One thing that the Flyers lack compared to our division rivals

[OccamsRazor]

The NHL's best teams since Nov. 1:

1. Bruins — 76 points
2. Flyers — 74 points
3. Lightning — 73 points
3. Blues — 73 points
5. Stars — 71 points

[CoachX]

What we are seeing is a direct result of coaching.  Even the addition of Grant/Thompson were due to AV. He communicated with the players to see what they thought, assessed what he needed, an addressed a glaring weakness 

 

The relationship between him and the GM seems to be a good match

[OccamsRazor]

On 3/3/2020 at 3:40 PM, King Knut said:

 

The thing about having a big weapon is that you can shut him down and if you shut him down, you cripple them.  

 

 

Alex Ovechkin had no points through four games against the Flyers.

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by OccamsRazor

[Podein25]

39 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

Alex Ovechkin had no points through four games against the Flyers.

 

 

And he's - 4 I believe.

 

Watching him "back check" on Provy's goal last night was a thing of beauty. The Ovie of old. 

[mojo1917]

1 hour ago, Podein25 said:

 

And he's - 4 I believe.

 

Watching him "back check" on Provy's goal last night was a thing of beauty. The Ovie of old. 

 

It was really nice watching the panic cross his face when 9 turned on the jets and took the pass... Ovi knew he was ****ed, having Kovalchuk with him is such a blessing for other teams, Oshie plays 200 feet - not so with Ilya, so when 8 wouldn't get back 77 would...17 is looking for the hot dog vendor. 

 

[King Knut]

2 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

 

Alex Ovechkin had no points through four games against the Flyers.

 

 

Dude looks his age when he plays the Flyers.  

[King Knut]

2 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

 

Alex Ovechkin had no points through four games against the Flyers.

 

 

The other thing that I'll point out about this thread's premise (not to pile on and not that added scoring isn't nice) but the team that scares me the most in the Metro right now is the Islanders. 

 

Not only do they not have a big gun, but they have significantly fewer goals for than the flyers and a much worse differential than the Flyers.  Trotz just has good instincts against the Flyers system.

 

Or at least he did.  The other thing I'll say about the Islanders is that the Flyers weren't where they are now the first two times they played.  Their goal differential in the last two months (since the road trip from hell over Christmas) has been through the roof.  That last game against the Islanders was some pretty pi$$ poor goaltending in the first if I recall correctly.  Trotz has just had the Flyers number this year, but the last game looked like the Flyers started to take that number back.  

 

Let's hope so.  We see them again real soon and it's quite possible we'll draw them in the PO's.

 

 

 

[radoran]

1 hour ago, King Knut said:

 

The other thing that I'll point out about this thread's premise (not to pile on and not that added scoring isn't nice) but the team that scares me the most in the Metro right now is the Islanders. 

 

Not only do they not have a big gun, but they have significantly fewer goals for than the flyers and a much worse differential than the Flyers.  Trotz just has good instincts against the Flyers system.

 

Or at least he did.  The other thing I'll say about the Islanders is that the Flyers weren't where they are now the first two times they played.  Their goal differential in the last two months (since the road trip from hell over Christmas) has been through the roof.  That last game against the Islanders was some pretty pi$$ poor goaltending in the first if I recall correctly.  Trotz has just had the Flyers number this year, but the last game looked like the Flyers started to take that number back.  

 

Let's hope so.  We see them again real soon and it's quite possible we'll draw them in the PO's.

 

Flyers are getting scoring from up and down the lineup. Teams are hard to play against when you're getting that sort of production.

 

IMO, the Islanders are getting a bit exposed. They're 2-6-2 in their last 10 and have lost four in a row. Their goal differential has dropped considerably from where it was when they were #3 in the division.

 

Still could be a tough out in the playoffs, but not if the Flyers keep playing the way they are.

[King Knut]

19 hours ago, radoran said:

 

Flyers are getting scoring from up and down the lineup. Teams are hard to play against when you're getting that sort of production.

 

IMO, the Islanders are getting a bit exposed. They're 2-6-2 in their last 10 and have lost four in a row. Their goal differential has dropped considerably from where it was when they were #3 in the division.

 

Still could be a tough out in the playoffs, but not if the Flyers keep playing the way they are.

 

Looking at the minutes last night, on the second half of a back to back against a playoff desperate team, the Flyers rolled 4 lines as evenly as they have all year and they still won 4-1.   

 

The Flyers also lead the league in Defensive scoring which is crazy considering Ghost isn't playing and wasn't playing well when he was.  

 

Their goal differential is now 3rd in the league ( of course 1 and 2 in the league are in the Atlantic so there's that). 

 

Having a 50 goal scorer would be nice, but I'd much rather have the situation we do now than sacrificing the full team playing and skating the way it is for the sake of one seriously elite scoring threat.  

 

Now JVR is out essentially until the playoffs, which isn't ideal.  But this team has the depth to pull a Farabee out of the minors to slot in.  

 

They've already had to replace 2 top 6 players in Patrick and Lindblom and now thanks to Fletches depth moves, can pull on a fantastic rookie with 50 games of NHL experience to fill that third top 6 injury.  

 

Look at what's happened to the BJ's Rangers and Hurricanes due to injuries to a few key guys and what might happen to the Bolts with Stammer out for a long stretch.  This organization has done a very impressive job of acquiring and developing the skill to play this way late in the season.

 

Not that I want to lose ANY more guys!  

 

GOD FORBID

 

 

 

 

[King Knut]

19 hours ago, radoran said:

 

Flyers are getting scoring from up and down the lineup. Teams are hard to play against when you're getting that sort of production.

 

IMO, the Islanders are getting a bit exposed. They're 2-6-2 in their last 10 and have lost four in a row. Their goal differential has dropped considerably from where it was when they were #3 in the division.

 

Still could be a tough out in the playoffs, but not if the Flyers keep playing the way they are.

 

I don't know about the Islanders.  I'd love it if they didn't make the dance somehow.  I know they're getting a bit exposed now, but something about the bugs me.  some teams aren't necessarily very good, but for whatever reason, they can match up well against what should be a much better team overall.  I think Trotz is smart enough to know how to exploit the Flyers and take advantage of them... BRIEFLY.  

 

He knows how to play to disadvantages system wise and inertia wise I think.  If the Flyers had played the Isles instead of the Canes last night, I'm fairly sure Trotz would have been better able to take advantage of their exhaustion and the limited roles of the top lines/pairings.  I think that's just the kind of coach he is.  

 

I also think that in a 7 game series, AV and the Flyers overall depth and skill and skating take the Islanders...  I kinda just don't want to have to spend that kind of energy in an early round if they don't have to.  Then again, maybe it would better prepare them for a round 2 against the Penguins or Caps.  

 

As an aside, the other thing I'm noticing about this team (and which they're noticing about themselves) is that they are extremely well conditioned.   I keep seeing  (and having it confirmed in interviews after the game) that the other team just can't keep up towards the end of the game.  

 

That's definitely a new thing for these cats too!

 

 

 

[radoran]

2 minutes ago, King Knut said:

Having a 50 goal scorer would be nice, but I'd much rather have the situation we do now than sacrificing the full team playing and skating the way it is for the sake of one seriously elite scoring threat.  

 

Having multiple 10+ and 20+ scorers is always a Good Thing.

 

2 minutes ago, King Knut said:

Look at what's happened to the BJ's Rangers and Hurricanes due to injuries to a few key guys and what might happen to the Bolts with Stammer out for a long stretch. 

 

The Blue Jackets have six guys on IR including Atkinson, Dubinsky, and Jones - not to mention being gutted in free agency. Take out Konecny, Hayes, and Provorov (not perfect comparisions) and see where the Flyers are... Jackets are still miraculously in a wild card spot.

 

The Rangers (who were/are smoke and mirrors IMO) have one guy on IR right now (Michael "who?" Haley).

 

The Canes lost both of their goalies in the same game. Pesce and Vantanen are respectable players, but they're not the reason the Canes are in a tailspin. Imagine the Flyers without Hart and Elliott.

 

The Bolts still have a 30+ goal scorer, a 25-goal scorer, 23-goal scorer, two more at 15+, and three more 10+. Flyers have 24, 23, 22, 19, 3 10+. I'm not sure Tampa's going into a tailspin without Stamkos.

 

9 minutes ago, King Knut said:

I also think that in a 7 game series, AV and the Flyers overall depth and skill and skating take the Islanders...  I kinda just don't want to have to spend that kind of energy in an early round if they don't have to.  Then again, maybe it would better prepare them for a round 2 against the Penguins or Caps.  

 

First place, they get a wild card (Jackets/Isles/Canes/Rags) and certainly should be favored. 2 or 3 and (at this point) they get the Pens or Caps.

 

10 minutes ago, King Knut said:

As an aside, the other thing I'm noticing about this team (and which they're noticing about themselves) is that they are extremely well conditioned.   I keep seeing  (and having it confirmed in interviews after the game) that the other team just can't keep up towards the end of the game.  

 

Get a lead early and hold it and the ice is decidedly titled in your favor. Teams playing catch up are typically blown at the end of games.

 

Flyers are clicking on all cylinders right now. If that keeps up, they'll be a tough out. I like their chances in the Metro at this point especially if they face the wild card and then get the survivor of Pens/Caps. That said, Pens and Caps are playoff-tested groups. Boston and/or Tampa could be a real challenge in a Conference Final. Both are 50+ in goal differential and have something to prove.

 

Make the playoffs and win a round and see where they are.

[King Knut]

14 minutes ago, radoran said:

The Blue Jackets have six guys on IR including Atkinson, Dubinsky, and Jones - not to mention being gutted in free agency. Take out Konecny, Hayes, and Provorov (not perfect comparisions) and see where the Flyers are... Jackets are still miraculously in a wild card spot.

 

As much as I hate to say it, because he is annoying AF with the refs and all his whining and complaining every game in the face of absurd BD, Torts is a decent coach. 

 

14 minutes ago, radoran said:

 

The Rangers (who were/are smoke and mirrors IMO) have one guy on IR right now (Michael "who?" Haley).

 

 

 

 I agree with you on smoke and mirrors, but I thought it was enough smoke and mirrors to screw things up for the other teams fighting for a wild card (especially after Jones and Atkinson and Carolina's goalies went down).  That said, they lost the goalie who gotten them into that position due to the car accident.  He might be back before the end of the season.  Then they lost Kreider while playing us for an indefinite amount of time.     When you're smoke and mirrors, you lose 2 of the three mirrors the smoke dissipates I guess. 

12 minutes ago, radoran said:

The Canes lost both of their goalies in the same game. Pesce and Vantanen are respectable players, but they're not the reason the Canes are in a tailspin. Imagine the Flyers without Hart and Elliott.

 

The goalies are the key players on Carolina to which I was referring

 

12 minutes ago, radoran said:

Flyers are clicking on all cylinders right now. If that keeps up, they'll be a tough out. I like their chances in the Metro at this point especially if they face the wild card and then get the survivor of Pens/Caps. That said, Pens and Caps are playoff-tested groups. Boston and/or Tampa could be a real challenge in a Conference Final. Both are 50+ in goal differential and have something to prove.

 

The Pens Caps series have been brutal on both teams in the past.  If they can beat each other up for two weeks, I'm very happy with that.  This is why I believe the Flyers are so zoned in on winning Home Ice.  Not that they fear either team, because I don't think they do, but because they know it's simply to their advantage to not have to play both.