Bob McKenzie wrote about Canada's WJHC team paying close attention to training camps. This paragraph was what he said about Morin:

Philadelphia's towering defenceman Sam Morin remains is also still in the Flyer camp.

That's absolutely what you don't want -- I think Rinaldo's a bad hockey player, and for the life of me I don't get what the Flyers saw in him that merited a two-year!!! extension, but this has to be the make-or-break year.

I hope he develops into an effective PKer and cuts down on the penalties, because he's on the roster. But he hasn't shown that he could do either at the level of a replacement-level player, and to me, that's the point: If you're just a replacement-level player, you sure as hell better not be taking ridiculous penalties, or an excessive amount of penalties, because you're not scoring or preventing goals.
- AllInForFlyers

Agreed 1,000%

I loved Berube as a player too, but that doesn't mean he's infallible in player evaluation as a coach.
- jmatchett383

He may be misguided. Lappy is evaluating based on personal experience. From what I've read his support is about attitude, energy, etc... Not necessarily skill. I think Lappy may see a little of himself in Rinaldo.

So 17 pages we are still on Rinaldo with a bit about poptarts and peanut butter thrown in here and there.


Gonna be a looooonnnnnggggg season

Bob McKenzie wrote about Canada's WJHC team paying close attention to training camps. This paragraph was what he said about Morin:

Philadelphia's towering defenceman Sam Morin remains is also still in the Flyer camp.
- aflyerpower8

If that doesn't scream "NEXT CHRIS PRONGER" at you nothing will

any word on whether Gange is going to be in the same boat as Leno?

So 17 pages we are still on Rinaldo with a bit about poptarts and peanut butter thrown in here and there.


Gonna be a looooonnnnnggggg season


- BiggE

In my defense, my cable was out and I was bored

If it was that simple, why have a coach? I didn't question the effort, last year in playoffs, I questioned why they still had issues with gap control & why there was no effective counter for the Rangers forechecking.

It's not easy to generate chances when you're spending a lot of time and energy in your own end.
- Jsaquella

I m fine with that....

Getting back to rinaldo, something that i thought of, is how u mentioned he showed no improvement last year, which i agree with, but did you think a lot of other guys did? I felt with the exception to a few, the team as a whole kind of stagnated.

He may be misguided. Lappy is evaluating based on personal experience. From what I've read his support is about attitude, energy, etc... Not necessarily skill. I think Lappy may see a little of himself in Rinaldo.
- leon neon

minus the solid hockey sense and some skill

In my defense, my cable was out and I was bored
- Jsaquella

Well hopefully you aren't out of booze

So 17 pages we are still on Rinaldo with a bit about poptarts and peanut butter thrown in here and there.


Gonna be a looooonnnnnggggg season


- BiggE

Im more pumped about this pre season flyers game than any NFL game... Just had to blurt that out there

any word on whether Gange is going to be in the same boat as Leno?
- wilsonecho91

From what I've read, Gagne has played well. Maybe they end up keeping him after the clear the logjam on D?

I m fine with that....

Getting back to rinaldo, something that i thought of, is how u mentioned he showed no improvement last year, which i agree with, but did you think a lot of other guys did? I felt with the exception to a few, the team as a whole kind of stagnated.
- JoeRussomanno

Couturier nearly put up 40 points and established himself as one of the leagues best penalty killers

B Schenn hit the 20 goal mark for the first time

Simmonds had his best year to date

Mason certainly had a better year than he did in 12-13

But yeah, no one improved

yay Rinaldo

I m fine with that....

Getting back to rinaldo, something that i thought of, is how u mentioned he showed no improvement last year, which i agree with, but did you think a lot of other guys did? I felt with the exception to a few, the team as a whole kind of stagnated.
- JoeRussomanno

I think B. Schenn & Couturier showed improvement. I think Gustafsson showed flashes when he wasn't benched.


The difference is, the rest if the young guys showed more talent & ability, so even if it was minor improvement it was still a stronger baseline to build on

Im more pumped about this pre season flyers game than any NFL game... Just had to blurt that out there
- JoeRussomanno

That's because the NFL product has slowly been getting progressively worse over the past 5 or so years.

Im more pumped about this pre season flyers game than any NFL game... Just had to blurt that out there
- JoeRussomanno

You mean you don't like 4 hours of middle aged men in striped shirts throwing little yellow flags around????

Well hopefully you aren't out of booze
- BiggE

Well, I am now

Well, I am now
- Jsaquella

Beer Run!!

That's little more than a hackneyed cliche. You can have 5 guys busting their asses at cross purposes and you won't win. 5 guys working their asses off as a unit is far better.

The Flyers lacked cohesion, not effort.

Basically my issue with Rinaldo in a nutshell. The effort will be there, for sure. But if that effort end is aimed poorly, it's not worth a bucket of piss in a rowboat full of leaks
- Jsaquella

So, are you willing to give Rinaldo sometime to correct his aim? A lot of players sucked and prone to mistakes at the age of 24.

I m fine with that....

Getting back to rinaldo, something that i thought of, is how u mentioned he showed no improvement last year, which i agree with, but did you think a lot of other guys did? I felt with the exception to a few, the team as a whole kind of stagnated.
- JoeRussomanno

Off the top of my head:

Giroux was a Hart finalist, so yeah, he kind of improved.
Mason was the Team MVP, in my opinion, after horrible years in Columbus.
Schenn hit 20 goals.
Couturier set career highs in points and became an elite PK/defensive center.
Simmonds set career highs in offensive stats

In my defense, my cable was out and I was bored
- Jsaquella

And I was late to the party, but some of this stuff needs to be said -- we all respect guys that try hard and want to be in the NHL, want to be Flyers.

But there was a lot of truth in what you said about exactly what Rinaldo has accomplished to deserve the leash he gets, while other guys don't.

I about got laughed off the boards when I suggested around this time last year that Jason Akeson just deserved a chance to play some games in the preseason -- just some games in the PRESEASON -- because the Flyers looked horrible on offense.

Akeson had earned that much, and nothing more, by virtue of consistent production in the AHL. He had done enough to get a LOOK. Nothing promised. Just a look.

Their roles are different, and everyone understands that. But at some point, you have to do SOMETHING on the ice with regard to the puck. You have to either defend or score. Skating fast and hitting guys, while the first is a talent and the latter requires courage, doesn't mean you're a hockey player, let alone a good one.

In this particular era, you have to do more than that. Either defensively or offensively, you have to be able to do something that either reduces goals against or increases goals for.

You mean you don't like 4 hours of middle aged men in striped shirts throwing little yellow flags around????
- BiggE

I'm a big fan of getting a bunch of fat smelly men into one location, and having them jump all over each other and grab each other whenever they can. When they get really excited, they do odd dances that usually involve hip shaking and/or pelvic thrusts.

Oh, sorry,we're talking about football?

From what I've read, Gagne has played well. Maybe they end up keeping him after the clear the logjam on D?
- Jsaquella

A healthy and motivated Simon Gagne is capable of making many NHL rosters, even one as stacked as the Bruins -- if he isn't cut by now because of physical limitations, I have a feeling he's gonna make it.

And I was late to the party, but some of this stuff needs to be said -- we all respect guys that try hard and want to be in the NHL, want to be Flyers.

But there was a lot of truth in what you said about exactly what Rinaldo has accomplished to deserve the leash he gets, while other guys don't.

I about got laughed off the boards when I suggested around this time last year that Jason Akeson just deserved a chance to play some games in the preseason -- just some games in the PRESEASON -- because the Flyers looked horrible on offense.

Akeson had earned that much, and nothing more, by virtue of consistent production in the AHL. He had done enough to get a LOOK. Nothing promised. Just a look.

Their roles are different, and everyone understands that. But at some point, you have to do SOMETHING on the ice with regard to the puck. You have to either defend or score. Skating fast and hitting guys, while the first is a talent and the latter requires courage, doesn't mean you're a hockey player, let alone a good one.

In this particular era, you have to do more than that. Either defensively or offensively, you have to be able to do something that either reduces goals against or increases goals for.
- AllInForFlyers

I was one of the people who laughed at you for Akeson, and I'll admit I was hasty on him, although I do believe that the bulk of the year spent in the AHL probably improved his game by the time he was called up.

And I was late to the party, but some of this stuff needs to be said -- we all respect guys that try hard and want to be in the NHL, want to be Flyers.

But there was a lot of truth in what you said about exactly what Rinaldo has accomplished to deserve the leash he gets, while other guys don't.

I about got laughed off the boards when I suggested around this time last year that Jason Akeson just deserved a chance to play some games in the preseason -- just some games in the PRESEASON -- because the Flyers looked horrible on offense.

Akeson had earned that much, and nothing more, by virtue of consistent production in the AHL. He had done enough to get a LOOK. Nothing promised. Just a look.

Their roles are different, and everyone understands that. But at some point, you have to do SOMETHING on the ice with regard to the puck. You have to either defend or score. Skating fast and hitting guys, while the first is a talent and the latter requires courage, doesn't mean you're a hockey player, let alone a good one.

In this particular era, you have to do more than that. Either defensively or offensively, you have to be able to do something that either reduces goals against or increases goals for.
- AllInForFlyers