That stud MacDonald is a healthy scratch today.

And that minor league poopbag VandeVelde back in the lineup.
- PLindbergh31

So they scratched quality dman MacDonald


If Velveeta is replacing Umberger its an upgrade. Let that sink in for a moment

Rinaldo doesn't have to play better. He took a couple of penalties yesterday, but overall, Rinaldo is not the problem.

Mark Streit is in the top 20 among all defenseman in scoring, and has been solid in his Flyers career. Grossmann is steady in his role.

The biggest problems right now, is getting the Couturier line going, and getting the PK improved. Those are the biggest issues with the team.

While it's not ideal, with his cap hit, Umberger can play on the 4th line and he'll be fine. They can hide Lecavalier if he's not going to produce.

What you name here is not going to decide the Flyers fate this year. How the team as a whole plays, and if the players who have bigger roles can improve will decide it.
- MJL

In addition to Couts, Coburn and Amac need to get back to form, as does Matt Read.

If that happens then they should be in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Here's an interesting thought. Hextall has preached patience with the young players, and only kept Ghost up for a cup of coffee. Yet, he called up Laughton and is playing him decent minutes even though he's got other centers - albeit playing poorly - on the big club.

I wonder if he is evaluating Laughton's play at the NHL level as a precursor to a trade, either of Laughton or Couturier.

Strome is a decent two-way defender, based on what I read. But he has more offensive upside that either Laughton or Couts. I think he could share some of the defensive load with Laughton. Also, I'm more of a "best defense is a good offense" kind of guy. I'd rather have a deep 3-line attack than 1 line you can count on to score and 2 defensive-oriented lines.

I still worry that the Flyers are too much of a one-line team with Laughton and Couts. It's way too early to judge Laughton of course, but at some point with Couts what his stats say he is is what he truly is.

It's easy for us to blame it all on lack of offensive zone draws. But at some point he's got to do more with what he has.
- TheGreat28

Couturier's stats have shown that he can produce at a 2nd line level at ES.

I think right now Couturier has to play better, along with a lot of other players.

But what has to happen most, for Couturier to be put in better situations, is for this team to get better defensively overall, so Couturier doesn't have to carry a heavy load.

What's easy is for some to ignore how Couturier is used, and what he's faced with when looking at his offensive numbers.

Some Chelsea wisdom (and not yours ).
- tangent_man

True

That stud MacDonald is a healthy scratch today.

And that minor league poopbag VandeVelde back in the lineup.
- PLindbergh31

which forward was scratched?

In addition to Couts, Coburn and Amac need to get back to form, as does Matt Read.

If that happens then they should be in the hunt for a playoff spot.
- Marc D

Lot's of players do. If the Couturier line can get going, along with the newly formed Laughton line. That would give the Flyers 3 strong lines.

So they scratched quality dman MacDonald


If Velveeta is replacing Umberger its an upgrade. Let that sink in for a moment
- BiggE

Nope. VLC and Turburger still in. Bellamare has been scratched. Berube is a genius. He's got all the answers.

Simmonds has looked good with Laughton so far. For big parts of Friday's game they were the Flyers best line.

I'm not averse to trying Simmond's with Giroux but feel the chances of splitting up G and Jake are slim.
- Marc D

If Berube doesn't at least try splitting Voracek and Giroux to try spread the offense, then in my opinion, he really hasn't tried everything. That's the beauty to some of the great duos in the league. Zetterberg and Datsyuk, Toews and Kane, Crosby and Malkin. These guys have learned how to play both together and apart.

Nope. VLC and Turburger still in. Bellamare has been scratched. Berube is a genius. He's got all the answers.
- PLindbergh31

Oh for (frank)s sake, really?

So they scratched quality dman MacDonald


If Velveeta is replacing Umberger its an upgrade. Let that sink in for a moment
- BiggE

Looks like a press box rotation on D. Maybe it'll work its way up to the forwards at some point.

Nope. VLC and Turburger still in. Bellamare has been scratched. Berube is a genius. He's got all the answers.
- PLindbergh31

Wait, what?? Bellemare is out??

Nope. VLC and Turburger still in. Bellamare has been scratched. Berube is a genius. He's got all the answers.
- PLindbergh31

maybe it's an act of mercy, not subjecting PEB to this death march

Rinaldo took two offensive zone penalties yesterday, he's playing, and Bellamare isn't.



This (frank)ing coach is completely clueless. He's really holding players accountable.
Coach face punch

Nope. VLC and Turburger still in. Bellamare has been scratched. Berube is a genius. He's got all the answers.
- PLindbergh31

scratched Bellemare and has VLC on the 4th line and Umby on the third?

I give Berube credit but he has lost me completely here.

Couturier's stats have shown that he can produce at a 2nd line level at ES.

I think right now Couturier has to play better, along with a lot of other players.

But what has to happen most, for Couturier to be put in better situations, is for this team to get better defensively overall, so Couturier doesn't have to carry a heavy load.

What's easy is for some to ignore how Couturier is used, and what he's faced with when looking at his offensive numbers.
- MJL

And it's easy for some to over-analyze the lack of offensive zone starts stat and assume that there is a direct correlation to OZS and scoring. '

You and I will always differ on our projection of Couturier, and nothing either says will change the other's mind. I am not anti-Couturier at all. I just think both he and Laughton project out better as 3rd line guys.

Time will tell if I am wrong or not.

So they scratched quality dman MacDonald


If Velveeta is replacing Umberger its an upgrade. Let that sink in for a moment
- BiggE

Someone is making some assumptions here. A defenseman doesn't normally go from being 2nd among all defenseman in ice time in the previous game , to being a healthy scratch.

If Berube doesn't at least tey splitting Voracek and Giroux to try spread the offense, then in my opinion, he really hasn't tried everything. That's the beauty to some of the great duos in the league. Zetterberg and Datsyuk, Toews and Kane, Crosby and Malkin. These guys have learned how to play both together and apart.
- SuperSchennBros

it may be coming soon, who knows

We don't have a physical team.
- FlyerFan16

Oh, thx for telling me

And it's easy for some to over-analyze the lack of offensive zone starts stat and assume that there is a direct correlation to OZS and scoring. '

You and I will always differ on our projection of Couturier, and nothing either says will change the other's mind. I am not anti-Couturier at all. I just think both he and Laughton project out better as 3rd line guys.

Time will tell if I am wrong or not.
- TheGreat28

It's not possible to over analyze that. And there is a direct correlation.

It's not about how our projections differ. It's about why they do. It's really about the facts of the situation.

it may be coming soon, who knows
- Marc D

I love Voracek and Giroux together but Berube has got to do something.

I'm glad that he made it through waivers, but I'm not surprised that he did. Do you still believe the top realm of his upside may be 60 pts?
- MJL

Yeah, nothing that has occurred in the past few days has changed that. At this point, the sample size in terms of Akeson's minutes played was larger last season when he had a more suitable role and averaged .5 pts per game, and second only to G in pts/60 min (ES) and also contributing on the pp. I'm not going to look at how he performed this season, in 91 minutes on a super short leash in a miscast role as a checking line grinder or in a few minutes on a line with two of the most struggling players and conclude, based on that, that he can no longer perform and produce as he has done for years.

Nobody knows what Akeson's NHL upside is at this point, but given his talent and track record of production prior to this season, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. As far I'm concerned, with the way Berube has handled the player, I'm much more inclined to believe this season has been more of an aberration than a true glimpse of his future in the NHL.

Martin St. Louis appeared in 13 games with Calgary in 1998...he was quickly demoted to the fourth line and was a frequent scratch before being assigned to the AHL (sound familiar?) where he led their team in scoring. He was re-signed in 2000-2001 but the new regime came in and they weren't interested in him...after he wasn't picked in the expansion draft they exposed him to, they bought him out. He ended up signing with Tampa (Bill Barber, with Tampa then, liked him) because he was likely to get significant icetime there...he struggled early while trying to change his game and be a checker as the coaches kept deploying him (sounds familiar) but later went back to the game he knew he had in him...gained some confidence and asked for more minutes/better role..they gave it to him and he started to really flourish and become one of the leagues best players. Now, I bring this up, not to say that Akeson will be the next MSL. I bring it up as a case in point to illustrate how undersized talented players sometimes struggle to show they can be valuable in the NHL..it takes someone willing to give them a chance and ultimately, to put them into a position to succeed. Akeson won't put up 100 pts like Marty, but if he's given the opportunity to play on a scoring line with pp time for a full season, I could see him topping out at around 60 pts.

Someone is making some assumptions here. A defenseman doesn't normally go from being 2nd among all defenseman in ice time in the previous game , to being a healthy scratch.
- MJL

Big assumption. Holmgren Binky boys taking turn being scratched.

Pretty soon you won't have anything left to defend. Custer at Little Big Horn.

Philadelphia Flyers ‏@NHLFlyers 1m1 minute ago
ROSTER UPDATE: VandeVelde & L. Schenn return; Bellemare & MacDonald are scratched. #PHIvsNYR

Read more → http://nhlflye.rs/F4K8Z

Rinaldo took two offensive zone penalties yesterday, he's playing, and Bellamare isn't.



This (frank)ing coach is completely clueless. He's really holding players accountable.
Coach face punch
- PLindbergh31

holy poop.


this is really starting to tick me off.

holy poop.


this is really starting to tick me off.
- -davies-

That crap has been ticking me off since last year