Extreme Philly Sports Forum

Just wondering which NHL team has the best players in the WJC. Some of us are biased for or against the Flyers. But excluding our team what club has the most promise?
 

I love how people are acting as if Errson isn't the ONLY reason why we're not in 1st place right now.

I insult hot garbage when comparing it to Errson.

Good morning and Happy New Year Kruck!
I agree that Sam is a big reason but not the only one. I think MM as I said will do much better after the Olympic break as he will be on a regular schedule for conditioning. People think that you can easily catch up during the season but if you start a few steps behind it will take time. You can improve somewhat but with the schedule you will be behind everyone else. I used to play tennis semi pro and during tournaments I would feel run down as my regular schedule was disrupted. I played both single and doubles. I know after I was either eliminated from the singles or doubles I would do better in the remaining matches. I know some will say it is not the same thing as playing pro-sports but the human body is the human body, and it reacts to the proper cycle of exercise and rest.
Beside the need for a better backup goaltender where do you see other areas that could be improved? I hear they are working on a contract extension with Dvorak what are your thoughts about that. I want them to do it but for no more than 3 years the money they are talking about will be easy to fit with the cap increase and toward the end the rules make buyouts easy if you do not have several players to buyout. If the team gets a good replacement center he should be easy to move in a trade to work the cap. You never know what the true value is with a trade as we only have rumors but the rumors I hear is that the team could get a late first round pick if the team moved him at the trade deadline. I believe the plan was to move him, Tippet, and Vladar at the trade deadline if the team was selling not in a position to make the playoffs. I would still look to move Tippet as he gets a no trade after this year I believe. IMHO has been too inconsistent. I'm not sure of his value in a trade but the team has players like Martone next year that can fill his spot. 

37. Pages too much to get to be able to post new so thought I would start a new thread for the new year.

My observations:
- Darth V is so much better than advertised. Will he be able to keep it up the entire year? Who knows?  We need a steady second goalie Swiss cheese Sam is not it. Trotting him out there every fourth or fifth day is similar to the Phillies trotting out Walker. You just know the team will be deflated before the game even starts.
- Offense has played faster than I thought. I had assumed that RT would install a mucking and grinding offensive game plan, but they flow much faster than typical M&G. I like that he wants them to play two way hockey because best defense starts when you’re on the offensive side of the FO circle.
- Drysdale has really stepped up. He’s still young and I hope he stays relatively injury free. He’s turned into a good first line Defender and the other young D players are doing well.
- the veterans are weighing down, not just a cap, but also your ability to play even more of an offensive game. DB we’ll have some decisions to make by the deadline.
- Speaking of DB, Zegras was a great pick up. Dvorak also a great pick up. Some of the youth, like Bobby Brink, are playing well.  Need some more youth to come up from the phantoms and make positive contributions as winter turns into spring.

Happy new year!

Happy New Year to you and all of the other posters here both positive and negative view are appreciated as it is more interesting. I get tired of only comments that are one sided. I currently am welcoming in the new year with my frozen family of nomads. Our heating system went out Sunday and the company that installed the system has it under warranty, and we pay them to service it. They said they needed a part that would have to be ordered they insisted that they would do their best to get it installed but with the holiday schedule there could be a delay. Well, here it is 4 days later, and we are still staying with our children. We love them and our grandchildren but guests like fish they say starts to stink after 4 days. So, I am hiding out in my office back in my home with the space heater getting work done and enjoying these posts from you and others.
I agree with your view of the goaltending. That is the biggest difference between last year and now. Even last night with Sam playing it felt like the team was not as engaged as they were the night before with Darth V as you call him!
Jamie Drysdale has improved greatly this year. Some have a negative view of him due to the trade that got him here. He needs to be judged as a player not as a comparison of what we gave up.  I really felt that the needs were Goaltending, a number one center and a number one defenseman. Jamie is still not there but he is developing and maybe a true number one next year. So, the only top 3 need is number one center. I'm not saying that the other positions are good enough to compete, but changes will happen there as well.
Which vets are you referring to as weighing them down? I know DB should make changes as next year I see at least 4 prospects replacing some of the team. The four that I believe have a shot are Martone, Kruck's favorite Jett L, Oliver Bonk and Alex Bump. But I can easily see Jack Berglund making the team. Which vets do you see as being best to remove?
So stay warm and have a great day!

The key will be whether MM comes around and not just in points but his body language on the bench. Earlier in the season it wasn’t too good.  Being taken publicly to the woodshed by the captain wasn’t good at all.  These last five games or so he’s played more freely and his body language on the bench is improved.  Last night, I even saw him joking or at least sharing words with a smile after his very good play where we smack down the pocket controlled it and fed a great pass to score.

Another key will be what DB does at the deadline. If he sells then it’ll be very disappointing if he buys he better buy, smart and not be forced by ownership to pull an Adam Oates type move. This team is not a cup contender, but it can be dangerous to actual contenders if management does the right things.

Did you see the interview with Coots? I did and from my view saying he is improving, doing better at playing the right way and he is not cheating as much now is not disparaging. My understanding is that MM to be effective will always cheat to be in a good position to rush up ice. But he does not have to be positioned as far up ice as he was earlier and he corrected that. I know the interview was after another game that MM went offsides in overtime and a goal was called off then Coots going to the bench made a face of displeasure. I am sure he was upset and probably at MM but I would be more concerned he did not feal that way. In my life my children know my wife and me love them but when they do something wrong we do not smile we give the look.
I do agree with you about MM's body language. He started the year off being out of shape and it takes a while to get where he needs to be. The break during the Olympics will be a good chance for him to work on his conditioning. I look forward to see how he plays after that break.

Losing Gauthier in part to Torts was nonsensical

And yes, he was a factor

I totally agree and we will never know how many moves that DB tried were affected by him being the coach. There was at least one trade that the player refused to come here that was a done deal except the player refused. I was very surprised at the time as the player was just included for salary purposes, and the Flyers would have received a good draft pick. The player stated that he did not want to disrupt his family move here taking his children out of their school. We will never know what his attitude toward players really cost. It seems that RT is a little more well liked.

The Cates-Brinks-MM line is growing on me.

I don't see why we need to upgrade our defense.

A number 1 defenseman plays more minutes than the other players usually about 28 minutes per night. From a cost to value perspective getting a top-of-the-line player like Quin Hughes even if their contract is about 12 million per year is still a good value IMHO. Not many out there. But in the draft this year several potential picks could turn into a top d-man. Currently we will be picking too far back to get one but every year some player drops if they get injured close to the draft or something comes out about them that makes other GM's nervous. DB should be bold and take a chance if someone starts to drop. I know in the past the team has favored steady play over flashy skilled d-men we have enough of this type I would like a bigger version of Jamie Drysdale.
I saw an article that several free agents from Russia would be available to sign this summer. Having MM on the team should have a positive effect on convincing a player or two about coming over. I cannot remember the name of the player they were talking about but he was a center that had great stats in their league over a point and a half per game. The article was saying Toronto, and the Rangers were very interested DB and the scouts over there should be perusing this as center is the number one weakness. The free agent group in the NHL has dried up on top talent and the remaining ones will probably be overpaid and want the last of the eight-year contracts. I really dislike 8-year deal as the players getting them are usually so old that the end years you are paying top money for an older player. This year is the last of the 8 year deals the most after this year is 7 which is a little better.

It's a sports forum board. We're sports fans. Are you suggesting if we don't have anything nice to say, we shouldn't say at all?

No but the over-the-top stuff is getting crazy. This forum has taken a turn to a much darker side. Passion is good but some of the comments are crossing a line. So many posters have left as things have become crazy. I enjoy a variety of opinions I do not enjoy hearing the same old complaints every day.