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Roster moves, streaky forwards, Coburn |
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Two significant roster items to pass along this evening to those who haven't heard about them:
1) Comcast Sportsnet has reported that Simon Gagne is out for the remainder of the season due to his concussion problems.
2) The Flyers have traded Jim Vandermeer to Calgary for a 3rd round pick in 2009. (The bottom section of this blog was written prior to the announcement).
***
Let's revist an issue raised in January, back when Peter Forsberg announced his intentions to pursue an NHL return. At the time, many people said the Flyers had no need for him because the club had plenty of offensive weapons already.
To that, I pointed out at the time that scoring is fickle -- especially come playoff time -- and depth has a way of disappearing in a hurry. The Flyers' roster was also filled with some key players who are exceptionally streaky offensively.
All players, of course, go through offensive ups and downs over the course of the season. But this year's Flyers team has quite a few players who can catch fire for about seven to 10 games and then produce very little for an equally long -- or longer stretch.
The Forsberg part of the equation is a moot point now. But in light of the team's goal-scoring woes during the current losing skid, I think it's worth looking at just how streaky most of the key Flyers forwards have been this year.
Mike Richards is the exception. While he only has two goals (eight assists) in the 12 games since the All-Star Break and five goals (with 17 helpers) in his last 25 games, Richards has only gone back-to-back games without a point once this entire season to date. He had a three game pointless stretch around New Years. That's it.
As for the rest of the projected top nine forwards coming into the season, here is their segmented production over the course of the 2007-08 season to date:
Daniel Briere
Season: 60 GP, 21 G, 33 A, 54 PTS, -22, 10 PPG
First 3 GP: 4 G, 3 A, 7 PTS, +1
Next 12 GP: 1 G, 9 A, 10 PTS, -6
Next 7 GP: 7 G, 5 A, 12 PTS, +2, 4 PPG
Next 7 GP: 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS, -3 , 1 PPG
Next 7 GP: 3 G, 3 A, 6 PTS, -2, 1 PPG
Next 4 GP: 0 G, 1 A, 1 PT, -1, 4 PPG
Next 8 GP: 4 G, 4 A, 8 PTS, -5, 6 PPG
Since ASB (12 GP): 1 G, 5 A, 6 PTS, -9
Jeff Carter
Season: 60 GP, 19 G, 17 A 36 PTS +6 4 PPG, 2 SHG
First 9 GP: 6 G, 1 A, 7 PTS, +8, 1 PPG
Next 16 GP: 2 G, 4 A, 6 PTS, -6
Next 1 GP (Minn): 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, +3
Next 6 GP: 0 G, 1 A, 1 PT, -5
Next 11 GP: 8 G, 4 A, 12 PTS, +4, 2 PPG, 2 SHG
Since ASB (12 GP): 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS, -1, 1 PPG
R.J. Umberger
Season: 58 GP, 11 G, 32 A, 43 PTS, +5
vs. Pittsburgh: 5 GP, 6 G, 5 A, 11 PTS, +5
vs. Rest of NHL: 53 GP, 5 G, 27 A, 32 PTS, E
Best streak: Points in 7 of 8 games (Jan 10-24)
Biggest drought: One point in first six games after ASB (Jan 29-Feb 9)
Since ASB: 12 GP, 2 G, 6 A, 8 PTS, -5
Joffrey Lupul
Season: 44 GP, 18 G, 21 A , 39 PTS, +2, 7 PPG
First 16 GP: 6 G, 9 A, 17 PTS, +2, 3 PPG
Next 11 GP: 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS, -2
Next 9 GP: 10 G, 8 A, 18 PTS, +3, 4 PPG
Next 3 GP (until spinal inj): 0 PTS, E
Since ASB (5 GP, until ankle inj): 2 G, 2 A, 4 PTS, -1
Mike Knuble
Season: 60GP, 21G, 18A, 39 PTS, -4, 14 PPG
First 3 GP: 2 G, 2 A, 4 PTS, -1, 2 PPG
Next 11 GP: 1 G, 1 A, 2 PTS, -1
Next 2 GP: 2 G, 0 A, 2 PTS, -1, 2 PPG
Next 6 GP: 1 G, 3 A, 4 PTS, +4
Next 2 GP: 2 G, 2 A, 4 PTS, -1, 2 PPG
Next 3 GP: 0 PTS, E
Next 4 GP: 2 G, 3 A, 5 PTS, -3, 2 PPG
Next 9 GP: 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, -2, 1 PPG
Next 3 GP: 3 G, 0 A, 3 PTS, E, 2 PPG
Next 3 GP: 0 G, 1 A, 1 PT, E
Next 2 GP (before ASB): 2 G, 1 A, 3 PTS, +2
Next 2 GP (after ASB): 0 PTS, -1
Next 3 GP: 5 G, 1 A, 6 PTS, +2, 3 PPG
Last 7 GP: 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS, -4
Simon Gagne
Season: 25 GP, 7 G, 11 A , 18 PTS, -8, 5 PPG
First 3 GP: 2 G, 4 A, 6 PTS, E, 2 PPG
Next 3 GP: 0 PTS, -1
Next 2 GP (1st concussion): 2 G, 0 A, 2 PTS, +2
Next 2 GP (2nd concussion): 0 PTS, E
Next 6 GP (Jan return): 2 G, 5 A, 7 PTS, -1, 2 PPG
Next 2 GP (last games before ASB): 0 PTS, -1
Last 7 GP (3rd concussion): 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, -6, 1 PPG
Scott Hartnell
Season: 58 GP, 19G, 15A, 34 PTS, + 5, 8 PPG, 1 SHG
First 3 GP: 0 PTS, +1
Next 2 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS, +3
Next 10 GP: 0 G, 1 A, 1 PT, -1
Next GP (PITT): 1 G (ENG), 0 A, 1 PT, +1
Next 3 GP: 0 PTS, -4
Next 3 GP: 2 G (2 ENG), 2 A, 4 PTS, +3
Next 5 GP: 0 PTS, -1
Next 3 GP: 2 G, 1 A, 3 PTS, -2, 2 PPG
Next 7 GP: 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, +2
Next 7 GP: 10 G, 4 A, 14 PTS, +8, 6 PPG, 1 SHG
Next 2 GP (last before ASB): 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS, -1
Since ASB (12 GP): 3 G, 1 A, 4 PTS, -3
Scottie Upshall
Season: 41 GP, 9 G, 10 A, 19 PTS, +1, 3 PPG
Best streak: 3 G, 1 A, 4 PTS in three games (Nov 12-17); six points in four games (2G, 4 A, Jan. 13 to 22)
Biggest drought: 10 consecutive pointless games, minus-two (Dec. 11-Jan 12)
***
One of the main reasons why Flyers' all-star defenseman Kimmo Timonen has a minus-seven rating this season is that he's had a revolving door of partners in five-on-five play this season.
He started out the season with Jason Smith on what initially seemed to be a well-matched pairing: a mobile, left-handed puck mover with a physical, right-handed stay-at-home partner. But the two never quite clicked, and both players prefer to play the same side.
Timonen then briefly played with Lasse Kukkonen. Kukkonen is a strong positional defenseman and excellent shot-blocker. But there wasn't enough size or muscle on that unit, so John Stevens quickly installed the bigger, faster-skating Randy Jones as Timonen's partner.
Unfortunately, as good as Jones looked (before and since) on the third pairing, he struggled when he was elevated to the top pair and his minutes were extended against opposing teams' best players.
When Jones returned to the third pairing, Stevens plugged in the newly acquired Jim Vandermeer. For a few games, it seemed to click. Timonen was able to play his preferred left defense spot and Vandermeer has underrated mobility for a "banging" defenseman.
Unfortunately, Vandermeer also got exposed when his minutes were overextended. Stevens hung with the pairing for over a month-and-a-half, partially due to a lack of other viable options and partially out of fondness for/loyalty to his former Phantoms player.
But of late, it seems as though every mistake Vandermeer has made has ended up in the Flyers net. Last night, Vandermeer was used as a swing man -- partially playing fourth line wing, while taking some shifts on defense as well. Jones got most of the shifts with Timonen.
At this point, it seems unlikely that the Flyers will be able to pull off a trade for a player who can be used on the top pairing. The newly acquired Jaroslav Modry is fine as a second or third-pairing player but you don't want him being a 20+ minute player.
So what's left? At this point, I would be in favor of the Flyers installing Braydon Coburn on the top pairing and letting he and Timonen work out the chemistry. Here's why:
1) Coburn has shown he can handle the ice time.
2) While he's still a young defenseman and isn't immune to the mistakes young defensemen make, Coburn has grown tremendously this season.
3) Coburn has the mobility to complement Timonen but also the size to offset Timonen's lack of size.
4) While the consistency of his physical and offensive games are still works in progress, Coburn has shown flashes of both elements.
5) There aren't really any other #2 defenseman candidates on the roster right now.
There are some potential drawbacks to this approach. Stevens would have to mix and match his other pairings according to who's playing well and who's healthy. He wouldn't be able to spread out his assets across the blueline. Additionally, Coburn often seems most comfortable when he's out with (the currently injured) Derian Hatcher.
But, to me at least, it's worth a try at this point.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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