Not really seeing the connection on some guys. NoPa busted because of injuries, Williams and Coots did not bust. Zubrus maybe didnt meet his ceiling but another year in juniors is not guaranteed to have changed that. Luchenko could be fine, maybe not. He has the freedom to make mistakes. He is Torts shiny new toy.

Luchenko could be ready, he could not be ready. We wont know until it is too late. Going to juniors is just simply the safer choice as theres no harm in it.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

He didn't post that Couturier, Williams and Zubrus were busts. He said their offensive development was severely held back.

I know this is probably a joke, but I actually wouldn't mind if they sent Drysdale down to the minors for awhile. Is he waiver exempt? I mean, perhaps it would help him regain some confidence.
- Phillywhiteout

No longer waiver exempt.

It wasn't an anomaly. All of the data told the story. The coach fell in love with the player. Elevated him in the lineup. The results weren't there. He was still the same player. Just getting more ice time. Still the same 4th line player who skates well with hands of stone. He's a 4th liner.
- MJL

That is the kind of player that gets extended by an organization that considers itself the gold standard of the NHL

I know this is probably a joke, but I actually wouldn't mind if they sent Drysdale down to the minors for awhile. Is he waiver exempt? I mean, perhaps it would help him regain some confidence.
- Phillywhiteout

He isnt

That is the kind of player that gets extended by an organization that considers itself the gold standard of the NHL
- corduroy

Even if Tortorella would use publicly available analytics. Not even proprietary. He would be a much better coach and evaluator of talent. The game has passed him by.

That is the kind of player that gets extended by an organization that considers itself the gold standard of the NHL
- corduroy

Poehling is the kind of player they should've taken a chance on. He's fine for the 4th line. The issue is they over used him and overpaid him.

You said first round picks get more leeway. Are you now amending your statement?
- MJL

Yes

And now I am adding that Frost was drafted 2 GMs ago.

DB has no allegiance to him. Frost has not shown that he is a better than average center. He is the flyers first line center by default.

It's like a qb on a team nfl team with a new gm. Unless the qb is a stud, he can be traded away

flyers cant draft/develop a 4th line center or players. always need to overpay on the ND, RP, and GH types. losing at the margins is a flyer thing.

yea Ryan P the wheels, you hope he can recover his play
- wcorvette

I'm not sure there is anything to recover. His metrics were just as bad as they always were.


Torts seems to value speed over any other facet of a players game. It's partly why I think he has soured on Couts, why he loves Poehling, Luchanko, Tippett, and seems to give them more leeway. Frost has speed, but I don't think Torts likes the way he tends to slow things down.

Its a blind spot he has as a coach and it is what it is.

LOL, Drysdale will play the entire OT? How many OT game winners has Sanheim scored? How many has Drysdale scored? Any idea.

Last night, you posted and criticized Sanheim for giving up the puck. I'll link to the post if necessary. Your comments were absurd. Sanheim made the right play.

It's why I laugh hysterically when you post that people have never played the game or that you have to watch the game. You can't get it right no matter what you do.
- MJL

Ahhhh remember the good old days when it was G, Jake and Ghost out there?

I'm not sure there is anything to recover. His metrics were just as bad as they always were.


Torts seems to value speed over any other facet of a players game. It's partly why I think he has soured on Couts, why he loves Poehling, Luchanko, Tippett, and seems to give them more leeway. Frost has speed, but I don't think Torts likes the way he tends to slow things down.

Its a blind spot he has as a coach and it is what it is.
- MBFlyerfan

Yes

And now I am adding that Frost was drafted 2 GMs ago.

DB has no allegiance to him. Frost has not shown that he is a better than average center. He is the flyers first line center by default.

It's like a qb on a team nfl team with a new gm. Unless the qb is a stud, he can be traded away
- WhiskeyMan

That's on the Flyers though. They need to add that first line center. Frost is a fine middle six center when he is used that way. I think we will see his powerplay skills reveal themselves this season as well. I think he has a 50/50 chance at 60 points this season.

Even if Tortorella would use publicly available analytics. Not even proprietary. He would be a much better coach and evaluator of talent. The game has passed him by.
- MJL

Whenever Ian Anderson is eventually let go by the Gold Standard org, I hope he writes a book about how clueless the Flyers are about analytics and all the money they wasted.

According to Ian's LinkedIn profile the Flyers have the #1 analytics dept in the league. If so, he might want to remind management that the analytics dept is still there.

Poehling is the kind of player they should've taken a chance on. He's fine for the 4th line. The issue is they over used him and overpaid him.
- MJL

I think having Poehling, Laughton and Cates all on the roster is issue. To me all 3 are redundant. Maybe you have two of the three to handle the 4th line with Hathaway or move around the lineup in a pinch but all 3 seems useless in regards to the roster construction.

I think it is an issue that we can't have a guy like Lycksell in a bottom 6 role who is cheap. We have almost 8 million tied up between Cates, Laughton and Poehling.

So Drysdale isn't waiver exempt. Would he get picked up by someone? I guess he would. I would take Ghost back in a second over this guy and that is saying something cause I was never a big Ghost guy. At least Ghost provides consistent offense.

Yes only first
And now I am adding that Frost was drafted 2 GMs ago.

DB has no allegiance to him. Frost has not shown that he is a better than average center. He is the flyers first line center by default.

It's like a qb on a team nfl team with a new gm. Unless the qb is a stud, he can be traded away
- WhiskeyMan

So it's not that first round picks get more leeway. It's only that first round picks drafted by certain GM's get more leeway?

I'm not sure there is anything to recover. His metrics were just as bad as they always were.


Torts seems to value speed over any other facet of a players game. It's partly why I think he has soured on Couts, why he loves Poehling, Luchanko, Tippett, and seems to give them more leeway. Frost has speed, but I don't think Torts likes the way he tends to slow things down.

Its a blind spot he has as a coach and it is what it is.
- MBFlyerfan

I don't think it's just speed. Tortorella likes checkers and he likes players who play downhill and skate straight up and down the ice. It's why he likes Tipett, who drives the net and skates the puck straight up ice with speed. Despite the fact that Tippet has been one of the worst defensive forwards on the team and violates many of his so called non-negotiables.

So Drysdale isn't waiver exempt. Would he get picked up by someone? I guess he would. I would take Ghost back in a second over this guy and that is saying something cause I was never a big Ghost guy. At least Ghost provides consistent offense.
- Phillywhiteout

We are only 3 games in. From all reports JD really had a great summer training and getting healthy…His skating is off the charts but he needs to work on his d zone coverage. I’d keep bringing him along. He’s still viewed as a big piece moving forward.

We are only 3 games in. From all reports JD really had a great summer training and getting healthy…His skating is off the charts but he needs to work on his d zone coverage. I’d keep bringing him along. He’s still viewed as a big piece moving forward.
- landros 2

It's not just his defensive coverage. He is giving them nothing offensively or in transition.

We are only 3 games in. From all reports JD really had a great summer training and getting healthy…His skating is off the charts but he needs to work on his d zone coverage. I’d keep bringing him along. He’s still viewed as a big piece moving forward.
- landros 2

that could be a mistake. I just wonder how long before they "give" up on him.

still early though the results not all encouraging.

Less everything. He's like the non-alcoholic version of Ryan Parent.
- Tomahawk

Ugh Parent. He was the bad seed on the near glorious 2010 team.

Ugh Parent. He was the bad seed on the near glorious 2010 team.
- THE EVIL WITHIN

I think you're forgetting how thin that team really was.

It's not just his defensive coverage. He is giving them nothing offensively or in transition.
- MJL

Again….it’s 3 games. Am I sold on him being able to reach a level that represents what a top end draft pick should be ? Unfortunately no. Hopefully we will start to see improvements. I’ve just said I think he will and should be given more time.

that could be a mistake. I just wonder how long before they "give" up on him.

still early though the results not all encouraging.
- hello it's me 2050

I agree . I’m just not sure on the length of time….I just think it’s 3 games. I mean I’m watching what you are.

flyers cant draft/develop a 4th line center or players. always need to overpay on the ND, RP, and GH types. losing at the margins is a flyer thing.
- hello it's me 2050

What is your obsession with developing 4th line C. No nhl team is trying to develop 4th line guys. Those players grow on trees. Flyers overpay because they aren't contenders. If you want the most coveted players you either jave to be a contender or overpay