What's Changed for Surging Flyers?

[JBM73]

From ESPN Insider:

The Flyers' recent West Coast tour was successful in part because of two meetings that bookended the trip. In Edmonton, coach Craig Berube gathered his team before hitting the ice for practice. The Flyers were embarking on a six-game road trip with five of the games out West, where Eastern Conference teams have struggled all season. They wrap it up on Tuesday in New Jersey.

Making it worse, the Flyers' recent road performance before that meeting in Edmonton hadn’t pleased Berube. They were blown out by the Blue Jackets in Columbus on the Saturday before Christmas. The Capitals and Blackhawks also had impressive home wins at the Flyers' expense in December.

“We refocused,” Berube said of the meeting when we chatted Sunday afternoon, the same day the Flyers arrived home around 4 a.m. from Arizona. “We discussed about just making sure you’re playing smart and doing the little things, battling and playing good defense. The guys, they did that.”

It wasn’t just Berube who did the talking. Forward Claude Giroux, who has already overseen some tumultuous times in Philadelphia since earning the C in January 2013, spoke and shared specifics on what he wanted to see from the team.

“And guys have been doing it,” Berube said.

For most of the trip, anyway. The Flyers beat the Oilers in a shootout. They beat the Canucks in a shootout. They steamrolled the Flames, then dropped their only game of the trip in a 2-1 loss to the Avalanche on Thursday.

Then came Saturday night’s game in Glendale, Ariz. The Coyotes jumped out to an early lead, with Lauri Korpikoski’s backhand goal giving the Coyotes a 2-0 lead in the second period. That’s when Berube called a timeout and produced the second important team meeting of the trip. It was brief, public and abundantly clear. The Flyers still had work to do before they got on the team plane headed for home.

“We had one more game to win here,” Berube said, explaining his message. “We just looked sloppy. Not direct and not playing with a lot of passion. I just woke them up a little bit.”

The Flyers rallied to win Saturday's game 5-3, displaying a gift for resurrection that this team is beginning to unwrap. If they trailed earlier in the season, games were over, and the Flyers were toast. More recently, they have shown more resiliency and an ability to battle back in games. On this trip, they trailed against the Coyotes, Oilers and Canucks before recovering to win.

That comes with confidence.

“Two years ago, this team did a lot of that stuff -- coming from behind and winning hockey games,” Berube said. “I think they’ve got that swagger back. You’ve got to stay with it. You’ve got to keep working. Got to get better and better.”

Which takes us to this Monday’s first Next Question:

With the Flyers back in a playoff spot (No. 2 in the Metropolitan), will they remain in the top eight when the regular season ends?

First, let’s check a couple of things to figure out whether the Flyers are playing over their heads. The advanced stat PDO, which measures shooting and save percentage, is a solid indicator in assessing how much luck has factored into a team’s success. The Flyers' even-strength PDO is currently at 100 percent, which suggests they are at an appropriate level of the standings. They’ve been getting strong goaltending from Steve Mason this season, something Berube noted about his team’s improvement. Through Sunday, Mason has posted a .922 save percentage, which is still high but not unreasonably high. After a red-hot start, he cooled off in December with an .899 save percentage. In two January games, he’s at .917, which seems about right.

Berube’s focus initially was having the entire team concentrate on tightening things up defensively. He next turned to tweaks that have helped generate offense, aided by an improved power play and more production from guys like Giroux, Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds.

The penalty kill is among the top 10 in the league, which is a good sign for the Flyers, but below-average even-strength and power-play numbers overall remain a concern.

The Flyers are about on par with other average Eastern Conference teams like the Senators, Maple Leafs and Capitals. They’re probably a shade better than the Devils, Blue Jackets and Hurricanes. In the East, that could be enough.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Flyers are doing the necessary things in order to win now, and they're finally starting to win on the road now, which is important come later in the season in big games

 

[lasgop8]

Flyers defenseman started chipping in on the scoresheet is what sparked this turnaround

 

[FlyerFinFan]

I'll say they started to get in shape and skate and that is what eventually got them out of the team slump.

 

[JBM73]

From Bill Meltzer:

* One of the best pieces of coaching that I think Craig Berube has done so far this season was in publicly noting the failure of Flyers' forwards to do their part in the defensive zone in loss to Columbus where multiple Blue Jackets goals were scored off point shots. Ever since then, the Flyers have been doing a much better job of contesting the points and blocking down shots.

If you want to find one big reason why team has been on such a good penalty killing roll of late -- they have killed off 19 straight disadvantages over the last six games -- this is one of the most dramatic improvements the team has made of late. Other teams are having a tough time getting pucks on the net.

There's more to it than just that, of course. The club is also doing a good job at preventing opposing power plays from even getting set up in the first place.

 

[lasgop8]

There will be no wrong answer here as we have improved in every part of the game.

 

[FlyerFinFan]

Just glad some of the fans here aren't the owner of the team or Homer and most of the players would be gone right now! Heck even the owner would have been fired haha!

 

[banditshcky11]

Just glad some of the fans here aren't the owner of the team or Homer and most of the players would be gone right now! Heck even the owner would have been fired haha!

I've been guilty of emotional comments like that myself but at the same time I've been 1 of maybe 3 people on these boards who have championed the cause of picking an identity and building towards it. Right now the whole team is buying into the "lunch pail style, blue collar, hard nosed" defensive game the Chief wants and they're winning, I really don't think Berube gets enough credit for what he's really done with this team.

 

[awaz]

Just glad some of the fans here aren't the owner of the team or Homer and most of the players would be gone right now! Heck even the owner would have been fired haha!

 

[lasgop8]

Just glad some of the fans here aren't the owner of the team or Homer and most of the players would be gone right now! Heck even the owner would have been fired haha!

If the Flyers would just win 9 out of every 10 games you would never hear a negative comment on this board

 

[JBM73]

If the Flyers would just win 9 out of every 10 games you would never hear a negative comment on this board

If the Flyers would win another Cup at some point before I die you wouldn't hear a negative comment from me (and at my age that means it needs to be SOON. ). I'm not willing to settle for a "good" team. We've had almost 40 years of mostly "good". And ZERO Cups.

They're still not Cup contenders but yes, clearly blowing up the team would have been a bad idea. I was wrong. A few tweaks are still needed, though. I'd move Laughton right now in a heartbeat for a puck moving d-man or a potential sniper on the wing. Laughton has bust written all over him, his value is high right now, and we don't need another C. Yes, a bold prediction I know, but isn't that part of the fun of being a fan?

 

[lasgop8]

If the Flyers would win another Cup at some point before I die you wouldn't hear a negative comment from me (and at my age that means it needs to be SOON. ). I'm not willing to settle for a "good" team. We've had almost 40 years of mostly "good". And ZERO Cups.

They're still not Cup contenders but yes, clearly blowing up the team would have been a bad idea. I was wrong. A few tweaks are still needed, though. I'd move Laughton right now in a heartbeat for a puck moving d-man or a potential sniper on the wing. Laughton has bust written all over him, his value is high right now, and we don't need another C. Yes, a bold prediction I know, but isn't that part of the fun of being a fan?

I watched every Canadian Juniors game in the tourney and i wasnt impressed with him at all but what do i know i was ready to get rid of couts.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I think Giroux got back his mojo, that's probably been the biggest difference between now and earlier this season. Nicklas Grossmann has also really impressed me, I feel he's really stepped up his game this season. Wayne Simmonds has gotten a lot better at deflecting shots in front of the net and becoming a very complete player in front of the other team's net. Also props to Craig Berube for figuring out what Peter Laviolette couldn't (defense & goaltending).

 

[awaz]

If the Flyers would win another Cup at some point before I die you wouldn't hear a negative comment from me (and at my age that means it needs to be SOON. ). I'm not willing to settle for a "good" team. We've had almost 40 years of mostly "good". And ZERO Cups.

They're still not Cup contenders but yes, clearly blowing up the team would have been a bad idea. I was wrong. A few tweaks are still needed, though. I'd move Laughton right now in a heartbeat for a puck moving d-man or a potential sniper on the wing. Laughton has bust written all over him, his value is high right now, and we don't need another C. Yes, a bold prediction I know, but isn't that part of the fun of being a fan?

heh, bold indeed. but i guess we shall see!

 

[JBM73]

I have to admit my logic is simply that by far most players who have a real breakout season offensively in their last year of juniors (men playing against boys) very rarely have much offensive success in the NHL. Prior to this season Laughton was merely a point-per-game player in juniors, which was nothing spectacular. Will he be an NHL player? Yes, but as a 3rd/4th line type. My point is that if I'm right, you can get more value than that by trading him now while his value is high.

 

[Retroram52]

I think Berube has the right players combined on each line that, along with getting in shape, they are beginning to compliment each other with greater chemistry on many facets of the game.

 

[FlyerFinFan]

All in fun guys as we were all pulling our hair out but at the same time best to keep your cool when things are bad. That’s when bad trades happen! Definitely give props to Berube team D has been a key as well.

 

[awaz]

I have to admit my logic is simply that by far most players who have a real breakout season offensively in their last year of juniors (men playing against boys) very rarely have much offensive success in the NHL. Prior to this season Laughton was merely a point-per-game player in juniors, which was nothing spectacular. Will he be an NHL player? Yes, but as a 3rd/4th line type. My point is that if I'm right, you can get more value than that by trading him now while his value is high.

well your logic is sound through the first part i think.. i dont expect him to be a game-breaker offensively, but i also don't think there are that many NHL execs that expect a ton from him offensively.. he's projected as an energy guy with good-to-great defensive skills, that can still contribute offensively from time to time

my definition of success from him is if he turns in to a top 5-10, third line center, in the game. i kind of think of him as a jordan staal on the penguins type. most people considered him to be one of, if not the, best 3C in the league. anything more would be a bonus.

 

[FlyerFinFan]

well your logic is sound through the first part i think.. i dont expect him to be a game-breaker offensively, but i also don't think there are that many NHL execs that expect a ton from him offensively.. he's projected as an energy guy with good-to-great defensive skills, that can still contribute offensively from time to time

my definition of success from him is if he turns in to a top 5-10, third line center, in the game. i kind of think of him as a jordan staal on the penguins type. most people considered him to be one of, if not the, best 3C in the league. anything more would be a bonus.

I think they're hoping for a Richards clone.....which is quite possible and would be fantastic less the drinking of course haha!

 

[awaz]

I think they're hoping for a Richards clone.....which is quite possible and would be fantastic less the drinking of course haha!

I always said Richards was misused and was really just a world class 3rd liner