Mad Dog

God this coach really starts getting on my nerves...

I agree to a point with that. Without a doubt, the forwards are not helping the d-men much lately. But again - and this is just my personal suspicion, or observation - that our group of d-men is good enough to play better. This state of affairs doesn't do this d-men group justice. I really think the whole team, and the d-men corps particularly, are being victimized by the system this coach employs from game to game. I really don't think the Rangers' d-men are much better. Girardi is a good, solid d-man. But the rest? DelZoto, McDonough...... Please. But Tortorella doesn't stress his team as much Laviolette does this team. Tortorella's d-men do what d-men are supposed to do: they think defense first and the rest is dictated by a situation. Look at how the FLyere D play. It's almost comical to watch. Coburn doesn't seem to know where he is supposed to be when the team attacks. He first tries to jump in, but he neither trails the play (a traditional way for a d-man to jump), nor stays in his zone. He is hesitant and it's really hard to tell what he wants to do. Carle is all over the place. Meszaros and Timonen would help along the flanks, but in case of the counterattack, they are caught too far in the offensive zone that they had to rush back with a light speed. And that's why they don't have much left in the tank by the start of a 3rd period. And it’s not like Timonen is 18-year old… I swear, Timonen's speech was not so much of a criticism of players. I really think it was directed at his coach. You can't play hockey this way. It's ridiculous. They Flyers seem to have completely abandoned the very notion of a stay-home defensemen.

It's an unsustainable system. You can't play a go-go hockey and expect to win every night. Like you mentioned, this system stresses the entire team, so no wonder they didn't come out hard in the 3rd period. How can you have anything left in the tank when you constantly in the attack zone and abandon the defense? I really begin to question this coach's ability, to be honest. I don't know how much of his previous success had to do with his coaching or just having a stellar goaltending, and when he doesn't have that goaltending at his disposal, he is hapless. He sort of reminds me John Stevens: same tactics, same strategy form game to game with no adjustements based on the opposition. Laviolette may be a decent motivator, but I don't know how good of an x's and o's he is.

Wow. Unreal... That is some unbelievable (in a bad way for Gomez) stat if you really stop to think of it. How can you not score for a full year?? One would think he could've scored even by accident, where the puck would deflect off his skate or hit his balls (lol) and bounce into the net. He is a playmaker mainly - which he hasn't even done a good job of over the last 3 years - but OK. But this may've set a record of te hlongest goal scoring draught among all NHL players (active and retired). I would be interested to find out if it is, in fact. I think even the most talantless goons, who see no more than 3 minutes per game, didn't go without a goal for that long.

Sounds like purely a Phantom move to me...

Yeah, but with Versteeg it was more of a hit-or-miss type of thing. It was clearer than a day that he and the Flyers were a terrible match for each other. Not blaming either party, but it wasn't working out. Once he was put in a better situation, he started producing at a ridiculous rate. Some players need just that - the right place. Not sure Luke Schenn is that type of a player. From what I am hearing, Ron Wilson is giving him all the freedom in the world. He lets Schenn throw himself out of position to make a bit hit, pinch offensively, he even increased his ice time... I just don't know hwat prevents him from playing better. All in all, assuming the Flyers would have to give up quite a bit to get him, I think they can do much better than Luke Schenn. If the price is affordable, I say go for it. If not, I really don't see how he can bring to teh table what the Flyers don't have right now. But you and FC see him play more often, clearly, so I deter to you guys for a judgement.

Honestly - and I know many people won't agree with me - I would sit still the remainder of this year, unless I can add someone for whom I won't have to give up much. My thinking is that, as unfortunate as it is, I just don't see the Flyers doing much this post-season. There are issues this team has, with the goaltending being the most glaring one. I don't believe the goaltending situation can improve and as such, I really see the Flyers struggling mightly in the playoffs. There should be a decent assembly of good, solid free agent d-men this summer. Hopefully, Suter will lead that group. I would regroup in the off-seaon, evaluate my needs and go aggressively after a good d-man then.

Well, in the absense of that, I can gladly settle for your avatar, Jim. ^_^

I have to curb my expectations, unfortunately. See, I don't question his dedication and desire to play at a higher level. My concern is, I don't think he is capable of playing any better than what we've seen. I said it before and I'll say it again: his relative success (and by success I mean a decent save% in Phoenix during the regular season) last year and Mike Smith's success THIS year are attributable largely to Dave Tippett's unbelievable - I would even call it unmatched - defensive style of play. I watched that team play 4 or 5 times this year and it's almost unreal how both d-men and one forward completely clutter their crease when the other team attacks. The goalie doesn't really have to do much, because but the time the shot is made, more often than not it's just such an easy shot that even you or I can make a save on it. Lavy - and I hate to say it - doesn't actually seem to even believe in playing a team defense. I don't have any other explanation as to why the team that has Timonen, Coburn, Carle, and Meszaros can really struggle that much in their own end. We can curse Bryzgalov as much as we want, and most of this criticism is well deserved, but let's be honest: the team has been playing some really sh!tty D this year, and actually last year also. I don’t know *what* goalie could've faired much better this year, to tell you the truth. Think about this for a second. We only allowed 1 fewer goal this year than the Islanders and Winnipeg. ISLANDERS AND WINNIPEG!!!! And those are two the worst defensive teams. That's disgraceful and pitiful. Our coach - despite multiple accolades he continues receiving - has no first damn clue what the team defense really means. And I hold him totally resposnbile for that, not Bryzgalov.

Hopefully this puts an end to him being an entertainer and is a beginning of finally doing what he is paid to do: stop the puck.

Just for the love of God, why can't they just give him 2 weeks to rest? This team can play at 500 without him, as valuable as he has been. It's friggin' January. His long-term health is more important than winning maes in January... This is just the Flyers being the Flyers.

There has never EVER been any doubt about the Flyers' commitment to winning. I think anybody who has followed this team over the last 20 years or so would agree with that. It's how they go about doing that what makes many people shake their heads in disbelief.

@CoffeehousePorcupine Welcome, Gummy.... Just make an effort to keep insenity to the manageable level.

This is unF**kingreal. Every year it's the same issue - injuries. It's not like this team doesn't have issues when it's even healthy.

I think someone in this thread already mentioned that (I think Aziz or Rad).... which, at least to me is quite obvious anyway is that LeClair's numbers were a direct result of playing with one of the most phenominal players who have ever played the game. We will never find out what LeClair's produciton would look like if his centerman was someone like LeCavalier or Jason Spezza. And I am intentionally using these players because they are darn good set-up centermen, but Lindros, in his prime, was 10 levels above each of them. He was in a different league. I think without Lindros, LeClair is a 25-goal scorer, which is still pretty good, but not quite as good as he was playing With Eric. The irony of this is, JVR's sheer talent in my mind is 5-fold of LeClair's. The Boston series last spring showed that he doesn't *need* to depend on his centerman as much as some other wingers do. Why? Because he was playing like a man possessed. He was creating his own chances by either skating the puck down to the neutral zone or by getting opened, where even Stevie Wonder would find him with a pass...... and that' snothing to take away from Briere or Giroux. This year, he is doing neither of these things. In fact, I have no idea *what* he is doing. He seems to be content with just drifting along and kinda being there hoping that if the puck hits hits his stick, he will score, otherwise, why bother... I hate to say it, but he really became a Zherdev of this team. When you see less talented players like Reid and Simmonds killing themsleves to get a good look in tough spots, and JVR just hangs around, the automatic conclusion one can reach is maybe JVR is just not a winner. I hope I am wrong, but eveything so far is pointing in that direction.

Not to mention the fact that Smith is right now one of the best goalies in the league and easily Phoenix's MVP this year.

And guess what? All those lamest goalies had very respectable numbers at least in the regular season. And they didn't cost a fortune. This is really the first goalie - who also happened to be the most expensive - in the Flyers recent history who is absolutely horrid. Bryzgalov seems to be more interested in entertaining the media and acting like a comedian than stopping the puck. I can't see them going to the playoffs with this guy, and that's the worst news.... after, of course, the fact that he is here for eternity. The players don't seem to trust him. Granted, Bob is not a savior either, but at least the team looks much sharper in front of him. Depressing.....

I guess it was just comparatively speaking... When you have to consider Weber pretty much a pipe dream, and thinking that the Flyers absoolutgely *have* to add a quality D-man, PK would be cheaper than either Weber or Suter. I think JVR and a 1st round may do it, while to get Weber or Suter, Homer would have to give up considerably more. PK is actually having a so-so season. Despite the bravado, he's having a very average year. But he is still better than anybody we have (play-wise at least) not named Timonen, so this would be a good time to buy low.

I will take PK Subban. I like his skillset and nastiness. He seems to be a bit of a loudmouth, but so be it. And guess what? Most likely you won't have to give up a lot to get him.

Sadly, it seems to be true. It's absolutely ironic - in a bad, ugly way - that he's clearly, hands-down, has been the worst goalie wearing orange-and-black going back as far as I can remember. At least the likes of Vanbiesbrook, Sean Burke, Robert Esche, Chechmanek, Boucher, Niitty, Biron, Emery (not necessarily in the right order), all had very respectable regular season numbers. They would inevitably and predictably get exposed in the playoffs, but again, at least they were decent during regular seasons.... so much so that until the playoffs would start, there would be a sentiment that we were finally set in that position. Bryzgalov is absolutely the worst. And this time, they actually went out of their way to address the goaltending issue. I mean…… every time I think about it, I almost want to throw up. There is not even a shadow of a doubt in my mind that the Flyers realized how colossal the mistake they have made. This stiff and his agent will try to ride the longevity of his contract, even if he spends 70% of the season on the bench. What a joke! But back to the topic... NO. This is NOT a cup contender as it stands right now. In addition to the evident deficiency (goaltending), this team is way too inconsistent defensively. What this comes down to...... I doubt we even win the Atlantic, let along the East. The Rangers are better. Pittsburgh is helping he Flyers by not having Crosby and Letang in the lineup, but if those two (or even one) come back and they can get Staal back, their team can beat the Flyers due to a much superior goaltending. But we will lose (probably in 5 games tops) to the Rangers and Bruins. And the reality is, there is not much the Flyers can do to help themselves, unless somehow, miraculously, they will lose Pronger's and Bryzgalov's contracts. Even then, to improve the roster *this* season before the start of the 2012 free agency, they would have to give up some valuable assets, and that will hardly accomplish anything. It's a messy situation.

A very good, while unspectacular offensive d-man. Not a superstar, but sort of reminds me a little bit of young Ed Jovanovski.... plays similar style, but less physical. He should be an easy 40-point player every year. He seems to have a knack of finding himself in the right place at the right time. I’d say offensively, he is very good. He has all attributes to be an excellent offensive d-man. But here is the thing…. He *will* have some breakdowns defensively. I am not saying that he is a defensive liability, but he will cough up the puck or miss an assignment at least once every game. His +/- last year was awful, and he is still -8, which is partially attributable to the team’s play, but he can be a shaky player in his own zone. And with this Flyers team, that worries me a lot. I am looking at how bad this defense has been all year long and I put it squarely on the coaching staff. There is no way a team with Timonen, Conurn, Carle, and Meszaros should be struggling the way this defense is. I am of an opinion that whoever that d-man they bring in would basically have to be impeccable defensively, because I just don't have enough trust in this coaching staff to help their d-men being responsible defensively. And that’s the only reason why I wouldn’t do this deal, especially considering we would have to give up somebody significant to get Johnson.

And I keep the coaching staff entirely responsible for this. It really looks like they almost forgot about Carle, instead of working on helping him succeed without Pronger. The guy has some strenghts. He is a decent skater, has a good shot and knows how to take the body. He just needs to maximize his work without the puck and I feel confident he would be just fine. But these coaches don't seem to be working with players - not enough anyways - to help them get the most out of themselves. There is just no way players like Coburn and Carle should be struggling so badly.

We would have to give up a lot, I am afraid. Less than what we woudl have to give up for Weber, obviously, but still a lot. I woudl imagine any trade talk of this nature has Schenn's and/or JVR's names mentioned. Possibly even Couturier's. And I am guessing they would also want a d-man back to fill teh void... so probably Coburn or Meszaros. As much as it would be great to land someone like Suter, I just don't know if it will help the team overall.

To put Bryzgalov in the same class with Weber is foolish. Bryzgalov has no track record. I am all but convinced that he was a beneficiary of tight defensive system that Dave Tippett employs and nothing more. One can see the difference. The Coyottes bottle up the neutral zone like crazy, so the only shots available are those that *any* goalie who at least has a good eyesight will make a save on. And even within the system that was so conducive for him to flourish, he wetted the bed in the playoffs. It’s really disgusting how little homework the Flyers have done. If they did, they could’ve easily identified how big of a fraud this guy is and how the playing style *this* team employs makes Bryzgalov all but useless. It had failure written all over it before this deal was even made. Weber, on the other hand, has a track record as one of the top two-way d-men in the league and he was doing it since he entered the league. And the scary part is, he didn't even hit his prime yet. I can see him reaching Lidstrom's greatness by the time he is done playing hockey. As long as he can stay healthy, the guy will be a legend; mark my word. He hardly has *any* flaws to his game and would automatically and immediately anchor the defense like we've never seen before. But...... I agree with what Jack said. To get him, Homer would have to give up a farm. They will want offense back, and in a major way. We would have to weaken the offense tremendously, at which point, what exactly will this accomplish?

To me this is a problem of ledership vacuum. With Pronger out, there doesn't seem to be a player in the locker room who can say, " We are not losing tonight. Not on MY watch". Briere logically should be that guy, but being so inconsistent himslef, he probably feels he doesn't have enough right to be so vocal. Timonen comes across to me more like a quiet leader rather than someone who can be forceful. But this could be a problem moving forward...