Zzeke

They are expecting a physical game from the report below - 

By inserting Sam Morin for this game (maybe 2 games), AV may be sending an early message this season to the NYI as AV remembers the playoff series.

From Eyes on Isles report:

Betting Odds
The Islanders come into today as the underdogs, courtesy of the Action network. It is no surprise that the Islanders are the underdogs tonight. The Flyers have a lineup with a lot of depth and should be a tougher matchup for the Isles compared to the Capitals.

After the past three performances, expect the Islanders to be raring to go tonight and look for Philly to play a fast and physical game.

AV meets with the media at 4:45 PM ET. Maybe he will reveal his intent, or more likely he will not.
 

Jordan Hall wrote this afternoon - 

Konecny did not have a shot on goal and had two giveaways in 17:33 minutes of the Flyers' 3-1 win Thursday over the Devils. He played only 4:20 in the third period and played around 30 seconds in the final five minutes of the game. After the game, Vigneault was left displeased with and perplexed by the performances of his top two forward lines in the first two periods.

Getting Morin a game in a back-to-back set would be one thing, but doing so at the expense of Konecny's spot in the lineup says something. This is the Flyers' first game against the team that eliminated them in a second-round Game 7 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Just now, Zzeke said:

 

From Eklund this morning - 

Hextall, the leading candidate for Penguins GM job

Flyers fans...this one might be tough to take, but Hexy may soon be steering the team that is enemy #1.

Eklund

4 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

How so?

 

4 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Yeah it is what i figured after reading posting AV's comments.

 

Just they are going to be a even slower group...Braun, Hagg and Prosser might as well have three orange cones out on the ice....can't hit what you can't catch...

 

...kid has 10 NHL games under his belt and they won't let him learn on the job. Yet the vets get to make brain fart after brain fart is my problem....he can't work on his game in the sky box.

 

Oh well what can you do. Devils will enjoy cycling the puck vs the sloths.

It's interesting here at this Flyers HF Board. A mix of:

1) those constantly critical of the Coach, GM, players - - ie: 'we know better'

2) those with calmer patience and deeper understanding

You are usually very sharp.

A good media quote recently:

But the sky isn't falling. They are 3-2-1 and some of Vigneault's best teams didn't figure things out right away, last season included. A reminder: the Flyers started 2-3-1 last season and were average at best in the opening month. The Flyers truly didn't click until January.

This season started later and is a shortened, 56-game campaign, but the Delaware Valley should not be pressing the panic button yet.

When the season first started with 2 wins, some negative posting prompted a response of patience and time is needed. Then someone posted, if you think this is bad, 'just wait until we have a loss'.

After 2 losses - - the sky is falling, the sky is falling! Criticize players. Attack the GM. (We fans know best.) Disappointing. Sad. But, it's the nature of the beast.

Lesson for me - - stay out of foolish and stupid controversies — because they will generate quarrels. Learn when a real opportunity to express calmness appears, and then, just speak the realities in patience and understanding.

It's interesting to read some of the criticisms here, but those posters do not offer a solution - - just easy attacking a player, Coach, GM in a snap-shot of time. (Not you.)

The wise saying:

 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
  and patience is better than pride.

17 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Fixed it for you.

 

Per Jordan Hall...

 

Friedman and Robert Hagg will be healthy scratches tonight as Prosser and Gustafsson enter the lineup.

 

 

 

Yup. That was from earlier reports incl Meltzer.

8 Robert Hägg - 39 Nate Prosser

As time goes on, things change.

It's not about trying to correct people, but about helping all here with the latest info we find. It's a team here. Thx.

And, you are a little out of control tonight. This is not like you. Didn't know you were a NJD fan. You feelin okay?       Do you need the nurse to come in?   

All good.

To be clear, all those words were from Eklund, such as:

Who wants Letang? What would you give for him?

There is no imploration for the Flyers.

It's just interesting to see what is happening to a big Division rival.

Interesting - 

Eklund this morning quoting the radio station in Pittsburgh - 

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

So sounds like someone won't be in the lineup not sure who?? Braun maybe?? 

 

 

Prosser is a right hand shot....and not very fast slightly faster than old Nick GrossmanN.

 

Hasn't played an NHL game since 2018-19. So guess don't expect much.

 

So my thinking is Friedman or Braun won't play haven't seen anything yet.

9 Ivan Provorov - 53 Shayne Gostisbehere
6 Travis Sanheim - 61 Justin Braun
8 Robert Hägg - 39 Nate Prosser
 

Scratches: 56 Erik Gustafsson (healthy), 14 Sean Couturier (costochondral separation), Phil Myers (rib fracture), 48 Morgan Frost (IR, dislocated shoulder), 3 Mark Friedman (healthy), 55 Samuel Morin (healthy).

@pilldoc and all - 

The AHL Schedule is announced on Jan 25, 2021.

The Phantoms will be playing a 38-game season, playing in the newly aligned North Division. The full schedule is below.

The Phantoms opener is in 12 days at Hershey. It's close to where I live, and I want to see defencemen Zamula and Wylie, and forwards Allison, Laczynski (when ready), and Sandin in their first NA pro hockey season. But, can't attend because of the pandemic.

SEAN COUTURIER
C, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Sean Couturier (rib) was on the ice Monday with skills coach Angelo Ricci. 
Couturier feels it was a positive step forward, but he isn't ready to skate with the team yet and he doesn't have a set timetable in mind. He sustained a costochondral separation on Jan. 15 against Pittsburgh and was slated to miss a minimum of two weeks.

SOURCE: Sam Carchidi on Twitter
Jan 25, 2021, 1:23 PM ET

SHAYNE GOSTISBEHERE
D, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Shayne Gostisbehere feels he can play Tuesday night after he practiced on Monday with his teammates. 
Gostisbehere is glad that COVID didn't hit him too hard and he's thankful that it didn't impact anyone else. Coach Alain Vigneault hasn't ruled out the defenseman yet for Tuesday's match against New Jersey. 

SOURCE: Jordan Hall on Twitter
Jan 25, 2021, 1:06 PM ET

NOLAN PATRICK
C, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Nolan Patrick is expected to play Tuesday night after he missed practice on Monday.
Patrick received a maintenance day, according to coach Alain Vigneault. He has picked up one goal and three assists in six games this season. 

SOURCE: Philadelphia Flyers on Twitter
Jan 25, 2021, 1:04 PM ET

BRIAN ELLIOTT
G, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Brian Elliott will be in goal for Tuesday's game against New Jersey. 
Elliott posted a 40-save shutout win over Buffalo on Jan. 19 in his previous start this season. In two appearances this year, he has a 1.31 goals-against average and .964 save percentage. "Brian has played extremely well for us and he will again tomorrow," coach Alain Vigneault said following Monday's practice. 

SOURCE: Philadelphia Flyers on Twitter
Jan 25, 2021, 1:00 PM ET
 

From Jordan Hall this afternoon following the media session with AV:

Excerpts:

General manager Chuck Fletcher wanted the Flyers to be tougher to play against in 2019-20 and they were.

Despite earning at least a point in four of their first five games this season, the Flyers have not looked like the same team that found its identity and surged down the 2019-20 regular-season stretch. There could be various reasons for that.

Regardless of those reasons, the Flyers know surrendering the second-most shots per game (37.4) in the league is not going to cut it.

"D-zone coverage right now," Vigneault said Saturday morning, "we're not winning enough 1-on-1 battles and not having that close support right there so that it would enable us to get that puck back and go on the attack.

"The other area that I feel we need to be stronger at is our forecheck. Our forechecking game, which enabled us to create turnovers, create scoring chances, hasn't been as effective in the offensive zone and in the neutral zone. It's something just minor little stick positioning that I think if we get better at, we'll be way more effective and that's going to help our team."

Laughton, one of the club's better forecheckers, agreed with Vigneault.

"I think we have to make it harder on teams, we're backchecking too much and putting too much pressure on our goalies and Ds to make plays," he said. "Almost waiting for it to go the other way and create offense that way."

Things will turn-around in tonight's Game 6 !!

Ah, the explanation:

15 minutes ago, intheslot said:

Projected lineups (Subject to chahge)

FLYERS

28 Claude Giroux - 13 Kevin Hayes - 86 Joel Farabee
23 Oskar Lindblom - 19 Nolan Patrick - 11 Travis Konecny
25 James van Riemsdyk - 21 Scott Laughton - 93 Jakub Voracek
12 Michael Raffl - 82 Connor Bunnaman - 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel

9 Ivan Provorov - 6 Travis Sanheim
56 Erik Gustafsson - 61 Justin Braun
8 Robert Hägg - 3 Mark Friedman

79 Carter Hart
[37 Brian Elliott]

PP1: Provorov, Giroux, Hayes, Lindblom, TK
PP2: Farabee, JVR, Patrick, Voracek, Gustafsson

Scratches: 55 Samuel Morin (healthy), 14 Sean Couturier (costochondral separation), 53 Shayne Gostisbehere (COVID-19 protocol, INR), 5 Phil Myers (rib fracture, week-to-week), 48 Morgan Frost (IR, dislocated shoulder).


BRUINS

63 Brad Marchand - 37 Patrice Bergeron - 74 Jake DeBrusk
21 Nick Ritchie - 46 David Krejci - 23 Jack Studnicka
10 Anders Bjork - 13 Charlie Coyle - 12 Craig Smith

 

11 Trent Frederic - 52 Sean Kuraly - 14 Chris Wagner

79 Jeremy Lauzon - 73 Charlie McAvoy
48 Matt Grzelcyk - 25 Brandon Carlo
67 Jakub Zboril - 86 Kevan Miller

41 Jaroslav Halak
[40 Tuukka Rask]

PP1: Ritchie, Bergeron, Marchand, Krejci, Grzelcyk
PP2: DeBrusk, Coyle, Smith, Zboril, McAvoy

Scratches: 26 Par Lindholm (healthy), 27 John Moore (healthy), 28 Ondrej Kase (IR, upper body),
75 Connor Clifton (healthy), 88 David Pastrnak (IR, hip surgery).

 

Hmm. Since Morin was sent back to the Flyers Taxi Squad yesterday, prompting the speculation that maybe Ghost will taking the vacancy on the 23-player roster, but it is not reflected here. Usually Meltzer is very excellent at being on-top of things. Wonder what is happening?

Ah, quick check on the Flyers twitter:

Now the thoughts of Marchand's dirty stick-work prompts the thought of Morin somehow in the game tonight (consistent with posts in this thread regarding Flyers team toughness.)

9 minutes ago, pilldoc said:

 

Many ... Many ... Many ..... Many ...times.   Along with the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. Our favorite aquarium has got to be the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, GA.  My wife loves Whale Sharks and they are 1 of only 2 Aquariums in the world to have a Whale Shark Exhibit.  the other is in Tokyo. 

 

We were just there this past Sept.  We love Inner Harbor and living in Lancaster it is only about a 90 minute drive depending on traffic.

@pilldoc

Edit from ~doc (will send you a PM) we try not to reveal too much private info in a public thread

1 hour ago, pilldoc said:

 

That looks amazing.  My family loves Zoo's/Aquariums ...etc.  We have seen several Shark exhibits similar to the photo you posted.  I bet that Polar Bear exhibit is awesome......

@pilldoc

Has your family been to the National Aquarium at Inner Harbor in Baltimore? It's awesome!

1 hour ago, Podein25 said:

@Zzeke

 

I'm not from Winnipeg so I don't feel a strong need to defend it. But I had to move away and come back to appreciate it. For those who don't know anything about Wpg besides the cold:

 

- Some of the best restaurants in all of North America, due to a diverse immigrant population

- A world class ballet and generally one of the best Arts scenes in North America

- A fantastic music scene with many great old theater venues

- Lowest cost of living in all of Canada, cheap housing, cheap electricity (Hydro)

- A diverse economy shielded from the negative effects of big economic slumps

- A world class Zoo with an amazing polar bear exhibit

- The museum of human rights so American neo-Nazis can come learn about the holocaust and other travesties, like Canada's shoddy treatment of Indigenous people

 

People think Winnipeg is a small city - it's not any longer: the population of the greater Winnipeg municipal area is around 800,000. That's an economic engine which affords, among other things, an NHL hockey team.

 

 

 

@Podein25

Thx. I was defending Manitoba. Had a great friend there in Birch River. She has passed, but her family is there.

Your profile says 'Manitoba'. Are you still there? What area?

58 minutes ago, RonJeremy said:

We are the only team in the division without a true superstar

2 minutes ago, FD19372 said:

Kucherov, Point and Vaslievskiy, and yes Hedman, are stars.

Superstars?

13 minutes ago, flyer4ever said:

Modern day athletes. Used to be an honour and a privilege to play in the NHL. Now these kids and their agents try and dictate terms after accomplishing nothing. CBJ would never trade a piece like PLD in division. Looks like a banishment to Winterpeg. No offense intended. Two GMs trading headaches.

Uh oh! Now you are in trouble with Podein25.

15 minutes ago, Zzeke said:

 

Do NHL teams need a superstar to win the CUP?

 

Found some references that make us think about teams that have won a Stanley Cup in the salary cap era without superstars in their prime.

 

The Los Angeles Kings won a pair of Stanley Cups (2012, 2014) with Anze Kopitar up front and Drew Doughty on the back. Doughty is considered one of the best defensemen in the game, and Kopitar is an annual Selke Trophy contender as best defensive forward. However, neither player is a generational talent. 

 

Los Angeles amassed as much shot blocking, physical, defensively responsible talent as the law allowed, then sprinkled in a few players like Marian Gaborik and Jeff Carter for just enough offense to win a pair of Cups.

 

In 2013-14, the Kings allowed the second-fewest Corsi-Against (shots/shot attempts). It was nearly impossible to score against them. It was the same story in 2011-12. In fact, in 2011-12, the Kings also scored the second-fewest goals. The didn’t drive their Corsi through the roof with puck possession; they did it by taking away space.

 

The 2010-11 Boston Bruins had Patrice Bergeron at center and Zdeno Chara on the blue line. They too were a physical, pounding bunch who won a Stanley Cup and advanced to another Stanley Cup Final by preventing their opponents from scoring and finding just enough offense. The 2011 Bruins had average regular season analytics but caught fire late in the season and steam-rolled through the playoffs.

 

Those teams didn’t have a prolific scorer like Patrick Kane or anything close to a Sidney Crosby. It’s debatable the Kings or Bruins Cup teams even had a “Phil Kessel” type scorer.

 

The 2017-18 Vegas Golden Knights almost pulled off the same feat. In the 2018-19 season, the Winnipeg Jets and Bruins also knocked on the door with deep rosters but a lack of household names in their prime.

 

But a superstar sure does make things easier.

 

Commonalities - 

Defense Responsibility: The commonalities of the last half dozen teams to win the Stanley Cup may seem small, but they’re significant. No team has won the Stanley Cup with firewagon hockey, or by trying to outscore their opponents. It may seem weirdly antithetical, but the strategy is not to score more goals than the opponent. To win 43 pounds of silver, it’s about preventing the opponent from scoring more goals than you.

 

Hmm. Sounds like AV.

 

Under Vigneault, Vancouver won back-to-back Presidents' Trophies (2010–11 and 2011–12) and made one Stanley Cup Finals appearance (2011). In his first season with New York, he led the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance (2014) in 20 years.
 

In his second year with the Philadelphia Flyers, Vigneault led his team to _ _ _ _ _ _ 

 

 

 

And, the current Cup winner - TB without Stamkos. Do they have any super stars? Hedman?