And there is our morning ray of sunstroke at his best. Thanks! Hell, I'm as bad as you this morning, but I gotta vent once in awhile ya know.
- Phillywhiteout

what do you disagree with what I said? lets start there.

You haven't seen Drysdale healthy as a Flyer.
- MJL

Exactly completely agree, and him building muscle and size might help prevent injuries (hoping)

You haven't seen Drysdale healthy as a Flyer.
- MJL

I can only hope that's the case cause he looks bad to me. I didn't see the game last night, but it sounds like just another game where he was fumbling around the ice. I'm just not impressed. I keep hearing about all this speed and I don't see it. And he looks tremendously weak defensively to me. I hope it's the injuries. Oh my!

what do you disagree with what I said? lets start there.
- hello it's me 2050

I thought your assessment of Bonk was a bit harsh. I got nuthin on Drysdale cause I can't disagree there.

You haven't seen Drysdale healthy as a Flyer.
- MJL

That's kind of an indictment on the trade and the Flyers seeing as how the Flyers knew he wasn't completely healthy when they traded for him and then allowed him to play hurt last year as much as possible because they were all in on the playoffs.

https://www.nhl.com/flyer...for-upcoming-season-x7015

He never was healthy after sustaining the sports hernia in Anaheim's season opener, when he had an assist in 22:54 of a 4-1 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 14.

"That was not a lot of fun to play with, but could get through it, could manage as best as we could," Drysdale said.

"[The doctors] mentioned it was not ideal. It was probably worse than what they thought it was. ... I guess they call it a sports hernia, but really just a tear of the muscle."

Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said during the NHL Scouting Combine last month how impressive it was that Drysdale played through what he called a "significant injury."


That sounds like a less than ideal way to handle a young asset in a rebuilding year, regardless of whether he wants to play. If you were never rebuilding and just trying to make the playoffs while not caring about the long term, it makes more sense.

I’m actually a little more optimistic. I see some decent building blocks and a team that might struggle at times but has a chance to be better than last year. Michkov is a key guy, but I also think their depth on the Wing is really solid. Yes they have a couple young D …but those kids have some solid upside. I was a Hart fan, but never bought into him becoming an elite goalie. Thus I think the goaltending, if it can remain healthy, has a chance to be very solid. We’ll see…not quite the “rebuild” I envisioned but I’m not seeing a team that finishes in the bottom ten…anyways that’s my big prognosticator view.
- landros 2

who on the current roster do you see as building blocks? to me I see 2. MM and York. The rest are good depth though not guys you build around imo.

Ersson was sharp. Richard had a nice game. Not much else to be positive about. The TK-Frost-Michkov line was disappointing despite the goal. Luchanko and Bonk should be sent back.

Also, Tyler Johnson would have been a nice 1 year stopgap/trade asset for the Flyers.

I thought your assessment of Bonk was a bit harsh. I got nuthin on Drysdale cause I can't disagree there.
- Phillywhiteout

not harsh. doesn't look anywhere near nhl ready.

I didn't say you were wrong about anything. I didn't watch the game.
- MJL

Ok, I did not attend it to be a dig on Frost, I am rooting for him this year.

not harsh. doesn't look anywhere near nhl ready.
- hello it's me 2050

Perhaps, but already writing him off for next year seems a bit premature.

work in progress is comical. he looks lost, confused, and well just not that good. after what the coach said JD must feel really good about himself.

bonk looks nowhere near nhl ready. can't even factor him into the equation for 25/26.
- hello it's me 2050

To be fair I’m sure the coaching staff has relayed those comments to player long before Torts said what he did. What’s shocking to me is how the hell did this kid play as a teenager? This is the 22 year old version of JD…imagine what the 19 year old version was on a bad Ducks team?
Bonks got work to do…as do all 19 year old d men. He took a huge leap last year, and hopefully can do the same this year….another guy a couple years away at best.

He was always going to go back. The hype on this kid, and you wouldn't listen to anyone who said otherwise, was out of control. I give the Flyers PR department an A+ for having people focus on what they wanted people to talk about instead of Kolosov and RyJo issues.
- Flyers_01

From the beginning I liked the Luchanko pick, however I have also been consistent that he needs another year at Geulph.

That makes sense. Target he best player out of a group. Though I would dispute that he is the best of the centers.
- MJL

Coots is their best center when healthy, but can that really be counted on at this point? That's why I say Frost. I mean, who else is there?

That's kind of an indictment on the trade and the Flyers seeing as how the Flyers knew he wasn't completely healthy when they traded for him and then allowed him to play hurt last year as much as possible because they were all in on the playoffs.

https://www.nhl.com/flyer...for-upcoming-season-x7015

He never was healthy after sustaining the sports hernia in Anaheim's season opener, when he had an assist in 22:54 of a 4-1 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 14.

"That was not a lot of fun to play with, but could get through it, could manage as best as we could," Drysdale said.

"
- Flyers_01[The doctors] mentioned it was not ideal. It was probably worse than what they thought it was. ... I guess they call it a sports hernia, but really just a tear of the muscle."

Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said during the NHL Scouting Combine last month how impressive it was that Drysdale played through what he called a "significant injury."


That sounds like a less than ideal way to handle a young asset in a rebuilding year, regardless of whether he wants to play. If you were never rebuilding and just trying to make the playoffs while not caring about the long term, it makes more sense.

there was no rebuilding year!!! they wanted a rhd who can step in asap to help with the playoff "push".

to acquire an injured player then play him is dumb. if you were rebuilding of course.
To acquire damaged goods and a guy with an injury history for a 5th overall seems like you got ripped off. they were in such a rusgh to make that trade.

You have this recurrent theme about defenseman not being coached properly before coming to the Flyers. As if other coaches around the league don't know how to coach defenseman. Tortorella is not happy unless he has a target.
- MJL

I didn't say these things about Drysdale, Torts did. I have no idea how Drysdale was coached in Anaheim.

who on the current roster do you see as building blocks? to me I see 2. MM and York. The rest are good depth though not guys you build around imo.
- hello it's me 2050

Drysdale….Foerster, Ersson, and maybe even a Bobby Brink. Brink a bit of a stretch…lol.

doesn't even need to be a stud. flyers botched this trade 100%
- hello it's me 2050

This is non sense at this time, let's see how the season plays out first before we call the trade a bust.

not harsh. doesn't look anywhere near nhl ready.
- hello it's me 2050

I see Bonk getting a year or two in the AHL before becoming an NHL regular. Not a bad thing but I agree he is not close to NHL ready. I am fine with that timeline.

Sorry, just very frustrated at the lack of centers on this team. This is where I get my Irish up! All teams know that you build from the middle of the ice. That means stud goalie, stud defenseman or two and strong down the middle! This team is built bass ackwards! I only target Frost cause he is apparently the best of a bad group and I wanna see more!
- Phillywhiteout

Agree but you can't fault danny for the lack of A➕️ center prospects,

His first draft he got a game breaker in michkov, (kinda what the caps did when drafting ovie)

This year he got a center, but everyone was crying for the defenseman who has the same agent as cutter and already experienced his way of handling business with nhl teams.

So it leads us to this draft with 3 1st and 2 2nd picks we should be able to move up if need be to get that stud center. (Not to mention what they might fetch in upcoming trade deadline)


Not everything is as bad as it appears

all that matters is the stats!!!! they tell the whole story. there is no grey area!!!
- hello it's me 2050

Analytics tell the majority of the story if used in context with stats. Stats tell you what happened, Analytics tell you the how/why they happen. It's not everything but it's a lot more useful than Torts/Flyers give it credit for.

Think TDA. Great on CAR first go around. If you look at the stats, he's great. Analytics tell you that was because they were able to protect him and manage his ice time. When the analytics and the eye test agree it's great but when they don't you end up with TDA and "well he looked good with CAR". This isn't hindsight, most people understood this before the trade, except the people in charge.

Same thing with Laughton and his "defensive prowess". ND the myth, the legend and according to analytics one of the worst hockey players to lace up the skates.

Coots is their best center when healthy, but can that really be counted on at this point? That's why I say Frost. I mean, who else is there?
- Phillywhiteout

My problem with Couts, and you could plainly see it last night, is he can't play fast enough to keep up with the modern game. He's never been a great skater but he is badly behind the play most of the time now.

To be fair I’m sure the coaching staff has relayed those comments to player long before Torts said what he did. What’s shaking to me is how the hell did this kid play as a teenager? This is the 22 year old version of JD…imagine what the 19 year old version was on a bad Ducks team?
Bonks got work to do…as do all 19 year old d men. He took a huge leap last year, and hopefully can do the same this year….another guy a couple years away at best.
- landros 2

doesn't matter, what is there to gain by saying that publicly? is it going to "light" a fire under him? I also would bet that when they did talk to him they didn't say exactly what torts said to the media.

comments like that I am sure have the players in that airtight best locker room in the world saying what a jerk off.

agree with bonk. don't think he goes straight to the nhl right away unless he takes a huge leap. which is fine.

not harsh. doesn't look anywhere near nhl ready.
- hello it's me 2050

Yes Bonk was completely overwhelmed last night, as was MacDonald. Pairing them together last night was dumb dumb dumb IMO ... MacDonald needs a full AHL season at least, and Bonk needs another year in the minors and then at least one AHL season before he is ready. It's OK, defenseman take longer to develop, unless your named Orr or Makar. To me Ginning and Andrae should make this team right now, but where would they play, there is no room for them.

Analytics tell the majority of the story if used in context with stats. Stats tell you what happened, Analytics tell you the how/why they happen. It's not everything but it's a lot more useful than Torts/Flyers give it credit for.

Think TDA. Great on CAR first go around. If you look at the stats, he's great. Analytics tell you that was because they were able to protect him and manage his ice time. When the analytics and the eye test agree it's great but when they don't you end up with TDA and "well he looked good with CAR". This isn't hindsight, most people understood this before the trade, except the people in charge.

Same thing with Laughton and his "defensive prowess". ND the myth, the legend and according to analytics one of the worst hockey players to lace up the skates.
- Flyers_01

they are a tool just not a be all end all like some suggest. they can be misleading if just looking at those without watching game play.

My problem with Couts, and you could plainly see it last night, is he can't play fast enough to keep up with the modern game. He's never been a great skater but he is badly behind the play most of the time now.
- jd250

That's another one of your pet phrases. It's pre season.