OH1FlyersFan

Especially where Ed Snider sits in the pecking order of the board of governors (the ones that give guys like Shanny their jobs).

I just wish he'd use that position more, or better, to rail against or do something about the "inconsistencies". He should be demanding a better product when it comes to NHL officiating, including but not limited to, terminating any official that demonstrates such sheer incompetency. The problem is, aren't the officials unionized? Their gd collective bargaining agreement probably protects them - that's why the can "consistently" get away with behavior that would result in any one else in any other occupation being tossed out on their butt and right into the bread line.

Can I add a third choice -- the officiating? I find "B" more frustrating. I don't expect the goalie to pitch a shutout every game, one here or there would be nice. But I kinda do expect the offense to put up multiple goals.

It endemic. The officiating in the NHL is the worst of any professional sport. And not just officiating against the Flyers - horrible calls are being made League-wide as Pilldoc said. Though I do think the Flyers still have a special target on their backs that the refs aim for more regularly than they do other teams.

I think long term our defense will be the problem. But I agree with you - our offense is not scoring at this time, but they have the potential to light it up and I think they will. The current group will only get better with age and experience and more quickly than any D prospects we have....if we even have anyone in house. We're looking at bringing in top D and that's going to cost us.

Uncle Ben.

Nice!

With great power comes great responsibility...

Yoda?

I'm still pretty high on all of our young forwards (Schenn, Couts, McGinn, Laughton, Simmonds, Voracek, Wellwood, Giroux, and I'd even throw in old man Read - these guys will be good, some already are good -- they just need to remember that -- or getting better.....hopefully sooner rather than later) despite the start to this season, so I agree with everyone about Laughton. Something to look forward too.

@BearOnIce - what happened to the defense? I'm afraid we never had one. And my bigger fear is that, unlike the crop of good young forwards we have, we don't have anyone really able to step up over the next season or two to strengthen the D or to create a D. It's like we have nothing. What we do have in the system will take much longer to develop.

yeah, and then the stick started killing penalties all by itself.

Now that's hilarious....but true. You know your team is in trouble when a lone stick, on the ice, by itself, completely not being controlled by any player is killing your f'in powerplay!

That would go to Read

He gets my vote too. Everyone else has been pretty weak. Nah, downright pathetic.

It's everyone's fault. Fault all things!

And I knew exactly what was going to happen. As soon as the Rangers got that powerplay, I said to my wife - you watch, they're going to score. Sure enough they scored.

I was expecting, and hoping, for a lot more from Voracek this season. And Coburn should be better too. Disappointing so far. But I agree with you on Lilja. He sucks.

A 2 man advantage for over a minute and they had, what, one shot? Oh my God, this is killing me. The Rangers penalty killers ought to send the Flyers powerplay unit a nice thank you card, maybe some balloons or flowers. Dear Flyers, thanks for making our job so easy. Your friends, the Rangers. ARRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!

If there is an upside to any of this, possibly losing Couturier, which I think would be a mistake - especially for Subban whom I just can't stand - (and admittedly that is a personal opinion and not an objective analysis), it's that Laughton and McGinn have looked really good in their first few games for their very limited experience and time on ice. They could develop into a couple of nicely competitive, tough, skilled players and perhaps step into the very big shoes that we'd need to fill on offense if Couts goes.

I can see Danny with the "C". And I was thinking Timo for the "C" too. But not Bryz. He needs all the help he can get and that would really mess with his head. Ha.

P.S. -- I think they win on Tuesday!

I think I saw someone else post a week or so ago about how the "C" is a curse and Giroux should give it up.....something along those lines. That's all I think about when I watch him play now. Since becoming Captain, at least the last few games - even against Florida last night - he's been a little off. I'm all for him not being captain so he can get it out of his head and just play hockey. No other responsibilities to the team or anywhere/one else. Just play hockey. So I guess I'm concurring - G has looked pedestrian the last few games. On the other hand, I have been impressed by Bryz when I didn't think that would be possible.

I'm guessing the question is rhetorical based on how "well" they did on the powerplay tonight, but I still feel compelled to answer - heck NO!!!!! Or at least, the must not practice because if they do, they sure aren't showing it in play.

Remember when Philly wouldn't resign him due to age? Who knew.

You're only as old as you think you are....or as old as Paul Holmgren thinks you are....or to Snider, who thinks Knuble must only be barely out of diapers.

He has to move a helluva lot faster than Shelley!

Shelley's actually moving pretty good tonight. Setting the bar high for Knuble!

What happened to Kurtis Foster? He's just disappeared. Did he even exist?????

oh the memories!..... I agree with @Bertmega..what I wouldn't do to have a player like him on our roster again.....(big sigh...o well)...now back to reality

If we had a player like him on our roster now he'd be totally ineffective and marginalized because the League as we know it today, as Bettman has ruined it, would shut him down. They'd never let a Flyer play like that. They won't ever again. He'd be called for everything. He'd have to change his game and in doing so, would not be the player he was....the player we'd want to have on our roster today. That's the shame of it.

What really blows is that now, if this happens again, Schenn is a "repeat offender" and THAT can be taken into consideration for supplemental discpline. This is going on his permanent record....gasp! It just sucks that this silly call had to be his first.

See, while I agree it is what is "needed" I just don't go as far to "expect" it.

I need to see a LOT more from the guys who are going to be here next season. I'm not including Bryz in that scenario.

Interestingly enough, this was reported earlier today. From the article: "It was recently reported the Philadelphia Flyers were very interested in the 33-year-old goaltender. Maybe they’re trying to find a way to move Ilya Bryzgalov and his big contract? Bryzgalov hasn’t played badly in the Flyers’ current three-game losing streak, but remains a target of fan criticism.

Then again, maybe Gillis wasn’t referring to the aforementioned teams, but another which might be disenchanted early with its goaltending."

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/49552-New-life-to-Luongo-rumors.html

We can focus on having Bryzgalov stop world class snipers on penalty shots or we can focus on a team that looks like a bunch of monkeys trying to hump a football, giving up shorthanded breakaways and then committing penalties on them.

BOTH need to play better, but it is the TEAM that needs the most work rightnow, not the goalie behind them.

The monkey analogy is the funniest thing I've read all day! Hilarious. Well done.

I don't disagree that this is a team sport. But if there is one aspect of the game that does focus on the individual and expects individual effort, it's goaltending. Bryz needs the support of his team. When he doesn't get it, then he's the responsible party. It's up to him to make that save when the team has abandoned him. And he needs some work right now. Does he need more work than the offense or defense? Interesting question. Probably more than the offense but less than the defense. Is he getting bad breaks that all the work in the world wouldn't fix? Maybe. But he still needs to make those stops. Maybe I'm expecting too much from him.

I don't believe the score would have been 9-0 Flyers, because our offense isn't doing a lot of things it needs to do, including scoring against really good goaltenders. Would they have been able to score, however, if they had been shooting against Bryz in the net as the opposing goaltender? I'd put money on it. We have Lundquist next. Good luck with that. Bryz is going to have to stand on his head....again. Should it have to be that way? No, but it's what we need and expect him to do. Hope he's working on that.