hartnell blows it's time to move on sucked last season and sucks this season
- 2Real

That second line is a disaster in the making. move Rinaldo down to 4 and everyone up one.
- mayorofangrytown

Can you elaborate?

I don't see much wrong with it. If anything, it seems like a defensive improvement of our current second line...

If your going to have a opening on that second line u might as well call up akeson instead of rinaldo
- AGL_91

I'm not sure that can be done without someone clearing waivers to be sent down.

And if you set up the lines like this. It will just be the top line and three seconds lines really. No need to say any of the lines are demotions of the others .

- hammarby31

havlat is a strong buyout candidate for the sharks what do you think

havlat is a strong buyout candidate for the sharks what do you think
- 2Real

i want a puck moving dman before i want a forward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFJeaAq5Mv4

Merry Christmas from Chuck Norris

i want a puck moving dman before i want a forward.
- hammarby31

havlat can play defense

havlat is a strong buyout candidate for the sharks what do you think
- 2Real

Has he ever played a full season?

Anyone who liked the mid-80s Flyers should check out Brad Marsh's blog.

Has he ever played a full season?
- 77rams

hartnell has only played 5 full seasons out of 13

Your PoV regarding Downie, Couts and Read is what many of us feel regarding Raffl on the first line.

So we're back to where, when Downie returns, does Hartnell fit in this lineup?
- wolfhounds

Not at all. If the line of Giroux, Voracek and Raffl are as written in stone as Couturier, Downie and Read, top forwards such as Hartnell, Lecavalier, Simmonds and B.Schenn have to find a home. There is an odd man out here. I think it's more important that Raffl finds himself the odd man out than any other of these top nine players.

Not at all. If the line of Giroux, Voracek and Raffl are as written in stone as Couturier, Downie and Read, top forwards such as Hartnell, Lecavalier, Simmonds and B.Schenn have to find a home. There is an odd man out here. I think it's more important that Raffl finds himself the odd man out than any other of these top nine players.
- Schenn2shine

why hit a round cylinder into a star hole
that's what you get with hartnell on the first line you go with what works

hartnell has only played 5 full seasons out of 13
- 2Real

Your point?

Not at all. If the line of Giroux, Voracek and Raffl are as written in stone as Couturier, Downie and Read, top forwards such as Hartnell, Lecavalier, Simmonds and B.Schenn have to find a home. There is an odd man out here. I think it's more important that Raffl finds himself the odd man out than any other of these top nine players.
- Schenn2shine

Then right now Hartnell is the odd man out. He has been "not good" all of last season and most of this season.

He needs to start earning his ice time. Raffl has certainly earned his ice time.

Not at all. If the line of Giroux, Voracek and Raffl are as written in stone as Couturier, Downie and Read, top forwards such as Hartnell, Lecavalier, Simmonds and B.Schenn have to find a home. There is an odd man out here. I think it's more important that Raffl finds himself the odd man out than any other of these top nine players.
- Schenn2shine

I don't think Read, Couts and Downie are set in stone, no more than the first line, but it doesn't make sense to change what is working because another player is "supposed" to be better. The proof is in the pudding as they say, and that first line has been clicking since Raffl got bumped up. Coincidence? Maybe. But Hartnell got plenty of chances to stick on the #1 grouping and he just didn't get it done.

One of the things I love about sports is the fact that most players have to earn what they are given by their performance, and their performance is usually easy to quantify, especially for the coach who sees them day in, day out in practice and in games. This idea that Hartnell, Schenn, or anybody else should be gifted a spot in the lineup better than what they've earned doesn't make any sense to me.

Then right now Hartnell is the odd man out. He has been "not good" all of last season and most of this season.

He needs to start earning his ice time. Raffl has certainly earned his ice time.
- MBFlyerfan

Agreed.

And it's not like Hartnell's minutes are down in the 4th line territory or anything like that. In fact, if you look at the number of shifts he's skating, that really hasn't changed from the beginning of the season to now.

http://flyers.nhl.com/clu...son=20132014&view=gamelog

Edit: and when Downie comes back, assuming all forwards are healthy, I think the Flyers will go the way of building 4 solid lines as opposed to 3 good lines and 1 after-thought unit that gets a couple minutes per game. Why not? Where is it written you can't roll 4 skill lines?

Happy Holidays

Anyone who liked the mid-80s Flyers should check out Brad Marsh's blog.
- bmeltzer

Thanks!

After reading Brad's blog, I have to wonder, what would you think of Dave Poulin as the next President of the Flyers?

I would love to see Poulin as Prez next year, with Hextall as GM. Thoughts?

Happy Holidays
- ob18

Same to you and yours, OB!

Agreed.

And it's not like Hartnell's minutes are down in the 4th line territory or anything like that. In fact, if you look at the number of shifts he's skating, that really hasn't changed from the beginning of the season to now.

http://flyers.nhl.com/clu...son=20132014&view=gamelog
- wolfhounds

Hartnell is the type of player who needs to force himself on a game. Over the past two seasons I have seen him seemingly waiting around for the game to come to him, waiting for something to happen instead of making something happen. Be it a hit, a fight, winning a battle, going to the net and generally pissing people off. He does NONE of these things on a consistent basis. That needs to change or he will never be effective again.

Thanks!

After reading Brad's blog, I have to wonder, what would you think of Dave Poulin as the next President of the Flyers?

I would love to see Poulin as Prez next year, with Hextall as GM. Thoughts?
- BiggE

I always had wanted to see the Flyers hire Poulin in some type of managerial capacity. I'm not really sure why they never did after he left Notre Dame.

A very bright man with a great hockey mind, and the second best captain this team ever had, it's unusual that the Flyers never brought him back.

Thanks!

After reading Brad's blog, I have to wonder, what would you think of Dave Poulin as the next President of the Flyers?

I would love to see Poulin as Prez next year, with Hextall as GM. Thoughts?
- BiggE

He would be my #1 choice, actually.

He would be my #1 choice, actually.
- bmeltzer

Still want Paul Fenton

Then right now Hartnell is the odd man out. He has been "not good" all of last season and most of this season.

He needs to start earning his ice time. Raffl has certainly earned his ice time.
- MBFlyerfan

Scott Hartnell will never be the odd man out.

Your point?
- 77rams

lots of players don't play full seasons