I think they need a power forward to play on that line. Read took a few shifts this year on the top unit and they did not look very good. Although it was in the beginning of the season when Giroux was not playing very well.
- FlyersSteve118

maybe. those guys are tough to find though. a good guy with size and power that can still play the game.

i think you already have one of the best in the league in simmonds. would you give him a shot on a line with giroux?

Memorial Cup Prospects to Watch

http://www.mckeenshockey....rial-cup-prospects-watch/

*some have already been drafted.

i saw a lot of stuff about social media how he was meeting with him and him alone in the locker room after game 6.

i dont know what the deal with crosby is. i really dont. its very concerning. but you dont trade him. its one thing to criticize and question. no player is above being looked at under a microscope, especially when it appears warranted.

but if people are like get rid of him, trade him, blah blah. they literally dont deserve to watch him play ever again. i know he was fairly insolent as a young player and whatnot, but never has he done so much as tip toe the line against a franchise that without him would likely no longer exist in its current location.
- stayinthefnnet

I can't see either Crosby or Malkin even being thought of as moving parts.

Your bottom six certainly needs to be shored up. From someone on the outside looking in, I'd think the better route would be to look into moving Neal, Letang perhaps, and Scuderi - if you could find somebody to take that contract off your hands, and bolster up 7-12.

You'd need to find some money to keep Niskanen around. How much longer will Orpik be effective and will Martin still be wanted after his contract runs out? You've got some nice young D-men that have to get some playing time.

I think in Schenn's case, he's over thinking things, instead of just going out and playing.
- Jsaquella

either way, i'd like to see him get much better with puck battles along the wall, especially in the corners and behind the net. he forechecks consistently, with effort, but it seems he ends up on the wrong side without much of a struggle from the other team and away they go with the puck. it's annoying.

maybe. those guys are tough to find though. a good guy with size and power that can still play the game.

i think you already have one of the best in the league in simmonds. would you give him a shot on a line with giroux?
- stayinthefnnet

The only problem with that is that both Simmonds and Voracek play their best hockey on the RW. Thats the problem with the Flyers altogether. Everyone is either a center or a center/RW. Except Hartnell.

I can't see either Crosby or Malkin even being thought of as moving parts.

Your bottom six certainly needs to be shored up. From someone on the outside looking in, I'd think the better route would be to look into moving Neal, Letang perhaps, and Scuderi - if you could find somebody to take that contract off your hands, and bolster up 7-12.

You'd need to find some money to keep Niskanen around. How much longer will Orpik be effective and will Martin still be wanted after his contract runs out? You've got some nice young D-men that have to get some playing time.
- 77rams

yeah man i agree with a lot of that. the problem is, having crosby and malkin take up so much money makes shoring up the bottom 6 easier said than done.

i wouldnt just give neal away, but id definitely be open to trading him. same with letang. that scuds deal, id give away if possible but i just cant see who would take that on. its right up there with the VL deal. i think niskanen is as good as gone. hes gonna take 6 mil to get, and i dont see them being able to pull that. orpik needs to be allowed to ride off into the sunset as well.

DB's biggest flaw is his distrust of young players. but you need young players on ELCs to be competitive in todays cap world. hopefully a new coach with give them a look, and theyll be able to use maybe 2 of them on cheap contracts in the upcoming season.

I don't remember Couturier being on the fourth line during the half season but if he was, it was deserved. The only center who was lights out last year was Giroux. Briere sat iut hurt a lot, Couturier and Schenn were bad...period!
- SuperSchennBros

Couturier was buried on the 4th line under Laviolette...it's fine to start a kid there, but you have to give him opportunities to improve & play with better wingers. Couturier was stuck with the dregs, and it hurt his confidence. Berube gave him a chance to blossom & stuck with him through the rough spots.

The piss poor handling of Schenn & Coutuirer were among my biggest issues with Laviolette

The only problem with that is that both Simmonds and Voracek play their best hockey on the RW. Thats the problem with the Flyers altogether. Everyone is either a center or a center/RW. Except Hartnell.
- FlyersSteve118

thats true. i still think jake would do better on his own line though. if schenn adequately develops into a second line center, i think that could be worth a shot. jake seems like hed be a good winger for schenn, because he brings more of a puck handling, playmaking element from the wing. (which giroux already provides the first line).

then the issue to me would be having giroux flanked by simmer and hartnell being potentially redundant.

but i could see something potentially working between a line of giroux/simmonds followed by schenn/voracek working out, depending on what becomes of the other spots on each line.

either way, i'd like to see him get much better with puck battles along the wall, especially in the corners and behind the net. he forechecks consistently, with effort, but it seems he ends up on the wrong side without much of a struggle from the other team and away they go with the puck. it's annoying.
- hammarby31

It's highly annoying. I see enough flashes that I'm not worried about talent, but I am very concerned with his hockey sense. He reminds me of Coburn in that regard

Couturier was buried on the 4th line under Laviolette...it's fine to start a kid there, but you have to give him opportunities to improve & play with better wingers. Couturier was stuck with the dregs, and it hurt his confidence. Berube gave him a chance to blossom & stuck with him through the rough spots.

The piss poor handling of Schenn & Coutuirer were among my biggest issues with Laviolette
- Jsaquella

definitely. coots development benefited from being flanked by rinaldo and rosehill the way despres benefited from extended views from the pressbox. frustrating on the account of both players

thats true. i still think jake would do better on his own line though. if schenn adequately develops into a second line center, i think that could be worth a shot. jake seems like hed be a good winger for schenn, because he brings more of a puck handling, playmaking element from the wing. (which giroux already provides the first line).

then the issue to me would be having giroux flanked by simmer and hartnell being potentially redundant.

but i could see something potentially working between a line of giroux/simmonds followed by schenn/voracek working out, depending on what becomes of the other spots on each line.
- stayinthefnnet

Hmm

Read G Simmonds
Harts Schenn Jake

Very interesting

I couldn't have said it better myself. This is the great debate. Schenn on wing or center?

If he becomes a full time winger, I think Lecavalier has to stay. Even if Vinny is crazy injury prone, you can insert Laughton. Laughton will always be an option.
- SuperSchennBros

What happens if the decline continues? $4.5mm for an unhappy, unmovable 4th line center, taking ice time from developing kids who need to play.

Get rid of the albatross that is Lecavalier should be Hextall's first order of business

Couturier was buried on the 4th line under Laviolette...it's fine to start a kid there, but you have to give him opportunities to improve & play with better wingers. Couturier was stuck with the dregs, and it hurt his confidence. Berube gave him a chance to blossom & stuck with him through the rough spots.

The piss poor handling of Schenn & Coutuirer were among my biggest issues with Laviolette
- Jsaquella

I remember Couturier on the fouth line during his rookie season and still owning Malkin but I don't remember Couturier on the fouth line beyond his rookie season. I could be wrong.

Here the thing for me...

If we do trade Vincent Lecavalier for fire wood to open a spot for Laughton, I think we set ourselvesback from being a contender. I think we get young, more iinexperienced and we lose goals. Too much is made of the process. Too much is being made of bringing the kids along and getting the age out.

What happens if the decline continues? $4.5mm for an unhappy, unmovable 4th line center, taking ice time from developing kids who need to play.

Get rid of the albatross that is Lecavalier should be Hextall's first order of business
- Jsaquella

yes please

definitely. coots development benefited from being flanked by rinaldo and rosehill the way despres benefited from extended views from the pressbox. frustrating on the account of both players
- stayinthefnnet

I didn't like that everytime he made even the smallest mistake, he'd lose all opportunities to slide up to better line mates for a week. Got him playing scared of making a mistake. His defense was still very good, but hurt his confidence on offense

It's highly annoying. I see enough flashes that I'm not worried about talent, but I am very concerned with his hockey sense. He reminds me of Coburn in that regard
- Jsaquella

i would also like to see him be able to score some goals that aren't bang-ins within 6" of the goal line. he needs to improve in this area. he's quick, a bit shifty, and has a good shot at times - but it's rare to see him put the puck in anywhere but from inside the crease.

What happens if the decline continues? $4.5mm for an unhappy, unmovable 4th line center, taking ice time from developing kids who need to play.

Get rid of the albatross that is Lecavalier should be Hextall's first order of business
- Jsaquella

I don't think Vinny is a fourth liner any more then I think he's a Left Winger. Just because Berube puts him there, doesn't mean that's what he is.

What happens if the decline continues? $4.5mm for an unhappy, unmovable 4th line center, taking ice time from developing kids who need to play.

Get rid of the albatross that is Lecavalier should be Hextall's first order of business
- Jsaquella

That would be a full time job in and of itself. Maybe Hexy can make it Hanrahan's mission this summer.

What happens if the decline continues? $4.5mm for an unhappy, unmovable 4th line center, taking ice time from developing kids who need to play.

Get rid of the albatross that is Lecavalier should be Hextall's first order of business
- Jsaquella

Agreed; give yourself the cleanest slate possible and just move on.

I don't agree with you guys in wanting Schenn on the wing, but that's OK. We can agree to disagree.

But we are in total agreement on Vinny. And I'm on the record that I hope he plays well elsewhere, but that $4.5 just doesn't work with the roster the Flyers have.

How's this sound:

Kane-G-Voracek
Hartnell-Couterier-Simmons
Raffl-Laughton-Read
Hall-D. Moore-Rinaldo
Akesson

Jokinen-Coburn
Streit-MacDonald
Kimo-(trade for a cheap decent piece)
Gus

You could flip Streit and Kimo and or flip Couts and Laughton. Of course this assume Laughton looks good to go.
Trade VL and Grossman

I remember Couturier on the fouth line during his rookie season and still owning Malkin but I don't remember Couturier on the fouth line beyond his rookie season. I could be wrong.

Here the thing for me...

If we do trade Vincent Lecavalier for fire wood to open a spot for Laughton, I think we set ourselvesback from being a contender. I think we get young, more iinexperienced and we lose goals. Too much is made of the process. Too much is being made of bringing the kids along and getting the age out.
- SuperSchennBros

He played almost exclusively 4th line his first two season. He bumped up late in lockout season after injuries made room.

I'm not trading Lecavalier to open a spot for Laughton, I'm doing it to get rid of an anchor that killed his line mates over the course of the last two seasons. I'd be doing it to free up cap room to address the needs on wing & defense. I'd be doing it because he's a bad fit for the team & system they're running.

I didn't like that everytime he made even the smallest mistake, he'd lose all opportunities to slide up to better line mates for a week. Got him playing scared of making a mistake. His defense was still very good, but hurt his confidence on offense
- Jsaquella

i agree. same thing happened with despres.

you cant have the young player think that any little mistake is going to banish them for a week at a time. then they end up playing timid and afraid, instead of learning to use their abilities. it absolutely stifles them.

they need to be held accountable, yes. but not to the point where they turtle.

I don't think Vinny is a fourth liner any more then I think he's a Left Winger. Just because Berube puts him there, doesn't mean that's what he is.
- SuperSchennBros

On this team, the way he played most of the year, he should have been a healthy scratch

i would also like to see him be able to score some goals that aren't bang-ins within 6" of the goal line. he needs to improve in this area. he's quick, a bit shifty, and has a good shot at times - but it's rare to see him put the puck in anywhere but from inside the crease.
- hammarby31

Yep, agreed on all points. My concern with him at center is, his two way game is just so Jeckyl & Hyde. I'm not sure if that's smarts & hickey sense or a result of his inconsistency

Agreed; give yourself the cleanest slate possible and just move on.

I don't agree with you guys in wanting Schenn on the wing, but that's OK. We can agree to disagree.

But we are in total agreement on Vinny. And I'm on the record that I hope he plays well elsewhere, but that $4.5 just doesn't work with the roster the Flyers have.
- AllInForFlyers

VL is going to be most likely an improbable move.

His age, his health, his contract, and especially his NMC are major obstacles.