I if i had my choice it would be for a defenseman.
- Pelle31Forever

they are harder to come by, in trades or free agency
realistically with the way the team is now, bschenn for top six winger of similar age would by a decent hockey trade, an area of need vs an area of strength

but sure if there is a defenseman of top 3 capability available, sign me up

That depends on what roles you have each of them doing.
- ob18

Do you think Laughton will be anything more than a 4th line/PK player this year?

Do you think Laughton will be anything more than a 4th line/PK player this year?
- PhillySportsGuy

I do believe he can be and if given the shot he'll do well.

recap. thanks.

recap. thanks.
- hammarby31

Rangers in seven.

recap. thanks.
- hammarby31

I looked like a gaping ahnyuzz but at least I learned something

Didn't back read before that though.

Do you think Laughton will be anything more than a 4th line/PK player this year?
- PhillySportsGuy

Barring injuries, no.

That's just me though.

Rangers in seven.
- KGBflyers10

Unless you are Zac Rinaldo...big part of why Schenn isn't on the PK is that the Flyers have several very good PK forwards. Couturier, Read, Hall, Talbot before he was traded, Raffl, Giroux...again, what does that have to do when discussing Laughton?

Both Schenn and Laughton might end up as LW this season
- Jsaquella

Zac Rinaldo was tried on the PK and he didn't work out. Rinaldo wasn't on the PK for very long. I disagree we've had a lot of options for the PK because we've had to try Rinaldo there. I actually believe Schenn should be tried there but he hasn't been put there since he broke his foot during his first full rookie season as I pointed out. I think there is a reason why Schenn hasn't been on the PK much, if at all since that injury and with Rinaldo being tried there instead. Only to add to this point, I think we've only added a Penalty Killer by trading for RJ Umburger, which gives us more option then we had last season.

What this has to do with the Laughton discussion is, I believe Laughton will see some, if not a lot of PK time the moment he becomes a Flyer. I'm speculating (As this is all nothing more then speculation) Schenn will continue to see no PK time. To me this speaks in volumes. If Laughton (If) continues (once he starts) to see permanent PK time, this tells me Laughton will be trusted in more defensive situations. I believe this will happen from the center position. Maybe I'm wrong but I haven't noticed Brayden Schenn take on a lot of defensive responsibility at center or wing. In my opinion, Schenn's bread and butter is his offensive game. By playing wing, he'll be able to focus more on that, as Schenn has played probably as much wing as he has center at the NHL level so far.

It's just my guess.

Barring injuries, no.

That's just me though.
- Giroux_Is_God

I do believe he can be and if given the shot he'll do well.
-ob

Fight fight fight fight fight fight

Maybe I'm wrong but I haven't noticed Brayden Schenn take on a lot lot of defensive responsibility at center or wing. In my opinion, Schenn's bread and butter is his offensive game. By playing wing, he'll be able to focus more on that, as Schenn has played probably as much wing as he has center at the NHL level so far.
- SuperSchennBros

Coots has been so proficient at soaking up hard minutes that they haven't had to expose Schenn to many of those kinds of situations. I don't really believe that his usage so far has been an indictment of his defensive upside -- if you look around the league, it's pretty much par for the course for most young forwards. Coots is a really extreme outlier in that sense... we also have Mike Richards early development fresh in our minds... our general expectations are just a bit skewed from all that.

Eventually, I think you'll see B Schenn grow into a very solid all-around 2nd-line C and somebody you can use on the PP and PK... like he was in all the other levels he's played at.

Coots has been so proficient at soaking up hard minutes that they haven't had to expose Schenn to many of those kinds of situations. I don't really believe that his usage so far has been an indictment of his defensive upside -- if you look around the league, it's pretty much par for the course for most young forwards. Coots is a really extreme outlier in that sense... we also have Mike Richards early development fresh in our minds... our general expectations are just a bit skewed from all that.

Eventually, I think you'll see B Schenn grow into a very solid all-around 2nd-line C and somebody you can use on the PP and PK... like he was in all the other levels he's played at.
- Tomahawk

Many want Couturier to move into the top 6, which only suggests Couturier become the second line center. Unless Schenn and Couturier morph into one player, this isn't possible.

Fight fight fight fight fight fight
- PhillySportsGuy

Nope. I agree with OB here.

I think he can succeed in an expanded role, but my belief is he's a casualty of the depth chart and is relegated to 4th line/pk for better worse.

Many want Couturier to move into the top 6, which only suggests Couturier become the second line center. Unless Schenn and Couturier morph into one player, this isn't possible.
- SuperSchennBros

Our setup is a lot like Carolina's... they have J Staal and his 'checking line' out there for the 2nd-most ES minutes... Skinner/Nash/Lindholm are technically their second scoring line but see third-line-type minutes.

Having a fantastic defensive stud C allows you to do that.

Get Coots another winger to go along w/ Read and they'll be L2 in all but name.

Our setup is a lot like Carolina's... they have J Staal and his 'checking line' out there for the 2nd-most ES minutes... Skinner/Nash/Lindholm are technically their second scoring line but see third-line-type minutes.

Having a fantastic defensive stud C allows you to do that.

Get Coots another winger to go along w/ Read and they'll be L2 in all but name.
- Tomahawk

Many seem to blame Lecavalier for the center logjam. "If it wasn't for Lecavalier...bluh bluh bluh"

Even if we moved Lecavalier this evening, you still have Giroux, Schenn, Couturier and Laughton all at center. All of which at minimum are top 9 centers. At minimum. I'm one of the few that believes Laughton shouldn't play wing and should play within the top nine out of the gate. I'm not suggest in the least that my guess is concrete. Laughton could end up our fourth line center or our third line winger, I'm just hoping he isn't. Because we've moved on from Hartnell, I've made my peace with moving on from Lecavalier to to open more option at center within the top nine for Laughton on the third line and Couturier could possible move up in the top 6. However, to me, in my mind, this means someone has to move to wing. To me, and only to me, I'd like that guy to be Schenn.

Many seem to blame Lecavalier for the center logjam. "If it wasn't for Lecavalier...bluh bluh bluh"

Even if we moved Lecavalier this evening, you still have Giroux, Schenn, Couturier and Laughton all at center. All of which at minimum are top 9 centers. At minimum. I'm one of the few that believes Laughton shouldn't play wing and should play within the top nine out of the gate. I'm not suggest in the least that my guess is concrete. Laughton could end up our fourth line center or our third line winger, I'm just hoping he isn't. Because we've moved on from Hartnell, I've made my peace with moving on from Lecavalier to to open more option at center within the top nine for Laughton on the third line and Couturier could possible move up in the top 6. However, to me, in my mind, this means someone has to move to wing. To me, and only to me, I'd like that guy to be Schenn.
- SuperSchennBros

So you want to do what exactly with VL, since it seems he's on the roster to start the year? Please don't tell me 4C, because that's a gross misuse.

I'd rather Laughton START the year as the 4C and let him earn his way into the top 9 if you want him on the roster. You won't stunt his growth, and if there's an injury to a C, he's there to step in. He can get time on the PK and possibly on the 2PP unit. Just because he's on the 4th line doesn't mean he's getting 4 minutes a night. But I'm not ready to bump Coots or VL for him and his 5 games of NHL experience.

I'm just saying the idea of moving Grossmann at the beginning of the season may sound easier than it is. If Alt proves to be better than Grossmann, how will teams be able to evaluate him and know he is fully healthy again? It would be a risk taking him on at 2yr $3.5M without seeing him play for any extended period of time.
- PhillySportsGuy

Odds are Alt + will get plenty of PT at the NHL level. Last year the team was relatively healthy. I doubt we will be so lucky 2 years in a row. Might be better to let it all play out as is.

Many seem to blame Lecavalier for the center logjam. "If it wasn't for Lecavalier...bluh bluh bluh"

Even if we moved Lecavalier this evening, you still have Giroux, Schenn, Couturier and Laughton all at center. All of which at minimum are top 9 centers. At minimum. I'm one of the few that believes Laughton shouldn't play wing and should play within the top nine out of the gate. I'm not suggest in the least that my guess is concrete. Laughton could end up our fourth line center or our third line winger, I'm just hoping he isn't. Because we've moved on from Hartnell, I've made my peace with moving on from Lecavalier to to open more option at center within the top nine for Laughton on the third line and Couturier could possible move up in the top 6. However, to me, in my mind, this means someone has to move to wing. To me, and only to me, I'd like that guy to be Schenn.
- SuperSchennBros

Laughton may not make the team -- they could send him down even if he has a solid camp, because of that logjam you mentioned above.

I really believe if they're willing to tamper with some of their forward pairs, especially G-Jake, it opens up a number of possibilities for places to play VL (who's not going anywhere) while Schenn and Coots can still remain in their preferred positions.

So you want to do what exactly with VL, since it seems he's on the roster to start the year? Please don't tell me 4C, because that's a gross misuse.

I'd rather Laughton START the year as the 4C and let him earn his way into the top 9 if you want him on the roster. You won't stunt his growth, and if there's an injury to a C, he's there to step in. He can get time on the PK and possibly on the 2PP unit. Just because he's on the 4th line doesn't mean he's getting 4 minutes a night. But I'm not ready to bump Coots or VL for him and his 5 games of NHL experience.
- jmatchett383

I'd rather start Laughton with the Phantoms if he cannot make the top nine. Lecavalier centering the fourth line in my opinion is stupid. He has an expensive price tag and regardless of shortcomings, he's a top six forward.

Laughton may not make the team -- they could send him down even if he has a solid camp, because of that logjam you mentioned above.

I really believe if they're willing to tamper with some of their forward pairs, especially G-Jake, it opens up a number of possibilities for places to play VL (who's not going anywhere) while Schenn and Coots can still remain in their preferred positions.
- Tomahawk

I agree with most of this. I just don't buy that center is Schenn's preferred position. I'm also buying less and less that flip flopping Schenn from center to wing hurts his development. I really don't think these kids are really that fragile. RJ Umburger flip flopped from center to wing his first three seasons in the NHL as a Flyer. It might have been benafisal for Umburger.

Zac Rinaldo was tried on the PK and he didn't work out. Rinaldo wasn't on the PK for very long. I disagree we've had a lot of options for the PK because we've had to try Rinaldo there. I actually believe Schenn should be tried there but he hasn't been put there since he broke his foot during his first full rookie season as I pointed out. I think there is a reason why Schenn hasn't been on the PK much, if at all since that injury and with Rinaldo being tried there instead. Only to add to this point, I think we've only added a Penalty Killer by trading for RJ Umburger, which gives us more option then we had last season.

What this has to do with the Laughton discussion is, I believe Laughton will see some, if not a lot of PK time the moment he becomes a Flyer. I'm speculating (As this is all nothing more then speculation) Schenn will continue to see no PK time. To me this speaks in volumes. If Laughton (If) continues (once he starts) to see permanent PK time, this tells me Laughton will be trusted in more defensive situations. I believe this will happen from the center position. Maybe I'm wrong but I haven't noticed Brayden Schenn take on a lot of defensive responsibility at center or wing. In my opinion, Schenn's bread and butter is his offensive game. By playing wing, he'll be able to focus more on that, as Schenn has played probably as much wing as he has center at the NHL level so far.

It's just my guess.
- SuperSchennBros

I agree with your guess. Time will tell, but I agree that I see Schenn as more of an offensive player, and don't really expect him to become anything more then an adequate defensive forward.

Odds are Alt + will get plenty of PT at the NHL level. Last year the team was relatively healthy. I doubt we will be so lucky 2 years in a row. Might be better to let it all play out as is.
- moylander

Good point. Flyers were very fortunate last year in terms of injuries. Alt might be the first call up if they need a D man. Could also be Manning.

I agree with your guess. Time will tell, but I agree that I see Schenn as more of an offensive player, and don't really expect him to become anything more then an adequate defensive forward.
- MJL

Oops, there he is. I'm glad I'm on the same page with someone.

I agree with most of this. I just don't buy that center is Schenn's preferred position. I'm also buying less and less that flip flopping Schenn from center to wing hurts his development. I really don't think these kids are really that fragile. RJ Umburger flip flopped from center to wing his first three seasons in the NHL as a Flyer. It might have been benafisal for Umburger.
- SuperSchennBros

Needs to be C or RW for Schenn... from that side of the ice, his playmaking and shot from distance become factors. From the left, he's like a slow-footed plug.

Needs to be C or RW for Schenn... from that side of the ice, his playmaking and shot from distance become factors. From the left, he's like a slow-footed plug.
- Tomahawk

I don't agree.