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Finished last in conf. Facts don’t back that up
The Flyers finished last in the league in 06-07 by 11 points and made the conference finals the next year. That’s not going to happen this year, but I just mention it in passing. In 24-25, MTL improved 15 points and OTT improved 19 points over 23-24.
The Flyers will be significantly better this year. Do you think they’ll be worse? How come?
None of that has any bearing on you saying: The rest of the conference sucks worse than the Flyers.
Please define significantly better.
They may be marginally better. From 4th worse to 8th. Is that really progress?
There are five teams in the conference that are already playoff locks: FLA, CAR, TOR, WSH, TB. The Flyers are light years away from being better than those teams. The rest of the conference is not that great. MTL, on paper, looks improved. NYR will get a boost from roster moves and Sullivan . . . or not. OTT ran a nice end season hot streak into the playoffs. NJ isn’t the team of the future as some predicted. The rest of the conference sucks worse than the Flyers.
r
Unfortunately, the Flyers offered no proof of that last season.
Finished last in conf. Facts don’t back that up
Top 100 drafted NHL prospects ranking: Schaefer, Misa, Demidov lead Wheeler’s summer 2025 list
Martone ranked #9 (4th-best from ’25 draft)
Bonk ranked #45 (Perreault ranked #13)
Luchanko ranked #54 (Buium ranked #5)- Top-10
#1 Schaefer
#2 Misa
#3 Demidov
#4 Parekh
#5 Buium
#6 Dickinson
#7 Levshunov
#8 Hagens
#9 Martone
#10 Cattonseeing how bad the flyers have been over the years. word is they only have 3 in the top 100. that isnt all that good. any idea what the rest of the teams in the division look like.
1.the flyers need to add top end talent. first and foremost. once again the flyers are chasing their tail trying to emulate the current trend. Their is no payoff and wont be for years, if at all.
2. they still need a goalie. there is likely to be no payoff with vlader. not addressed in my eye.
3. they didnt and their is no payoff. they added a fn 6/7th dman at best.
4. agree.
5. doesn’t matter at this stage.
6. there is no logjam at center in any way.
1. Well, yeah but that doesn’t happen in one off season. The hope is obviously they added two TE talents in Zegras and Martone and already have three in Konecny, Michkov and Sanheim. I think a player can also be a top end talent in his role which can expand the definition a little. Cup winners have that.
2. We can just hope for the best that Vladar delivers what they need. His numbers don’t look bad except for games played. The Flyers might need him for 50 games. It is what it is now.
3. Todd Rierden will turn them all into Norris candidates. He’s that good a coach. What else can I say there?
4. What???!!!
5. When you’re trying to win hockey games in the best league in the world, every aspect of game play matters.
6. There’s already speculation from credible sources somebody will have to flip to wing. You heard it first from me here but scoffed. That’s without penciling in Luchanko and Nesbitt. There’s still a good chance Luchanko gets some games in this year. Nesbitt, of course, is a good two years away.
Pre-season optimism tells me the Flyers could be a bubble team and with some breaks sneak in. Only 91 points got teams in last year, so adding 15 points gets them there. On the down side, it usually takes 95-96 points to get in. The bottom of the conference sagged badly last year and the very top teams scooped up more points than usual. Lots of confounding factors. I just want to see entertaining hockey this year.
1. zegras is not top end talent and marone hasn tplayed 1 nhl game as of yet. jumpong the gun a tad. hope and “ifs” the flyers mantra
2. vlader’s past play shows he is unlikley to deliver.
3. next brad shaw.
5. whats more important, developing zegras as a top 6 center or winning a few more games? not sayin dont use ex selke or dvorak in some situations. let zegras do it. see if he can handle it as better to fin out now than next season.
6. again no logjam at all. dvorak will likely play wing more than cates.
you say only need to make up 15 points or a tad more. they would have to pass 8 teams. you also dont accpunt for other teams being better. playoffs are an unrealistic goal imo.
i knew it after i hit submit.
sausage and cheese
ty, friend.
i should mention that i hit johnny longhots one more time for the what really is the ultimate test of a place like this. i got one of the roast pork sandwiches. i went with the yo adrian. that has roasted peppers, broccoli rabe, and sharp provolone.
i don’t know about the other locations (apparently there are a few in other towns) but i can definitely vouch for this one in Voorhees. all very good sandwiches so far. another cool feature of this place is that all of the sausage, pepper, and onion sandwiches can also be ordered as meatball sandwiches instead of sausage, in case you’re dating a medigan or something. those are called the philly jawns
next up, one of the hot south philly cutlet sandwiches (your choice of chicken or eggplant).
Veal cutlet. Despise peeps who order chicken parm
Peeps just need to trust flahr and his drafting. His track record speaks for itself. Danny ain’t no fool.
Need to see it all play out in a few years. Hopefully they won’t need another new era of orange. Speaking of which wonder who may be in line to be the next GM from any in house candidates.
– yes it can be developed. that is why it is important to let zegras take the majority of the draws. let him learn on the job to improve. potential short term pain for long term gain. would that not be best for the future?
– its pretty obvious the path the flyers are on? do tell.
– Yes I want reasonably accurate prediction for what the flyers are going to do. again do tell.
You’ve already gotten several and are now pretending you weren’t critical of each of them at the time.
1. Flyers need to get bigger and stronger. Payoff: The draft and not tendering Pelletier.
2. Flyers need a goalie. Payoff: Signed Vladar. I’m not thrilled with this, but they did address it.
3. Need to upgrade the Dmen. Payoff: Again, not thrilled with the end result, but they did add there.
4. Need to fill holes at center. Payoff: Zegras trade and Dvorak signing.
5. Need centers who can win faceoffs. Payoff: Dvorak again.
6. An impending logjam at center might cause a center to be flipped to wing. Payoff: Now a few observers, not named FlyerFrank, are discussing this. I’ve been suggesting it since this board opened.
Unless something falls into Briere’s lap, this is the team that goes to camp and opens the season.
Anything else?
lets address each point.
1.the flyers need to add top end talent. first and foremost. once again the flyers are chasing their tail trying to emulate the current trend. Their is no payoff and wont be for years, if at all.
2. they still need a goalie. there is likely to be no payoff with vlader. not addressed in my eye.
3. they didnt and their is no payoff. they added a fn 6/7th dman at best.
4. agree.
5. doesn’t matter at this stage.
6. there is no logjam at center in any way.
yes this is the team. Do you see it being a playoff team? do you really see much progress being made to help them become contenders in god knows how many years. how many on this roster will be here in 4 years?
Mentioned that above. Though id Zegras is a long term fit at center he will need to improve and take those face offs.
That can be developed but Dvorak and Couturier are both really good on the draw right now. Cates is sub-.500 at the dot too. I’ve been suggesting a Cates flip to wing was in the offing since before Dvorak was signed. It’s pretty obvious the path the Flyers are following and, in general, it’s the correct one based on their current composition. You want a reasonably accurate prediction for what the Flyers are going to do, just ask.
– yes it can be developed. that is why it is important to let zegras take the majority of the draws. let him learn on the job to improve. potential short term pain for long term gain. would that not be best for the future?
– its pretty obvious the path the flyers are on? do tell.
– Yes I want reasonably accurate prediction for what the flyers are going to do. again do tell.
The likeliest scenario is that Tocchet will do a lot of experimentation in training camp and early in the regular season. Zegras may primarily play center but he may also periodically take shifts on wing. Ditto Cates for different reasons.
Zegras gets every shot at center. Cates could fill the Jochen Hecht/Ville Leino role on left wing the way those guys did for Briere when he was creating offense down near the goal line. Third man stays high. That’s Cates. Getting to suddenly play on a line with guys like Zegras and Michkov and jack his own scoring numbers will ease any pain. Cates and Dvorak are both too good to not be Top 9 guys on this team.
I could also see Dvorak ending up on Zegras’ wing with Michkov. Taking all the faceoffs but allowing Zegras to “play the position”. Its good to have options.
Mentioned that above. Though id Zegras is a long term fit at center he will need to improve and take those face offs.
This would be a good time to allow him to learn on the job as the flyers are not going anywhere. Can’t get frustrated as jsut let him play. Will the coach do that?
Cap space matters but I can see the Flyers getting a 3rd round pick for Dvorak at the deadline if they don’t eat any cap for the rest of the season, maybe a conditional 2nd from a bona fide contender (AKA a late second-rounder) that is willing to overpay to take a run at the Cup. Big centers who can score a few goals in the playoffs and also kill penalties tend to draw overpayments as rentals.
Exactly. Maybe a 2nd if he has a good year. He does the kinds of things that help teams win. I did think adding Dvorak to solve this need was a bit of overkill compared to the underwhelming adds in goal and on D. I’m curious how it will fit together and am looking forward to the season.
He hasnt helped teams wins based on his high total of playoff games …
Maybe they use him on wing and take face offs
Dvorak- Zegras- mmCap space matters but I can see the Flyers getting a 3rd round pick for Dvorak at the deadline if they don’t eat any cap for the rest of the season, maybe a conditional 2nd from a bona fide contender (AKA a late second-rounder) that is willing to overpay to take a run at the Cup. Big centers who can score a few goals in the playoffs and also kill penalties tend to draw overpayments as rentals.
Better chance they re-sign him if he has a good year ….
Sorry… my screw up. I messed up the take-effect for the new rule. I’ll chalk it up to lack of sleep this week.
To correct myself: the new AHL rule would take effect in 2026-27, along with the rest of the CBA.
I am deleting the blog itself.
Mistake on the blog or not, I am glad to see that the new CBA will have this clause. I understand the CHL wants and needs to make money and in order to do that there have to be “star” players in the league to sell tickets. I think the CHL is seeing the writing on the wall with more and more players going the college route and losing those players anyway.
I never thought the 20 year old rule was fair to certain 19 year old players who are in that tweener stage of their development. Too good for the CHL but not yet strong or mature physically enough for the NHL. (Its not about talent so much IMO) It stunts their growth, and I think players go the college route because it is becoming a better league than juniors, at least in terms of player physicality and maturity.
So this is another “exceptional status” designation for players, only on the tail end of the Junior career instead of early. 1 player seems like a good compromise. At most its 32 players league wide, but we all know that wont happen.
Wonder how many with exceptional junior status carved out an nhl career.
