Photo Credit: Zack Hill
After a season in which the Philadelphia Flyers performed well below their expectations change was something this club desperately needed. The Flyers were thought to be one of the top tier teams in the NHL prior to the beginning of last season. Unfortunately, it was anything but blissful, as the orange and black were one of the worst teams in hockey. General Manager Chuck Fletcher took a lot of blame for their bad play.
So much so, Fletcher added Ryan Ellis, Cam Atkinson, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nate Thompson, Keith Yandle, Martin Jones, and Derrick Brassard while subtracting, Jakub Voracek, Nolan Patrick, Philippe Myers, Shayne Gostisbehere and Robert Hagg. Significant changes were certainly achieved from management’s point of view. Which leads me to, when is enough-enough with Head Coach Alain Vigneault and his acclaimed staff of assistants? The question remains to be answered on whether or not these players are buying into their on-ice systems, which is needed to become a playoff team.
Vigneault’s first season with the club was a success, and the coach was a breath of fresh air for most Flyers fans. The Flyers played great hockey, and he came across as a personable coach. So it seems as though there is a tale of two different stories here in regards to Vigneault and his performance as the Flyers head coach so far given last season’s debacle.
As a result of such disparity between the team’s overall performance from season to season it makes it hard to predict when is the right time to move on from Vigneault and his acclaimed assistants. With so many new players learning a new system and a majority of them better fits than the players they are replacing, the Flyers should have been vastly improved. The Flyers schedule has been tough, and they are missing Kevin Hayes and Ryan Ellis. However, the orange and black are receiving great Goaltending and the defense for the most part is vastly improved, but they are still near the bottom in the division. No excuses this team lacks an identity, breakouts are bad, driving the play up the ice is an issue, and forechecking has been an issue. Some of these problems should have been corrected at Training Camp.
Fletcher has given Vigneault all the necessary tools to succeed. He has brought in multiple veteran options, changed the make-up of the roster this past offseason, and did not opt for the easy way out, instead he kept the all assistant coaches alike. It was now up to Vigneault and his staff to take the resources afforded to them by Fletcher and ultimately produce wins on the ice. However, that has not happened over the course of this past month consistently.
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There are no excuses for this bad play as of late. One of the problems during this five game skid is the Power Play. It continues to be a thorn to the side of the Flyers. They are 5 for their last 51 with the man advantage, which is good enough for a 10.2% success rate.
The Pittsburgh Penguins were missing half their roster at one point, and are four points ahead of the Flyers. So when is enough-enough? When is the right time to make a move for Fletcher? It’s not panicking when some of these same problems still persist from 2020-21. Fletcher cannot sit and let these same problems persist. Does he change the coaching staff or even parts of it (Michel Therrien, Power Play Coach), or make a trade? Something had to give here before it’s too late this season.
Not sure why my last comment was removed. But, I will try again. I usually don’t comment too much, but since I no longer drink, I am left with replying to sports blogs! 🙂
The Flyers organization is in a downward trend. I have seen this with other teams. Management attempts to find the RIGHT guy, but end up settling for someone else. Not against second chances, just not after the team continues to do the same lame things. Honestly, if you had to change how your team performs, logic should dictate the following:
Take video of the top 2 teams in each conference (both defense and offense).
GM meets with team and coaches and shows the BEST teams’ video. Wows the “audience” with
the skill set of the players on that team. Then, stops that video and plays the current teams
CRAPPY defense and offense play.
Look at the coach and DEMAND, I WANT THE FLYERS TO BE BETTER than the top 2 teams.
Tell the coach he must change the “PREVENT” defense that ALL TOP teams DO NOT use and
change to be a aggressive type of defense that immediately challenges at the BLUE line. If you
look at ALL top teams they DO NOT use the PREVENT “retreating” style of defense.
Do the same with the videos of top teams on offense.
Review your lines and replace some players with players from LV. DON”T waste talent. They all
have been playing hockey since they were born and DREAM every day to get the chance. THEY
WILL NOT BE RUINED. At some point you have to try something different or you will have the
same insanity that you have today. I am not impressed with the GM. It’s not that he hasn’t tried to
get better players, but at some point you have to say enough. AND THAT’s why you’re the GM.
Initiate discussions with coach Q and don’t let WOKENESS get in the way. From what I have
read, executive management was also in the room when they questioned coach Q when made
aware of the accusations. THEY could have FIRED the assistant at that point in time. For critical
thinkers, THIS is the issue not coach Q. Remember, there also needs to be an investigation and
they were in the middle of the freaking STANLEY CUP FINALS.
DO the following and one thing will be clear. You’re showing the fans that failure and status quo is no longer acceptable. OR, quiver in fear, do nothing and show the fans that you don’t have what it takes to run the team, from COMCASE all the way down to the coach. Either way, what do you have to lose, other than another – MEH, same crappy team.
What is a prevent defense in hockey? I think you don’t know what you’re looking at. Every dude I talk to at a bar about hockey that has never played a minute of defense on the ice always says something like,” you have to stand them up at the blue line”. Please, it’s such a thoughtless comment. Defense in hockey is played as a unit. It’s about taking away time and space as you “retreat”. Being aggressive at the blue line is a great way to leave your goalie hung out to dry. The (team) defense on this team is much improved from last season, they just aren’t generating scoring and have been having issues getting a cycle going off the forecheck.
Being a fans since 1994 and seeing some great Flyers teams during that span. Maybe they should’ve won in 2004. They certainly had the chance in 2010. But they’ve been horrible to watch for the past 11 seasons. Just depressing, and it seems that players perform better once they’re trader to another team.
This team is painful to watch anymore. They have no heart, show no emotion and just accept losing way to easily. It’s a definite reflection on the entire coaching staff. It’s time to move on from Vigneault and the entire, inept coaching staff behind the bench. They play the same way every game, they come out way too flat to start periods and they are a carbon copy from the last 10 years. Fletcher tried to change players and that hasn’t worked. Now it’s time to get rid of the coaching staff and bring some different philosophies into the organization. The season is almost a 1/4 of the way over. Something needs to be done soon or once again, we will be on the outside looking in come the post season.
This season is over. Organization needs a real full rebuild, not a half ass rebuild like Hextall failed at.
Hextall didn’t fail, he was removed before he was able to finish. His plan was an excellent plan, however he didn’t execute well(failing too often to pick the right players in early rounds of draft). That said we don’t know how it would have ended up, what move he might have made if he wasn’t removed early.
IF we go full rebuild with new GM, Flyers fans need to give that new GM at least 5 full years for the full
Rebuild, more time than was given Ron
I agree with the “prevent defence” comment above.. this team stands around too much in their own end, an defend terribly.. they do not play with one low foward, ie the centre, an two high, instead they switch the forwards low to high an get running around. Other teams know this so cycle low to high, an before you know it Flyers are caught in D zone for a shift. No breakout because their tired from defending, so dump the puck out. Until they change their D zone coverage, the offence won’t change. Maybe watch the better teams an ditch this ridiculous system.
This team has not won a cup since the 70s firing the coach is not the answer talent is the answer. What happened to all the great draft picks we should have? Name one star we have on the team. And don’t say the captain. He has been here the whole time. What great moves did Fletcher make. Traded for a defenseman that was all ways hurt in Nashville and signed a center to a big contract that only played one season and hurt the last two. Fletcher put all his chips on the table to win this year he better be willing to make moves to make it happen. Not fringe moves real ones no player should be safe. Don’t want to hear about the cap other teams make moves all the time Don F.
You insulate your mentor from accountability on a 10% PP and ineffective 5 on 5 then tell your players to put their big boy pants on ? They might call BS, then stop enjoying the game, then collapse . Time for CF to move on if he doesn’t want to be moved too.
The time has come.. Talent wins cups. Excellent coaching elevates that talent to greatness. The piss poor drafting of slug slow talentless players comes from blinded narrow minded scouts. Fire them all and bring in fresh new minds with the stamped in stone edict. Prospect must be above average skater to excellent. Skills as in shooting and passing above average. Defense must be physically gifted gritty and know how to fight. No more drafting project players. We were gifted 2 2nd picks in the draft. Both busts
Power play coach needs to be fired. The weakness is glaring. No behind the net play to draw and move defensemen and make the goalies work side to side. Respecting the stuffer and wraparound shots. Stagnant around the. Box passing and praying for an open angle shot aren’t working.
Dumpster diving for talentless bums is glaring. Thompson would be cut if I were coach . he is a turnover machine. He has no philly heart. JVR just wasting ice time. He needs an experienced playmaker and speedster to make him effective. The breakouts are terrible because forwards are standing still at the blue line waiting for a pass. The gaps are terrible. Forwards should be circling back through the top of the defensive zone with. Speed getting the puck and taking pressures off the defense.
A line of frost Foerster and lindbloom is better than any crap AV wants to throw out for the 4th line now
Thompson McEwen and laughton can all. Hit the bench
Wow. As the first caller noted I never post on these sections but I can’t take it anymore from guys that sit on front of their TV and yell “shot the puck” the entire game.What a bunch of nonsense from dudes that have no clue. Take a look at the teams their losing to: Tampa, Florida, Carolina, Calgary. PSS- These are the best teams in the league. Granted their power play sucks but it’s early. They’ve got 2 of their most important players hurt.They finally have good goaltending, yes?! The sky is not falling Chicken Littles! Carry on.
Let’s face it..
It’s Comcastic! 🤮🖕
We are never going to win with corporate bean counters running the show.
Crappy owners, give you crappy teams.
Look at Washington Football Team vs
Washington Capitol Ownership.
Been a fan since 1966. I don’t think I missed in person, a home game from 1972 to 1980.
It’s sad to watch.
Lived in DC from 1990 to 2018.
I keep hoping.
Feel so bad for Giroux.
We have 3 qualified head coaches, in
AV, Yeo & Therrin and power play sucks.
Just shaking me head.
But, still watching 😭
I agree as long as Comcast owns this team it’s going to be more about keeping the seats full then filling the rafters with cup banner!!!!
Yeah I guess I could see Av and his staff get 10 or so additional games but if we are still 500 ish that bench needs to be cleared! And start by bring in Tortz a coach that demands effort and playing the system he implemented!
Maybe the upper management needs an overhaul! They keep changing coaches but nothing ever changes! I love the Flyers but not having won anything since the 70’s is horrible. We have had years that we had some good players and nothing! A complete change is needed, not just coaches!!!
The Flyers have over rated their players for years. Coots, G and Konecny are a,l nice players But when none of your top line players could make the top line of the best teams in the league they are not going to win
I read these comments, comments in Facebook groups and twitter, and it is all the same ….blame management or blame players. It is simply, NHL is a business, this team is a business, BUT if you take care of the players and back them with confidence and introduce new or let them change some plays, SOME different strategies or even TRY some new strategies, keep your plan…. Build on that plan, tweak it, flip the lines around. How about let the head coach and captain of the team take the lead, we have great talent it just seems that no one is enjoying themselves, it appears they are just at work…..it’s the best professional game in sports. I have been a die hard Flyer fan since 1994, Legion of Doom baby!! Bought my first Lindros jersey in 1994. Flyers forever, win or lose! It was exciting back then – let’s get EXCITED AGAIN, instead of beating them up every time they struggle! GO FLYERS!!! I WILL BACK YOU NO MATTER WHAT!!!