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

He's had as much time as Rinaldo and Vandevelde have been given on the 4th line. They remain in the lineup, and Vandevelde has earned more playing time on a higher line. Rinaldo is playing on the PK.

Velveeta
- BiggE

I'm gonna go with "The Second Base Mobile" and hope people get the reference.

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

He would need to trade up pretty far to get him.

He would need to trade up pretty far to get him.
- PhillySportsGuy

Maybe they could trade DeSean Jackson for the pick.

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.
- MJL

Correct. He has the ability. Fair or not he just doesn't have the skill set that allows for him to take games off. He has to bring it every night.

And when people say that Vinny, Umberger and whoever else should be dropped to fourth line I find it funny. First if you want to try and have any chance to move Vinny you need him producing or in situations to do so. So you can't bury him on the 4th line. Also as much as Umberger is struggling offensively he is still playing well in his own end. Lastly vets like them will always get a longer leash then akeson. They have earned their chance to work though down times.

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

I think all those guys leave but If one were to stay I would say Prescott.
Gurley will be a Beast!
I think Mariota will do well. Too bad he wouldn't be around at the time the Eagles draft. Chip would scoop him up immediately!

He would need to trade up pretty far to get him.
- PhillySportsGuy

Howie Roseman. He's got this.

Ok Akeson should be used on the 2nd PP and has actual skill.

Rinaldo is not a great defensive player. See the Oilers goal from the last game.

Which would you rather have? A skilled player or a lunk head that you force feed minutes on the PK for some unknown reason. And oh yeah he is an energy guy.
- mickel25

ted nugent hopkins just blew right by him and rinaldo offered a weak, ineffective stick check. so much for his skating, board work, and effort.

But do you know who can force Berube to play Akeson? Jason Akeson can.
- MJL

He can?

Correct. He has the ability. Fair or not he just doesn't have the skill set that allows for him to take games off. He has to bring it every night.

And when people say that Vinny, Umberger and whoever else should be dropped to fourth line I find it funny. First if you want to try and have any chance to move Vinny you need him producing or in situations to do so. So you can't bury him on the 4th line. Also as much as Umberger is struggling offensively he is still playing well in his own end. Lastly vets like them will always get a longer leash then akeson. They have earned their chance to work though down times.
- J35Bacher

When I played semi-pro hockey, the coach said in our first practice that he'd always play guys who work hard over guys who get by on pure skill. And you know what? He did. Guys like me who had 0 experience at that level were getting played over veterans, some of whom were actually drafted and had played pro hockey (mostly ECHL and lower, but still pro). In turn, it made those guys work harder, which sucked for me because I got bumped, but it made the team better because the more skilled guys realized they had to bring it.

He can?
- bradleyc4

Incriminating pictures pull a lot of weight.

He's had as much time as Rinaldo and Vandevelde have been given on the 4th line. They remain in the lineup, and Vandevelde has earned more playing time on a higher line. Rinaldo is playing on the PK.
- MJL

i'm aware of what's happened, thanks. he's gotten a short rope in my opinion. and i don't think any of rinaldo, vdv, or jones are making or have made any real difference in any area thus far. they could live without one of the them and let's see if a skilled player can pick up his game and compete better.

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.
- hammarby31

There's lots of good players who can't play the LW versus the RW. Matt Read asked to switch from LW back to RW. That and a serious injury limited what Lecavalier could produce last year. But what didn't happen, was that Lecavalier remained as competitive as his health would allow. Even when moved to the 4th line.
Akeson is not out of the lineup because he hasn't produced points. He's out of the lineup because he simply hasn't been competitive. And being moved to the 4th line is no excuse for that. Do you think if Wayne Simmonds or any other player were moved away from their preferred role, that they would stop competing?
Not asking Akeson to put up offensive numbers and score goals on the 4th line. Won't expect the same offensive produciton out of him on the 4th line, as on another line. But asking him to compete away from the puck while playing on the 4th line, is not unreasonable. When the Flyers put Carter and Richards on the 4th line at the start of their careers, they didn't envision them as 4th liners. But that was the spot that was available for them at the time. They came to play.

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 they keep getting 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.
- MBFlyerfan

i'm aware of what's happened, thanks. he's gotten a short rope in my opinion. and i don't think any of rinaldo, vdv, or jones are making or have made any real difference in any area thus far. they could live without one of the them and let's see if a skilled player can pick up his game and compete better.
- hammarby31

Rinaldo and Vandevelde are better players then Akeson is right now. And they showed that playing on the same line, with basically the same icetime as Akeson had for 8 games. And I'm all for giving Akeson another shot. He'd be in the lineup tonight if it was my choice.

He can?
- bradleyc4

Absolutely.

So how long until Berube juggles the lines again? 10 min into the 1st period??

ted nugent hopkins just blew right by him and rinaldo offered a weak, ineffective stick check. so much for his skating, board work, and effort.
- hammarby31

There was nothing week about Rinaldo's effort on that play. He stumbled for a split seconf and he went right by him. There's very few Flyers who could've kept up with RNH on that play. The effort was there.

So how long until Berube juggles the lines again? 10 min into the 1st period??
- GOA88

After Chris Vandelay scores tonight, there'll be more 76 jerseys down at the center than when Shawn Bradley played basketball there.

There's lots of good players who can't play the LW versus the RW. Matt Read asked to switch from LW back to RW. That and a serious injury limited what Lecavalier could produce last year. But what didn't happen, was that Lecavalier remained as competitive as his health would allow. Even when moved to the 4th line.
Akeson is not out of the lineup because he hasn't produced points. He's out of the lineup because he simply hasn't been competitive. And being moved to the 4th line is no excuse for that. Do you think if Wayne Simmonds or any other player were moved away from their preferred role, that they would stop competing?
Not asking Akeson to put up offensive numbers and score goals on the 4th line. Won't expect the same offensive produciton out of him on the 4th line, as on another line. But asking him to compete away from the puck while playing on the 4th line, is not unreasonable. When the Flyers put Carter and Richards on the 4th line at the start of their careers, they didn't envision them as 4th liners. But that was the spot that was available for them at the time. They came to play.
- MJL

akeson needs to compete in all areas better than he has, but he also can be given a chance to show that. in my opinion his rope has been cut unfairly short. i hope for his and the team's sake that he works hard in practice and gets another crack at the lineup.

i'd like to go back and watch his limited ice time and review his lack of compete and poor play away from the puck. my bet is that it's overblown.

There was nothing week about Rinaldo's effort on that play. He stumbled for a split seconf and he went right by him. There's very few Flyers who could've kept up with RNH on that play. The effort was there.
- MJL

I agree with this. It was a great play by RNH. Not too many players in the NHL would have done any better. Especially if they stumbled.

So how long until Berube juggles the lines again? 10 min into the 1st period??
- GOA88

Well, we'll probably move Simmonds to a line with Rinaldo because he had an assist last game, so we'll need to jumpstart Simmonds.

Lecavalier only scored when we had more skaters on the ice, so he'll play in PP situations only.

Van de Velde will most likely play all 3 forward positions on the top PP unit since he's now an offensive dynamo.

There was nothing week about Rinaldo's effort on that play. He stumbled for a split seconf and he went right by him. There's very few Flyers who could've kept up with RNH on that play. The effort was there.
- MJL

he tried. it was weak and ineffective in my opinion.

Correct. He has the ability. Fair or not he just doesn't have the skill set that allows for him to take games off. He has to bring it every night.

And when people say that Vinny, Umberger and whoever else should be dropped to fourth line I find it funny. First if you want to try and have any chance to move Vinny you need him producing or in situations to do so. So you can't bury him on the 4th line. Also as much as Umberger is struggling offensively he is still playing well in his own end. Lastly vets like them will always get a longer leash then akeson. They have earned their chance to work though down times.
- J35Bacher

I agree, and you know what. If anyone wants to move Umberger to the 4th line and give Akeson a shot on a higher line. I have no problem with that. And if Umberger plays poorly, I won't use the excuse that he's playing in a situaiton that is poor for him as a reason. I'll put the blame squarely on Umberger.

I agree with this. It was a great play by RNH. Not too many players in the NHL would have done any better. Especially if they stumbled.
- MBFlyerfan

the end of the play was nice, cutting through the slot, avoiding streit who i mistook for schenn, getting around mason's poke check and pad/glove to score - but skating fast down the wall and getting past a check isn't anything spectacular. rinaldo was even with him and got neither the body nor the puck and it wasn't because rnh did anything special.