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Thread: Video analysis of the Flyers and the differences in their systems during regular 19/20 and 20/21. We would like to show you what the Flyersâ coaching staff have changed their style of play and what is working and what is not. Nothing is meant in the harmful way... (1/xx)
...just want to show you which changes are working fine and show you the details of Flyersâ gameplay. (2/xx)
We will start with the biggest change in the playstyle. As @JhanHky or @Appleyard mentioned the Flyers changed their forechecking during the playoffs against the Habs. They went from 1-2-2 formation to 2-1-2 in the playoffs.
The results is terrible. During the regular Flyers were among the best defensive teams in the league and opponents had very little shots on goal. Flyers put good pressure on the puck in the NZ and forced them to dump-ins.
But now the teams easily outplay the forecheking F1 and F2 of Flyers and that makes it, 2v2, 2v3, 3v3 or 3v4 in the NZ (from PHI viewpoint). As a result Flyers are conceding more carries or passes into the DZ. That leads to more shots against than last year... (5/xx)
... And no, it is not because they are missing defensemen like Myers or Gostisbehere. Itâs because of the NZ system. (6/xx)
Another problem are zone exits. I tracked 16 exits from the random Flyersâ game from last season and this year to compare. (7/xx)
During the last yearâs game I have tracked 11 controlled exits, 3 clears and 2 failed exits. From the game this season I tracked just 4 controlled exits, 8 clears and 4 failed exits. Where is the problem? (8/xx)
We will look on the few examples from 19/20 season. You will probably see the differences easily here. Flyers were in control of the play and werenât worried to make plays last year. They wanted to have the puck and tried to make controlled exits to keep the puck on their sticks.
Voracek with the great backcheck calms the game down and passes the puck to Niskaken. As Niskanen gets the puck all three Flyersâ Fs are in the right movement and are in good positions. They are close to Niskanen and so he has more options. (10/xx)
F1 is on the right wing, F2 controls the centre lane and F3 is on the strong side. And on the weak side there is Provorov who is also avaible for Niskanen. So he has four options for pass! Yeah, it wasnât successful in the end but Flyers still have puck. (11/xx)
In 2021 two Fs are very static at the Flyersâ blueline. Sometimes all three Fs are just waiting for the puck in the NZ without movement. It is obvious the D with the puck has to clear it without control because he has nowhere to pass. (12/xx)
There you can see what AV probably wants from his players. Based on the playstyle the Flyers prefer this is the transitional play that is successful per the coaching staff. (13/xx)
Giroux won the face-off to Sanheim who without hesitation clears the puck out of the DZ to the NZ with success. F1 and F2 were expecting this play as they were already in the move towards the NZ. (14/xx)
Ok, Sahneim cleared and JvR has the puck. But whatâs next? Two lone forwards are there against the 4 (!) Bruinsâ players. (15/xx)
So JvR canât do much and he dumps the puck into the OZ. Thatâs propably all okay in Vigneaultâs eyes. At least it looks like it. There is no intention to set up controlled exit and entry. Just dump out and dump in and chase the puck. (16/xx)
Well, Sanheim could wait for the Fsâ movement behind the net as Flyers did last season. (17/xx)
Flyers also make quick plays without any hesitation along the boards to clear the puck to the NZ. Itâs their first instinct as there is no intention to make play leading to controlled exit/entry. There is clear coaching staff influence â play it safe. (18/xx)
Another example. (19/xx)
What are Flyers also missing is the activation of the weak side D to get the puck and make a play. For most of the time D without puck just protects the slot.
(21/xx)
Flyers had a few ocassions where they could pass the puck to the free teammate. But once again they are going to dump the puck out. Play it safe. Yes NHL is extremely fast game but the good teams are able to make these plays. (22/xx)
Flyers are just playing it safe and arenât controlling the game. (23/xx)
Sanheim had three options. Pass to behind own net, Provorov would be there first. Pass to Voracek who is alone. Sanheim played it safe and tried dump the puck out. He failed. (24/xx)
Big part is of course the individual skill. Flyersâ Ds arenât able to make these difficult plays constantly and arenât even looking out for them. Their first instinct is get rid of the puck. Play it safe. (25/xx)
Provy had ~1-2 seconds (which is a lot) to pass to Laughton (F1) was free, alone and in moving. It would be easy possession exit for Laughton (F1) then. (26/xx)
And lastly, there is one more change. Last year the Ds were very active and supported Fs in the transition and were involved in the OZ. (27/xx)
Look at Provy here. Everytime when defenseman does this, it's a bit risky play. But he was allowed to do it very probably. We miss this from him since playoffs. Where is it? (28/xx)
Flyers in 2019/20. (29/xx)
This year the Ds are very passive and arenât making much âroverâ plays. That leads to the non-existent odd-man chances. (30/xx)
Flyers in 2020/21. (31/xx)
To recap. Last year the Flyers clearly preffered playing with the puck and controlling the game, make more higher risk plays.
Another example frost last season. Even Hagg didn't make a dump here! And it says A LOT! (33/xx)
One another example yet. It was a bit lucky, but the point is that Giroux tried to make a pass to Couturier instead a dump over glass. Giroux decided to make a risk play. (34/xx)
This season itâs completely opposite so far. You saw a few videos already, there are two more. Sanheim didn't even raised up his head and look where are his teammates and opponents. Just play safe. (35/xx)
Yes, this was about bad passes as well. But look how three Flyers in the same sequence tried just dump the puck out from the DZ. (36/xx)
When you get the puck in the DZ dump it out, donât hesitate. Thatâs what it looks like. We showed just a few photos and videos but believe Rono, it looks like that almost all the time. And these things are very visible. (37/xx)
AV and his assistant coaches have to change that if they want to succeed. If they continue like that it could end very badly for the Flyers despite how good they look on the paper. They main problems are in their current style of play. Not because of the injured players. (38/xx)
Itâs very different to play good hockey night in and night out and lose some, because you just have worse players. And lose because you are just playing bad even with good players, because you are not controlling the game, playing with the puck etc. ... (39/xx)
... And Flyers are so far one of the worst teams in expected goals. And that highly correlate with our eye-test right now. (40/40)
