Lavi has to go

[coords]

I'm not an X and O guy. I don't see the schemes they talk about but since he's been here our defense and goals allowed has gone up.

I'd love to be educated on why the system he is running isn't working but I see a team that:

1. Can't steal a game

2. Can't reliably hold a lead

3. Has to outplay the other team, count on the other team failing to convert on their chances, bury their own, and hope Bryz plays a decent game

...and a coach that has a free pass because of an HBO special and his ability to motivate his team in Timeouts.

If Stevens had to leave because we couldn't win the cup playing possum hockey, and allowing the team to act like they were at a country club, then I think Lavi has to leave for not finding a way to reduce the goals allowed.

Been reading other posts, Aziz's was awesome, team in transition. Maybe I'm over reacting. But if you have to build this thing back up I'd rather have a team that can play with a lead, play shut down D when it's called for. So let's get a coach/system that will let us do that.

[AndyS]

I like Lavy, and would like to see what he could do without all the dead weight (Briere, Bryz, etc.), with a real goalie (which he truthfully has NEVER had in his time in Philly), and with some real veteran leadership. (Is it just me, has Max Talbot become invisible???)

[Jmdodgesrt4]

His system is no different then the system I played under. It's an aggressive puck pursuit in offensive zone. The idea is to keep it in the zone by keeping your dmen activated. Meaning at all times they are to pinch in to keep the puck in the zone. However the one thing that seems to be constant here this season is the failure for the forwards to cover the vacated point and then recycle. Also the third forward is not staying "high" in the zone. Basically between the face off circle. So when the dman pinches and the forward doesn't cover and the third forward isn't high and the puck slips past that pinching dman you got one dman back covering a 3-1 or 2-1 on a constant occurrence. The defensive zone coverage is a completely different topic. Lol. But I will make this one comment. This system is based on and is only successful with a good goalie who can make those odd man rushes. There will be breakdowns at times. Way too much now. But all you have to do is look at the canes. That 2-1 odd man rush rarely had a one timer attempt. The dman took that away. Shooter vs ward. That favors ward. He knew he had the shooter.

[murraycraven]

I like Lavy, and would like to see what he could do without all the dead weight (Briere, Bryz, etc.), with a real goalie (which he truthfully has NEVER had in his time in Philly), and with some real veteran leadership. (Is it just me, has Max Talbot become invisible???)

-- no... one of those goals were directly off a Talbot tunrover!

[flyercanuck]

Lavys system is fun to watch when it's working. But it's a tough system to win a cup with, unless you have a goalie that can steal you one. I mentioned in chat last night. Ted Nolan, Gerard Gallant and Trent Yawney are all guys I'd take into consideration as a replacement.

[Digityman]

@coords Welcome aboard. Glad you made it.

Homer needs to retool this team with all of the things that have been talked about many times: Bryz, Briere, Knuble, defense........

After that happens, I'd like to see Lavy get another shot at it. Give him until December of next year and reevaluate.

[ruxpin]

I think the countdown clock on Lavy is in high gear. Lose on Friday and Lavy does not make it through the weekend.

I don't agree with this, but this is my prediction.

I don't blame this solely on Lavy. I think his philosophy shares some of the blame, but a smaller percentage than the guy who allowed this team to go into a season having allowed Carle and Jagr to walk without replacement, going into the season with only 3 or 4 defensemen (depending upon how you count) and no backup goalie. I just think this roster--while it has some definite bright spots--is poorly assembled.

As currently constituted, this team is not a full NHL squad. How anyone--the front office included--expected this to be a playoff team with a straight face and without high doses of barbiturates I honestly don't know. I said as much over the summer, as did some others here who know a lot more than I do.

So, fire Lavy or don't fire Lavy. I was entertaining the idea of letting him go and bringing in an interim (Murray?) to evaluate who we have for the duration of the season, make changes in the offseason, and proceed from there.

The problem with this idea is that if you leave Holmgren in place then you have the same guy who put this half a squad together in charge of "fixing it."

My solution? Fire Holmgren. I think the core problem is Snider, to be honest, but since death is the only option there I'll be satisfied with starting out with a new GM.

[radoran]

@coords Welcome aboard. Glad you made it.

Homer needs to retool this team with all of the things that have been talked about many times: Bryz, Briere, Knuble, defense........

After that happens, I'd like to see Lavy get another shot at it. Give him until December of next year and reevaluate.

Homer needs to retool this team by resigning. This is a worse disgrace than when Clarke flamed out.

[JackStraw]

@Jmdodgesrt4 - problem is, the Flyers don't have the defensemen to play that kind of system. Other than Timo, do you really feel comfortable seeing these guys pinch? None of the others are what I'd call "skilled".

[ruxpin]

I'm not sure it's worse than Clarke, but it's definitely at least as bad.

It seems to me that Clarke is still somehow involved. If that's the case, that needs to stop.

And Snider needs to get his nose out of things. Let the hockey folks run the hockey and Snider can just go and bathe in his receipts.

[Podein25]

So, fire Lavy or don't fire Lavy.

Fire Holmgren.

FIRE ALL THINGS!

sorry, beat you too it Bert (I think it's Bert that likes that one)

[Podein25]

t seems to me that Clarke is still somehow involved.

BLAME LINDROS!

[ruxpin]

@Jmdodgesrt4 - problem is, the Flyers don't have the defensemen to play that kind of system. Other than Timo, do you really feel comfortable seeing these guys pinch? None of the others are what I'd call "skilled".

That's the problem, Jack. They don't have the defensemen. The third pairing has neither the brains to know when or when not to pinch. Further, they don't have the foot speed nor the ability to recover when they do make the mistake. The rest seem to have either the first problem or the second problem or varying, but lesser, degrees of both.

But the pinching isn't the sole problem. None of them, save maybe Grossman, seem to have the ability to calm things down in their own end. They're not winning battles and when they do they're just flailing to get rid of the puck instead of quarterbacking an exit. Then, completing a good first pass is a crap shoot. The defense is just atrocious. Add to that a goalie that increasingly is having trouble understanding that you have to be in front of the INSIDE of the post, and you have disaster written all over it.

This isn't just about players. Gervais and Foster stink. For them, it's not about effort, it's about the fact they simply cannot play the game. And the GM and whatever scouts whispered to him "these guys will be good" shoot not only be fired, they should be fired UPON.

The amazing thing is that I went into this season saying both to myself and to people here that I wasn't going to care. And now I'm as ticked off as the October before we fired Hitch and Clarke "resigned."

[JackStraw]

@ruxpin - couldn't have said it better so I won't even try.

[DaGreatGazoo]

I think Rux may be right....they play on Monday the 18th, and then are off for 5 days in a row. IF there is going to be a mid-season change, that is the time to do it.

I don't agree with it either....this team has a design flaw, and that's a GM issue, not a coach issue. But often, the coach is the fall-guy and that my be Lavy's undoing.

[ruxpin]

I think Rux may be right

It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine).

[DaGreatGazoo]

It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine).

Then again, I may still be drunk......

[brelic]

Fire Holmgren, bring in Hextall as GM.

If Hextall won't come over, I'd give Burke a jingle. The guy built the Leafs into the kind of team the Flyers wished they were. Tough and skilled. If any potential GM out there understands the Philly mindset, it's probably Burke (after Hextall, of course

Fire Lavi, hand the team over to Murray for the rest of the year. See what he can do. Take your time in hiring a full-time replacement (which may end up being Murray anyway). Find someone that matches the personnel you put on the ice.

Start there, and see what happens.

[AndyS]

But the pinching isn't the sole problem. None of them, save maybe Grossman, seem to have the ability to calm things down in their own end. They're not winning battles and when they do they're just flailing to get rid of the puck instead of quarterbacking an exit. Then, completing a good first pass is a crap shoot. The defense is just atrocious. Add to that a goalie that increasingly is having trouble understanding that you have to be in front of the INSIDE of the post, and you have disaster written all over it.

Have you ever seen a D-man who consistently has as much difficulty clearing the puck out of his own zone than Schenn?

It seems like every time I'm watching him, he ends up weakly putting the puck to the wrong team in his own end. (Is he color blind???)

[AndyS]

Fire Holmgren, bring in Hextall as GM.

If Hextall won't come over, I'd give Burke a jingle. The guy built the Leafs into the kind of team the Flyers wished they were. Tough and skilled. If any potential GM out there understands the Philly mindset, it's probably Burke (after Hextall, of course

Fire Lavi, hand the team over to Murray for the rest of the year. See what he can do. Take your time in hiring a full-time replacement (which may end up being Murray anyway). Find someone that matches the personnel you put on the ice.

Start there, and see what happens.

Burke would be my first choice.

[Digityman]

Have you ever seen a D-man who consistently has as much difficulty clearing the puck out of his own zone than Schenn?

It seems like every time I'm watching him, he ends up weakly putting the puck to the wrong team in his own end. (Is he color blind???)

Yes. Foster, Gervais and even Mez the last few games.

I think L Schenn & Timonen have been the most solid of the D bunch....

[fan4ever]

@Jmdodgesrt4 - problem is, the Flyers don't have the defensemen to play that kind of system. Other than Timo, do you really feel comfortable seeing these guys pinch? None of the others are what I'd call "skilled".

problem is, changing the coach isn't going to change the lack of defense. Whether you agree with Lavy's coaching style or not, think he's a good coach or not, etc, the truth is we don't have a very talented team (defence, goaltending), which I believe is having an effect on the offense.

Edited March 14, 2013 by fan4ever

[flyercanuck]

Burke would be my first choice.

Depends. Are there any hot Asian-American sportscasters working for Comcast?

[JackStraw]

problem is, changing the coach isn't going to change the lack of defense. Whether you agree with Lavy's coaching style or not, think he's a good coach or not, etc, the truth is we don't have a very talented team (defence, goaltending), which I believe is having an effect on the offense.

But if you bring in a coach whose system is better suited to the players we have things may not be so ugly. I think the Flyers defensemen are not all bad. Other than Gervais and Foster I kind of like them. But they're not a skilled group (other than Timo). A system that emphasizes a more conservative style of play, with more team defense and less run and gun would better suit the players we have.

[Jmdodgesrt4]

@JackStraw

Jack you are somewhat right. But you cannot exclude the lack of execution by the forwards. Even if the puck gets through the pinching dman the forward should be there to either chip it back in or to retreat and make it an even man rush back. It's not solely on the dmen. It's a critical error all over the ice.