Observations, Odds and Ends

[wbon22]

Has anyone noticed that every player who had to take maintenance days was actually injured?

Defense:
Considering that Gudas' has a bad knee and looked slower as the game wore on against the Kings I fully expect him to be out in the near future. Medvedev's play has been uneven. His level of play during the pre season was much higher than he has shown since the season started. Schultz is starting to look worn down and over extended. Del Zotto has been a poor shadow of the player he was last season. He seems to not have the confidence that he will get there and his shot looks hesitant. Manning has looked good at times and over matched at times. Ghost has been a breath of fresh air. His speed and shot from the point in the two games hint at his long term impact. He has to play under control and his minutes really need to be better managed than they were against the Kings. Luke Schenn has been Luke Schenn. He has his limits at times but works hard. With the right partner in the right role he still could be a valuable part to a teams defense.

Forward:
Giroux has been Giroux. He looks amazing at times. Frustratingly incomplete at times. His work in the face off circle has been amazing. He still has a tendency to coast on the back check at times. Jake has played as well as he did last year without the points. When you play at that level, the points will come. Raffl bangs, back checks and scraps into scoring position. B Schenn continues to tease with his talent but he has never had more than three games at a time at that level. His back checking play alone could/should have gotten him benched. Couter looks very good against very good teams and very average against average teams. Read does not seem to be the same player he was before t he high ankle injury. I don't know why. Umberger is finished. Vandy, Bellmare and White make the team worth watching when teamed together. They work hard and go to the dirty places.

Goal:
It is a toss up. Both Mason and Neuvirth have shown signs that they are capable of great things. Mason has not completely rounded into form.

In two games Ghost and Leier have increased the interest in this team by multiples. They add energy. They add enthusiasm.

This team has giant issues. Off ice there is clearly something brewing. On ice...when they all show up and give 100% they can compete against any team. When they don't...they are not even mediocre. The issues on the blue line alone make any thought of the playoffs nearly laughable. The only hope is that Hagg, Alt or Morin get called up because of another injury and get a chance to get some NHL minutes.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Pretty accurate synopsis of this team - there are parts of this team that look real good and other parts not so much - I think with a young coach like Dave Hakstol, now that we've seen Ghost play well the first two games that maybe it won't be such a bad thing to give a young guy here and there more of an opportunity - it might be easier for a coach like him because he can relate more to those young players

The Flyers will be a team that will make people pull their hair out because some nights they'll look good and other nights they will look like the worst team in the league - people will have to deal with that for right now because the pieces aren't completely there, but hopefully it comes around

 

[Maverick426h]

You have to like the last two games since Ghost and Leier were called up. There's more jump all over the ice, the compete level is there in puck battles, the power play is improving, Voracek has a goal and we're no longer getting outshot badly each time out.

Ghost is pretty unreal to watch, I have to say. The kid has very good instincts really all over the ice. Even just when he lofts the puck out of our zone, it seems to land right near a teammate and spring the offense. Occasionally he makes a questionable play defensively, but he darts back into position to make up for it. Offensively, he is a game changer with his speed, skating ability and shot.

This is random, but G won 24 of 28 faceoffs against the Kings. That might be some kind of a record. Either way, I thought we could've won both games in regulation. So, not only is the team fun to watch, they are really hustling and that's what we want to see. It's going to pay major dividends moving forward if we can keep that up.

 

[Cobiemonster]

You have to like the last two games since Ghost and Leier were called up. There's more jump all over the ice, the compete level is there in puck battles, the power play is improving, Voracek has a goal and we're no longer getting outshot badly each time out.

Ghost is pretty unreal to watch, I have to say. The kid has very good instincts really all over the ice. Even just when he lofts the puck out of our zone, it seems to land right near a teammate and spring the offense. Occasionally he makes a questionable play defensively, but he darts back into position to make up for it. Offensively, he is a game changer with his speed, skating ability and shot.

This is random, but G won 24 of 28 faceoffs against the Kings. That might be some kind of a record. Either way, I thought we could've won both games in regulation. So, not only is the team fun to watch, they are really hustling and that's what we want to see. It's going to pay major dividends moving forward if we can keep that up.

He's had a few games like that before - his faceoffs are as good as anyone in the league - it really is

 

[lasgop8]

Has anyone noticed that every player who had to take maintenance days was actually injured?

Defense:
Considering that Gudas' has a bad knee and looked slower as the game wore on against the Kings I fully expect him to be out in the near future. Medvedev's play has been uneven. His level of play during the pre season was much higher than he has shown since the season started. Schultz is starting to look worn down and over extended. Del Zotto has been a poor shadow of the player he was last season. He seems to not have the confidence that he will get there and his shot looks hesitant. Manning has looked good at times and over matched at times. Ghost has been a breath of fresh air. His speed and shot from the point in the two games hint at his long term impact. He has to play under control and his minutes really need to be better managed than they were against the Kings. Luke Schenn has been Luke Schenn. He has his limits at times but works hard. With the right partner in the right role he still could be a valuable part to a teams defense.

Forward:
Giroux has been Giroux. He looks amazing at times. Frustratingly incomplete at times. His work in the face off circle has been amazing. He still has a tendency to coast on the back check at times. Jake has played as well as he did last year without the points. When you play at that level, the points will come. Raffl bangs, back checks and scraps into scoring position. B Schenn continues to tease with his talent but he has never had more than three games at a time at that level. His back checking play alone could/should have gotten him benched. Couter looks very good against very good teams and very average against average teams. Read does not seem to be the same player he was before t he high ankle injury. I don't know why. Umberger is finished. Vandy, Bellmare and White make the team worth watching when teamed together. They work hard and go to the dirty places.

Goal:
It is a toss up. Both Mason and Neuvirth have shown signs that they are capable of great things. Mason has not completely rounded into form.

In two games Ghost and Leier have increased the interest in this team by multiples. They add energy. They add enthusiasm.

This team has giant issues. Off ice there is clearly something brewing. On ice...when they all show up and give 100% they can compete against any team. When they don't...they are not even mediocre. The issues on the blue line alone make any thought of the playoffs nearly laughable. The only hope is that Hagg, Alt or Morin get called up because of another injury and get a chance to get some NHL minutes.

This post is spot on except for Couts to me he just looks average or below average against all teams. Excellent assessment of this team great post.

 

[chy1127]

Medvedev was playing with a concussion. He came back against the Caps, was concussed again in the 1st period and played the remainder of the game. They better teach him to say in English "got my bell rung" before his career is cut short.