Carle = Good, Flyers = Bad

First impressions usually mean a lot and our first impressions of Matt Carle were good. He played well with the puck, and if he did turn it over, he kept at it and later took it away. After one game, it looks like a good move. Frankly, I thought it was a good move just getting rid of Steve Downie and Steve Eminger. They could have been traded for the Lightning's sticks for all I care.

There is a big problem down on Broad Street though. The rest of the team sucks. Their lazy play is continuing to cost them games. Last night, they allowed an odd-man rush because Jeff Carter came down the ice and just completely missed the net. It rolled all the way around the boards only for Tampa to convert it for an easy one time goal to Vinny Prospal. Early in the game, Carter fired, missed completely and Lecavalier came down on a break-away. Thankfully, Marty Biron stoned him.

They lack discipline in the offensive zone. They lack discipline in the neutral zone. They lack discipline in their own zone. When a team is starting to lack discipline it makes you look at who is discipling them. Even last year, this team is either scorching hot or ice cold. Stop with the fucking streaks and learn how to discipline your team to play good, consistent hockey. This team has plenty of talent, so that is not the problem. They're experienced, so that is not the problem. At some point, someone needs to take some accountability.

This team is too good for the fans to have to be frustrated with. I'm not saying they're a team that should make the ECF every year, but they should be a playoff team and right now they're a 4-6-3 team and they look even worse than their record.

Highlights after the jump.

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Flyers Acquire Carle, Briere to Return

First, the Flyers received news that Daniel Briere would return to the line up early. Next the Flyers made a move to shake the team up. The name that continue to pop up was forward Brendan Shanahan, but earlier today the Flyers went a different route.

They acquired 6'0" 205 lbs defenseman Matt Carle and San Jose's third round pick from Tampa Bay for defensemen Steve Eminger, forward Steve Downie, and Tampa Bay's original fourth round pick.

“Matt Carle is a good young defenseman and we are thrilled to add a player with his abilities to our roster,” said Holmgren in making the announcement. “He will add skill and speed to our lineup and should fit in great with our team.”

“I also would like to thank Steve Eminger and Steve Downie for their professionalism as players here and we wish them nothing but the best in the future.” [Flyers.com]

In 163 career NHL games, Carle has recorded 17 goals, 48 assists, and 76 penalty minutes. During the 2006-2007 season, Carle was named to the all-rookie team. Carle's cap hit is $3.438 million.

Carle had a bad season last year, but he is still young and under contract until after the 2011/2012 season. He is definitely an upgrade over Steve Eminger and Holmgren considers Carle to be a top 4 defenseman.

Eminger has been everything we should have expected him to be. We gave up a 1st round pick this year for Eminger and he was the bust that Washington wrote him off to be.

Steve Downie was a head case that was often taking terrible penalties and turning the puck over. Downie, though still young, became expendable with the acquistion of guys like Hartnell, Upshall, and Lupul. Truthfully, there is just no room with Giroux and JVR a year or two away as well. Downie was never able to maintain a spot on the top 3 lines and there's no point to keep him if he's just going to be a 4th line winger.

So, in the end, we virtually traded a first round pick and Steve Downie for Matt Carle. I hope it works out, but that remains to be seen.

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