I'm glad Adam Hall is still available -- is he a journeyman and replaceable? OK, sure. I'll concede that point to anyone.

But for me, and I'm sorry if this irritates some people but I'm just trying to be objective: The Flyers are not the fastest team afoot. It behooves the team, as it is currently constructed, to win as many draws as possible, to be as defensively sound as possible.

Not chasing the puck is something that is underrated when your team has many other strong points. I think it's fair to say that this particular edition of the Flyers has enough question marks that having a guy around who wins 57-59 percent of his draws AND is defensively responsible is not as big a luxury as it appears.
- AllInForFlyers

Winning faceoffs is very important. I miss the mid 90s when they had Lindros, Brindamour, Otto and MacTavish. Man, they pretty much NEVER lost any faceoffs!

He might be able to, it's obvious he worked at it, which is encouraging.

Even so, I'd rather have Hall as 13th forward than Rosehill
- Jsaquella

Fair enough, I just thought that some people were overreacting a bit to possibly losing him.

I think the flyers saw more options if hall got claimed....they had a plan b,c, d and so on.....he didn't and maybe the flyers see the landscape of players and have a good feeling if a players going to be claimed.
- huks99

while i disagree with the approach, i think you are right on how the flyers see it

hopefully now though they keep hall and laughton in the lineup, and rosehill in the press box. and if he gets the start, it should only be in rinaldo's place. just my opinion

Fair enough, I just thought that some people were overreacting a bit to possibly losing him.
- BiggE

overreact? here??? no way

Winning faceoffs is very important. I miss the mid 90s when they had Lindros, Brindamour, Otto and MacTavish. Man, they pretty much NEVER lost any faceoffs!
- BiggE

Man, those were the days, weren't they? Nothing worse than having four centers who consistently get smoked on draws -- over the course of 82 games, it absolutely costs you goals and games.

EDIT: NOT, Repeat NOT, that I'm saying the Flyers would lose a ton of draws this year! Just saying that winning as many as possible is absolutely better.

Who win 59% of their face offs and are good PK guys as well? Actually none. Steckel is good on draws, not as good on the Pk as Hall. Powe is a good PKer, but doesn't win as many face offs. Powe also costs almost twice as much as Hall
- Jsaquella

The face off % is a big thing for me. Flyers just don't have a lot of defense end options without burning out G.

Man, those were the days, weren't they? Nothing worse than having four centers who consistently get smoked on draws -- over the course of 82 games, it absolutely costs you goals and games.
- AllInForFlyers

It led to Giroux playing a much bigger role than he should have had to. Many nights he was only good option & was forced to take face offs & play extra shifts with 4th liners & waste energy filling the role that Hall is ideal for.

It led to Giroux playing a much bigger role than he should have had to. Many nights he was only good option & was forced to take face offs & play extra shifts with 4th liners & waste energy filling the role that Hall is ideal for.
- Jsaquella

Wasn't Giroux the first to 1000 face offs in the league last year by a wide margin?

Fair enough, I just thought that some people were overreacting a bit to possibly losing him.
- BiggE

My issues are more with the thought process than the individual players, unfortunately, I'm using the specific example of Hall & Rosehill.
Could just as easily express my disappointment in dealing Zolnierczyk for Rosehill last year.

Wasn't Giroux the first to 1000 face offs in the league last year by a wide margin?
- hereticpride

He led in face offs taken by a wide margin, because until Hall arrived, he was only guy Laviolette trusted

while i disagree with the approach, i think you are right on how the flyers see it

hopefully now though they keep hall and laughton in the lineup, and rosehill in the press box. and if he gets the start, it should only be in rinaldo's place. just my opinion
- FlyerMike18

Yes. This.

It led to Giroux playing a much bigger role than he should have had to. Many nights he was only good option & was forced to take face offs & play extra shifts with 4th liners & waste energy filling the role that Hall is ideal for.
- Jsaquella

Trust me, I'm with you on this -- I think that late run the Flyers made last year was helped by Hall on the fourth line. He wasn't the only reason, but that guy killed it on draws, and for a team as defensively questionable as we can be at times, he helped with our ability to drive possession, especially in taking neutal-zone draws that don't expose the fourth line in our end.

Again, I'm glad he's available. I worry about this year's team, defensively. I like Mark Streit and Braydon Coburn, etc. But man, I like them a lot more when the Flyers have the puck.

Rosehill doesn't protect anyone. All Rosehill can do is fight a guy after they take a run at Giroux or Voracek.

You know who will be protecting Giroux? Hartnell or Simmonds, a guy with enough talent to take a shift with Giroux on the ice.
- Jsaquella

With exception of Semenko skating with Gretzky or Williams with Sittler, there were few instances where the enforcer rode shotgun with the first line center to watch his back. Though there were some great fighters who could play with anybody - Gillies, Tocchet, Wendell Clarke, off the top of my head.

The Flyers see the enforcer role as more of a deterrent, but unless they can actually play useful minutes somewhere, why bother? Haven't the Shelly years taught us anything?

Who was the third member of the Roshill and Hall line last year? If i recall they were a pretty reliable 4th line.

And honestly in a close game how many regular strength shifts does the fourth line get? Having hall benefits the PK and the F/O dot. I would be happy if they picked up a guy like Powe and had a line of Powe-Hall-Rinaldo as the 4th line [/img]

I'm sick and tired of all of the "goon" references. Does the name calling ever stop? I prefer the more subtle "enforcer". Reasonable argument can be made that a good face-off man is a greater need on a team that is relatively weak in that area. Maybe management had inside dope that Hall would clear, if so, then it really wasn't a risk. I wouldn't call Rosehill a goon to his face but I'd call him an enforcer and then maybe have a beer.

With exception of Semenko skating with Gretzky or Williams with Sittler, there were few instances where the enforcer rode shotgun with the first line center to watch his back. Though there were some great fighters who could play with anybody - Gillies, Tocchet, Wendell Clarke, off the top of my head.

The Flyers see the enforcer role as more of a deterrent, but unless they can actually play useful minutes somewhere, why bother? Haven't the Shelly years taught us anything?
- 77rams

Great fighters that can play are needed, but guys like Shelley, Rosehill...they don't serve a purpose anymore. Guys like Kaleta won't fight them & aren't going to be stopped from taking runs at the Girouxs & Viraceks

Let's just cut to the chase.....everyone is abit on edge b/c the flyers seemed to have a crappy preseason and think that will carry over to the season....they will suck , not make the playoffs and pick 1st in next years draft....that's b/c u all live in negadelphia!!! Buck up little campers things will be ok.

Yes. This.
- BringBack25

i can live with one fighter in the lineup, but can't say i'm excited by the prospect of two

talbot-couturier-read
rosehill/rinaldo-laughton-hall

is fine with me

I'm sick and tired of all of the "goon" references. Does the name calling ever stop? I prefer the more subtle "enforcer". Reasonable argument can be made that a good face-off man is a greater need on a team that is relatively weak in that area. Maybe management had inside dope that Hall would clear, if so, then it really wasn't a risk. I wouldn't call Rosehill a goon to his face but I'd call him an enforcer and then maybe have a beer.
- 2731color

Not sure what Rosehill enforces. He doesn't stop guys like Kaleta from taking runs at Giroux, and Kaleta wouldn't fight him, so he'd have to fight John Scott.

How does Rosehill fighting Scott protect Giroux?

Not sure what Rosehill enforces. He doesn't stop guys like Kaleta from taking runs at Giroux, and Kaleta wouldn't fight him, so he'd have to fight John Scott.

How does Rosehill fighting Scott protect Giroux?
- Jsaquella

He'll enforce who gets popcorn in the press box.

i can live with one fighter in the lineup, but can't say i'm excited by the prospect of two

talbot-couturier-read
rosehill/rinaldo-laughton-hall

is fine with me
- FlyerMike18

Rinaldo is more of an agitator than "enforcer" plus he plays a role with his speed & hitting.

Great fighters that can play are needed, but guys like Shelley, Rosehill...they don't serve a purpose anymore. Guys like Kaleta won't fight them & aren't going to be stopped from taking runs at the Girouxs & Viraceks
- Jsaquella

Absolutely, its why I would spot Simmonds some on G's line. That would be a deterrent.

Bolts send Drouin to juniors

He'll enforce who gets popcorn in the press box.
- ob18

Bolts send Drouin to juniors
- Jsaquella

Interesting, a boost for Halifax.