2011 Off-season Thread

15013 Views 87 Replies 9 Participants Last post by 6298, Apr 3, 2012

6298

Discussion Starter · May 7, 2011

So...now what? Goaltending was less than average throughout the majority of the playoffs, but the simple fact of why this team didn't win in the playoffs was they didn't play the way they did from Oct 26 to Feb 16 where they went 34-10-4. After that, they went 9-9-7.

They started the season 3-4-1...then figured out how to play some of the best hockey in the league for 48 games (34-10-4), and then pooped in the bed and rolled in it for the remaining 26 games going 9-9-7, giving up the top spot in the East, limping into the playoffs, and then almost getting beat by the 7 seed Sabres.

You'd think the dominant game they played in Game 7 to beat the Sabres would give them the momentum and motivation going into the second round against a team they struggled against this year and they came out as the definition of flat and never really got it going. They played solid in Game 2, but didn't get the job done in OT, then sucked in Games 3 & 4. So, the season is over.

What's the answer?

They were one of, if not the most dominant teams in the NHL for 48 games...with the same two goaltenders they took into the playoffs. Did the goaltenders have some soft games? Sure. But did the rest of the team leave them out to dry in several of them? Absolutely.

I don't think this is a coaching issue. I think the players need to look solely at themselves. Didn't help that they were missing Pronger for the playoffs and Carter for a few games.

A consistent veteran goaltender to mentor Bob couldn't help, but you don't get much better of a teammate than Boosh Bag.

I think Leino and Zherdev are two of the big question marks for UFAs. Boosh is on that list as well, but I can't see him coming back...not after game 3.

For as much as the Flyers dominate when they get the their forecheck going, there were way too many times I saw Zherdev, Leino, and Versteeg, all on different lines, try to walk the puck in and end up turning it over rather than dumping and chasing.

I'm hoping Versteeg is much better next year with a full Flyers training camp under his belt.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

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esuhock22

· #2 · May 7, 2011 (Edited)

There isn't a chance Zherdev comes back and I hope he goes and tears it up on some other NHL team. I mean come on, Shelley over Zherdev in a must win game? It's terrible. I actually wasn't happy with the coaching staff at all. I think the Flyers all sort of lost it when Leighton started, especially Boosh. That shows how much the Flyers really trusted in Bob and Boosh. The guy had one awful game in the NHL all season, yet they think they have a better chance of winning with him in net compared to the two guys who got them where they were. They just didn't handle the goalie situation like they did in the season and I don't get why. I don't even want to talk about the PP, because obviously things needed to change and they didn't.

A big concern I have other than goaltending is Richards. He just simply didn't earn his paycheck in the playoffs and had a good, but another point drop of a season.

esuhock22

· #4 · May 8, 2011

Turns out Richards was playing injured, had a wrist injury.

esuhock22

· #10 · May 10, 2011

VICE™ said:
First of all, any confirmation on Pronger having a herniated disc (which has, in turn, led to hip and leg problems) yet? Or are all reports still just talking about the hand injury he had?

Just another injury in a long-line of them for Richards, and with him playing through the majority of them, who knows how it'll affect him long-term. Hope it doesn't wind up being another case of a physical smaller player breaking down before he should, because he's one hell of a player when he's healthy.

Last I heard that was the deal with Pronger, but the herniated disc was leading to groin problems? I can't keep up.

I read today Betts, Meszaros, Richards, Versteeg, Leighton (I think that was all of them) will undergo surgery and Pronger and Carter will be reevaluated tomorrow to see if they need it. Talk about being banged up.

esuhock22

· #13 · May 12, 2011

So possibly we will see a better/healthy Versteeg next season, who I wasn't entirely impressed with.

esuhock22

· #15 · May 12, 2011

swflyers8 said:
Take this with a grain of salt but Ektard is saying that Versteeg may go to Phoenix for the rights to negotiate with Bryzgalov.:dunno:

That doesn't make much sense to me at all. Basically throw a way a first round pick and a solid proven player for the right to talk to a goalie? Like usual, I hope he is wrong.

esuhock22

· #17 · May 13, 2011

teylward said:
It sound's like they were so set on winning this season they put future seasons at risk by playing injured players and not letting them heal properly.
I'm really not a fan of the whole trading to get the rights to someone. Didn't work with Hamhuis at the start of this season did it?

Depending on the player whose rights they get and what exactly is being offered (6th round pick I'm usually okay with), but not a player like Versteeg.

esuhock22

· #18 · May 17, 2011 (Edited)

Flyers have signed Finnish goaltender Niko Hovinen.

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have signed 6’ 5”, 196-lb goaltender Niko Hovinen to an entry-level contract, according to general manager Paul Holmgren.

Hovinen, 23 (3/16/88), played for Lahti of the Finnish Elite League during the 2010-11 season. He posted a record of 17-25-5 in 49 appearances, along with a 2.59 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage and three shutouts.

A native of Helskini, Hoivinen was a member of Finland’s IIHF World Championship team that defeated Sweden 6-1 in the final on May 15. He was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the fifth round (132nd overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, but never signed with the club.

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=563023&navid=DL|PHI|home

Another link- http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2011/5/17/2175322/more-goalies-flyers-sign-finnish-netminder-niko-hovinen

esuhock22

· #21 · May 18, 2011

teylward said:
I don't want to lose Carter or any of those guys, but one of them will be going I think. We have lost some great players in the last few years, but I think this off-season will take the cake.(Lupul, Upshall, Knuble, Sbisa, etc.)

They have other players that would shed good money and not be nearly as big of a loss as Carter. Carle, Versteeg, and Hartnell to name a few.

esuhock22

· #22 · Jun 2, 2011

Great Article on Jeff Carter

Jeff Carter, Two-way Forward

Earlier this year, Geoff wrote an excellent article about what a strong season Jeff Carter was having. Geoff's thesis revolved around the observation that Carter was not merely scoring, but doing it despite taking on tough defensive assignments, going out in the defensive zone against the opponent's best players.

It has become a common refrain on this site, that Carter has matured this year and taken on a much more difficult role, and that it's impressive that we didn't see any slip in his production. I've said as much myself on many occasions.

But I'm not so sure it's true. He definitely did take on challenging assignments, that much isn't in question. However, this may not have been anything new for Carter; I think this year was just the first time we recognized what tough minutes he was playing.

Read the rest here- http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2011/6/1/2200025/jeff-carter-two-way-forward#storyjump

esuhock22

· #23 · Jun 3, 2011

So umm, why did the Flyers let Eriksson walk?

esuhock22

· #25 · Jun 7, 2011

scott tenorman said:
isnt he the flyers top prospect? a goalie ironically

:dunno: literally makes no sense

I really don't know. He will probably end up being a stud for the Devils and haunt the Flyers for years.

esuhock22

· #27 · Jun 8, 2011

I don't think they'll sign him, but we'll see.

esuhock22

· #28 · Jun 17, 2011 (Edited)

Flyers contacted Vokoun

http://philly.sbnation.com/philadelphia-flyers/2011/6/16/2228070/tomas-vokoun-says-the-flyers-free-agency

I would rather see him in orange and black. Like the article says, he'd probably be cheaper and for less years. He's been one of my favorite goalies for awhile now.

esuhock22

· #29 · Jun 17, 2011

Another pretty good Richards interview.

http://www.fan590.com/ondemand/media.jsp?content=20110615_114153_15836

esuhock22

· #30 · Jun 18, 2011

Bryzgalov is on twitter.

The online world was euphoric to see that the subject of secret negotiations is the only one talking — even if it is only in 140 character spurts. On Friday morning, Ilya Bryzgalov himself broke the silence on Twitter.

Bryzgalov’s Twitter handle, @bryzgoalie30, is confirmed according to multiple outlets. So what has the Russian goalie had to say? Some of his tweets are in English, including his first: “Hi guys!!! #Bryzgalov”

Others, however, have come through in Russian and are translated here courtesy of Google Translate…

Read the rest here- http://phillysportsdaily.com/flyers/2011/06/17/ilya-bryzgalov-joins-twitter/

esuhock22

· #31 · Jun 25, 2011

With the 8th overall pick the Flyers select center Sean Couturier. A two way player, especially known for his defensive game.

http://phillysportsdaily.com/flyers/2011/06/24/flyers-select-sean-couturier-at-no-8/

esuhock22

· #33 · Jun 27, 2011

Powe was traded to Minnesota for a third round pick in 2013 and Nodl signed a 845,000 dollar contract, 2 years.

esuhock22

· #34 · Jun 27, 2011

http://phillysportsdaily.com/flyers/2011/06/24/flyers-select-sean-couturier-at-no-8/

Article has a good scouting report about the Flyers new guys minus Couturier.

esuhock22

· #36 · Jun 29, 2011

Simmonds is a guy who brings the body a lot so he needs to step up and replace Powe in the hits column. As for the PK, as of right now I think it's looking like Betts-Nodl and Giroux-Versteeg, which isn't that bad.

esuhock22

· #37 · Jul 1, 2011

Two top teams drop out of Jagr running. Flyers and Habs seem to be popular ones now.

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