Lavi has to go

[JackStraw]

Something Homer or Snider mentioned a while ago. Basically the Flyers didn't protect Bryz enough, so now they will not giddy up and go anymore.

Yeah, problem is they're still not protecting him.

[toughfighter83]

is it a coaching problem or personal problem?

[canoli]

what Jack said.

"Hockey isn't hard hell 5-year olds play it" - forgot who.

I like that site you linked to, checking out the Xs and Os. But somewhere the analysis ends and the game begins. What I mean is every NHL player understands his defensive role; in every situation he knows his job. The breakdowns come off mental lapses not because guys can't comprehend some mysteriously complex fluid exchange of positions (measured in "milliseconds and inches" no less!) on the ice. In the video you linked to 2 guys make 2 small mistakes = Goal! Even the great plays, somebody made a bad decision somewhere (or no decision at all = "puck staring"). It isn't that complicated.

[ruxpin]

@ruxpin "They were talking on DNL tonight about how Lavy changed the defensive scheme over the summer. Does anyone know what they're talking about"

Yes rux, they are now positiioning the d-men where they think the brutal rebound will go.

You mean so it can hit them and bounce into the net? I like that plan. Short. Simple. Easy to remember.

[ruxpin]

is it a coaching problem or personal problem?

Yes, it's a personal problem. They all have an undisclosed viral infection.

[jammer2]

@ruxpin It's a bit tough to predict the pucks trajectory, but it does cut out the needless clearing of the crease among other things....lol.

[JackStraw]

You mean so it can hit them and bounce into the net? I like that plan. Short. Simple. Easy to remember.

More like guidelines than actual rules...

[radoran]

They were talking on DNL tonight about how Lavy changed the defensive scheme over the summer. Does anyone know what they're talking about?

More importantly, has anyone noticed what they are talking about?

Because the Devils didn't.

[King Knut]

At this point I'm beginning to accept the theory that Clarke and Homer are both just beholden to the whims of snider.

The Bryzgalov thing was the most public of Snider meddling and I have to assume at this point that it's been that way all along.

Maybe that's why he only hires people with a history in the franchise... so they feel beholden to him and can't seem to tell him, "No. That's not how to build a team Ed."

It seems to me that Clarke is still somehow involved. If that's the case, that needs to stop.

[flyercanuck]

At this point I'm beginning to accept the theory that Clarke and Homer are both just beholden to the whims of snider.

The Bryzgalov thing was the most public of Snider meddling and I have to assume at this point that it's been that way all along.

Maybe that's why he only hires people with a history in the franchise... so they feel beholden to him and can't seem to tell him, "No. That's not how to build a team Ed."

I guess it's hard to tell Snider to mind his own business and stop meddling when he owns the team. If they ever bring in a non old boys club gm, his first stipulation should be he does it his way.

And i think you just surpassed the old record of most times using the term "beholden" by two.

[King Knut]

I can agree with your assessment of the defense being the major problem. But only because there have been so many injuries.

Quite frankly, Timmo, Coby, Mezo, Grossman and Schenn ARE nhl caliber D men and they should be enough to make this team successful even if one of them has to share minutes with Gus or Walker or Gervais.

I'm also wondering if this is why Lavvy doesn't seem all too concerned about winning and losing right now, which quite frankly is the thing that upsets me the most about him at the moment. He doesn't seem to give a **** that they're blowing the season.

The fact that he doesn't seem to give a **** (combined with the fact that he just bought Simon Gagne's old house) suggests to me that Lavvy knows he's not on the hot seat. Holmgren and Snider may have told him at the start of the season, "Look, we're giving you a **** D because the weber thing didn't work out. We're not going to hold you accountable for this season. Do what you can. See what you can instill in the young guys and we'll work on it next year when we can buy out Bryzgalov or Briere and have a little more money to play with."

This seems like the most likely scenario to me. To be honest, Holmgren doesn't seem to worried about how much they're sucking right now either. If he was concerned he'd be all over the press, having closed door meetings, taking questions but no prisoners. He's done that before.

I think they may have known going in that this season was probably going to be a wash because the Defense was simply not up to par.

The reason the D was not up to par is two fold: Ilya Bryzgalov and the Weber deal. I like the way Ilya's played so far this year (I may be the only one here, but I do) but his salary is simply too high for what we're getting from him and it's handcuffed the team. If the goalie cost less, they could have kept Carle.

The Weber move was just idiotic. Homer didn't know what the result of the new CBA would be, but he knew one would be coming. Why go all in on an RFA at the cost of a solid D man (or two if you signed someone else in addition to keeping Carle). That said, we can say homer should have signed Carle all we want, but the real question remains as much as we could use Carle now, is he really worth 6 million per for the next 6 years?

I still say that this off season you trade for a goalie, see if you can sign a D man and then look into trading for Bouwmeester -if Calgary can swallow some of his salary under the new CBA as suggested. J.Bo has not panned out to be a 7 million dollar D man, but I'd pay 4 or 5 to have him replace Gustafson or Matt Walker.

Lavy is the BEST coach this team has had since Mike Keenan.

[ruxpin]

He doesn't seem to give a **** that they're blowing the season.

I still maintain that NONE of them, the front office included, gave a rats ass about this season. Evidenced by not bothering to put an NHL team together (half a defense, no backup goalie, letting players walk without even talking to them, etc), the play of the players, and the "we gotta do better" channeling of Andy Reid by Lavy.

I just have a really hard time believing the didn't go into this season with the philosophy that it was a shortened season and they just weren't going to put in the full effort.

I also wonder--just now--if the front office expected that the entire season was going to be lost due to labor and that they would put it into gear this summer. I wonder if actually having a season caught them off guard.

[toughfighter83]

I still maintain that NONE of them, the front office included, gave a rats ass about this season. Evidenced by not bothering to put an NHL team together (half a defense, no backup goalie, letting players walk without even talking to them, etc), the play of the players, and the "we gotta do better" channeling of Andy Reid by Lavy.

I just have a really hard time believing the didn't go into this season with the philosophy that it was a shortened season and they just weren't going to put in the full effort.

I also wonder--just now--if the front office expected that the entire season was going to be lost due to labor and that they would put it into gear this summer. I wonder if actually having a season caught them off guard.

i wouldnt say that because you dont know what snider is thinking, it's all about winning with him, i dont think he wants to lose, if he did then why did homer get gagne when they could have brought up a phantom player? why is lav using bryz in all the games?

[ruxpin]

i wouldnt say that because you dont know what snider is thinking, it's all about winning with him, i dont think he wants to lose, if he did then why did homer get gagne when they could have brought up a phantom player? why is lav using bryz in all the games?

Of course I don't know what Snider is thinking. Does anyone? I haven't understood what Snider is thinking in over a decade at least. IS Snider thinking? You tell me.

If a team is TRYING to win, I can think of better things to do than get Gagne. What options are there on the last place Phantoms? As far as actual prospects, the fact they apparently don't want to use up games served vs. UFA status on a wasted season says a lot (and indicates they don't think much of this season). And using Bryz in all the games is because they don't have an option. They still have to sell tickets so they have to at least appear as if they give a damn. Playing Leights or Boucher says "we're not allowed to forfeit a game but..."

[doom88]

Of course I don't know what Snider is thinking. Does anyone? I haven't understood what Snider is thinking in over a decade at least. IS Snider thinking? You tell me.

If a team is TRYING to win, I can think of better things to do than get Gagne. What options are there on the last place Phantoms? As far as actual prospects, the fact they apparently don't want to use up games served vs. UFA status on a wasted season says a lot (and indicates they don't think much of this season). And using Bryz in all the games is because they don't have an option. They still have to sell tickets so they have to at least appear as if they give a damn. Playing Leights or Boucher says "we're not allowed to forfeit a game but..."

Didn't Bryz at one point say he wanted this high workload, and claim he plays better with it? Back when Bob was still on the roster.

[BearOnIce]

At this point I'm beginning to accept the theory that Clarke and Homer are both just beholden to the whims of snider.

The Bryzgalov thing was the most public of Snider meddling and I have to assume at this point that it's been that way all along.

Maybe that's why he only hires people with a history in the franchise... so they feel beholden to him and can't seem to tell him, "No. That's not how to build a team Ed."

Bingo. This organization cannot change while there is still Ed Snider. Will Comcast wait until he is potted in the ground with the rest of the Sniders of Philadelphia up in Lemon Hill Cemetary? I'm not so sure. That is why there is a guy named Kukko who is a Comcast guy and who has a solid pedigree in sports management. In corporate sports today, you always have a plan B. That goes back to when Roberts was building Comcast. You got two camps in the Flyers organization right now but the Holmgren/Clarke/Snider camp is pretty suspect right now and i assure you under the Comcast microscope.

[ruxpin]

Didn't Bryz at one point say he wanted this high workload, and claim he plays better with it? Back when Bob was still on the roster.

Yes, I believe he did. I *think* it probably had more to do with his widdle confidence being concerned about someone outplaying him and the subsequent cat calls for his backup.

But also, playing 90% of the games is still a tall order in a regular season, but in a shortened season when you're playing every other night or back-to-backs is even more grueling and harder on the mind/body, I would think.

I know, excuses excuses.

[doom88]

He's being kept 'fresh' in practice with a lower workload. I don't think it is fatigue. He just doesn't have the skills.

[JackStraw]

I can agree with your assessment of the defense being the major problem. But only because there have been so many injuries.

Quite frankly, Timmo, Coby, Mezo, Grossman and Schenn ARE nhl caliber D men and they should be enough to make this team successful even if one of them has to share minutes with Gus or Walker or Gervais

The Flyers defensemen are good from their own blue line back to around the hash marks. But below the hash marks things get ugly. Other than Timo, none of those guys consistently makes the much coveted "good first pass". None of them really handles the puck well or makes good decisions with it. None of them would be considered "puck moving defensemen" (other than Gus, who is still a ?). Timo may well retire after next year. The team is absolutely, positively going need at least two guys back there that can handle the puck. MAYBE Gus will be one of them.

You're right when you say that those guys are NHL defensemen, they are. The problem is that they are all too much of the same thing (other than Timo).

Edited March 15, 2013 by JackStraw

[ruxpin]

He's being kept 'fresh' in practice with a lower workload. I don't think it is fatigue. He just doesn't have the skills.

I think it's lack of skills being exacerbated by fatigue (and a lousy team in front of him). I'll accept the argument that it's largely lack of skills even. But the other two ingredients are definitely a factor.

[radoran]

Didn't Bryz at one point say he wanted this high workload, and claim he plays better with it? Back when Bob was still on the roster.

Bryz's top sason was 69 starts in 82 games.

That projects to 40 starts in a 48-game season.

He's on pace to start 46.

Getting regular starts in a standard season is one thing. Playing 14 of 15 games in 28 days in February (both ends of three of four back to backs in three weeks) is quite another.

[doom88]

I think it's lack of skills being exacerbated by fatigue (and a lousy team in front of him). I'll accept the argument that it's largely lack of skills even. But the other two ingredients are definitely a factor.

They are absolutely factors, but truly to what degree? I still think that this team is underwhelming due to the nimrod in net, not the other way around. Remember how poorly the team played when Leaky got regular starts for a while there a few years ago. Those easy goals against do a number on a team's psychology. They absolutely crush momentum.

[doom88]

Bryz's top sason was 69 starts in 82 games.

That projects to 40 starts in a 48-game season.

He's on pace to start 46.

Getting regular starts in a standard season is one thing. Playing 14 of 15 games in 28 days in February (both ends of three of four back to backs in three weeks) is quite another.

He has 26 of 28 starts so far. That's not projecting to 46/48, though it's close (44.5).

I agree, back to back games used to dictate using a backup for one game. Not sure why Lavy didn't use Bryz, unless he really thinks Bryz just needs games to get back into the groove. I'm secretly (not really) hoping that Lavy is trying to torpedo Bryz and force management into a buyout.

[flyercanuck]

The Flyers defensemen are good from their own blue line back to around the hash marks. But below the hash marks things get ugly. Other than Timo, none of those guys consistently makes the much coveted "good first pass". None of them really handles the puck well or makes good decisions with it. None of them would be considered "puck moving defensemen" (other than Gus, who is still a ?). Timo may well retire after next year. The team is absolutely, positively going need at least two guys back there that can handle the puck. MAYBE Gus will be one of them.

You're right when you say that those guys are NHL defensemen, they are. The problem is that they are all too much of the same thing (other than Timo).

I hear they're pretty good around a pottery wheel too.

[JackStraw]

I hear they're pretty good around a pottery wheel too.

And they bake a mean cake.