Meszaros Finally Producing

[OccamsRazor]

you are talking about a crop of might-make-it-to-the-nhl-one-day-maybe guys there, not might-be-really-good-in-the-nhl.  you drop someone like meszaros and add them, you are taking a step backwards.  now, if meszaros continues to not be able to stay healthy, then that changes things, but he has more talent than any of the other guys you mention.

 

edit:  this is assuming my theory that meszaros's on-ice problems over the last couple of years are tied directly to a lack of confidence due to large chunks of time on the IR.  that his time in ottawa is indicative of what he is capable of if he can stay healthy, and his time in tampa and philly were the result of perpetual rust.  he has looked really good over the last month, he's quick and smart and aggressive...and most importantly, very effective.  if this is the real meszaros, he's in a different league than the bunch of ahl call ups available.  literally and figuratively.

So you'll assume Mezz's life miraculously now is going change yet you won't assume the young kids 24 and 25 who put the time in having even already covered his loss last year at the end of the season can't do it again...no these guys can't do it, oh no they are bums...sorry just don't follow that logic. Mezz will trip over the blueline and be on the IR by weeks end.

[colorado_al]

The problem I have with the Flyers defense is not that I really dislike any of the players individually, but collectively we have too many big, non-agile guys back there. So while I at least kind of like Schenn, Grossman, and Mesz, I don't really like all three of them on the same team. And I'd even throw Coburn in there too, while he's a great skater he's big and not real agile in defensive zone coverage. I would like to see the defense revamped with a couple smaller guys (but not small, I'm talking about around 6' to 6'-2") who are more versatile than some of the guys we have now.

 

Very well said.... and I agree.  We need some size to place some fear into the people rushing but  also some speed so they can apply pressure and recover if it doesn't work.

[aziz]

yet you won't assume the young kids 24 and 25 who put the time in having even already covered his loss last year at the end of the season can't do it again

 

do what again?  manning's 2 points in 10 nhl games, or gustafsson's 13 points in 60 games?  these kids showed that maybe one day they might be able to stick on an nhl roster, maybe.  nothing more than that.  certainly not that they are an answer to any large question.

 

here's the thing.  back in the day, meszaros was a legitimate 1st round pick, 39 points as a 20 yearold rookie.  35 and 36 points in the next two seasons.  missed a lot of time that first year in tampa, and never really found his stride again.

 

**IF** the meszaros from those first three years in the league can reappear, then he is head and shoulders and stomach above manning and gustafsson.  IF.  

 

hopefully, the guys on the phantoms right now can find their game and contribute at some level with the flyers.  3rd pairing, most likely, and maybe some spot work above that.  i haven't seen anything suggesting they are capable of more than that, though.  meszaros has, at one point.  at one point, he was a serious 1st pair dman.  he has fallen a long way from there, no question, and really i'm doubtful he can climb all the way back up to that, but he has that level of talent in him.  if he can recapture half of it, it'd be foolish for the flyers to let that go.  at the very least, give him the space to push as far as he can right now, because at this moment, he looks a lot like he did years ago.  manning and gustafsson are no replacements for that.

 

there's a lot of "if" here, i know.  meszaros has been super fragile, and has been pretty terrible when healthy.  if it's even possible he can overcome that, though, that's a big deal.  he has a ton of talent if he can remember how to use it.

[mojo1917]

I remember thinking similarly to @aziz a couple of years ago, then; back injury, achillies injury, and I think a shoulder injury in there too, happened. If I remember correctly he hurt one think while rehabbing from the other.... I think anyone would have some PTSD like trust issues after having so many severe injuries in such a short time. Sometimes this is a phase , all the stuff that was going to break gets broken and fixed and the player plays well the rest of their career , sometimes it doesn't and the player becomes a "too bad about X" cautionary tale. Where does Mesaros fall? Is he over the hump and able to contribute , is he Greg Oden?

If he continues his play of the last week and a half, two weeks, (post healthy scratch) for the rest of the year I think it would be foolish to not try to resign him in the 3 year range, pick a number I don't know what would be fair , but @aziz has a valid point about his talent level, he's right here and totally primed to play extraordinary hockey if we let him walk.

[doom88]

I wholeheartedly agree with @aziz. Meszaros is worth the risk, and I think Berube could be a reason he's doing well. I'd seriously try to limit the contract length though, just in case. Let him earn one final big payday.

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

Is he over the hump and able to contribute , is he Greg Oden?

Who the hell is Greg Oden??

[flyerrod]

I wholeheartedly agree with @aziz. Meszaros is worth the risk, and I think Berube could be a reason he's doing well. I'd seriously try to limit the contract length though, just in case. Let him earn one final big payday.

I have been against Mez mostly due to his spate of injuries but also on some of his poorly timed decisions to join the rush. However, the guy we have been watching for the last few weeks seems to be making better decisions on when and where to be aggressive. I have been dead set against re-signing Mez due to his "rust" and injuries but his current play could change my mind if we are talking about say a 2 yr deal at around 5 mil per. If he continues to be healthy , reward him in the 2nd year with a more robust contract. Contracts the likes of Letang and Phaneuf is likely to make the number higher to keep him around though.

[flyerrod]

Who the hell is Greg Oden??

A basketball player that never played a professional game due to knee injury/disease who was a top draft pick.

[flyercanuck]

I wholeheartedly agree with @aziz. Meszaros is worth the risk, and I think Berube could be a reason he's doing well. I'd seriously try to limit the contract length though, just in case. Let him earn one final big payday.

 

I think health is the reason he's doing well. When healthy, Meszaros has proven to be a good Dman. The problem is , the guy is the definition of injury-prone, and just can't be counted on...or actually he can, counted on to be injured. It's too bad cause he's pretty much exactly what we need back there.

[JackStraw]

A basketball player that never played a professional game due to knee injury/disease who was a top draft pick.

Actually, he has played 84 games in the NBA and currently plays for the Heat.

[JackStraw]

Meszaros is still only 28. All of three years older than Gus. I really don't see either Lauridson or Gus replacing what Mesz provides- when he's healthy. Gus is a smallish offensive guy, Lauridson is a biggish defensive guy. Mesz is more of a two way guy, although his defensive play has been rough lately.

[mojo1917]

Who the hell is Greg Oden??

What jack and rod said... He was amazing at ohio state was drafted #1 ahead of Kevin Durant , quick , explosive, nice shooting touch to 15 feet . And always injured, bad knees lisfrac fractures, really a sad case because he's a delightful person.

Sam Bowie could be a better always injured analogy. I'm having a hard time thinking of a similar situation in hockey.

Bowie was a stud with the talent to make 23 NBA GMs think he was a better pick than Michael Jordan...the talent was there, he hurt his knee screwed up the rehab and was a shell of himself and thus a punch line .

Anyway, maybe Meszaros is fixed and could be a good player again.

[FD19372]

I never had a question that Meszaros is talented and would produce. The fear I have is always that he will be out more than in the lineup with chronic injuries. He's playing great since he's come back but I would still seriously consider going in another direction after this season.

[pensuck]

Mez Is Playing Great Right Now. No Way We Trade Him. He's Still Young And Should Be Resigned If He ContinuesTo Play Like This.

coburn On The Other Hand Still Looks Lost And Should Sit Like Mez Did. It Might Wake His Ass Up Too. I Think Coburn Is Good Trade bait...

[FD19372]

A basketball player that never played a professional game due to knee injury/disease who was a top draft pick.

He's an older version of Andrew Bynum.

[flyercanuck]

@pensuck

 

Coburn is not only our best defenceman....he's missed about 20 games his entire career. Mez misses that in a week.

[pensuck]

@flyercanuck

If Doughburn Is Our 2ND Best Dmen We're Toast.

He Turns The Puck Over More Than Hartnell Falls Down. He's A Big Guy Who Can Skate. Unfortunately He Doesn't Use His Size. The Only Time He Uses His Speed Is When He's Chasing Down A Break Away That Was The Result Of His Own Bad TurnOver. And His Shot? He's Great At Missing The Net With It.

I Haven't Looked At HisNumbers This Year Once. So Enlighten Me With His #2 Stats...

[pensuck]

My Bad. You Said Best Dmen???

Hahaha. Now That's funny

[flyercanuck]

@pensuck

 

I'm not saying Coburn is a #1 defenceman. I'm saying he's our best defenceman. Put a real #1 on this team and everyone else moves down where they're supposed to be. You'd prefer 50 year old Timonen going forward? Andre (I miss half the games) Meszaros, who WILL go down with an injury before the season is over? Mark (what's checking) Streit? 

 

It's like Tyler Bozak on the Leafs....he looks pretty lame as a #1 center, but that's not his fault the Leafs have failed to get a true first line center since Sundin. Move Bozak down a line and his skill level fits better.

[pensuck]

@Fyercanuck

I Just Looked Up His Stats . You Might Want To Have A Look For yourself Before YouKeep responding...

[OccamsRazor]

Meszaros, who WILL go down with an injury before the season is over?

 

I hope he can stay healthy enough so they can trade him....he needs to just keep an eye out for any banana peels on the floor when he walks around...

[aziz]

@Fyercanuck

I Just Looked Up His Stats . You Might Want To Have A Look For yourself Before YouKeep responding...

 

 

statistically, he is #2 in most cases.

 

on the other hand, he carries more icetime than anyone else, and generally by a good margin.  an already suspect blueline would be a serious mess if he wasn't playing.

[jammer2]

  You don't see many guys who are injury prone just turn it around and stay healthy. This is chasing fools gold. You hear it all the time in here in jest, but no ninja attached to this post....trade him now, his value will never be higher. Oliver is the real deal, and Gus will be an offensive producer if given the ice time to develop. Guys like Oliver, with that wing span, 6'5 with respectable mobility, they do not grow on trees. Would be a big mistake to let Oliver waste away in the AHL, or even worse, become a regular with someone else after we spent years developing him. Oliver = the real deal.

 

 It was not a coincidence that the Flyers played their best hockey last year with the rookie Lauridsen in the top 4....I pray we get to see what he can do with some confidence and experience.

[aziz]

Oliver is the real deal, and Gus will be an offensive producer if given the ice time to develop. Guys like Oliver, with that wing span, 6'5 with respectable mobility, they do not grow on trees. Would be a big mistake to let Oliver waste away in the AHL, or even worse, become a regular with someone else after we spent years developing him. Oliver = the real deal.

 

in your view, how much more time does gustafsson need?  he is obviously out of his league in the NHL at this point, and is 25.  maybe he is a late bloomer and will suddenly become NHL-ready in his late 20's, but..that's taking "late bloomer" to a whole other level.  honestly, i think his ship has sailed.  lauridsen, maybe, but do the flyers need another stay-at-home guy?  and is again 25.  these players are only prospects anymore in the broadest sense of the term.

 

i can't argue about meszaro's injury-prone-ness.  on that front, one can only hope.

[jammer2]

@aziz   Well, there are few things that are in Gus's favour. For one, he started his University career at 19, did not turn pro until 21, and did not play a regular AHL shift until he was 22. As a 22 year old in his first year as a pro, he scored 49 pts in 72 games....very respectable numbers for a rookie in the A. The following year, as a 23 year old he netted 17 pts in 28 games in the AHL. As a 23 year old, 22 pts in 39 games for the Phantoms. This year, he has 7 pts in 20 games for the Flyers, that is a pace for 28 pts over a full year, all with very limited playing time. Based on these stats, I conclude he can and should be a capable offensive replacement for Mes, if given the ice time to gain confidence.

 

 Gotta remember, this guy starred for the Champion Swedes at the World Championships last year.....by all accounts, he was their best d man. This shows he can play with the best in the world. I see TONS of potential, and I might take heat for this, but the kid has all star skills. Late bloomer, yeah, I see that written all over this kid. He's one of our only d-man who can actually skate the puck out of trouble with checkers on him....lots and lots of upside potential here....just my opinion.

 

 He *just* turned 25 in late December, so he's a young 25....lol.