He was every bit as bad as read and Umberger were in the offensive zone last year.
- Just5

Then how did he outscore them so handily?

ES points per 60 minutes and OZ start %
Voracek ~ 2.30 ~ 61%
White ~ 1.81 ~ 54%
Raffl ~ 1.74 ~ 57%
Giroux ~ 1.62 ~ 54%
Lecavalier ~ 1.57 ~ 59%
Simmonds ~ 1.52 ~ 53%
Couturier ~ 1.46 ~ 40%
Schenn ~ 1.46 ~ 58%
Read ~ 1.29 ~ 41%
VandeVelde ~ 1.26 ~ 51%
Umberger ~ 1.01 ~ 47%
Laughton ~ 0.85 ~ 51%
Bellemare ~ 0.83 ~ 49%
Rinaldo ~ 0.72 ~ 49%

A little bit of both. I think he is probably worth 3.5 now but could be worth 6 in 3 years. Bill nailed it when he said both sides were taking a leap of faith. It could go the Simmond route where you feel he is great value if he improves or the Read route where you hope one bad season isn't a harbinger. Personally, if they were going to take a leap of faith on a player, Coots is a good one to do it with. If this was Schenn I would be less impressed but Coots was neck and neck to go 1st overall with RNH for a little while and has shown he can play a responsible two way game. At worst he will be over paid by 1M and at best underpaid by a few IMHO. I am very happy with the deal. BTW: Why did several people say Schenn was going to be traded now, yesterday?
- coffee junkie

I don't see it as a leap of faith for 14 at all. flyers take all the risk. he is getting paid and set for life.

if he was so confident in himself maybe he doesn't sign that deal and leave potential $ on the table; like you said could he be worth 6 in a few years?

I am enjoying how things have gone since the Flyers last game.

-Berube throws Couturier under the bus
-Hextall defends Couturier in a press conference
-Hextall fires Berube and hires Hakstol
-Hextall gives Couturier a six year extension
-Berube remains unemployed

offensive zone starts and a valid 2nd pp would too. Raffl coots gagner umberger mdz? I only say umberger to take simmonds spot he had some small results doing that last year could also sub In white to that role. Read raffl can be interchangeable if read comes back from injury strong
- Tfaehner

Assuming none of the kids on D make the roster, I'm thinking the PP units look like
First Unit
Streit
Giroux
Voracek
Schenn
Simmonds

Second Unit
Medvedev
Gagner
Del Zotto
Couturier
Raffl

I would though, have no problem with them double shifting Simmonds for the entire PP the same way they used to with Tim Kerr in the 80s

Then how did he outscore them so handily?

ES points per 60 minutes and OZ start %
Voracek ~ 2.30 ~ 61%
White ~ 1.81 ~ 54%
Raffl ~ 1.74 ~ 57%
Giroux ~ 1.62 ~ 54%
Lecavalier ~ 1.57 ~ 59%
Simmonds ~ 1.52 ~ 53%
Couturier ~ 1.46 ~ 40%
Schenn ~ 1.46 ~ 58%
Read ~ 1.29 ~ 41%
VandeVelde ~ 1.26 ~ 51%
Umberger ~ 1.01 ~ 47%
Laughton ~ 0.85 ~ 51%
Bellemare ~ 0.83 ~ 49%
Rinaldo ~ 0.72 ~ 49%
- Feanor

Wow, that is a very good stat for Couturier. Very telling of his true value. Honestly I don't get the hate. At 22 he is already one of the best defensive centers in the league. There is good potential that he starts to find his offensive game. There are a bevy of other NHL players who did not score often until they got to 23, 24, 25 years old. And I would venture to guess that none of them had the usage Couturier deals with game in and game out.

He needs to score 5 more goals and get 8-10 more assists to reach 50 points (20 goals). Heck, a healthy Matt Read BY HIMSELF should be able to help him get there, I don't even care who is on his other wing.

I also have NO DOUBT Matt Read pushes for 20 goals this season barring another serious injury. And make no mistake, a high ankle sprain is a serious and painful injury.

was dave semenko a playmaker?
- Isles_since_6

Very underrated.

Assuming none of the kids on D make the roster, I'm thinking the PP units look like
First Unit
Streit
Giroux
Voracek
Schenn
Simmonds

Second Unit
Medvedev
Gagner
Del Zotto
Couturier
Raffl

I would though, have no problem with them double shifting Simmonds for the entire PP the same way they used to with Tim Kerr in the 80s
- BiggE

many will disagree I think. if and a big if, RJ is healthy he has had pp success in the past. maybe he is worth a look on the 2nd unit.

many will disagree I think. if and a big if, RJ is healthy he has had pp success in the past. maybe he is worth a look on the 2nd unit.
- rinaldo

Given how it looked last year, I don't think any ideas on the 2nd unit PP should be discounted.

Churchill vows to fight on.

- MBFlyerfan

*something something* Magna Carta...

*something something* Magna Carta...
- tangent_man

Jesus does some stuff

also I haven't seen it mentioned at all. looks like there isn't any restrictions on the deal. good for hextall on that end.

Assuming none of the kids on D make the roster, I'm thinking the PP units look like
First Unit
Streit
Giroux
Voracek
Schenn
Simmonds

Second Unit
Medvedev
Gagner
Del Zotto
Couturier
Raffl

I would though, have no problem with them double shifting Simmonds for the entire PP the same way they used to with Tim Kerr in the 80s
- BiggE

I think it will be a pleasure to watch Hak's system after watching Boreube's

I think it will be a pleasure to watch Hak's system after watching Boreube's
- vejim

His name is spelled Beru....oooh, I see what you did there.

Jesus does some stuff
- jmatchett383

Wait...fiction's allowed?

Jesus does some stuff
- jmatchett383

Jesus has big plans for the Flyers

Wait...fiction's allowed?
- tangent_man

Fiction? Dude was 100% totally a carpenter, wandered around in a desert, got crucified...these are indisputable facts. He did all of them.

Jesus for a 32AD 4th rounder

many will disagree I think. if and a big if, RJ is healthy he has had pp success in the past. maybe he is worth a look on the 2nd unit.
- rinaldo

If he's healthy, I'm fine with that. Other than the first pp unit, Giroux and Voracek on the first line and Mason as the starting goalie, nothing should be set in stone. When you haven't won a playoff round in over 3 years, very little should be a given.

didnt see the urgency to sign him to that term as he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. would have rather waiting it out and let him earn it a little more.

I do not think has he earned being a 4.3 per year player; more than doubled his current salary. hope hextall is right and he progresses.
- rinaldo

Yea, let's put that pressure on him, and have him on edge worrying about a new contract. I'd rather take that pressure off of him, and let him just go out and play. The kid has had a lot of responsibility and tough minutes placed on him since day 1 of his NHL career. I think he's earned it.

*something something* Magna Carta...
- tangent_man

Is that Latin for "Carter sucks"?

*something something* Magna Carta...
- tangent_man

Between fire and now the wheel, things are looking up.

I think it will be a pleasure to watch Hak's system after watching Boreube's
- vejim

Agreed

Is that Latin for "Carter sucks"?
- 77rams

Exactly. Made popular in that respect during the 1976 US Presidential Election by the Republicans.

Is that Latin for "Carter sucks"?
- 77rams

that or Carter uses magnums

that or Carter uses magnums
- vejim

Jeff "Beer Can" Carter

Yea, let's put that pressure on him, and have him on edge worrying about a new contract. I'd rather take that pressure off of him, and let him just go out and play. The kid has had a lot of responsibility and tough minutes placed on him since day 1 of his NHL career. I think he's earned it.
- MJL

so him having a contract that pays him 4.3 wont be any pressure? if he doesn't produce and he starts to squeeze a little more that's not pressure on himself? having that contract could also have a negative effect could it not?

he has said himself paraphrasing, that he has to improve offensively to make that contract worth it.

pressure of a contract. luv it.