An on-ice incident incites a bench of hockey players, and triggers their coach to send the tough guy out there on the very next shift to send a message... never witnessed before in the history of the game... pure shock and outrage!

/sarcasm off


The real joke is how badly Carlyle's tactical decision has backfired for him, and his team. I get that he tried to send his top line out there to try to diffuse the situation, but somebody was obviously going to have to answer the bell with John Scott out there foaming at the mouth... with last change, why even put Kessel and Bozak in that situation. If not for TJ Brennan and Carter Ashton, Kessel would probably have a broken face in addition to his impending suspension. Clarkson gone for 10... way to go Randy.
- Tomahawk

Kessel probably wasn't the right decision, but who would you put out there if you're Toronto?

Kessel probably wasn't the right decision, but who would you put out there if you're Toronto?
- jmatchett383

David Clarkson, so he wouldn't have had to come off the bench.

So it almost sounds like the fight for the 3rd winger is Raffle, then Vandevelde, then Laughton?
Is that the consensus?
- FlyersGrace

The Flyers have stated that they want Laughton at Center. So I don't even know if Laughton is in the running for the 3rd line Wing spot.

An on-ice incident incites a bench of hockey players, and triggers their coach to send the tough guy out there on the very next shift to send a message... never witnessed before in the history of the game... pure shock and outrage!

/sarcasm off


The real joke is how badly Carlyle's tactical decision has backfired for him, and his team. I get that he tried to send his top line out there to try to diffuse the situation, but somebody was obviously going to have to answer the bell with John Scott out there foaming at the mouth... with last change, why even put Kessel and Bozak in that situation. If not for TJ Brennan and Carter Ashton, Kessel would probably have a broken face in addition to his impending suspension. Clarkson gone for 10... way to go Randy.
- Tomahawk

I should get my head examined for saying this because I know this one irritates the hell out of people, but that game is exactly why I never mind when the Flyers carry a Jay Rosehill, or draft a Zac Rinaldo or (yes, it was too high) Tyrell Goulbourne.

As Ron Burgundy explains so well, things can escalate quickly. No, they shouldn't play Rosehill every game. But there are times when you need guys like that, when you need Zac Rinaldo to destroy B.J. Crombeen after he starts running around, acting insane.

The Flyers have stated that they want Laughton at Center. So I don't even know if Laughton is in the running for the 3rd line Wing spot.
- MJL

So he's in theory competing with Hall for 4th line center?
Um, yeah... Hall looks good out there. If that's the case then I think Laughton gets sent back.

An on-ice incident incites a bench of hockey players, and triggers their coach to send the tough guy out there on the very next shift to send a message... never witnessed before in the history of the game... pure shock and outrage!

/sarcasm off


The real joke is how badly Carlyle's tactical decision has backfired for him, and his team. I get that he tried to send his top line out there to try to diffuse the situation, but somebody was obviously going to have to answer the bell with John Scott out there foaming at the mouth... with last change, why even put Kessel and Bozak in that situation. If not for TJ Brennan and Carter Ashton, Kessel would probably have a broken face in addition to his impending suspension. Clarkson gone for 10... way to go Randy.
- Tomahawk

Absolutely. Putting Kessel out there, next to Kessel was a ridiculous Coaching error by Carlyle.

I should get my head examined for saying this because I know this one irritates the hell out of people, but that game is exactly why I never mind when the Flyers carry a Jay Rosehill, or draft a Zac Rinaldo or (yes, it was too high) Tyrell Goulbourne.

As Ron Burgundy explains so well, things can escalate quickly. No, they shouldn't play Rosehill every game. But there are times when you need guys like that, when you need Zac Rinaldo to destroy B.J. Crombeen after he starts running around, acting insane.
- AllInForFlyers

Sad part is Rinaldo, as tough as he is, isn't in Scott's weight class... He would have fought him anyway, but yeah still would have been lopsided.
If Rosehill is in the press box he doesn't do you much good. If he's on the bench he doesn't do you much good. And if he's on the ice... well he isn't doing as much good as some of the other players in terms of goals or defense...
Such a catch-22.

What happened to Gagner?

I've been cloistering myself studying....

So he's in theory competing with Hall for 4th line center?
Um, yeah... Hall looks good out there. If that's the case then I think Laughton gets sent back.
- FlyersGrace

That's what it seems like. But I don't know why Laughton can't play on the Wing. But the Flyers don't seem to want him there. Hall could also play on the Wing. So who knows, we'll see.

So it almost sounds like the fight for the 3rd winger is Raffle, then Vandevelde, then Laughton?
Is that the consensus?
- FlyersGrace

Bill has said that Laughton will be playing 4th line center if he makes the team, so the 3rd line wing is down to Raffl or Vandevelde with Laughton fighting for the 4th line Center spot.

That being said, if Laughton does make the team, I think that means Hall will move to 4th line wing and Talbot will move up to 3rd line wing.

An on-ice incident incites a bench of hockey players, and triggers their coach to send the tough guy out there on the very next shift to send a message... never witnessed before in the history of the game... pure shock and outrage!

/sarcasm off


The real joke is how badly Carlyle's tactical decision has backfired for him, and his team. I get that he tried to send his top line out there to try to diffuse the situation, but somebody was obviously going to have to answer the bell with John Scott out there foaming at the mouth... with last change, why even put Kessel and Bozak in that situation. If not for TJ Brennan and Carter Ashton, Kessel would probably have a broken face in addition to his impending suspension. Clarkson gone for 10... way to go Randy.
- Tomahawk

And of all teams for that to happen to......Toronto.....the league leader in fights last year.

None of this excuses Scott for me, by the way. One dimensional meatheads like him should be drummed out of the league.

What happened to Gagner?

I've been cloistering myself studying....
- Giroux_Is_God

Gagner got hit with a swung stick by Kassian and no longer has a face.

Gagne is a UFA.

What happened to Gagner?

I've been cloistering myself studying....
- Giroux_Is_God

If you mean Gagne, please turn in your Flyers Fan card.

David Clarkson, so he wouldn't have had to come off the bench.
- Tomahawk

Yeah, because he could handle Scott in a 1-on-1 fight.

What happened to Gagner?

I've been cloistering myself studying....
- Giroux_Is_God

Kassian did a pirouette with his stick up high and broke Gagner's jaw in 2 places.

EDIT: Kassian got a 10-game suspension. 5 pre-season and 5 regular season games.

Sad part is Rinaldo, as tough as he is, isn't in Scott's weight class... He would have fought him anyway, but yeah still would have been lopsided.
If Rosehill is in the press box he doesn't do you much good. If he's on the bench he doesn't do you much good. And if he's on the ice... well he isn't doing as much good as some of the other players in terms of goals or defense...
Such a catch-22.
- FlyersGrace

A Coach has to make a lineup decision. If he feels because a team has a guy like Scott in the lineup, then he needs to counter, he plays a guy like Rosehill. Rosehill is capable of playing a 4th line shift. And after a fight, when the opposition puts out Scott, you know why. You don't send out your star Winger to stand next to him on the faceoff. And I certainly don't want a player like Simmonds having to tangle with a guy like Scott. That's why I'm not against having a player like Rosehill on the roster, or in the lineup in certain situations.

Kassian did a pirouette with his stick up high and broke Gagner's jaw in 2 places.
- FlyersGrace

Ouch.

If you mean Gagne, please turn in your Flyers Fan card.
- youarewrong

Sam Gagner on the Edmonton Oilers

Sad part is Rinaldo, as tough as he is, isn't in Scott's weight class... He would have fought him anyway, but yeah still would have been lopsided.
If Rosehill is in the press box he doesn't do you much good. If he's on the bench he doesn't do you much good. And if he's on the ice... well he isn't doing as much good as some of the other players in terms of goals or defense...
Such a catch-22.
- FlyersGrace

See, for me...there are obvious games where you don't play Rosehill. And like everyone else, I hate the staged fights, that silliness.

But I remember very well that stretch of games before the Flyers acquired Rosehill -- the last one, Claude Giroux was getting ran and Jakub Voracek got into a fight.

Sooooo...for me, when in doubt...I play Rosehill. You are correct: It doesn't stop the first incident. But sometimes, retaliation needs to happen, in-game.

It's ugly, and not always pleasant. But there have always been cheap players in the league, and when you don't have someone around who engages in the rougher stuff, your skill players always pay a price.

Sad part is Rinaldo, as tough as he is, isn't in Scott's weight class... He would have fought him anyway, but yeah still would have been lopsided.
If Rosehill is in the press box he doesn't do you much good. If he's on the bench he doesn't do you much good. And if he's on the ice... well he isn't doing as much good as some of the other players in terms of goals or defense...
Such a catch-22.
- FlyersGrace

Even if Rinaldo (or even Rosehill) has to turtle against a guy like Scott, it's still light years ahead of sending Giroux and Voracek out there to take the beating instead.

With that said, there are very few true heavies left in the game, and Scott's in a weight class of his own. It's better to have a variety of regular shift guys who can handle themselves in a scrap than depend on one dedicated goon for all the reasons you outlined above.

A Coach has to make a lineup decision. If he feels because a team has a guy like Scott in the lineup, then he needs to counter, he plays a guy like Rosehill. Rosehill is capable of playing a 4th line shift. And after a fight, when the opposition puts out Scott, you know why. You don't send out your star Winger to stnad next to him on the faceoff. And I certainly don't want a player like Simmonds having to tangle with a guy like Scott. That's why I'm not against having a player like Rosehill on the roster, or in the lineup in certain situations.
- MJL

Rosehill's fine as an "in case" 13th forward. But even if there's an injury, I'd still rather have a guy like McGinn called up (salary cap allowing) and keep Rosehill as your situational 13th forward, only dressed when it seems necessary.

See, for me...there are obvious games where you don't play Rosehill. And like everyone else, I hate the staged fights, that silliness.

But I remember very well that stretch of games before the Flyers acquired Rosehill -- the last one, Claude Giroux was getting ran and Jakub Voracek got into a fight.

Sooooo...for me, when in doubt...I play Rosehill. You are correct: It doesn't stop the first incident. But sometimes, retaliation needs to happen, in-game.

It's ugly, and not always pleasant. But there have always been cheap players in the league, and when you don't have someone around who engages in the rougher stuff, your skill players always pay a price.
- AllInForFlyers

So what we learned is that Rosehill isn't useless?
NICE!

So what we learned is that Rosehill isn't useless?
NICE!
- FlyersGrace

No, we learned that John Scott is useless, but Buffalo sometimes like playing useless players, which makes Rosehill not useless.

I also learned that Buffalo fans are putting the majority of blame on Kessel for instigating the fight.

Even if Rinaldo (or even Rosehill) has to turtle against a guy like Scott, it's still light years ahead of sending Giroux and Voracek out there to take the beating instead.

With that said, there are very few true heavies left in the game, and Scott's in a weight class of his own. It's better to have a variety of regular shift guys who can handle themselves in a scrap than depend on one dedicated goon for all the reasons you outlined above.
- Tomahawk

You don't want a player like Simmonds deciding that he has to stand up for his teammates, and mixing it up with a guy like Scott. That's not good. You want a guy who you won't mind losing to injury to do it, such as Rosehill. Taking on a tough regular shift player in the lineup such as Clarkson is one thing. But a true enforcer, you don't want your regular shift guys dealing with that.

Gagner got hit with a swung stick by Kassian and no longer has a face.

Gagne is a UFA.
- jmatchett383

Guys I meant Gagner....

Yikes.

I'll search for a video.