Originally posted on Philly Hockey Now | By Sam Carchidi | Last Updated 04/24/12
Keith Jones’ first year as the Philadelphia Flyers’ director of hockey was sailing until a late-season collapse wiped out most of the good things the team had done in the first five months.
\ n Wait. . Not so fast, Jones said. Although disappointed with the eight-game losing streak that will likely cost the team a playoff spot, Jones said the Great Slide — with many of its losses on cheap shots — “doesn’t take away” from the Flyers’ accomplishments. “It’s frustrating, no doubt about it,” he said. “But a lot of good things were done during the season.”
Jones made his comments before the Flyers ended their losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the mighty New York Rangers on Thursday in Madison Square. garden keeping their slim finals hopes alive after two games. (Yes, after a 9-3 loss to lowly Montreal, the Flyers came within 110 points of an NHL lead. Check it out.)
“We stepped up. There’s still hope, there’s still a chance, and we believe in it,” said forward Noah Cates after the Rangers’ stunning win.
However, the Flyers, a team that looked like a finalist just a few weeks ago, will need a lot of help if they are going to advance. postseason for the first time in four years.
“We’re back to underdogs,” Cates said, adding that the team plays more relaxed in those situations.
“Right decision”
The fact that they are now in the playoffs before going through, it’s infuriating for some to think about how they played before the fall and outplayed their teams most nights.
But injuries didn’t help. The players didn’t buckle under the pressure either.
“I think at the trade deadline we realized we were going to weaken our roster by moving (Sean) Walker,” Jones said, “and we realized that (Nick). ) Seeler, (Rasmus) Ristolainen and (Jamie) Drysdale were out. It’s a defensive league. So we made the right decision going forward in our opinion.”
Walker, a potential free agent, was traded to Colorado for a conditional 2025 first-round pick and Ryan Johansen. Being chosen was the right move. However, there were all kinds of red flags when the defense fell apart in the loss.
It should be noted that Drysdale returned and played in four games during the collapse, while Seeler returned and played in five of them. eight games Philly went a respectable 2-3-2 against the top teams in the Eastern Conference and then lost to low-ranked Montreal (twice), Columbus, Buffalo and Chicago.
“Our guys, with a weakened defense, gave it. everything , which they had in those seven games. against teams that have a chance to win the Stanley Cup this year,” Jones said. “We used our players to win it. And then, I don’t know if the players took a breath and said: “This is what’s next” – the so-called easy teams. “And all of a sudden those plays went wrong.
“I think we spent a lot of energy and a lot of our best players trying to overcome that challenge of teams.”
Thanks, guys
Jones acknowledges the Flyers. is ” not there yet” but are happy with the success of young players like Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink, Morgan Frost, Cam York and even gasless goaltender Sam Ersson despite their terrible late-season struggles.
Flyers did it. got 33 goals from rookies, tops in the NHL.
\ n”The young players have taken on bigger roles and that will ultimately lead us to the top,” he said. “And Sam Ersson’s goaltending has been very solid. until the last two weeks. I’m disappointed for him that we didn’t play as well in front of him and I’m sure he feels that he didn’t play as well as he can. But he’s made big changes and progressed this year.
“I think if he makes zero, it will benefit him in the future.”
If not, the Flyers’ door situation — what was the strength of the team before. Development of Carter Hart — flows. Yes, the defense has faltered, but the Flyers’ goaltender’s save percentage has been a terrible .794 through eight games.
The Torts situation
Another club source said John Tortorella will return to the bench next season.
Tortorella was the coach. . year candidate through the first 71 games and got everything from a superstar-less lineup with the league’s worst power.
But some of his decisions — benching captain Sean Couturier, calling players after they dominated the third period and saving point against the Islanders — it seemed like he was estranged from his team.
Although you could argue otherwise, Jones said the players haven’t given up on their coach. He’s firmly in the coach’s corner.
“I don’t think they gave up for a second,” said Jones, whose team closes the season with a home game at New Jersey on Saturday and against Washington on Tuesday. “The cast of players is not that kind of character.”
Draft Keys
Wherever the Philadelphia Flyers end up, they will need to take advantage of their numerous high draft picks. They have two picks in each of the first two rounds in June. And they desperately need new shooters to replace the traded Cutter Gauthier.
“We weren’t kidding that we were Stanley Cup contenders this year. It is never lost on us, Jones said. “If we wanted to, we wouldn’t have moved Walker. Our team played very well for 55, 60 games and then collapsed at the wrong time… But it’s also a positive lesson for the future; the younger players never forget that. I think , that we must continue to build, observe the prize and (known) perennial playoff team, which finally becomes a team that.
