InHexyWeTrust

@jammer2 I'd move my first next year (yeah I know we are hosting the damn thing....lol) along with #11 for Barkov. Think #11 and couts would get it done? They're not trading the pick for next year, and while its trading center for center, between Schenn, couts, Laughton, we have three third line centers and no true scoring center behind G. Couts seems expendable, but I don't know if his value is high enough right now. Edit: Not to mention talbot and cousins.

According to an ESPN report, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson would like “a first round pick and another young asset.” It's not happening. Holmgren could not possibly be that stupid. Missing 3 of their top 5 defenseman, Homer can't possibly think they have a playoff run in them. He's not going to trade a top pick on the chance that they might even make the playoffs.

Couturier can be a valuable player in this league. He proved that last year at just 19. He's so young, and everyone just needs to be patient. Aside from the fundamental problems with his game (his skating), it seems to be a problem of confidence right now. I don't know whether it wouldn't be such a bad idea to send him down to the Phantoms. He could get 1st line minutes with no pressure. Or would such a demotion destroy his ego? Young players...tough to know how to handle them.

We're missing those pieces. They're missing the team.

Of course. I think the problem then is motivation/passion/urgency/confidence rather than talent. We both agree that on paper there are 4 talented lines. Inconsistency has dogged this team all year (that and injuries). But just because they aren't performing at the expected level right now doesn't mean their "paper value" is inaccurate. Aside from Simmonds and Voracek, the forward group is full of Players that have demonstrated and proved their ability in past seasons, albeit not enough this season: Giroux, Hartnell, Briere, (Gagne); 3rd and 4th line players that come every night and do their job: Rinaldo, Talbot, Harry Z and young guys who have shown flashes of brilliance and we would do best to withhold judgment for a while: B. Schenn, Couturier, Read So sporadic, certainly. But not systemically flawed. If they can regain their confidence/swagger/ability to pass the puck tape to tape they are an extremely promising group.

@Mad Dog I was going to agree with at least some of the things you're saying, though it's pretty difficult to speak with any authority about the internal leadership of this team. They're saying all the right things in the interviews, but they seem to be playing without much confidence right now and that's the heart of the problem there. One would think that between G, Hartnell, Kimmo, Danny, Gagne, there's some solid veteran leadership. But who can say. Your argument about the defense is absolutely right. This of course was the basis of my critique, that an otherwise strong nucleus of good young talent on the front end (I'll get back to this) might be sacrificed to recover the lack of depth and talent on the backend. That being said, what's needed on this team is a franchise goalie and a puck-moving, offensively capable, minute-eating #1 d-man (oh Shea Weber, how we missed you). They need a #1, the rest of the defense is solid, as you said, defense-first personnel. They just lack a significant top-pairing presence. That said, this team is missing two, maybe three pieces--two extremely large, critical, difficult to acquire pieces, but it's definitely not a "deeply flawed" team, if those players can be acquired. This is one of the points I was going to agree with as I agree that goaltending is a huge issue, but couldn't because you're too harsh on Bryz. If you had said we lack a Stanley Cup caliber goalie, a franchise goalie, a long-term solution in net, (even a short-term solution) I would have said, yes of course absolutely. But Ilya Bryzgalov is most certainly a "NHL-caliber goalie." He's a middle of the pack, average starter in the NHL. Maybe even toward the bottom of the league, but absolutely a starter. They over-paid for a system-goalie. Simple as that. He'll be amnestied at the end of the year, primarily because of the contract. He'd be an easier pill to swallow if the cap was 2 million lower. And they don't have anyone in the system unless Stolarz becomes an actual prospect over the next couple years. Scott Hartnell. This is a silly argument. If it wasn't for Voracek, if it wasn't for Simmonds...but they're doing what they were brought here to do, what we hoped when we traded Carter and Richards. They're both just 23, and to look at Voracek move on the ice, stats-aside, the kid looks like a superstar in the making. And they're locked up to long term contracts. It was a "career year" for Talbot last season. For Voracek, it's a breakout year. Fedotenko, I think is useless. Talbot is the heart&soul defensive 3rd/4th line player from Pittsburgh, not the 19 goal scorer. Add in Read, Rinaldo, Schenn & Couts (who are 21 and 20! Patience!!!). Harry Z, Wellwood, McGinn, Laughton, Cousins, there's not a player there that doesn't have value. Which is to say: While not a lot of moves need to be made (2 or 3) clearly there are plenty of pieces to trade, and some may be from our young offense, unfortunately. But Briere is not integral to the team's future, and can return a good price. Kimmo will be more difficult to move, because of the contract; teams may for one reason or another want Rusty. I think they've screwed up big-time in not building defense in their system. Aside from Sbisa, who they didn't develop, they haven't used a first round pick on a dman/goalie since Pitkanen. But Homer's done a good job of getting a solid, if not unspectacular group of defensive-minded defensemen through trades. They've ****ed up the goalie position. But yeah, this team will be fine, unless they panic and react like you are.

As it looks right now, this team is on the outside of the playoff bubble. It's going to take some consistently strong play in order to make a run. They've shown no indication that they are capable of consistency, so this probably is not the year. That being said, this team is not deeply flawed. We have as talented a group of young forwards as there are in the NHL. 4 lines that can be rolled through, and they're just going to continue to improve. Grit, speed, some scoring ability--prototypical Flyers hockey. It would seem then that we shouldn't be panicking. 9 forwards are 26 or younger. If this group is just allowed to mature, the next few years would seem primed for good competitive hockey. But that's not going to happen. (3-0, Bruins). Because of the lack of talent on the back end, from the defense corps to Bryz, and an utter absence of defensive depth in our prospects (Brandon Manning, anyone?), the defense is not going to get any better, and they are handicapping the potential for this team to succeed. The lack of potential demands quick drastic fixes, it would seem, as waiting on Bryzgalov to be anything more than he his is ridiculous, and the defense is not going to improve internally. The only way to fix this weakness is by trading our forwards. While Briere is the most obvious piece to be moved, and the least critical to the future of the team, he's not going to return a #1 d-man (though maybe Briere for Bernier?). Mez, L. Schenn, and Grossmann are solid 2nd pairing options and have a place on this team. Coburn's been dreadful this year but is talented and could be traded for picks. Kimmo's resigning at 6 million was both a mistake and a necessity, reflecting the lack of other options barring a trade. He's getting paid to be #1, and he's not one, enough said. The defense players aren't bad, but we have a collection of 2nd and 3rd pairing d-men being asked to play roles that they cannot. Bryzgalov isn't a bad goalie, but he's not a goalie worth 5.5+ million per year for the next 7 years. As Jack Edwards of all people was saying on the NHL Network broadcast, the Flyers have lost their swagger, and that doesn't seem like something that can be regained with Bryz at the helm. And while we can't just go out and buy an elite franchise goalie (as Bryz demonstrated), someone like Bob would have or Bernier might be able to allow us to grow back into that lost confidence. I know I'm repeating a lot of what's been said on this board. The point I'm trying to make is that while Homer has done a great job--a phenomenal job really-- in building a forward group, the lack of balance in failing to accrue defensive/goaltending talent through the draft, FAs and in trades is going to force them to negate the team's biggest strength, and biggest reason for hope--the offense, to try to ice an acceptable defensive squad.

Rinaldo solid B+ Without question the best checking forward on the team at this point. Still no offense, but that doesn't matter. Gervais C- Not a bad 6-7 option at all. Coburn D+ His passing has been atrocious. We all know he can't shoot. But his skating, positioning, and first pass out of the zone have always been his strengths; he's been a "-" on all of those this year. I agree with @Bertmega on L. Schenn.

@jammer2 I still want to see what this healthy roster can do with Mez, Read, (and now Grossmann) back in the lineup at the same time. Bryz has played solid throughout the season, and certainly kept us in some games when we had a d corps of Foster and Gervais. Wait until the offseason when Bernier can be had for a draft pick instead of players and amnesty Bryz (and Danny B). But this team still deserves a shot.

jammer, I'm saying Bernier is not taking us to a cup this year. He's too young, even if he may be a better goalie for the future than Bryz.

We have one of the youngest teams in hockey. All of our futures are playing in the present.

@pensuck I'd rather wait until the season's over and offer sheet Bernier, if that's what they're going to do. LA can't match, so a 2nd for him would be preferable than Couts, Laughton, or Read. But they'll only make a move for Bernier if they plan on buying out Bryz. To trade for Bernier now effectively ends the season, cause Bryz will give up.

All this would be doing is going back to the same "Philly doesn't give a **** about goaltending" problem that has been haunting us since Hextall left. They paid for Bryz, and he's better than any FA alternative. Bernier is one possibility, but he's no guarantee, and I'd rather keep our assets than trade them for mere potential. Bob had the makings of a franchise goalie, but we didn't want to wait. At 24, we'd still have to wait a couple years for Bernier to come into his own.

I think that's a fairly ridiculous overreaction. Aside from Voracek, Bryz has been the Flyers' best player for the bulk of the season. And he's been an absolute work horse. Between Boucher and Leighton it's pretty much a guaranteed loss at this point. If we bought him out, there aren't really any viable alternatives to what we have now. Is he an elite goalie? No. But he's been way above average this season, and unless you go out and get a Lundqvist, that's just the way it's going to be.

I've been thinking/worrying the same thing. On one hand the final few games of a jam-packed shortened season are going to be difficult games to win, so it's unlikely that the teams ahead of us are going to have much of an advantage with lots of games to play at the end of the year, but by the same logic the games at the beginning are where you need wins and we didn't do that. It's not going to feel good when we won't control our fate in the last two weeks or so. It's hard to believe that the discrepancy in games played is so wide at this point, but it does remain to be seen who it will advantage. Fact remains that if we start playing more games like we did today, a few games in hand won't make much of a difference.

Not withstanding an injury depleted poor start to the season and an utter thrashing tonight in Toronto, Homer has constructed a very solid core group of forwards, a solid goaltender in Bryz as he has made a resurgence, 3 serviceable d-men in Schenn, Coburn & Mez with Kimmo as a stopgap for next year. If Homer decides to make a move at the deadline, it's not going to be for that one extra veteran piece (like Iginla). Though we can't tell if this team will be a contender or not once Hartnell returns, Homer should continue building for the future regardless. The two pressing needs would be a young power forward to play with Giroux (Briere/Simmonds is not getting it done), or a puck-moving d-man. The problem is that without moving B. Schenn or Couturier, we just don't seem to have the pieces to make a move. A package of Matt Read and Coburn aren't going to return a heck of a lot. As much as I want to see Bobby Ryan playing on G's wing, probably not going to happen. So is the move to sit tight until the draft/free agency to fill our needs? Amnesty Danny and go after Perry? The defense is the bigger hole, and though I didn't mind Carle leaving, it's the more difficult position to fill as well.

Dubinsky won't get it done. The guy's a 3rd line center. They'll have to wreck their roster. McDonaugh? Krieder? Hagelin?

I was thinking similarly. Maybe Gus would need to be included, but that's not such a bad deal for the preds, especially if Suter gets resigned.

The guy's in line for another 3 million dollars next year. I think he'll play out his contract and be done after that. It would absolutely be nice to have that 6+ million in cap space for this off-season, but it's not going to happen.

Kimmo's contract is up after next year. Pronger will be on the LTIR shelf for the rest of his contract, which only restricts us somewhat. I can't see them bringing Carle back, though it's not out of the realm of mistaken possibility. Coburn, Grossmann, Mez, Gus, will be our future top 4. Not horrible but definitely lacking. MAB played well and I can see him sticking for the 6-7 role next year. Even though Kimmo rounds out the defensive corps (and Lilja in there for one more modestly priced, but still overpaid season) I can't see them going after a big name until Kimmo's done. Unfortunately there is no one to be had in 2013 free agency like Suter this year. (Bogosian and Gunnarson are RFAs, but they will both be locked up or otherwise untouchable). I could still see a JVR for big d-man on the horizon, but I'd hesitate to do that. We made a commitment to that kid, he's still just 23, hampered by injuries all year and in these playoffs too. I still think he could be great. Got to lock up Voracek and yes, Bryz is staying, no buyouts in his future. Great year for rebuilding...horrible depressing end to a season that looked much closer to a team aimed at the cup run than just a young one rebuilding.

From game 5 of the pittsburgh series through tonight he had a .908 save percentage, 197 saves on 217 shots. I'm not going to condemn him for this series. We couldn't manage to get into the ****** zone for half the 3rd period. That ain't Bryz's fault. We scored one goal and that was that.

That is not to say that they've shown anything in the last 3 games which makes anyone think they have a chance tonight, but all they need right now is to get their confidence back. Yeah, New Jersey has been putting us to shame with their forecheck and we can't seem to put together back to back possessions in their zone, but these are the same teams that played game 1 and the same teams that played during the regular season. Win tonight with Giroux will absolutely inject some life into this team. And then we have a series. I'm anticipating the beginning of the summer starting at the end of the 3rd period, but got to find something to think about other than what a defense without Pronger, Carle (and Kimmo in another year) will look like.

NHL reporting that Shanahan has decided to fine Jaromir Jagr 2500 Czech Kroner for targeting the head.

I think we all knew that he had good poise with the puck for a young d-man, and made solid outlet passes, but when he went into the corner with Crosby and came away with the puck, he proved right there that he belongs in the lineup against any team we face.