We all have our crosses to bear
- AllInForFlyers

Look, Brayden Schenn came with A LOT of (somewhat undeserved) hype due mostly to his WJC performance. And to a certain extent, he hasn't delivered to several fans' expectations. But you act like he's some horrible 4th liner/AHL tweener. He's not some golden child who deserves an 8-year, $9M contract that comes with an NTC and a boat of Russian escorts, but he's not the horrible player you make him out as either.

rehab?
- BiggE

Sorry, is heroine not good for you?

i'm starting to worry about you
- -davies-

I'll be fine -- hopefully the guy will light it up. If I'm wrong, the team benefits, which is all that really matters. I'll take being wrong every day of the week if he's helping the team win games

You are to Brayden Schenn what 2Real is/was to Coburn.
- jmatchett383

I think Coburn is the most insulted here.

If our new head coach really intends on prividing a clean slate for all could possibly put Brayden Schenn in the doghouse in less than a week of training camp. If memory serves, Brayden Schenn had a strong finish to last season. If these lines are truly an indication of things to come, how is Chris Vandevelde ahead of Schenn on the depth chart? Saying Schenn is in the doghouse is like saying Vandevelde is automatic to make the team due to being a former player for Dave Hakstol. Do any of us believe this to be true?
- SuperSchennBros

he could have come in in poor shape...

Look, Brayden Schenn came with A LOT of (somewhat undeserved) hype due mostly to his WJC performance. And to a certain extent, he hasn't delivered to several fans' expectations. But you act like he's some horrible 4th liner/AHL tweener. He's not some golden child who deserves an 8-year, $9M contract that comes with an NTC and a boat of Russian escorts, but he's not the horrible player you make him out as either.
- jmatchett383

Is a 45-50 point third line right wing really that awful? Who can play all 3 positions if needed. If he skates a little better and becomes more 2 way responsible under hasktol I don't see the issue with him.

But no he's not on his way to a 80 point breakout top line winger season.

Look, Brayden Schenn came with A LOT of (somewhat undeserved) hype due mostly to his WJC performance. And to a certain extent, he hasn't delivered to several fans' expectations. But you act like he's some horrible 4th liner/AHL tweener. He's not some golden child who deserves an 8-year, $9M contract that comes with an NTC and a boat of Russian escorts, but he's not the horrible player you make him out as either.
- jmatchett383

Meh -- that's an overstatement. Just because I feel the guy is overrated and can be replaced/upgraded doesn't mean I ever said he's a 4th-liner

I was the same way with Matt carle. It nearly killed me to see them him go +6 with 5 assists while I was present verse us a few years back
- Tfaehner

A lot of people were that way with Matt Carle. Much like Coburn, he was put into situations (aside from his days with Pronger) where his one mistake over 20+ minutes of solid hockey led to a goal because he was placed into crucial situations.

I'll be fine -- hopefully the guy will light it up. If I'm wrong, the team benefits, which is all that really matters. I'll take being wrong every day of the week if he's helping the team win games
- AllInForFlyers

There are going to be passive/aggressive complaints about you complaining....

And so the knot tightens.

Meh -- that's an overstatement. Just because I feel the guy is overrated and can be replaced/upgraded doesn't mean I ever said he's a 4th-liner
- AllInForFlyers

I am all for it as well. I would gladly trade his almost guaranteed 20 goals for a winger who can score 25. Who do you have in mind?

Is a 45-50 point third line right wing really that awful? Who can play all 3 positions if needed. If he skates a little better and becomes more 2 way responsible under hasktol I don't see the issue with him.

But no he's not on his way to a 80 point breakout top line winger season.
- Tfaehner

My biggest issue with him is that the majority of his points feel like Bobby Abreu home runs. Yeah, he puts up the nice stats, but they all feel empty, the way Abreu used to hit a solo home run in the 8th when they were down 8-1. He's got talent, but he hasn't been able to get any long-term chemistry with anyone aside from the tail end of last year (again, when the games were essentially meaningless). Hopefully he can get that this year.

Meh -- that's an overstatement. Just because I feel the guy is overrated and can be replaced/upgraded doesn't mean I ever said he's a 4th-liner
- AllInForFlyers

Yes, I believe that is "hyperbole." But you do have a certain degree of blind, seething hatred for him.

There are going to be passive/aggressive complaints about you complaining....

And so the knot tightens.
- wolfhounds

Absolutely -- it's gonna be that way. I'll deal with that as best I can, as it comes

Either the guy's gonna be what he's been, or he'll be better. It's gonna become clear once the games start

he could have come in in poor shape...
- PhillaBully

Good point. Or he could be on that line to give Laughton someone to pass to and better evaluate his play. Ultimately, the lines are not set in stone on day one of training camp so it seems pretty silly to get passionate about it.

i'm starting to worry about you
- -davies-

Absolutely -- it's gonna be that way. I'll deal with that as best I can, as it comes

Either the guy's gonna be what he's been, or he'll be better. It's gonna become clear once the games start
- AllInForFlyers

For clarity, what do you expect of Brayden Schenn that would satisfy you?

I am all for it as well. I would gladly trade his almost guaranteed 20 goals for a winger who can score 25. Who do you have in mind?
- MBFlyerfan

That's not a valid question -- it doesn't have to be player for player, goal for goal

Maybe a faster playmaker would help solidify Couturier's game on the right side, if ultimately Simmonds doesn't work out, for example. Maybe that kind of player makes Couturier blossom offensively, which offsets the goals lost

There's lots of ways to skin a cat. There's only a few players in the sport who couldn't be moved and a team automatically suffers, no matter what

That's not a valid question -- it doesn't have to be player for player, goal for goal

Maybe a faster playmaker would help solidify Couturier's game on the right side, if ultimately Simmonds doesn't work out, for example. Maybe that kind of player makes Couturier blossom offensively, which offsets the goals lost

There's lots of ways to skin a cat. There's only a few players in the sport who couldn't be moved and a team automatically suffers, no matter what
- AllInForFlyers

why do we pick on cats? Why can't it be "there's a lot of ways to flay a fish"?

Fro clarity, what do you expect of Brayden Schenn that would satisfy you?
- jmatchett383

You summed it up -- there's got to be a level of consistency there that just hasn't happened.

Those 40-whatever points were some of the emptiest I've seen in years. He's not the worst player in the league, but I just see a player who simply has not been dependable

You can slice it a few different ways: People can say he's been jerked around the lineup and hasn't been given the opportunity to settle in. There might be some truth to that

But it can also be said that he hasn't done enough to stay in one place, that his scoring droughts are ridiculous and that he doesn't bring a defensive acumen or speed to offset those droughts, and that's why he gets moved

If it were clear-cut, there'd be no questions about him

You summed it up -- there's got to be a level of consistency there that just hasn't happened.

Those 40-whatever points were some of the emptiest I've seen in years. He's not the worst player in the league, but I just see a player who simply has not been dependable

You can slice it a few different ways: People can say he's been jerked around the lineup and hasn't been given the opportunity to settle in. There might be some truth to that

But it can also be said that he hasn't done enough to stay in one place, that his scoring droughts are ridiculous and that he doesn't bring a defensive acumen or speed to offset those droughts, and that's why he gets moved

If it were clear-cut, there'd be no questions about him
- AllInForFlyers

You pretty much just described Sean Couturier and Wayne Simmonds (except for Couturier's defense).

You summed it up -- there's got to be a level of consistency there that just hasn't happened.

Those 40-whatever points were some of the emptiest I've seen in years. He's not the worst player in the league, but I just see a player who simply has not been dependable

You can slice it a few different ways: People can say he's been jerked around the lineup and hasn't been given the opportunity to settle in. There might be some truth to that

But it can also be said that he hasn't done enough to stay in one place, that his scoring droughts are ridiculous and that he doesn't bring a defensive acumen or speed to offset those droughts, and that's why he gets moved

If it were clear-cut, there'd be no questions about him
- AllInForFlyers

Reminder: this will be the beginning of his 4th full NHL season. One of those was the lockout season. He's 24.

Coming up and scoring 40-50 points consistently as a 21/22/23 year old really isn't that bad homie.

Give the kid a chance. He's not gonna be a 80 point player, but 65 is definitely not out of the question. I think he has the tools. His release, especially, is nasty.

Claude Giroux ‏@28CGiroux 20h20 hours ago
Using my new @recoverypump. Doing my best to try and keep up with @michaelraffl out there. #theAustrianrocket


Looks interesting...

My biggest issue with him is that the majority of his points feel like Bobby Abreu home runs. Yeah, he puts up the nice stats, but they all feel empty, the way Abreu used to hit a solo home run in the 8th when they were down 8-1. He's got talent, but he hasn't been able to get any long-term chemistry with anyone aside from the tail end of last year (again, when the games were essentially meaningless). Hopefully he can get that this year.
- jmatchett383

He was tied with Wayne Simmonds for most game winning goals at 6. Although I think much like Streit most his assists were secondary from the top pp.unit.

You pretty much just described Sean Couturier and Wayne Simmonds (except for Couturier's defense).
- jmatchett383

No, that's just not accurate -- Simmonds has not been great player at 5v5. Some of that can possibly be attributed to some weakness at center, with regards to development and age

But Simmonds is a bonafide difference maker on the PP. He helps drive that unit. He is an impact player on the PP, and that matters because it directly affects wins and losses

Schenn's been a complementary player -- again, not a crime. But he can be replaced. PP1 has been solid for years, with or without him.

And you can't discount Couturier's defense in assessing the differences between he and Schenn, because again, that's skinning the cat differently. Couturier's defense helps prevent goals being scored, and he's impactful by doing so

Schenn doesn't kill penalties. He's not impactful defensively -- again, not a crime. But just not enough for me to believe that he's more than a guy who gets plenty of opportunities to produce and puts up some points in favorable usage situations

Not a crime, but can be replaced

He was tied with Wayne Simmonds for most game winning goals at 6. Although I think much like Streit most his assists were secondary from the top pp.unit.
- Tfaehner

He definitely has scored some meaningful goals (OT vs. LA, for instance). But I just look at the box score after a game and think, "Wow, he had a goal last night? Funny, I don't remember him being involved in a scoring play."