Brunner has a reputation for shooting too much and being lazy. He'll wear out his welcome in due time.
- bradleyc4

I don't know. There is something about the Devils that makes players unselfish.

One thing I was highly impressed by: at the the very end of the game, when the Panthers needed possession badly, the Flyers managed to win the all the battles for the puck along the boards and in the corners.
- Doc_Sarcasm

couturier looked good there which was nice to see

dp

Along with the Pulock Morin Zadorov debate.
- PhillySportsGuy

FTFY

He's never scored double digit goals in his life... yeah, partly because he's been pigeonholed as a grinder/agitator at every level... but part of that is that he can't cash in his chances. He's able to create some plays with his speed, but the puck more often than not dies on his stick.
- Tomahawk

I agree that he's a very good skater, very mobile. And his defensive awareness isn't bad. He could turn over a puck or two or three or four over the course of 82 games, of that I have no doubt, and yes, some of those would lead to goals.

I thought Peter Laviolette was correct when he said that he thought Rinaldo could develop into a reliable penalty killer.

But becoming a consistent offensive contributor? To use a phrase of Paul Holmgren's: "That's a stretch."

Damien Brunner is looking like a steal right now. Unfortunately having to get under the cap including Pronger to start the season meant they weren't really in a position to sign a $2.5+ million forward.
- Feanor

They might have to settle for bad contract in, bad contract out. Meszaros for Havlat, or something ugly like that.

Rinaldo definitely is a good skater. He does have some hockey skill and has really shown he can be a productive energy guy for this team. He definitely earns his ice time the hard way.
- MBFlyerfan

I wouldn't mind playing him on the third line. The team lacks speed. He's the 3rd best skater after Voracek and Read on the team!

Phoenix plays a very structured system that has given the Flyers fits. We will see if any improvement has been made.

I'd be more concerned with that game than Detroit.
- PhillySportsGuy

Bottom line if we don't show up we will lose both games. Detroit is a much stiffer test that the struggling Yotes. They are worse off than the Flyers right now and have zeroe offense going their way and average goaltending at best from Smith right now. With our luck Smith will bounce back and be very tough on us.
Have to agree Couter played his best game of the season and the third line is set in my mind, Read belongs there.

FTFY

- MBFlyerfan

You can really just add all defenseman picked after the Flyers.

Umm... The debate of which player the Flyers should have taken.
- PLindbergh31

I just didnt realize that it was being debated..

Bottom line if we don't show up we will lose both games. Detroit is a much stiffer test that the struggling Yotes. They are worse off than the Flyers right now and have zeroe offense going their way and average goaltending at best from Smith right now. With our luck Smith will bounce back and be very tough on us.
Have to agree Couter played his best game of the season and the third line is set in my mind, Read belongs there.
- flyerdude17

They need to continue to simplify when met with this kind of system. Grind it out. Something this team has had trouble doing over the past few seasons. Crash and bang.

I love hartnell but take him off the first line please. Giroux was completely invisible, I don't know what is wrong with him but he is just not with it this season, yet. Hopefully he can get it going. They had a lot more energy which I liked but have a lot to work to do because last night was all luck.

simmonds and vinny were the only ones with any chemistry, vinny was way less noticeable imo w/o simmonds

dp
- -davies-

I just didnt realize that it was being debated..
- jak521

Apparently Maata is playing well for the Pens, and making it impossible for them to send him back. It does take Centers longer to develop though.

Bottom line if we don't show up we will lose both games. Detroit is a much stiffer test that the struggling Yotes. They are worse off than the Flyers right now and have zeroe offense going their way and average goaltending at best from Smith right now. With our luck Smith will bounce back and be very tough on us.
Have to agree Couter played his best game of the season and the third line is set in my mind, Read belongs there.
- flyerdude17

I just think the team needs points right now. They need to beat the lower level teams and get points where they can.

That's why I view Phoenix as almost a must win. Even if they play better, there is no guarantee they beat detroit.

Im not sure what is going on with Simmonds. He has never had the best hands, but it seems his hands have gotten worse if that is even possible. I never want to see him carrying the puck up ice anymore. And when he is on the PP I cringe when I see him anywhere but in front of the net where he belongs. He just seems to be a turnover waiting to be committed.
- MBFlyerfan

I always perceived Simmonds' puck skills to be of the stationary variety. He's not a guy that can move the puck up the ice and deke between defenders, but along the boards he uses his body well to protect the puck and he's really good at finishing in front of the net on rebounds, like you mentioned. So yeah I agree, he's probably trying to do too much and moving too far away from his strengths.

They might have to settle for bad contract in, bad contract out. Meszaros for Havlat, or something ugly like that.
- Tomahawk

Yeah...something risky, but I swear if this team doubled down on a skilled winger and actually caught lightning in a bottle...

Apparently Maata is playing well for the Pens, and making it impossible for them to send him back. It does take Centers longer to develop though.
- PLindbergh31

Everyone is playing well for them...

He's never scored double digit goals in his life... yeah, partly because he's been pigeonholed as a grinder/agitator at every level... but part of that is that he can't cash in his chances. He's able to create some plays with his speed, but the puck more often than not dies on his stick.
- Tomahawk

Yup. I do think he could sniff ten with the right ice time, linemates, and a good heaping serving of puck luck. I really hope we're never in a position to see such a season.

I always perceived Simmonds' puck skills to be of the stationary variety. He's not a guy that can move the puck up the ice and deke between defenders, but along the boards he uses his body well to protect the puck and he's really good at finishing in front of the net on rebounds, like you mentioned. So yeah I agree, he's probably trying to do too much and moving too far away from his strengths.
- mcefalu

Precisely... he's really good at getting the puck out of his feet and spinning out of scrums in the corner w/ possession... but if he has to carry the puck through the neutral zone or over the blueline, it gets dicey.

Brunner has a reputation for shooting too much and being lazy. He'll wear out his welcome in due time.
- bradleyc4

I am afraid you do not know the facts on Brunner. He is far from lazy and is a constant threat to score. The Wings really wanted him back but could not afford him. He wanted much more than the 2.5 he signed with NJ for earlier in free agency. If he would have accepted 2.5 in July clearly Cleary would not have been brought back and Brunner would still be a Wing. Very surprised he was not signed by any team looking to add offense, no offense

I love hartnell but take him off the first line please. Giroux was completely invisible, I don't know what is wrong with him but he is just not with it this season, yet. Hopefully he can get it going. They had a lot more energy which I liked but have a lot to work to do because last night was all luck.
- steveromanowski

I still think Giroux and Voracek should stay together, so I'd like to see a Simmonds-G-Voracek line and bump Hartnell to the second line with Schenn and Vinny.

I always perceived Simmonds' puck skills to be of the stationary variety. He's not a guy that can move the puck up the ice and deke between defenders, but along the boards he uses his body well to protect the puck and he's really good at finishing in front of the net on rebounds, like you mentioned. So yeah I agree, he's probably trying to do too much and moving too far away from his strengths.
- mcefalu

No offense to Simmer, but I would prefer the puck to be on his stick very infrequently. He should simplify things to retrieve puck, pass to someone else, go to front of net.

I don't remember seeing Simmonds in front of the net in any game, pounding away at a rebound. That's his game. Not stickhandling behind the net.

Particularly impressed with the backcheck from Staal here.