Friday Morning Fly By: Is it Autumn Yet?

by Geoff Detweiler on Sep 10, 2010 10:45 AM EDT in Morning Fly By

Today's open discussion thread, complete with your daily dose of Philadelphia Flyers news and notes...

How Claude Giroux spent his summer: [Flyers]
Joacim Eriksson is the new top prospect for the Flyers: [Hockey's Future]
Lots of good information in this piece, first about Johan Backlund, then down in the notes section: [CSNPhilly]
Denis Bodrov made his Spartak (KHL) debut yesterday, forgiven or not: [euroflyers]
Tim McManus will be at training camp all week, so if you aren't following him on Twitter and at his website, next week would be a good time to start. [PostStar.com]
Despite playing in 48 NHL games, Andreas Nodl wasn't given an opportunity to reach his scoring potential. Here's five reasons why. [SB Nation Philly]
Brad Phillips (2007, 7th-round) signed a professional contract with a CHL team: [The Monitor]
Looking at how the new CBA rules would have impacted current contracts and how Lou Lamoriello could have planned this all along: [The Copper & Blue]
Dan Ellis taught us that sometimes, we don't like when athletes are open and honest. But what do we really want from them? [From The Rink]
Lastly, a letter to a newborn Leafs fan: [Down Goes Brown]

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Comments

Off topic, but the Slim Jim ad at the top is aggressive and blocks the log-in screen on the mobile site for me.

Honor is no substitute for victory.

by The Dark on Sep 10, 2010 11:22 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

Another good piece from DGB but as I read it I could see them doing one on my beloved Flyers and that made me want to cry, or watch the Backyardigans or something.

"Call me dumb, call me stupid, whatever. I block shots."

by boknows71 on Sep 10, 2010 11:36 AM EDT reply actions

watch the Backyardigans or something.

That show is so mesmerizing …

by ic0n67 on Sep 10, 2010 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions

My son loves it.

Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est.

by doubleh on Sep 10, 2010 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions

actually glad my kids are thru that stage.

Sam on ICarly is much more appealing to watch.

"Call me dumb, call me stupid, whatever. I block shots."

by boknows71 on Sep 10, 2010 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Im buying DVD’s of my childhood shows so when I have kids, they get to watch good stuff.

The laws of alchemy dont justify murder........but the laws of murder justify being a cowboys fan :P

by JpH89 on Sep 10, 2010 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions

me too….it’ll be all tiny tunes, darkwing duck, and animaniacs for my future offspring

Fighter of the Nightman.
Champion of the Sun.

by Daym4n on Sep 10, 2010 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Great idea, I should get on doing the same…

Lightning strikes once, Hextall strikes twice!

by hintzy64 on Sep 12, 2010 11:15 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

That came off kind of creepy, dude. LOL.

Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est.

by doubleh on Sep 10, 2010 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Dude, that is sick

by Flyers on Sep 10, 2010 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

It was tongue in cheek. But for children of the 70’s cartoons, Boomerang is your channel.

Hong Kong Phooey, Wacky Races, Top Cat, Jetsons etc. Good stuff.

"Call me dumb, call me stupid, whatever. I block shots."

by boknows71 on Sep 10, 2010 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I doubt that Ellis meant to come off as such a whiner….but man, some of those DanEllisProblems were hilarious.
“depth chart”
“second most famous former nashville goaltender in Florida”

ah, internet snark…is there anything more satisfying?

Fighter of the Nightman.
Champion of the Sun.

by Daym4n on Sep 10, 2010 1:01 PM EDT reply actions

Hopefully now that he’s off Twitter he’ll have plenty of time to keep the rims on his Jaguar nice and shiny…

by Phalange on Sep 10, 2010 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions

so some kid named Matt Bissonnette was given a try out for rookie camp. tell me thats BizNasty jr..

by rmg4519 on Sep 10, 2010 1:32 PM EDT reply actions

Nobody wants to comment on the Nodl article?

Well how about this: If you read the comments, you’ll see why Nodl is not far from where Patrick Sharp was coming out of the lockout.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
SB Nation Philly - Associate Editor

by Geoff Detweiler on Sep 10, 2010 1:38 PM EDT reply actions

Wading through the comments right now. Most of the article pieces together things you’d already been saying about Nodl.

In reference to cocon’s comment, are you then saying the organization asked Nodl to play a more defensive role this year simply by the nature of his linemates (i.e. Lappy, not Carter)?

by Snevik on Sep 10, 2010 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m saying they asked him to play a more defensive role in part because of his linemates, which are determined partly because of the view that he can’t score, which is determined partly by his performance in the AHL, which is determined mostly by his coach’s use of him, which is determined largely by his previous NHL experience.

It’s convoluted, I know. But the whole point is that the 08-09 season is the turning point in Nodl’s career up to this point, which is not an accurate reflection of Nodl’s skill.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
SB Nation Philly - Associate Editor

by Geoff Detweiler on Sep 10, 2010 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions

No, I understood the rest of it. But you countered his comment by saying the shift wasn’t organization wide, so I was clarifying what you meant by “Nodl has been asked to completely change his style of play.”

If Nodl is to put up Sharp-esque numbers, he’ll have to do it the same way Sharp did: going somewhere else that sucks and playing on one of their top two lines. There simply is not room for his offensive game to mature that much within the operation of this franchise. Certainly, his output could match his NHL-equivalent numbers, but I’m not sure that’s worth waiting for. As much I hate to say it, I’d rather snap his offensive confidence in half and have a reliable defensive call-up than have a mild-upside project to worry about.

by Snevik on Sep 10, 2010 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I was thinking he’d need to go somewhere like Florida. A place where he can play on the second (or third line, really) line AND get power play time.

As far as what you want from him, I think you have to look at the Flyers needs. They have Betts and Laperriere signed for next year, so why not let Nodl loose this year and see if he can in fact become a third-line NHLer? It seems that’s a more pressing need for the 2011-12 Flyers – who are without Zherdev, Leino, Carter, Giroux, Carcillo, etc. – than someone to battle with Darroll Powe.

To me, I’d rather tell Laliberte and Nodl that this year, they’re either going to prove they can score in the AHL – thus earning a contract with the Flyers next year – or they’re not going to be re-signed at the end of the year. Why give up on a guy who can clearly score just because he’s proven he’s able to play defense in the NHL? I’d rather let him prove he can be a two-way player than just give up and hope he can be a 4th-line defensive specialist.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
SB Nation Philly - Associate Editor

by Geoff Detweiler on Sep 10, 2010 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t even want him battling with Powe. I want him in Glen Falls or the press box. I think it’s unlikely Nodl can address any of the problems with our lineup, so let him be a band-aid. Although, I wouldn’t mind him being a more offensive-minded band-aid for the third line instead of the fourth, if injuries force it.

More to the point: I don’t want him near the opening day roster, and I don’t think we should spend any significant energy in cultivating his talents. If they don’t mature on their own, and if we can’t move him for anything good, I’d rather let his talents waste away as a 14th forward—like Man U and Chelsea do with promising young English talent—than gift him to Florida and watch him Patrick Sharp our asses.

by Snevik on Sep 10, 2010 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

But we could trade him for a 4th round pick that we could use on a useless enforcer!!!!!!!

by Phalange on Sep 10, 2010 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Well first, I’m not saying he should be on the opening night roster this year. I’m saying if the Flyers handled him properly, he might have earned his way into that role by now. Instead, I’m looking for them to groom him for the third line next year as a cheap replacement for one of their secondary scorers.

But really, I take huge issue with this statement:

I don’t think we should spend any significant energy in cultivating his talents.

Why the hell not? Why should the Flyers NOT cultivate their minor league players to become NHL regulars? That’s how you win in a salary cap environment. By making all of your players mature on their own, you are ensuring failure.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
SB Nation Philly - Associate Editor

by Geoff Detweiler on Sep 10, 2010 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I’d not really arguing with you here. As far as the last part goes, I’m working under the assumption that energy is a limited resource. Significant energy would be spent on Giroux, JVR, others; relatively less on Nodl. “We” here means: a) the Flyers-specific personnel’s energy, not the the Phantoms’ or the general organization’s; and b) mine (i.e. the typical fan).

All this talk about energy is getting too new wave.

by Snevik on Sep 10, 2010 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions