The '25-'26 Philadelphia Flyers thread

[LegoDoom]

Got it. Let's leave it to AI posts.

[LegoDoom]

Michkov is likely the only thing that the Flyers have done right in years and he was a fluke.

[bigegypt0417]

I guess we'll know more on the path of Martone in the coming weeks...

Flyers, Porter Martone to have conversation about playing in NCAA

[LegoDoom]

For me, reading your post, I wonder whether I should believe you, or believe the dozens of guys who evaluate prospects for a living, who seem to have a consensus view. It would help if you would cite particulars initially, rather than trolling with a “There are things not to like about his game” post initially.

And I’m on your side with the "Centers can get by with less speed than wings” argument. Acceleration and speed are different.

You don't have to believe me and I have been wrong (more often that I'd like to admit). Don't GMs get fired all the time for being wrong?

I'd just like some talk about the issue as opposed to links from people that I might not respect.

[phillychuck]

Do you read Charlie O’Connor and Alex Appleyard? Charlie writes for PHLY and Alex is a traveling scout for one of the services. I really like both of those guys. This is Charlie’s short summary of Martone:

"Porter Martone, W (1st round, No. 6)

Martone’s talent is obvious. But there was an extra gleam in the eyes of both Briere and Flahr when they raved about Martone’s on-ice attitude.

“He’s got some grit, he’s got some physicality,” Briere noted on Friday. “It seems like he likes to yap a little bit like TK does too, we all know Claude Giroux loved to yap as well.”

“He’s got juice,” Flahr added on Saturday. “He’s always engaged around the net. He’s always stirring it up and driving people crazy.”

It almost feels like Martone was something of a compromise candidate in the Flyers’ war room at No. 6. Do we prioritize talent and ceiling (James Hagens, Jake O’Brien), or focus on ensuring that we’re truly built for the playoffs (Caleb Desnoyers, Brady Martin)?

Briere’s answer: why not both?

In Martone, the Flyers have their second prospect of the Briere era with star-level potential. Martone isn’t without a few minor warts, specifically consistency and pace. But there’s 90-point power forward potential here. If he reaches his ceiling, he could one of the two or three best players on a Stanley Cup contender. That’s a legitimately achievable outcome for a prospect with Martone’s physical tools, vision and creativity. And given his size and willingness to play a hard game, there’s less risk that he goes missing in the postseason, when the style of play changes to a more grind-it-out pace.

It’s the presence of Martone that makes the class. Without him, it’s an interesting group of fun, middle-of-the-lineup players. With Martone, it’s one that turns the Flyers’ prospect pool back into one of the league’s best."

[LegoDoom]

This is a reply to me? As someone that knew Ed Snider's password and has John Leclairs cell number... nope.

PC did add a lot before I responded.

[bigegypt0417]

Martone was almost universally ranked in top 5 of almost every scout/reporter who covers the NHL. The post draft analysis of the flyers pick of martone is almost universally an A since he was rated so highly.

I've still not found a single report that negatively regards the Flyers picking Martone. He wasn't really talked about going in to draft night because most scenarios didn't have him available.

The conversation will take a few years to be settled but based on assessments, the flyers picked the best player on the board.

[LegoDoom]

The conversation will take a few years to be settled but based on assessments, the flyers picked the best player on the board.

Then why are you arguing? It's much easier when you aren't accountable. I am fine with my analysis being wrong.

[phillychuck]

None of us is really accountable.

[Austinfan]

I don't get too excited by draft write ups anymore, you'll find out in three years or so.

So much of talent evaluation takes place in a vacuum, most players are partially a product of the scheme and linemates/D-partners - only a few elite players can thrive in every situation.

Flyers have desperately needed size and finishers around the next for a decade, hopefully Foerster and this draft will solve that problem - and having at least one on every line makes it easier to draft and carry smaller playmaking types. In today's NHL, you're not going to make a lot of pretty plays against good defenses, you need your share of "dirty" goals.

I don't put a lot of stock on the 1C, 1D issue - they make it easier to build a first line/first pair, but good teams have at least 2 solid lines (FLA 3), and 2 solid D-pairs. And the bottom six and third pairs are at least competent in limited minutes. How you get there is less important than you get there.

[LegoDoom]

None of us is really accountable.

No we aren't (at least not until they offer me a job), but I do have an opinion. Hiding behind others opinions seems lazy to me. Am I wrong? Otherwise its just forwarding links from people that are writing about this stuff where somehow it's taken at face value.

[Austinfan]

Well, you can't watch every game, so even the players I've seen, I like to read certain people as checks, Wheeler seem to be the best, Appleyard is pretty good, McKenzie is mostly the scout consensus.

But there is group think, I thought the fact that Buium fell that far was a red flag, then I saw him against WMU and the NHL POs in a sheltered 3rd pair role. In both cases, I saw a guy with average speed but good short area agility and vision who really struggled against an aggressive forecheck. I don't doubt he'll be a top 4 D-man, but I think his college numbers were a bit inflated playing for Denver and he's not going to be the elite D-man many projected.

In the same fashion I'm a bit skeptical of Bump after watching him struggle against Hershey's pressure, I'm not sure he's NHL ready and probably needs to adjust from being the "man" to being a complementary wing. He needs to get stronger b/c he'll make his living playing like Foerster, not Tippett.

On the other hand, I think Bonk is underrated b/c he played with Dickinson who's going to be a top flight offensive defenseman (he's the one I think Danny wanted and thought Buium would push down to him), so Bonk did the dirty work. The fact that he was "Bumper Bonk" on a team loaded with talented forwards tells you he can score goals, and I saw him make a number of long, accurate stretch passes stick to stick.

The other player who really impressed me is Grebenkin, he's inconsistent which is the only thing holding him back, but he has really good short area agility and puck handling skills, and is a good passer. Given his size, it comes down to how badly he wants to excel - the top six talent is there.

A third player flying under the radar is Gaucher, big RH center who was probably the best player on LHV in the POs. He's a bit like Kemp, overlooked player who worked his way up from the ECHL. Unlike Hogdson, he's got NHL talent, skating might be his only limitation and it won't surprise me if he continues to improve. Plays a smart, physical game, has a good shot and good ice awareness.

[LegoDoom]

OK, let’s leave the childish, personal commentary in the past, OK. “I’m tired of explaining hockey to you” doesn’t contribute to the discussion and is not in the spirit of this community. The follow-up is also an ad hominem. Please move on.

It's not surprising that BE liked this post.

I am being called childish for a debate that I didn't start. I never said that centers don't skate more. And I will stop at drawing out an ice rink and where the centers and wings should be and the area that they cover. But somehow I am the bad guy for not even starting this argument.

You and BE are being childish.

[bigegypt0417]

OK, let’s leave the childish, personal commentary in the past, OK. “I’m tired of explaining hockey to you” doesn’t contribute to the discussion and is not in the spirit of this community. The follow-up is also an ad hominem. Please move on.

It's not surprising that BE liked this post.

My "like" was to acknowledge we were asked to move on...I then moved on...you can't but help to stay right in the same place.

I am going to move on gleefully pretending you don't post here.

You should probably decide to do the same.

[phillychuck]

I’m sorry if I was being unclear. I was speaking to both of you about the style of argument in my role as a moderator of the board. The argument was degenerating into name-calling and ad hominem attacks and trolling. That is not in the spirit of the board, and I was asking everyone to get back to substantive discussion. Both of you add a a lot to the Flyers’ discussion when you stick to hockey and making your points rather than attacking other posters!

BE’s follow up was also called out, maybe I wasn’t clear enough--sorry if there was any misunderstanding.

[LegoDoom]

OK, let’s leave the childish, personal commentary in the past, OK. “I’m tired of explaining hockey to you” doesn’t contribute to the discussion and is not in the spirit of this community. The follow-up is also an ad hominem. Please move on.

It's not surprising that BE liked this post.

My "like" was to acknowledge we were asked to move on...I then moved on...you can't but help to stay right in the same place.

I am going to move on gleefully pretending you don't post here.

You should probably decide to do the same.

And you probably shouldn't tell me what to do.

Did you have anything to contribute to the conversation other than providing links that proved your stance or went against mine?

[bigegypt0417]

Is this really going to just keep going because I didn't agree and the conglomeration on AI didn't agree with your assertion that Centers don't cover as much ice as other positions.

You started adding caveats after that was shown to be an incomplete statement. I gave you EXACTLY your direct quote.

I'm sorry you don't like when people disagree but I'm done responding to you after this.

[bigegypt0417]

Kind of the new Phantoms coach?

Flyers to name John Snowden as new head coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms |...

[VoteForKalas]

Typical Flyers bad luck with this Foerrster elbow issue that required surgery to remove an infection. Still waiting on tests to see if the infection is gone and how long he will out.

[zambonir]

I personally know two people who've dealt with similar post-surgery infections this year, one a knee and one a spine that remains life-threatening. Hopefully 3-4 months is still more than enough