That's interesting about the Lindbergh rights - it would be a fascinating movie done right (I'm thinking similar to the recent James Hunt Race Car Driver movie). It brings back a memory of meeting him (Pelle) as a kid. One of my relatives has a close connection to the Flyers and we got to go into the dressing room after a game and meet the players back in the early 80's. I remember meeting Pelle who had just gotten his head shaved as rookie initiation. I told him I really liked his car which at the time was a maroon 911 (not sure if that was the accident vehicle). His eyes lit up and he spent 15 minutes explaining how he had it shipped back to Germany that summer for customization, etc. He was a passionate car guy and I remember sadly remembering that interaction when I heard the news. Great guy.

In my opinion, playing Schenn at Wing isn't playing him out of position. I think he's better suited to playing the Wing. Coupled with the fact that the Flyers have some spots on at LW, and Leavalier needs to play at Center, I think it only makes sense to play Schenn at LW. We'll see what happens. I agree that Lecavalier is not the future, but for now, I think that's the best move.
- MJL

For the team's sake I hope you're right.

In my opinion, playing Schenn at Wing isn't playing him out of position. I think he's better suited to playing the Wing. Coupled with the fact that the Flyers have some spots on at LW, and Leavalier needs to play at Center, I think it only makes sense to play Schenn at LW. We'll see what happens. I agree that Lecavalier is not the future, but for now, I think that's the best move.
- MJL

Couldn't agree more. Vinny is a good centerman. Big and can finish. Berube wanted him to play wing, but at this point in his career, its just not happening. Let Vinny canter the second line with Simmer and a strong two way winger like Matt Read and watch how successful they are.

Hopefuly Schenn can succeed with G and Voracek. I keep hearing Raffls name thrown about as a possible replacement for Hartsy and thats just ridiculous. Would be to soft of a line with no one to finish.

It seems Vinny can't even be given away, that teams want us to retain salary and maybe even throw something in to sweeten the deal. Not an easy situation to fix.
- BulliesPhan87

Im not even worried about retaining salary. Its the hindrance of youth that concern's me as it should the front office.

I am hoping Schenn works well on the top line which I think he can. Also I hope Vinny flourishes playing center with maybe Simmonds and whoever is on the other wing. If a team loses a center early then hopefully some market for Vinny can be made and we can deal him then.

I have liked the comments I have read from Berube and Hextall. I know people question them because Vinny has a lot of cashe compared to what Berube has as a coach but I like that berube talked to him about remaking his game a little for the good of the team. I think it also sends the message to prospect or younger players that its either commit to the system and team or your ice time or maybe spot will go to someone else.

Just my thoughts
- J35Bacher

I agree with what you say and what Berube has said. Lecavalier has been a decent all around player in the past. No reason why he can't be more conscious of his all around game. I think being healthy and being able to skate better would go a long way.

Im not even worried about retaining salary. Its the hindrance of youth that concern's me as it should the front office.
- JoeRussomanno

I think the only thing that has been hindering Schenn is moving him around. Whether he is going to play center or wing, decide which and leave him there.

Grit... That's why I was slightly intrigued about Ryan Malone. 6'4"/224lbs, with 67 PIM (not as bad as Hartnell's 103 PIM).
- leon neon

Malone + Vinny?

(where's Prospal when you need him?)

I agree with what you say and what Berube has said. Lecavalier has been a decent all around player in the past. No reason why he can't be more conscious of his all around game. I think being healthy and being able to skate better would go a long way.
- MJL

Being heallthy will be huge. Also i think this season he will be seeing less minutes. The top wo lines will be the Giroux- voracek - and schenn line and then the Couturier - Read and whoever line. You can play Vinny and Simmonds less 5 v 5 because you can make up minutes for simmonds on the PP. Also a better 4th line would help in taking some of the hard minutes off Courturier and Read.

I think another player that will really be key is Luke Schenn. If he can be more consistant and play that hard style game he could be a solid pair to coburn. Let coburn use his wheels more and allow Schenn to be the thumper

Well folks, it looks like VLC will be here to start the season, with that in mind, I would suggest one of 3 line combinations to start the season:

LINEUP A
Schenn-Giroux-Simmonds
Raffl-VLC-Voracek
Umberger-Couturier-Read

LINEUP B
Raffl-Giroux-VLC
Umberger-Schenn-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Simmonds

LINEUP C
Schenn-Giroux-Voracek
Raffl-VLC-Read
Umberger-Couturier-Simmonds

The 4th line would be some combo of Bellemare, White, Laughton, Rinaldo and Akeson

Thoughts?

So G had his dog do the IBC... how adorkable:

http://www.mobypicture.co...r/28CGiroux/view/17219921

Well folks, it looks like VLC will be here to start the season, with that in mind, I would suggest one of 3 line combinations to start the season:

LINEUP A
Schenn-Giroux-Simmonds
Raffl-VLC-Voracek
Umberger-Couturier-Read

LINEUP B
Raffl-Giroux-VLC
Umberger-Schenn-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Simmonds

LINEUP C
Schenn-Giroux-Voracek
Raffl-VLC-Read
Umberger-Couturier-Simmonds

The 4th line would be some combo of Bellemare, White, Laughton, Rinaldo and Akeson

Thoughts?
- BiggE

I don't know if I like any of them. I think Raffl could be great on the 4th line as he can skate and provide a little offense and is still defensivly responsible. If I had my choice it would be. Just not sure yet who i want on the Couturier - Read line. I wouldn't mind seeing f laughton could play there and let Raffl center the fourth line


Schenn - Giroux - Voracek
Read - Courturier - Laughton/Akeson?(unsure about this winger)
Umberger - Vinny - Simmonds
Raffl/Bellemore/Rinaldo- Laughton/Raffl - Bellemore/Akeson/Rinaldo/Alderson

I don't know if I like any of them. I think Raffl could be great on the 4th line as he can skate and provide a little offense and is still defensivly responsible. If I had my choice it would be. Just not sure yet who i want on the Couturier - Read line. I wouldn't mind seeing f laughton could play there and let Raffl center the fourth line


Schenn - Giroux - Voracek
Read - Courturier - Laughton/Akeson?(unsure about this winger)
Umberger - Vinny - Simmonds
Raffl/Bellemore/Rinaldo- Laughton/Raffl - Bellemore/Akeson/Rinaldo/Alderson
- J35Bacher

Having Vinny and Simmonds on the same line is a bad idea, IMO. Both are weak defensively and neither can carry the puck worth a damn as well. To succeed Vinny needs one of 2 things. He either needs to be at center, surrounded by speedy wingers who can get him the puck where he wants and are responsible defensively. Or, he need to be on the RW with a top notch playmaker at center and a LW who is defensively responsible.

I also don't see either Akeson or Laughton (at this point in his career) as a top 6 forward.

Having Vinny and Simmonds on the same line is a bad idea, IMO. Both are weak defensively and neither can carry the puck worth a damn as well. To succeed Vinny needs one of 2 things. He either needs to be at center, surrounded by speedy wingers who can get him the puck where he wants and are responsible defensively. Or, he need to be on the RW with a top notch playmaker at center and a LW who is defensively responsible.

I also don't see either Akeson or Laughton (at this point in his career) as a top 6 forward.
- BiggE

I get you. That's why I have a hard time picking a winger for Read and Couturier. I get the concern with Simmonds playing with Vinny but they were together early in the season when Vinny was playing well. Umberger is defensivley responsible and that would be a line with size. I guess training camp will be even more intriging to see who works well together. Maybe a sleeper like Leirer or Alderson orone plays so well the force them selves into the linuep

In my opinion, playing Schenn at Wing isn't playing him out of position. I think he's better suited to playing the Wing. Coupled with the fact that the Flyers have some spots on at LW, and Leavalier needs to play at Center, I think it only makes sense to play Schenn at LW. We'll see what happens. I agree that Lecavalier is not the future, but for now, I think that's the best move.
- MJL

Brayden Schenn is entering his fourth season in the NHL. Schenn has flip flopped between center and wing with these three seasons. This debate for me is becoming stale. I agree with you completely. Trying to get Schenn to center seems forced at this point. We've had Briere and Lecavalier who I suppose you could blame for getting in the way of Schenn playing center but next to come up will be Laughton, who you want at center, in the top nine, along with Giroux and Couturier staying in the middle. Schenn's two way game isn't great anyway. Allow Brayden Schenn to have less responsibility defensively and play him on the wing.

Well if coke doesn't make him skate faster then what is he going to get in Camden that will improve his game? Guns?
- coffee junkie

Heroin. He'll be quite litrilly chasing the dragon on the ice. He'll put Bure to shame.

Heroin. He'll be quite litrilly chasing the dragon on the ice. He'll put Bure to shame.
- Giroux_Is_God

Heroin. He'll be quite litrilly chasing the dragon on the ice. He'll put Bure to shame.
- Giroux_Is_God

I've been waiting for your reply for hours and it was well worth it.

I get you. That's why I have a hard time picking a winger for Read and Couturier. I get the concern with Simmonds playing with Vinny but they were together early in the season when Vinny was playing well. Umberger is defensivley responsible and that would be a line with size. I guess training camp will be even more intriging to see who works well together. Maybe a sleeper like Leirer or Alderson orone plays so well the force them selves into the linuep
- J35Bacher

Yeah, Vinny/Simmer would need a MSL-type guy to round out that line to make it work.

Somebody's gotta be able to take that first pass from the D, make a play in the NZ and/or be able to penetrate the o-zone w/ possession. Vinny's doesn't move well enough to do the former anymore... Simmer's mostly just a simple dump & chase guy. And Schenn isn't/wasn't good enough through the NZ to make up for their deficiencies, hence that line struggling badly.

Maybe Jake or Akeson could be that guy -- or maybe Raffl. But I'd still lean toward bumping Vinny down the lineup versus handicapping one of the top-lines to force an awkward fit:

Umburgler - G - Jake
Raffl - Coots - Read
Art Ross - Schenn - Simmonds
Pedobear - Vinny - White

Yeah, Vinny/Simmer would need a MSL-type guy to round out that line to make it work.

Somebody's gotta be able to take that first pass from the D, make a play in the NZ and/or be able to penetrate the o-zone w/ possession. Vinny's doesn't move well enough to do the former anymore... Simmer's mostly just a simple dump & chase guy. And Schenn isn't/wasn't good enough through the NZ to make up for their deficiencies, hence that line struggling badly.

Maybe Jake or Akeson could be that guy -- or maybe Raffl. But I'd still lean toward bumping Vinny down the lineup versus handicapping one of the top-lines to force an awkward fit:


Umburgler - G - Jake
Raffl - Coots - Read
Art Ross - Schenn - Simmonds
Pedobear - Vinny - White
- Tomahawk

While I truly hope I'm wrong, I'm just not sold on Akeson as an 82 game NHL regular.

I've been waiting for your reply for hours and it was well worth it.
- coffee junkie

I'm glad.

In all seriousness, think about it. He could get acid or shrooms, and see facets of the game that others simply can't, like Gretzky.

Heroin, we already talked about. Jesus. He'd be fast as hell.

All the opioids he could get- methadone and oxycontin and stuff- he'll never be injured.

He could score some meth (and goals) and never be tired/want to WORKWORKWORK all the time. His conditioning would skyrocket.

Addies would fine tune his focus through all this.

....on second thought, sign em. He'd be a Gretzky/Mario/Bure/Howe clone.

GID hexglobulinall

Yeah, Vinny/Simmer would need a MSL-type guy to round out that line to make it work.

Somebody's gotta be able to take that first pass from the D, make a play in the NZ and/or be able to penetrate the o-zone w/ possession. Vinny's doesn't move well enough to do the former anymore... Simmer's mostly just a simple dump & chase guy. And Schenn isn't/wasn't good enough through the NZ to make up for their deficiencies, hence that line struggling badly.

Maybe Jake or Akeson could be that guy -- or maybe Raffl. But I'd still lean toward bumping Vinny down the lineup versus handicapping one of the top-lines to force an awkward fit:

Umburgler - G - Jake
Raffl - Coots - Read
Art Ross - Schenn - Simmonds
Pedobear - Vinny - White
- Tomahawk

Playing Lecavalier on the 4th line with 4th line players is an infinitely more awkward fit. What I find most amazing is that a completely unproven player in Akeson is looked at more favorably then a proven NHL player like Lecavalier is.

While I truly hope I'm wrong, I'm just not sold on Akeson as an 82 game NHL regular.
- BiggE

Nor am I but apparently I need video evidence of his every little move to prove my concerns.

Playing Lecavalier on the 4th line with 4th line players is an infinitely more awkward fit. What I find most amazing is that a completely unproven player in Akeson is looked at more favorably then a proven NHL player like Lecavalier is.
- MJL

It's understandable under the microscope of a small sample last year, but if Vinny is healthy, playing him on the 4th is a complete waste, IMO.

While I truly hope I'm wrong, I'm just not sold on Akeson as an 82 game NHL regular.
- BiggE

I hope he is, because if not, that means Rinaldo and/or Rosehill are in the lineup.

All signs point to Laughton in LHV... unless he sets the world on fire.

If Laughton doesn't make the team and Penner isn't signed, there's still a top 12 without Rinaldo and Rosehill.

BSchenn-Giroux_Voracek
Read-Couturier-Simmonds
Umberger-Lecavalier-Akeson
PEB-Raffl-White

So G had his dog do the IBC... how adorkable:

http://www.mobypicture.co...r/28CGiroux/view/17219921
- Tomahawk

Really cute.

The dog, too.