The Fan Blog : Here are the EXACT lines the FLyers should use to start the season…Agree?

Has merit.

I think Selke on the wing actually makes sense, but also see Bump making this team.

If healthy.

Dvorak - Zegras - MM
Tippet - Couturier - TK
Forester - Cates - Brink
? - Abols - GH

Hopefully they put ND out to pasture though that isnt guaranteed. Still won’t shock me if they sign another 4th liner or camp invite.

If Forest is out then guess that leaves a spot for a rookie to impress.

Whats your rationale having Brink “battle” for a spot. He was a bright spot last season

this is based off of my exclusive Flyers Banter + insider information.

Michkov - Coots - TK
Forester - Zegras - Tippett
Cates - Dvorak - Brink
Grebenkin/Bump - Abols - Hathaway

If Forester is out for any period of time we could see Luchenko or Barkey fill in also

D: Sanhiem - York
Drysdale - Seeler
Andrae - Juulson*

Until Risto is healthy

G: Sam, Vladar/Fedotov

Can’t have Couturier centering Michkov. He can no
Longer keep pace. Just my opinion.

Michkov-Couturier-Konecny
Brink-Zegras-Tippett
Bump-Dvorak-Cates
Grebenkin-Richard-Hathaway


I like Richard in the mix, he has speed and can make plays. Luchanko is not a guarantee to make the team. Coots may not be fast, but if you put all of the skill on one line together, the goalies will be burned out by November. MM's numbers were noticeably better when he became a regular playing w/Coots. This is likely not to change too much until they acquire younger centers. Or maybe Dvorak gets a chance with him because he can also play D, but not as good as Coots.

Here's my look:

w/ Foerster

Foerster Coots Konecny

Michkov Zegras Cates

Brink Dvorak Tippett

Bump Martone Hathaway

w/o Foerster

Michkov Coots Konecny

Bump Zegras Cates

Brink Dvorak Tippett

Grebenkin Martone Hathaway


Sanheim Drysdale

Seeler Bonk

York Risto (Juulsen)

I think Coots came on strong and will be playing better with a different style. Him and TK have chemistry. I think Foerster is ready to explode and he will if put in the right place.

Michkov and Zegres can play a little more free with Cates being a solid 2 way player,
with Z should let Michkov play freely and they can feed off each others playmaking ability.

Tippett needs to play freely as well and putting him with 2 way players who can contribute offensively like Brink and Dvorak can help his game.

Getting Bump involved needs to be a focal point. He played well last year and needs to be challenged and hime and MArtone should be able to handle themselves fine, especially with a guy like Hathaway on their line.

ehhh not a good line combo
- TopShelfShot

ehhh, which one ?

Couturier is 1C, he's gonna have a great bounce-back year. Torts and him were not on the best of terms, which was reflected in his usage and minutes.

Couturier is 1C, he's gonna have a great bounce-back year. Torts and him were not on the best of terms, which was reflected in his usage and minutes.
- Dave21Brown

He played the 2nd most minutes among the forwards.

Cates is the strongest defensive forward on the team. it is a really dumb idea to not play him at center.

Here's my look:

w/ Foerster

Foerster Coots Konecny

Michkov Zegras Cates

Brink Dvorak Tippett

Bump Martone Hathaway

w/o Foerster

Michkov Coots Konecny

Bump Zegras Cates

Brink Dvorak Tippett

Grebenkin Martone Hathaway


Sanheim Drysdale

Seeler Bonk

York Risto (Juulsen)

I think Coots came on strong and will be playing better with a different style. Him and TK have chemistry. I think Foerster is ready to explode and he will if put in the right place.

Michkov and Zegres can play a little more free with Cates being a solid 2 way player,
with Z should let Michkov play freely and they can feed off each others playmaking ability.

Tippett needs to play freely as well and putting him with 2 way players who can contribute offensively like Brink and Dvorak can help his game.

Getting Bump involved needs to be a focal point. He played well last year and needs to be challenged and hime and MArtone should be able to handle themselves fine, especially with a guy like Hathaway on their line.
- TopShelfShot

Martone goes to college before he plays 8 mins on the 4th line. Also who is your c on that line?

I keep the Coots, MM and TK line together, and I also keep the Cates, Foerster and Brink line together for starters (assuming Foerster is playing). Zegras should be the second line center and then go from there. Put ND out to pasture once and for all.

Michkov-Couturier-Konecny
Dvorak-Zegras-Tippett
Foerster/Bump-Cates-Brink
TBD - TBD - Hathaway

If you guys are planning on ruining Michkov, then you play him with Zegras, if you want him to be a good player, have him with anyone but Zegras.

Zegras is terrible.

Not the right minutes for him. I agree about bounceback year for our Captain

If you guys are planning on ruining Michkov, then you play him with Zegras, if you want him to be a good player, have him with anyone but Zegras.

Zegras is terrible.

Agreed. Not sure about ruining him, but there will be little defensive responsibility. I'm not sure why they would want that combo. Maybe, for the PP, but some teams can blow up the power play if your forwards are not strong on the puck.
Coots might be slower, but he is able to keep things pinned down defensively, and that allows Michkov to do his thing - which is what we all want. And Coots seems to be enjoying having the otpion to create as well.
I had difficulty putting lines together with Foerster injured currently. There's no timeline and there really isn't anyone with his experience to play the possession game on the boards, that makes his line tick. The beginning of the season has question marks for me.

I think Foerster starts the season on the IL

I'd go:

Michkov-Couturier-Konecny
Bump-Zegras-Tippett
Cates-Dvorak (or swap these two)-Brink
Grebenkin-Abols-Hathaway

Sanheim-York
Seeler-Drysdale
Andrae (PLEASE) - Juulson (Risto when he gets back)

Deslauriers should play 3 games max this season. Dude is toast.

I'm hoping Martone plays in the NCAA to bulk up, get a year playing against 20+ year-olds, and makes the team out of camp next season

If Zegras is playing center, especially while Foerester is out, than this season is about to be absolutely miserable.

what they let me back in a month early

what they let me back in a month early
- wcorvette

Holy crap, I had 2 weeks left on my exile. Wonder why they gave us early release?

If Zegras is playing center, especially while Foerester is out, than this season is about to be absolutely miserable.
- mochoson

Isn't zegras a center, he said he is more comfortable at center.

why would it matter if Forester is out?

What is a bounce back year for Couturier?

Let's say he is healthy, plays in all the games, paces for say 50-55 points. With so many teams looking for centers would he then have actual trade value to a contender? Keep in mind I do not think the Flyers would look to move him anyway.

Just a reminder of the total poop show Briere was running with Torts up until this offseason :

https://www.yardbarker.co...en_hire/s1_16448_42463165

One of the necessary qualities of an AHL coach is great communication, not just with the players and the coaching staff but with the NHL and ECHL teams. The Flyers are in a rebuild and eager to move to the next phase, where they are playing competitive hockey and making a push for a playoff spot. The Rick Tocchet hire signals this team wants to compete, and for Snowden, it’s about being on the same page as the NHL head coach.

“The way we’re going to mesh our systems together. So when players move up, it’s not going to be so much thinking,” Snowden stated when asked about how the prospects will be ready once they jump from the AHL to the NHL. “‘Toch’ and I have a very similar approach on what makes a player very good and what makes a player hard to play against. So for us, it’s about being able to play with people around you,” he continued.

vs Torts

https://phillyhockeynow.c...ork-torts-ian-laperriere/

“I think people make a big deal out of different systems,” Tortorella said after a practice session Thursday in Voorhees. “There may be slight details (that are different). You may have different philosophies, a man-on-man defense versus a zone defense. But it isn’t a huge change.”

Tortorella said he wants Laperriere to have his own system, and to have it reflect his philosophy, not the Flyers’.

“You’re not yourself as a coach if you have to use someone else’s system,” he said. “I think that’s a rotten place to be as a coach, trying to be another guy. I don’t think the game is that difficult. … It’s such a reactionary game, and I think the most important thing is to get out of their way half the time as a coach.”

Damn dinosaur that people were fellating for 3 years