Flyers' 2011/2012 Season Discussion

[shooter27 116]

It was a terrible time for hockey before the lockout. I used to get so frustrated watching players hanging all over talented forwards, going for the killer hits when it wasn't necessary. Sure, it's exciting to see this unless it's happening to your team or your players. Lindros was a player right in the middle of that, when players like Scott Stevens and Darius Kasparitis made a living taking advantage of players with their heads down. Imagine if he was a smaller guy during that time?

It was definitely a terrible time for the game in the late 90s, early 00s. I don't even think it was so much the physical things, it was the hooking and holding. Imagine if Lindros was in his prime in the post-lockout era and was able to skate and get a head of steam going without all the clutching and grabbing. I think his skating was always woefully underrated, he could move when he had the space to get a head of steam going.

[chippa13 1844]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=392211

Berube calling anyone dirty is just funny to me. The goon who went after the likes of Don Sweeney shouldn't have any opinion on dirty.

[shooter27 116]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=392211

Berube calling anyone dirty is just funny to me. The goon who went after the likes of Don Sweeney shouldn't have any opinion on dirty.

I disagree - if anyone knows what dirty is, Craig Berube knows.

[TeamBlue96 3]

Hipocritic, yes. At the same time i think he's trying to get at the fact that he wouldn't tolerate the antics of someone like Sid in his playing days and no one should now, either. All of this said, the best part is that he won't apologize like Milbury did. Rightfully so, too.

There's a reason why Sid/Malkin are such villains (not only to fans, but to other players) Yeah, they're both ungodly good...but be good on the classy level like a Gretz, Lidstrom, Selanne....running your mouth, the extra stick work, mixing it up...then hiding behind players is only going to put more of a target on your back.

[chippa13 1844]

So Berube is standing up for all that is honorable about the game of hockey? If he is hockey's champion then my how the game has fallen. The guy was an embarrassment to the league as a "player".

[camhockey16 5]

so much of this stuff can just be summed up by saying "pot, meet kettle" whether it is laviolette, bylsma, hartnell, berube, crosby, or milbury

[Gr8erade 1]

Or "it takes one to know one."

Regardless of the messenger, there's a big nugget of truth in the message, as far as I'm concerned.

[TeamBlue96 3]

So Berube is standing up for all that is honorable about the game of hockey? If he is hockey's champion then my how the game has fallen. The guy was an embarrassment to the league as a "player".

No no -- the way Berube said it, he's basically saying that if Crosby played in Berube's day -- that Berube would have no problem mixing it up with him. So since he doesnt play anymore -- players should feel the same way he does and not be afraid to give Crosby the same treatment he dishes out. (stick work, yapping, extra curricular activity)...and it's showing that players around the league are starting to get sick of Crosby's antics.

I understand that Berube was just another goon in his day....but those are some of the most respected players after the fact because of the type of game they played. Players policed themselves much more than they do now. I feel that there was much more respect back then. Now, it's a bunch of players who run around wrecklessly and think they can get away with it....it'll catch up to them.

Best story i recall is one from Mike Richards ....when he was still relatively young, a skilled up and commer, playing against the Devils -- he was acting like an idiot doing all these Crosby like things....Patrick Elias basically laughed at him and in all seriousness -- told Richy that if you keep acting like a moron on the ice -- you're gonna get hurt. Mike has said that was one of his defining moments where he 'got it' and sort of had a new take on how the game is played at the NHL level.

Too many hot shots these days just come up and think they're invincible because they're either too good, have other players to hide behind, or hide behind rules. If you never stick up for yourself, you're not going to be respected. What's worse is the guys who aren't as skilled as Sid and do the same BS.

Sadly, I guess you can say it's all part of the game these days.....

[chippa13 1844]

Make no mistake about it, Berube was never respected.

[IniNew 53]

Or "it takes one to know one."

Regardless of the messenger, there's a big nugget of truth in the message, as far as I'm concerned.

An extra dirty player calling out dirty players. Sounds like he's pretty qualified to make the assessment.

[TeamBlue96 3]

Make no mistake about it, Berube was never respected.

Maybe not him as a person -- but his role, yes.

[chippa13 1844]

Not the way he played it. The respected goon was the guy who banged bodies but only truly went after other tough guys. Berube was of that class of true goon who went after guys that he shouldn't have. Today's Gillies is yesterday's Berube.

[TeamBlue96 3]

Well...like i said; other teams, not just Berube, are getting sick and tired if it....

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Well...like i said; other teams, not just Berube, are getting sick and tired if it....

There's no whining in Pittsburgh about the Flyers, or the Rangers, or anyone else. There's focus on pulling their game together, and winning 16 games after Saturday. You'll never see Bylsma run his mouth like Laviolet and Torts, never.

For the record, if you think Crosby doesnt recieve his fair share of cheap shots, trash talk, and stickwork, then your an idiot. He gives it just as much as he gets it and there shouldnt be anything wrong with that.

[Chadd 916]

There's no whining in Pittsburgh about the Flyers, or the Rangers, or anyone else. There's focus on pulling their game together, and winning 16 games after Saturday. You'll never see Bylsma run his mouth like Laviolet and Torts, never.

For the record, if you think Crosby doesnt recieve his fair share of cheap shots, trash talk, and stickwork, then your an idiot. He gives it just as much as he gets it and there shouldnt be anything wrong with that.

Sid gives far more than he gets.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Theres no helping you.

[EBondo 233]

There's no whining in Pittsburgh about the Flyers, or the Rangers, or anyone else. There's focus on pulling their game together, and winning 16 games after Saturday. You'll never see Bylsma run his mouth like Laviolet and Torts, never.

Bylsma hadn't heard Laviolette's comments last week before he gave his post-game press conference. I bet you things would be different had that been the case.

[Chadd 916]

Theres no helping you.

Sorry, when was the last time someone chopped him in the hands twice on the same faceoff? Or the last time someone broke a stick over his leg as he skated past them? Let alone doing both of those things without penalty. Stars in the NHL usually get away with more than the average level players, Ovechkin being the only notable exception I can recall in recent years.

Bylsma hadn't heard Laviolette's comments last week before he gave his post-game press conference. I bet you things would be different had that been the case.

Bylsma doesn't usually get involved in the verbal stuff, he usually just blows it off.

[TeamBlue96 3]

Sid gives far more than he gets.

glad to see someone who understands.

[shooter27 116]

Theres no helping you.

Clearly you're a Pens fan so your view is slanted, just like the view of the Flyers fans is slanted. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't believe Chadd is a fan of either team so I would think his opinion is the most independent. At the end of the day, I think one thing Tortorella is correct about is the fact that if someone had made an identical hit on Crosby or Malkin you'd hear a massive uproar from the Penguins, and likely a suspension. That's not to say it wouldn't be justified, you could probably make the case if the same hit was on Gaborik or Richards or Giroux or Stamkos or any other number of top names then you'd probably be seeing a suspension too. The fact of the matter is that there is a double standard in the NHL when it comes to supplemental discipline when stars/superstars are involved.

I really think the recent backlash against Pittsburgh is due to the fact that they do quite a bit of complaining whenever someone takes a shot at Crosby or Malkin but they're not above giving a shot to someone. If you're going to be on that high horse when your guy gets taken out then you can't have guys taking out other team's players or you're going to get called on it, which is exactly what is happening now.

[BenderHockey 127]

For the record, if you think Crosby doesnt recieve his fair share of cheap shots, trash talk, and stickwork, then your an idiot. He gives it just as much as he gets it and there shouldnt be anything wrong with that.

With all due respect, when Sid "gets it", most of the time it's because he's "giving it". Older guys on here correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember Gretz, Mario, Stevie Y et al playing the way Sid does, and I don't remember them getting it back. Except for Graves giving the two-hander to Mario's wrist.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

At the end of the day, I think one thing Tortorella is correct about is the fact that if someone had made an identical hit on Crosby or Malkin you'd hear a massive uproar from the Penguins, and likely a suspension.

Mike Rupp made a basically identicle hit on Jordan Staal and put him out for 3 plus weeks. You didnt hear a single word out of the Pens organization, at least nothing to the extent of Torts. And Staals twice the player Stepan is, not to mention Stepan went back to the bench and likely will miss maybe the last regular season game and be good to go for playoffs. You didnt hear a word from the Pens when Letang got destroyed by Nystrom a few weeks ago, missing several games very recently after returning from concussion.

In my opinion we can go back and forth on this type of stuff all day, and really, we do all the time. It all boils down to its a different time. Noone respects anyone anymore, in any area of life. Coaches obviously don't respect eachother, the officials, the integrity of the game, the opponent, etc. and the players its all the same.

[MattyBoy 1]

Mike Rupp made a basically identicle hit on Jordan Staal and put him out for 3 plus weeks. You didnt hear a single word out of the Pens organization, at least nothing to the extent of Torts. And Staals twice the player Stepan is, not to mention Stepan went back to the bench and likely will miss maybe the last regular season game and be good to go for playoffs. You didnt hear a word from the Pens when Letang got destroyed by Nystrom a few weeks ago, missing several games very recently after returning from concussion.

In my opinion we can go back and forth on this type of stuff all day, and really, we do all the time. It all boils down to its a different time. Noone respects anyone anymore, in any area of life. Coaches obviously don't respect eachother, the officials, the integrity of the game, the opponent, etc. and the players its all the same.

Rupp didn't stick his leg out to hit staal's leg, he took a straight line towards him and never shifted any part of his body, staal exposed himself and was hit awkwardly while trying to avoid the hit. And the Nystrom hit on Letang was a clean hit.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Really, staal exposed himself and was hit awkwardly while trying to avoid a hit... Hmm who does that sound like, Stepan? no couldn't be! Like I said, we could do this all day. At this point I'm done with it.

[MattyBoy 1]

Really, staal exposed himself and was hit awkwardly while trying to avoid a hit... Hmm who does that sound like, Stepan? no couldn't be! Like I said, we could do this all day. At this point I'm done with it.

That's nothing like what happened to Stepan... Rupp stayed in his line and went thru Staal while Orpik completely extended his leg as far as possible into Stepan's path and made contact knee on knee