Howie58

I keep asking myself if the group will improve during the season or we see the trajectory by Thanksgiving?

Here are two sets of predictions for the upcoming season.  One is big picture, one is division-focused:

NHL Bets: Betting odds for Philadelphia Flyers season, players - Broad Street Hockey

Metropolitan and Atlantic Division Predictions (yahoo.com)

We are not rated very highly.  One pundit sees it as a Hart issue.  We are in a tough division in a parity-based league.

2 hours ago, ruxpin said:

 

It's just that he's a terrible goalie. Period. It was a ridiculous signing.

 

Sorry, but that's all there is to it.

Rux and Company:

I think Jones is like a lot of the other signings and the team as a whole:  It is a turnaround gamble.  I think 2 million for him seemed high.  We may have a bummer on our hands.  Risto too.  We hope Yandle has gas in the tank...same for Bressard.  They all disappear in a year under worst case.   We hope that our starting goalie has a turnaround as well.  If he doesn't, we may be truly screwed.  I agree, Jones didn't seem like the best candidate, but our GM didn't want to spend more, and for all we know, some free agents didn't want to join the Goalie Graveyard known as the O and B.

It has been hard for me to figure if the bad save percentage we've seen from Jones is the team around him or....him.  I guess we find out pretty soon.  As one pundit has noted, Carter Hart has had the better squads supporting him, and the AHLers opposing him.  

I agree we need to reckon earlier on if the pool of goalies in the system is Lyon Redux or other.  

I hope our D works out some kinks. This wasn't Braun's finest hour. Jones' save percentage doesn't inspire but Samsonov's wasn't much different.

Greetings:

Odds aren't out, but this assessment is that neither team has been that good defensively this preseason:

https://freepicks.picksandparlays.net/more-free-picks/nhl-picks/philadelphia-flyers-at-washington-capitals-10821-nhl-picks-and-predictions

It looks like Jones versus Venecek between the pipes.  

I might have some good red stuff to end the week.  Let's hope the preseason ends on a high note.  

I think we will see some of these folks sooner than later.  Signing Bressard may have been a roadblock to some of these folks. I Seeler beats out Clendening for the extra D-Man?

Hello:

I paid $49 dollars this year for NHL Center Ice through Comcast on pre-season purchase.  I couldn't figure out why it was so cheap.  Maybe cable cutting is impacting price.  I like watching a game on the tube. BTW, this year they've committed to all HD broadcasts. 

Best,

Howie

I guess this is final audition (or next to final) for some of the youngins.  It's worth a shot, but that fourth line may be eaten alive.  

Greetings:

I have not found odds, but this post shows computer prediction of 4-3 Bruins:

https://www.sportsbettingdime.com/nhl/odds/matchup/138179/

Hart is in goal for the entire game.  This should be an "opening day" roster, or thereabouts, for both squads.

Looks like better puck movement and crisper passing in coming games. There is hope for Jones. All in, we may see a balanced attack. Brassard and Yandle may be good low cost pick-ups.

Greetings:

I haven't found odds.  Martin Jones is starting and playing the entire game.  He won't be facing Ovie, Oshie, or Carlson.  Hart gets the nod against Boston on Monday. 

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2021/10/01/capitals-announce-roster-for-preseason-game-against-flyers/

Hopefully, Farabee isn't the only scorer.  

18 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

Just got home so I missed everything.

 

Does this link for the game work?

 

 

http://sportsstats.xyz/www.sportsrp.com/nhl/Flyers.php

Sir Occ:

Greetings....look at my first post...had TNT there.  Is age catching up?  

By the way, TNT needs to get the kinks out.  There were technical glitches, the analysis wasn't so great, and I am not sure if bringing in an NHL referee (Don Koharski sp) helps a lot.  

Best,

Howie

My impressions:

1) I hope the Jones Experiment isn't a failure;

2)  Farabee and York are cornerstones;

3)  Clendening and Seeler are marginal 7th D.  

As for TNT....hope for the best.

Greetings:

I reckoned it was time to dust off my posting skills.  The Bruins are favored:

https://freepicks.picksandparlays.net/more-free-picks/nhl-picks/philadelphia-flyers-at-boston-bruins-93021-nhl-preseason-picks-and-predictions

Mr. Jones is the starter against an A-team Bruins squad. He's expected to play two periods.  That, and seeing Keith Jones broadcast for TNT, might make this worth watching.  

Well, it makes the Brassard pick-up more "relevant."  Or--it hands Mr. Frost or other an opportunity to spread his wings.  Injury news is never good.  This guy loses a brother, then suffers an injury when he's expected to have a comeback year.  There isn't much to say other than "ouch."

It's hard for me to handicap our squad.  Is there upside? For sure.  If Lindblom and other return to form, we might surprise people.  On the other hand, starting a season with two goalies who immediate past season had sub-.900 save percentages doesn't inspire.  The D--don't know. It looks like another Thanksgiving Day assessment break--we might get a read after 20 or so games.  

With Pitt, I always had a feeling Rutherford would pull a rabbit out of the trade hat and pull it together before the playoffs.  He has been replaced with Mr. Patience.  Trotz is Trotz and Lou is Lou.  I suspect that squad will always be respectable+.  

We see!

Hello:

Here is an assessment of rankings in the Metro, with Carolina favored (with asterisks).  

https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl-futures-betting-analyzing-the-metropolitan-division-205947365.html

I concur that Pitt may be a declining team.  One might say the same about Washington.  Our performance rests on Hart rebounding.  Trades aside, do our youth play to potential?  In this perennially tough division, every game and point will count.  

Hello:

I like this move.  If we could get a sniper center or a Briere-type to feed this dude, we begin to move up in class within the Metro.  

This is one where I see alignment between player, agent, and team.  If I were G and the season was a bummer, I might want out.  If things go well, I might want to stay.  Fletcher has to "remain vigilant" about performance and the salary cap.  One could argue the Captaincy from a number of angles.  G is a pillar.  On the other hand--maybe it's time for generational shift and change.  

One thing in his favor is position flexibility. He is less likely to crowd out an up-and-comer with ability to move.  In terms of playing time--he can do more on the specialty side and less 5 on 5.  

All in--I am less worried about the G situation than some pundits and might worry more about our Selke winner get a stash that becomes unsustainable with age or injury.  

11 minutes ago, radoran said:

 

Meltzer speculating/reporting that Giroux is expected to take a pay cut to finish his career in Philly, providing stability for his family.

 

The number he had was in the 6-6.5 range.

Rad: Thanks for the post. The hometown discount makes sense. 

11 minutes ago, radoran said:

 

Meltzer speculating/reporting that Giroux is expected to take a pay cut to finish his career in Philly, providing stability for his family.

 

The number he had was in the 6-6.5 range.

Rad: Thanks for the post. The hometown discount makes sense. 

I wonder what this says about term/length of resigning G?  That must have been part of the reckoning.  

Good Afternoon:

The pundits are like stock-pickers--most don't beat the averages, hence the move to ETF and index funds.  I take their statements with many grains of salt.  On the other hand and extreme, go to YouTube and look at the pundits on the other side who think the O and B are the most improved team in the division.  That Kool-Aid is way beyond me. 

Again, my fear is 2008 Redux.  We have the trades.  Yeah, maybe the newbies overcome their immediate past or whatever.  But a marginal playoff team that goes nowhere in the future doesn't make me happy.  I would like to see a Cup before passing. 

Greetings:

The press doesn't seem too impressed with the recent moves.  Here are two pieces in that vein:

NHL Power Rankings: Teams with the best five year window (nbcsports.com)

Metropolitan Division review: Penguins, Capitals try for another run (nbcsports.com)

My view is that we may be heading into a 2008 repeat.  Yes, there is improvement.  The question is whether the '21-'22 squad is like 2008:  Do we have an an upgrade without deep roots for sustained excellence?

Food for thought.