Time for a Switcheroo

Coburn Returns

So far this season the Philadelphia Flyers defense has been less than spectacular.  The lack of speed and lateral movement has been exposed in a league that is quickly moving in the direction of speed and athletic ability.

The return of Braydon Coburn will help the defense either tonight in Chicago or tomorrow in Pittsburgh.

Coburn may not be a sexy defenseman and will never be considered for a Norris trophy, but his skill set is desperately missed.

His penalty killing skills are missed along with his mobility and puck movement skills.  Having him in the lineup will stabilize a defensive corps that has been lit up over the past few games.

During the playoffs last year the New York Rangers took advantage of Ray Emery’s lack of lateral movement, allowing them to beat the Flyers in seven games.

Last weekend the Dallas Stars took advantage of the Philadelphia Flyers lack of mobility on the blue line and chased Steve Mason from the game.

The Flyers did come back and get their first win of the season coming from behind, but the lack of speed and movement on the blue line was exposed by a young, quick skating team.

Break up the top Lines

Last week I mentioned breaking up the top line of MichaelRaffl, Claude Giroux, and Jakub Voracek based on their even strength play so far this year.

The idea has gained traction elsewhere and as a further suggestion to that point I would swap Wayne Simmonds for Voracek on the right side of the top line dropping Voracek to the second line opposite Brayden Schenn and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.

The benefits would be adding Simmonds physical play to the top line, replacing the physical, dirty work done by Scott Hartnell, who was traded to Columbus Blue Jackets in the offseason.

The addition of Voracek to the second line would add some skating and playmaking ability to a second line that was a bit too physical with both Schenn and Simmonds on the wings.

In short the idea of swapping Voracek and Simmonds allows a better balance in the top two lines which appear to be leaning a bit too much on the skating and physical sides. 

Goaltending

Last season, Steve Mason appeared to have regained the Calder Trophy form and the Flyers gave him a short contract extension.

This season Mason appears to be reverting back to the form that caused Columbus to trade him. 

During the Dallas Stars game they did not just expose the Flyers lack of mobility on defense, they were able to chase Steve Mason from the game.

His 3.78 GAA and .865 save percentage is not enough to get the job done.

The Flyers have latched onto this small problem the last few years where they give up the early goals and are forced into a position of playing from behind for most of the game. 

When they play from behind it puts more pressure on the team; most of all the goaltender.  In order for the Flyers succeed, the Flyers need better play from Steve Mason, who needs to regain the form that has endured him to Flyers fans since being traded.

Trade Rumors

It is the back end of October and the annual Coburn and Couturier to Edmonton rumors have started.  I heard it will be a blockbuster 25 team deal with the Flyers getting Weber and Ryan.  Sarcasm mode off.