The Ended Flyers Thread

[zambonir]

Yes, that's why I said "despite the #1 seed." Had they played in April it might have been a first-round loss to the #5 Penguins, but the lack of interruption and actual home games also could have helped.

The seed should still matter though, inasmuch as we got to play the 12th-best regular-season team and now we're playing #7. But the bubble does seem to have a levelling effect. Our success in the play-in games definitely raised my expectations but even if this series was 2-2 it was going to be a lot tougher to beat Boston or Tampa over 7.

[flyers19rw]

This is what a five year rebuild looks like. The stars at the start begin to age out. Now the new wave is coming but it still needs time to mature. Rest assured that in two years time few opponents will relish coming into the WF building and having to face Hart behind Provorov, Sanheim, Myers & Co. The Flyers will need more fire power up front, down the middle. There is a lot of potential strength on the wings with all of the young guns in the organization. Again, like with the defensemen, two years to mature physically and to add some experience. The Flyers are becoming a force. It takes steps forward and patience.

[xogfog]

Flyers stave off elimination with a crazy overtime win, where they took a 3-1 lead deep into the 3rd peried and the Islanders scored two quick goals to send it to overtime, where Hart made a couple great saves to keep them in it before Laughten ended it with a deflection of a Provorov shot.. They lost Couturier early in the game as he banged knees with Barzal and limped off the ice, and he was not able to return.

If Couturier is out for the next game or longer, I wonder if they bring up Frost, or maybe even Lindblom!

[VoteForKalas]

Another night for a big Flyers win!! Get it to Game 7 and then anything can happen.

Did not like to see them blow the 2 goal lead in Game 5, but they did play much better.

[flyers19rw]

Lindblom in!

[zambonir]

Not looking so good all of a sudden.

[bigegypt0417]

Unreal win.

On to game 7!

[zambonir]

Quite the effort. Both goaltenders were tough in OT. We sure don't look like the better team, especially w/o Couturier, but that don't matter now! And very resilient.

[phillychuck]

They were very solid in the 2nd OT. Got a break with the broken stick and converted it.

[xogfog]

I'm the mush, I kept tuning in and out just in time to miss every Flyers goal and see every Islanders goal and changed the channel when it was 4-3 and fell asleep sure that the season was over only to wake up to see they won! Now I don't know if I should watch game 7!!!

[VoteForKalas]

Of course you should xogfog!

Fantastic to see Lindblom in the lineup and smiling. Great win, Hart continues to be a revelation, Provorov continues to grow as the #1 D and we got 5 goals against a very stingy defensive team.

Two past Game 7's between the Flyers & Islanders
1975 - Flyers win on route to their 2nd Cup
1987 - Flyers take the dynasty Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, but cannot close the deal

This has already been a special year; let's keep it going!

[phillychuck]

Watch it on tape delay--that way you know you're not affecting the goals/result!

[xogfog]

I already set the DVR!

[zambonir]

You must be watching after all

They were only ever really in this series by a thread. Didn't win a single game in regulation.

[xogfog]

Just got done fast forwarding through it, maybe I should have watched it live! They just ran out of gas. None of the teams that were 3-1 down came back this time around, that's shows how hard it is to do. The 2010 Flyers that came back from down 3-0 in the series and from 3-0 down in game 7 is still the greatest comeback ever.

This is a big step forward for the Flyers and if they can make a couple good moves this offseason and the young players keep improving, the future looks bright.

[Dirk41]

Any moves out there to make the Flyers markedly better next season?

Is there a goal scorer available that can be a heat seeker better than Frost?

Quite an important off-season with not very obvious moves to be made

[gmwannabe]

i think it is time, hate to do it, but i would trade Giroux for the first overall pick in the draft. The Rangers might have to add something, but i'd still do it.
gm

[zambonir]

That doesn't sound like enough, let's see if the Avs will take him for MacKinnon.

I'm sure they will find some ways to get better. Nobody really loved last year's moves and they worked out rather well. They have some tradeable options, just depends how much future you want to give up. They are obviously going to have ride out the end of the Giroux/Voracek era but I'm not holding this series against them in the big picture. Roles will continue to change.

[flyers19rw]

Giroux has a NMC; he’s not and should not be going anywhere. He’s not what he once was but he still has value. It depends how he is used in the future. AV and he need to sit down and recalibrate his role on the team. I doubt that G would object to that. He has said nothing negative about being moved from the top center to the wing and then away from the top line as the season went on. The roles of Voracek and JVR are bigger issues.

[LegoDoom]

It's really tough to gauge the restart. The Flyers looked incredible until the Habs series. I want to think it was conditioning as they didn't have any legs, but I really don't know. All I know is they skated well and had great puck movement until the Habs and then it went to crap. I'm glad the conference finals are going to be played in Edmonton as the ice in Toronto was horrible.

Giroux still has a bad cap hit and a no movement clause.... and would only fetch a minimal return. I think I'd rather ride out his contract as he can contribute even on the top line. I don't think the team can do much about Voracek other than find a new role for him.

As well as Hayes played, I think that was the top of his range and I'm still not sure his contract is worth a 50 point player. JVR seemed to look worse than Hayes, but had similar numbers and contract.

I'm always biased towards younger players, but Farabee needs more minutes (no matter what line) and Frost needs to be up next year. Hopefully Lindblom is ready for a fullish season and hopefully Patrick can come back. That's at least a start to hold things together until other prospects can develop.