How quickly we forget he's 24..

You guys think Lappy played the way he did with the Flyers when he was 24? I don't know the answer, but I imagine it'd be a no.

You need guys like Lappy on the roster to win. That we can all agree on. What if, in 4 years, Rinaldo evolves into that? He wants to try (remember his whole I want to kill penalties thing?)

He knows what he needs to do to be as successful as a role player and wants to work at it. That's a pretty solid start for a 24 year old.

It's obvious to me the Flyers think he can really turn into an important player. After all, he was (frank)in awesome 2 seasons ago.

Give the kid a chance to mature into a reasonable facsimile of a final product, then feel free to blast the Flyers

Jesus. Whodathunk a 24 year old player on a 2 year 850k contract would have the fan base up in arms.
- Giroux_Is_God

The thing is Lappy had a pretty good pedigree coming out of junior hockey as a scorer, of all things (he put up over 100 points twice in the Q). Lappy had to pretty much sublimate that part of his game to make himself into what he became.

Rinaldo, OTOH, has seemingly been nothing more than an agitator through his entire hockey career. It's unclear what he's good at other than hitting.

rinaldo is supergreat, I don't know what I was thinking

How quickly we forget he's 24..

You guys think Lappy played the way he did with the Flyers when he was 24? I don't know the answer, but I imagine it'd be a no.

You need guys like Lappy on the roster to win. That we can all agree on. What if, in 4 years, Rinaldo evolves into that? He wants to try (remember his whole I want to kill penalties thing?)
- Giroux_Is_God

Roussel is 24, too. Did you even read Bill's blog?

And Laperriere had a 23 and a 21 point season on his resume by the time he was 24. There's really no comparison between him and Rinaldo, who had the 8th worst On Ice +/- per 60 minutes in the league last year.

http://www.behindthenet.c...+21+22+23+24+25+26+27+28#

I worry that Akeson is just another Tim Tookey/Peter White type player. A guy who can score at the AHL level (and Akeson doesn't even score at the level of those 2) but in the NHL is a marginal guy at best. Not quite big enough, not quite fast enough, not quite.........anything enough.

I hope not.
- MBFlyerfan

+1 for name dropping Tim Tookey

I can certainly attest to that.

I've been sitting at the DMV at 8th and Arch since 1 trying to get a replacement license. Bored out of my mind doesn't even scratch the surface.
- Giroux_Is_God

The people watching at that location must be amusing, however.

Rinaldo, OTOH, has seemingly been nothing more than an agitator through his entire hockey career. It's unclear what he's good at other than hitting.
- johndewar

Let's face it... Rinaldo is a poor man's Patrick Kaleta, who is a poor man's Daniel Carcillo.

I worry that Akeson is just another Tim Tookey/Peter White type player. A guy who can score at the AHL level (and Akeson doesn't even score at the level of those 2) but in the NHL is a marginal guy at best. Not quite big enough, not quite fast enough, not quite.........anything enough.

I hope not.
- MBFlyerfan

I see a Clarke MacArthur... not big, not fast, doesn't do anything great... but he's just got a preternatural feel for the game and that makes him a valuable dude to have.

He just flat out makes plays.

Roussel is 24, too. Did you even read Bill's blog?

And Laperriere had a 23 and a 21 point season on his resume by the time he was 24. There's really no comparison between him and Rinaldo, who had the 8th worst On Ice +/- per 60 minutes in the league last year.

http://www.behindthenet.c...+21+22+23+24+25+26+27+28#
- Feanor

I did read his blog. I read them every day!

I'm not saying Rinaldo is going to be great. All I'm saying is we're kind of blowing this up. He's a 24 year old, that still will mature, making 850k. This isn't some terrible albatross contract, and I believe his head is on straight enough to at least work hard to become an effective 4th liner. We shouldn't give up on the 24 year old yet. He's still a work in progress.

The people watching at that location must be amusing, however.
- johndewar

This facet of the experience makes me feel 110% better about myself.

rinaldo is supergreat, I don't know what I was thinking
- BulliesPhan87

His Fenway Corgi rating is (frank)ing outstainding too.

His Fenway Corgi rating is (frank)ing outstainding too.
- Doc_Sarcasm

I hope to overhaul my wardrobe with Rinaldo shirseys soon

in 67 regular season games this season, Rinaldo ranked 14th in the NHL with 31 credited hits.
- bill meltzer

??

- Scoob

That should read 231 hits, Scoob.

That should read 231 hits, Scoob.
- Scoob

Thanks, Scoob.

Thanks, Scoob.
- Scoob

no prob

I hope to overhaul my wardrobe with Rinaldo shirseys soon
- BulliesPhan87

I'm ironing his name onto my Flyers shirtseys as we speak.

I'm ironing his name onto my Flyers shirtseys as we speak.
- Doc_Sarcasm

don't forget one of these

Flyers rookie camp roster.

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=729516

Flyers rookie camp roster.

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=729516
- Feanor

Very interested to see if Nick Cousins makes a step forward in Lehigh Valley this year.

Interesting piece about expansion... main takeaway: Portland!

http://www.arcticicehocke...i-scheme-to-rule-them-all

Interesting piece about expansion... main takeaway: Portland!

http://www.arcticicehocke...i-scheme-to-rule-them-all
- Tomahawk

"NHL executives have become supremely skilled at rooting out and ensnaring very rich people who are convinced they need to shovel money into a pro sports franchise to message their egos"

I did read his blog. I read them every day!

I'm not saying Rinaldo is going to be great. All I'm saying is we're kind of blowing this up. He's a 24 year old, that still will mature, making 850k. This isn't some terrible albatross contract, and I believe his head is on straight enough to at least work hard to become an effective 4th liner. We shouldn't give up on the 24 year old yet. He's still a work in progress.
- Giroux_Is_God

So when do we say enough is enough if he continues to regress? 10 games, 1/2 season, full season, 2-5 seasons?

Flyers rookie camp roster.

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=729516
- Feanor

Thanks for posting that! A lot of smaller forwards. Didn't realize Alderson is 6'4''- would be great if he surprised in camp (Bill put him as a potential sleeper).

I did read his blog. I read them every day!

I'm not saying Rinaldo is going to be great. All I'm saying is we're kind of blowing this up. He's a 24 year old, that still will mature, making 850k. This isn't some terrible albatross contract, and I believe his head is on straight enough to at least work hard to become an effective 4th liner. We shouldn't give up on the 24 year old yet. He's still a work in progress.
- Giroux_Is_God

The trouble is, even at 24, you want to see sustained progress. He had a short season where he reduced his penalties and did a good job drawing them. He wasn't a better defender, or making strides as a player in terms of producing more, he simply did a better job of drawing penalties.

If he comes out this season and shows signs of not only reducing the dumb penalties, but also by becoming a better hockey player, great, my reservations will go away. But he's never shown being much more than an agitator at every level he's played at.

The trouble is, even at 24, you want to see sustained progress. He had a short season where he reduced his penalties and did a good job drawing them. He wasn't a better defender, or making strides as a player in terms of producing more, he simply did a better job of drawing penalties.

If he comes out this season and shows signs of not only reducing the dumb penalties, but also by becoming a better hockey player, great, my reservations will go away. But he's never shown being much more than an agitator at every level he's played at.
- Jsaquella

I don't have huge problem with it other than it's a seeming commitment of a roster spot for the next three seasons. While his play often frustrates me it will be compounded now by knowing that the team feels like they can win with him on the roster in the next three years. I put it right there with the Lecavalier signing. That didn't feel like a forward move for the club at the time of the signing let alone the length and neither does this. I, at the very least, want to feel like they're moving toward contention no matter how slowly.

I don't have huge problem with it other than it's a seeming commitment of a roster spot for the next three seasons. While his play often frustrates me it will be compounded now by knowing that the team feels like they can win with him on the roster in the next three years. I put it right there with the Lecavalier signing. That didn't feel like a forward move for the club at the time of the signing let alone the length and neither does this. I, at the very least, want to feel like they're moving toward contention no matter how slowly.
- mayorofangrytown

I have a huge problem with the signing IF it means that I have to watch Rinaldo be a complete chucklehead for 3 years. I see nothing to indicate that this won't be what I see.