Final

Oshawa - 3
North Bay - 2

Laughton with an assist

They used to be on the same line, the last half dozen or so games Laughton has been used on a shut down line and those 2 have mainly played with Vancouver pick Cole Cassels
- ob18

I feel like Laughton just scores no matter where the team puts him.

Hopefully he'll become more consistent as he matures. He has the skills and good hockey sense, everything else can be taught. Hagg's another guy who would benefit with a year of Terry Murray's coaching
- BiggE

I think his style will rub people the wrong way. He appears aloof at times.

Can't watch Morin today, his game is not being televised.
- ob18

And on the night he has a good game too

After 1

Drummondville - 0
Rimouski - 2

Morin with a goal & assist

I feel like Laughton just scores no matter where the team puts him.
- PhillySportsGuy

That would be nice, but I won't expect big numbers but it'd be nice in the 40 to 60 point range.

That would be nice, but I won't expect big numbers but it'd be nice in the 40 to 60 point range.
- ob18

I know. I just think he's too good to be in Juniors. I wish he could have played in the AHL.

I bet he's ready for the NHL right now, but can't return because of the annoying rules.

I know. I just think he's too good to be in Juniors. I wish he could have played in the AHL.

I bet he's ready for the NHL right now, but can't return because of the annoying rules.
- PhillySportsGuy

I think he was ready but why the real reason he was sent back who knows.

I know. I just think he's too good to be in Juniors. I wish he could have played in the AHL.

I bet he's ready for the NHL right now, but can't return because of the annoying rules.
- PhillySportsGuy

i hate the rules governing junior/ahl.

I think his style will rub people the wrong way. He appears aloof at times.
- PhillySportsGuy

Hopefully he'll grow out of that, he wouldn't be the first teenaged player who needed to learn to take the game more seriously and work harder.

I think he was ready but why the real reason he was sent back who knows.
- ob18

The Flyers were lifeless and terrible to start the season. It was impossible for anyone to look good with this team early.

I was surprised they sent him back. I would rather have Laughton playing 4th line center than Rinaldo or Rosehill playing 4th line wing. Hall could have taken defensive zone face-offs and is accustomed to playing wing.

Hopefully he'll grow out of that, he wouldn't be the first teenaged player who needed to learn to take the game more seriously and work harder.
- BiggE

I don't think its a lack of effort. I think its his style of play. Similar to the way Pitkanen rubbed people the wrong way. He was a good player, but never seemed like he was giving maximum effort all the time. He probably way, but it just didn't look like he was. I see that in Hagg.

i hate the rules governing junior/ahl.
- stayinthefnnet

For the most part I don't mind them, I think of it also from the junior side. If those players go back it's a huge financial boost to that team who may not get the attendance otherwise.

But also wouldn't mind a tweak to it for a team to allow at least 1 player to go to the AHL and not juniors. Big issue with that is a team would then use an ELC which I am sure some wouldn't be crazy about if they can just send the player back.

i hate the rules governing junior/ahl.
- stayinthefnnet

Bill wrote a good blog about it over the summer. He knows the rules very well and laid them out for us. His ideas for changes weren't radical and would be beneficial to the players and league. Its just hard to convince the CHL to relinquish rights to their best players. This is a business you know.

Bill wrote a good blog about it over the summer. He knows the rules very well and laid them out for us. His ideas for changes weren't radical and would be beneficial to the players and league. Its just hard to convince the CHL to relinquish rights to their best players. This is a business you know.
- PhillySportsGuy

i do see that, and my sentiment is undoubtedly pretty selfishly driven im sure.

Bill wrote a good blog about it over the summer. He knows the rules very well and laid them out for us. His ideas for changes weren't radical and would be beneficial to the players and league. Its just hard to convince the CHL to relinquish rights to their best players. This is a business you know.
- PhillySportsGuy

and it goes without saying, but Bill is a tremendous blogger. i read his work for a little on here before even starting to post.

For the most part I don't mind them, I think of it also from the junior side. If those players go back it's a huge financial boost to that team who may not get the attendance otherwise.

But also wouldn't mind a tweak to it for a team to allow at least 1 player to go to the AHL and not juniors. Big issue with that is a team would then use an ELC which I am sure some wouldn't be crazy about if they can just send the player back.
- ob18

I would be ok with that. Certain players fall into the category of being very close to NHL but not quite.

I imagine the Flyers would prefer calling up Laughton if they had an injury to a center.

and it goes without saying, but Bill is a tremendous blogger. i read his work for a little on here before even starting to post.
- stayinthefnnet

Yea. We lucked out when you read some of the other team's blog.

I don't think its a lack of effort. I think its his style of play. Similar to the way Pitkanen rubbed people the wrong way. He was a good player, but never seemed like he was giving maximum effort all the time. He probably way, but it just didn't look like he was. I see that in Hagg.
- PhillySportsGuy

Maybe
People said the same about Rick Macleish in the 70s; some guys just look their floating out there when they are actually playing well. Macleish did often float thru the reg season, but much like Briere, once the playoffs began he was dominant.

I certainly haven't seen nearly enough of Hagg to really make any judgements but I like his combo of skill and size and look forward to seeing him come to north America

Yea. We lucked out when you read some of the other team's blog.
- PhillySportsGuy

definitely. but it cuts another way as well. i try to read a lot of blogs that strike my fancy about other teams to kill time here and there, and there are some good bloggers who typically for whatever reason or another seem to get very little attention.

yeah but were the bullies man! i mean come on, im wearing a flyers shirt in which someone creatively manipulated the flyer logo to look like a fist. were tough man. thats the bully way. well (frank) up any wussy hockey players.
- stayinthefnnet

definitely. but it cuts another way as well. i try to read a lot of blogs that strike my fancy about other teams to kill time here and there, and there are some good bloggers who typically for whatever reason or another seem to get very little attention.
- stayinthefnnet

I know. Bill writes for the Stars blog too. He does as good of a job with their blogs as well. They will write, maybe, 10 comments. It's sad. Once in a while you'll see a Flyers fan go over and rip them for not appreciating Bill. Its funny.

I know. Bill writes for the Stars blog too. He does as good of a job with their blogs as well. They will write, maybe, 10 comments. It's sad. Once in a while you'll see a Flyers fan go over and rip them for not appreciating Bill. Its funny.
- PhillySportsGuy

haha yeah. i gather some teams are just probably under-represented on here so theres not a lot you can do i guess. but yeah. like i said his work is very enjoyable. obviously knowledgeable, but the objectivity and lack of bias is refreshing.

Yeah and I'm sure the salary cap hasn't changed the way teams should draft, right?

Get a clue.
- Flyersgod

With the cap, teams can't afford to f-up their top picks anymore... especially big-spending teams like the Flyers that depend on having a steady stream of cheap kids on ELC's to fill out the roster. And considering that top forward prospects tend to pan out at a steadier rate than defense, there seems to be a pretty strong incentive for teams to minimize risk in the 1st-round -- aka take a forward.

Yes, dmen are more expensive to sign and re-sign under the cap, and ideally it's most affordable to develop your top dmen, but even teams that have a great track record of scouting/drafting/developing dmen are prone to huge f-ups... like LA taking Teubert over Karlsson, and Hickey over Alzner.

The Flyers have arguably the most terrible track record when it comes to D and G, but also probably the best when it comes to F's. There's nothing wrong with continuing to leverage a strong comparative advantage.

theres no way of knowing anything for certain, but id take the maatta side if given a choice. although who is to say that morin doesnt have a weber inside of him. he was drafted higher. not conclusive by any means, but still, it shows you just cant totally tell
- stayinthefnnet

Joni Pitkanen started his career looking like Paul Coffee... just sayin'.

Maatta's had a smooth start to his career, but there's no guarantee he can keep it up. He's spent 2/3 of his time at ES with either Malkin or Crosby. He's also been paired with either Niskanen (who's playing out of his freakin mind) or Letang, so it's not like he's doing all the heavy lifting out there.

When the degree of difficulty starts increasing, especially in terms of matchups, is when we'll find out how good he really is, IMO.