They did fine playing with Hartnell or Raffl.
- Feanor

Ehh. I dont like the combo and how much it has been forced down my throat. Time to try something else.

Rinaldo is just so undisciplined. Not only in terms of penalties but in terms of overall play. He takes himself out of position a lot by going for the big hit or simply over committing to one side. I'm just not sure he's capable of being a 10 minute player. Guaranteeing the next 3 years of his contract seems a bit over the top. Schenn and Couts don't even have that kind of guarantee
- PhillySportsGuy

No doubt, either he starts to play a more disciplined game or he needs to come out of the lineup.

No doubt, either he starts to play a more disciplined game or he needs to come out of the lineup.
- BiggE

Guy just got a two year extension and a raise and you've got him eating popcorn already and camp hasn't even started.



You know, I see a lot of a young Rick Tocchett in that guy.

I'd like to see Rosehill given more icetime and dressed on a regular basis. He can actually play some offense and gets a ridiculous amount of space from the oppositions Dmen.

It just seems strange the team seemed to play hardball with Schenn during negotiations and traded Hartnell partially because of undisciplined play, but there is Rinaldo being handed a 2 year extension when he didn't even ask for it.


- PhillySportsGuy

Well for one, the Schenn contract situation was more likely an actual negotiation with back and forth between each sides position, whereas they probably made the offer to Rinaldo and he accepted probably right away.

Hextall is in a different situation in that he was in a leadership position.

Maybe. I think the 4th line had little to do with that. The Schenn-Simmonds line though. God awful 5v5. They play way more mins and cant even generate a good forecheck most of the time.
- GOA88

Yea, if I'm going to look at the Flyers issues at ES play, the 12th forward is at the bottom of the list of where I'm going to start looking at.

Guy just got a two year extension and a raise and you've got him eating popcorn already and camp hasn't even started.



You know, I see a lot of a young Rick Tocchett in that guy.
- mayorofangrytown

Both have dark hair, so I guess there's that.

Otherwise......

Well for one, the Schenn contract situation was more likely an actual negotiation with back and forth between each sides position, whereas they probably made the offer to Rinaldo and he accepted probably right away.

Hextall is in a different situation in that he was in a leadership position.
- MJL

Imo, I feel Rinaldo always receives the benefit of the doubt and gets a pass on certain things other players don't. His play was awful last season and he was never a healthy scratch. Once his injury healed and suspension finished, he was back in the lineup every night.

Imo, I feel Rinaldo always receives the benefit of the doubt and gets a pass on certain things other players don't. His play was awful last season and he was never a healthy scratch. Once his injury healed and suspension finished, he was back in the lineup every night.
- PhillySportsGuy

I don't disagree with that. I think he should be on a tighter leash, and given a mandate that he has to improve his discipline, or his playing time is going to be affected by it.

Rinaldo is a clown and deters nobody from targeting your stars.
- rangerdanger94

Ah, kind of like Sean Avery/Matthew Barnaby/Brian Boyle.

I don't disagree with that. I think he should be on a tighter leash, and given a mandate that he has to improve his discipline, or his playing time is going to be affected by it.
- MJL

I understand your point about being comfortable knowing you've signed an extension, but it can go the other way too. What does it tell the player when the team rewards you for poor play and being undisciplined?

Imo, I feel Rinaldo always receives the benefit of the doubt and gets a pass on certain things other players don't. His play was awful last season and he was never a healthy scratch. Once his injury healed and suspension finished, he was back in the lineup every night.
- PhillySportsGuy

2013/14 Rinaldo > 2013/14 Downie.

I understand your point about being comfortable knowing you've signed an extension, but it can go the other way too. What does it tell the player when the team rewards you for poor play and being undisciplined?
- PhillySportsGuy

Good point.

2013/14 Rinaldo > 2013/14 Downie.
- jmatchett383

You hate Downie so much

Think we should just throw a 4th line of

Rosehill-Lecavalier-Rinaldo

What do you guys think??
- GOA88

Thats one way to get Vinny to agree to a trade or retire

Both have dark hair, so I guess there's that.

Otherwise......
- johndewar

C'mon, He's due for a breakout year. Once he's not buried on the fourth line he's gonna 'splode. All of hockey will be gawking at our new first line winger.

You hate Downie so much
- PhillySportsGuy

I liked Downie v1.0, the young kid (who was overly reckless) who had some skill and laughed in David Clarkson's face during a fight. He was basically Rinaldo with skill.

Downie v2.0, last year, was just an anchor. He played 1 game, got concussed, came back, played well for 11-12 games, got concussed, and then was a flat-out negative every time he was on the ice, and held back the Read/Coots pairing with his slow skating and lack of puck management.

So yes, I hate him (as a player) very much.

Thats one way to get Vinny to agree to a trade or retire
- Steelmanpa

He already wants out. No one will take his contract.

Maybe. I think the 4th line had little to do with that. The Schenn-Simmonds line though. God awful 5v5. They play way more mins and cant even generate a good forecheck most of the time.
- GOA88

The problem when looking at the 4th line is, combined with the poor ES play of the Schenn-Lecavalier-Simmonds line, left them with two lines that had to be sheltered and forced the other lines to carry more of a load.

The idea shouldn't be to have a 4th line that can score like your first, but to have a 4th line that you can use to reduce the burden on your top 3 lines. That's why teams like LA & Chicago don't have to bury guys like Kopitar & Toews in DZ starts like they do with Couturier & to a lesser extent Giroux.

2013/14 Rinaldo > 2013/14 Downie.
- jmatchett383

did anyone sign Downie yet?

did anyone sign Downie yet?
- PhillaBully

Pittsburgh did. 1 year, $1M.

did anyone sign Downie yet?
- PhillaBully

pitt

C'mon, He's due for a breakout year. Once he's not buried on the fourth line he's gonna 'splode. All of hockey will be gawking at our new first line winger.

- mayorofangrytown

RINSPLOSION!

Pittsburgh did. 1 year, $1M.
- jmatchett383

No, it will all work out because Pittsburgh also hired Rick Tocchet, who apparently is a Steve Downie shaman and will cure him.

Yeah, that's actually the bigger thing for me.

His game is so erratic that it just doesn't lend itself to structure right now. He'll go chasing after hits, he'll be too busy jawing or provoking players/officials to join the play, and he'll get antsy and over-pursue when he should just be sitting in a lane, etc.

The PIMs /composure/reputation stuff is bad... but the heart of why he's a terrible hockey player and why he costs the team when he's out there is that lack of structural discipline.
- Tomahawk

The PIM issues are just a symptom of the overall lack of discipline. He's reckless, and far too often it ends up hurting the team. It's why he can't be relied upon. He showed signs of improvement, but last year was such a stark regression, who can be sure?