Vanflyer

1) Why?? 2) No thanks. Couturier is going to turn into a Joe Sakic esque player (sans the wrist shot). Those players only come along once a decade.

A 23 y/o goaltender that has great athleticism and never played the north american game prior to two years ago and has better numbers than our superstar goalie?? Yup, we did. We traded him because the Flyers organization thinks that he deserves a shot and he was not going to get it in Philly.

I 4+ million is reasonable. He brings allot more to the table than goals and assists.

I am too lazy to look, but there has to be at least one game on Hallowsween. So, October 31.

That's pretty funny!!

The whole blog is entirely fodder of bored people.

Nope, but it is booming and turning a healthy profit: http://www.npr.org/2011/11/23/142683097/kansas-city-cashes-in-on-a-big-time-sports-bet

While bobs has deficiencies, at least he has enormous athleticism and quickness- to go along with a blue collar lunch-pail work ethic.

The thing is that I am not so sure that last year was an anomaly, yet more the norm (sans the huge swings). I think that the anomaly is the season he was a Vezina finalist.

Maybe it is that negative space thing others are alluding too. Or maybe it is like those paintings made of dots and if you stare at it long enough you see a completely different picture. Either way, I don't give a crap what he puts on his helmet as long as he plays like a #1 worthy of 5.5m per season. However, if he doesn't, I say it is open season on siberian tigers in Philly and the one on his helmet is target #1 (figuratively- I don't take sports seriously enough to actually wish harm on another).

I knew his skating was a project when we drafted him. Yet so was Downies (though downie was certainly not as bad as Marshall). I didn't think his skating would stay static from Juniors.

I agree. I just had hoped that he would have progressed at the Pro (AHL) level. In the end, it looks like the Flyers figured he was an AHLer at best. Here is a good read on the Marshall trade (from Adirondak) if you are interested. http://poststar.com/sports/hockey/making-sense-of-the-kevin-marshall-trade/article_701834e8-4e2e-11e1-9f18-001871e3ce6c.html

Yeah, and back to my point that if one of those guys goes down, Tampa is changing there play style again. 3.75 for two years for Salo is allot- even for a viking at 38. That article was a nice in introducing the new players and "feel good", but it did not discuss the remaining deficiencies and still made some ill statements. In this electronic age, the beat writers get trumped all the time. I am not sure if I should feel bad for that or not.

I was thinking the same thing. But he did post 69 last year (+ the 5 and out in the playoffs) and 68 two years prior to that. So, aside from his write off season two seasons ago (27games), he is averaging 65 games a season for 5 years running. Truthfully, that is higher than I thought and was going to comment similar to you before looking it up. Still, 3.75m for 80% games played is high for a 38 year old. That said, when healthy, he has a BOOMING RH slap shot from the point on the PP.

I watched him (Marshall) play in the Memorial cup in Van. He was a stud on the blue line for the Main Maniacs (love that team name!~). His foot speed wasn't great, but his positioning and hitting were. His outlet passes were adequate to good. I am suspecting that something happened behind the scenes with the Phantoms (maroon-esque). He did get 10 games last year at the NHL level.

Interesting article, but one point kind of stuck in my crawl: "For Carle and Salo, however, the solution to that just might rely on an aspect that head coach Guy Boucher already relies heavily on: speed." That's why against teams with superior speed (ie. the Flyers), the Lightning deployed a 4-1 "trap" style of play with extremely limited to no puck pursuit. Then this gem: "Since defensemen are no longer able to use the clutch and grab technique that proved both useful and popular prior to the 2004-05 lockout season to slow down forechecking opponents, today’s game dictates, if not requires, that blue-liners be mobile in order to efficiently play the position." The significant reduction of clutch and grab that occurred after the LAST post-lock out has significantly crept back in the game as it seems that annually, the officials are given a new or altered directive of what they should focus on and seem to lose all the prior focus on other things. For example, last year was head shots. While the clutch and grab is not as predominant as it was in the 90's, it is still very alive and well in 2011-2012. That said, I do think that Salo and Carle improve Tampa's blue line. In addition to Salo and Carle you have Brewer and Hedman in your top 4. Outside of that, not much. Brewer has nice size, but throughout his career had never been a defensive stalwart (with limited to no offensive skills). He brings size / hitting mostly. Hedman, a 21 y/o playing big minutes and still learning the game. After that, it is extremely thin from 5-7. While I think Carle and Salo can be top 4 dmen, I don't think either one is a 1-2 dman (anymore at least for Salo). I think Tampa is still in trouble on the d-side because while the additions are nice for Tampa, they are 9.250 worth of additions. Brewer is what he is and Hedman is the intangible. One significant injury to any of those 4 and Tampa is back to playing the 4-1.

So the tiger is shredding the Flyers logo with his claws? Nice respect.

Barley- I mean itsn't the logo a Flying P?? My eyes are not getting any better, but I don't see or a "P" or anything flying. To your point, at least he did get the O&B on it.

You could add into that the fans become accostomed to a certain version of the rulebook as well. You could put a poll on here (and was debated at length last season), on what "charging" was (or the Kronwall rule). For me it was always 3 strides into a player and / or leaving the feet. The rule book says something completely different and the league says something completely different again.

I do agree with this. I think I was referring to the initial first two years post lock out. It does frustrate me at the regression of the enforcement - or "seasonal" enforcement of certain things.

Like him or not, but could you imagine lindros post lockout 2005- regardless of jersey color he would wear?

I just can't resist: How much the sport has been pussified.

The thing about that is to actually see the break down: Gate / Concession - Merchandising - TV Revenue. I am going to guess that the NBA hit some high marks because of TV revenue. The Playoffs had some good story lines and most "forgot" the lockout by that point.

There is another thread regarding Columbus to the East. That would not bode well for Crosby- assuming Columbus would be in the same division. Pitts would have to face Philly 8 times AND Columbus 8 times. With the injuries to Philly, you could possibly see Schenn going against Crosby. With Columbus, it would be a definite as he is their first line guy with Wisniewski.

He is young. Jack Johnson played some of his best hockey of his NHL career after going to Columbus. Schenn is a better hitter than Johnson. Schenn is 3 years younger than Johnson. As a Flyers fan AND hockey fan, I am hoping both (Schenn / JVR) reach their promised ceilings.