No, more like getting too high, or too low at this time of the year is a waste of breath. Haven't even played half the season yet. Go on one of the Stevens 10 game specials and how good does this team look?
We've been on an extreme high run, there will be a valley. Lets hope it isn't extended.
oh I know we will have a tough spell later this season.
I am hoping it isnt a 10 gamer.
This team has lost what, once in regulation in the last 14?
Not expecting to keep this pace up for much longer.
Well, BeamMeUpshall, you know me well enough to know that I thought I shouldve cashed in the chips in the beginning of the season hoping to get Tavares or Hedman. And damn did things turn around real quick on that one. I was thinking it was going to be another 06-07 season and I wouldve blown my brains out. But something happened to our young guns and they learned how to play hockey as a team with chemistry that is no thanks to the baker himself, John Stevens. With Briere out I think they found the right amount of pressure they need to build off of to sustain this type of gameplay.
Just knocked on wood.
Just wondering how you were able to infiltrate the locker room/practices to be able to make that statement. I'm not a Stevens supporter, but you have no idea how the team discovered the chemistry they're playing with right now. Shockingly enough (and I know it's near impossible for some on this board to realize this), it just may have been something Stevens said or did that whipped them into shape.
Actually I've recently been thinking that Stevens isn't that bad of a coach as everyone is saying. He had success in the minors, he finally managed to go .500 and above in W% and the team in general is having success. And that he was below .500 practically the entire time before isn't even his fault with the awful team that was 06-07, and I doubt it's an easy task to do when the management says "Here are better players, now win". Look at Tampa.
Further, I have no clue what he did the game in Pittsburgh where he called a TO when we went down 0-3 and then reallied back with four straight goals in 15 minutes and the comeback against Carolina, I think he now has the trust of the team and can tell them what is what. At least according to Hartnell that's what happened during the 2nd intermission against Carolina.
There may be a dispute of how much influence he has, but Stevens can certainly not be discounted as a reason for the success.
Actually I've recently been thinking that Stevens isn't that bad of a coach as everyone is saying. He had success in the minors, he finally managed to go .500 and above in W% and the team in general is having success. And that he was below .500 practically the entire time before isn't even his fault with the awful team that was 06-07, and I doubt it's an easy task to do when the management says "Here are better players, now win". Look at Tampa.
Further, I have no clue what he did the game in Pittsburgh where he called a TO when we went down 0-3 and then reallied back with four straight goals in 15 minutes and the comeback against Carolina, I think he now has the trust of the team and can tell them what is what. At least according to Hartnell that's what happened during the 2nd intermission against Carolina.
There may be a dispute of how much influence he has, but Stevens can certainly not be discounted as a reason for the success.
Just give some of the honks (and I use that term lovingly! Don't kill me!!) on here time. They'll come up with something.
I don't mind Stevens at all, he seems cool. And the players seem to like him, so whatever
I am relieved that we have pulled together a strong 15 or so games. I was nervous that it would be tough to climb back up the standings. Now we have to keep it up.
Funny how Ottawa leaked into this conversation. When Ottawa canned Paddock last year with under 20 games to go, the Stevens hating blowhards here all said: "Ottawa got it right!" and "That's what we should do!" and "Come on Holmer! Do it now!" and so forth.
Then Ottawa lost 8 of 14 in March and 6 of 7 in April while the Flyers finished strong and those comments just vanished into vapor.
We've played slightly over 1/3 of the season. I can't see how you can call anyone out for being "stupid fans". There's legitimate concerns about the team.
Calling victory over 29 games of the season has about as much sense as calling it a failure over long losing streak.
Legitimate concerns about the team after 2,3,4 games into the season? It just bothered me that everyone was like ooohhh mmmyyy godddd the flyers are going to be horrible this year, they suck, blah blah blah. Maybe I'm too much of an optimistic person.
Just give some of the honks (and I use that term lovingly! Don't kill me!!) on here time. They'll come up with something.
Like the fact that we're a horrible even strength team and live and die by our special teams?
Last year
PP coach: Mullen.
PK coach: Murray.
This year
PP coach: Mullen.
PK coach: Berube.
Name not mentioned: Stevens.
2nd most talented team in the division last year, and we finished...4th. Stevens has his strengths, namely the players seem to like playing for him. However, he has yet to prove he's the entire package...lets see what happens when things go south this year. Stevens has proven incapable to pull the team out of tailspins quickly.
I agree the I think Ottawa was more of a smoke screen than this team. This team has more depth than one stellar first line. I agree that they arent going to be playing the kind of hockey that sees them go 11-1-2 in month long stretches but 8-4-2 could be more realistic and of course at some point they will go into a strech where they might go 4-8-2 but for every losing stretch(the beginning of the year) a good team has, theres usually a solid run at some point as well(right now). Good teams go on nice runs and then have rough times, they are a good team. Great teams have great runs and play average other times, but rarely have a rough run. We'll see if they can be good or great the rest of tghe way. I say good, most likely 4th in the east.
Ottawa led the league in scoring last year. Depth or no depth, they put the puck in the net. Their main problem was that their goalies collectively dropped a brick...something our goalies have already proven capable of doing this season.
Another cautionary tale is the Bruins of a couple years back that started the season like 19-4 or something, and then missed the playoffs. The Caps were a lottery team this time last year...
We still look like the third or fourth seed in the Atlantic. The longer the Devs hang around without Brodeur, the more it looks like they'll take the 2 seed behind the Pens.
Like the fact that we're a horrible even strength team and live and die by our special teams?
Yup, we are horrible on even strength. That's why we scored nine goals in even strength in the last four games...
Yes, we had a long dry spell on even strength goals, but the team still sqeezed points out of those games. And before that spell, which lasted about four games, they scored on even strength and they scored since. They are getting better and it's far from horrible.
Yup, we are horrible on even strength. That's why we scored nine goals in even strength in the last four games...
Yes, we had a long dry spell on even strength goals, but the team still eeked points out of those games. And before that spell which lasted about four games they scored on even strength and they scored since. They are getting better and it's far from horrible.
You do realize that we're a minus even strength team, right?
You do realize that we were a minus even strength team last year, right?
We've been a pretty bad even strength team for 2.5 years now. One year it was excusable.
Yup, we are horrible on even strength. That's why we scored nine goals in even strength in the last four games...
Yes, we had a long dry spell on even strength goals, but the team still sqeezed points out of those games. And before that spell, which lasted about four games, they scored on even strength and they scored since. They are getting better and it's far from horrible.
sample bias. this team lives and dies by its powerplay. i could definitely see us struggling against a disciplined team that doesn't take a lot of penalties.
i guess beammeupshall is the optimist and i'm the pessimist
This is to all the stupid fans that gave up on the Flyers 2 games into the season.
The Flyers are a decent team now. Who would've thought?
I think you said it right, they are decent. I think they are a solid Goaltender and a top 4 Hatcher esque defenceman from being cup contenders.
I wasnt too concerened, mostly becasue this was during the Phillies World Series run, but I remember that skid we had 3 quarters into last season and we bounced out of that nicely into the playoffs, and went to the confrence finals.
I didnt think Homer needed to implode the team like they did in 06 at that time, I think he made solid tweeks to this team (Im in the Carle move was great boat). Carle, Alberts, solid pick ups. There are still other moves to be made, like I would love to see another defensive foward on this team. Or a rental defensive stud like Jbo (key word, rental we cant afford to sign him long term). What would it hurt for Parent to spend the year in the AHL. right?
I wouldnt be opposed to a coaching change next year either, Stevens looks unmotivated at all times, and that has to rub off on the players after a while. I like John, but he isnt the coach we need. 2 nights in a row players get boarded, and we dont respond to it. With Carolina you could say we did with the comeback, and Asham dropped em, but against Pittsburgh I didnt see any emotion from it. Richards tried to fight Cooke (whos a pansy), but there wasnt anything else. I loved Hitch, he showed emotionand the team played with it (see the Ottawa Brawl). Havlat took a cheap shot at Recchi, so we run up the score and start 4 line brawls the next time we see em lmao. After Hitch said it was coming.
Last edited by TheDrizzle81: 12-15-2008 at 09:40 AM.
Actually I've recently been thinking that Stevens isn't that bad of a coach as everyone is saying. He had success in the minors, he finally managed to go .500 and above in W% and the team in general is having success. And that he was below .500 practically the entire time before isn't even his fault with the awful team that was 06-07, and I doubt it's an easy task to do when the management says "Here are better players, now win". Look at Tampa.
Further, I have no clue what he did the game in Pittsburgh where he called a TO when we went down 0-3 and then reallied back with four straight goals in 15 minutes and the comeback against Carolina, I think he now has the trust of the team and can tell them what is what. At least according to Hartnell that's what happened during the 2nd intermission against Carolina.
There may be a dispute of how much influence he has, but Stevens can certainly not be discounted as a reason for the success.
Stevens is a players coach. He seems to be able to keep the players motivated and playing for him, even when they are getting killed they appear to be at least trying.....However, he has significant deficiencies in strategy and X&O's in my opinion......We need a good X&O guy either as an assistant or as a head coach.
He also needs to be better in the playoffs and this team needs to play much better at even strength.....He was severly outcoached in the playoffs, Biron and Briere (who everyone seems to forget how well he played in the playoffs) bailed him out.
Who knows, maybe he gets better....All I know is that I thought the same thing about Andy Reid 10 years ago and he hasnt improved at all
I think you said it right, they are decent. I think they are a solid Goaltender and a top 4 Hatcher esque defenceman from being cup contenders.
I wasnt too concerened, mostly becasue this was during the Phillies World Series run, but I remember that skid we had 3 quarters into last season and we bounced out of that nicely into the playoffs, and went to the confrence finals.
I didnt think Homer needed to implode the team like they did in 07 at that time, I think he made solid tweeks to this team (Im in the Carle move was great boat). Carle, Alberts, solid pick ups. There are still other moves to be made, like I would love to see another defensive foward on this team. Or a rental defensive stud like Jbo (key word, rental we cant afford to sign him long term). What would it hurt for Parent to spend the year in the AHL. right?
We got hot at the right time, but we cant rely on that again.
No, Biron played great when it counted.....Unless you are Brodeur, Hasek or Patrick Roy, that is essentially every goalie that has won the cup in the past 15-20 years....Chris Osgood???? Cam Ward???? Khabibulin????
Decent regular season goalies who stood on their head when they needed to.
Other than a 10 game stretch in the middle of the season last year, Biron was arguably our best player and you want to dismiss him after a bad start???? Talk about jumping on/off the bandwagon....
This is his contract year, I can almost guarantee he gets hot at the right time.....
It's only December. We quickly forget, last year the ship was righted to the point that we beat Pittsburgh going into the all-star break to take the division lead. A month later we were in 10th place and in a dog fight to make the playoffs, and got lucky when Carolina choked at home against Florida in their last game. This isn't a time to get puffy-chested. 4 months is more than enough time to blow it.
We all doubted the Flyers during the beginning of the season. And if you say you didn't, you're lying. Every season has it's ups and downs. All fans do the same thing, not a big deal.
We all doubted the Flyers during the beginning of the season. And if you say you didn't, you're lying. Every season has it's ups and downs. All fans do the same thing, not a big deal.
Yup you're right I've been lying and doubting myself the whole time. Sorry guys.
We are not playing over our heads. We have more balanced scoring than anyone in the division, that makes up for our defensive liabilities. Plus all these one goal games we have won will serve us well later on. We are battle tested.
Ottawa led the league in scoring last year. Depth or no depth, they put the puck in the net. Their main problem was that their goalies collectively dropped a brick...something our goalies have already proven capable of doing this season.
Another cautionary tale is the Bruins of a couple years back that started the season like 19-4 or something, and then missed the playoffs. The Caps were a lottery team this time last year...
We still look like the third or fourth seed in the Atlantic. The longer the Devs hang around without Brodeur, the more it looks like they'll take the 2 seed behind the Pens.
I still think that Brodeur injury will be a blessing in disguise for them, assuming he doesnt have significant complications coming back from it. He usually plays like 70 games a year. As long as they hang around, he will come back towards the end of the season and be in mid season form come playoff time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFlyingP
We are not playing over our heads. We have more balanced scoring than anyone in the division, that makes up for our defensive liabilities. Plus all these one goal games we have won will serve us well later on. We are battle tested.
I agree we are not playing over our heads, the team is now showing its talent. Problem is it doesnt do that consistently. You need to pull out wins when you are playing like crap and guys arent scoring at an unusual rate....havent seen this team be able to do that.
I have the same concerns I had last year.....even strength play, organization on the ice and breakouts
I think we are just getting it done. While some teams like the Pens and Rangers are slipping and giving away points to teams they should be beating. All the games we won, are games we should have won.
I think we are just getting it done. While some teams like the Pens and Rangers are slipping and giving away points to teams they should be beating. All the games we won, are games we should have won.
