And what happens if his injury history flares up or he shows to be an AHL-best talent. What is your contingency plan for the rest of the year and/or the following year?

VL put up a decent amount of points for someone who was bounced around the lineup and suffered a substantial injury. If you don't want to waste money/playing time on Vinny, your BEST bet is to put him in a position to thrive this year, and hope that it parlays into increased trade value. They could always trade him at the TDL and allow Giroux/Schenn/Coots to be your 3 down the middle. This is a no-brainer for me. He will absolutely be valuable down the line. And who knows, maybe you have a young guy that can step into that open wing position when Schenn moves over.

VL at 2C + Schenn at 1W/2W > VL at 4C + Schenn at 3C. Schenn still has plenty of time and room to grow.
- steelydan

Fair but are the flyers winning the cup next year? If not, then swapping an anchor of a contract for a one year low risk/ high reward is a no brainer IMHO. Plus it would create cap space this year and the next three. I guess we will need to agree to disagree. I personally don't think Vinny is going anywhere so this is a worthless conversation. Also, I will be routing for him to have a bounce back year.

Fair but are the flyers winning the cup next year? If not, then swapping an anchor of a contract for a one year low risk/ high reward is a no brainer IMHO. Plus it would create cap space this year and the next three. I guess we will need to agree to disagree. I personally don't think Vinny is going anywhere so this is a worthless conversation. Also, I will be routing for him to have a bounce back year.
- coffee junkie

If he's stuck here, we'll all be rooting for him. He's not totally worthless, but he is a poor fit for what both the GM and coach have said they want to team to do.The problem is, despite scoring 20 goals in a season where he had an injury, other teams don't seem to want to touch Vinny with a 20 foot pole....unless of course the Flyers are footing half the bill.

That speaks volumes. Other teams are really hesitant to get involved with a guy who shows a lot of the signs of being a good player in decline who has significant term left on his deal. Nobody is sure what will happen with Lecavalier moving forward.

This isn't without a lack of trying. He was used on the PK. Ineffective but tried there, even though I feel players such as Brayden Schenn, Jake Voracek or Wayne Simmonds should be thrown into that mix.

I agree that Rinaldo has shown very little growth but he's also a player that brings grit and sandpaper, which seems like we have less of now with the departure of Hartnell. I would have liked to have added Steve Ott which left room to remove Rinaldo but the asking price was too high.

If the Flyers can remove Rinaldo but add a better player with grit to take over on the fouth line, I'm fine with the Flyers doing so. Looking over the forwards, I'd say out side of Rinaldo, Wayne Simmonds and maybe Brayden Schenn are our most gritty players. They're also top six skilled players. This isn't good.
- SuperSchennBros

I think the lack of grit is a legitimate concern. I would prefer someone from the phantoms then Rinaldo. He is one of those players that can single handedly lose you a game if he goes off the handle. Question for folks, anyone with grit on the phantoms that could work 4th line duty?

If he's stuck here, we'll all be rooting for him. He's not totally worthless, but he is a poor fit for what both the GM and coach have said they want to team to do.The problem is, despite scoring 20 goals in a season where he had an injury, other teams don't seem to want to touch Vinny with a 20 foot pole....unless of course the Flyers are footing half the bill.

That speaks volumes. Other teams are really hesitant to get involved with a guy who shows a lot of the signs of being a good player in decline who has significant term left on his deal. Nobody is sure what will happen with Lecavalier moving forward.
- Jsaquella

Lecavalier was a player in decline even before he played a game for the Flyers. So being in decline isn't the issue. It's the uncertainty of his health, and if that is going to affect him going forward, and if he can bounce back. If he does so, his trade value will increase, if he has a solid season. But he will still be a player in decline. And with how his contract is structured, if he does have a solid season, I could see a lot of interest in Lecavalier at that point.

I think the lack of grit is a legitimate concern. I would prefer someone from the phantoms then Rinaldo. He is one of those players that can single handedly lose you a game if he goes off the handle. Question for folks, anyone with grit on the phantoms that could work 4th line duty?
- coffee junkie

Not much, unless Cousins or Laughton is ready. Mathers is certainly a tough guy, but he's more an enforcer along the lines of Rosehill than a gritty guy who can step in and play regular minutes.

They could still bring in a free agent like Daniel Winnik.

I think the lack of grit is a legitimate concern. I would prefer someone from the phantoms then Rinaldo. He is one of those players that can single handedly lose you a game if he goes off the handle. Question for folks, anyone with grit on the phantoms that could work 4th line duty?
- coffee junkie

I think when Rinaldo is on his game, he can help set a physical tone with his hitting game. But like you said, just as likely to take a bad penalty, or even be the victim of a bad call based on his rep. I think he needs to add more to his game. Become a better defensive player, so that he can be trusted on the ice in more situations. He's not going to be on the ice late in games when the team needs a goal that much. It would be nice if he could be trusted on the ice when the team has a lead late in games. He has to evolve and become a better player. That didn't happen last year.

Not much, unless Cousins or Laughton is ready. Mathers is certainly a tough guy, but he's more an enforcer along the lines of Rosehill than a gritty guy who can step in and play regular minutes.

They could still bring in a free agent like Daniel Winnik.
- Jsaquella

All Mathers will do is take over a role of a player we all (or at least most) want gone.

To me and yes I am biased Laughton is ready.

All Mathers will do is take over a role of a player we all (or at least most) want gone.

To me and yes I am biased Laughton is ready.
- ob18

I can really envision a team in the future that is very strong up the middle. With Giroux, Couturier, and Laughton.

I can really envision a team in the future that is very strong up the middle. With Giroux, Couturier, and Laughton.
- MJL

I agree, it has a good look to it.

All Mathers will do is take over a role of a player we all (or at least most) want gone.

To me and yes I am biased Laughton is ready.
- ob18

My guess is that he's ready as well. But I do expect the Flyers to be patient, as Hextall has repeatedly said they will be. With Lecavalier likely to still be around, the Flyers might decide to let him get a ton of ice time in Lehigh Valley, rather than 8 minutes a night on the 4th line.

My guess is that he's ready as well. But I do expect the Flyers to be patient, as Hextall has repeatedly said they will be. With Lecavalier likely to still be around, the Flyers might decide to let him get a ton of ice time in Lehigh Valley, rather than 8 minutes a night on the 4th line.
- Jsaquella

And I understand that can happen............My thought of having him up here now is it allows you to have the use of somebody else to take D zone draws & even put Couturier out for the offensive zone draws and have a chance at putting up some more points.

I can really envision a team in the future that is very strong up the middle. With Giroux, Couturier, and Laughton.
- MJL

UGH WHY DOES THIS TEAM PICK SO MANY (frank)ING CENTERS

UGH WHY DOES THIS TEAM PICK SO MANY (frank)ING CENTERS


- Giroux_Is_God

it doesn't Maatta!

For the same price they got a prime contributor to a Cup win AND got said player to take a 35% pay-cut... Lombardi
- Tomahawk

All they had to do was lock up an injury prone winger till he was almost 40. If Holmgren gave Gaborik the same deal he would get killed for it on here.

And I understand that can happen............My thought of having him up here now is it allows you to have the use of somebody else to take D zone draws & even put Couturier out for the offensive zone draws and have a chance at putting up some more points.
- ob18

That'd be the main reason. Berube obviously isn't comfortable with either Lecavalier or Schenn helping in that area. Their deployment numbers show us that. Schenn might get better at it, Lecavalier probably not.

I'm not against keeping Laughton even if it's initially being used at both LW and C

I think the lack of grit is a legitimate concern. I would prefer someone from the phantoms then Rinaldo. He is one of those players that can single handedly lose you a game if he goes off the handle. Question for folks, anyone with grit on the phantoms that could work 4th line duty?
- coffee junkie

I've never seen Rinaldo fly off the handle. Not like a young Steve Downie. Not like a current Dan Carcillo. Not at all. Rinaldo is just limited in skill. He has very little.

rangers got better

Flyers stayed same

Rangers gonna beat us again

rangers got better

Flyers stayed same

Rangers gonna beat us again
- Winning

Incorrect

I've never seen Rinaldo fly off the handle. Not like a young Steve Downie. Not like a current Dan Carcillo. Not at all. Rinaldo is just limited in skill. He has very little.
- SuperSchennBros

No, Rinaldo doesn't fly off the handle like those guys, but he is prone to taking many penalties. It looked as if he was getting smarter in the lockout season, but last season he was about useless.

If he's drawing penalties and getting opposing players off their game, he's effective. If he's getting called more often than he takes another guy off, the grit and sandpaper doesn't matter.

That'd be the main reason. Berube obviously isn't comfortable with either Lecavalier or Schenn helping in that area. Their deployment numbers show us that. Schenn might get better at it, Lecavalier probably not.

I'm not against keeping Laughton even if it's initially being used at both LW and C
- Jsaquella

At the very least it provides them an option they don't currently have.

it doesn't Maatta!









- isaiah520

it doesn't Maatta!









- isaiah520

Flyers are forever doomed that they didn't draft Maata!

I've never seen Rinaldo fly off the handle. Not like a young Steve Downie. Not like a current Dan Carcillo. Not at all. Rinaldo is just limited in skill. He has very little.
- SuperSchennBros

Remember that game last season where on his first shift, he jumped a player? Now that's no where near as bad as Downie, but it was still a lack of discipline. Rinaldo needs to develop more aspects to his game. He needs to become a better defensive player and concentrate on getting on the right side of the puck instead of always going for the big hit while the puck is on it's way to the other end. Hit to separate a player from the puck, or to cause an errant pass. Don't hit just to hit.

rangers got better

Flyers stayed same

Rangers gonna beat us again
- Winning

don't watch.