What time to you think the semiannual "X team won the Trade" article will come out? Around noon? This year, he'll probably say that we lost the Carter trade because Jeff has 12 points and Couts hasn't put up 60 points yet, regardless of anything else like defensive zone starts, etc.
- NickTheKid87

Easy way to see the points totals since the trade:

http://www.quanthockey.co...asons-forwards-stats.html

Voracek - 216 games, 168 points, .778 PPG
Carter - 183 G, 129 P, 0.705 PPG
Simmonds - 217 G, 148 P, 0.682 PPG
Richards - 212 G, 119 P, 0.561 PPG
BSchenn - 191 G, 89 P, 0.470 PPG
Couturier - 213 G, 86 P, 0.404 PPG

Well, I've said multiple times on here that I'd never waste a pick on either of them if the upside is solely as a 3rd/4th energy guy, agitator, or enforcer. I'm ok with a Cousins or a Laughton, because they bring more skill even if they end up on those lines.

But guys like Rinaldo and Goulbourne are a dime a dozen. You can sign a FA or better yet, an undrafted college FA. Harry Z brings the same skill set as Rinaldo, and didn't cost anything.

I'd rather the Flyers have drafted some Swedish winger with 2nd round talent and have him never play a game here vs. a Rinaldo or Goulbourne that does. Why? Because if you keep speculating on those reach guys (and you have a decent scouting organization) eventually you strike gold. MJL vehemently disagrees.
- TheGreat28

I agree with this as well. There are always 4th line and bottom pairing guys on the FA market. Those are the areas that are easy to fill in. Might as well take the chance on skilled guys and hope one comes up gold than take 5 enforcers/energy players.

I understand that part. My issue with Carchidi is that he doesn't seem to be that knowledgeable about hockey or at least not as much as a hockey writer should be. Plus sometimes he blows stories out of proportion. That's a common tactic for publications in order to get views and such but I'm not of fan of anyone that does it. Sometimes I just don't agree with his ideas like trade winners and losers 4 years after the fact. I don't think that's how trades should be evaluated (i.e. they should be kept in the context of the time in which they happened).
- NickTheKid87

Well, not trying to be a Carchidi apologist, but he gets a lot of grief on here for "not seeming to know much about hockey" but I don't think that's fair. Take into consideration a couple of things.

First, he is writing for a general interest paper. Again, they don't cater to a hockey-only audience. You can't get too much into advanced metrics, and offensive zone starts and all of the stuff that we talk about here. Even if Bill, who is an awesome writer, wrote for Philly.com or CSNPhilly.com, he would have to "dumb it down" a little bit.

Second, I've long suspected the Daily News and Inquirer either encourage their writers to add controversy to their stories and opinion pieces, or seek out writers who do. Call it the Howard Stern effect. As you said, they want those views. Read some of the other crap on there - Will Bunch, Helen Ubinas, etc. They are just pandering to get people to post repeatedly. Compared to them, Carchidi and even Frank are not that bad.

Easy way to see the points totals since the trade:

http://www.quanthockey.co...asons-forwards-stats.html

Voracek - 216 games, 168 points, .778 PPG
Carter - 183 G, 129 P, 0.705 PPG
Simmonds - 217 G, 148 P, 0.682 PPG
Richards - 212 G, 119 P, 0.561 PPG
BSchenn - 191 G, 89 P, 0.470 PPG
Couturier - 213 G, 86 P, 0.404 PPG
- Feanor

Cups:
Voracek - 0
Carter - 2
Simmonds - 0
Richards - 2
BSchenn - 0
Couturier - 0

Cups:
Voracek - 0
Carter - 2
Simmonds - 0
Richards - 2
BSchenn - 0
Couturier - 0
- Streit2ThePoint

Everyone forgets, the Flyers didn't trade Carter to LA. They had no control over that. I think the Flyers got solid returns for both players.

Cups:
Voracek - 0
Carter - 2
Simmonds - 0
Richards - 2
BSchenn - 0
Couturier - 0
- Streit2ThePoint

Philly Phans are the best

Philly Phans are the best
- coffee junkie

I had to

Cups:
LA (2)
Philadelphia (0)
Columbus (0)

- Streit2ThePoint

Fixed!

I agree with this as well. There are always 4th line and bottom pairing guys on the FA market. Those are the areas that are easy to fill in. Might as well take the chance on skilled guys and hope one comes up gold than take 5 enforcers/energy players.
- PhillySportsGuy

With Hextall, I don't think a pick like that happens again. I mean seriously, a 3rd round pick for a guy that projects to be a Rinaldo type player. Some day this won't leave a sour taste in my mouth but that day is not today. Maybe tomorrow. Who knows? Anyway, I think the era where the Rinaldos of the world are valued over skilled players is over in Philadelphia. At least from a drafting standpoint.

I was glad LA won that Cup in 2012. The alternative was NJ getting their 4th Cup in 17 years.

I was glad LA won that Cup in 2012. The alternative was NJ getting their 4th Cup in 17 years.
- Feanor

Yup. I rooted for the Kings in both Finals. Didn't want the Devils or Rags winning.

Best comment I have seen yet on this site:

In response to Garth's blog wanting more LoveJoy.

What sound does a dead horse make when taking a beating, that's what Im hearing!

This guy wins the internet today

Well, not trying to be a Carchidi apologist, but he gets a lot of grief on here for "not seeming to know much about hockey" but I don't think that's fair. Take into consideration a couple of things.

First, he is writing for a general interest paper. Again, they don't cater to a hockey-only audience. You can't get too much into advanced metrics, and offensive zone starts and all of the stuff that we talk about here. Even if Bill, who is an awesome writer, wrote for Philly.com or CSNPhilly.com, he would have to "dumb it down" a little bit.

Second, I've long suspected the Daily News and Inquirer either encourage their writers to add controversy to their stories and opinion pieces, or seek out writers who do. Call it the Howard Stern effect. As you said, they want those views. Read some of the other crap on there - Will Bunch, Helen Ubinas, etc. They are just pandering to get people to post repeatedly. Compared to them, Carchidi and even Frank are not that bad.
- TheGreat28

I agree, I just don't think he's dumbing it down, I think he's off the mark. Bill, for instance, does a fantastic job at writing clearly and simply enough but with great knowledge that makes his stuff readable if you're a diehard hockey fan that studies the game or a casual fan that gets most of their hockey opinions from WIP.

It doesn't have to be in depth or complex, but it can't be wrong. It seems like Carchidi and Seravalli are just looking to stir things up, for views mostly, and don't really care about much else. In their defense, they are more or less a product of modern American journalism so it's hard the fault them too much for these things.

Easy way to see the points totals since the trade:

http://www.quanthockey.co...asons-forwards-stats.html

Voracek - 216 games, 168 points, .778 PPG
Carter - 183 G, 129 P, 0.705 PPG
Simmonds - 217 G, 148 P, 0.682 PPG
Richards - 212 G, 119 P, 0.561 PPG
BSchenn - 191 G, 89 P, 0.470 PPG
Couturier - 213 G, 86 P, 0.404 PPG
- Feanor

Actually, here are my two takeaways from these stats.

1. Carter was a good but not great player until late last season when he was united with Pearson and Toffoli. Even then, it took a while to develop chemistry. But man, when they did, they have just dominated since then.

Flyers takeaway - Berube has not allowed any line more than a few periods to develop that chemistry. Put some lines together and give them a solid 5-10 games to develop that chemistry.

2. Pearson and Toffoli each spent a season and a half playing for Manchester after their junior eligibility was up. Playing extended time in the A did absolutely nothing to hurt them.

Flyers takeaway - Stay the course and let the kids develop. Laughton, Cousins, Aube-Kubel, maybe even Straka. And of course the d prospects.

3. Richards has been asked to play a much different role. He is the shutdown guy who can chip in offense, and is very valuable in that role. His point totals should be viewed accordingly.

Flyers takeaway - If Couts continues to perform that similar, very valuable role, it's not necessary a bad thing. His points should also be viewed with a similar grain of salt. I'd consider him as much of a success, and a key ingredient on a potential cup team, in that role as if he were a 2nd line center.

Aube-Kubel
- flyersbuzz

WHY is this man not wearing #47!?!
Such a missed opportunity.

Well, not trying to be a Carchidi apologist, but he gets a lot of grief on here for "not seeming to know much about hockey" but I don't think that's fair. Take into consideration a couple of things.

First, he is writing for a general interest paper. Again, they don't cater to a hockey-only audience. You can't get too much into advanced metrics, and offensive zone starts and all of the stuff that we talk about here. Even if Bill, who is an awesome writer, wrote for Philly.com or CSNPhilly.com, he would have to "dumb it down" a little bit.

Second, I've long suspected the Daily News and Inquirer either encourage their writers to add controversy to their stories and opinion pieces, or seek out writers who do. Call it the Howard Stern effect. As you said, they want those views. Read some of the other crap on there - Will Bunch, Helen Ubinas, etc. They are just pandering to get people to post repeatedly. Compared to them, Carchidi and even Frank are not that bad.
- TheGreat28

I don't agree at all. There is no excuse for being wrong all the time. And I am not talking about his opinions, I am talking about facts that he gets wrong.

I agree with this as well. There are always 4th line and bottom pairing guys on the FA market. Those are the areas that are easy to fill in. Might as well take the chance on skilled guys and hope one comes up gold than take 5 enforcers/energy players.
- PhillySportsGuy

The worst is when teams (and I'm glad the Flyers have done that recently) take plugs in the 1st-round hoping that they'll grow out of being goons/idiots: guy like Eager, Jessiman, Beach, Kassian, McArdle, Biggs. I was doing dances when Nick Ritchie and Tom Wilson went before the Flyers could consider them.

WHY is this man not wearing #47!?!
Such a missed opportunity.
- FlyersGrace

AK-47! Probably because # 47 is in use at the NHL level by that shot blocking stud.

WHY is this man not wearing #47!?!
Such a missed opportunity.
- FlyersGrace

Why did the Wings not let Commodore wear 64?

(nvm, he chose not to, didn't want to be the ass in a classy organization)

Why did the Wings not let Commodore wear 64?

(nvm, he chose not to, didn't want to be the ass in a classy organization)
- Tomahawk

If Commodore had done that, I would have broken my own rule about buying and wearing stuff from other teams.

Well, not trying to be a Carchidi apologist, but he gets a lot of grief on here for "not seeming to know much about hockey" but I don't think that's fair. Take into consideration a couple of things.

First, he is writing for a general interest paper. Again, they don't cater to a hockey-only audience. You can't get too much into advanced metrics, and offensive zone starts and all of the stuff that we talk about here. Even if Bill, who is an awesome writer, wrote for Philly.com or CSNPhilly.com, he would have to "dumb it down" a little bit.

Second, I've long suspected the Daily News and Inquirer either encourage their writers to add controversy to their stories and opinion pieces, or seek out writers who do. Call it the Howard Stern effect. As you said, they want those views. Read some of the other crap on there - Will Bunch, Helen Ubinas, etc. They are just pandering to get people to post repeatedly. Compared to them, Carchidi and even Frank are not that bad.
- TheGreat28

Those guys write for a very broad audience and write for a specific reading comprehension level.

If you're expecting whiz bang analysis from a beat writer, you're barking up the wrong tree.

That's the nice thing about blogs; they allow you to pick and choose how you want to consume sports if you've gone beyond the level provided through your daily newspaper.

I don't agree at all. There is no excuse for being wrong all the time. And I am not talking about his opinions, I am talking about facts that he gets wrong.
- MBFlyerfan

I hear you and do agree somewhat. But keep in mind the fact that editorial staffs that do fact checking and what not have been cut back I'm guessing. They have daily deadlines, and requirements for fluff pieces. Guys like Hoffman and Smallwood write columns a few times a week, so it's easier for them.

Bill also has the luxury of having no deadlines. He can literally post whenever he wants. Sure, he's the Hockinator, a futuristic cyborg sent back in time to educate hockey fans in modern-day Philadelphia, and works basically around the clock. But I think he's the exception. And we're quite lucky.

It's like fans and posters on Philly.com rip them for their controversial headlines. Well, they don't write the headlines. Copy writers do.

The beat writers are now under pressure to post early and often and be the first with a story. They have to reach out to readers through Twitter, do chats, speak on the radio, etc. Sometimes in the rush to be the first, they make mistakes (incorrect facts, errors of omission, spelling, etc). Those should be caught. Agreed. But in today's print media world, it's a common problem.

Again, I agree with some of your points, both of you. But I'm also a writer (amateur, a fiction book in my case), and I understand how hard it is. So maybe I give them a little more leeway.

Why did the Wings not let Commodore wear 64?

(nvm, he chose not to, didn't want to be the ass in a classy organization)
- Tomahawk

Like Boston not letting Steve Heinze have #57. Just silly.

EDIT - and Rob DiMaio should have been wearing #5 his entire career.

If Commodore had done that, I would have broken my own rule about buying and wearing stuff from other teams.
- johndewar

I agree! That would have been pretty funny actually.

I kind of understand AK-47 though. The league would frown upon anything that seemingly promotes violence.

Cups:
Voracek - 0
Carter - 2
Simmonds - 0
Richards - 2
BSchenn - 0
Couturier - 0
- Streit2ThePoint

This is irrelevant. Thats like saying Carter and Richards would have (2) cups in Philly.... Would not have happened. They were complimentary pieces to an already strong team with a franchise goaltender ready to make a run.