The third line is useless offensively right now, i know that is supposed to be their checking line but they dont have enough offense where you can separate everyone into roles. If Read and Umberger are not contributing and to this point Couturier just doesnt seem able to sustain offensive pressure then that is 2 of your 4 lines that are not helping you score goals.

- opeth_pa

They're put in a position that makes them useless offensively. Essentially, the 3rd line is being used solely for defensive purposes. Sean Couturier has started 27.9% of his shifts in the defensive zone and Matt Read at 31.9%. These two guys are also facing the highest quality of competition by a wide margin. Couturier and Read's Corsi Rel QoC is 3.476 and 3.475, respectively. The next highest is Umberger (there usual linemate) at 2.123. After that it's Voracek at 0.157.

They're put in a position that makes them useless offensively. Essentially, the 3rd line is being used solely for defensive purposes. Sean Couturier has started 27.9% of his shifts in the defensive zone and Matt Read at 31.9%. These two guys are also facing the highest quality of competition by a wide margin. Couturier and Read's Corsi Rel QoC is 3.476 and 3.475, respectively. The next highest is Umberger (there usual linemate) at 2.123. After that it's Voracek at 0.157.
- NickTheKid87

You would still like to see some more offense out of them.....but yeah, Berube isn't doing anything to help them out...Any of them.

Complaining about the third line is kinda ridiculous.

Haven't watched many Flyers games & was wondering how RJ Umberger was doing. Guy was one of the first players every drafted into the NHL who came from Pittsbugh & I've always followed his career a bit.

Has he been strong or is everyone missing Hartnell?

We shouldn't be surprised. The two top defensemen from last year's 7th ranked PK have played one game this season.
- Feanor

8-22 as PK tandem needs to stop, too.

Pens' PP is at 47%. More than a couple of penalties and we will be screwed.
- Feanor

A smart coach would bench Rinaldo in this one.

Is it time for the draft yet?

Haven't watched many Flyers games & was wondering how RJ Umberger was doing. Guy was one of the first players every drafted into the NHL who came from Pittsbugh & I've always followed his career a bit.

Has he been strong or is everyone missing Hartnell?
- s0rcerer1984

He has not been good. No one will admit to missing Hartnell but the team certainly does

Haven't watched many Flyers games & was wondering how RJ Umberger was doing. Guy was one of the first players every drafted into the NHL who came from Pittsbugh & I've always followed his career a bit.

Has he been strong or is everyone missing Hartnell?
- s0rcerer1984

He has been used mostly in a checking role. Im not missing Hartnell.

You would still like to see some more offense out of them.....but yeah, Berube isn't doing anything to help them out...Any of them.

Complaining about the third line is kinda ridiculous.
- MBFlyerfan

Zero offensive zone starts last night. If you're going to do that you may as well trade couturier while he still has value and then you can go out and sign a good veteran defensive center & not give him any O zone starts

He has not been good. No one will admit to missing Hartnell but the team certainly does
- PhillySportsGuy

I'm not missing him. Last thing this team needs is to be shorthanded MORE often.

I understand what you are saying about the third line, but when you have ZERO offensive zone starts in a game, it makes it kind of difficult to generate offense.
- MBFlyerfan

And also on the Couturier line I think he is the only one that has been moving his feet and engaging physically. If we could saddle him with better wingers he would produce. He has been carrying the puck in the zone more and I think we need to see a new look. I am open for this:

Simmonds - Giroux- Voracek
Schenn - Couturier - Akeson
Umberger - Bellemore - Read
Jones - Raffl - Rinaldo

The bellmore take more defesive responsiblity and we try to let Couturier's line play more offensive zone

This whole team at even strength is ridiculously bad. When you add to that the inability to kill penalties, you have a recipe for disaster.
- MBFlyerfan

Saw this on HFB:

Flyers have conceded 17 5v5 goals this year.

MDZ-Schenn have been on ice for 10/17.

Zero offensive zone starts last night. If you're going to do that you may as well trade couturier while he still has value and then you can go out and sign a good veteran defensive center & not give him any O zone starts
- Jsaquella

Exactly

Schenn - Couturier - Akeson
- J35Bacher

This warms my heart.

I'm not missing him. Last thing this team needs is to be shorthanded MORE often.
- MBFlyerfan

Hartnell had more penalties drawn than taken.

I knew they wouldn't be a good team this year, but what I've witnessed so far this season has been down right atrocious! The defense can't get the puck out of the zone and when they do, they are either icing the puck or sending it right to the other team. The top line sustains offensive pressure, but can't finish on a consistent basis. The rest of the lines aren't contributing at all, except for Simmonds and most of his damage is coming on the power play. Read doesn't look like himself, B. Schenn has had one good game out of 6 and Umberger...well for everyone that said his preseason wouldn't be how he played during the regular season, guess you're eating those words right now! Hextall needs to either let the team go in full tank mode and allow all the prospects to develop outside the NHL or make some moves (trade the Schenns)to give this team a jolt.
- aantny88

but what happened to all the Homer love here?

Hartnell had more penalties drawn than taken.
- PhillySportsGuy

Yeah so? He still takes too many penalties.

Haven't watched many Flyers games & was wondering how RJ Umberger was doing. Guy was one of the first players every drafted into the NHL who came from Pittsbugh & I've always followed his career a bit.

Has he been strong or is everyone missing Hartnell?
- s0rcerer1984

RJ has largely been a nonfactor. He's played with Lecavalier and the third line although his own starts are not as radical as those of Couturier & Read. I'm not sure that they miss Hartnell, but Umberger has not been good

That isn't what I'm saying at all. But then you probably knew that.

- MBFlyerfan

Yep, I know. I was just saying what you said differently.

Despite the uninspiring play last night, I thought the top line played really well. They accounted for almost half of the team's even strength shots on goal. Problem is, none of the other lines really showed much.

Win or lose, if this team doesn't play with some intense desperation tonight I think things are going to get ugly fairly quickly.

I'm going 4-3 SO loss for the Flyers tonight.

Zero offensive zone starts last night. If you're going to do that you may as well trade couturier while he still has value and then you can go out and sign a good veteran defensive center & not give him any O zone starts
- Jsaquella

not sure i have any confidence in what berube is doing? he is not doing anything he preached all summer/camp...

He has not been good. No one will admit to missing Hartnell but the team certainly does
- PhillySportsGuy

It is disturbing that they're seemingly worse at playing within the system w/o him. Apparently he wasn't the only guy w/o attention to detail and a tendency to ad hoc.

Is it time for the draft yet?
- BOSS_TWEED

the flyers will lose the draft lottery

Win or lose, if this team doesn't play with some intense desperation tonight I think things are going to get ugly fairly quickly.

I'm going 4-3 SO loss for the Flyers tonight.
- hereticpride

This sounds about right.

It is disturbing that they're seemingly worse at playing within the system w/o him. Apparently he wasn't the only guy w/o attention to detail and a tendency to ad hoc.
- Tomahawk

He was the scapegoat. Not sure how drawing less penalties and taking less penalties will help a team that isn't good at even strength