. BOI

I share your frustration. Need big time, physical center that can cause havock from the circles in. Need another 3-4 D-man with Colburn size. Need to resolve the G issue.

The transition D to O was challenging today, Rangers very good. Our D looses the puck in our own corers a lot. This is a size issue. Your right, our forward can control puck in the corners better.. Except for Colburn, and without Pronger, we really do not have size and we certainly don't have a physical, keep your head up crossing into the blueline defenseman. We have had out share of pylons. Everybody wants the Shea Webber type. It is time the Flyers started developing defensemen and goalies internally.

Good measuring stick today. Not a Cup year by any means but 2nd round playoffs unless Holmgren really gets creative and fleeces his usual suspects. Yes, dissappointing to be ahead by 2 goals, then to loose. Hate to say it, Jagr is a real difference maker. But, I do not see him coming back next year, eben with Giroux... By the end of the season his body will be well past 40. Rangers and Bruins are better right now. Clearly. They have a lot of size teamed up with skill and oh some toughness.. Gaborik is sick good. In general, our forwards are decent and a lot of promise in these young kids like Schenn and Reid. We picked up size in off season and can bang in the corners, but still think we need a big, physical, bruising, elite, play-making center to draw the defense in between the circles. Doesn't everyone? What does Columbus need for Carter. Maybe he is ready to be a hockey player now after seeing life in the basement. Simmons was outstanding today as was Hartnell. Briere is a shadow of his self. Goaltending is a real mess right now, and the defense needs another good 3-4 guy. Still very young and learning. I would take Bryz and shop him, use Pronger LTIR money, and keep Bob as back-up. Ok, lets go back and do it again.

Looks like equipment issue with Jagr.

I don't think so. I want Bryz to do well. But, he has some head issues so maybe siting on the bench with his herbal tea today will give him some time to think. Where is the goalie coach? D oes not exactly speak well of him that he canlt get Bryz's game back...

We are seeing the emergence of the new team with the younger core. It is simple. This boyish-looking goalie is one of the boys. Like you say, they play with confidence with Bob. He is one of them. This move will be looked back on by Lavy as not only the right move, but perhaps a season changing move. It the right way.

Good points but the way Bryz is handling this, he will probably get his head handed to him in the morning by Lavy and Homer, and who knows what happens at that point... Implosion? Bench? Adarondack? Walk-out? Bryz is out there, even by goalie standards.. Seriously, I have been listening to him since he arrived in town, and especially on HBO. Not right. His head and feelings are just all over the place. He seems like he is not sure he even wants to play the game. He needs some professional help. We all do from time to time.

I think that got our wish doom, eh? Man, Bryz is out there....

Love, honor, and negociate. Heavy on the negociation...

Oh come on now, let's stay positive. Flyers 3 Rangers 1 !!

Let's Supersize that Vince! If Bryz steals the Winter Classic, all will be forgotton in this city of mercurial fans..

Howie58: I have a wonderful wife of 26 years. Not sure how we did it. She accepts hockey too. How's that to boot? Good luck hunting tonight. Find one with your love of wine and hockey though, ok? I sense you are a pretty classy guy, so you should have no problem. Weather here in Eastern Pa is Hot! Like upper 50's Hot. Alum game is set for 3pm but even with a 20-22oF ice surface, with sun exposure I would not be surprised for a push back. We have folks coming over for New Years tonight and were hoping to use the garage as a back-up refrigerator... Whoops.. Enjoy! BOI

Howie: I am in the foodservice business. I have seen the same recently. Counts and covers coming back up, but with mid-casual chains like the Chili's not the high end. A lot of consumerism and demand right now, a lot holiday based. Wait until credit card statements come in in January. Sobering... Bryz will find his way. Does not matter much what Flyer fans say because Holmgren is going to ride Bryz. I don't care of Bryz loses the next 10 if it takes him that long to get his groove back. All that matters is a game-changing goaltender in the season after this first 82 games of warm-up. Enjoy the bubbly tonight! BOI

Flyers fans are tough. I know. I have been one for a long time. The despiration of not having a Cup in 35+ years is wearing like a lead anchor. We all need to give Bryz a break. This guy is elite. I don't care if we lose the next 10 games with him in goal if that what it takes for him to get his groove. Nothing matters except getting in the playoffs and the season after the 82 game season.