Since my last post, the Flyers have notched two confident wins, beating the Devils and Hurricanes 4-1 and 5-1 respectively. I take a few things from those wins.
-Secondary scoring. It was a very Ed Snider thing to do what he did 2 weeks ago; calling out individuals for not performing in the middle of a season. As the godfather of the Flyers, he does what he wants, even if other owners would never dare.
Most of the credit towards the Flyers improved recent play comes down to contributions from secondary lines, and specifically Simmonds, Couturier and Read. Is it a coincidence that those were the three guys Snider named? Since those comments; Simmonds has 5 goals in 5 games (after a stretch of 3 goals in 20 games), Couturier is on 6 game points streak, and Read got his first goal and points in a few weeks.
I do not think comments from the owner were major catalysts for these guys, and furthermore today Berube revealed that Read has been playing through a foot injury this season. Let's just chalk it up to Snider stating the obvious, and talented players eventually coming around. Whatever it was, the Flyers really need the secondary scoring to continue.
-Better than the Bottom-Dwellers. Both of the Flyers' big wins came against bottom teams in the Eastern Conference. As I remarked in my last post, say what you will about this team, but they are better than a basement team. The Flyers will have to start beating good teams to make the playoffs too, but I expect to see the Flyers lift themselves up and away in the standings from the truly bad NHL teams.
-Penalty Kill Still Sucks. The good news is that the Flyers haven't allowed a 5v5 goal in 3 games. The bad news is that the penalty kill continues to limp along, allowing 4 goals in the last 3 games. This must change. In my opinion, the awful PK is really the only significant difference between this year's lousy team and last year's playoff quality team, but more on that in my next post.
Opinions on NHL topics of the moment, but mostly on the Flyers.
Showing posts with label simmonds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simmonds. Show all posts
Monday, December 15, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Still Waiting
So a new blog post from me has finally come. A first victory for the Flyers this season, has not.
Flyers fans, ever the patient bunch, are likely tempted to jump off a bridge right now. The start of 0-2-2 is very worrying, but I won't declare them an awful team just yet.
My main fallback on this point is that, as I ran the numbers last year, between November and March 26 the Flyers were the 5th best team in the NHL. This team is basically the same squad, minus Timonen and Hartnell.
The Flyers took a lot of flack in the offseason as they appeared to do nothing but make themselves weaker. They traded Hartnell, and Timonen went down with a devastating injury. In addition, Steve Mason is still not well respected around the league as an above-average starting goalie.
Four games into the season, the critics were right. With #HartnellDown the team has no quality LW, Mason looked shaky, and the defense was inept. Last year a slow start was forgivable due to Giroux's injury and the coaching change. This was why I was willing to look at the standings from November 1 on and wipe away October. The Flyers do not deserve that leniency this year.
An alternative view of things is that the Flyers can only win if Giroux is playing at an MVP level and the power play is pouring in goals. Last year, the Flyers had the worst 5v5 goal differential of all playoff teams. This year the power play is looking solid, although they still haven't really found a replacement for Hartnell's high slot role on the number one unit. That is a long term worry, but the big thing is the 5v5 play has gone from average to awful. They'll never be a juggernaut there with this roster, but they have to get back to average, and that fact may hinge upon Giroux finding superlative form.
Miscellaneous Notes:
-Simmonds is currently playing at a level that I never saw him reaching. 5 goals in 4 games, and showing an offensive poise I didn't expect. He's always been a streaky scorer, but I daresay this is more than a hot streak with a few consecutive bang-in goals.
-The Schenn brothers have been very disappointing. Luke Schenn is staring at a league worst -6 rating, and Brayden has not made an offensive impression. Personally, I think Luke's +/- reflects a lot of goals that I wouldn't blame him for, and that Luke could be a serviceable player with the right partner in the right role. As for Brayden, I am running out of patience for him to emerge as an impact offensive player. That he lasted less than 2 games on the wing with Giroux and Voracek is his failure.
-Bellemare has looked pretty good to me. He skates smoothly and thinks fast, which will get him far. Like Raffl, he needs a few dozen games on the 4th line to fully adapt to the NHL.
-Lecavalier has also looked impressive to me. I also thought he looked pretty good at the beginning of last season and showed some chemistry with B. Schenn before injuries really ruined his season. It's bad timing for him to get injured now, although taking a shot off the foot shouldn't create the same kind of lingering injury that the bad back did to him last year.
Flyers fans, ever the patient bunch, are likely tempted to jump off a bridge right now. The start of 0-2-2 is very worrying, but I won't declare them an awful team just yet.
My main fallback on this point is that, as I ran the numbers last year, between November and March 26 the Flyers were the 5th best team in the NHL. This team is basically the same squad, minus Timonen and Hartnell.
The Flyers took a lot of flack in the offseason as they appeared to do nothing but make themselves weaker. They traded Hartnell, and Timonen went down with a devastating injury. In addition, Steve Mason is still not well respected around the league as an above-average starting goalie.
Four games into the season, the critics were right. With #HartnellDown the team has no quality LW, Mason looked shaky, and the defense was inept. Last year a slow start was forgivable due to Giroux's injury and the coaching change. This was why I was willing to look at the standings from November 1 on and wipe away October. The Flyers do not deserve that leniency this year.
An alternative view of things is that the Flyers can only win if Giroux is playing at an MVP level and the power play is pouring in goals. Last year, the Flyers had the worst 5v5 goal differential of all playoff teams. This year the power play is looking solid, although they still haven't really found a replacement for Hartnell's high slot role on the number one unit. That is a long term worry, but the big thing is the 5v5 play has gone from average to awful. They'll never be a juggernaut there with this roster, but they have to get back to average, and that fact may hinge upon Giroux finding superlative form.
Miscellaneous Notes:
-Simmonds is currently playing at a level that I never saw him reaching. 5 goals in 4 games, and showing an offensive poise I didn't expect. He's always been a streaky scorer, but I daresay this is more than a hot streak with a few consecutive bang-in goals.
-The Schenn brothers have been very disappointing. Luke Schenn is staring at a league worst -6 rating, and Brayden has not made an offensive impression. Personally, I think Luke's +/- reflects a lot of goals that I wouldn't blame him for, and that Luke could be a serviceable player with the right partner in the right role. As for Brayden, I am running out of patience for him to emerge as an impact offensive player. That he lasted less than 2 games on the wing with Giroux and Voracek is his failure.
-Bellemare has looked pretty good to me. He skates smoothly and thinks fast, which will get him far. Like Raffl, he needs a few dozen games on the 4th line to fully adapt to the NHL.
-Lecavalier has also looked impressive to me. I also thought he looked pretty good at the beginning of last season and showed some chemistry with B. Schenn before injuries really ruined his season. It's bad timing for him to get injured now, although taking a shot off the foot shouldn't create the same kind of lingering injury that the bad back did to him last year.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Season Review
All playoff exits feel disappointing. Through the ups and downs, fans always convince themselves that their team can win any series. The Flyers flame-out was sudden, but in the long view, it makes a little more sense.
At no point this season did I think the Flyers were really primed for a serious cup run. They were too young up front, having traded away their core forwards. Then things started going pretty well, but Pronger went down. Without Pronger, I thought a long playoff run was precluded.
The Flyers defensive and goaltending struggles reinforced that perception, until March shutouts made me begin to think I could be wrong. The defense showed hope, and they could score whenever they needed to. Eventually however, the gas tank ran dry and ingrained problems caught up to them.
It was a memorable and exciting season, and I could not label this team as underachievers. That's pretty much all you can ask for as a fan.
PLAYER REVIEWS
Forwards:
-Giroux. The burden fell to him to step up with Carter and Richards gone, and he responded with an MVP caliber season that Richards or Carter never produced.
-Briere. A very poor regular season, largely saved by 8 playoff goals. His overall game never really fired on all cylinders though, even in the playoffs.
-Voracek. His 49 points is not all that impressive, but he was a valuable player for the Flyers, and I certainly didn't see anything like conditioning or effort issues that his old CBJ coach criticized him for on the way out. He may never break 25 goals or 65 points, but I could see him being a winger on a quality top line.
-Hartnell. A quiet playoffs shouldn't dilute a career year, and I think he was playing hurt anyway. Consistently energetic, physical, and showed a finishing touch I didn't think he had. All this after a pre-season lost to health concerns and a terrible start.
-Jagr. 54 points in 73 games, veteran leadership, and the self-proclaimed "most enjoyable year" of his career. That qualifies as a success. Jagr did have some nagging groin issues, and his energy level fluctuated throughout the year, so it remains to be seen if he will be back.
-Schenn. 18 points in 54 games is an unimpressive line, but he improved as the season wore on, and I'd go so far as to say he was the Flyers' best player in game 1 of the Pittsburgh series. I expect him to take the next step in his career next year.
-Read. He turned out to be one of the best rookies in the league. 24 goals, played everywhere on the front line, and in all situations. Pretty much ideal.
-Simmonds. Almost doubled his career high in goals, largely due to 11 PP goals. He looks to be a streaky scorer going forward, as he battles and puts himself in good positions but doesn't have very soft hands, his physical initiative will make him a fan favorite.
-Talbot. Gave the Flyers everything they could hope for. A lunchpail player and team guy, he went from 8 goals last season with Pittsburgh to 19 this year, and he and Giroux were lethal shorthanded in the playoffs.
-Couturier. Surpassed all expectations this season, with 13 goals and logged big minutes in the playoffs. Remarkable for an 18 year old, I could not identify any clear deficiencies in his game. What a draft day steal, he could be a key player for the Flyers for a long time.
-Wellwood. Nothing spectacular, but a young, speedy player that should be an asset for bottom lines and depth next year.
-Rinaldo. Did all that could be asked of him. Not a high skill guy, he successfully brought a lot of energy and spark to the Flyers. He will have to continue to work on his discipline, though in his defense, he is clearly targeted by the officials and is on the short end of a lot of marginal calls.
-JVR. I think JVR had a very disappointing season. Yes, he had injuries, and his point production was decent before all the injuries. Still, I wrote that his early stat line flattered his play even before all the injuries, and there's no escaping the reality of the 11g, 13a, 43gp for a player who was supposed to score 30+ goals this year. He was very good in game 1 against NJ, but did little else in that series.
-Shelley. Yes, he is still on this team.
Defense:
-Timonen. Another year of wear and tear on Timonen's body, he still was able to be the Flyers top defensemen this year. Injuries severely limited him in the playoffs.
-Meszaros. Was inconsistent all year, never finding the form he had most of last season. Then his season was cut short by an injury. Maybe next year will be a bounce back season.
-Coburn. Unremarkable regular season, but logged huge minutes in the playoffs.
-Grossmann. The strong, defense-first, shot-blocking defenseman the team needed. He has bad knees though, so let's hope they hold up.
-Carle. The team's de facto number 1 defensemen this year, covering a lot of territory and eating minutes. A very good chance that his time as a Flyers is over, however.
-Kubina. He could not provide the reliable veteran presence the team was looking for---too old and slow, and picked up some injuries too. Little chance of him returning.
-Pronger. His season never really started, and his career may be over. It's a shame his time with the Flyers was so short-lived.
-Gustafsson. He really made some nice strides this season, though he could struggle at times. Skilled and smart, but undersized. It will be interesting to see what he can do next year in extended time.
-Bourdon. Another pleasant surprise, as his career seemed to have stalled in the minors. Looks like he might have an NHL future yet.
-Lilja. Seldom used in the regular season, played decently in the playoffs. Too old and slow to play a significant role.
Goalies:
-Bryzgalov. Things did not go as planned, though he was amazing in March. Too inconsistent and gaffe prone, but on and off the ice. Seemingly has some growing up to do, though a full season in Philly under his belt will help. Expectations will remain high with his 9 year contract. I am optimistic.
-Bobrovsky. Started the season strong, but on the whole did not take the next step in his career this year. Now heading into the last year of his contract with the Flyers.
At no point this season did I think the Flyers were really primed for a serious cup run. They were too young up front, having traded away their core forwards. Then things started going pretty well, but Pronger went down. Without Pronger, I thought a long playoff run was precluded.
The Flyers defensive and goaltending struggles reinforced that perception, until March shutouts made me begin to think I could be wrong. The defense showed hope, and they could score whenever they needed to. Eventually however, the gas tank ran dry and ingrained problems caught up to them.
It was a memorable and exciting season, and I could not label this team as underachievers. That's pretty much all you can ask for as a fan.
PLAYER REVIEWS
Forwards:
-Giroux. The burden fell to him to step up with Carter and Richards gone, and he responded with an MVP caliber season that Richards or Carter never produced.
-Briere. A very poor regular season, largely saved by 8 playoff goals. His overall game never really fired on all cylinders though, even in the playoffs.
-Voracek. His 49 points is not all that impressive, but he was a valuable player for the Flyers, and I certainly didn't see anything like conditioning or effort issues that his old CBJ coach criticized him for on the way out. He may never break 25 goals or 65 points, but I could see him being a winger on a quality top line.
-Hartnell. A quiet playoffs shouldn't dilute a career year, and I think he was playing hurt anyway. Consistently energetic, physical, and showed a finishing touch I didn't think he had. All this after a pre-season lost to health concerns and a terrible start.
-Jagr. 54 points in 73 games, veteran leadership, and the self-proclaimed "most enjoyable year" of his career. That qualifies as a success. Jagr did have some nagging groin issues, and his energy level fluctuated throughout the year, so it remains to be seen if he will be back.
-Schenn. 18 points in 54 games is an unimpressive line, but he improved as the season wore on, and I'd go so far as to say he was the Flyers' best player in game 1 of the Pittsburgh series. I expect him to take the next step in his career next year.
-Read. He turned out to be one of the best rookies in the league. 24 goals, played everywhere on the front line, and in all situations. Pretty much ideal.
-Simmonds. Almost doubled his career high in goals, largely due to 11 PP goals. He looks to be a streaky scorer going forward, as he battles and puts himself in good positions but doesn't have very soft hands, his physical initiative will make him a fan favorite.
-Talbot. Gave the Flyers everything they could hope for. A lunchpail player and team guy, he went from 8 goals last season with Pittsburgh to 19 this year, and he and Giroux were lethal shorthanded in the playoffs.
-Couturier. Surpassed all expectations this season, with 13 goals and logged big minutes in the playoffs. Remarkable for an 18 year old, I could not identify any clear deficiencies in his game. What a draft day steal, he could be a key player for the Flyers for a long time.
-Wellwood. Nothing spectacular, but a young, speedy player that should be an asset for bottom lines and depth next year.
-Rinaldo. Did all that could be asked of him. Not a high skill guy, he successfully brought a lot of energy and spark to the Flyers. He will have to continue to work on his discipline, though in his defense, he is clearly targeted by the officials and is on the short end of a lot of marginal calls.
-JVR. I think JVR had a very disappointing season. Yes, he had injuries, and his point production was decent before all the injuries. Still, I wrote that his early stat line flattered his play even before all the injuries, and there's no escaping the reality of the 11g, 13a, 43gp for a player who was supposed to score 30+ goals this year. He was very good in game 1 against NJ, but did little else in that series.
-Shelley. Yes, he is still on this team.
Defense:
-Timonen. Another year of wear and tear on Timonen's body, he still was able to be the Flyers top defensemen this year. Injuries severely limited him in the playoffs.
-Meszaros. Was inconsistent all year, never finding the form he had most of last season. Then his season was cut short by an injury. Maybe next year will be a bounce back season.
-Coburn. Unremarkable regular season, but logged huge minutes in the playoffs.
-Grossmann. The strong, defense-first, shot-blocking defenseman the team needed. He has bad knees though, so let's hope they hold up.
-Carle. The team's de facto number 1 defensemen this year, covering a lot of territory and eating minutes. A very good chance that his time as a Flyers is over, however.
-Kubina. He could not provide the reliable veteran presence the team was looking for---too old and slow, and picked up some injuries too. Little chance of him returning.
-Pronger. His season never really started, and his career may be over. It's a shame his time with the Flyers was so short-lived.
-Gustafsson. He really made some nice strides this season, though he could struggle at times. Skilled and smart, but undersized. It will be interesting to see what he can do next year in extended time.
-Bourdon. Another pleasant surprise, as his career seemed to have stalled in the minors. Looks like he might have an NHL future yet.
-Lilja. Seldom used in the regular season, played decently in the playoffs. Too old and slow to play a significant role.
Goalies:
-Bryzgalov. Things did not go as planned, though he was amazing in March. Too inconsistent and gaffe prone, but on and off the ice. Seemingly has some growing up to do, though a full season in Philly under his belt will help. Expectations will remain high with his 9 year contract. I am optimistic.
-Bobrovsky. Started the season strong, but on the whole did not take the next step in his career this year. Now heading into the last year of his contract with the Flyers.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Midseason Player Reviews
I don't like rating players by grades, and there's no use denying every player faces different expectations and different roles. I'm going to simply assume some degree of subjective expectations and rate players with a stock-rating flavor.
Outperform
-Claude Giroux. No brainer here. Last season he looked like a promising young center, but was arguably the 4th most visible center on the team. With Richards and Carter traded to make room for a goalie, Giroux faced a lot of pressure to be the offensive lynchpin. He has responded with an MVP caliber season.
-Jaromir Jagr. Sticking with Giroux's line, no one was sure how Jagr would perform after three season out of the NHL. 50 points? 60 points? He still couldn't do a point a game, could he? Apparently yes. After a slow start, he found his legs and has looked fantastic, and is a key offensive player for the Flyers. Nagging injuries are the only thing slowing him down now.
-Scott Hartnell. And now to complete the Giroux line! Hartnell got off to a very rocky start, missing preseason time due to medical tests, and his place in the lineup was very much at risk with 2 points in 7 games and Simmonds on the top PP unit. Placing him with Jagr and Giroux has been magic, as every player has looked better since this trio was complete. Hartnell has 35 points in 34 games since then.
-Matt Read. On pace for 25+ goals, and an offensive factor every night. What more could the Flyers want from him?
-Jake Voracek. His pace of ~50 points isn't going to turn many heads, and is line with his career averages, however I think he is playing better than that. Didn't start off great, but he is up on his skates attacking the defense every night. It's not a coincidence that the Flyers go on win streaks when he is playing his best. Early in the season I talked about Jagr replacing Leino's offensive contribution, but it's actually been Voracek carrying the puck, making plays, contributing what the Flyers would've hoped for from Leino.
-Kimmo Timonen. He has played big minutes and piled up the points, and looks to produce at a rate not seen since his best years in Nashville.
-Max Talbot. Has played reliably all over the lineup, and at midseason is already near career highs in goal scoring and points.
-Sean Couturier. I didn't listen to scouts early this year when they nearly unanimously predicted Cooter would make the big team. I looked at the roster and though, nah. Instead, Cooter has simply made it impossible to take him out of the lineup, playing like a veteran.
-Harry Zolneirczyk. Despite being sent down early in the season, he has come back and looked great on the 4th line--energetic with occasional scoring. Thumbs up, though to maintain a role like this in the NHL he will have to have an increased role on the PK.
-Zac Rinaldo. I was pretty skeptical of this wild man coming into the season. Although he seems targeted by officials, he has general kept it under control, potted a goal here or there, and aggressively sought contact on the ice.
-Marc-Andre Bourdon. His ascent to the NHL hasn't really gone like many in the organization may have hoped, but he has played within himself and looked like he belongs in the NHL.
Market Perform
-Danny Briere. A pretty ho-hum regular season for Briere. He's been there for some key goals, but hasn't looked consistently dangerous and is on pace for his lowest point totals for a full season as a Flyer (when healthy). I am giving him somewhat of a pass due to raising his game in the playoffs the last two years, and the expectation that he will do it again.
-Matt Carle. Carle continues to hum along, playing big minutes and getting decent point totals. I still say he has the worst shot on the team though, so there's always that to infuriate Flyers fans when he gets so many chances with skating and awareness on the ice.
-Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds teased Flyers fans early this year and preseason with some offensive skill, however Flyer fans have seen some stone hands since then. Simmonds is always battling out there, but his offense probably will never be more than occasional and streaky.
-Braydon Coburn. Quiet but largely steady from Braydon.
-Sergei Bobrovsky. Bob continues to progress nicely, and currently sports a much better stat line than Bryzgalov. He probably deserves a chance to get some starts and be given a chance to run with it.
-Andreas Lilja. Doing exactly what was expected; old and slow, occasionally physical defensemen.
Underperform
-Brayden Schenn. I don't like putting him here, as when I see him play I see a skilled and intelligent player, and injuries never really gave him a chance. Still, on January 1, there he was with 0 points and -7 in 8 games. Hopefully, the second half will treat him better (and the signs are already good).
-James Van Riemsdyk. Looking at a low 40s point season, and is not visible many nights. This is even when I commented earlier this season that his points line flatters his play. He was supposed to progress more than this by this point.
-Andrej Meszaros. The team's best defensemen last year, he struggled early. His play has improved, but his overall body of work is not what Flyers fans were hoping for.
-Ilya Bryzgalov. If you've read this blog, or even followed the Flyers at all, do I need to say anything? Not playing like the top goalie the Flyers signed him to be. He still can figure it out though.
-Jody Shelley. Yes, he is still on this team.
No Rating
Chris Pronger, Erik Gustafsson
Outperform
-Claude Giroux. No brainer here. Last season he looked like a promising young center, but was arguably the 4th most visible center on the team. With Richards and Carter traded to make room for a goalie, Giroux faced a lot of pressure to be the offensive lynchpin. He has responded with an MVP caliber season.
-Jaromir Jagr. Sticking with Giroux's line, no one was sure how Jagr would perform after three season out of the NHL. 50 points? 60 points? He still couldn't do a point a game, could he? Apparently yes. After a slow start, he found his legs and has looked fantastic, and is a key offensive player for the Flyers. Nagging injuries are the only thing slowing him down now.
-Scott Hartnell. And now to complete the Giroux line! Hartnell got off to a very rocky start, missing preseason time due to medical tests, and his place in the lineup was very much at risk with 2 points in 7 games and Simmonds on the top PP unit. Placing him with Jagr and Giroux has been magic, as every player has looked better since this trio was complete. Hartnell has 35 points in 34 games since then.
-Matt Read. On pace for 25+ goals, and an offensive factor every night. What more could the Flyers want from him?
-Jake Voracek. His pace of ~50 points isn't going to turn many heads, and is line with his career averages, however I think he is playing better than that. Didn't start off great, but he is up on his skates attacking the defense every night. It's not a coincidence that the Flyers go on win streaks when he is playing his best. Early in the season I talked about Jagr replacing Leino's offensive contribution, but it's actually been Voracek carrying the puck, making plays, contributing what the Flyers would've hoped for from Leino.
-Kimmo Timonen. He has played big minutes and piled up the points, and looks to produce at a rate not seen since his best years in Nashville.
-Max Talbot. Has played reliably all over the lineup, and at midseason is already near career highs in goal scoring and points.
-Sean Couturier. I didn't listen to scouts early this year when they nearly unanimously predicted Cooter would make the big team. I looked at the roster and though, nah. Instead, Cooter has simply made it impossible to take him out of the lineup, playing like a veteran.
-Harry Zolneirczyk. Despite being sent down early in the season, he has come back and looked great on the 4th line--energetic with occasional scoring. Thumbs up, though to maintain a role like this in the NHL he will have to have an increased role on the PK.
-Zac Rinaldo. I was pretty skeptical of this wild man coming into the season. Although he seems targeted by officials, he has general kept it under control, potted a goal here or there, and aggressively sought contact on the ice.
-Marc-Andre Bourdon. His ascent to the NHL hasn't really gone like many in the organization may have hoped, but he has played within himself and looked like he belongs in the NHL.
Market Perform
-Danny Briere. A pretty ho-hum regular season for Briere. He's been there for some key goals, but hasn't looked consistently dangerous and is on pace for his lowest point totals for a full season as a Flyer (when healthy). I am giving him somewhat of a pass due to raising his game in the playoffs the last two years, and the expectation that he will do it again.
-Matt Carle. Carle continues to hum along, playing big minutes and getting decent point totals. I still say he has the worst shot on the team though, so there's always that to infuriate Flyers fans when he gets so many chances with skating and awareness on the ice.
-Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds teased Flyers fans early this year and preseason with some offensive skill, however Flyer fans have seen some stone hands since then. Simmonds is always battling out there, but his offense probably will never be more than occasional and streaky.
-Braydon Coburn. Quiet but largely steady from Braydon.
-Sergei Bobrovsky. Bob continues to progress nicely, and currently sports a much better stat line than Bryzgalov. He probably deserves a chance to get some starts and be given a chance to run with it.
-Andreas Lilja. Doing exactly what was expected; old and slow, occasionally physical defensemen.
Underperform
-Brayden Schenn. I don't like putting him here, as when I see him play I see a skilled and intelligent player, and injuries never really gave him a chance. Still, on January 1, there he was with 0 points and -7 in 8 games. Hopefully, the second half will treat him better (and the signs are already good).
-James Van Riemsdyk. Looking at a low 40s point season, and is not visible many nights. This is even when I commented earlier this season that his points line flatters his play. He was supposed to progress more than this by this point.
-Andrej Meszaros. The team's best defensemen last year, he struggled early. His play has improved, but his overall body of work is not what Flyers fans were hoping for.
-Ilya Bryzgalov. If you've read this blog, or even followed the Flyers at all, do I need to say anything? Not playing like the top goalie the Flyers signed him to be. He still can figure it out though.
-Jody Shelley. Yes, he is still on this team.
No Rating
Chris Pronger, Erik Gustafsson
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Simmonds and Things
It's been a very tough week for Wayne Simmonds. First the now infamous banana incident, and then he finds himself on the other end of a bad situation with Avery/homophobe incident. You couldn't blame Simmonds for simply wanting to move on from the banana incident, though it's a little harder to ask everyone to simply forget a similar incident in which you are the perpetrator.
There is no excusing Simmonds alleged (likely) use of homophobic slurs. It's not right and no provocation justifies it. The whole thing is just unfortunate for a lot of reasons.
Truthfully the situation fits Avery's modus operandi perfectly. Agitate, physically and verbally, then when a response finally comes, cry to the referees instead of finishing what you started. This pattern was on full display in the game a few days, as microphones clearly caught Avery repeatedly yelling "he was going ****ing kill Giroux," and cheapshotting Simmonds with a punch in the face at the bottom of the pile when Simmonds is defenseless. Later Simmonds challenges Avery to a toe-to-toe fight, and Avery turtles drawing a penalty. As I said, his typical bag of tricks.
Where things change here is that, where Avery usually agitates then cries to the referees for a penalty, here he agitates then rats out a player to the media. This is against all acknowledged NHL players codes, that what happens on the ice stays on the ice.
Avery is no angel. He has previously been accused of using racial slurs against black players, was suspended by the league for commenting to the media that other players were having his sloppy seconds by dating his ex-girlfriend, and has at various other times been accused of crossing the line with his trash talk, delving into player's personal lives and wives. Additionally, it has been reported that unnamed officials say they hear language like Simmonds is accused of 10 times a game. Clearly, all of this generally vile behavior underlines that trash talk that is not fit for public consumption is an everyday part of life in the NHL.
Again, this doesn't excuse Simmonds behavior, but the prevailing culture cannot be ignored. It is not practical or even fair to come crashing down on Simmonds at this time. This is an uncomfortable subject that will come up again around the league, but for now the NHL is content to let it blow over and merely put everyone on notice.
General Preseason Notes
-The consensus is that Matt Read has won himself a spot of the roster, quite likely in the top 9 forwards. He's shown a ton of jump, and is playing smart in all situations. This would be great news for the Flyers if he can stick as a reliable, productive player.
-Schenn has underwhelmed a bit this preseason, and is now hurt. The widespread expectation was that he would make the team, but the way things are going I wouldn't be shocked if he starts the season down in the AHL. He is exempt from waivers so the Flyers can send him up and down as they please. Also, the Flyers cap situation is very tight, and his $3m+ contract is not a trivial number.
-Couturier has shown very well, but it was always going to be an uphill climb for him to make the squad at 18. I'd be very surprised if he sticks past the 10 game mark, when players his age must be sent back to juniors or else the Flyers will lose a year to his free agency status.
-The 7th defensemen spot battle still seems pretty wide open. Matt Walker has the most NHL bona fides, but also a much bigger contract than Gustafsson and Bartulis, so he will have to be that much better than them to make the team.
-Good stuff from Bobrovsky thus far. I previously said the Flyers would've been crazy to give the keys to the team this season, which I still definitely believe, but a year as a backup could be great for him. Especially if he plays like this for an extended period.
There is no excusing Simmonds alleged (likely) use of homophobic slurs. It's not right and no provocation justifies it. The whole thing is just unfortunate for a lot of reasons.
Truthfully the situation fits Avery's modus operandi perfectly. Agitate, physically and verbally, then when a response finally comes, cry to the referees instead of finishing what you started. This pattern was on full display in the game a few days, as microphones clearly caught Avery repeatedly yelling "he was going ****ing kill Giroux," and cheapshotting Simmonds with a punch in the face at the bottom of the pile when Simmonds is defenseless. Later Simmonds challenges Avery to a toe-to-toe fight, and Avery turtles drawing a penalty. As I said, his typical bag of tricks.
Where things change here is that, where Avery usually agitates then cries to the referees for a penalty, here he agitates then rats out a player to the media. This is against all acknowledged NHL players codes, that what happens on the ice stays on the ice.
Avery is no angel. He has previously been accused of using racial slurs against black players, was suspended by the league for commenting to the media that other players were having his sloppy seconds by dating his ex-girlfriend, and has at various other times been accused of crossing the line with his trash talk, delving into player's personal lives and wives. Additionally, it has been reported that unnamed officials say they hear language like Simmonds is accused of 10 times a game. Clearly, all of this generally vile behavior underlines that trash talk that is not fit for public consumption is an everyday part of life in the NHL.
Again, this doesn't excuse Simmonds behavior, but the prevailing culture cannot be ignored. It is not practical or even fair to come crashing down on Simmonds at this time. This is an uncomfortable subject that will come up again around the league, but for now the NHL is content to let it blow over and merely put everyone on notice.
General Preseason Notes
-The consensus is that Matt Read has won himself a spot of the roster, quite likely in the top 9 forwards. He's shown a ton of jump, and is playing smart in all situations. This would be great news for the Flyers if he can stick as a reliable, productive player.
-Schenn has underwhelmed a bit this preseason, and is now hurt. The widespread expectation was that he would make the team, but the way things are going I wouldn't be shocked if he starts the season down in the AHL. He is exempt from waivers so the Flyers can send him up and down as they please. Also, the Flyers cap situation is very tight, and his $3m+ contract is not a trivial number.
-Couturier has shown very well, but it was always going to be an uphill climb for him to make the squad at 18. I'd be very surprised if he sticks past the 10 game mark, when players his age must be sent back to juniors or else the Flyers will lose a year to his free agency status.
-The 7th defensemen spot battle still seems pretty wide open. Matt Walker has the most NHL bona fides, but also a much bigger contract than Gustafsson and Bartulis, so he will have to be that much better than them to make the team.
-Good stuff from Bobrovsky thus far. I previously said the Flyers would've been crazy to give the keys to the team this season, which I still definitely believe, but a year as a backup could be great for him. Especially if he plays like this for an extended period.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE
Huge huge huge day for the Flyers. Actually let's make that 4 huges.
Carter? Traded. Richards? Traded. Bryzgalov? Signed.
My head is still spinning trying to make sense of it all. There was always a decent chance Carter would be traded, and Richards was a dark horse trade candidate, but both of them traded? Shocking.
The bottom line;
Out;
-Richards ($5.75 cap hit)
-Carter ($5.27 cap hit)
In;
-Ilya Bryzgalov ($5.6m cap hit)
-Brayden Schenn ($3.11 cap hit)
-Wayne Simmonds (RFA, $2 cap hit?)
-Jakub Voracek (RFA, $2.5 cap hit?)
-Picks: Columbus's 1st (8th overall), LA's 2nd, Columbus's 3rd
These are blockbuster moves. Richards and Carter were supposed to be the face of the franchise and each are signed to mega-long term deals. Schenn was ranked the best prospect in hockey by hockeysfuture.com, and Voracek was another very high pick who may be ready to take off in the NHL. Simmonds is a promising physical winger, and that collection of picks the Flyers added is nothing to scoff at. Note that the Carter to Columbus deal is basically exactly as speculated a few days ago, with which I was pretty satisfied.
Obvious questions yet to be answered are the contracts for Simmonds and Voracek, and if Versteeg is yet to be traded. I'd still say there's a fair chance Versteeg goes at the draft, but they no longer have to deal him. Here's the Flyers lineup as of right now (pay no attention to the lines);
Voracek-Briere-Hartnell
Simmonds-Giroux-JVR
Versteeg-Schenn-???
Powe-Betts-Nodl
Shelley
Pronger-Carle
Coburn-Timonen
Meszaros-Gustaffson
Bartulis
Bryzgalov
Bobrovsky
The lineup above costs ~$56.5 against the cap, and does not include values for Voracek or Simmonds. Also, if you didn't notice, Leino is not in this lineup, but Versteeg is. That leaves $7.8m for 3 wingers.
It will be difficult to judge it all until the dust settles, but suffice to say I am excited. Big upgrade in goal? Check? Clear cap space? Check. Add energy and size on the wings? Check. Add draft picks? Check. It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Richards and Carter, but based on their performance last year, this overhaul is fantastic. Of course they could just as easily have much better years in the future, so it's a risk.
So who are these guys the Flyers got?
-Bryzgalov. I said last month he was the best goalie out there, but the Flyers likely couldn't fit him on the roster without trading Richards or Carter. Turns out they were willing deal them both! Allow me also to pat myself on the back for pretty much nailing his contract value. Bryzgalov should be good, people. There are no guarantees, but he's one of only two goalies in the league to finish top 10 in Vezina voting the past two years (Luongo being the other). Even more impressive, he was a 3 star selection in 44% of his starts last year, and that was in what most consider to be an "off" year for him. I am very hopeful.
-Schenn. This guy is a very hot prospect. The #1 prospect according to some, as mentioned above. In January in the World Junior championships, he set the tournament record for points, was named the top forward and won the tournament MVP. I can't say what to expect from him next year in the NHL as a 20 year old, but he projects to be an allstar NHL center for years to come.
-Simmonds. He is still developing as a NHL player, but he's young (23 at season's start) and the Flyers will look for him to be around 20 goals/45 points. From what I have seen, he's a physical player and his hits are heavy.
-Voracek. The #7 pick in the 2007 draft, another winger with size still finding his role in the NHL (22). No doubt though, he has high end potential. His numbers at this point of his career compare favorably to Carter at the same point, and the Flyers will hope for 20+ goals and approaching 60 points.
Overall, I am excited. The Flyers successfully addressed their biggest needs. They added youthful, sizable physical wingers, made a huge upgrade in goal, got good draft picks, and added the best center prospect in hockey. The price they paid was steep, but I think most Flyers fans were ready to say goodbye to Carter and Richards for better or for worse. Exciting times indeed. It almost feels like one of those trade frenzies you only pull off in video games.
Carter? Traded. Richards? Traded. Bryzgalov? Signed.
My head is still spinning trying to make sense of it all. There was always a decent chance Carter would be traded, and Richards was a dark horse trade candidate, but both of them traded? Shocking.
The bottom line;
Out;
-Richards ($5.75 cap hit)
-Carter ($5.27 cap hit)
In;
-Ilya Bryzgalov ($5.6m cap hit)
-Brayden Schenn ($3.11 cap hit)
-Wayne Simmonds (RFA, $2 cap hit?)
-Jakub Voracek (RFA, $2.5 cap hit?)
-Picks: Columbus's 1st (8th overall), LA's 2nd, Columbus's 3rd
These are blockbuster moves. Richards and Carter were supposed to be the face of the franchise and each are signed to mega-long term deals. Schenn was ranked the best prospect in hockey by hockeysfuture.com, and Voracek was another very high pick who may be ready to take off in the NHL. Simmonds is a promising physical winger, and that collection of picks the Flyers added is nothing to scoff at. Note that the Carter to Columbus deal is basically exactly as speculated a few days ago, with which I was pretty satisfied.
Obvious questions yet to be answered are the contracts for Simmonds and Voracek, and if Versteeg is yet to be traded. I'd still say there's a fair chance Versteeg goes at the draft, but they no longer have to deal him. Here's the Flyers lineup as of right now (pay no attention to the lines);
Voracek-Briere-Hartnell
Simmonds-Giroux-JVR
Versteeg-Schenn-???
Powe-Betts-Nodl
Shelley
Pronger-Carle
Coburn-Timonen
Meszaros-Gustaffson
Bartulis
Bryzgalov
Bobrovsky
The lineup above costs ~$56.5 against the cap, and does not include values for Voracek or Simmonds. Also, if you didn't notice, Leino is not in this lineup, but Versteeg is. That leaves $7.8m for 3 wingers.
It will be difficult to judge it all until the dust settles, but suffice to say I am excited. Big upgrade in goal? Check? Clear cap space? Check. Add energy and size on the wings? Check. Add draft picks? Check. It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Richards and Carter, but based on their performance last year, this overhaul is fantastic. Of course they could just as easily have much better years in the future, so it's a risk.
So who are these guys the Flyers got?
-Bryzgalov. I said last month he was the best goalie out there, but the Flyers likely couldn't fit him on the roster without trading Richards or Carter. Turns out they were willing deal them both! Allow me also to pat myself on the back for pretty much nailing his contract value. Bryzgalov should be good, people. There are no guarantees, but he's one of only two goalies in the league to finish top 10 in Vezina voting the past two years (Luongo being the other). Even more impressive, he was a 3 star selection in 44% of his starts last year, and that was in what most consider to be an "off" year for him. I am very hopeful.
-Schenn. This guy is a very hot prospect. The #1 prospect according to some, as mentioned above. In January in the World Junior championships, he set the tournament record for points, was named the top forward and won the tournament MVP. I can't say what to expect from him next year in the NHL as a 20 year old, but he projects to be an allstar NHL center for years to come.
-Simmonds. He is still developing as a NHL player, but he's young (23 at season's start) and the Flyers will look for him to be around 20 goals/45 points. From what I have seen, he's a physical player and his hits are heavy.
-Voracek. The #7 pick in the 2007 draft, another winger with size still finding his role in the NHL (22). No doubt though, he has high end potential. His numbers at this point of his career compare favorably to Carter at the same point, and the Flyers will hope for 20+ goals and approaching 60 points.
Overall, I am excited. The Flyers successfully addressed their biggest needs. They added youthful, sizable physical wingers, made a huge upgrade in goal, got good draft picks, and added the best center prospect in hockey. The price they paid was steep, but I think most Flyers fans were ready to say goodbye to Carter and Richards for better or for worse. Exciting times indeed. It almost feels like one of those trade frenzies you only pull off in video games.
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