In the few games he was called up, which is admittedly a short sample size, I think it was obvious that although he has really strong puck skills, Gostisbehere's game overall was not ready for the NHL. I doubt that has changed with all the time he missed due to injury.
- MJL

I didn't like that they had to sheild Ghost in his call ups. Like he wasn't seeing regular shifts. That to me told me he was far from ready.

That's some ferocious anti-Schenn spin you've put on a paraphrased summary of Hextall's standard, innocuous comments about letting the coach decide what positions players will be in.

You're in mid-season form before the they have even started camp.
- Feanor

It's not anti-Schenn, it's looking at his season and calling a spade a spade -- just a couple of paragraphs before, Bill noted that while Schenn wasn't the disaster that Umberger and Read were due to injury, Schenn did not meet expectations

If he hadn't gotten the PP points that come with being on PP1 -- and while he helped, he certainly wasn't the deal breaker -- people would be looking at Schenn's season with a far more critical eye. He was nonexistent for at least 25 games, invisible for a few too many more

"The problem there that I have seen in the past is so you keep a kid for nine games and then he goes back to juniors for a month or two so you can look at it and say we took half his season and kind of turned it upside down where he didn’t go on the perfect development path, where he kind of went back to junior at the end of preseason or the proper time you might call it, and have his head ready at junior..." said Hextall.

I think Hexy's talking about what the Kings did to Brayden Schenn in 2010 here.... his 8-game tryout stretched out into December, and he ended playing just a little over 40-games that entire year between all levels. Not really a lost year, since he played so well in the Dub and w/ the Monarchs, but a lot of wasted time there probably.

Sunks costs. I think Umberger can be a decent player if healthy, and that is a huge IF, he hasn't been healthy the last two year. But still his production doesn't come close to justifying his contract. Lecavalier is a one trick pony, if he's not scoring goals he brings nothing else to the table. Obviously this has been brought up ad nauseam, but carrying these players at their cap hits really hamstrings the Flyers.
- PLindbergh31

I can live with Umberger...what other choice do they have, and at least when healthy, he tries to play defense

It's not anti-Schenn, it's looking at his season and calling a spade a spade -- just a couple of paragraphs before, Bill noted that while Schenn wasn't the disaster that Umberger and Read were due to injury, Schenn did not meet expectations

If he hadn't gotten the PP points that come with being on PP1 -- and while he helped, he certainly wasn't the deal breaker -- people would be looking at Schenn's season with a far more critical eye. He was nonexistent for at least 25 games, invisible for a few too many more
- AllInForFlyers

I think the issue there is not bringing up and discussing the inconsistency in schenn's game and season, which I agree with, but rather the hyperbole offered that he play was equal to a september call up that gets hot. That kind of glosses over the reality.

I can live with Umberger...what other choice do they have, and at least when healthy, he tries to play defense
- AllInForFlyers

If he stinks in camp, I hope they demote him and just pretend that somebody useful like Chris Porter's making that $4.6M instead.

If he stinks in camp, I hope they demote him and just pretend that somebody useful like Chris Porter's making that $4.6M instead.
- Tomahawk

You would think more teams would do that, understand that, but at the end of it, it almost always seems like the money gets the extended opportunity

I think the issue there is not bringing up and discussing the inconsistency in schenn's game and season, which I agree with, but rather the hyperbole offered that he play was equal to a september call up that gets hot. That kind of glosses over the reality.
- MJL

I didn't say his whole season was that. I said that last burst of production at RW was eerily reminiscent of that

Again: I really don't hate Schenn. I think he has the required toughness to actually be a factor in Hockey games, and I really want him to do it as a Flyer. I really would

Just really wonder if the light is ever going to go on and stay on

You would think more teams would do that, understand that, but at the end of it, it almost always seems like the money gets the extended opportunity
- AllInForFlyers

A move like that can be done later. Let the player play, and see what happens.

I mean, look at it like this: Hextall is banging the drum about slow starts. While some of that is, as noted, regular GM speak, it's clear that he wants there to be a change in how they get going

Schenn isn't the only one who started slow last year, and no, Chief didn't have to yank him off L1 as fast as he did

But at the same time, Schenn got to start the season on the first line with two world-class players. How many guys get that opportunity? How many times do we make excuses for what he fails to do, while some pointi at misleading point totals as a reason to absolve him for how he plays?

But at the same time, Schenn got to start the season on the first line with two world-class players. How many guys get that opportunity? How many times do we make excuses for what he fails to do, while some pointi at misleading point totals as a reason to absolve him for how he plays?
- AllInForFlyers

Out of position tho.... even somebody as versatile and awesome as Brindy didn't play that well at LW alongside great linemates.

I wanna see Schenn C'ing a couple of good, productive players -- has that ever really happened during his time here yet?

I am going to follow Hextall's mantra of "clean slate" this year. I am going to hit the reset button along with Hakstol and try to look at this year as a fresh start and form my opinions as the season goes on. I'm sure some will stay the same, but hopefully more will change. I'm excited to see what Hakstol can do with this crop of players.

I was agreeing with you bumhole
- funmaster18

Out of position tho.... even somebody as versatile and awesome as Brindy didn't play that well at LW alongside great linemates.

I wanna see Schenn C'ing a couple of good, productive players -- has that ever really happened during his time here yet?
- Tomahawk

There was stretch where he centered Hartnell and Simmonds aka the Legion of Dumb. But they actually played quite well together.

http://flyers.nhl.com/gam...er/en/recap?id=2013020649

Maybe Hakstol will try him at center on a secondary scoring line again (14-15 OZ start % in parentheses):

Raffl (57.3%) - Giroux (53.6%) - Simmonds (52.9%)
Gagner (65.4%) - BSchenn (58.3%) - Voracek (60.7%)
Umberger (47.1%) - Couturier (40.2%) - Read (41.5%)
VdV (50.9%) - Bellemare (49.1%) - White (53.7%)
Lecavalier (59.4%)

Richards was never the most naturally gifted player (although he's a decent playmaker) and conditioning has never been his forte. He succeeded primarily through excellent hockey sense and a high competitiveness level.

Hockey sense and a high compete level will get you started.

The former will allow you to have a long career.

Odd to me that Richards never was able to understand that, even going back to his days here when Lappy made fun of his conditioning.

Glad to see that Hextall and maybe Hakstol weren't fooled by Brayden Schenn's late production when nothing mattered.

Not sure if Hextall or Bill was the one to use the phrase "small sample size," but to me, there's no difference between what Schenn did and what a career minor-leaguer does in a September call-up who then gets hot for three weeks
- AllInForFlyers

Me too.

Anxious to see what the new coach can get out of him, to see if there is more there.

Kevin Allen ‏@ByKevinAllen 52s53 seconds ago

Kings' Slava Voynov taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: http://usat.ly/1Nfs1y9

I wonder if Mr. Trump has a hand in this!

What is Michael Parks status? signed or do we even still have his rights?

What is Michael Parks status? signed or do we even still have his rights?
- isaiah520

Signed to an AHL deal.

https://twitter.com/daveg...status/639547043501998081

- funmaster18

- aightwebang17

Oh no don't laugh!

I miss aightwebang17 so much

Signed to an AHL deal.

https://twitter.com/daveg...status/639547043501998081
- Feanor

great, thanks!

- funmaster18

Is that Snowden in net?