Couturier based on potential, but I wouldn't give up key assets for him until he proves something. 15P is a pretty pathetic season unless he was injured and I don't know it
- TheNugeIsHuge

Injury... Or his top 5 opposition ice time against was Malkin, Nash, Gaborik, Letang and Niskanen, and he played with wingers like Rinaldo, Talbot, and Jay Rosehill. If you take a dip into his advanced stats you'll see why his 15 is where it's at. Its not the end allbe all but it certainly gives you an idea. Give him decent scoring wingers with speed and he pots at least 25 points this year. In the future, he's a Selke winner no doubt.

no one's faster than hall

maybe grabner, and crosby, and giroux
- TheNugeIsHuge

hall posted a time of 14.621 in the fastest skater competition.

hagelin posted a time of 12.963 in the fastest skater competition.

I don't disagree, it just means I'd rather keep Couterier and look for other options in FA or trade for a guy like Jamie McBain ( ) and hope he can be a reclamation project then give up Couterier.

As a Flyers fan, I will seriously flip poop if we trade Couterier for anything less than a legit defensemen. He is THAT good. It blows me away how poised he is and how smart he is in all 3 zones. Once he's more consistently offensively, it's going to be a nightmare for teams to match up against him and Giroux.

Throw in Schenn and Laughton, and were going to have one of the deepest center rotations in hockey (and in short order). Strong center depth wins championships, they shouldn't touch it unless it absolutely makes the team better for the long term.
- mochoson

Reclamation projects never workout haha. I don't think Flyer fans can take another season out of the playoffs cause there fans aren't used to it contrary to us in Edmonton. You need someone right now to be that guy.

Agreed on the centre depth, that's why I think you can afford to lose Couts for a puck mover.

I agree that Coturier is overated.

I see him topping out at Gagner level production with shutdown ability. I don't think that's worth a top 2 defensemen.
- Pilgor09

He's not at all over-rated, he's dominated NHL games against the best players on the planet as a teenager.

He may never be a PPG player, but he hands down has top 2 center potential.

The only real deficiency in his game is he's just not an amazing skater, but he's already gotten light-years better since we drafted him. His brain is what makes up for it. He doesn't have to be as fast as you because he's that much smarter.

hall posted a time of 14.621 in the fastest skater competition.

hagelin posted a time of 12.963 in the fastest skater competition.
- rangerdanger94

Because that required 2 turns behind the net.

Hall can't turn without falling on his ass.

Straight line skater he is probably the fastest in the NHL.

Because that required 2 turns behind the net.

Hall can't turn without falling on his ass.

Straight line skater he is probably the fastest in the NHL.
- Pilgor09

i doubt it haha.

the world may never know.

Your Gaborik example equates to what Tarasenko was doing earlier in the year, to me anyway. Plays within the system but has the confidence with the puck to do it himself....and of course the skill to be successful doing it. He makes himself an individual threat.

My point is is that guys like Perron and Stewart are also very good individually and have the skills to create a ton of offense, but just lack the confidence to do so consistently within Hitch's system. Tarasenko clearly has it, or did at least pre-concussion.
- mochoson

Yeah he did it early, then absultely fell off the face of the earth and was healthied by years end. Gagner is a vet who is consistent.

I disagree with the second paragraph. I just don't think they have the skill to do it rather then the confidence.

Absolutely I trade petry for couturier. I don't think the flyers do it.

Then you move gagner for a dman

Move the 7th overall and a second for another dman. Or gagner and the 7th.

I'd also do that gagner berglund deal as an oiler fan. I've brought up going after berglund before with blues fans.

A nice steady downward trend from his season 2 years ago.

That's good news.

Should have traded him then when it was at the peak value.
- Pilgor09

don't see how you trend downwards at 22. His shooting percentage regressed(obviously) and he started playing tough competition. Some thought he would go down to 50P level production this year, look what happened. 37P including a broken finger for about a month. That's pretty damn good considering his favourite teammate Nugey was playing on 1 shoulder and was shooting at 5%.

Reclamation projects never workout haha. I don't think Flyer fans can take another season out of the playoffs cause there fans aren't used to it contrary to us in Edmonton. You need someone right now to be that guy.

Agreed on the centre depth, that's why I think you can afford to lose Couts for a puck mover.
- Pilgor09

We won't be missing the playoffs next year IMO even if we roll with the 6 dmen we have right now. We have a formidable group, we just recognize that Timonen is on his last leg and needs a successor sooner rather than later.

We were absolutely decimated by injuries this year. Had this been a full season, the way we were adjusting and making it work and slowly getting guys back into the line-up towards the end of the season equates to a low-seed playoff spot over a full-season. We truthfully only missed because we ran out of time. Were much better than a team like the Islanders.

With even a semi-healthy team, we should at least be able to finish somewhere in the 5-7 range, and I truthfully believe that.

hall posted a time of 14.621 in the fastest skater competition.

hagelin posted a time of 12.963 in the fastest skater competition.
- rangerdanger94

when was this?

EDIT: obviously I'm joking btw

He's not at all over-rated, he's dominated NHL games against the best players on the planet as a teenager.

He may never be a PPG player, but he hands down has top 2 center potential.

The only real deficiency in his game is he's just not an amazing skater, but he's already gotten light-years better since we drafted him. His brain is what makes up for it. He doesn't have to be as fast as you because he's that much smarter.
- mochoson

Overrated in the way fans talk about him.

He won't even touch Mike Richards when it's all said and done IMO.

We won't be missing the playoffs next year IMO even if we roll with the 6 dmen we have right now. We have a formidable group, we just recognize that Timonen is on his last leg and needs a successor sooner rather than later.

We were absolutely decimated by injuries this year. Had this been a full season, the way we were adjusting and making it work and slowly getting guys back into the line-up towards the end of the season equates to a low-seed playoff spot over a full-season. We truthfully only missed because we ran out of time. Were much better than a team like the Islanders.

With even a semi-healthy team, we should at least be able to finish somewhere in the 5-7 range, and I truthfully believe that.
- mochoson

what are you smoking dude the thrashers don't even exist anymore

We won't be missing the playoffs next year IMO even if we roll with the 6 dmen we have right now. We have a formidable group, we just recognize that Timonen is on his last leg and needs a successor sooner rather than later.

We were absolutely decimated by injuries this year. Had this been a full season, the way we were adjusting and making it work and slowly getting guys back into the line-up towards the end of the season equates to a low-seed playoff spot over a full-season. We truthfully only missed because we ran out of time. Were much better than a team like the Islanders.

With even a semi-healthy team, we should at least be able to finish somewhere in the 5-7 range, and I truthfully believe that.
- mochoson

goalie

don't see how you trend downwards at 22. His shooting percentage regressed(obviously) and he started playing tough competition. Some thought he would go down to 50P level production this year, look what happened. 37P including a broken finger for about a month. That's pretty damn good considering his favourite teammate Nugey was playing on 1 shoulder and was shooting at 5%.
- TheNugeIsHuge

You'll see my friend, you'll see...

If he actually had a decent work ethic I'd give it a chance but he's busy cranking it out to cheeseburgers and poutines most of the time. Guys built like Danny Devito.

He's not at all over-rated, he's dominated NHL games against the best players on the planet as a teenager.

He may never be a PPG player, but he hands down has top 2 center potential.

The only real deficiency in his game is he's just not an amazing skater, but he's already gotten light-years better since we drafted him. His brain is what makes up for it. He doesn't have to be as fast as you because he's that much smarter.
- mochoson

Your off your rocker man, Couturier was playing on the fourth line on a bad team for a reason. He has potential to be a decent center but he is not going to be a super star.

Yeah he did it early, then absultely fell off the face of the earth and was healthied by years end. Gagner is a vet who is consistent.

I disagree with the second paragraph. I just don't think they have the skill to do it rather then the confidence.
- Pilgor09

They definitely have the skill. They also have no excuse by saying they don't have the puck movers to create more offense.

Trust me man, take it from a Flyers fan. It's why we made the DUMBEST trade in the history of our team.....

Hitchcock buried Patrick Sharp on our fourth line because he couldn't play within the system at first. He didn't play bad, and he was even still creating offense in his limited ice-time. But Hitchcock considered him essentially useless, and it was then deemed that his value was greater in a trade as opposed to on the ice. Worst move ever.

They have the skill, it's just greatly under-utilized.

Overrated in the way fans talk about him.

He won't even touch Mike Richards when it's all said and done IMO.
- Pilgor09

He is essentially the same player and is as equally as polished as Richards was at the same age, so idk where that comes from.

You'll see my friend, you'll see...

If he actually had a decent work ethic I'd give it a chance but he's busy cranking it out to cheeseburgers and poutines most of the time. Guys built like Danny Devito.
- Pilgor09

he's like tracy mcgrady. Sleepy faced at all time. Doesn't mean he isn't giving his all. He's like 5'9.5-5'10. Doesn't stop giroux

They definitely have the skill. They also have no excuse by saying they don't have the puck movers to create more offense.

Trust me man, take it from a Flyers fan. It's why we made the DUMBEST trade in the history of our team.....

Hitchcock buried Patrick Sharp on our fourth line because he couldn't play within the system at first. He didn't play bad, and he was even still creating offense in his limited ice-time. But Hitchcock considered him essentially useless, and it was then deemed that his value was greater in a trade as opposed to on the ice. Worst move ever.

They have the skill, it's just greatly under-utilized.
- mochoson

Sharp came out of nowhere and was a late bloomer no? I thought he was like 26 when he was on the Flyers roster.

I've seen Couturier and he's been giving plenty of opportunity.

Overrated in the way fans talk about him.

He won't even touch Mike Richards when it's all said and done IMO.
- Pilgor09

richards is overrated. Gagner has outscored him the last 2 years. Good 2 way game, but he's made out to be an all star

Your off your rocker man, Couturier was playing on the fourth line on a bad team for a reason. He has potential to be a decent center but he is not going to be a super star.
- Mr.Awsome

I never said he'd be "super-star". But a "star" center? Yes, he can easily be a top 2 center.

And no, he was not "on the fourth line for a reason". Ask ANY Flyers fan, we would literally scratch our heads every game as to why Couterier was buried on the fourth line with guy's like Rinaldo. It made no sense and Peter Laviolette mis-used him greatly this year.

He is essentially the same player and is as equally as polished as Richards was at the same age, so idk where that comes from.
- mochoson

Disagree.

Don't see Coturier in Richards.

12 predictions:

1.Smyth is Edmonton's leading scorer with 50.
2. Eberle, Hall, Yakupov, Schultz, RNH all get traded for Jeff Schultz
3. Hemsky gets traded for Crosby
4. Edmonton Wins the cup.
5. Horcoff will be injured due to Eberle fighting him
6. Crosby gets 6 goals
7. Edmonton Hires then Fires Eakins ( The next day of course )
8. Smyth becomes captain
9. MacT brings up: Fedun, Marcinin, Martindale, Musil, Davidson
10. Martindale gets a hatrick in his first game
11. Clouts quits hockey buzz.
12. I become the featured blogger.

he's like tracy mcgrady. Sleepy faced at all time. Doesn't mean he isn't giving his all. He's like 5'9.5-5'10. Doesn't stop giroux
- TheNugeIsHuge

Haha so what's keeping him from hitting the gym?

It's about off ice work ethic too.