Let me ask you this. Why is Downie not playing with Couturier and Read, which has been our most consistent line? I'm not asking you why Steve Downie is on the 4th line, I'm asking you why he's not on the third line with those two players?
- Schenn2shine

my guess is they're trying to work him back in slowly from whatever this last ubi was. hopefully not another concussion.

i feel weird defending the trio, but there really arent too many lines out there that seem to be generating more opportunities night in and night out right now than the three of them.

im a huge fan of simmonds, but that was a streak that he likely wont sniff again all year. actual goals are very fluky. the continuous presence of quality chances shows good continual pressure and is a good indicator of sustained success
- stayinthefnnet

He probably will have another streak like that. Thats pretty much been his M.O. since he's been a Flyer. The goals, when they come, come in bunches.

he comes from a very wealthy family
- -davies-

does he? in all honesty i dont know if youre being serious or screwing with me haha. all i know is he was brutal in his little tryout with the pens. and for as delicious as hillary is, her sister is even better

my guess is they're trying to work him back in slowly from whatever this last ubi was. hopefully not another concussion.
- -davies-

I think it's because they don't want to hurt Hartnell's feelings because he is clearly the odd man out in the top 9.

He probably will have another streak like that. Thats pretty much been his M.O. since he's been a Flyer. The goals, when they come, come in bunches.
- Doc_Sarcasm

When the PP is clicking, he's usually reaping the benefits

He probably will have another streak like that. Thats pretty much been his M.O. since he's been a Flyer. The goals, when they come, come in bunches.
- Doc_Sarcasm

true. although my point was mainly that 9 games worth of continual quality chances is a better indicator of sustained success than a 3 game outburst in which the tip ins find the back of the net

does he? in all honesty i dont know if youre being serious or screwing with me haha. all i know is he was brutal in his little tryout with the pens. and for as delicious as hillary is, her sister is even better
- stayinthefnnet

his family owns some giant chain of home improvement stores

That's the thing, the top line isn't on fire. They had a really good game last night but not on fire. Wayne Simmonds had three games in a row where he scored two goals a piece. That's being on fire.
- Schenn2shine

G and V hsve 17pts in their last 9 games (I dont feel like looking up Raffle)....thats pretty hot

When the PP is clicking, he's usually reaping the benefits
- PhillySportsGuy

yeah because he is just a bulldozer to the front of the net, and will park there and bang away. stuff hartnell used to do. its not a coincidence as hes been phased out of that role for the more effective simmonds, so too has his PP goals. it was only like a season and a half or so ago when hartnell and neal were tied (or damn close) atop the leagues PP leaders.

if i am the coach of the flyers, he would be. a poster already listed what i would put the lines at.

although if i had that much sway, read would be on his way to pittsburgh, but i digress
- stayinthefnnet

Okay, so what's your answer to the question, why? Downie got hurt, Lecavalier got healthy and replaced him. Two games later Downie is ready to go but isn't slopped back into that very successful line. Why? In my opinion Downie, Readvand Couturier was more consistent than our current top line and you couldn't mistake more than half of the production with PP production.

his family owns some giant chain of home improvement stores
- -davies-

he should have improved his on ice ability

G and V hsve 17pts in their last 9 games (I dont feel like looking up Raffle)....thats pretty hot
- KINGKENZO

are you also too lazy to look up how much of it was on the power play?

yeah because he is just a bulldozer to the front of the net, and will park there and bang away. stuff hartnell used to do. its not a coincidence as hes been phased out of that role for the more effective simmonds, so too has his PP goals. it was only like a season and a half or so ago when hartnell and neal were tied (or damn close) atop the leagues PP leaders.
- stayinthefnnet

Hartnell still plays on the top PP unit. He plays in the same position as he did two years ago when he got 37 goals. Teams are just taking him away.

Simmonds is very crafty in front of the net. He's able to use his body well. He's very good in tight.

Okay, so what's your answer to the question, why? Downie got hurt, Lecavalier got healthy and replaced him. Two games later Downie is ready to go but isn't slopped back into that very successful line. Why? In my opinion Downie, Readvand Couturier was more consistent than our current top line and you couldn't mistake more than half of the production with PP production.
- Schenn2shine

i dont have the answer. to me, that would have been a no brainer to reassemble.

id put that right up there with why the hell isnt despres a regular for the pens right now. i can only go off of by what i see.

Hartnell still plays on the top PP unit. He plays in the same position as he did two years ago when he got 37 goals. Teams are just taking him away.

Simmonds is very crafty in front of the net. He's able to use his body well. He's very good in tight.
- PhillySportsGuy

definitely. simmonds is a useful player for sure when he sticks to his game

are you also too lazy to look up how much of it was on the power play?
- Schenn2shine

I don't feel like looking up stats, but I have watched every game this year and the first line is generating A LOT more scoring chances and sustained pressure than they were with Hartnell.

I just don't understand why you can't give Raffl credit. No one is saying Raffl is a top line player and will remain there for the rest of the season.

my guess is they're trying to work him back in slowly from whatever this last ubi was. hopefully not another concussion.
- -davies-

The top line has been good but the rest of the team has to start clicking.

That's the thing, the top line isn't on fire. They had a really good game last night but not on fire. Wayne Simmonds had three games in a row where he scored two goals a piece. That's being on fire.
- Schenn2shine

Goal production isnt everything, and anyone that actaully watches the games can see how different that top line plays with Raffl instead of Hartnell.

I don't feel like looking up stats, but I have watched every game this year and the first line is generating A LOT more scoring chances and sustained pressure than they were with Hartnell.

I just don't understand why you can't give Raffl credit. No one is saying Raffl is a top line player and will remain there for the rest of the season.
- PhillySportsGuy

I'm just going to butt into this conversation and say that it looks like the game is starting to slow down for Raffl, and he's starting to look like a more complete player, where he had previously looked like a guy who just did a couple things well.

Let me ask you this. Why is Downie not playing with Couturier and Read, which has been our most consistent line? I'm not asking you why Steve Downie is on the 4th line, I'm asking you why he's not on the third line with those two players?
- Schenn2shine

Because Hartnell is too 1 dimentional to play anything but Leftwing, so he is keeping Schenn from moving back to LW, which is causing Vinny to play on 3rd line... because Hartnell is a liability defensively you dont want him with Couts.... and that is forcing Downie to 4th line. Simple solution... take out Hartnell, and everyone moves back to how things were working on the 2nd and 3rd line.

Because Hartnell is too 1 dimentional to play anything but Leftwing, so he is keeping Schenn from moving back to LW, which is causing Vinny to play on 3rd line... because Hartnell is a liability defensively you dont want him with Couts.... and that is forcing Downie to 4th line. Simple solution... take out Hartnell, and everyone moves back to how things were working on the 2nd and 3rd line.
- youarewrong

yup. i dont think you guys are gonna get to move him. so if youre stuck with him, might as well not let him muck up the rest of the lineup

Only three of Hartnell's seven goals have been scored on the power play.
- Schenn2shine

Havent 2 of them been empty netters? Hmm.

I don't feel like looking up stats, but I have watched every game this year and the first line is generating A LOT more scoring chances and sustained pressure than they were with Hartnell.

I just don't understand why you can't give Raffl credit. No one is saying Raffl is a top line player and will remain there for the rest of the season.
- PhillySportsGuy

I've given Raffl plenty of credit. I'm just not willing to give Raffl credit for how Giroux and Voracek are playing. Voracek for example is shooting more and at the start of the season Voracek was passing away scoring chances. Does Raffl deserve credit because Voracek finally decided to shoot?

The two best efforts I've seen from this team this season was the 5-0 in Ottawa. Raffl simply did not play. The other was the 6-3 comeback in Detroit. Raffl played with Schenn and Simmonds. Less skilled players, less production. I think his play has more to do with who he's played with.

I'm just going to butt into this conversation and say that it looks like the game is starting to slow down for Raffl, and he's starting to look like a more complete player, where he had previously looked like a guy who just did a couple things well.
- Doc_Sarcasm

I'd confidently say there are only three, at best, other players on the team that could've feathered that pass to Giroux.

Okay, so what's your answer to the question, why? Downie got hurt, Lecavalier got healthy and replaced him. Two games later Downie is ready to go but isn't slopped back into that very successful line. Why? In my opinion Downie, Readvand Couturier was more consistent than our current top line and you couldn't mistake more than half of the production with PP production.
- Schenn2shine

So you think that Read-Couts-Downie over a 5 game span are better then Raffl-Giroux-Voracek?

What time does the asylum stop letting patients use the internet?