I think that's the problem most people have w/ him.. is that he doesn't fall into a comfortable, easy-to-identify niche. He's just a good, all-around offensive player.

I said this last night... I believe we'll look back at the end of his career and wonder how he amassed 700-800 pts so quietly.
- Tomahawk

I would agree. People like things to fit categories. Schenn doesn't so he becomes an anomaly to most. I'm not sure he'll get to 700-800 points but I would say he'll get pretty close. At least 600 if he players 1200 games.

What I want to see happen down the line this season, is a change in Couturier's role. The Flyers are pretty much out of the playoff picture, so when that becomes even clearer that they aren't going to catch up, I want to see Couturier and Laughton basically switched. I'd like to see Couturier playing with Simmonds and Schenn or whoever the other winger will be in more favorable offensive situations. And play Laughton as the checking 3rd line center. I think that will be more in line with their roles in the future, or at least what I hope will be their roles in the future.
- MJL

I think so too and many have been calling for this the last few years. I want to see Couturier play a more 2nd/3rd line role vs and strictly 3rd line because I think that'll be how you get the best out of him.

He's a solid 2nd line forward, nothing more, nothing less.
- BiggE

I'll take it. It would have been nice to see him become a 30 goal, 50 assist player but I'm fine with a 20-25 goal 45-55 point player in the top 6.

At the midway point, I give Schultz consideration for the Ashbee (him or Streit).

I think we gotta give Hextall at least two seasons to see his prints on this team if he is preaching patience.
- PhiFaninEdm

I plan to vote for Streit at this point, but Schultz is having a fine year. Actually, a veteran NHL scout said last night that those two and the much-maligned (by fans but not by hockey people) Grossmann are "your only three reliable guys night in and night out this year; the rest you don't what you'll get." He did say MDZ was good early in the season and Schenn has played much better of late. Has not liked Coburn this season but liked him in the past. Ditto MacDonald.

I would agree. People like things to fit categories. Schenn doesn't so he becomes an anomaly to most. I'm not sure he'll get to 700-800 points but I would say he'll get pretty close. At least 600 if he players 1200 games.
- NickTheKid87

I was really surprised to look back and see Brindy had amassed almost 1200pts.

I was really surprised to look back and see Brindy had amassed almost 1200pts.
- Tomahawk

We should see an uptick in points for everybody if they ever ice a real NHL defense.

Was it me or did Matt Read look a little like Matt Read last night?

He's got hands, that's for sure.
- Tomahawk

Shame RJ bobbled it.

I plan to vote for Streit at this point, but Schultz is having a fine year. Actually, a veteran NHL scout said last night that those two and the much-maligned (by fans but not by hockey people) Grossmann are "your only three reliable guys night in and night out this year; the rest you don't what you'll get." He did say MDZ was good early in the season and Schenn has played much better of late. Has not liked Coburn this season but liked him in the past. Ditto MacDonald.
- bmeltzer

Sounds about right -- Grossmann's an interesting case study for me in that I do agree that he does certain things well that need to be done well, but I struggle to believe that he couldn't be upgraded.

Streit's been the best defenseman since he got on the team, with only a few games here and there that have been below the bar, IMO

Glad Schultz salvaged his career and while I doubt a player like MDZ will ever be embraced because of how he plays, I do think he's proved he's an NHL player again

Love Coburn but damn, he needs to pick it up, whether he stays or goes -- he can play better than he has

The thing with Brayden Schenn is, he's essential been the same player the last three years. 0.55 points per game in 12-13, 0.50 in 13-14 and 0.63 this year. I don't see him being the player many scouts thought he'd be if he tapped out his potential. I think he'll top out as a 25 goal, 30 assist player in his prime years which is a fine top 6 forward but he won't be a star or anything.

As for Couturier, he's on pace for 20 goals and 40+ points while getting less than 40% o-zone starts against the highest competition. I think he'll be a 20+ goal, 55+ point guy in his prime while playing Selke-caliber defense which would be great. I don't think he'll be a 70-80 point player though.
- NickTheKid87

Schenn may bot be that #5 overall pick that many expected of him but if he becomes a 25 goal 55 point player consistently and considering they also aquired Simmonds and a pick that helped them get Grossmann, I am quite happy with the return on Richards.....esp considering Richards really seems to have dropped off a lot from the Richards that played here. he is on a pace for 10 goals and 28 points.

I was really surprised to look back and see Brindy had amassed almost 1200pts.
- Tomahawk

Brind'Amour was a good player. A bit of a compiler but still a top notch player.

I was really surprised to look back and see Brindy had amassed almost 1200pts.
- Tomahawk

Testament to what I call "talented longevity" -- I don't mean that as a backhanded compliment, like people do when they criticize some baseball players for being "compilers," not impact players.

I think it's a true statement of character and will to be consistent, year after year after year, like Brind'Amour was. Still have hopes that Couturier will be like him, still think Couturier's a 60-70 point player

Schenn may bot be that #5 overall pick that many expected of him but if he becomes a 25 goal 55 point player consistently and considering they also aquired Simmonds and a pick that helped them get Grossmann, I am quite happy with the return on Richards.....esp considering Richards really seems to have dropped off a lot from the Richards that played here. he is on a pace for 10 goals and 28 points.
- nastyflyergirl

Yup, seems like they got rid of Richards right when his offense started to dip. I like the return for him too and at this point, Simmonds for Richards as a 1-for-1 would have been a steal for us.

Either way, Schenn will continue to be a legit top 6 forward for the next few years if everything goes accordingly.

Schenn may bot be that #5 overall pick that many expected of him but if he becomes a 25 goal 55 point player consistently and considering they also aquired Simmonds and a pick that helped them get Grossmann, I am quite happy with the return on Richards.....esp considering Richards really seems to have dropped off a lot from the Richards that played here. he is on a pace for 10 goals and 28 points.
- nastyflyergirl

If Schenn does 50 points a year, and I absolutely know I'm getting it, I can live with that. Never really mattered to me where he was drafted; I'm one of those people who just needs the production

Would love for him to minimize the streakiness; just have to hope he does

What I want to see happen down the line this season, is a change in Couturier's role. The Flyers are pretty much out of the playoff picture, so when that becomes even clearer that they aren't going to catch up, I want to see Couturier and Laughton basically switched. I'd like to see Couturier playing with Simmonds and Schenn or whoever the other winger will be in more favorable offensive situations. And play Laughton as the checking 3rd line center. I think that will be more in line with their roles in the future, or at least what I hope will be their roles in the future.
- MJL

So Imagine if the Flyers were able to get Connor McDavid. The centers would be Giroux, McDavid, Couturier and Laughton. That would easily be the best center group in the league within two years. They would also have that group together for 6-10 years.

Grossmann has reliably been the worst possession defensemen on the team by a huge margin while not getting particularly hard minutes, and being fortunate enough to played with our best offensive dman in Streit. That's the kind of reliability we can do without.

http://www.broadstreethoc...grossmann-analysis-flyers

"Nicklas Grossmann is a negative-128 in terms of on-ice shot attempts. The rest of the defense combined is a negative-95."

Regardless of whether it was a high stick or not, they acknowledge Backstrom deflected it but Alzner is still credited with the goal?

I think it's a true statement of character and will to be consistent, year after year after year, like Brind'Amour was. Still have hopes that Couturier will be like him, still think Couturier's a 60-70 point player
- AllInForFlyers

Only if he somehow becomes a fixture on the top PP unit and collects 20 points there.

Shame RJ bobbled it.
- Feanor

It was to be expected

Only if he somehow becomes a fixture on the top PP unit and collects 20 points there.
- Feanor

I think he's still got room to develop lower-body strength -- he's still a little awkward on his skates, like he's still growing into his body

I swear, I think if Umberger and Read weren't flat-out horrific for 30-ish games, he'd have better numbers now. Some nights, he wasn't getting any help whatsoever. He even had to try to carry Vinny when he was sulking

That poor kid has seen it all, on that right wing

Only if he somehow becomes a fixture on the top PP unit and collects 20 points there.
- Feanor

His powerplay scoring is absurdly low even for that second unit. I feel like he'll at least be able to put up 10 points on the PP in his prime. Can't imagine he can sustain his lack of PP success (I mean 1 career PPG???)

Grossmann has reliably been the worst possession defensemen on the team by a huge margin while not getting particularly hard minutes, and being fortunate enough to played with our best offensive dman in Streit. That's the kind of reliability we can do without.

http://www.broadstreethoc...grossmann-analysis-flyers

"Nicklas Grossmann is a negative-128 in terms of on-ice shot attempts. The rest of the defense combined is a negative-95."
- Feanor

His CA/60 is a good deal worse than MDZ and Streit, two guys who are supposedly bad in their own zone. You'd think a guy who's so consistent and has so many defensive tools would actually be good at shot-suppression, instead of the worst at it.

Mason said he "tweaked something" early in the game but "it went away pretty quickly" and he felt fine thereafter. The goalie admitted it was the same issue he had in Tuesday's game.

troubling

Grossmann has reliably been the worst possession defensemen on the team by a huge margin while not getting particularly hard minutes, and being fortunate enough to played with our best offensive dman in Streit. That's the kind of reliability we can do without.

http://www.broadstreethoc...grossmann-analysis-flyers

"Nicklas Grossmann is a negative-128 in terms of on-ice shot attempts. The rest of the defense combined is a negative-95."
- Feanor

And yet if you ask the players who practice with him and play against him, they will tell you that it is very hard to get off a QUALITY shot against him -- regardless of where you are on the ice -- because he is so damn strong and has a heavy stick. Steve Mason said even last night, once the transcribed portion of the postgame interviews were done and it was more conversation than interview, that Grossmann is a very intelligent and underrated defender.

While I like and respect Charlie O'Connor and his work, I will take the word of the guys who play the game and the pro scouts whose livelihoods depend on knowing who can actually play and who can't.

not to bring up the trade yet again but I really haven't had the chance to catch much of the Kings this year thus far so I was just looking at their stats. really surprised to see Carter has ONE more goal than Couturier. ONE.

Carter - 41 GP 11-19-30 +4
Couturier - 41 GP 10-11-21 +3
Voracek - 41 GP 16-33-49 +12

Richards - 41 GP 5-9-14 -8
Simmonds - 41 GP 16-10-26 -3
Schenn - 41 GP 9-16-25 +1

and thrown in the fact picks also helped acquire Grossmann and draft Cousins

we love to kill homer and he deserves a lot of it but man did he do very well with those trades. its annoying how many will point to it being losses because the Kings won 2 cups but I really think that is not accurate at all.

not to bring up the trade yet again but I really haven't had the chance to catch much of the Kings this year thus far so I was just looking at their stats. really surprised to see Carter has ONE more goal than Couturier. ONE.

Carter - 41 GP 11-19-30 +4
Couturier - 41 GP 10-11-21 +3
Voracek - 41 GP 16-33-49 +12

Richards - 41 GP 5-9-14 -8
Simmonds - 41 GP 16-10-26 -3
Schenn - 41 GP 9-16-25 +1

and thrown in the fact picks also helped acquire Grossmann and draft Cousins

we love to kill homer and he deserves a lot of it but man did he do very well with those trades. its annoying how many will point to it being losses because the Kings won 2 cups but I really think that is not accurate at all.
- nastyflyergirl

And thank god we didn't get Voynov in the Richards deal after all!