Home HockeyBuzz Register Login
Bringing Hexy Back • 42 Years Old • Male
Now that the Flyers are officially "on notice", it's time for the team to do one simple thing...circle the wagons and play smart.

They have to develop a thick skin, because a lot of asinine things are being said by fans and the media. They have to avoid being goaded into situations that led to things like the Boulerice cross check on Kesler. They have to contain their emotions better and not allow a bad game to turn into a high elbow.

They can't play tentatively, they just have to play smart. Finish checks, but don't cross that line we all know is there. Above all, continue to stand up for one another.

The keys to moving forward are simple. First they need to start getting more secondary production, mainly from Jeff Carter and Joffrey Lupul. Both guys started red hot, but have cooled off a bit. They need to get untracked. It'd also be nice to start getting offense from Scott Hartnell.

Too often this season the only offense the team got was off the rush or from the power play. That needs to change to get the most out of guys like Hartnell, Knuble and Carter.

Team defense needs to tighten up, but a lot of the reason that the Flyers lead the NHL in shots against is because they have been unable to gain and keep the puck in the offensive zone on a consistent basis. Do that and the other team isn't shooting at Marty Biron quite so much.

All in all, the Flyers are right about where they were expected to be, but there's room for improvement. That is what needs to be the focus now, not the suspensions and shenanigans, the ridiculous comments of the fans and media or even wondering when Simon Gagne will return.

A good consistent effort and smart play will get the team past this hump.
Filed Under:   Flyers   Jsaq  
December 4, 2007 4:33 PM ET | Delete
Here here!! Nicely said JS. I just hope Stevens can rein in the loose cannons that occupy the 4th line while demanding that the rest of team play aggressively within the rules of the game. That is a tight line to walk. The Minnesota game will be interesting enough besides having Downey back. Gonna be fun this week.Nice work JS. SYF
December 4, 2007 4:55 PM ET | Delete
I just hope they don't start playing less physical.
December 4, 2007 6:32 PM ET | Delete
Apparently they're not worried about it because othey brought up Downie.
December 4, 2007 9:51 PM ET | Delete
Well, stuff like what happened with Hartnell and Jones is going to happen. But the stuff with the other three was just stupidity. That's why I am not especially worried about them being less physical. But SYF is right, the loonies have to be reigned in.
December 4, 2007 10:04 PM ET | Delete
good stuff JS. could not agree more. this team needs to get back to basics. as for carter and lupul, the partying needs to stop (or at least be cut back a lot). it is no secret lupul was said to be partying a bit too much last season and carter is known to be a party boy here. if carter would concentrate more on hockey than the next broad he was gonna get, maybe his stats would improve.
December 4, 2007 10:32 PM ET | Delete
JS, your first sentence says it all. "Circle the wagons". Use this as the league vs us mentality, bond as a team and start putting the points on the board.
December 5, 2007 8:45 AM ET | Delete
Nice job as always, lets see how they do this week.
December 5, 2007 10:53 AM ET | Delete
im hoping they wake up, as next week wont be easy for them either with Pitt, Montreal, and Carolina coming into town (ill be there for the first two). If they dont shape up soon, it could be another long season
December 6, 2007 12:18 AM ET | Delete
wow, the Flyers had 1 hit the entire game vs the wild, 1 hit by Jason Smith http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20072008/ES020400.HTM
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to leave a comment.

Blog Archive