Last season, when the Flyers lost in the second-round to the
New Jersey Devils, a question lingered into the collective minds of the orange
and black faithful.
How safe is Peter Laviolette’s job?
Taking the helm of a squad on ice in Philadelphia means the
firing axe will swing brutally and swiftly.
Just ask John Stevens or the plethora of coaches lay strewn
across the icy fjords of battle before him.
Lavi has been relatively well-liked in Philadelphia. His fiery demeanor and “put some jam in your
game” attitude has struck a chord with some of the town’s puckheads. They also like that he has a Stanley Cup in
his coaching resume.
In this cut-throat world of passionate fandom, even a proven
coach can be on the chopping block.
That Cup run does one solid thing for Lavi though. It does make the Flyers management think
twice about axing him after a not-so-promising start to the season. Now, they should be weighing their options.
Look, I’m not saying the coach that said, “I want you to rip
your heart out of your chest!” should be canned like yesterday’s tuna
fish. I am saying you should take a look
at some of the things the team has had to deal with and decide for yourself.
Starting with a 6-9-1 record, here
are some of the contributing factors you might want to factor in your coaching
decision.
1. Injuries
Scott Hartnell is Claude Giroux’s linemate and one of the
best power forwards in the game. His 37
goals were a team high and propelled the Flyers powerplay, as he and Wayne
Simmonds, camped out at the front of the net, harassed opposing goalies to the
point of tears. After he went down with
a broken left foot in the squad’s third game of the season, the Flyers have
failed to keep up respectable scoring numbers, and Giroux’s offensive tallies
have been lacking. Getting the menacing
redhead back on the ice will be a welcome site for number 28 and will allow
fans and evaluators to get a better idea of the team’s capabilities.
Also missing substantial time is the Slovakian blueliner
Andrej Meszaros. While not a true elite
player, Meszaros would assuredly be a step up on the team’s 3rd
defensive pairing, perhaps with Bruno Gervais.
His offensive numbers of 7 goals and 18 assists last season give him the
possibility of playing on the power play and seeing more ice time if the team
becomes more desperate for offense.
2. Departures
There have been departures to the squad that have made it
hard to assess the coach’s job as well.
Jaromir Jagr was a
huge asset to the top line with Giroux and Hartnell. His ability to hold onto the puck through the
blueline, passing, and effortless ability to tickle twine have been missed thus
far in the season. The team absolutely
felt that the $4.5 million that the Dallas Stars gave him could be made up for
in other areas. Jagr saw a noticeable
decrease in production in the playoffs, and is prone to get small injuries that
have him out for single games here and there.
But you can’t sweat the technique; Jagr is a first balloter and still a
very good player in the game.
Also missing on the squad is Matt Carle, who signed with the
Lightning for a staggering $33 million for six years. The Flyers probably shook
Carle’s hand and wished him well when they heard that offer from Steve Yzerman,
because I couldn’t see them paying that in several thousand Zamboni breaks.
Carle did have a great offensive year last year, as he
compiled 4 goals and 34 assists, but the Flyers bid farewell and signed Kurtis
Foster and Gervais to take his spot.
Carle did provide a good first pass from the blueline, and his loss
seems to have weakened their contributions from defense, at least for the time
being.
3. Turnovers
This isn’t a type of loss the Flyers have on the roster,
permanently or temporarily, but it has plagued the squad in the infancy of the
season. The team just seems to give away the puck at the most inopportune
places on the ice, making it hard to blame the goalie for a score that looked
so easy in the first place.
The main contributor I see in this is Luke Schenn. Schenn was acquired from Toronto for James
van Riemsdyk. He has been a huge boost for the physicality on the backend, but
his passing has been subpar at best.
One can’t blame the turnovers they commit all on Schenn,
however. Recently, Giroux ripped the
team for lackluster play and one can only assume it was due to a sense of
nonchalance with the puck.
Laviolette’s Role
Since he began as the Head Coach of the Flyers, Laviolette
has implemented an up-tempo style that takes a lot of chances. It’s a style of play predicated on forcing
the other team into mistakes and capitalizing on them. It’s staying in the other team’s offensive
zone by getting the puck and cycling it; winning puck battles, forechecking,
and generally being a nuisance.
Now I’m not a hockey person, I haven’t been coached by
professionals either. But history
dictates that for such a system to work one must have the proper tools in
place. The system that Laviolette
implements might not suit the Flyers well. They themselves are usually the ones
making the mistakes, not forcing the other team to make them.
Certainly all the factors, including the injuries suffered
and the losses of key players in the offseason, cannot be overlooked. A good
coach adjusts the team to play accordingly.
What became apparent to me in the Flyers last playoff loss
to the Devils was that the team doesn’t adjust to what their opponents attack
them with.
What the Flyers are doing isn’t working?
“Tough, guys! Do what hasn't worked at all, much better!”, Laviolette says.
That just seems foolish.
I am certainly not calling for Lavi’s job, but to keep it, I
would definitely hope he starts putting some more jam in his game.
