Can the Flyers FEED of this championship fever? That "IS" the question!
- Thread starter TheGLOV
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Nope. If their top 6 forwards aren’t scoring, they don’t win. Their defense has improved over last year, but they need either more consistent scoring from the bottom 6 forwards, a shut down goalie, or even better defense (probably two of those) to be serious contenders.
really struggling of late. I'm a fan, but I dont like their chances. Now the Sixers, that's another story!!
Flyers are better than last year and at least they started to play decent. Giroux at forward seems to have worked. Ghost rebounded. Some of the young guys are getting better. But doubt they win first round unless their Goalie has a great series and they get a little lucky.
I agree. The Sixers are playing well and if they can survive a round without Embiid who knows. There doesn't appear to be a lock this year though Golden State is as close as it gets. Like the man said, "That's why they play the games."
I think this is probably a better Flyers team than the one that gave the Caps a scare in the first round a few years ago, I don’t have any confidence at all in the coach to effectively use the talent he has in a playoff series.
Could they get hot in the playoffs if Brian Elliott comes back hot from injury and Giroux continues to play like the MVP into April? Yeah, but I think that could really only result in them taking a series or two. If everything goes perfectly, they could potentially make a run to the ECF, but I don’t think this is a true championship-contending team as long as MacDonald and Manning are getting significant defensive minutes and as long as Hakstol is putting the team in poor situations. They’re close, though.
Could they get hot in the playoffs if Brian Elliott comes back hot from injury and Giroux continues to play like the MVP into April? Yeah, but I think that could really only result in them taking a series or two. If everything goes perfectly, they could potentially make a run to the ECF, but I don’t think this is a true championship-contending team as long as MacDonald and Manning are getting significant defensive minutes and as long as Hakstol is putting the team in poor situations. They’re close, though.
after the 10 game losing streak, losing the top 2 goalies for significant time, and knowing how many first or second year players are getting legit ice time, i'm ok with just making the playoffs. anything after that is icing on the cake. their best hockey is end of 1, maybe 2 years away.
expectation management
also, I just love watching travis konecny play hockey...
expectation management
also, I just love watching travis konecny play hockey...
Carter Hart is going to play his way into being their starting goalie by next year's playoffs. This year's team is very streaky and seems to play their best hockey against the toughest opponents. I like them to knock off with the caps or guins in the first round, but that may be it. Add Frost, Hart, Myers/Morin in the next year and they are really going to be a team.
I think the Flyers are 2 years out from being a force to be reckoned with in the east. None of the goalies currently on the roster is capable of doing more than stealing one round in the playoffs, at most. As bmw mentioned, Carter Hart is likely the answer in net but at least a year away. Also, the depth on the roster is lacking especially on D having 2-3 borderline NHL defensemen in the lineup most nights and youth/inexperience across the rest of the roster. Good news is the young guys are showing tremendous improvement and the prospect pipeline is loaded with 2 more mid-1st round picks upcoming this year.
More good news is 13M coming off the books this year (Filppula, Read, Lecavalier, probably Mrazek) and 15M next year when Provorov, Konecny and Sanheim come off rookie contracts which means a few key pieces possibly added via free agency.
I'm not as bullish on Morin and Myers, or Hagg for that matter. If one of those three winds up being a top-4 defenseman that's a win. Very excited about Frost, Isaac Ratcliffe and the upside of Nolan Patrick and Oskar Lindblom.
I'm not sure if Hakstol is the guy. He's made some good moves lineup-wise (Couturier on first line, splitting Giroux and Voracek) but his in-game coaching is baffling at times. Simmonds on the ice at the end of regulation on Sunday was a head-scratcher..
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