I just have a feeling Hexy is going to channel his inner Lombardi and give more responsibility to the younger core guys (B. Schenn, Coots, and Read) and push some of the vets (Hartnell, Vinny) either out the door or a reduced role.

I would be surprised to see any trading of draft picks to acquire UFA rights under the Hexy stewardship. I don't believe I'm off base in my thinking.

Agreed, I would be surprised if he gets over $4 million. Jussi is the type of top 9 forward a Stanley Cup winning team needs. At 31, I think there is enough tread on the tire, he'll get at least a three year, probably four.
- ravishingone

yeah. youd love a three year deal. but someone will give that fourth.

Have you ever been to Pittsburgh?
- wolfhounds

nope. furthest ive ever been out that way is the lehigh valley, which isnt nearly as far west and still begins to prove your point in a far too literal sense

but you know the exact type im referring to. i think im just going to refer to them as the panotches from now on.

So what are you saying? Lecavalier wasn't playing well. the coach tried to move him around the line up to get him going. It didn't work. He played center between Simmonds and Schenn, He played wing with them, He played wing with Giroux, he played wing with Couturier. he played center on the 4th line.

Where else did you want Berube to try him? I have issues with Berube, but he tried like Hell to get Lecavalier going, and it usually failed.
- Jsaquella

Coming out of training camp Lecavalier actually saw some time with Michael Raffl. According to Laviolette, they had pretty decent chemistry.

Brayden Schenn had eight minutes in penalty minutes during our series against the Rangers. Pretty bad penalties too but for whatever reason never saw any kind of punishment, to Vinny's two minutes. Why?

Why have we never saw a Raffl-Lecavalier-Simmonds line? I mean it's automatic Raffl improves everyone. Why didn't Schenn ever center the fouth line anytime he seriously cost our team?

I think it's safe to say that Craig Berube does have his favourites.

Agreed. I'd like to see more than just them head out. I'd like to see an emphasis placed on skating and smarts, but I also want to avoid one dimensional guys.
- Jsaquella

They need another high end guy. They took a shot with Vinny, but they need someone with better skating like you pointed out earlier.

What's your take on Hartnell now?

I just have a feeling Hexy is going to channel his inner Lombardi and give more responsibility to the younger core guys (B. Schenn, Coots, and Read) and push some of the vets (Hartnell, Vinny) either out the door or a reduced role.

I would be surprised to see any trading of draft picks to acquire UFA rights under the Hexy stewardship. I don't believe I'm off base in my thinking.
- ravishingone

We all know what Hextall said. Homer said most of the same things back in 2007 when he was hired to replace Clarke

He played center on the other two lines. He centered Schenn & Simmonds and the 4th line. Both of those lines performed better when he was not on them.
- Jsaquella

What? People were begging for Lecavalier to be on the fouth line because he started producing there.

We all know what Hextall said. Homer said most of the same things back in 2007 when he was hired to replace Clarke
- Jsaquella

Has the same guy at the top. Unless he can stand up to Snider, it doesn't mean a lot.

nope. furthest ive ever been out that way is the lehigh valley, which isnt nearly as far west and still begins to prove your point in a far too literal sense

but you know the exact type im referring to. i think im just going to refer to them as the panotches from now on.
- stayinthefnnet

Yup, I know. I'm just sayin', Pittsburgh is a lot closer to the "redneck in-bred" than Philly, so I thought that comment was funny.

The Panotches...could be some punk rock band.



Ugh, I hate the f'n "King Henrik" moniker.

We all know what Hextall said. Homer said most of the same things back in 2007 when he was hired to replace Clarke
- Jsaquella

I do believe Homer stayed pretty much keeping a core together, but for whatever reason the decision to let go of Carter and Richards changed everything. They identified a core and overspent to bring in a big piece in Pronger to get them over the hump (got to OT game 6 in Finals). Unfortunately, once Pronger went down, and the two big trades everything changed the team's strategy.

I just have a feeling Hexy is going to channel his inner Lombardi and give more responsibility to the younger core guys (B. Schenn, Coots, and Read) and push some of the vets (Hartnell, Vinny) either out the door or a reduced role.

I would be surprised to see any trading of draft picks to acquire UFA rights under the Hexy stewardship. I don't believe I'm off base in my thinking.
- ravishingone

At least a medium term vision if not a long term one? Could such good fortune actually happen in Flyersland?

Coming out of training camp Lecavalier actually saw some time with Michael Raffl. According to Laviolette, they had pretty decent chemistry.

Brayden Schenn had eight minutes in penalty minutes during our series against the Rangers. Pretty bad penalties too but for whatever reason never saw any kind of punishment, to Vinny's two minutes. Why?

Why have we never saw a Raffl-Lecavalier-Simmonds like? I mean it's automatic Raffl improves everyone. Why didn't Schenn ever center the fouth line anytime he seriously cost our team?

I think it's safe to say that Craig Berube does have his favourites.
- SuperSchennBros

Yes, Berube does play favorites. I complained about it often, when Nick Grossmann got chance after chance when he played bad, and Luke Schenn & Erik Gustafsson got benched for every mistake they made.

During the season, Raffl and Giroux were tried with Lecavalier. They got outshot badly at 5 on 5 and were ineffective. Pretty much every line Berube tried Lecavalier on performed worse with him on it.

That's the issue. It wasn't like they tried him with two different lines and gave up. they tried him all over the place and it almost uniformly saw the performance of the guys playing with Lecavalier drop to some extent.

I agree Brayden Schenn played poorly against the Rangers. The trouble is, Lecavalier played just as badly, while avoiding penalties.

Has the same guy at the top. Unless he can stand up to Snider, it doesn't mean a lot.
- bodiva88

That's not happening unless Ed laces them up and skates in an alumni game.

wow pissburgh is done

Brad Richards is 7-0 in Game 7's. Wow.

I just have a feeling Hexy is going to channel his inner Lombardi and give more responsibility to the younger core guys (B. Schenn, Coots, and Read) and push some of the vets (Hartnell, Vinny) either out the door or a reduced role.

I would be surprised to see any trading of draft picks to acquire UFA rights under the Hexy stewardship. I don't believe I'm off base in my thinking.
- ravishingone

A lot will be known about this team if they bring Timonen back.

If they do, I'm not being critical. Timonen can still play in the NHL.

But it goes against taking a step back to move forward, because Timonen maintains the status quo -- again, I'm not saying that is good or bad.

But my way of thinking is that you let Timonen go, if you want some younger players to begin to full roles that the Flyers need to know about.

So, yeah, I'm saying it: I'd play Gus for 25-30 games, see where the team is, before I would bring Timonen back. But that's just me.

Anthony Mantha scores with 52 seconds left in regulation to send Val-d'Or to the Memorial Cup.

He finishes the QMJHL playoffs with 24 goals in 24 games after scoring 57 goals in 57 games during the regular season.
- PhillySportsGuy

Next Scott Hartnell

A lot will be known about this team if they bring Timonen back.

If they do, I'm not being critical. Timonen can still play in the NHL.

But it goes against taking a step back to move forward, because Timonen maintains the status quo -- again, I'm not saying that is good or bad.

But my way of thinking is that you let Timonen go, if you want some younger players to begin to full roles that the Flyers need to know about.

So, yeah, I'm saying it: I'd play Gus for 25-30 games, see where the team is, before I would bring Timonen back. But that's just me.
- AllInForFlyers

Hypothetically, they bring back Kimmo at $4 million, but ship out Grossmann, and one of Alt, Ghost, or Morin start in the top 6. What is your opinion, then just curious?

What? People were begging for Lecavalier to be on the fouth line because he started producing there.
- SuperSchennBros

It was actually more because he wasn't dragging Simmonds down as a 4th liner.

That "production" on the 4th line was 3 goals scored, 3 goals against and managing to roughly break even in shots for and against.

Yes, Berube does play favorites. I complained about it often, when Nick Grossmann got chance after chance when he played bad, and Luke Schenn & Erik Gustafsson got benched for every mistake they made.

During the season, Raffl and Giroux were tried with Lecavalier. They got outshot badly at 5 on 5 and were ineffective. Pretty much every line Berube tried Lecavalier on performed worse with him on it.

That's the issue. It wasn't like they tried him with two different lines and gave up. they tried him all over the place and it almost uniformly saw the performance of the guys playing with Lecavalier drop to some extent.

I agree Brayden Schenn played poorly against the Rangers. The trouble is, Lecavalier played just as badly, while avoiding penalties.
- Jsaquella

When two players are playing evening but one is constantly marching to the penalty box, that means one is outplaying the other.

I think Schenn, Simmonds and insert name is stapled to to the second line, it makes for a bad defensive second line no matter what.

When two players are playing evening but one is constantly marching to the penalty box, that means one is outplaying the other.

I think Schenn, Simmonds and insert name is stapled to to the second line, it makes for a bad defensive second line no matter what.
- SuperSchennBros

The trouble is, outside of the penalties, Lecavalier wasn't playing equal to Schenn. It's not just the playoffs, it's over the course of the entire season. Schenn played better in terms of possession, in terms of generating chances than Lecavalier did over the 82 game season.

In terms of possession and generating shots, Schenn was markedly better than Lecavalier in the playoffs.

LOL @ the refs. Calling a high-sticking penalty on a hockey follow-through play.

It was actually more because he wasn't dragging Simmonds down as a 4th liner.

That "production" on the 4th line was 3 goals scored, 3 goals against and managing to roughly break even in shots for and against.
- Jsaquella

That sounds like terrible production, especially if Lecavalier was the one to score or set up the goals. The Boston game that went to OT stands out for me.

That sounds like terrible production, especially if Lecavalier was the one to score or set up the goals. The Boston game that went to OT stands out for me.
- SuperSchennBros

Yes, he had a good game against Boston. Then he had 7 bad ones against the Rangers.

Bolts get a second first rounder from St Louis trade. Sather's team better get 8 more wins....