Yes but Giroux also isn't winning faceoffs at a level Bergeron is every night for the Bruins. It's not like Giroux is winning 80 to 85 percent of the draws either. There is always that chance Giroux could lose a faceoff and in my opinion you have to be above average defensively if it happens. Sean Couturier was used in plenty of defensive zone draws his rookiw season. It doesn't make sense to me to be afraid to use all your players.
- dingo8urbaby

The coach is going with the guy he has on his roster who has the best chance of winning the face-off. Giroux won face-offs at a 10% higher rate than Couturier.

It has less to do with Giroux being a great face-off guy and more with pretty much everyone else being (frank)ing terrible at it.

The coach is going with the guy he has on his roster who has the best chance of winning the face-off. Giroux won face-offs at a 10% higher rate than Couturier.

It has less to do with Giroux being a great face-off guy and more with pretty much everyone else being (frank)ing terrible at it.
- Jsaquella

i can hear the digging for Giroux's defensive stats in the distance

Without Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown, the Kings don't win that Cup.

Richards and Carter were no more valuable than Jarret Stoll and Willie Mitchell.
- AllInForFlyers

don't know if I'd go that far

Is this the first off-season that teams can legally contact players/agents about free agency, prior to free agency opening on the 5th?
- bradleyc4

I'll let one of the more knowledgeable CBA guys pipe up, but yeah I thought it started this season just like everything else in the new CBA. Normally it's a week I think it may only be a few days before this season cuz we are so late into the normal offseason timeframe.

Who's your source? How does Jake Voracek go to Europe and play out of shape, the lockout ends, then he magically gets himself in shape in time for the NHL's regular season? How does this happen?
- dingo8urbaby

i believe voracek himself made a comment about eating too much home cooking or something like that. it took him a few weeks of nhl play to get back to where he needed to be.

i can hear the digging for Giroux's defensive stats in the distance
- funmaster18

He's not a terrible defensive player, when he puts his mind to it. but too often he doesn't. He's certainly not as good defensively as Richards is.

He's not a terrible defensive player, when he puts his mind to it. but too often he doesn't. He's certainly not as good defensively as Richards is.
- Jsaquella

I think Roo is better defensively. He hustles... where Richards seemed to be standing around flat footed more often.

He's not a terrible defensive player, when he puts his mind to it. but too often he doesn't. He's certainly not as good defensively as Richards is.
- Jsaquella

i completely agree. Giroux's entire line was suspect at times last year. I would like to see that line take a step forward in that area of their game next season.

Who's your source? How does Jake Voracek go to Europe and play out of shape, the lockout ends, then he magically gets himself in shape in time for the NHL's regular season? How does this happen?
- dingo8urbaby

Source was Bill. Vorachek was playing at home eating his mom's cooking (insert dumpling comments here), and out drinking with his buddies. He also had a knee injury which took him out of the line-up for about a month (if I remember correctly)...

There was a distinct reason he did not start the season on the 1st line and lost the job to Schenn. Once the season started rolling he got his butt in gear and stepped up his game. Those extra pounds came off and he impressed us all.

I remember because I was pretty hard on him at the beginning of the season. I was wrong....

I think Roo is better defensively. He hustles... where Richards seemed to be standing around flat footed more often.
- MrBigglesworth

Sometimes I think he hustles too much to a fault and ends up overcommiting to a play or getting himself turned around. He has some ups and downs last year and I think we will see a much better Claude Giroux next season.

Doesn't matter. The question is would Bryzgalov have signed that deal?
- MJL

"When you get only one offer on July 1, it becomes pretty attractive, right?" Winter asked.

i believe voracek himself made a comment about eating too much home cooking or something like that. it took him a few weeks of nhl play to get back to where he needed to be.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

Too much dumplings. The weight of it all broke hartnells foot

The coach is going with the guy he has on his roster who has the best chance of winning the face-off. Giroux won face-offs at a 10% higher rate than Couturier.

It has less to do with Giroux being a great face-off guy and more with pretty much everyone else being (frank)ing terrible at it.
- Jsaquella

The original point was being made of whether or not Giroux was an above average defensive player.

So what do you think I am going to see at the Draft Sunday? Are we moving up to top 5? Staying put? Getting a Defenseman like Shattenkirk? Getting a scorer like Ryan? Or getting a goalie like Halak?

The original point was being made of whether or not Giroux was an above average defensive player.
- dingo8urbaby

I think he can be, but hasn't been consistent enough about it. He's still young and I think he wil only improve in that area of his game.

i believe voracek himself made a comment about eating too much home cooking or something like that. it took him a few weeks of nhl play to get back to where he needed to be.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

The simply point I was making is Jake Voracek was playing and Bobby Ryan wasn't. I believe there are were numerous players around the league that didn't play at the tops of their games this season due to the lockout. Nothing about this past season I take completely serious.

The original point was being made of whether or not Giroux was an above average defensive player.
- dingo8urbaby

Which he isn't. Right now, he's probably an average defensive player. He could definitely be better.

I think he can be, but hasn't been consistent enough about it. He's still young and I think he wil only improve in that area of his game.
- funmaster18

I can agree with completely. Briere could have been our best faceoff man this season, it doesn't mean I want him to take the brunt of all the defensive zone draws.

So what do you think I am going to see at the Draft Sunday? Are we moving up to top 5? Staying put? Getting a Defenseman like Shattenkirk? Getting a scorer like Ryan? Or getting a goalie like Halak?
- youarewrong

Neither drafting a center that plays like Mike Richards.

Source was Bill. Vorachek was playing at home eating his mom's cooking (insert dumpling comments here), and out drinking with his buddies. He also had a knee injury which took him out of the line-up for about a month (if I remember correctly)...

There was a distinct reason he did not start the season on the 1st line and lost the job to Schenn. Once the season started rolling he got his butt in gear and stepped up his game. Those extra pounds came off and he impressed us all.

I remember because I was pretty hard on him at the beginning of the season. I was wrong....

- FlyersGrace

Alright, fair enough but the conversation was originally Voracek vs. Ryan due to who was ready to play coming into the regular season. Ryan didn't play and Voracek did. So I assume Voracek has the edge either way.

The simply point I was making is Jake Voracek was playing and Bobby Ryan wasn't. I believe there are were numerous players around the league that didn't play at the tops of their games this season due to the lockout. Nothing about this past season I take completely serious.
- dingo8urbaby

and i gave a simple answer... bobby ryan may have been keeping himself in tip top shape all offseason... or maybe not. but we do know for a fact that voracek wasn't. and i hope he doesn't do the same thing this summer.

So what do you think I am going to see at the Draft Sunday? Are we moving up to top 5? Staying put? Getting a Defenseman like Shattenkirk? Getting a scorer like Ryan? Or getting a goalie like Halak?
- youarewrong

Hopefully, you'll hear the Flyers will have stood pat and made their pick.

At least, that's what I hope.

I can agree with completely. Briere could have been our best faceoff man this season, it doesn't mean I want him to take the brunt of all the defensive zone draws.
- dingo8urbaby

Well, Giroux being a competent defensive player is light year ahead of Briere's defensive abilities.

Saying Giroux is an average defensive player isn't a knock.

I really don't know why some Philly fans feel the need to downgrade the contributions that Richards and Carter made to the Kings winning the Cup. Simply not the case. It takes all hands on deck to win a Cup. And Richards and Carter were immensely important to the Cup win. Adding Carter completely changed the dynamic of that lineup. And allowed other players to be used in their proper roles. If you sorround them with the right players, Carter and Richards are absolutely players you could have on the top line and win with. And that's the same for every team.
- MJL

That's exactly my point -- they are not difference makers. Unless you are an elite, difference-making talent, then you need help -- and, if you are NOT an elite, difference-making talent, then you are a) replaceable and b) therefore eligible for trade.

This is not difficult stuff. Guys get traded -- it's part of the business. Patrick Roy got traded. Jaromir Jagr's been traded. Sergei Fedorov played for multiple teams. So has Teemu Selanne. So has Chris Pronger.

Those guys are all, or will be, first ballot Hall of Famers. Yet they got moved.

So please, don't tell me that Jeff Carter and Mike Richards can't be traded if the return is high enough! Because they can be! And should be, if the return is high enough.

If vinny l gets bought out think we will go after him??