Huberdeau should be in tonight.

Huberdeau should be in tonight.
- Panthers88

Damn! I won't bother watching then. Flyers lose.

He's trying so hard to bait you to talk to him, I find this more entertaining than the Flyers themselves.
- Fast_Eddie_1

The coach is using me in the proper role & it's made me more effective

No. I have just been a fan of their football team since I was a kid
- 3flyerkids

They should be good next year. I like their Freshman QB

Patrick Sharp will apparently miss up to 4 weeks with a leg injury. The scales on who won that trade are finally tipping back our way!

In seriousness, there's been a ton of injuries this season so far, for a lot of teams. It's a bit ridiculous
- Jsaquella

and while i agree it's ridiculous i shed no tears for these players or their respective clubs. it's high time the rest of the league suffer along with the flyers.

They should be good next year. I like their Freshman QB
- PhillySportsGuy

He will be Heisman candidate. He has been injured for 3 weeks but the kid looks good and is smart ( not a Jamus Winston)
I am going to their game at Syracuse next year ( only a 4 hr drive)

Heisman candidate. Nest year!

Yes, he'll be diagnosed with a bruise, day-to-day. Then he'll miss 3 games. Then he'll be out 4-6 weeks.
- jmatchett383

What a Richard this guy is.

Outside of perceived "effort" what does Rinaldo have over Akeson? Honestly?
- mickel25

Cmon, he skates fast and tries really, really hard. The hall of fame awaits

Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 11/6/14 vs. FLA
- bmeltzer

For the record, I've never thought Jason Akeson was anything special. This whole "He was our best player in the playoffs" talk I never understood. He's a late bloomer who is still struggling to make the team....or maybe he'll just never bloom.

The coach is using me in the proper role & it's made me more effective
- Jsaquella

My proper role is on the couch with my guitar and scotch. I play that role like a master!

Ironically, when somebody suggests putting Lecavalier or Umberger on the 4th line, he'll say it's a waste of their talents and point out that they are proven vets.

Apparently a proven vet, who is ineffective and has been for an extended period, gets to use the "He's not suited for the role" rationale, and when it's applied to Akeson it's dismissed as an invalid excuse.

He's played poorly. Absolutely. But he's in a role that's not suited to his skillset.
- Jsaquella

i was just going to post this. thanks for saving me the time.

and as for playing poorly, he's had what 5 minutes on a 4th line to prove himself before getting yanked. it's absurd. most of the team has played like poop at various points of this earlier season for much more time than he's had a chance.

seriously, if he can't get into the lineup now, than just (frank)ing send him down and let the kid play for the phantoms. at least he can work on his game.

i can 't wait to see superstar chris vandelay on the top line tonight.

Damn! I won't bother watching then. Flyers lose.
- Fast_Eddie_1

Yeah check that he's still out. Apparently he has the worst flu of all time.

What a Richard this guy is.
- jmatchett383

Cmon, he skates fast and tries really, really hard. The hall of fame awaits
- BiggE

Ah, so he's a poor man's Kris Draper. Fantastic! He'll fit right in with past Flyers superstars like Patrick Thoresen and Denis Tolpeko.

I look forward to Chris VandeVelde scoring a cheapie goal tonight and coming here to watch the commentary as we all talk ourselves into how good it is to have Chris VandeVelde on the first line.

For the record, I've never though Jason Akeson was anything special. This whole "He was our bestpplayer in the playoffs" talk I nevee understood. He's a late bloomer who is still struggling to make the team....or maybe he'll just never bloom.
- SuperSchennBros

He is nothing special. And I don't think anyone's saying our season hinges on his success. He's a fairly one-dimensional player, and that dimension is his playmaking offensive ability. No more, no less.

He will be Heisman candidate. He has been injured for 3 weeks but the kid looks good and is smart ( not a Jamus Winston)
I am going to their game at Syracuse next year ( only a 4 hr drive)

Heisman candidate. Nest year!
- 3flyerkids

Could be wide open if Mariota, Winston, Prescott and Gurley leave this year.

The problem with Akeson is he doesn't do anything where you say I need him in the lineup. Yes he has some skill but not enough to over take the weaknesses he has. As much as Rinaldo might lack puck skills he is still better defensvily, better skater, tougher on board battles then Akeson. Same can be said about Vandavelde over Akeson. Yes i think he should have gotten in over Jones nut maybe he isn't doing what they need him to do at practice. The problem Akeson will have here or with any team will be his skills don't offset limitations.

Guys like Breire, Marchand, Gerbe, Gibbons, Grimaldi all have other skills that can help overcome any weaknesses such as size or defensive play.

I get what MJL is saying. When Akeson was playing hewasn't competitive on the puck and was making bad plays with the puck. You can play on the fourt line and still make smart plays with lesser skilled linemates. Unfortunately Akeson's skillset to help overcome mistakes he made where even though he made mistakes you ed him in the lineup. He just doesn't have that skill set.
- J35Bacher

Well said for the most part. But what some want to ignore is that Akeson has already shown in a playoff setting that he can be competitive. To the point that his skills can help the team. But he won't be a good NHL player on his offensive skill alone. He has to be able to compete away from the puck. He has the ability.

i can 't wait to see superstar chris vandelay on the top line tonight.
- hammarby31

I've just taken to calling him 'VaudeVille'.

Could be wide open if Mariota, Winston, Prescott and Gurley leave this year.
- PhillySportsGuy

Chip Kelly is gonna cut someone so that he can draft Mariota, I think.

Let's clear something up here. The reason for Lecavalier's struggles last year were injury related, and being moved to a position that he can't play even if he's healthy. Akeson is healthy, and playing a position he is capable of playing.
Akeson is not the proven offensive player that Lecavalier is. Nor is he as proven as a player that Umberger is. And if you wanted to put Umberger on the 4th line now, and play Akeson, I'd have zero problem with that. And you know what I wouldn't do. Is say that if Umberger doesn't play well on the 4th line, well it's just because he's not a 4th line player. That's a lame excuse. I'd put it on Umberger. Just like I have been when I've criticized Umberger for not being involved enough offensively this year.
When is the Akeson fan club going to put responsibility and culpability on Akeson for why he is a scratch?
- MJL

isn't that on vinny? that he can't play that position? why is this acceptable for him and and as an excuse for why he didn't produce.

i'm in the "give akeson a legitimate chance to play well, work though his issues, and be an effective player fan club", not in the "akeson fan club". his rope is shorter than a yellow minion, while others have carte blanche and never suffer any consequences. coaches have bias and misguided logic. it happens. just because the coach is the coach doesn't mean he's infallible.

i was just going to post this. thanks for saving me the time.

and as for playing poorly, he's had what 5 minutes on a 4th line to prove himself before getting yanked. it's absurd. most of the team has played like poop at various points of this earlier season for much more time than he's had a chance.

seriously, if he can't get into the lineup now, than just (frank)ing send him down and let the kid play for the phantoms. at least he can work on his game.

i can 't wait to see superstar chris vandelay on the top line tonight.
- hammarby31

I've just taken to calling him 'VaudeVille'.
- tangent_man

Velveeta

I understand all of the talk about Akeson not doing enough to make Berube play him. But it is also a good coach's job to try to help a player by putting him in the best position to succeed.

Right now, Berube could help both the player and the team by playing him with Giroux and Voracek.

Its not a reward, its not giving in, it is simply using a limited asset in the best possible way.

I understand what Berube is trying to do with his seemingly "tough love" approach. Saying to Akeson, "this is what you need to improve on if you want to stick in the NHL"...I get that.

But you don't play a safety at nose tackle and expect him to succeed. Then bench him because he doesn't get to the quarterback. Akeson is not a physical player. He is the type of player who needs space created for him by playing with good players. He simply does not have the skill set to play where the other team is keying on him because he is the only guy out there they have to worry about.

BOTH sides of this argument are correct, he isn't playing because he hasn't earned the ice time. But he also isn't being used in a manner that benefits both him AND the team.

i was just going to post this. thanks for saving me the time.

and as for playing poorly, he's had what 5 minutes on a 4th line to prove himself before getting yanked. it's absurd. most of the team has played like poop at various points of this earlier season for much more time than he's had a chance.

seriously, if he can't get into the lineup now, than just (frank)ing send him down and let the kid play for the phantoms. at least he can work on his game.

i can 't wait to see superstar chris vandelay on the top line tonight.
- hammarby31

I don't know why he's playing hockey.

He's the heir to a latex glove fortune.