2011 Off-season Thread
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?
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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