pi2000

IMO this is simply a product of the league re-alignment, schedule, and covid outbreaks. They replaced 50% of their forwards this offseason (counting Girgensons). It takes about 20-25 games to sort things out. Even longer without a proper training camp and pre-season. They had a 10 month break, whereas 6 of the 8 teams in their division played in the playoffs. They played 10 games to start the year, then got shut down for 2 weeks. They were averaging over 3 goals a game in their last 5 before the shut down. All the while other teams are continuing to building chemistry and fine tune their play after the long off season. The wrong thing to do right now is to panic and pull the plug on RK and Eichel and other guys that haven't hit their stride yet. We knew going in that there was a very distinct possibility they would struggling this season. It's not what anybody wants to hear, but the right thing for them do right now is to be patient and to stick it out. In the long run, playing the likes of WSH, BOS, PHI, NYI, and PIT... will be best for their development.

Who gives a ***** if Eichel is frustrated with the losing.... that doesn't mean you trade him. If he sulks and checks out, then so be it. Too bad so sad, enjoy your $80 million and you'll go down in history as mentally fragile loser, nobody feels bad for you. Look at guys like Yzerman, Sakic, Stamkos, Ovechkin, etc.. who stuck with their team's through thick and thin, and ultimately were rewarded. They've had storied careers because they never gave up even when things looked hopeless and season after season of losing... but they stuck with it and ultimately brought home a championship.

3 stud: Mittlestadt, Rieder, Eakin 3 duds: Reinhart, Bryson, Hall

BUF even strength shooting pcnt is currently 5.26%. That's the worst EV sh% going back at least the past 13 years... worse than any 2014-15 tank team. Their scoring chance shooting % is 8.42% (historically league average is around 13%). PHI is currently >22%. I'm not sure how else to explain this other than they're cursed.

Probably not a popular opinion but Hutton was OK today... .923 sv%. You won't beat the flyers giving up 40 shots. That said, you'd like to see him make a save on the 2nd and/or 3rd goal, but hey, they gave up way too many of those chances anyway, wouldn't have mattered if Ullmark was in there IMO.

Philly is the class of the East, a top 3 team in the league. Did anybody really expect a close game with Hutton and no Eichel? This coulda and prolly shoulda been closer to a 6-2 game, and I expect that's what we'll see tomorrow.

Who gets hurt today?

I'm not buying this. All RK had to say was Eichel is dinged up from last game, he'll test it in warmups and we'll go from there. Now RK is saying he got hurt in warmups. So which is it? And what is RK trying to cover up here?

Everyone was speculating that Jack is not 100% because of his preseason injury, it certainly looks that way. Then RK comes out and says he's 100% healthy... now he's not even playing. It doesn't add up.

Staal is terrible. I'd put Reider ahead of him, and Sheahan. Eakin even, he doesn't provide much offense, but he's better in a lot of areas.

RK is so full of crap. He just said the other day when asked point blank if Jack is playing injured he said "No, he's not, he's healthy". And today he's now claiming that Jack hurt himself in warmups after he missed the morning skate. He sounds like a coach who has lost some fraction of the lockerroom, and is out of the loop. SMH

Well, we know who it WON'T be... I mean, you have to actually play to get hurt.

He got hurt in warmups!? Lol what? Is there any video of him getting hurt during warmups? This doesn't pass the sniff test. Something is up and it can't be good.

We discussed this back in May, June, July, etc... Number 1 priority for KA was to shore up the goaltending by replacing Hutton. That was it... We all saw it coming and it was a foregone conclusion that Hutton would be upgraded with a bonafide starter, and then let Ullmark and him compete for the starting spot. There were many goalies available. They chose to stick with Hutton and now it's going to bite them in the ass. I don't have any sympathy for any of them. And if I'm Eichel, it's these types of blunders over and over and over again that would make me want out.

The bar on this team is set so extremely low, sure he can stay.

Maybe they're punishing RK for scratching Jeff Skinner. McCabe, Eichel and now Ullmark since he's been scratched.

3 studs: Reinhart, Ullmark, Sheahan 3 duds: Hutton, Hall, Irwin

Why is Hutton still here!? He gets to play but Skinner has to sit? Any sane organization would make a move for a goalie and waive Hutton ASAP, literally any other NHL goalie is better than Hutton.

somebody do something!

oh god Hutton... nooooooooo

Samson Reinhart falling down falling down falling down

Thompson in for Eichel. FREE JEFF SKINNER

They should use slightly smaller nets in practice.