Lonewuhf

Oh... my... god... This is borderline disrespectful.

How many other teams use a screener on their top 2 lines? I can't recall very many. Most people rely on skill to score goals, not blinding the goalie. It's always seemed cheap to me. Like others have said also, his reputation seems to have gotten ahead of himself, now he gets good goals called back, and takes penalties pretty much every game. Homer has had an amazing career, but at this point he'd only hurt the top 2 lines. Those defending him need to look at our PP. Homer is on the ice with Dats and Z on pretty much every PP and look how that's gone...

I actually completely disagree. Of the top 6 we have, I feel like only 4 are genuine top 6 forwards (counting Franzen when he's actually playing). Bert and Hudler have no place in the top 6 and are hurting those lines sometimes much more than helping them. Take tonight, Hudler received many fantastic passes from either Fil or Z, then IMMEDIATELY turned over the puck. Bert took a stupid penalty, like he always does, and outside of a few good plays, just doesn't have the speed and puck handling skills of a top 6. Now, I haven't given up on the team, but I am realistic and I just don't see how this team could make it very far in the playoffs. I'd rather admit that to myself now than be disappointed when we exit the playoffs (potentially to the sharks again...)

The Z, Flip, Hudler line has been the best, BY FAR, for the last couple of months, why they tear apart that chemistry on power plays is beyond me. And if they do want to do that, Flip, Z and Dats would be infinitely better than Z, dats and Homer.

I think you're the definition of a bandwagon fan, please stop posting here.

Cleary has played substantially worse than Hudler. Seriously, ever time Cleary touches the puck I know the outcome, and it's never good.

How does another player playing equally as bad make Cleary's play any better? Seriously? I don't give a crap about points, what has he done this entire year? What did he do towards the end of last season? Stop looking with tunnel vision.

Thought I'd bring this thread up a little. Now that Dats is gone and Z is off the second line, it's looked like complete s***. Cleary has been terrible the last 2 seasons, and every time the last few games he's gotten the puck I've cringed. Fil tries so hard to win battles, and Cleary just immediately gives the puck back to the other team. At this point, in my opinion, he's no more than a 3rd liner. Huds has also been knocked off the puck a ton recently. Without a second solid person on the second line it's not a threat at all. This could very easily be a problem in the playoffs. Franzen also looked spectacularly bad vs Vancouver. We seriously do need another threat for the top 6 otherwise 1 injury to a key player could easily get us knocked out of the playoffs very quickly.

I'd actually be really excited to see how this would work out.

Seriously??? Babs isn't not playing Dats and Z together because he can't. It's because they just don't work together anymore as seen the countless times he's tried it in the past 2 seasons. I wish people here would get the damn "hank and dats together are unstoppable" mentality out of their heads once and for all.

Yeah... Fil is easily the second strongest person on the puck behind Dats on this team. I can't remember the last time he WAS actually knocked off the puck.

Dats and Z haven't worked together in like 3 seasons now, I'm unsure why people keep mentioning to put them back together, it's been done, and doesn't work. The 2nd line has pretty much carried the play at home, but has been terrible on the road, so they're only ineffective on the road (granted, this is still a problem, just not as big as what you've said). Bottom line is, at this point our top 2 lines look fairly mediocre. Having to put Bert on a top line is awful. Hudler has been better, but he's still where I think he needs to be. Hank has been just plain bad for how much he's getting paid. His skating, passing, and shooting have all been really bad this year. If Franzen could be a little more consistent a lot of the problems would be gone, but he's a streaky player. At least he's doing alright in points this year.

I'm not sure I even consider him the #4 guy on this team right now... Just because he was amazing in the past doesn't increase his value this year when he's playing pretty bad hockey, even outside of the lack of scoring.

It's good that you add such good arguments to the conversation and aren't just arguing for the sake of arguing >.>

Sure as hell seems like it. Dunno if that's a good thing or a bad thing though :-X

Problem for you is, he's actually making relevant points, you're just saying "no you're wrong" without any support whatsoever. He's right, Philly does have the worst fans, it's a fairly widely known fact. Obviously not everyone is a bad fan, but too many are and they give the entire fan base a bad name.

I apparently haven't been paying attention, but what happened to Crosby again? Is he back to crying about his concussions?

So what exactly makes that funny?

To Buffalo. WTF?

The whole "Drake was the reason we won the cup" comments are getting way out of hand. The team played better, Drake may have had something to do with it, but he was never the reason why we won. The team had WAY more of a drive, everyone wanted the cup. Seems like a select few players now have gotten a big contract and have taken their foot off the gas for the season.

Grow up and have some respect, if not for the players at least for the rest of the fans that support the same team you do.

Also with the way this year has been going with all of the player deaths, this is in incredibly bad taste.

With Fil playing like he is, there's approximately 0 percent chance of him being traded.

Completely agree. Hits are fine. Hits to the head are not. Someone WILL die from a hit to the head if they aren't dealt with. Careers have been ended by hits to the head. Saying 3 games is too little for potentially ending someones career, or life is ridiculous. I don't care if they were considered good hockey hits in the past. They used to not wear helmets at all in hockey, that doesn't mean it was good for the game though. Use a little common sense here guys.

Does any else get incredibly irritated every time you hear Murphy call Kronwall Kronwell?