You have Alt, Lauridsen, or even Guss to get more of a shot.

They should be in line before rushing Morin.
- flyer_nutter

Ghostbear too. If he goes pro, we'll likely see him in the AHL to finish out this season. This kid is really, really good. He'll likely be in the AHL most of next year, but stranger things have happened.

College game is really, really fast. He excels there to the point where its obvious he's in a different stratosphere compared to anyone else on either team. Stepping up to the AHL just means every guy is that much stronger.

I think out of him, Haag, and Morin, Ghostbear is the first to see action on our blue-line.

agree with this
the team is better with Downie in the line up

Berube can roll 4 lines with Raffl on the 4th
and he moves Raffl up a lot during the games anyway

I wish Downie could limit his penalties though
- Marc D

i wish downie would have some fun every once in a while. the guy just seems miserable and pissed off 100% of the time during the games. i know he has to play with an edge but i just get depressed watching him sometimes.

This team was a complete mess the first 6 weeks of the season.

I'm not sure that would have been good for Laughton's development, either.

He is where he needs to be right now and he turns 20 in May of this year, so he's probably going to be a Phantom next year unless he steals a job in camp.
- johndewar

If he's one of the best 12 forwards during camp, he should make the team. I don't think it would stunt his development if he was playing 8-10 minutes on the fourth line to start.

It would also have a cost controlled player contributing at the NHL level which is always a good thing.

Ghostbear too. If he goes pro, we'll likely see him in the AHL to finish out this season. This kid is really, really good. He'll likely be in the AHL most of next year, but stranger things have happened.

College game is really, really fast. He excels there to the point where its obvious he's in a different stratosphere compared to anyone else on either team. Stepping up to the AHL just means every guy is that much stronger.

I think out of him, Haag, and Morin, Ghostbear is the first to see action on our blue-line.
- mochoson

Right. There are guys who have put in time, that you have invested in.

Makes sense to at the very least give them a real shot, otherwise what's the point. Same goes for Cousins, and Akeson/McGinn to a degree.

i wish downie would have some fun every once in a while. the guy just seems miserable and pissed off 100% of the time during the games. i know he has to play with an edge but i just get depressed watching him sometimes.
- Crimsoninja

I think his lack of goal scoring this season has just really gotten under his skin. Not that he's a guy who consistently lights the lamp, but he's hit 20 goals before.

I think thats why you see Berube using him on the PP and why he's still in the top 9. Downie is a pretty good hockey player. He's just gripping the stick to hard this season, and he's always been a really emotional guy who's too hard on himself.

I think the Flyers need to be patient with this kid. He should play in the AHL for a year or two first.
- FlyersSteve118

Agreed. The best thing for him, long-term, is to let him play next year in juniors and then give him a shot when he turns pro. If they're committed to building a defense through the draft, the worst thing to do would be to rush kids to the NHL for a short-term solution.

Right. There are guys who have put in time, that you have invested in.

Makes sense to at the very least give them a real shot, otherwise what's the point. Same goes for Cousins, and Akeson/McGinn to a degree.
- flyer_nutter

I think next year is make or break for Akeson/McGinn. Cousins I think needed this year to adjust to the pro game and work on his skating.

There haven't really been many injuries in the top 6/9 for Akeson to get a real shot, and they seem to have something against McGinn.

Ghostbear too. If he goes pro, we'll likely see him in the AHL to finish out this season. This kid is really, really good. He'll likely be in the AHL most of next year, but stranger things have happened.

College game is really, really fast. He excels there to the point where its obvious he's in a different stratosphere compared to anyone else on either team. Stepping up to the AHL just means every guy is that much stronger.

I think out of him, Haag, and Morin, Ghostbear is the first to see action on our blue-line.
- mochoson

He probably is. He's the most polished of the 3 so far. The AHL would help him out, as there's a fairly big difference playing against college kids and professional men. But he could be a call-up.

I think next year is make or break for Akeson/McGinn. Cousins I think needed this year to adjust to the pro game and work on his skating.

There haven't really been many injuries in the top 6/9 for Akeson to get a real shot, and they seem to have something against McGinn.
- mochoson

McGinn's also been injured. But yeah, I wouldn't mind having him as the 13th forward if healthy.

agree with this
the team is better with Downie in the line up

Berube can roll 4 lines with Raffl on the 4th
and he moves Raffl up a lot during the games anyway

I wish Downie could limit his penalties though
- Marc D

this. all of this.

i wish downie would have some fun every once in a while. the guy just seems miserable and pissed off 100% of the time during the games. i know he has to play with an edge but i just get depressed watching him sometimes.
- Crimsoninja

looks like he had fun with carcillo

looks like he had fun with carcillo


- -davies-

And Clarkson

- Streit2ThePoint

Someone must have stolen his cloud song.

Someone must have stolen his cloud song.
- jmatchett383

Or his blue Power Rangers action figure.

Laughton will be an NHL player next season. Hopefully Kulemin will sign here to play on the 3rd line and Downie will be sent packing.
- Feanor

I'm not into bashing Steve Downie -- are there some signs of decline in the player? Yes. I'm not blind. He was never a great skater, and it looks like he labors a bit after the knee injury, at times. And, again, with not being blind, it's clear that it is fair to question his ability to score goals.

But at the same time, how are the Flyers evaluating him, from what we don't know?

If Steve Downie is completely healthy and playing like he is, then fine. There will be better options out there in free agency.

But if he isn't completely healthy, and the Flyers know he's gutted it out through the head injuries...to me, there's a player there. He thinks the game well enough offensively to complement Sean Couturier and Matt Read -- and that absolutely matters. It means EVERYTHING.

It means EVERYTHING for Sean Couturier to develop properly. To not just play defense. But to create offense. Sean Couturier, along with Claude Giroux, are the future of this franchise. Everything we're trying to do doesn't happen if Couturier doesn't come close to fulfilling his potential.

I'm not saying that the only person who can play RW with Couturier is Steve Downie. I am saying that Downie: A) Helped salvage what looked like a lost Couturier in December, B) Took at least three nasty head shots this season and C) Thinks the game well enough to contribute, and D) Is still a competitive hockey player.

That doesn't mean he gets a pass for the things he doesn't do well. I'm not sugarcoating those things.

I'm just saying, if we don't bring him back, we'd better make damn sure we KNOW the guy who is replacing him is gonna get the job done -- because it's not just Downie. It's Sean Couturier's development we're talking about, and even the most ardent Downie detractor can't argue that Couturier isn't a better player when Read and Downie are going.

I'm not into bashing Steve Downie -- are there some signs of decline in the player? Yes. I'm not blind. He was never a great skater, and it looks like he labors a bit after the knee injury, at times. And, again, with not being blind, it's clear that it is fair to question his ability to score goals.

But at the same time, how are the Flyers evaluating him, from what we don't know?

If Steve Downie is completely healthy and playing like he is, then fine. There will be better options out there in free agency.

But if he isn't completely healthy, and the Flyers know he's gutted it out through the head injuries...to me, there's a player there. He thinks the game well enough offensively to complement Sean Couturier and Matt Read -- and that absolutely matters. It means EVERYTHING.

It means EVERYTHING for Sean Couturier to develop properly. To not just play defense. But to create offense. Sean Couturier, along with Claude Giroux, are the future of this franchise. Everything we're trying to do doesn't happen if Couturier doesn't come close to fulfilling his potential.

I'm not saying that the only person who can play RW with Couturier is Steve Downie. I am saying that Downie: A) Helped salvage what looked like a lost Couturier in December, B) Took at least three nasty head shots this season and C) Thinks the game well enough to contribute, and D) Is still a competitive hockey player.

That doesn't mean he gets a pass for the things he doesn't do well. I'm not sugarcoating those things.

I'm just saying, if we don't bring him back, we'd better make damn sure we KNOW the guy who is replacing him is gonna get the job done -- because it's not just Downie. It's Sean Couturier's development we're talking about, and even the most ardent Downie detractor can't argue that Couturier is a better player when Read and Downie are going.
- AllInForFlyers

I'm gonna go out on a short limb and say that, right now, without having played 6 NHL games, Scott Laughton can bring what Steve Downie is currently bringing, and probably wouldn't take as many needless penalties.

I would do anything for a guy like Downie on our team, he may have more heart than the entire Pens lineup.
- nbartley9

Please take him. He is 95% Heart & 5% Brain

I'm gonna go out on a short limb and say that, right now, without having played 6 NHL games, Scott Laughton can bring what Steve Downie is currently bringing, and probably wouldn't take as many needless penalties.
- jmatchett383

I don't.

Until a guy actually does it, I never bet on a guy being able to do it. It's nice to project it, and it's great we have a prospect in the system like Scott Laughton, and I certainly hope he does well.

But I do not know that he will ever get the job done as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. Prospects are suspects until they actually do it.

I'm gonna go out on a short limb and say that, right now, without having played 6 NHL games, Scott Laughton can bring what Steve Downie is currently bringing, and probably wouldn't take as many needless penalties.
- jmatchett383

But Downie has a mustache.

I'm gonna go out on a short limb and say that, right now, without having played 6 NHL games, Scott Laughton can bring what Steve Downie is currently bringing, and probably wouldn't take as many needless penalties.
- jmatchett383

Agreed. And when Raffl plays on the 3rd line with Couts and Read, they are consistently creating opportunities in the offensive zone.

I don't.

Until a guy actually does it, I never bet on a guy being able to do it. It's nice to project it, and it's great we have a prospect in the system like Scott Laughton, and I certainly hope he does well.

But I do not know that he will ever get the job done as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. Prospects are suspects until they actually do it.
- AllInForFlyers

I think he can skate back and forth with slow foot speed, get in on the forecheck, be defensively sound, and contribute minimally offensively.

IMO he is physically ready and he isn't going to learn much about playing defense when he has such advantage in juniors.
- SchennBros

He's got a long way to go before his game catches up with his body in terms of NHL readiness.

At the very least, he needs another season in junior plus some seasoning at the AHL level to even be close... not sure the Flyers have the patience for that, tho.

I think he can skate back and forth with slow foot speed, get in on the forecheck, be defensively sound, and contribute minimally offensively.
- jmatchett383

Hey, if Laughton comes in and makes the team and earns a spot, by all means, great.

He was drafted to be a player, and he's produced at the junior level. I am not bashing Laughton.

Let's just see him actually get it done before we start saying that he can ride shotgun with Sean Couturier, when Couturier's out there head-to-head against Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos.

Prospects are suspects until they actually do it.
- AllInForFlyers

Haha, I like that saying.