i don't see anyone scapegoating the guy. nobody blamed him for the loss. it would be the same if a goalie let in some soft goals. i think people might point that out
- hogweed

I think calling for him to sit out, is scapegoating him.

It was a perfect storm, a team with a losing streak coming in, 5 days off and even worse
all this buddy buddy crap with Hartnell coming in.

I remember reading how in the old days when the teams in a 6 team league era, they would go hungry rather than walk past the opponents to the dining car.

In the absence of hate and dislike for the opponent I hoped for something else, but did not expect anything but a soft stupid game at home.

They are your opponents, play with hate, fracking millionaire union players.....

Was Sheena there to wave him on -anyone in personal attendance at the game ???

I disagree that Akeson should just be handed a spot on a scoring line, handed PP time, and handed icetime. That would be the opposite of how a player like Akeson should be used. He should be taught that he is going to have to earn those things.
And there needs to be some context here. Akeson is not a player who has proven he can produce at the NHL level. He has shown there is some potential there. Nothing more. So saying that he just didn't forget how to produce, isn't applicable at the NHL level. He has to prove that he can produce.
- MJL

I'm not saying Akeson should be handed anything. I'm saying that if you have a rookie that comes in and his primary assets are his hands and puck skills and his ability on the pp, you ought to put the player in a role that best exploits those attributes rather than putting him with the bottom of the lineup with no pp time and expect him to overcome outsized odds in order to "earn" his way into a role where he might actually thrive.

There may be old standards about putting rookies on fourth lines and making them earn their way up the lineup from there but you have to take it on a case by case basis. Many teams these days are slotting the more skilled rookies into bigger spots, sooner, and some of them thriving. Akeson is undersized and not likely to thrive in a checking role and/or while playing with lesser skilled players. It's not about handing things to the kid, it's about putting him in a position to succeed and allowing him some leeway to make mistakes and learn from them rather than feel like he's a shift away from being benched every time he goes out there.

I don't know why this is relevant, but I love this episode.

He brings his hand up to hold a note and then he walks away from it Hilarious
- Giroux_Is_God

"Leopold!"

"Leopold!"
- tangent_man

I feel shame

"Leopold!"
- tangent_man

Classic!

Players like Read have earned that trust and leeway. And earned that respect. You scratch a player for a lack of effort, or because they aren't working. Or because there is a better player to put in there. In my opinion, you don't scratch a player like Read so he can get a look from the game from the press box. That's how you lose a team, and the players respect.

What is Read's track record? As a solid 2 way player, or the player of the first 15 games this season?
- MJL

You seem to think I'm focused on Read, when my initial thought was a scratch rotation for a lot of the players. But since you brought up Read's track record...

'11-'12 - 79 GP, 24 G, 47 PTS, .59 PPG, $800K
'12-'13 - 42 GP, 11 G, 24 PTS, .57 PPG, $900K
'13-'14 - 75 GP, 22 G, 40 PTS, .53 PPG, $1M
'14-'15 - 15 GP, 1 G, 6 PTS, .40 PPG, $3M

Not a good start this season, for sure.

I have been in the minority here in my thinking he wasn't some kind of stud when he signed with the team, but I was happy when he showed consistency, and for the length of his first contract, the money/production ratio was good. Now, though, not so much. With the new deal, he needs to turn up the production, not continue on the downward cycle.

I hope he turns it around, along with the rest of the team, no matter how it might happen.

Voracek's been red hot, but it's not really a breakout year. He's been quietly elite for a couple seasons
- Jsaquella

I don't want it to seem like I'm coming after you just to do so but Voracek and the word elite has been put together for months. Even before the season started. I don't think Voracek has been an elite winger before this season. In fact, I feel like he's finally reached and showing his full potential. Even if he were to slow down starting tonight, he's been a treat to watch.

You seem to think I'm focused on Read, when my initial thought was a scratch rotation for a lot of the players. But since you brought up Read's track record...

'11-'12 - 79 GP, 24 G, 47 PTS, .59 PPG, $800K
'12-'13 - 42 GP, 11 G, 24 PTS, .57 PPG, $900K
'13-'14 - 75 GP, 22 G, 40 PTS, .53 PPG, $1M
'14-'15 - 15 GP, 1 G, 6 PTS, .40 PPG, $3M

Not a good start this season, for sure.

I have been in the minority here in my thinking he wasn't some kind of stud when he signed with the team, but I was happy when he showed consistency, and for the length of his first contract, the money/production ratio was good. Now, though, not so much. With the new deal, he needs to turn up the production, not continue on the downward cycle.

I hope he turns it around, along with the rest of the team, no matter how it might happen.
- tangent_man

I disagree that with the new deal he needs to turn up the production. What happened was that his salary was brought up to match the level of production that he was providing. Look at his deployment and usage, and then look at his production when compared to other players, who were playing in better offensive situations? Combine the production with the all around play, and his contract is a steal.

I'm not prepared to say that he is on a downward cycle as a player based on 15 games.

Some people just need to always be right

so needy, so sad

I disagree that with the new deal he needs to turn up the production. What happened was that his salary was brought up to match the level of production that he was providing. Look at his deployment and usage, and then look at his production when compared to other players, who were playing in better offensive situations? Combine the production with the all around play, and his contract is a steal.

I'm not prepared to say that he is on a downward cycle as a player based on 15 games.
- MJL

I am not ready to give up on Read but he has not played well. If we are sitting at the 20 game mark and he has still only recorded 1 goal, then I would be rightly concerned. He simply needs to produce more for this team

I'm not saying Akeson should be handed anything. I'm saying that if you have a rookie that comes in and his primary assets are his hands and puck skills and his ability on the pp, you ought to put the player in a role that best exploits those attributes rather than putting him with the bottom of the lineup with no pp time and expect him to overcome outsized odds in order to "earn" his way into a role where he might actually thrive.

There may be old standards about putting rookies on fourth lines and making them earn their way up the lineup from there but you have to take it on a case by case basis. Many teams these days are slotting the more skilled rookies into bigger spots, sooner, and some of them thriving. Akeson is undersized and not likely to thrive in a checking role and/or while playing with lesser skilled players. It's not about handing things to the kid, it's about putting him in a position to succeed and allowing him some leeway to make mistakes and learn from them rather than feel like he's a shift away from being benched every time he goes out there.
- exlund

We're going round and round on Akeson. In my opinion, the coach is not asking or looking for Akeson to thrive as a 4th line player. He's asking him to show signs of life, to provide a reason why he should be moved up. Why he should get PP time
I'm going to bust one myth right here. Every time a player, regardless of role, is thrown out on the ice, he is given a chance to succeed. Especially when the expectations for a player like Akeson are not that high. Do something to get noticed, show the coach that you deserve to play more. Tell me what has Akeson done to stand out this year? Look at a player like Bellemare. He's been playing on the same 4th line as Akeson has. He has 4 points in 15 games. But you can see that he's a player! You can see the tenacity he plays with, how he is strong on the puck and in pursuit of the puck. Sound defensively. Same thing with Raffl. They show signs of being a player. And they aren't being judged on point production. Neither is Akeson. He is never going to be enough of a point producer at the NHL level to survive on that alone. Show me what else you got? He's not going to be judged on how the Lecavalier line goes with Akeson on it. He's not being asked to be the difference maker there. But make some kind of play, to show that you deserve to stay there, or deserve PP time. Like Bellemare has done to be moved up at times, and to get time on the PK.

I am not ready to give up on Read but he has not played well. If we are sitting at the 20 game mark and he has still only recorded 1 goal, then I would be rightly concerned. He simply needs to produce more for this team
- 3flyerkids

I agree that he does. But I think he's going to come out of it.

I don't want it to seem like I'm coming after you just to do so but Voracek and the word elite has been put together for months. Even before the season started. I don't think Voracek has been an elite winger before this season. In fact, I feel like he's finally reached and showing his full potential. Even if he were to slow down starting tonight, he's been a treat to watch.
- SuperSchennBros

He's going to have to get up in the top of the scoring list for a full season, to get the label of elite. It's crazy right now. He's on pace for 37 goals and 92 assists. Outrageous numbers. He'll be hard pressed to keep that up. He's certainly currently playing at an elite level.

tl;dr

This is awesome.


http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=739205

I don't want it to seem like I'm coming after you just to do so but Voracek and the word elite has been put together for months. Even before the season started. I don't think Voracek has been an elite winger before this season. In fact, I feel like he's finally reached and showing his full potential. Even if he were to slow down starting tonight, he's been a treat to watch.
- SuperSchennBros

That's fine, I just disagree. He had 22 goals in the shortened season of 2012-13, which pro-rates to 37 in 82 games. He's been one of best possession players in the NHL since that season, and he's had stretches over the past three seasons where he's been as good as Giroux, who is undoubtedly elite.

At the very least, it can be agreed he's been really good over the last few seasons and absolutely torrid to start this season.

tl;dr
- PhillySportsGuy

- Giroux_Is_God

Post of the day!!

i know the general consensus seems to be Akeson is getting buried and/or not getting a fair shake... but tbh, he hasn't shown me ANYTHING so far this season.


obviously that could change, but ive been pretty disappointed with his play. He just can't seem to put it together


/controversial

At what point in the 5 OT game did LeClair tie it?

i know the general consensus seems to be Akeson is getting buried and/or not getting a fair shake... but tbh, he hasn't shown me ANYTHING so far this season.


obviously that could change, but ive been pretty disappointed with his play. He just can't seem to put it together


/controversial
- Crimsoninja

Just show up out of the blue, to cause trouble?

i know the general consensus seems to be Akeson is getting buried and/or not getting a fair shake... but tbh, he hasn't shown me ANYTHING so far this season.


obviously that could change, but ive been pretty disappointed with his play. He just can't seem to put it together


/controversial
- Crimsoninja

Peter White...err....Akeson, just aint that good.

At what point in the 5 OT game did LeClair tie it?
- Giroux_Is_God

late third maybe three or four minutes left

i know the general consensus seems to be Akeson is getting buried and/or not getting a fair shake... but tbh, he hasn't shown me ANYTHING so far this season.


obviously that could change, but ive been pretty disappointed with his play. He just can't seem to put it together


/controversial
- Crimsoninja

Agreed. I've been a big supporter of his but he really hasn't shown a ton. The only time he's been effective this year is when he's been on the ice with Bellemare. I do agree that he hasn't been used very often with the right kind of linemates to really exploit his skill set, but at the same time he really hasn't shown a lot with most of The linemates he has had