Flyers' 2010-2011 Season

[TeamBlue96 3]

To each his own, etc., but there's nothing I enjoy more than seeing a Flyers game live, regardless of outcome.

oh no, don't get me wrong. if i had the money to go to games consistently and not care about a win or loss, i would. the atmosphere and ability to see the speed of the game up close is second to none. i just hate going to games when they lose, it feels like i wasted money.

i'm just too poor right now from paying back college loans :)

[troy 12]

Yes, I'll be in that boat very soon so I'm making hay. Great effort tonight, always pleasing to see them beat the Penguins, another strong performance by Bob.

[Chadd 916]

Yes, I'll be in that boat very soon so I'm making hay. Great effort tonight, always pleasing to see them beat the Penguins, another strong performance by Bob.

Other than the weak goal and being bailed out by blocked shots when he was way out of position, I guess you could say it was a strong performance.

[zachary 2]

Other than the weak goal and being bailed out by blocked shots when he was way out of position, I guess you could say it was a strong performance.

Putting my fandom aside, what you said was right. There were more than enough opportunities that the Pens should have buried. Hats off to the defensive plays bailing him out on some plays that I questioned what he was doing.

[troy 12]

Other than the weak goal and being bailed out by blocked shots when he was way out of position, I guess you could say it was a strong performance.

Well of course Chadd, that goes without saying.

[flyerman 0]

Great to see Zherdev back in the line-up! I thought he looked really good with Giroux and Carter. It is fun to watch the creativity and skill of that line for a change! The guy is just too good to be left out of the line-up. Nodl would be good on the 4th line in place of Carbomb in the playoff imho.

Flyers Power Play is an abomination! Just awful.

I think the Flyers played well last night and decently tonight. Beat by really good goaltending both nights as they just couldn't finish.

At this rate the Flyers will not finish no. 1 seed in the East though.

[TeamBlue96 3]

i really hope Zherdev can keep playing well; his skill really stands out on the ice. Glad to see he finally picked up a goal, he's been our best forward the last two games.

and just because i love Coby:

[flyerman 0]

Flyers looked like utter crap tonight. Very disappointing effort. They look like a deflated and defeated team with no heart and direction. If they don't turn it around in the last 2 games against the Sabres and Isles, then I dare say they will be done after the 1st round. But this team has continually surprised me over the last two seasons, so maybe this is all part of their "backs against the walls" thing. It looks almost like they threw the game tonight, but I know better.....I think. The last two games will tell the story.

I got my wish and Zherdev and Syvret are both playing now. Zherdev is clearly a would-be superstar who looks really fresh and shines out there, and Syvret has looked okay (not great, but at least he shoots the puck!). But with Betts, Briere and Pronger out, the team chemistry does look off to me. Hopefully when those three come back in the line-up, we can get things back together. I hope Zherdev stays in and Carcillo sits. I am cautiously optimistic, but I know many Flyers fans are freaking out right about now. Let's hope the Flyers we saw for most of the season is the team that shows up here on out or this will be a very short Spring.

[TeamBlue96 3]

Excited for tonight anyone? I know i am. I'm hoping Prongs plays -- i've heard conflicting reports.

[sickwilly 37]

Just saw something on EPSN that said he was ruled out for tonight. I think that the Flyers won't do much this year unless he's back and playing well.

[gilbois 1]

Excited for tonight anyone? I know i am. I'm hoping Prongs plays -- i've heard conflicting reports.

HELLS YEAH. tpanotch confirms Daily News story that Pronger is out. Zherdev is a scratch.

Let's give Vanek a early ticket back to Austria.

[TeamBlue96 3]

Just saw something on EPSN that said he was ruled out for tonight. I think that the Flyers won't do much this year unless he's back and playing well.

yeah, i saw it on Twitter shortly after i posted on here.

....Zherdev is a scratch.

this upsets me; he was one of our better players in the last few games of the season. i feel he DESERVES to be at least, dressed and in the lineup. it doens't make sense. Maybe we're going to carry an extra 7th Dman tonight; a lot of teams like to do that for the playoffs.

[TeamBlue96 3]

This article 'thoughts on game 1' from one of my favorite local beat writers sums up how i feel:

http://anthonysintheroom.blogspot.com/

[Chadd 916]

Playoff discussion should be in the playoff forum.

[shooter27 116]

Ok, I'll start the "what needs to get done in the offseason" discussion.

Putting the goaltending issues aside for the moment, a long time ago I heard a comment from a hall of famer (I don't remember who) tha said basically, "The first third of the season won on conditioning. By the second third, everyone is in shape and the most talented team wins. And in the final third and playoffs, the teams that want it the most win.". Going by that outline, the Flyers problems clearly weren't conditioning or talent, but for some reason this team lacked the will and desire that has always been the trademark of Flyers hockey. You could see it coming as they faded down the stretch and almost lost the division, they clearly didn't have it this year.

As for next year, clearly goaltending needs to be addressed. Given the emergence of JVR towards the end of the season and in the playoffs I've warmed up to the idea of trading Carter for a tender. They have a logjam of natural centers (Briere, Giroux, Carter, Richards) and while they can all play on the wing, none of them seems to be at his most effective doing so. So if you can trade Carter for a top end goalie (I don't know who that is, but I'm pretty sure it's not Vokoun) and at the same time that opens up enough cap space to re-sign Leino, I think it's something you have to consider. That would give you a top two lines of Hartnell-Briere-Leino and JVR-Giroux-Versteeg, with Richards to anchor the third line. While I'll always hesitate to trade a 35-45 goal scorer like Carter, that lineup with a healthy Pronger and a top goaltender is probably a better team. The other option i see (although it's a longshot because of his contract) is trading Hartnell, but i don't think he gets you the same return as Carter.