My statement was not: The Flyer forwards are scoring enough goals. I said the forward group they have is fine -> they are a capable group, and will score goals eventually. Bunch of pre-teens damning an entire group of forwards 15 games into a season, LOL.
Having watched a bunch of their games I do not believe they have any problems with their forward lineup. No they are not scoring, but that's the end result of a slew of other problems. Not that they are without guilt - team is broken, including their own play.
Their goal-tending is awful, it doesn't pass the visual test when watching. I mean awful. Sure sv% is fine, teams throw junk at them because junk goes in. Emery is a great backup IMO, but he's being used more than that; Mason is junk, team has zero confidence in him, which is more than he has in himself.
Their d is the slowest in the league, and outside of streit ( and gustavfson) lack the ability to give a pass that a forward can actually transition with. Their frigging breakout requires a centre to start at the crease - that's basically a certain dmaning of their puck moving ability. No team gets beat to the outside more often. No team rings the puck around the boards in their own end more, and I doubt any team has tipped more pucks into their own net.
I personally really like their mix of wingers, Vinny with super high end skill, Schenn on the wing is a nice mix of physicality and play-making (but I prefer him @ C), Read is a solid all around player, Hartnell brings physical play and dirty goals, Simmonds has wheels, a nice shot and good grit, Downie IMO a wicked add with the pest ability and acceptable offensive skill to play top6. Raffl sucks, Rinaldo IMO is an awful semi-tough guy, and Rosie takes garbage penalties way too often. But this is a capable group - and we haven't mentioned their best winger in Voracek, who IMO is definitely a first line player. kid has unreal wheels and nice hands, no shit isn't flowing for him right now, but it will - he won't 'make a line' but he's similar to lots of other 1st line 30g wingers IMO.
In the middle of the rink, it goes without saying that I think G is sick, easily a #1 C - that statement is not from one good season (300pts in his first 350gp, 55pts in 50 playoff games). Couturier is looking a little slow to me - but still going to be awesome. Schenn has some growing pains into a #2 C, but who doesn't? I'd put him against Turris, Bozak, Stastny, Weiss, Bolland, Sutter, Legwand etc..
Even without a coaching change or help on the backend, I believe this forward group will start going - otherwise I'd have moved G already (and not traded for him in another league
)
but this is actually an strong forward group IMO, and as any good GM knows, you build your team from the blueline out, and this team has gigantic problems on the back end.
Comparing them to the coyotes is the absolute opposite, outside of a few forwards they lack scoring (and any real ppg threats), however their back end and goal-tending is among the best in the league, certaintly capable of setting the forwards up in positions to try to do something.
I know that anyone who's played forward with a group of dman who are not able to give you the puck in anything resembling a good situation understand what is happening with the Flyers. It's even worse for these dmen when they are SO focused on not giving even a reasonable shot up against their goalies. It's a death spiral.
Coburn and Grossman should never touch the ice together, but add in Schenn and current play of Mez to the previous trio and you have an awful situaiton. Individually all belong in the NHL, just not together in the roles they are in. Timmonen looks to have finally lost a step as well. IMO Streit is alone back there and even he might be being asked too much of.