Nine games into Peter Laviolette’s stint behind the Flyers’ bench as head coach and the team is a measly 2-6-1, playing the same uninspired brand of hockey that put John Stevens out of a job.
Laviolette has come in and done some things differently than Stevens – players are being held accountable at practice for in-game stupidity, for one. Is it helping? Nope. The same players are making the same mistakes; it’s the only point of consistency this team is showing, and it truly sucks to watch.
There has been talk of a trade to shake things up a bit, but who gets dealt? There are so many No Trade Clauses and lengthy contracts on this roster – and don’t forget the Salary Cap – that the choices are limited. Personally, I don’t think a trade would do the trick, but at this point it’s moot due to the NHL’s Holiday Trade Embargo that is currently in place, and doesn’t get lifted until January 9th, I believe. (EDIT – Players can be traded again starting December 28th. Do some research, blogger. *shakes head in shame*)
It’s time for Laviolette to start giving guys a different perspective on game day – a view from on-high. Yes, the dreaded ‘healthy scratch’. “You get to watch the game from the press box tonight.” Not necessarily as punishment, but as a learning experience in some cases. Scott Hartnell could use a game or two upstairs for both reasons, and he’s just one example. Braydon Coburn, quite possibly, might benefit from seeing a game from a different angle, too.
Maybe that’s not the answer, but really, what else can be tried? These guys need to get their heads out of their asses and start playing as a team before it’s too late – and that day approaches faster with each passing piss-poor effort they come out with.
Off on a Tangent 