off_the_post

I've been wondering when I would see a thread about his play.  I too have noticed his performance tank.  He was playing nicely at the beginning of the season while at center.  Then he got hurt and he does not seem to have added much value yet up returning.  I think part of the "problem" is that Schenn/Hartnell/Simmonds have been playing well and that it is where he was slated to go but Berube doesn't want to break up that chemistry. 

I've seen a number of threads written with the presumption that Timonen is retiring this year.  I am not too sure.  We all saw at the beginning of the season that he lost a few steps.  Since then his play has improved but surely he is not the player he once was.  However is it a forgone conclusion he will retire?  Personally I don't think so.  Do I think he should retire? Perhaps. 

I am a bit surprised really.  Too bad.

So how much of the top line's success is coming from the chemistry with Raffl?  To me he can keep up with the play because is skating is decent and he is able to cycle the puck a bit which is nice. He is also able to accept the breakout passes with speed so little things like that has certainly helped. I don't feel he is a bonafide 1st liner but I see him being more of a catalyst similar to what Leino was when he was paired with Breire and Hartnell.

Either way I am happy to see the 1st line producing. 

Too early to order my Raffl jersey?

..."I hope he's the first coming of Scott Laughton."

Instant classic.

December points leaders:

 

 

1 Patrick Kane, RW CHI 16

2 Sidney Crosby, C PIT15

3 Tyler Seguin, C DAL 12

Claude Giroux, C PHI 12

Nicklas Backstrom, C WSH 12

Taylor Hall, LW EDM  11

Patrick Sharp, LW CHI 11

Matt Duchene, C COL 11

 

Voracek has 10

Enough with the Patrick Sharp trade and the lost lottery pick for Kane already  .

Oh, wait, I see Giroux had a good month of December.

Is his skating actually improved though?

IMHO I think it has. He certinaly looks stronger on his skates.  I don't recall seeing a game (and I've watched them all this year) where his skating was a liability as I have noticed in prior years. I don't know how much more room for improvement there is but I really didn't think he had it in him and I was wrong.

I had thought his foot speed and lack of explosive first stride would ultimately be his down fall. I have compared him to Handzus with better hands.  His play has improved a lot once pair with Reid and Downie who I think deserve some kudos.  Of the two young centers I now think B. Schenn is the more expendable and Coots has been impressive. Coots skating seems much better this year but I still don't think it is an asset just yet. 

Greetings:

 

I think the D is slow but on two of the four goals I'd say that Ray's lateral mobility was a factor. But I have to say in general that the Blackhawks look alert and have tic-tac-toe offense ability...we are lucky to get a shot off. It is almost as if we are playing for a different league. Alumni Handzus and Versteeg scoring against us makes is even stranger to ponder.

 

It is apparent we have a .500 at best. The parts don't seem to click. And they are less than the whole...far less.

 

Howie

Howie, I think Ray's performance was the perhaps the least of the teams worries last night for all of the other reasons the others have posted ie. "d" getting exposed, underachieving high paid contracts, etc.  Scoring on any of the breakaways against an AHL goalie would have helped stop the bleeding.

I have said it before too, this is simply a .500 club at best.  Signing VLC (despide his decent play) and Streit is pretty much pointless in the long run.

The Flyers are not a .500 club based on what I have seen.  Sure they can look good at times but last night they were fighting up a weight class.

Was Sam Morin eligible?

I think on the surface we are not missing a Gagne today type player...

we are missing a Gagne circa 2005-07 player.  

 

I think along with many others that we need a legit scoring threat for the top line.  Hartnell is not getting it done without Jagr & Giroux bouncing pucks into the net off his stick. Jake doesn't look for his shot when it's there the way Jagr did so until he changes  the way he thinks Hartnell is in the slot looking for the one-timer everyone knows is coming.   We are lacking a  stone cold killer on the wing, i hate him but James Neal would be a good fit with his size and finishing touch, same with this is for you @Orangecat bobby ryan,  both those guys can skate well enough to keep up with v and g ... I like Hartnell, think he's a good guy to have on your team, he's just not a top line guy unless the other two are sublime talents, in which case any plumber could do.

Funny you bring up James Neal. I think that was a player they should have landed when he was available assuming they had the trade pieces to do so.  I was dissapointed he went to the Pens.

@Howie58, interesting. I was thinking the other day if there was a Flyer alone in the slot with a shot which Flyer would I want it to be. Read came to mind, but Vinny and G as well.  I think Read has a quicker release but he really hasn't capitalized on some great chances lately. I was hoping for just a bit more.  The problem with Vinny and G as the answer to my questions is they are both centers and likely passing to that player.  I think my answer should have been Voracek or Hartnell and the fact that is wasn't really shows how the productively of the first line is just not there.  When Read is 2nd in goals scored playing on the 3rd line and only 2nd pp unit I think is a testament to his goal scoring ability.

@ AlaskaFlyerFan, Wow, thanks for the reply. This was going to be my response and add in a the huge contract Gomez signed when his production started to tank just like G seems to have even though his contract kicks in next year.

I like the kid and I see he can play in all situations but he is just not getting the job done.  I hope he just didn't have a good few years and will then turn out to be some albatross. Anyway just a thought I had last night over some bevies.  I hope not. I am hoping he returns to form.

I'll leave you with that. I tee off in 20 minutes so got to run.

@Freddy Fog, I have both the Dishnetwork and web based center ice package.  Next yeat I will drop the dish network version as very few of the flyer games are in HD.  I find it terribly annoying.

I have found lately the only way to get the flyers to skate faster is watching the game in fast forward, typically the 4x speed for dishnetwork DVR viewers.  Man do they look good. 

All kidding aside I saw this coming. The last few Flyer wins they were turning the puck over and not making good decisions.  It was only a matter of time before this caught up to them, again.

I had a feeling Raffl would be in tonight.

There are a number in that article which I didn't realize were first nations like Price and Trottier.  Interesting. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

... and not to mentionTimo scoring the game winner skating across the crease.   When is the last time we've seen that happen?

Against or for the flyers?

It was a great win but I found the flyers made way too many low percentage passes.  I think a number of players need to be smarter with the puck ... starting with Streit.  I really like the Flyers goal tending this year.

For all the guys who think Couturier is a bust or a letdown or whatever, I mentioned this in Jacks "Couturier" thread...there are a grand total of THREE players taken in the entire 2011 draft who have put up more points than Couturier in the NHL so far.

Weak draft class.  Funny I was just checking up the same stats to see where he fit in.  I still which the Flyers selected Douggie Hamilton though.

Schenn has been one of their better forwards this year, so I'm not sure how that's your pick. Bad year aside, him and Simmonds have easily been the biggest producers of those three trades. I got with JVR for Luke Schenn.

I just don't see it with Schenn.  I hope they sign him to a 2 year bridge contract to give him more of a chance and perhaps let him play is center position though.  Sure he has been one of the better forwards "this year" but that isn't really saying much is it?  Simmonds has produced nicely but all that being considered I'd rather still have Richards though the disparity between L. Schenn and JVR grows each game.

So, you're saying the Flyers are horrible at developing players? If you're not, I am. Because they are.

 

The Flyers have traded the first round picks they chose 10 times since 1998. Two more they traded before they made a pick.  Twice they brought the player back (Gagne, Downie).

 

That leaves Giroux, Couturier, Laughton and Morin. And there's all sorts of buzz on Giroux and Couturier...

 

Why bother to draft at all?

LOL. Not only should the flyers not draft but perhaps they should elect to play the entire game short handed.  At least that would give them a reason for not generating any offence.

Off the post,

 

Of the three you mentioned, definitely Richards for Simmonds and Schenn.  Had no problem with them getting rid of Jeff "high and wide", Carter but they miss Mike Richards leadership and grit badly. Just because he and Carter hung out in Sea Isle and Margate, New Jersey too much, and acted like typical guys their age.   Simmonds and Schenn have regressed since they've been here, and with apologies to Ian Lapperierre who I liked as a player, I don't see these guys getting any better ever with the coaching staff they have in place.

Yes this is pretty much how I feel. I miss Richards right now.  I guess I better put the Kings game on.