If we go into next season with the current lineup, do we make playoffs

[doom88]

Starting last year with a broken Giroux, a mopey Talbot (traded for a broken Downie), a lazy Hartnell, and a useless coach who really likes orange jam - I'd say the Flyers are better right now with the addition by subtraction. The team looked better in 2014 for a reason.

[jammer2]

The defense is the same wretched group and Kimmo is a a year older. The question is who stands in to take all of his minutes on a nightly basis? I still think this defense is flat-out terrible most nights and the achilles heel of this Team.

 

 There is a speck of hope for the defense. For the last 20 games or so, the unit as a whole was light years above what we saw in the first half of the year. The defense seemed to gel a bit as the year wore on. I'm still not thrilled with the group, but ya gotta live with what we have right now I guess. Personally, I'd like to see Kimo's minutes restricted and let him sit or just play the special teams in back to backs. They should not over use Kimo, they need to let others step up and make sure he is fresh in the spring. Having Kimo as a 7th d-man on back to backs is a perfect way to introduce a young prospect, slowly easing them into things as they deal with the increased speed of the game.

[aziz]

I'm a bit worried since so many other teams improved and added players in the offseason ,and we havent. Washington,Pittsburgh, Columbus, Nashville to name a few.

 

you think they all improved?  i'm not sure.  washington added an ok offensive dman and an (now overpaid) ok defensive dman, but lost a center.  pittsburgh lost offensive firepower and the one defensive minded dman they had, while adding another offense-only guy, i.e. streamlining their look into even more one-way  play.  columbus did good work, but nothing earth shattering.  nashville added goals without adding the assists that make the goals happen.  

 

essentially, washington made minor upgrades, pittsburgh become even more one dimensional, columbus solidified their place in the mix but certainly didn't put themselves over the top, nashville still isn't going to be able to score goals (and muddied their lockerroom).  on top of that, montreal is still cary price and pk subban and really no one else, boston is showing signs of the formula not working so well anymore, the rangers will be exactly as good as lundqvist happens to be on any given night, tampa got a little better, detroit gets a little shallower every year, jagr was the debbie's leading scorer by a good margin and they did nothing to improve on that front.

 

i don't think anyone is a lock in the east for anything.  there are some good teams and some bad teams and a few in between, but no standouts, no one solid top to bottom and all the way around.  i'd put the flyers on the "good team" list...flawed, but no more so than anyone else in the conference.

Edited July 21, 2014 by aziz

[Mad Dog]

It's too early to start speculating whether they make the playoffs or not. The season has not even started yet.

 

That said, as just about everybody else, I am worried about the defense. We don't have a bone fide #1 pairing, and that has to be a big concern. None of our guys are terrible, but none of them are great either. The acquisitions of Streit and, to a lesser degree AMac, didn't live up to at least *my* expectations. Homer's brutal management (or MISmanagement) of the cap absolutely hamstrung Hexy to the point he could do all but nothing to address the defense, which is unlikely to change unless Hexy does some creative maneuvering.

 

I am less worried with the offense, but that’s really contingent on how they use Vinnie (no need to beat that horse again).  B Schenn will be under the microscope, if he lasts that long with the Flyers.

 

But let's be honest - too many cards have to fall right for this team to make the playoffs.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Mad Dog

[mojo1917]

Looks like the consensus is there's no consensus.

 

The Flyers have talent, they are not without questions though.

chief among them for me are:

 

Can they stay healthy ?

Does Chief"s focus on skating make the whole team better defensively ?

Does Mason maintain his level, raise it or regress ?

Do the Euro free agents make any sort of positive impact ?

Does Brayden Schenn live up to his potential ?  

 

if these questions get answered positively then I think we're  in for some fun.

 

 

It seems to me the top line doesn't need an all world winger, they need a smart guy with some speed and a good release or at least a strong ass that Voracek and Giroux can bounce pucks off, that has been one of my top concerns, it has not been addressed satisfactorily to me . But then I think of Kris Kunitz, the right guy in the right situation can be successful.  Kunitz is a smart player, finds places to shoot from and has a good shot.  maybe that formula can work for our guys too.

[murraycraven]

Can they stay healthy ?

Does Chief"s focus on skating make the whole team better defensively ?

Does Mason maintain his level, raise it or regress ?

Do the Euro free agents make any sort of positive impact ?

Does Brayden Schenn live up to his potential ?

 

I think you nailed it here mojo... all great questions and I think we are in the "wait and see" mode for now.  

[jammer2]

It seems to me the top line doesn't need an all world winger, they need a smart guy with some speed and a good release or at least a strong ass that Voracek and Giroux can bounce pucks off, that has been one of my top concerns, it has not been addressed satisfactorily to me .

 

 It would take away from the depth of the 3rd line, but Matt Read would make that line go bonkers!  He's smart, fast enough to keep up with G and V...he would be a perfect fit for that line.

[Cheesesteak]

And Berube has already said/warned them their conditioning must be tip top before getting to camp not so so hoping to work themselves into shape he wants them to be in tip top shape off the muscle and i believe he will hold them accountable....and those that aren't will feel his wrath.

 

I think this alone makes them a better team, if they come into the season in much better shape to start off. 

[jammer2]

I think this alone makes them a better team, if they come into the season in much better shape to start off. 

 

 Just kinda reading between the lines here, was the team fat and out of shape under Lavi? Was he lax in how he enforced being in shape? Did the players get lazy and complacent?  Seems odd cause Lavi's system requires constant movement...they would have to be in tip top shape to play in Lavi's system....no?

[flyercanuck]

Pitt losing Neal is a big deal. Also losing Niskanen has to hurt a little. Not sure Pitt is a lock, they will have to work. Near lock at best.

 

 I don't think it is. The guy they traded him for will likely score more goals than Neal next year playing with Malkin. Neal won't be getting that time and space, or those passes anymore. And he won't have Crosby AND Malkin on the pp. And the new guy won't be taking dirty cheapshot stupid penalties. 

 

 Erhoff replaces Niskanen.

 

 That said, they haven't improved much.

[jammer2]

 I don't think it is. The guy they traded him for will likely score more goals than Neal next year playing with Malkin. Neal won't be getting that time and space, or those passes anymore. And he won't have Crosby AND Malkin on the pp. And the new guy won't be taking dirty cheapshot stupid penalties. 

 

 Erhoff replaces Niskanen.

 

 That said, they haven't improved much.

At least they ditched Tanner Glass, some addition by subtraction if I ever saw it!

[flyercanuck]

@jammer2

 

 I was sad to see him go. 

[OccamsRazor]

Was he lax in how he enforced being in shape?

 

This is what is the problem to me. And the results showed during the preseason and it bled into the start of the season.

 

Hence their record.

 

Jake for one has been notorious for coming in out of shape with the plan to work himself into shape i remember the year before he even nsaid it in an interviewed and he blamed it on his mom's cooking while he was home.

 

Well he sure better have taken a different approach this upcoming season or he'll be in Chief's doghouse quick.

[jammer2]

Well he sure better have taken a different approach this upcoming season or he'll be in Chief's doghouse quick.

 

 Amazing how multi-million dollar athletes have the audacity to show up to training camp overweight and suffering cardio wise. They should be treating their bodies like a temple....these guys have their whole lives to sit around and drink beer and eat chicken wings....they should be in tip top shape.....what a shame, these guys have the world by the balls and take everything for granted.

[OccamsRazor]

 Amazing how multi-million dollar athletes have the audacity to show up to training camp overweight and suffering cardio wise. They should be treating their bodies like a temple....these guys have their whole lives to sit around and drink beer and eat chicken wings....they should be in tip top shape.....what a shame, these guys have the world by the balls and take everything for granted.

 

 

Yes they have had a couple months off the relax and do what they want but a month before training camp is time to start running and getting into shape and get the diet started so by camp time you're ready to roll. But some just don't take it seriously and think it's not that important.

 

But i think this year if they do this they will pay the price from Chief what ever he has in store well...they deserve if it happens.

 

Because i think Chief knows if they miss the playoffs it could be his last year here, so he has to make it count.

[LegionOfDoom]

The Flyers are a slightly less scoring team with the subtraction of Hart's and might honestly be an easier team to play against without him and Downie, enforcing(if you want to call it that.)the ice. They become a better scoring playoff team with the addition of R.J. The wildcard is their 5 on 5 scoring with the addition of Bellemare, R.J., and who plays on G's line, that can be a deciding factor if they have the scoring support of more than one-two lines to make it deep in the playoffs. Team Defense can overcome average defensemen. And of course our goalie.

[canoli]

 It would take away from the depth of the 3rd line, but Matt Read would make that line go bonkers!  He's smart, fast enough to keep up with G and V...he be a perfect fit for that line.

 

isn't that strange but I can't remember anyone suggesting Read skate on the top line. And I don't recall any shifts he got with G and V last season.

 

I don't know how locked-into the right side those guys are but you'd think 1 of them would gladly move over to keep his (or gain) big minutes. I think you're right those 3 could work up a storm together. It all depends on whether Read can take the LW - I think maybe Jake needs the right side more than Read does.

[King Knut]

Yeah the team makes the playoffs. As long as they don't start as terribly as they did last year.

If they'd have started .500 they'd have competed for the top metro slot last year.

They were terrible but then they actually got kinda good.

The defense not staying healthy all year might not be a bad thing.

Giving the young guns a taste and a chance here and there can only help their development.

Really I hate the way this team deals with young talent. They need to play them more. Let them learn the game. A year back and forth with the A will help conditioning but committing to grossman types for experience alone is ridiculously silly at this point.

Do we make the playoffs?

Does it matter, with this team we won't get very far..

We had an injury free season on defense for the first time in many years, what are the odds of our defense holding up again for a full season.

[King Knut]

Chief's job is safe. We won't know what kind of a coach he is until the D gets faster and better at passing.

Yes they have had a couple months off the relax and do what they want but a month before training camp is time to start running and getting into shape and get the diet started so by camp time you're ready to roll. But some just don't take it seriously and think it's not that important.

But i think this year if they do this they will pay the price from Chief what ever he has in store well...they deserve if it happens.

Because i think Chief knows if they miss the playoffs it could be his last year here, so he has to make it count.

[murraycraven]

 There is a speck of hope for the defense. For the last 20 games or so, the unit as a whole was light years above what we saw in the first half of the year. The defense seemed to gel a bit as the year wore on. I'm still not thrilled with the group, but ya gotta live with what we have right now I guess. Personally, I'd like to see Kimo's minutes restricted and let him sit or just play the special teams in back to backs. They should not over use Kimo, they need to let others step up and make sure he is fresh in the spring. Having Kimo as a 7th d-man on back to backs is a perfect way to introduce a young prospect, slowly easing them into things as they deal with the increased speed of the game.

 

 

jammer, I do agree they played better but I really see this defense as the major issue.   I cant see Berube playing Kimmo as the 7th on back to back nights and personally would rather have one of the kids (if warranted) play a regular spot instead of getting the Gus treatment.  Honestly, I would rather have all the young defensmen return to Jrs or the A and let them develop instead of giving them limited playing time.  

 

I just dont see this Team cutting Kimmos time drastically...

[mojo1917]

isn't that strange but I can't remember anyone suggesting Read skate on the top line. And I don't recall any shifts he got with G and V last season.

 

I don't know how locked-into the right side those guys are but you'd think 1 of them would gladly move over to keep his (or gain) big minutes. I think you're right those 3 could work up a storm together. It all depends on whether Read can take the LW - I think maybe Jake needs the right side more than Read does.

I think I remember a couple of shifts Read G and Jake shifts, I don't remember them going so well.

I also cannot remember when in the season they took place, a part of me thinks it was around the time Chief took over and they were "playing better" but still not winning.  

 

Read is smart has shown the ability to play all the forward positions and is fast, I don't know if putting him with G and Jake makes them "too soft" @jammer2 or if it becomes the the Babcockian idea of "pfft get the puck then dictate play".  I would think they would be able to play a possession type game with those three but don't see them grinding a cycle off the half wall.

 

If this Bellmare guy is like Raffl then he can slot into that third line spot...Can't ever have too many "good hockey players" on your team, and from what i've read this Bellmare fits that description.

[canoli]

I would think they would be able to play a possession type game with those three but don't see them grinding a cycle off the half wall.

 

I figure the key to those 3 is speed and playmaking off the rush - that's the way they'd put up big numbers. But if Chief tried it I sure don't remember it. And if he tries it again he better give them a solid 20 games together before judging them. If Read is good on the L side that line could be tremendous.

[canoli]

If this Bellmare guy is like Raffl then he can slot into that third line spot.

 

yeah, but is that such a good thing? Well to be fair we don't yet know how far Raffl can go in the NHL but I'm one of the underwhelmed by Mr. Raffl so far. I like him as a 3rd/4th line grinder but it seems all the touches he gets go nowhere, or worse go back the other way. I don't mean to hammer the guy - he's new to the NHL - but it'd be nice to see his hard work pay off on the scoresheet this year - more than his 9G /13 A (68GP) from last season.

[jammer2]

I just dont see this Team cutting Kimmos time drastically...

 

 Realistically, you're probably right. Does not mean it's the right call though. Kimo has look spent in the playoffs the past few years. If the Flyers were to make a long run, it would damn near kill Kimo. They need to keep this guy fresh. It's essential to the teams success. Kinda sad to be counting on such a an older player, but that's where we are at. Bottom line, we need a healthy and fresh Timmonen for the stretch run and the following playoffs. Resting him on back to backs, or greatly reducing time on ice to strictly special teams would be perfect. Let's hope some common sense is thrown into the equation here.

[Flyingswede]

The Umberger trade seems to be nothing more than trying to get rid of the last couple of years of Hartnells salary. I guess you could argue Umberger is faster (he's slow, Hartnells slower) and takes less penalties (and draws less).

 

Well, Hartnells sallary was a problem. But not compared to VLC. I like Hartnell more than Umberger, and I think Hartnell will be missed. I think he beats Umberger hands down despite being slower and taking more penelties. He is the right type of leader on the ice and in the locker room with a great personality (do not underestimate it) He also takes the hits, and he delivers them. Well, I know we must cut costs but I wish oh how I wish we could have released Vinny instead.