Free advice for Flyers
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Free advice for Flyers
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
First things first: The Flyers looked pathetic in the first period Saturday en route to a 4-1 loss in New Jersey.
Afterward, new coach Peter Laviolette ripped the team's lack of desire on the boards and their curious absence of energy _ after he had given them off on Friday "just so we'd have some jump."
It took only five games, but Laviolette is already at the boiling point.
Think how GM Paul Holmgren feels. He fired his coach and has seen the Flyers look even worse under their new boss.
The Flyers have lost seven of their last eight _ and they have scored a grand total of six goals in those seven defeats.
Here, free of charge, is some advice to remedy the situation.
1. Bring up winger Stefan Legein from the AHL Adirondack Phantoms. He had nine goals in his first 18 games with the AHL club, and he has to be better than the other minor-league callups.
2. Be patient. The worst is almost over. In other words, Holmgren shouldn't make a panic trade unless he's really knocked over by a can't-refuse offer. Simon Gagne, Darroll Powe and Blair Betts are on the verge of coming back from injuries. That will bring some semblance of order to the sputtering offense.
3. When Gagne is healthy (he's almost ready), put him with Danny Briere and Claude Giroux to form a French Connection. Yes, the line is a little smallish, but it has the speed and creativity to give opponents fits. This team is lacking an identity, and putting those three players together would help establish one.
4. Move the snakebitten Jeff Carter to right wing on a line with Mike Richards and Scott Hartnell. And let them play together for at least 10 games to see if they can build a chemistry. In a full season, they could score 100 goals.
5. When Gagne returns, move James van Riemsdyk (goal-less in his last 12 games) down to the third line with Powe and Arron Asham. JVR has hit a wall, and he will have a lot less pressure playing on a third line. And don't underestimate the value of the gritty fourth line _ Dan Carcillo, Betts and Ian Laperriere. Carcillo returns from a supsension on Monday in Boston.
Those four lines are much more sound than the dreck that has been out there the last few weeks.
Comments?
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After Saturday's game, David Laliberte was sent to the Phantoms to make room for Carcillo. Laliberte played just four minutes Saturday.
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The Flyers signed free-agent John Grahame to a tryout contract with the Phantoms. He is expected to be the Phantoms' backup, Holmgren said.
Grahame, who played in Russia last season, gives the organization some goalie depth. Flyers starter Ray Emery is expected to be sidelined for six weeks after undergoing abdominal surgery.
There is a chance Grahame, 34, could play himself into shape and replace Johan Backlund as Brian Boucher's backup.
Grahame played parts of two seasons for Laviolette in Carolina. Neither season was impressive. In 2006-07, he was 10-13-2 with a 2.85 GAA and .897 save percentage. The next year, he was 5-7-1 with a 3.75 GAA and .875 save percentage.
In parts of eight NHL seasons, Grahame was 97-86-14-4 with Boston, Tampa Bay and Carolina, along with a 2.79 GAA and .898 save percentage.
Grahame's best season was in 2003-04, when he went 18-9-1 with a 2.06 GAA and .913 save percentage for Tampa.
Comment removed.
Start with the "C" and then get the goalie. GRAHAM IS NOT THE ANSWER.— LaCroix,Nolet,Gendron- How about putting Cote in so atleast one player has heart on the team— itsallgood
- Depth always helps win hockey games. Although it may not seem important to have third and 4th liners in the lineup, they are still NHLers. There is a significant line between an NHL and AHL player. Powe adds energy, Betts is reliable, and Gagne adds scoring along with responsibility in his own end. This team is good (the Hockey News predicted them to win the cup...these same players!) they should be able to right the ship soon. Danny Briere -31 as a Flyer, in that same time period Richards is +41. Look at the record without Briere it is pretty impressive.— Hexy4GM
I like Sam's point about moving Carter to the wing with Richards and Hartnell. Too many centers on this team, maybe Carter will find his niche on the wing; a scoring winger is more valuable than a scoring center. A French Connection line would be nice too, if Gagne can stay healthy somehow. I loved the team's play when Betts was healthy; it was smothering D all over the ice, hard to play against. But I fear he won't ever be healthy enough to contribute consistently. It's bizarre too, as his Games Played totals with the Rangers the past three years were 82, 75, 81. I still wince when I see scrappy center Glen Metropolit doing his thing for the Habs, he'd still look great here.- Are you serious? Don't make a panic trade? The worst is over? Why? because Powe, Betts and Carcillo are comming back? This team has a defense corp that can't clear the front of the net, cannot skate the puck out of the zone, cannot make a breakout pass....it also has a forwar corp that slows down as they enter the offensive zone, voluntarily gets pushed to the walls, don't follow thru on any checks, can't win a timely faceoff, and gets pushed out from the front of the net as if they have no backbone (i.e Jeff Carter)....If they ever needed to make a trade, it would be now...Someone needs to pick any underacheving guy and just ship him out....I would be making calls to see what you can get for Timonen, Carter,Hartnell,Briere, if nothing else gain some cap space of the off season— kadhia
- That first period Sat night was the worst effort I've seen in years, even worse than their last place finish season 3 years ago. They are flat out awful....and look at their upcoming schedule.....most likely 3 more losses.— Tar Heel 1
duffers- the flyers drafter boucher in the 1st round of 1995, jean mark peltillier (spelling?) in the 2nd round of 1997, and Maximime Olluett (spelling) in the first round of 1999...so they have drafted high and only (barely) Boucher has worked out— jamarder- Wow.....they are just a disgrace. I am completely ashamed to be a fan of this team. When are they going to change the way they think. Get a good goalie and win a freakin cup. Pay the big money on Miller and see what happens. Maybe trade Ed Snider for someone not stuck in the 1970's hockey. I love fighting but we also need some hussle.— blade2000
- YYEESSSS!!!!!!! Carter is a winger: period. He does not have the vision or skills to center. Hopefully management is listening this time. I've been saying all year we need to move Carter to wing. Good point Sam.— dahlster
- Sam, none of this will help a team that has no identity after 5 years of being told to play "defense" with team toughness b.s., then are handed Danny Briere and given a coach with a risky offensive style. There is no system, no philosophy and no players to match. Paul Holmgrem must not make any moves, let the season unfold, and BEG Scotty Bowman to replace him. My guess is that Laviolette will be fired sometime in Jan/Feb or quit. They need to ride out this season. Tell me how a team with so much promise stops developing their Phantoms players (call ups have been terrible), never develops a top goalie, and delivers to the NHL two spoiled forwards like Carter and Richards? What a disgrace. DEAR PAUL HOLMGREM, I don't LOVE Dan Carcillo.— MichaelZoe
- jamarder...are you on drugs? they drafted Maxime Ouellet in the first round in 1999. Even Nitty was a 6th round pick. THAT WAS TEN YEARS AGO. Go through their picks since then; an older Checkmanek out of the Czech republic in 2000 doesn't count. The Flyers have a terrible development process...ask former #1 draft pick Justin Williams who collected his cup with Carolina.— MichaelZoe
- can you imagine having the Devils here in Philly? a blue collar team that plays tight defense, adapts, drafts well and took the #1 goalie of all time. their building is EMPTY while our fans have to put up with the DRECK. Sigh.— MichaelZoe
- No trades. This team will be fine. They have some very good players and are just in a prolonged slump, and at least 5 of the losses seem to have resulted from Emery's injury. They should have kept Stevens. Give it time to correct— GoCowboys
I agree with Ticogringomike: The chemistry is all wrong on this team.— DaveCicc
