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Ryan Gilbert and Steve Jacot react to the Philadelphia Flyers' losing streak extending to four games after back-to-back losses in Buffalo and Pittsburgh this week. Will the Flyers be able to recover, or are they destined to continue their freefall?
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0:01
[Music]
0:13
Hello and welcome to Broad Street Hockey YouTube channel. I am your host today,
0:19
Ryan Gilbert. Joining me is the one and only Steve Jako, Mr. Fly Burboy. How we
0:25
doing today, Steve? What's going on? I am doing better than the Flyers. And I think Philly sports in
0:32
general, it's just a kind of a it's been a lousy week in the Philly sports
0:37
landscape, but uh and you know, I it's I was going to say like the sun's shine and it's not but it's like cold as hell outside. I mean,
0:43
cold as hell's an oxymoron, but like it's it's like 20° and like windy. It's
0:49
not nothing's good, but I'm in a pretty good mood nonetheless. How about you, my friend? How you doing?
0:55
Yeah, I was looking outside. I'm like, "Oh, maybe I should go for a walk today or something." I opened my door. It's like like the wind chills in the 20s.
1:01
It's ridiculous here. Apparently, it's not going to snow tomorrow, though. We're just going to like rain in a wintry mix this weekend. So, who knows
1:08
there. Yeah, I'm I'm doing doing okay. Doing better than the Flyers. And doing better than I thought I would after what
1:16
just an embarrassing loss in Pittsburgh last night. Uh bad loss in Buffalo. Five
1:22
straight losses here. Uh, but I'm I'm not ready to panic quite yet. I wrote about that today at
1:27
broadstreethockey.com. Make sure you go check it out there. Read and subscribe there. And um, but you know, the Flyers,
1:34
their playoff odds over at our good friends at FanDuel, they have uh, come down quite a bit. I believe they were
1:41
around plus 120 when I recorded earlier this week with Joe and Jacob, and they
1:46
are up to uh, I believe plus 180 I saw to make the playoffs at FanDuel Sports.
1:52
So, uh, it's getting up there. It's and it's people are starting to panic. People are starting to get into the same
1:59
old flyers. Um, people are Yeah, it's fivegame losing streak, but it could be
2:07
a lot worse and it feels a lot better than it is somehow. And it's just funny
2:12
how it's just funny how this came at the exact start of the second half of the season. Their first 41 games, close that
2:19
out with the Ducks win. first five games of the second half, five losses here.
2:24
Yeah. And I think what doesn't help is like if they had won that Toronto game, I think we'd all feel a little bit
2:30
differently about this. That was a game they should have won. They let get away from them. That sucked. But if they win
2:35
that game, they get that extra point. Maybe we're not feeling so bad. But then they just get so outmatched in those
2:42
Tampa Bay games. And those are games that casuals will see that score and
2:47
say, "Yeah, the Flyers just suck. They've just sucked for 15 years and that's just what they are. But like if you've been watching this is not this
2:54
team. This is not like we're talking about a team that won two consecutive games five to2. One of which was against
3:00
the Oilers who have one of the most highpowered offenses in the league. Uh the Ducks have scored a lot of goals
3:05
this year. So it's like they beat two teams that you know can have very good days 5 to2 and they should have beaten
3:12
Toronto. So the the back-to-back losses against Tampa Bay sucked, but they were like exceptionally bad between the
3:19
injuries the Flyers had, the hot streak Tampa Bay is on, that makes everything seem worse. And
3:25
then to come back and Buffalo's been hot, too. And Buffalo's a team that you just assume they always suck, right?
3:30
Because they're the Buffalo Sabers. And they did suck. They sucked until they played the Flyers. They played the first
3:36
period of that Flyers game. They were abysmal. And then the joke I made on PHLY was that they saw John Tordella at
3:44
intermission and that John Tordella just the sight of that thinking about him as the coach was inspiring enough for them
3:52
to rally and turn that game around. And it looks like they've turned their entire season around because it doesn't
3:57
it makes zero sense to change a GM and change your season around based on that.
4:02
But to be terrified of having a notorious hard ass coach coming in and changing your season based on that, that
4:09
checks out to me. I'm running with it. They've been unbelievable since then. And then Pittsburgh, I mean, you want to
4:15
talk about you're coming on a a back-to-back road game against a fierce rival that always does well against you.
4:23
Sydney Crosby is points against the Flyers are just the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. So that always
4:29
feels bad. And you got whooped in that game. Like it looks like 6 to3 is closer than it was. They might as well have
4:34
lost that game 10 nothing. Yeah. Yeah. It's been just a a storm of
4:39
the worst possible events for the Flyers. They get those injuries in the Ducks game. Like you said, that Leafs
4:46
game, they really needed to win that one with the power play chances, the five on three and Scott Laden of course gets the
4:52
dagger and then they win it in overtime. And yeah, the Lightning, they're they're the easily the best team in the Eastern
4:59
Conference. Even without Victor Hedman, even without Braden Point now, like they're elite in the Eastern Conference.
5:05
They're the top team. So, yeah, like you said, you you see those those two bad losses, you're like, "Oh my god, Flyers,
5:11
here come the Flyers." You know, they did this a few years ago where they had a had a good first half and then just faded in the second half and you got the
5:18
injuries to Ddale and Brink and Kenky missed a game. Then you have then you have the Samerson of it all. The Sam who
5:27
who last night got pulled after the Flyers scored a goal after giving up not
5:34
not a a horrible goal for the Penguins third one, but it definitely was one you want to have back. Um what what what did
5:41
you make of that? cuz like I thought maybe the Flyers were distracted by a potential offside challenge because Dale
5:49
put his arm up instead of playing defense ahead of that goal. Kevin Week
5:54
said on the broadcast that he saw Tocket go down to Yogi and say something before the Flyers scored. So maybe he had
6:00
already decided on it no matter what happened. But it was just a very weird
6:06
unusual unique goalie pool that I don't I can't remember ever seeing before.
6:11
Yeah. I don't know what to make of that. And it's got to be something that we don't know about, right? Like it's got to be something that the coaches talked
6:17
about that like they know all the inside dirt on, but they're not willing to spill the tea with us here. And it's
6:24
frustrating from a fan perspective and from a media perspective because I want to know why they pulled him because like
6:31
if you're going to survive and do we know what the ETA on Vadar coming back at this point is? I saw a report from
6:38
Jordan Hall today that said Vladar is daytoday, but he is not an option on Saturday. So hopefully for the road trip
6:45
uh next week, which is a big one in uh Vegas, Utah, and Colorado. Three three big boys out there.
6:50
Well, this is and that's a big factor if you're somebody who follows the Flyers like we do when you're looking at the
6:56
playoff odds for this team and thinking about like how catastrophic this could be. this next week could be catastrophic
7:04
for this team because they probably out of those three games, my expectation is
7:09
the only one they really should come away with two points in is the Utah game. So, Utah's good, too. Utah's a good team.
7:16
You're the almost the same record. Yeah, this is Yeah, this is true. This
7:21
is true. Uh I It's more not sure like basically like if the team is going to man up,
7:27
mount up, Rough Riders, mount up and win a game, it's going to be that one. like they got to win. I'd say if they're if
7:34
there's two must-win games over the next week and a half, it's the Rangers game and the Utah game because I don't feel
7:40
good about the Vegas game. They're number one in their division. And Colorado, I mean, if you're following
7:45
hockey this year, and I assume if you're watching this podcast or video, you're following hockey. Colorado's
7:52
unbelievable this year. They are 334 and 8. They only have four regulation
7:59
losses. 74 points. They're the best team in the league by 11 points. It's unreal
8:05
how good the Colorado Avalanche are. So, I expect them to not get any points in that game to come away. Vegas, maybe you
8:12
take them to overtime, but they're just not playing great right now. Like, it
8:17
seemed like the offense was doing pretty good after they they hung up five on the Ducks and the Oilers. And the Ducks,
8:22
they really took it to them even with Goautier. But then not being able to do anything against the Leafs was super
8:29
disappointing. Only getting two goals in that game or only getting one goal in that game just it really sucked. And then you know the
8:36
Lightning whatever but like I wish they had scored more against the Sabres and the Penguins especially the Penguins
8:41
with Steuart Skinner and everything. Uh we you know I I don't know about you but I took the over in that game and I
8:47
didn't it wasn't quite sweating it out but I would have thought that the Flyers would contribute more to the over than
8:54
they did in that game. But I want to see the offense do more. And the defense was really though the big thing through the
9:01
first like couple months of the season. The defense and the goalending and it's well it's basically dead right now. You
9:07
know, like I missing Ddale for two games or a couple games sucked, but like wristtoin was back. Wristalan's hurt
9:14
again. Vidar even before getting hurt just was not the same wall that he was
9:19
for the first and there's a lot of concern about Fedar right now because he's never had this many starts in his career. So
9:25
there's a lot of concern out there and it's all very warranted. Yeah, there's absolutely reason for
9:30
concern that that road trip. I'm not expecting more than if they get two points on that road trip, I'm happy. Like maybe they get a win. Maybe they're
9:36
gonna win in Utah, but Vegas is rolling now with EKL back. Colorado doesn't have a regulation loss at home this season.
9:43
But the big game big game is against the Rangers. But yeah. Yeah. Before we get to that, I think looking at the Flyers
9:48
recent games, the big issue is offense. And also the big issue is like yeah, you
9:54
look at these scores 52, 51, 72. They're blowout losses and like only for small
10:00
portions of their of that game did you even like the effort or the fight that they put in. Like that second game
10:05
against the Lightning, they had the multiple fights literally. We got Meech's first fight last night, but like
10:11
the effort just has not been there. And we finally got Takit shuffling up the
10:16
lines a little bit last night. Uh separating D'vorak and Zegris. Getting
10:22
Mechov and Barky together on a line with Couture has looked good there. That that they combined for a goal. Mechov got a
10:29
goal in the third period. Uh Barky set up Seer for a goal as well to to help out there. But yeah, Stu Skinner, he's
10:35
been good in Pittsburgh. One goal in each of the his four games before the game against the Flyers, but it's just
10:42
the shots on goal as well. Against the Ducks, they had 39. Against the Oilers, 29, 26 in Calgary, even 33 in Seattle,
10:48
33 in Vancouver. But these past five games, 23, 20, 21, 22, and last night,
10:54
they got 30. But that's just score effects there. and they they they were they were the better team in the second
11:00
period. They just couldn't convert on any of those chances. And that's the big thing is Rick Tockett wants to play lowe
11:07
event hockey, but the Flyers don't have the high-end skill to take advantage of those chances. So that's the frustrating
11:15
thing right now is like okay like where is the blame right now if if anywhere or
11:21
is it just is it just like okay you ran into a great lightning team with injuries the Sabres are hot you're
11:27
you're hurt and Pittsburgh on a backto-back you're not winning a backto-back there so it's like I want to
11:32
get down on this team but looking ahead the big game is is tomorrow less than 20
11:38
in 24 hours we will know how to how to feel about this team if they beat the Rangers I'm like, okay, they can write
11:44
the ship here a little bit. If they lose to the Rangers, that's six in a row. That road trip makes it nine. Then they
11:50
come home and host the Islanders, who have been very good. Ilia Sroken, now the Vesta Trophy favorite to for a
11:56
potential 10game losing streak. Like this could snowball very quickly. It could snowball super quick. And yeah,
12:04
they got to win this Rangers game. It's just super important. The Rangers actually threw up the white flag earlier
12:10
today, which is wild to think about when you look at the standings, when you look at how close everything is in the East
12:17
for a team to come out and say, "Yeah, I don't think this is the year." I mean, the Rangers, granted, are in last place,
12:24
but you know what last place is in the Eastern Conference? Last place is
12:29
currently 10 points out of a wild card spot. Last place ain't nothing. Last
12:34
place ain't So, it must be pretty bad if Chris Jory's looking at all this
12:40
and he has to just throw a letter out saying, "Hey, season ticket holders, it ain't it. This ain't the year." He's got
12:46
to be prepared to sell right now. And I mean, this is a team that's like they're on the ropes. They're not doing good.
12:52
They're si two six and two in their last 10. They've lost four in a row. This is a must-win for the Flyers. If this is a
12:58
team that wants to have the the grit and determination and everything to make the playoffs, like this is a game that you
13:05
have to come out and just kick ass in. And like it also you need to get I think
13:10
the confidence back in the locker room. You know, this losing streak right now. I think getting walloped by the
13:16
Lightning really did a number on them. And again, they were down a couple guys in those games. Like they were not at
13:23
full strength. So, it was not ideal, but I would have liked for them to have won
13:28
one of either the the Sabres or the Penguins games. And losing both of those
13:34
in the fashion they did really just has us down in the dumps right now. Like the Lightning games, I don't think they were
13:39
ever going to win those because the Lightning are just too good. Yeah. Yeah. But if they'd won one of those two, it
13:45
would have been good. And then Yeah, you got to win the Rangers game. And I'd say you have to find a way to get two points
13:50
out of those three games next week because the week after like you do have the Islanders who have been good, but you also have the Blue Jackets, you have
13:57
the Bruins, and you have the Kings. So there are winnable games that last week.
14:02
If you can go in to the Olympic break in
14:07
a couple points of the playoff spot, they have they have 10 games left before the Olympic break there.
14:12
Yeah, I'm counting. And if you if you can go into it, so if I'm looking I'm looking at the standings right now. The
14:18
wild card spots are currently the Sabres and the Bruins. The Penguins are in the third spot in the Metro. The Flyers are
14:25
sitting at so they're sitting as four points out of a wild card spot and two
14:31
points out of the third spot in the Metro. And the Flyers have the same amount of games played as the Penguins.
14:37
They got two in hand with the Bruins. Uh same amount played as the Sabres. So, like they're in the wheelhouse still.
14:44
Like they fell. They were pretty firmly in third for a while, but like they fell
14:50
and they need to dust themselves off and get back up because this is like this is
14:55
a crucial se section right here. Like this is really just tough sledding. But is this a tough team? Is this a team
15:01
that makes the playoffs or is this a a team of like I don't want to call them losers because it is a team that's
15:06
retooling still. It's very much still in the rebuild and I think we keep forgetting that because like they did so
15:13
well for the first couple months. But yeah, I mean it just to me it really feels like they've hit a wall in a lot
15:19
of ways and it's the injuries are catching up. I think the bad power plays been a huge
15:25
factor like Yeah. And it started pretty good. Like I don't I was it all Tyson Forester? It must
15:32
have been. It may have been. He I think he's still second or third on the team with with three power play goals. Um, yeah, the
15:38
Eastern Conference, the the the it's the playoff race is going to come down to the wire. You got you got so many teams
15:44
in a playoff spot that probably shouldn't be. Like, are the Sabres this good? Are the Bruins this good? Um, are
15:51
are the Flyers as good as they've been? And but yeah, this is this is the this is the real first time they faced
15:56
adversity. They had the big win in Edmonton, came home, got the big emotional win over the Ducks, and just
16:03
such a huge letdown after that game, seeing Brink get hurt, seeing Dale get hurt and losing that game against Scott
16:10
Laden, uh, him scoring the tying goal, and then getting Yeah. being injured and getting blown out by the best team in
16:16
the conference. Like, that's going to get you down. And this is where you have to see Rick Tocket rally the guys. like
16:23
this is this is a time when Rick Tocket systems, okay, they learned their systems now. Let's get this going. Let's
16:29
find some combinations that work. Let's grind this out. Let's let's get some wins here. And it has to start on
16:36
Saturday against the Rangers. No Sturkin. Fox is hurt. They still make Zaban Jad. Um so he's going to torment
16:43
the Flyers. And like that timing of the letter by Drury is not good for the
16:48
Flyers because like you have to think the veterans there, Miller, Zaban, Jad, Paneran, all these guys like, "All
16:54
right, let's go out there and put up a good showing here. Let's still show that maybe we can we can go on a run."
17:00
Especially with Mike Sullivan, like they brought him in to win now and they're just suddenly going into this retool
17:08
here. Um, that's a shame. It's It really is a shame of what's happening there. um up there up north in
17:15
the Rangers. But yeah, like the Flyers are one of the three or four best teams
17:20
in the metro for this season and looking forward. You got the Hurricanes, the Islanders look good now and for the
17:28
future with Schaefer and their all their prospects they have. But the Penguins are fading, the Rangers are fading, the
17:33
Capitals might have one last harrah. The Devils, who knows what's going on there. They're really struggling as well. And
17:39
Columbus just made a coaching change. So, like Jack Hughes just keeps finding like weird ways to get horribly hurt.
17:46
Yeah, I heard he went to an escape room and like and like twisted his ankle or something last night. They put him in a padded room and he got
17:53
a concussion. It's the damnest thing. But like, no, I agree with you. I think like it's it's important to look at the
17:59
long term because this was never going to be a Stanley Cup team this year. And I think it's important to remind ourselves of that. As depressing as that
18:05
is, it just wasn't going to happen this year. I still would like to see the Flyers make some moves like to maybe
18:12
compete for the future. I'm looking at you, Robert Thomas. We'd love some Well, he he's on the IR now. He's on the
18:17
IR now. I didn't see that. Godamn. Yeah. On the IR and the Lightning are in St. Louis tonight, so that should be
18:23
another big win um for Tampa Bay. Oh man, I'm glad you told me that. I'm going over to FanDuel and I am going
18:30
down like much money. I don't know. The the odds can't be good. Like I can't
18:35
imagine you can get a a FanDuel Lightning Lightning are minus 200 right now, but on the puck line uh plus 128 for
18:42
Lightning to win by at least two, which um I feel like they can do that. I I would I would take that if you're
18:48
I'm doing that. I'm doing that for sure. That's great odds over on FanDuel for that one. But like yeah, I mean I like
18:54
the Flyers moving forward. Uh the talk of it all I think is one of the hardest things to to parse out here because you
19:02
know when you look at the first couple months of the season you really do look at it and you have to give Rick Taka
19:07
credit. You have to say like he's done a good job. The teams look better. They look cohesive. They look like they're
19:12
having fun out there. But this is where the hard coaching work really comes into
19:17
play. And we've already seen Takit kind of get testy with the media and such uh
19:24
over some of the stuff like he got real testy about Mishko a couple weeks ago. He clearly does not like getting
19:30
questioned about Mishkov. And I think we're all super frustrated. I
19:35
think mostly by how he's handled Mishko to this point and I think this is seeing
19:41
him with Barky was a nice change of pace. I want to see him open things up for Mishkov more. think the style of
19:46
play has not helped him at all. And if this team is going to score some damn goals, you need I would say Matt
19:53
Vishkov, even though he's having a really rough sophomore slump, he might be your best goal scorer nonetheless
19:59
because he's just the man has a nose for the puck when he is like at his best.
20:06
And it was so great. The only good thing that happened in that Pittsburgh game was seeing Matt Ve Mishkov score a good
20:13
goal. Not an empty netter, not even like, and I love his sloppy around the
20:20
net goals, but like this was a pure goalcorer goal and I want to see more of that. Great feed from Barky. I would
20:26
like to see I like seeing him play with like a tenacious guy on the other side. I think that's been
20:31
the number one great thing we've seen about Denver Barky since he's been up is that tenacity. Denver Barky is a guy who
20:37
gets to the corners even though his guy got he's a small guy. He's just a little guy.
20:43
Just a little guy, but he gets in there, man. He is not scared. No man scares Denver Barky. And he just gets in the
20:49
corner. He mucks it up. He'll get that puck over. Great feed, too. Uh AHL All-Star Denver Barky, we have to
20:55
mention. Would you say Denver Barky is a little little buff boy by chance? Little buff boys. Huffing. Puffing.
21:04
Yeah, he's 100% a little buff boy. He is our little buff boy. We got to get that on a t-shirt ASAP and like the muscle
21:09
suit. H I'm all about the little buff boy. Denver Barky. No, I love Barky. I I like
21:15
when Mishkov gets to play with like because you know when we were looking at it earlier this year, I was like, well,
21:20
I want him playing with some talent and everything. Maybe it's the opposite. Like maybe we really need to work towards people who
21:27
can make space for Mishkov, people who can really put him in a position to
21:33
score where like Bark is good for that. I like when I've seen him with Grabben a couple times this season, too. Yeah,
21:38
because Grabbankin's a guy who can really get in there and muck things up
21:44
and make space and he's a big old body. So, yeah, maybe it isn't putting him with Zegris. Maybe it isn't putting him
21:52
with, you know, a talent guy like Owen Tippet. Maybe it's all about putting him
21:58
together with a guy who can make some space. Yes. Yeah. He was he was playing well with Brink before Brink got hurt on that
22:04
line with Noah Kates. And Denver Barky definitely looks like the type of player that could play with Mitchkov because
22:10
like Barky pushes the play forward, but he doesn't need the puck on his stick. Mkov can have the puck and I don't I
22:17
don't mind couture there in the center like let's have Couttoriier with his his slow legs at this point in his career
22:24
stay in the middle of the ice stay in front of the net on both ends of the rink and let me work his magic on the
22:31
edge there. Uh we saw I think Mechoff and and Couttori were good with Kknney
22:36
last year. Um Tippet Tippet is is a good one as well for his speed but I I I
22:41
think Coreier works with Barky. Barky was a healthy scratch of course in Buffalo. He definitely looked uh
22:48
recharged in Pittsburgh on Thursday night. So, good decision there by Tak to get uh get get Barky a little bit of a
22:54
reset there. Yeah, there's there's not I didn't like Barky getting scratched either. I I did not care for that
23:00
decision. And I mean, maybe it was the right decision because he bounced back. You know, we we always look back at the tors era and we're like how hard he was
23:06
on Cam York, but ultimately Cam York's probably a better player for how he went
23:11
through all that. uh he doesn't have the offensive touch which is super frustrating but that's a whole other story but Mishkov's the big story with
23:18
Takett you know I think Tak's done a lot of good things but his handling of Mishkov to this point has been abysmal
23:24
and Mishkov's conditioning has been abysmal so if they that's my big second half story
23:31
is Matthew Mishkov is like it has to be it has to be yeah if he can take that rest time
23:37
really work on his game with the coaching staff really work on his conditioning and come out strong. I will
23:44
sing Rick Tockett's praises all day if Maf Mishkov looks like Maf Mishkov in the second half. But, you know, to this
23:50
point, I mean, the big thing is like their offense is all centered around Trevor Ziggress at this point. And if Zegris isn't getting those
23:57
points, then the team's really not producing. And that's if this team's going to succeed for the
24:04
next few years, a lot of it's going to have to be deathbed cuz we're looking the centers are not going to be there.
24:09
Even if they do like get like a Robert Thomas or somebody like that, yeah, the centers are still they're still
24:15
going to be a problem at least until you can get one of the prospects that hopefully work out, which is a big if.
24:22
But like, you know, and and their ceilings are probably like a 3C. So, like you have to have a a center fall into your lap,
24:30
which is which is tough now that you have those guys and Kates like like may maybe Kates will move to the wing or you
24:37
deal him in a in a trade for a center. Yeah, it's it's all Ziggris. He leads a team with 42 points. Kne has 39 points.
24:44
That line looked good together, him, Ziggress, and D'vorak, but it does look like that line has been broken up. And
24:51
Kknney is definitely banged up once again. He took that uh puck off his knee in practice. Guess he said he couldn't
24:56
feel his leg. Um. Oh, awesome. Love to hear that. At least he's not going to be at Team
25:02
Canada, so he'll have that few weeks off for the Olympics. As will Mitchkov, but
25:08
I we were discussing this in the Slack today. I'm not sure if you were active in this conversation. Dude, the Slack has been like unhinged
25:15
for weeks now. It's really hard to keep. Ever since the D'vorak contract, the Slack has just been like insane.
25:21
We've got off. Yeah. So yeah, so the the discussion was about if so players that
25:26
are AHL eligible can go down to the AHL during the Olympic break like and is
25:32
that something you think the Flyers would consider with Mitchkov if they're allowed or would you rather have him
25:38
like doing his offseason training in Vorhees resting up Flyers having their
25:43
hands on him for those three weeks rather than having him go to the Lehigh Valley and play with Lane Peterson and
25:51
maybe seeing some seeing some like goons down there taking shots at him.
25:56
I would rather him practice with the team and like specifically my big thing
26:01
is I want him learning to system inside and out and talk looking at these
26:07
strengths and like trying to figure out the best way to utilize it. Like I think as he as they understand each other, the
26:13
familiarity comes in cuz I really think a lot of it's been system based this year like adjusting to a new system
26:19
after learning an NHL system for the first time ever. I think a lot of that has his head spinning right now. I think
26:25
that's really tough to do all that as a young guy because like I can barely learn new work stuff in a
26:31
few weeks let alone like I have to learn an entirely new hockey system. So like and language like yeah
26:37
language is a huge barrier too. And again, like there's a maturity issue. The guy's 21. Like it's
26:43
I so it's interesting to send him to Lehigh Valley, but me personally, like I would rather him work with the current
26:48
coaching staff and I don't like the goon factor. I don't like Yeah.
26:53
I like some of the talent down there obviously because you know I like uh you know a good amount of the prospect pool, but like
26:59
I I don't know. I don't love the idea. Like in theory it sounds good to get him playing time, but
27:05
Yeah. Get him confidence going. Yeah. Yeah. But I I would rather him get I mean if he gets confidence in the next
27:11
week and a half, two weeks, like I'm real happy about that. And I think that goal I'm hoping that goal against
27:18
Pittsburgh is the start of something. I know we've said this a few times, but like he really is not I mean this is
27:23
what his second goal in the past like month or something like that. Yeah. Yeah. So, this is the kind of thing that
27:29
you can build on and just I mean, dude, go out and destroy the Rangers. Like,
27:35
that will just make everything feel so much better. If you can destroy the Rangers, put up a go good showing
27:40
against Vegas, ek out a win in Utah, and then I don't give a about Colorado. I wish I could just simulate
27:46
the game in Colorado and bypass it because I it sounds bad to me. And you just get
27:52
to that week where it's the Islanders, Blue Jackets, Bruins, and Kings. Like
27:57
that week I feel like is almost more of a telling of what this team is than the
28:03
next week because just next week sucks. Road trip sucks to start with, let alone road trips against really good teams.
28:08
Mhm. Yeah. And and that week does have another road back toback in Columbus and Boston, which will be a major issue even
28:15
if LAR is healthy. Like even if it is Vadar and if Erson's still around for those two, we will uh that's still going
28:23
to be tough because the Flyers are not good on backto-back. They they just haven't been. Yeah, getting Meechov the confidence like going to the AHL for
28:29
like a few games and getting the confidence sounds good, but I don't know even if he can hang out with the NHL
28:35
team during the break. I don't know if there's like those rules where they can't hold practice or anything. I would have to look into that, but I
28:41
I don't know. Yeah, but it's but just let him do his own thing. like let him do the thing with the team. Don't don't put him in
28:47
any game action where he could potentially get hurt there because that would be the absolute worst is he has a
28:53
sophomore slump then he get I mean you can get hurt in the NHL too obviously but getting hurt in meaning truly
28:58
meaningless AHL games that could potentially hamper his offseason training going into a big year.
29:05
So who wants to no offense to Allentown but who really wants to hang out in Allentown for a few weeks you have the choice. I mean, you got you got Kolasov
29:12
up now, so he can tell him all about that and not having to go. Would you say he's been a much better soldier this
29:18
year than he was last year? Yes. Do you go with Arison or Kolasov to start Saturday against
29:23
Oh, I gotta go Sam Harrison, unfortunately. And I hate it, but I mean, you have to, right?
29:28
I think this is a mustwin, so you kind of have to, but like man, I I know we've
29:34
talked it to death, but it's just unbelievable his numbers this year. Like
29:40
I think we're finally past the point of saying he's been better than the numbers. Uh it is funny. I'm working on
29:46
a piece for I'm working on a little writing piece for broad street hockey having some fun with that um with that
29:53
saying that he's better than the numbers. But like when you look at save percentage, right, with uh I'm looking
29:59
right now at guys who have played 14 or more games, dead lasted save percentage 853. Uh the guys who are above him, uh
30:06
Fred, I mean everybody's above him, but the names immediately above him, Frederick Anderson, Levi Merinan, Jordan
30:13
Bennington, and Cal Pickard. Jordan Bennington, he could be a future flyer. Keep keep an eye out for that.
30:18
Everyone's going to love what I write down. Thomas, I'm fine with it because he's a nut.
30:24
Yes. Sam Harrison in his last nine games won six and two. Uh 8368 percentage
30:31
allowed 32 goals in that span. uh the only game allowing fewer than I mean two
30:37
goals against Buffalo but that was in relief. Um he had one goal against that Blackhawks game but besides that 375 443
30:46
and maybe talk me into it. Maybe maybe Kosov's the way to No but like if if you don't start Sam
30:52
Erison in that game you are signaling to every team around the league we don't trust this guy. I'm sure they're trying
30:59
to shop him around to try to swap him to somewhere that will give Arison the
31:05
change of scenery and leash that he needs to be a backup to see if he can find his game in a new system. Like
31:11
that's what I'm hoping for is like an Arison for some veteran backup swap trade at some point. But at the same
31:17
time, if you put Erison in there, he allows two goals on the first three shots in the first five minutes. You're down two nothing to the Rangers. like
31:24
that. I'm sure the building is going to be half Rangers fans anyway, but you you have to
31:30
We got to sort this out. By the way, like I don't know if the Flyers have to do a promotion for like half off for Flyers fans to these games or something,
31:37
but the Flyers got to step up and take give out free tickets in the streets of South Philadelphia. Do something.
31:43
Anything. Just non-transferable free tickets. Okay. It's like you're showing up or you're not going. Like nobody else
31:48
is getting this ticket. I'd rather have empty. Yeah. Yeah, we got a comment here from NM Stack78 in the chat here. You guys
31:56
are always super positive and optimistic. I don't know how you do it, but Erison sucks. He just does. I We completely agree does suck. Uh I I will
32:03
say that he uh still does look better than his numbers show. He's a very handsome man, but um his numbers are not
32:09
good. I mean, I was complimenting your flow before the game, but like he, you know, he's got unbelievable flow as well. By
32:15
the by the game, I mean the podcast, but Well, this this is our game, Steve. This this is where we put it out all out
32:21
there. Uh but yeah, the Rangers, you have to get the offense going against them. Their last games, eight goals
32:27
allowed. 8-4 loss, 4-2 loss, 10-2 loss, 5-2 loss, 3-2 overtime loss. They had
32:33
that win in the Winter Classic because somehow somehow they win every outdoor
32:38
game they're in. But even before Florida took that night off, too. They were just like too distracted by the
32:43
weird by the weirdness of having an outdoor game in the Marlin Stadium. Yeah. like what like what are we doing
32:49
here then? 6-3 loss Washington 3-2 two nothing. Like the Flyers have to win this game. They can't blow it again like
32:55
they did uh last month in that 54 shootout loss. Like are we expecting Quick to start that
33:02
game? I mean it would have to be. I don't know who who I can't believe is still in the league by the way. I don't even know who their backup is
33:08
now with with Shurk and Hurt. I would Quick is 40 years old. I would think it has to be Quick. Um
33:15
yeah, quick uh this season 887 save percentage 313 GAA. Uh looking like a
33:21
real over game right now. Yeah, I mean I mean you just have to unfortunately like
33:27
it sucks but you kind of just have to roll with him man. It's I I really hate this position
33:33
and I really even if you roll with Kasoft next year I just don't think you can run Sam Everson
33:38
back out there as Flyers goender ever again. You can't run with you're not running with Kasoft next year. I think Kosov
33:44
gets another AHL year next year they get another veteran or something in the offseason. Um, goalieost.com has Kolaf
33:53
is probable. I'm not sure what that is based off of, but yeah, Kasoft like doesn't is he he's not shrinking into
34:00
his his his crease there. Like he's at least showing a little bit. He's standing upright in the crease like he's
34:06
tracking the play and you know he he can't be worse than Arison. But I guess
34:11
the downside is if though is the worst. He can, we saw him last year be worse
34:17
than their Yeah, but that's why the Flyers need to trade for a goalie. They cannot let
34:23
goending be what undoes them once again. Like like two years ago when they had
34:28
Fel the Felix Sandstrom show, the Cal Peterson show cost them crucial points
34:34
in February and March. That was fine. They were very much early in the rebuild
34:39
year uh that year. But this year, and I think is a bigger question is like this
34:44
year they're trying to turn the corner and I'm going back and forth on if this
34:50
was a year too early. And in the back of my mind is the fact that the Flyers have
34:55
tied their longest drought without making the playoffs. And like I'm sure Brier and Jones and all those guys don't
35:03
want to be at the helm when this team breaks the record for the most years consecutively without making the
35:09
playoffs. I don't know if that's impacting them at all, but like the whole like getting pocket this year
35:15
instead of getting a a younger coach, the extending D'vorak instead of instead of selling at the deadline, like it's
35:22
all like, okay, they're trying to take that step forward and they might make the playoffs because the conference and
35:28
division is bad, but is this the right step for this new era of Orange, or is
35:34
it just once again going too quick, too soon? I mean, I'm okay with the Pace
35:41
just because I think they've got a nice set of prospects. Like, obviously, you
35:46
want a center in there. Do they? I mean, I mean, Portoone Porter Marone is a top chip a top chip
35:52
prospect. Absolutely. Well, and Jack Bergland has has has looked looked good at World Juniors.
35:58
Porter Arton accounts for a lot of it in my opinion. Porterone.
36:04
Here's the thing. What I keep pointing out, and I think people like to ignore this, but like they have a really good
36:11
young set of guys for the top six right now between Trevor Zaggress counts. Okay, let's stop discounting Trevor
36:17
Zaggress in there. Trevor Ziggress is young as okay? Trevor Zaggress, Tyson Forester, Matt Veishkov, and
36:24
Porter Martone. Those are all top six guys potentially for this team that's stacked. They have some really good
36:31
potential lower guys. The big problem is the center. The defense is all pretty young for the most part too with the
36:38
exception of like Bristol Lion. JB Dale is 23. Trist is 23. That's that that's crazy. Yeah,
36:43
that's the thing is like we talk about there's a lot of guys that are here now that can still grow with the team. It's still a pretty young team. Uh there's a
36:51
lot of tinkering that has to be done. This team's never going to outright tank though. Get that out of your mind. It's
36:56
not going to happen. So, you're working with what you have. I think the problem,
37:01
the biggest problem for this team is that nobody goes free agency anymore. If you could get guys in free agency with the cap going up, you could have a field
37:07
day and not have to worry about these like lower fr or not lower franchises. I'm not being elitist here, but like
37:13
franchises that don't have as much money. You can just outbid them for guys. But guys don't even go to free
37:18
agency to get out bid for anymore. Conor McDavid could have had a record NHL contract this off seasonason and he said
37:25
he's like I'm gonna say this two-year deal and come like come on Connor come get paid. Papa Comcast wants to pay you
37:32
a lot of money to play hockey for the Philadelphia Flyers. Come and make that bank son. But like nobody wants to get
37:38
paid in the NHL. Nobody wants to work anymore. Qu I almost called you Quigs. But like it's
37:44
I mean it sucks. Like but you do have some you have a lot of good toys in the toy box. You do need more. I don't think
37:51
they're going too quick too soon, but like I don't want to trade major assets for like a goalender this year. Even though
37:58
it's like no, do I have to? But like I don't want to trade it major assets for goalender. The only thing I would trade major assets
38:04
for is maybe uh a more top line defenseman, but center is the bigger
38:11
thing. Like I will take as many flyers, no pun intended, on centers as possible.
38:17
I am I am removing myself from committing to the bit right now for with Christian D'vorak. But truly signing
38:23
Christian D'vorak removed all flexibility they had at that position. I feel like like before that you could be
38:29
like okay they'll trade they can move for this guy but they have couttori that contract is not being moved. He has a no
38:35
move clause. they have make a difference with the D'vorak thing I feel like for a lot of people is if they didn't have
38:41
Couttori signed until the end of time because you know it's not that they're redundant players necessarily but like
38:48
D'vorak is just such an unexciting like regular ass center that that's yeah you have Ctori you have
38:55
Kates they're all they're all the same guy you had Ryan Palin you had Scott L it's all it's all the same mold
39:01
D'vor wins faceoffs um and he can play more than some of those guys. But like Kates, I love Noah Kates, but like again
39:09
a 3C. He's a 3C. He's a 3C. I mean, D'Vorak can play I would trust him as like a 2C, but like
39:15
him as your 1C is not great, but like I like D'vorak. I'm fine with it. Again, I've said this numerous times, I'll say
39:21
it again. I was fine with a three-year deal. I think two it's two years too many. I still don't understand that
39:27
aspect of it, but okay. um he might just be a really expensive three or 4 C at
39:33
the end of it and that's I guess okay but cap is going up like if if they're competing and Christian D'vorak is a
39:40
effective bottom six center like that's fine like you need those guys on your the bigger problems the modern NHL like
39:46
it's just hard to get centers anymore and it's just like how do you do it and the Flyers are trying to find a cheat
39:52
code to just get elite wingers and just do it that way and bold strategy cotton we'll see if it works Uh, and it's it is
40:00
hard to remain optimistic with all of this, but at the same time, like you see be captain of team Canada. You see him
40:07
score from some crazy side angles. You see the goals he puts up at Michigan State. So, like I feel great about
40:14
Martone and I think if Mishkov was having a better second season, not, you
40:20
know, like how Celibbrini went in the offseason and upgraded and Celbrini is now elite all of a sudden. Like I'm not
40:27
asking for Mishko to have been elite this season, but if Mishkoff was closer to what Zegris is doing, I would feel
40:34
much better. And I feel like that just has everybody a little bit more down because if you're thinking of it as you
40:39
have very very very great talent in Martone and Mishko, then I feel like people
40:46
don't feel as bad about the future. But I feel like because Mishkoff is struggled like he has and is not getting
40:53
along with the co or I it's not that they're not getting along but there's something there's there's wires between like Takit
41:02
wants to play his system and Mitzkov needs to play his own way. Like Mechov is the type of player that you you put
41:10
your system to him. You don't put him in your system. Like he he's not a system quarterback. You let him do his own
41:15
thing out there. And and I think and to John Torella's credit, John Tordella realized that and let him cook.
41:21
Yeah. And I think you can if like if he's on a line like he is now with a hard two working fast enough player like
41:28
Barky and a responsible center which is all the Flyers have. Like I don't think you need him with Ziggris or with Tippet
41:36
or with Kknney necessarily. Let Me Beach Mechov be the guy on his line. Let him
41:41
fly the zone and let Couttori take the down low stuff. Like let him do that. And
41:46
let him be like Mike. Let Mike be like Mike. Let him be like And I thought when you said Zegris is young as hell, I thought
41:51
you were going to say like Mechov is still he's still he's not a prospect, but he's still 21 years old. He wasn't
41:58
supposed to be here yet. Like he's supposed to be here today. He's not supposed to be here. He's supposed to be here. Yeah. And like he's
42:06
every young player goes through these struggles at some point. And if he's going through these struggles when the
42:12
Flyers are still above 500 and competing and have Zegris carrying this team, like
42:18
there are definitely worse there are definitely worse things to happen. It's just this can't be the start of okay,
42:26
he's bad next year again or even like I feel like after the Olympic break he has
42:31
to turn it on. He has to not be like a point per game player but be like a 75 point per game player. He
42:38
has to turn it up. I also want to see Tocket and the coaching staff like maybe come back with a better understanding of this team
42:45
because this is all new for everybody, right? Like they come in, they're learning about each other. They're
42:50
developing the system. Like this is a real test for who this team is coming back in the second half. Like if they
42:56
make the playoffs, I feel pretty good about the next few years of Flyers hockey. But if they wilt like they did
43:03
two years ago or three years, I forget how long it was since they had two years ago. What a long two years it's been. Good
43:09
lord. But like two years ago, it felt like they were building something. It felt like they were progressing and if
43:16
they had made the playoffs, I think people would have felt better, but they didn't. They wilted and they fell apart.
43:22
And they fell apart when they had a pretty easy march like which drove me nuts because you looked at the schedule
43:28
and was like, well, they should make the playoffs easy. And they lost some horrific they lost to the Blackhawks who are openly tanking that season for
43:35
Bedard. So like it was super frustrating to watch all that and if they collapse
43:42
again and look it's it's not easy sledding but they have three weeks off. They don't have a lot of guys going to
43:48
the Olympics. The guys who are going probably are not playing a ton. Rodrigo Abbles will probably play the most of
43:55
any Flyers Olympian. There there is one major issue. Dan Vladar. Dan Vidar is probably going to
44:00
start for Czecha. It's him or do Oh, is he going to start? He might start,
44:06
okay, trade for a goalie. I'm in now. Yeah, that that is the one thing with Ludar is like he's already getting a big
44:11
workload here and he's going to the Olympics. Well, where he'll probably push through what he can to play for his
44:18
country. Like that's that's one of the factors which is why I want
44:23
to trade for a goalie so badly because he has not started 30 games since like
44:28
the ECHL year. But yeah, it's
44:34
maybe we need to fake a Risto injury to like get him to not start those games because I don't want him to start those
44:39
games. You mean Well, Risto had Risto's injured again apparently. That's what I'm saying. They pull a
44:45
Risto on Fedar. Yeah. No, I I Risto's injuries have all been real because he got pull.
44:53
Pull a Ryan Ryan Johansson if you if you remember him. Remember that. Oh, he had Mr. Contract termination.
44:59
Yeah. like whatever you got to do, let's just fake this injury with LDAR so he can rest up because yeah, I don't like
45:05
the idea of him starting those games or let's hope for Czecha to get eliminated nice and early cuz we need a rested LAR
45:12
cuz he's been the biggest difference maker because the Flyers goending like the Flyers last year you look at that
45:18
team you go they're not good but like they would have been much better if they had gotten even like mediocre goending.
45:24
Yeah. And you've seen that this year cuz the team changed some stuff. Mainly
45:31
D'vorak and uh you know Trevor Ziggress, but like they didn't change enough that
45:37
they should have seen that drastic a swing in the standings. And most of it's been Dan Vadar. Dan getting an actual
45:44
goalender who can keep you in the game and give you like a chance to win has
45:51
been such a difference maker after seeing Fedo, Kolasov, and Eri last year. And
45:58
I'm looking so Vidar right now he's he's hanging on at 9005 save percentage. It
46:03
was over 910 for most. That's all we need. That's all we need. 900. Give me 900. Past few weeks have kind of chipped away
46:08
at it, but it's still holding tight at 905. And if he can stay up there above
46:14
900, I'm very happy. But yeah, I am worried about the workload for him. And look, he's one of those guys who's he's
46:21
in his prime right now, right? He's 28. He's a guy in his prime. He's playing the best hockey of his life. I would
46:27
like to see him continue doing that because if he can post a 900 plus for the rest of the season, the Flyers
46:33
probably make those playoffs. But he's going to play a lot of games because it's Sam Erison, man. like why do you do
46:41
this to us? Why do you have to do this to us? Why do you have to be bad? Why do you have to be bad? Uh good good
46:47
comment here from NM Stack 78 again. Vamela from Utah is also a check goalie there and he's been uh stellar recently.
46:54
So hopefully he takes some of the important starts from LDAR there because yeah, Lar uh 875 save percentage in
47:01
January, 905 in December, 894 in November, 939 to start the year there in
47:07
October. like he he needs he needs some time to to rest up and get ready there
47:13
because the past few seasons this team has been decent. We said, "Okay, get league average goalending. Get a league
47:19
average power play and this team can make the playoffs." And this power play right now is anything but league
47:25
average. The power play is such a mess. And one of the things that I think we don't consider a ton when we talk about
47:32
this team just being as bad as they were down the stretch because like they were kind of mediocre for like the first half of the season. They were real bad down
47:39
the stretch and a lot of that was connect and Sanheim playing in the four nations tournament and connect
47:46
for the second half of the season was a different guy. You know he he came out and said like yeah I emptied the tank for four nations
47:52
because I knew we weren't making the playoffs. Like he said that. Yeah exactly. So like
47:57
I don't know. I just don't want I even emptying the tank like I want to see these guys as well rested as possible.
48:04
And considering that they can't score on the power play, they really in general
48:09
like the goal scoring just needs to be more. You just need more. You got to maximize who you have. Put the put the puck on the net. Put the
48:15
puck on the net. But the power play stuff is like so because it looked like they were past it and it really must
48:23
have been Tyson Forester was a lot of it because that unit which was basically the Kates Brink Forester line plus
48:29
Zegris and maybe York at times yeah I think it was York or Dale there
48:35
that that unit was awesome but the other unit couldn't put it together at all and
48:40
this is where I'm looking at it. This is where I'm looking at that coaching staff and like they better be watching all the
48:46
tape on this team during the break and just figuring things out because well is
48:53
Tocket in the coaching st I forget Pocket is the coaching staff
48:59
to think about this at all. give you Todd Rearen and Yogi and all all those guys. Todd Packer Rearen, I am I have to put
49:07
my faith in him going in and uh Todd Packer's an office character who Todd Re looks like, but it's I'm just being
49:13
baldest. Um but like we I mean there's such good hair on this podcast right now. I mean, you know, sorry to all the
49:20
bald guys out there. to interrupt you here with with Tyson Forester of it all. He scored a power play goal in his final
49:26
game of the season uh before getting hurt in that one against the Penguins on I think heard himself shooting a puck on
49:31
the power play. Yeah, after that uh December December 3rd the next game they went two for five against the Sabres. Since then in 20
49:39
games they are 6 for 58 which is 10% 10% on the power play. Um and two of them
49:46
came in one game against the Rangers. So maybe the Rangers is is where you can get this power play back on track. But
49:52
Steve, like what do you want the top Do you want it to be like a very topheavy top unit and let them go for 90 seconds?
49:58
Do you want to have two two split units? I guess the most the biggest question is
50:04
is do you want Zris and Mkov together on a unit? I'm okay with it if they can figure out who's going to control and
50:11
shoot the puck because what seems to be the problem when those two get together is it becomes passathon and somebody has
50:20
that was what Tyson Forester was really good at was knowing when to shoot the damn puck and he was one of the only
50:25
guys who was big like I want to see like I'm not I don't know if I want to see Grabbankin out there necessarily but
50:31
like I feel like this team desperately needs to screen the goalie more and try
50:36
to shoot through the wickets a a little bit more because like I I just feel like they're passing to the outside too much.
50:43
They're not getting enough penetration inside and it it drives you insane to watch all that because like this team's
50:49
pretty good at five on five for the most part because they can score on the rush and stuff like that. Well, they don't
50:55
get as much rushes with the pocket system as they did under the torch system, but regardless like they just
51:00
seem to not know what they're doing when they have an extra man. Yeah. And I'm looking right now at the stats.
51:06
So Forester had 41 shots in 21 games
51:11
played. So he's basically averaging like two shots a game. So you know like
51:16
Forester was a guy who knew to shoot the puck a lot. He had really good instincts for it. And I feel like their
51:22
positioning was so much better set with him in there than it is now where I I
51:28
just don't they need to define the roles better. And I do like I like the idea of
51:34
Mishkov and Zagris together in theory, but every time I've seen it together, they just don't seem to know who wants
51:40
to carry the puck. And it doesn't seem like there's that decisiveness where when you had the Kades line with Zegris,
51:46
it always felt like they would get Zegris on the outside for like a one-time blast or something like that.
51:52
or, you know, Forester I felt like had ve I I'd have to watch the tape, but like I felt like Forester had a very
51:59
clearly defined role and really was the glue on that one. I feel like the the problem like you
52:05
need to get like a cohesive unit. Just one cohesive unit.
52:10
Yes. And I don't care who's on it as long as they are playing within the system
52:16
properly. This is the power play system. There is no power play system. That's the thing. And yeah,
52:23
what's the power play coach doing? Well, that's why I want the question for the last 10 years of
52:28
Flyers hockey. That's why I want them to put Actually, I'm not going to I'm not going to disgrace Joe Mullen like this. Joe
52:35
Mullen was the last time they had a cohesive power play. Yeah. But so I want a fiveman unit
52:41
together. Keep them together. You're not getting much practice time to practice it. Sometimes you only get a minute on
52:47
the ice together on the power play. And you know, sometimes you don't don't need to get set up. Like, so you're going to
52:52
need multiple games to gain chemistry. I want Ziggros out there. I want Mitchkoff out there. I want Tippet out there. So,
52:59
if there is some sort of rush the other way, he can speed back and he and he can shoot. Tippet can shoot, too. Um, Dale
53:06
at the point, I think, would be ideal. D'vorak out there to win the faceoff and
53:11
be in front. That's I'll tell you what, that's fine. I will give I will give you have connect. You have to have
53:17
connect on the top unit. I'll give Rick Tocket a major award if he can figure out how to use Tippet on the power play
53:22
and have him be effective because Tippet's power play numbers are just insane for a player of his talent. Like,
53:29
I don't get it. The guy's fast. The guy can shoot. How does he not score ever on
53:34
the power play? Yeah, give it to him. Let him be a one a oneman zone entry on the power play. And
53:40
if if the defense collapses on him, he should have options available with with a five on four advantage. you should be
53:46
able to to put the puck into space and win a battle. And that's been a big thing in this losing streak is go into a
53:53
corner and win a battle. Yeah. Outnumber the guys, win a battle. I saw Charlie Oconor, I think it was on Blue Sky,
53:59
someone would ask like, "Oh, is losing battles a skill issue or a size issue." And Charlie quoted, he said, "Neither.
54:05
It's a it's a compete issue." And that's been that's the most that's the most frustrating thing for the Flyers. Yeah.
54:11
Especially because we know we have guys who can have that compete in them. They have guys who do have that dog in them sometimes like Travis Kenkne in
54:17
particular. When Travis Kknney is good, he got that dog in him. He is in the corner barking
54:22
at people. He is like just tenacious. Same with Matt Mishkoff. When Matt Mishkov is really good, Matt Mishkov is
54:29
in the corners like barking at people and like getting chippy. And Trevor Ziggress even we've seen that with. So I
54:36
think maybe are they tired? I don't know. They've played less games than a lot of these teams. I hope they're not
54:41
tired. And yeah, I agree with you has not been
54:47
there. Especially I would I wanted to see that in the Sabres game. I wanted to see them come out and like just really
54:52
kick some ass in that game. And I guess maybe Fedar getting hurt really threw a
54:57
monkey wrench in that, but yeah, I I would like to see them win those puck battles more often. And I think
55:04
Barky is a guy who can do that. I like Barky a lot for that. Yes, you got no more of this Deloreier crap
55:10
either. Like I wish you could just eject him from the team because like
55:16
I have heard Nick Deloreier is the best guy and he's fun in the locker room. The guy cannot play modern hockey. He just
55:23
can't. He is a goon from the early 2000s. He just not he ain't it. And I'm
55:29
tired of seeing him in the lineup playing six minutes a night and spending half of that, you know, in the box for a
55:35
fight that didn't energize the team or anything. Yeah, the the Deloreier thing frustrates
55:41
me especially when guys are banged up and like you know you might have to play your fourth line more like you're just
55:46
tiring your other 11 forwards out when Deloreier is one of the 12 out there but
55:51
so I'm looking on daily face off of what the power play unit was last night first unit connect D'vorak Ziggris Dale and
55:58
Tippet I would just replace Tippet with Mechov on that unit and see how that does and then second unit is
56:05
second unit is Grabbankin Kates Mechov off which will be tippet now. Barky and York. I don't like Barky on the power
56:12
play. I don't don't think he's a type of player that should be on the power play, but also I don't know who else I would
56:17
put there. So, let him go into the corner and win some battles if if we're resulting and relying on Dump and Chase
56:23
on the power play. Can we fast forward one of those big wingers from the last draft to like
56:29
Shane Vince just get Vince up here? Breer mentioned him that he he may be uh a few months away along with Martone
56:35
when he was on Flyers Daily. Like get him up here, get in front of the net. Like if I need I need this team to make the
56:42
playoffs just because I need to see what this team looks like. Martone, that's like my silver lining right there is I I
56:49
just I I have such good feelings about him and everything he can do for the power play, everything he can do for
56:56
five on five. I And it just again look the dude's a leader. The guy's a winner. Like I really like Porter Martone and I
57:03
think this team is going to be so good with him. And I I think it's going to change a lot of attitudes if they get to
57:09
see him with the team. It'll brighten a lot of people's days cuz people they
57:15
want to believe, right? They want to believe in the Flyers. But it's hard because this team has not had a
57:21
significant playoff run. And I'm not counting 2020 because that was weird as hell. They haven't had a significant
57:26
playoff run since 2010. And 2012 doesn't count. 2012 doesn't count because they lost in the second round to damn Devils.
57:33
All right, let's stop glorifying 2012 because they had one of the most fun playoff series of all time. They lost in
57:40
the second round and it sucked. We have to hang on to something, Steve. We have to hang on. I'm hanging on to 2010
57:46
because 2010 was legit. 2010 was a team that uh had a great mix of in their
57:54
prime talent and young upandcomers that uh banded together and one wise old
58:00
veteran in Chris Pronger that banded together and made a great run and almost pulled out the damn thing. And if I I
58:08
don't want to talk about the Richards Carter all that. I've talked about it enough. I I I can't I can't get into it.
58:14
But like people talk about 2012 like that was a a great and it was a good team but like
58:20
good series. It was a good series. That team lost in the second round. They have not had a significant run since
58:26
2010. Okay. And that's what they need to get back to. But like a lot of that 2010
58:32
team was built on depth. That team had like three great lines they could roll out there. They had two really good
58:39
defensive pairs. They had one complete garbage defensive pairing that they couldn't throw out there at all, which
58:45
sucked. That's actually one thing. This team has more defensive depth somehow because it's got a third pair that is
58:51
not like the worst thing in the world if they're out there. I don't know, man. Like I think there's good things here,
58:57
but it's kind of like it's a little it's messy. Like it's messy.
59:03
There there's good things and they have depth, but only if they stay healthy. like if there's a few injuries, they
59:10
don't have the guys ready in the AHL ready to come up and and fill those gaps. Luckily, Barky has been ready
59:16
somehow, but Alex Bump is now hurt. He's not going to be coming up anytime soon. Like, but like Brink hopefully comes
59:22
back some point. Like, he's not an important piece. He's not one of the most important players, but he's a good third line guy. That kind of solidifies
59:29
everything. Like, seeing Carl Grundstrom, love Carl, but he should not be playing anywhere besides the fourth
59:35
line. Like, fourth line player. Yeah, when he was in the middle six against the Lightning, it was like, "All right, what what are we
59:40
doing? What are we doing here?" So, that was some real Chris Vanderveldy like Matt Reed stuff right there. Yeah. Hey, hey, don't don't don't put
59:46
Chris Vandervel the same spread as Matt. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I love Matt Reed. Michael Rafal is who I
59:51
meant to say. I like Michael Rafal, too. But Michael Raf is actually the perfect comparison here
59:57
because Michael Raf was a bottom six player that they frequently would try higher up in the lineup and that was not
1:00:03
where he belonged. Michael Rafel got a lot of for being a a guy played on
1:00:09
the second or first line when he shouldn't have been. Michael Rafle is a good fourthline player and I think he
1:00:15
was a great fourth line player, a good third line player and should never play on the second or first. And I feel the
1:00:21
same way about Grunstrom. Grundstrom is a great fourth line player, an okay third line player. No, no for top six.
1:00:29
Just don't do it. I made that comparison to Gbankin earlier this year and I feel like that's a pretty aptin right there too. Should
1:00:37
not play. I love him. Love him on the third line. On the fourth line when you got that gag line together the gruntles. I was all
1:00:44
about it with Gbankin on that fourth line. But like I'm looking at I have daily face off open here. It has the top
1:00:50
line Gbankin D'vorak connecti. And that's that's just not it. It's just not it. Craben's one of those he's like a
1:00:56
missile out there, right? Like if you aim on me a lot, it could be pretty effective, but like you have to be pretty precise in your aiming. He he's
1:01:03
just like a Tasmanian devil, right? Like he's a wild man. And I wish he had a little bit more hockey sense because I
1:01:09
feel like with his size and speed, if he had better hockey sense, he could be a really good player, but he's just he's
1:01:15
just not there. And he's one of those guys you look at him, you're like, I understand why the Leafs were willing to
1:01:21
throw him in on the deal. Now, why they gave him up with a first round pick for Scott Lton, I'll never understand.
1:01:27
And I don't care about Scott Lton getting his revenge is still an insane deal. But, uh, Gravenan, you know, like the Leafs knew
1:01:33
what he was. I think the Flyers know what he is. He is a bottom six player. But, when he plays above it, you're
1:01:39
like, don't don't do this. Don't do this. And like I I did float him on the power play, but that's because the
1:01:44
Flyers have terrible front. Yeah. You got to put someone net front. Like, you got to put someone net. You got to piss off that other goalie. And they
1:01:50
don't do that. Like piss off that goalie. Get in his face. Distract him.
1:01:56
Johnlair, Wayne Simmons. It worked for those guys. Bring bring Wayne Simmons back. Like if
1:02:01
Philip Rivers can do it, bring Wayne Simmons back a paycheck. Like just Yeah. Patrick Sharp. Patrick,
1:02:08
I don't care if he's just standing there like just have him like Make him the power play coach. Make him the power play coach. Have him show up
1:02:14
on the bench once in a while. Get the guys going like like Alexkin stands in the circle and blast
1:02:19
the puck and he makes a career out of it. Why can't Wayne Simmons just stand in front of the goalie?
1:02:24
Yeah. Yeah. They have to figure out something on the power play. But like, but that's that's the big key to the
1:02:29
second half. They got to score some damn goals. And you can't be getting games where you have eight power play opportunities and you capitalize once.
1:02:36
That's nuts. It's not a good way to make the playoffs. And if you're making the playoffs, you got to score in the damn
1:02:42
power play. Especially when you play rat kind of hockey like the Flyers do. The Flyers draw a lot of penalties because
1:02:48
they're pests. And I like that they're pests, but the thing is to be an effective pest team, you got to
1:02:54
capitalize on it. So come on, boys. Let's capitalize on it. Yeah, it only matters. Teams are only pissed off going to the box if they're
1:03:00
like, "Oh god, this team's going to score on me." And it it was so fun those first few weeks of the season be like, "All right, we're on the power play.
1:03:07
Let's see what they can do here. Let's get excited." And now it's like, "Oh god, the power play. Let's hope they don't allow a short-handed goal. Let's
1:03:13
see if they can get a shot on goal on this power play." And that that that that's the big thing. Just get get a
1:03:18
unit together out there. If it's this top unit that's going on right now, connecting D'vorak, Ziggers, Tippet,
1:03:23
Dale, fine. I'd love me to golf in the top unit, but if they don't want them there, fine. Get the five guys together.
1:03:30
Let them work for a few weeks. Give them until the the Olympic break. See see how
1:03:35
it works. Stop changing up every every few games what's going on. And hopefully find a few five on five lines, too. Like
1:03:42
Mitchkov, Barky line looks good. I don't like Kates with Ziggress and Tippet. I don't know how that really is going to
1:03:48
work. Maybe put the Ziggris D'vorak Tippet line back together and you get Grabbankin D'vorak Conknney. Maybe you
1:03:56
get Brink back in one of these next few games, you get him in the lineup. But it's they have the depth. It's just once
1:04:02
they get two or three injuries, you see why they're not quite there yet.
1:04:08
Yeah, I I you can see it like it's a work in progress very much, but like
1:04:14
it's frustrating, man. Like you really want it to you want you want it all to come together and there's just so so many components
1:04:21
to a tasty meal but the chef isn't quite ready. No. No. The the oven it's still
1:04:27
preheating. You know you know how they always tell you to preheat the oven and you never do. You just put it in too soon and like it comes out not not
1:04:34
cooked right? That's what's happening right now. You got to follow the instructions on the box and you haven't and they're in the weeds
1:04:40
right now. No, you threw the threw the box out. You don't know what's happening. But but yeah, this is Oh, that's so stressful. I had some
1:04:46
pasta I cooked the other night where we had thrown the packaging out and I'm like, "How long do I cook this for?"
1:04:51
And that's the Flyers. That That is the Flyers. I think that's
1:04:56
a That's a good note to start wrapping this thing up on here. U get the power
1:05:01
play going. Get get the power Watch the power play get go get going. But the goalending start to fall off and like
1:05:07
the It's like the Flyers can't you can only have five on five goending and power play. They only have one of those three things for the finals.
1:05:13
We got to find We got to find like a a Michael Leighton off the street or something to save this boat right now.
1:05:19
Sinking chip. They need something there. They need something. But it has to start with a win on uh Saturday against the
1:05:26
beat the Rangers ass. Yeah. Are you on a Yeah. Are you on post game for that by chance? You I am on post game for that. In fact, the
1:05:32
uh pretty much on post game for the next like week. So uh get used to this view right here because it's going to be a
1:05:38
lot of this. Yeah. And it's especially frustrating for us who we talk about the Flyers on a
1:05:44
daily basis. We we we make we make we we create content like we want to see this
1:05:49
team succeed and make the playoffs. It's easy to be, you know, more of a casual fan, take take a backseat like, all
1:05:55
right, let's wait till this team is actually good, but like especially the timing of the Eagles getting eliminated.
1:06:01
They had the big win against the Ducks and then just a complete let down. like get back on track here, get a few wins
1:06:07
before the before the Olympic break and and really get the mojo going again. Get get feeling good about Fars hockey in
1:06:13
Philadelphia. And we got the Phillies missed out on Bette, right? The Sixers are a big
1:06:18
enigma. Not that good. Yeah, screw them. Uh the Sixers are a big enigma. We're all depressed about
1:06:24
the Eagles. Like, we need this, guys. We need some good Flyers hockey. We need some wins. Let's do it.
1:06:31
Uh yeah, once again, thanks to uh FanDuel for sponsoring the show here. They they had the Flyers at minus 152 to
1:06:37
beat the Rangers on Saturday afternoon. So hopefully that is uh correct there.
1:06:42
Follow Amishkov goal in that game too. Let's go spicy. And make sure you read and subscribe to
1:06:49
broadstreet hockey.com. Subscribe to the Broadstre Hockey YouTube channel and podcast feed and follow us on
1:06:56
Instagramst hockey. Uh, Steve, where can people follow you?
1:07:01
Well, I'm primarily on Blue Sky these days. You can find me over at Flyerboy on there. It's Fly Perboyy on Instagram
1:07:07
and Tik Tok as well. Yeah, and you can follow me on Blue Sky
1:07:12
at ryanggilbert.bsky.social. And until next time, thanks for
1:07:17
listening.
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