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Tonight's Lineup/Final Two Games


vis

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Per Bill Meltzer (and others), Lindblom, Leier, Raffl, MacDonald and Hagg are scratches with a projected lineup as follows: 

 

 

Not sure what to make, if anything, of this.  In any event, some thoughts:

 

1. G/C/V will definitely be a thing to start the season.  Kind of gross.

2. Patrick is staying and those are your centers.

3. I can't see Raffl not making the team; he's probably out tonight so the staff can evaluate the others.

4. This Read's last gasp at making an impression.  Hope it's a bad one.

5. Not sure Linblom's status.  Either he's made it and they are down to evaluating Read and Weise for 12F or 13F, or he's truly on the bubble.  I have a feeling it's the latter.  Something says to me that Lindblom is sent down and Weise is a regular at RW.  That decision would bother me on many levels, including since Konecny would end up on the LW again.

6. I'd be shocked if Leier has a legit shot at making the roster given the presence of Read, Weise, Raffl and Lehtera - yet he is hanging on.  Perhaps there is hope for him?

7. Not sure what to make of Hagg and MacDonald being scratched.  Are they penciled in for spots in the top 6, subject to a break-out performance by Sanheim tonight?  Why scratch them both and draw Manning in?  Manning has already played one more game than MacDonald.  I'm starting to think Hagg will be the odd man out and Sanheim gets his spot.  MacDonald will be in the top 6.

 

EDITED TO ADD: Maybe the guys who are scratched have locked up a spot already?

 

Anyway, my lineup would look like this assuming G remains at LW

 

Giroux/Couturier/Voracek

Lindblom/Patrick/Simmonds

Weal/Filppula/Konecny

Raffl/Laughton/Leier

Lehtera

Weise

Read-AHL

 

Provorov/Sanheim

Haag/Gudas

Morin/Ghost

MacDonald

Manning - AHL

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I like your reasoning and generally agree with everything you wrote.. 

 

BUT!

 

I just have a really hard time believing that the Flyers will actively scratch $15.8M on a nightly basis (MacDud, Lehtera, Weise, Read).

 

Weise is Hextall's mess, but he's still cleaning up the other three. 

 

Ugh.

 

I feel like the final roster will be a frankenproduct to accommodate poor decisions by Homer.

 

 

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23 minutes ago, vis said:

Anyway, my lineup would look like this assuming G remains at LW

 

Giroux/Couturier/Voracek

Lindblom/Patrick/Simmonds

Weal/Filppula/Konecny

Raffl/Laughton/Leier

Lehtera

Weise

Read-AHL

 

Provorov/Sanheim

Haag/Gudas

Morin/Ghost

MacDonald

Manning - AHL

 

I think I'm okay with that.

I said this elsewhere, but I can't help repeating:  I was okay with moving Giroux to wing.   I'm not sure that I'm okay with moving Giroux to wing just to be centered by Couturier.   But if Couturier can't get it done there, can we just give up on the idea that the guy has any offense in him?

 

 

I think Provorov/Sanheim could actually be a pretty impressive pair eventually, but I'm wondering if split them with Hagg/Gudas, but I'm fine as is.

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Just now, ruxpin said:

 

I think I'm okay with that.

I said this elsewhere, but I can't help repeating:  I was okay with moving Giroux to wing.   I'm not sure that I'm okay with moving Giroux to wing just to be centered by Couturier.   But if Couturier can't get it done there, can we just give up on the idea that the guy has any offense in him?

 

 

I think Provorov/Sanheim could actually be a pretty impressive pair eventually, but I'm wondering if split them with Hagg/Gudas, but I'm fine as is.

 

Bingo!

 

When they say Couturier never really got a chance with more talented linemates to unlock his offense, what they mean is that Couturier is incapable of doing it himself because he doesn't elevate the play of others. Maybe, just maybe, he produces more as a result of just being on a line with our top two producers. Kinda like Raffl.

 

 

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8 minutes ago, brelic said:

 

 

I feel like the final roster will be a frankenproduct to accommodate poor decisions by Homer.

 

 

How long does one blame Paul Holmgren for this team? It has been Hextall's since 2014. 

 

Not to defend PH, as he made a lot of bad moves, but time to move forward, this is RH's team now.

 

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16 minutes ago, Bertmega said:

Not to defend PH, as he made a lot of bad moves, but time to move forward, this is RH's team now.

 

I would agree to an extent, but not with McDud.   That's an ugly contract for a blah player that no one's going to take.   He did get some teams to take Pronger's contract, etc. so there's only so many suckers out there.

 

We're almost to the place where a buyout might be palatable.  Or that someone might take him if we agree to absorb some salary.

 

But yeah, Lehtera and Weiss are definitely Hextall's.   And didn't Read sign his last contract under Hextall?   Or was that still Holmgren?   In any case, that's not as big a deal to me as McDud.

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17 minutes ago, Bertmega said:

How long does one blame Paul Holmgren for this team? It has been Hextall's since 2014. 

 

Not to defend PH, as he made a lot of bad moves, but time to move forward, this is RH's team now.

 

 

MacDonald and Read are Holmren's. Weise and Lehtera are Hextall's. I understand Lehtera, and it's just this year and next. But there was just no reason to give a guy like Weise a four year contract, especially when Hextall knew what was in the pipeline at forward.

 

 

 

 

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25 minutes ago, brelic said:

 

I feel like the final roster will be a frankenproduct to accommodate poor decisions by Homer.

 

 

Uh not to burst your bubble but Ron was on board with all those contracts....so yeah they are all his and he has to deal with them...sure he was the GM for Read and Mcdud but he was Ast. GM and director of hockey operations so he has to own it...

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2 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

 

Uh not to burst your bubble but Ron was on board with all those contracts....so yeah they are all his and he has to deal with them...sure he was the GM for Read and Mcdud but he was Ast. GM and director of hockey operations so he has to own it...

 

Oh c'mon OR! It's way more fun to blame Holmgren! Pretty soon, we'll just blame Canada for all that ails the Flyers! South Park was on to something!

 

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1 hour ago, vis said:

Per Bill Meltzer (and others), Lindblom, Leier, Raffl, MacDonald and Hagg are scratches with a projected lineup as follows: 

 

Well Flyers recalled Lyon so not sure why that is unless someone isn't playing in net last minute...

 

 

Haven't seen why.

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10 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Well Flyers recalled Lyon so not sure why that is unless someone isn't playing in net last minute...

 

 

Haven't seen why.

 

It's been ten minutes.   Neuvy is probably injured.

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1 hour ago, brelic said:

I just have a really hard time believing that the Flyers will actively scratch $15.8M on a nightly basis (MacDud, Lehtera, Weise, Read).

Same here.  Aside from the $$$, I have a hard time believing he's going to shelve MacDonald and Weise because those players have longer term deals (ugh) and he will have to continue to deal with them going forward (unless they are bought out).  If Hextall is going to buy them out, then maybe he does feel comfortable putting them in the press box or in the AHL.  

 

Read is gone after this year, so I don't think he will have problem putting Read in the AHL.  Read also makes the least amount among them.

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1 hour ago, ruxpin said:

 I was okay with moving Giroux to wing.   I'm not sure that I'm okay with moving Giroux to wing just to be centered by Couturier.   But if Couturier can't get it done there, can we just give up on the idea that the guy has any offense in him?

Same.  No problem with G on the wing, just don't like Couturier as his C.  If that line produces, then great.  If not?  Then hopefully Couturier is never foisted on this fanbase as a 1C.  Win-win scenario.

 

Yeah, I kind of think Provorov/Sanheim could be a good one.

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I have to state that I'm OK with Giroux as a winger, but not a huge fan of him with Couturier. I have to assume they looked at things and decided Giroux was more able to play wing than Filppula. It can still work out, but I wonder where it leaves the rest of the lines.

 

I mean something like

Giroux-Couturier-Voracek

Weal-Patrick-Simmonds

Lindblom-Filppula-Konecny

Raffl-Laughton-Lehtera/Weise/Read/Leier

 

Might be workable, but I'm not crazy about it. Of course with any team icing as many rookies as the Flyers seem they might, you're going to see experimentation and line juggling. To be honest, my biggest worry is that Hagg and/or Lindblom might start in AHL.

 

But no real worry until the games count, and even then, the first ten games, we may well see a lot of different combos and pairs.

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I honestly believe that the only line written in stone right now is Weal - Patrick - Simmonds. Everyone else is still up in the air. However, we know that Hakstol likes to use pairings when putting lines together. Honestly I think this is what we're going to see for the regular season:

 

Giroux - Couturier - Voracek

Weal - Patrick - Simmonds

Lindblom - Filppula - Konecny

Raffl - Laughton - Leier

Weise, Lehtera

 

Waived: Read

 

In terms of defense:

 

Provorov - Hagg

Sanheim - Gudas

Morin - Gositsbehere

Manning as the extra

 

Waived: McArsehole

 

Goatending:

 

Elliott

Neuhurt

 

There's your 23 man roster. Lines two and three are interchangeable amongst the forwards. That fourth line should be full of speed and keep the opposition off balance. I think it'll be a rotation amongst Leier, Weise and Lehtera and it won't surprise me if Weise and Lehtera ask to be moved. 

 

The defense will be what gets everyone's attention. Some think working in three rookie d-men might be too much, but it's not as if these are defenders who don't have a clue. The Flyers have to realize that running this defense group gives them the best chance at winning. They will make mistakes along the way, but the mistakes will be rectified quickly. Honestly, none of the rookies or 2nd and 3rd year players in the d makes the mistakes that McDonald consistently makes and Hextall and Hakstol have to realize that. No matter how much they try to shine up McD, you simply can't polish a turd. And that's what the Flyers have with McD - an overpriced $5.5 million turd. It's time to cut bait. Send him to the minors, accept the nearly $1 million dollar saving and move on. No one wants him so, keep him in the minors and use him down there as a mentor to the young defensemen. He might not be a capable NHL defender, but he's most definitely an AHL defender (think John Slaney) and his presence could really help Friedman and Meyers. 

 

The goaltending is what it is. I like Elliott, but Neuvirth just can't stay healthy. I don't think he's around come deadline time and I'm feeling fairly certain Lyon will be the back up by mid-season.

 

Should be an interesting watch this year.

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2 hours ago, vis said:

Same.  No problem with G on the wing, just don't like Couturier as his C.  If that line produces, then great.  If not?  Then hopefully Couturier is never foisted on this fanbase as a 1C.  Win-win scenario.

 

Yeah, I kind of think Provorov/Sanheim could be a good one.

Am I the only one that thinks Couturier's passing sucks? 

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