Last 20 games for Lecavalier. 8 goals, 6 assists for 14 points.

That is scoring at a 33 goal 24 assist pace over an 82 game Season.
- MJL

One of the top 4th line centers in the NHL.

Last 20 games for Lecavalier. 8 goals, 6 assists for 14 points.

That is scoring at a 33 goal 24 assist pace over an 82 game Season.
- MJL

Between 12/30-1/7 Schenn averaged 1.25 points per game. That equates to a 102.5 point season. I'm not sure where he'd get the .5 from, but I think he can get there.

One of the top 4th line centers in the NHL.
- PLindbergh31

Oh boy.

So, a question -- and there's no right or wrong answers; just looking for other opinions.

Obviously, no one really wants to play Boston in the first round. So it's pretty understood that you do what you have to do to avoid that.

But if you were running the Flyers, how would you handle the next three games, personnel-wise?

Would you dress your regular lineup for all three games, knowing that injuries happen in professional sports? Or would you give Gus and Gill playing time and rest some combination of Coburn, Timonen, Streit and Grossmann? How would you do that?

Would you rest Giroux or Hartnell or Voracek?

How about Mason? Would he start 1 of the 3, or two of the three? (You assume he won't play both ends of the back-to-back).

Again, no right or wrong answers. Just curious how everyone would approach it, if everyone thinks consistency is best, or avoiding Boston is best, or avoiding injury/resting players is best.
- AllInForFlyers

Just my opinion I wouldn't rest anyone until they are unable to get the # 2 seed in the Division. Being non-competitive at MSG over the last 8 games doesn't bode well if that is where the series starts. The Flyers have beaten the Rags twice in Philly this year. Would feel a lot better about that matchup if the Flyers had home ice.

Just my opinion I wouldn't rest anyone until they are unable to get the # 2 seed in the Division. Being non-competitive at MSG over the last 8 games doesn't bode well if that is where the series starts. The Flyers have beaten the Rags twice in Philly this year. Would feel a lot better about that matchup if the Flyers had home ice.
- PLindbergh31

This

This
- jmatchett383

I agree. I just don't want to give him any form of satisfaction.

Between 12/30-1/7 Schenn averaged 1.25 points per game. That equates to a 102.5 point season. I'm not sure where he'd get the .5 from, but I think he can get there.
- PhillySportsGuy

Seriously going to compare a 5 game stretch to a 20 game stretch? How about I find Lecavalier's best 5 game stretch and then compare?

Here are some facts. The Lecavalier detractors came up with all kinds of excuses for why Lecavalier isn't a good player, and wasn't a good signing. And came up with all kinds of theories as to why. Such as an unsustainable shooting percentage, etc, etc.

Here's the bottom line. Before the back injury, Lecavalier scored goals at a 33 goal pace, over a 22 game span. He then suffered a significant injury, came back when he still wasn't obviously 100%, combined with being moved to a position that he was not comfortable at, and struggled. He then got stronger and healthier, was moved back to Center, and is again, over the last 20 games, scoring at a 32 goal pace.
So over a combined 42 game span, when healthy and at Center, Lecavalier scored 17 goals. Which is scoring at a 33 goal pace.
So it's pretty clear that Lecavalier is still a very good player, and a good goal scorer in this League. And is not an aging fading player that is no longer effective, that his detractors claimed him to be. That is obvious.

So, a question -- and there's no right or wrong answers; just looking for other opinions.

Obviously, no one really wants to play Boston in the first round. So it's pretty understood that you do what you have to do to avoid that.

But if you were running the Flyers, how would you handle the next three games, personnel-wise?

Would you dress your regular lineup for all three games, knowing that injuries happen in professional sports? Or would you give Gus and Gill playing time and rest some combination of Coburn, Timonen, Streit and Grossmann? How would you do that?

Would you rest Giroux or Hartnell or Voracek?

How about Mason? Would he start 1 of the 3, or two of the three? (You assume he won't play both ends of the back-to-back).

Again, no right or wrong answers. Just curious how everyone would approach it, if everyone thinks consistency is best, or avoiding Boston is best, or avoiding injury/resting players is best.
- AllInForFlyers

I'd start Mason for the next 2 and Emery against Carolina no matter what

I'd probably play my regular lineup for the next 2 as well, however, assuming they are locked into avoiding the Bruins prior to the final game, I would give both Timonen and Grossmann the night off.

Seriously going to compare a 5 game stretch to a 20 game stretch? How about I find Lecavalier's best 5 game stretch and then compare?

Here are some facts. The Lecavalier detractors came up with all kinds of excuses for why Lecavalier isn't a good player, and wasn't a good signing. And came up with all kinds of theories as to why. Such as an unsustainable shooting percentage, etc, etc.

Here's the bottom line. Before the back injury, Lecavalier scored goals at a 33 goal pace, over a 22 game span. He then suffered a significant injury, came back when he still wasn't obviously 100%, combined with being moved to a position that he was not comfortable at, and struggled. He then got stronger and healthier, was moved back to Center, and is again, over the last 20 games, scoring at a 32 goal pace.
So over a combined 42 game span, when healthy and at Center, Lecavalier scored 17 goals. Which is scoring at a 33 goal pace.
So it's pretty clear that Lecavalier is still a very good player, and a good goal scorer in this League. And is not an aging fading player that his detractors claimed him to be. That is obvious.
- MJL

I like how yours are facts and mine are theories.

So, as folks last night on the broadcast were noting, the Flyers hadn't had 7 20-goal scorers since the 1989-90 season.

I looked up that season as I knew it was around the start of the "Dark Times" but I wasn't quite sure.

In short, that entire season was a disaster and was the first year of missing the playoffs for a few years:

http://en.wikipedia.org/w...hiladelphia_Flyers_season

FYI: Coach Paul Holmgren was there for that debacle and Clarkie seemingly traded his way out of a job.
- johndewar

Don't forget it was a different era in 89-90, scoring 20 in that era was about the same as scoring 12-15 today.

I like how yours are facts and mine are theories.
- PhillySportsGuy

Well give me some facts that support your opinion?

What kind of player Lecavalier still is when healthy and playing the right position is obvious.

http://www.philly.com/phi..._Flyers__answer_on_D.html

Well give me some facts that support your opinion?

What kind of player Lecavalier still is when healthy and playing the right position is obvious.
- MJL

All of us Lecavalier critics were wrong, but you still can't just pull a random 20 games that fits your argument out of your ass lol.

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/20140410_Union_s_Gostisbehere_could_be_Flyers__answer_on_D.html
- KINGKENZO

What's the question?

Well give me some facts that support your opinion?
- MJL

Fact: I have advocated moving Vinny to the 4th line and moving him to the top PP unit instead of Voracek.

Fact: Vinny's shooting percentage is the highest its ever been.

Fact: Shooting percentage varies from year to year and has to do with luck. Similar to BABIP in baseball.

Fact: The line of Vinny-Schenn-Simmonds (In any order) has been horrific defensively.

Fact: Every player on the team has worse numbers when they're with Vinny.

Fact: Vinny is a $4.5M player who the Flyers can't find a home for.

Thanks for the responses, folks -- appreciate it!

All of us Lecavalier critics were wrong, but you still can't just pull a random 20 games that fits your argument out of your ass lol.
- FlyersSteve118

They aren't a random 20 games. They are the stretch of games where he has played at Center, and when he was healthy. In fact both the 22 game stretch before the back injury, and the 20 most recent games, are both stretches of games where he was healthy, and played at Center. And both stretches of games support my opinion that it was the back injury and the change in position that rendered Lecavalier ineffective for a stretch. And not that he just wasn't a good player, and it was a bad signing. Nothing random about it.

All of us Lecavalier critics were wrong, but you still can't just pull a random 20 games that fits your argument out of your ass lol.
- FlyersSteve118

I don't think Lecavalier critics were wrong. He's played better of late, but he's had a below average season at best. Regardless if he's hurt, or playing out of position. Those are excuses, and I would bet if someone asked Lecavalier he would say he's disappointed in the season he had. And wouldn't make an excuse.

Hopefully he continues his improved play in the playoffs, Flyers need him.

Fact: I have advocated moving Vinny to the 4th line and moving him to the top PP unit instead of Voracek.

Fact: Vinny's shooting percentage is the highest its ever been.

Fact: Shooting percentage varies from year to year and has to do with luck. Similar to BABIP in baseball.

Fact: The line of Vinny-Schenn-Simmonds (In any order) has been horrific defensively.

Fact: Every player on the team has worse numbers when they're with Vinny.

Fact: Vinny is a $4.5M player who the Flyers can't find a home for.
- PhillySportsGuy

Lecavalier just scored 20 goals for the 13th time in his career. And has scored over 400 goals in this League. Calling anything about his goal scoring ability, luck, is complete BS.

Even if his shooting percentage went down 3% or so closer to his career norm of 11-12%, he'd still be scoring goals at a significant level.

Lecavalier is not the only player responsible for that line being poor defensively. So that point is moot.

Provide some facts that support that every player on the team has worse numbers wheh they're with Lecavalier. Adam Hall's offensive numbers seem to be rising to me, since playing with Lecavalier. So that fact is obviously false.

Lecavalier seems to be doing just fine centering the 4th line. So saying that the Flyers can't find a home for him, is also false obviously.

Not many facts there, just spin.

I don't think Lecavalier critics were wrong. He's played better of late, but he's had a below average season at best. Regardless if he's hurt, or playing out of position. Those are excuses, and I would bet if someone asked Lecavalier he would say he's disappointed in the season he had. And wouldn't make an excuse.

Hopefully he continues his improved play in the playoffs, Flyers need him.
- PLindbergh31

Thery're not excuses. A back injury is a significant injury. And it clearly effected him.
I bet if Giroux suffered the same injury and it affected his play, the same wouldn't be said.
lecavalier is a stand up guy. He's not going to make excuses. Even if it's true. So that is irelevant.

I'd start Mason for the next 2 and Emery against Carolina no matter what

I'd probably play my regular lineup for the next 2 as well, however, assuming they are locked into avoiding the Bruins prior to the final game, I would give both Timonen and Grossmann the night off.
- BiggE

And anybody that's banged up and could benefit from a day off.

Thery're not excuses. A back injury is a significant injury. And it clearly effected him.
I bet if Giroux suffered the same injury and it affected his play, the same wouldn't be said.
lecavalier is a stand up guy. He's not going to make excuses. Even if it's true. So that is irelevant.
- MJL

Fraud Giroux?

Lecavalier just scored 20 goals for the 13th time in his career. And has scored over 400 goals in this League. Calling anything about his goal scoring ability, luck, is complete BS.

Even if his shooting percentage went down 3% or so closer to his career norm of 11-12%, he'd still be scoring goals at a significant level.

Lecavalier is not the only player responsible for that line being poor defensively. So that point is moot.

Provide some facts that support that every player on the team has worse numbers wheh they're with Lecavalier. Adam Hall's offensive numbers seem to be rising to me, since playing with Lecavalier. So that fact is obviously false.

Lecavalier seems to be doing just fine centering the 4th line. So saying that the Flyers can't find a home for him, is also false obviously.

Not many facts there, just spin.
- MJL

Just curious, but do you think allocating 4.5 million dollars of cap space for a 4th line center who plays on the 2nd pp unit a wise use of cap space?

What's the question?
- MJL

Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?

Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?
- KINGKENZO

Lee??