I don't think he will be missed at all. How effective is the "fire" does he bring & how does it "fire" up the team? Very little. Whatever positives he brings-and there's a couple- are outweighed and negated by the negatives.
- Jsaquella

Time for White, Akeson, or Rosehill to come up to the show

I don't think he will be missed at all. How effective is the "fire" does he bring & how does it "fire" up the team? Very little. Whatever positives he brings-and there's a couple- are outweighed and negated by the negatives.
- Jsaquella

TBH, a dirty hit where someone is hurt doesn't fire up a team. The fight by Jake? That fired everyone up... so did the fight win by Bellemare... That's how you do it if you want to get everyone going.

Please, let's be done with Rinaldo already. This is not the way this team should be represented. What a disgrace.

Was it a bad hit. Yes.
Dirty? I don't know.

I actually thought he got him in the back of the shoulder and Letang turning into the boards made it worse. I am not saying he should have made the hit but also that hit happens more then we think. The player doesn't turn and nothing happens. The responsibility is on Rinaldo to use better judgement on his hits but also this is a 6th round pick who was drafted because of the edge he plays on. So in that sense I understand why sometimes he goes over.

If as Flyers fans you want him jettisoned I can understand. I understand his short comings. But i do also see positives he brings. I do see how games when he is out there seems to be a lack of energy.

Yes the Flyers can probably survive without him. I know energy isn't this great skill to take over a game. But it is a momentum swinger. In a game with contact it takes one solid hit or fight that can make building or team errupt.
- J35Bacher

Rinaldo was attempting to hit him in the side, but whether he hit him in the shoulder, it was still a hit from behind. Letang didn't turn at all, his back was to the play the entire time, and Rinaldo had a ton of time to pull up. A player just can't hit a player in that position.

TBH, a dirty hit where someone is hurt doesn't fire up a team. The fight by Jake? That fired everyone up... so did the fight win by Bellemare... That's how you do it if you want to get everyone going.
- Hextall271

Voracek sitting in the box for 15 minutes isn't an approach I'd want to see often.

Letang got drilled, was clearly hurt. The league doesn't tend to go more than 5 or 6, even on in-person hearings, but that hit was so ridiculous, I can totally see 7-10 because of his repeat offender status

If he comes in talking that bullpoop he was last night about "back shoulder" and "fast game," I'd give him 10 -- own what you did, take your punishment.

I would add "learn from it," but the dude just isn't that smart

Time for White, Akeson, or Rosehill to come up to the show
- 3flyerkids

Last night's heroics aside -- and they really deserve a ton of credit for the way they killed penalties last night -- I'd like to see if White can help.

He's played on NHL-caliber PKs before, does have the kind of toughness that you want for a fourth-line player.

One drawback: His hockey sense might not be miles ahead of Rinaldo's

Voracek sitting in the box for 15 minutes isn't an approach I'd want to see often.
- MJL

I agree but I think Jake was just getting his frustrations out for this horrid first half of season.

That's not true, he's been an effective player at times this year. If Rinaldo wants to be labeled as a player who at times is reckless and undisciplined, even at time just plain dumb, I get that. Saying he is not an NHL player, and doesn't have any skill is simply false. Somehow the metric of penalties drawn and taken became the only way to judge Rinaldo.
- MJL

Yeah.

I don't always agree with you but on this i do. Hockey is a game of men playing a sport with weapons on ice. Rinaldo is a payer that has to play on the edge. Does he corss it sometimes. Yes. But does he also seem to ignite this team. Yes.

Voracek sitting in the box for 15 minutes isn't an approach I'd want to see often.
- MJL

My point is, if you want to fire the team up, that's the way to do it.

Rinaldo should get an extra 3 games added on for that dumbass haircut.

Yeah.

I don't always agree with you but on this i do. Hockey is a game of men playing a sport with weapons on ice. Rinaldo is a payer that has to play on the edge. Does he corss it sometimes. Yes. But does he also seem to ignite this team. Yes.
- J35Bacher

This team has played soft all year, though. I don't see any ignition. They play the Pens and then they bring their max effort and their sandpaper. I don't see that Rinaldo brings any tangible benefit to the team. I was going to say that you have other options that are better, but maybe its fairer to say that you have options that are simply less bad.

I agree but I think Jake was just getting his frustrations out for this horrid first half of season.
- 3flyerkids

That's kind of how I read it. He's leading the league in scoring and we're still a bottom feeder. That has to be frustrating.

Yeah.

I don't always agree with you but on this i do. Hockey is a game of men playing a sport with weapons on ice. Rinaldo is a payer that has to play on the edge. Does he corss it sometimes. Yes. But does he also seem to ignite this team. Yes.
- J35Bacher

If you want to make a case to take Rinaldo out of the lineup, the lack of discipline at times and the number of penalties he takes is all the ammunition needed. He is an NHL player, he does bring a physical presence and energy, he skates well and is good on the forecheck, and is a decent player on the back check. He is an NHL player and does have some skills that translate to the NHL game. He does however have some idiot in him. Which doesn't seem likely to change. I understand the investment the Flyers made, in trying to develop him as a player.

Terrible hit. Was staring at the numbers all the way as he approached and then left his feet to launch into the hit.
- bmeltzer

This first time I disagree with you Bill. I have seen much, much worse. He did hit him on the back side of the shoulder but only his momentum made him look like he left his feet after contact was initially made. I agree on the penalty since it was the back of his shoulder and perhaps a 2 game suspension given his rap sheet but the hockey world is reacting like this was Bertuzzi on Moore. ?

This first time I disagree with you Bill. I have seen much, much worse. He did hit him on the back side of the shoulder but only his momentum made him look like he left his feet after contact was initially made. I agree on the penalty since it was the back of his shoulder and perhaps a 2 game suspension given his rap sheet but the hockey world is reacting like this was Bertuzzi on Moore. ?
- mrspeeed

They're acting like that because he's a Flyer..

If you want to make a case to take Rinaldo out of the lineup, the lack of discipline at times and the number of penalties he takes is all the ammunition needed. He is an NHL player, he does bring a physical presence and energy, he skates well and is good on the forecheck, and is a decent player on the back check. He is an NHL player and does have some skills that translate to the NHL game. He does however have some idiot in him. Which doesn't seem likely to change. I understand the investment the Flyers made, in trying to develop him as a player.
- MJL

It's a waste of a roster spot. He is a 12/13 forward who can only bring "energy". He doesn't excell defensively, can't effectively kill penalties or take face offs. His spot would be better suited for someone who can do any of those 3 things or in the flyers case, a shoot-out specialist. When you have the leagues worst penalty kill and an organizational reputation for borderline physical play and thus never get the benefit of the doubt from officials, Rinaldo only hurts the team.

Rinaldo was attempting to hit him in the side, but whether he hit him in the shoulder, it was still a hit from behind. Letang didn't turn at all, his back was to the play the entire time, and Rinaldo had a ton of time to pull up. A player just can't hit a player in that position.
- MJL

We see it differently. But I didn't say he should have hit him. I did say he should have used better judgement on the hit. But also he did get him clear in the numbers like people are saying. I also do think he turns a hair becasse he is watching the play and he sees him coming. Rinaldo's angle doesn't come right from behind. His body does get a little ahead of letangs before contact.

Again he didn't need to make the hit but I don't think this is an outrages boarding hit.

The flyers were absolutely filthy last night. Initiated everything. Fun game to watch

I don't care how hard Rinaldo works and how hard he says he wants to improve, he's an idiot. He's not a NHL caliber player, he's unable to control himself and quite frankly his idiotic comments after the game, joking or not, will do little to reduce the giant bullseye he's painted on his own back.

He's an embarrassment.
- Jsaquella

The disadvantages of having him on this team FAR out reach the advantages. It's just bad business to keep a guy like this on the team, plain and simple.

We see it differently. But I didn't say he should have hit him. I did say he should have used better judgement on the hit. But also he did get him clear in the numbers like people are saying. I also do think he turns a hair becasse he is watching the play and he sees him coming. Rinaldo's angle doesn't come right from behind. His body does get a little ahead of letangs before contact.

Again he didn't need to make the hit but I don't think this is an outrages boarding hit.
- J35Bacher

Agree with you there. We see this hit all game. Difference is players should slow up and he did not. Hope Letang makes a quick recovery!

In regards to Rinaldo. I am kinda torn. I like the passion and intensity he brings to the game but I dont like that he put the team in a bad situation with having to kill a 5 min major. As far as the hit... I dont really think he intended to hurt Letang, just that he got super hyped up for the Pens game and became a wrecking ball. It was'nt the dirtiest hit I've seen... I mean, I have seen Scott Stevens hit with far more intent to injure and/or dirty hits than Rinaldo has ever given and yet Stevens was applauded for it. It was stupid for Rinaldo to not think about another players safety and his comments I'm sure were not making light of injuring Letang, instead he was stating that he ignited the intensity of the game. This is by far the most physical and dangerous sport and these hits are going to happen, time and time again. Whether it be Rinaldo or some other player and it will certainly happen to another Flyer. Hockey is War to its very core, no matter how much the league trys to keep a leash on it. Personally... I find it entertaining.

Agree with you there. We see this hit all game. Difference is players should slow up and he did not. Hope Letang makes a quick recovery!
- mrspeeed

And that is all I am saying. I don't think it was this vicious over the top boarding hit. Is it any worse then Tom Wilsons hit on Schenn? Yes he didn't need to follow through on the hit but this happens more then we think.

They're acting like that because he's a Flyer..
- Hextall271

Maybe a little, but it was simply another bad decision by a borderline roster player with a history.

He had time to change his mind; instead, he went for it. Had Letang not been watching the puck and had turned away from the boards, Rinaldo still may have been called for charging.

He left his feet, hit him from behind, caused an injury, and is a repeat offender. He'll get a nice suspension, and hopefully lose his seat at the Flyers table (I'm not counting on that last one, though).

It's a waste of a roster spot. He is a 12/13 forward who can only bring "energy". He doesn't excell defensively, can't effectively kill penalties or take face offs. His spot would be better suited for someone who can do any of those 3 things or in the flyers case, a shoot-out specialist. When you have the leagues worst penalty kill and an organizational reputation for borderline physical play and thus never get the benefit of the doubt from officials, Rinaldo only hurts the team.
- psuhockey

Rinaldo has scored 7 goals and 13 assists in his NHL career, over 200 games. In that time he's a -28. His possession numbers are similarly bad, and he's received supplementary discipline from the NHL once per every 53 games played.

Yes, hockey is more than scoring. It's defense and physical play. Well, Rinaldo is a poor defensive player, who tends to run around and look for the big hit to the detriment of his defensive responsibilities. He was tried on the PK, was ineffective and removed from it twice in the past two seasons.

The physical play he brings, but it's so often over the line that he ends up taking penalties and hurting the team. He's Not bringing enough to the table to justify the nonsense.

If it wasn't for his hitting and agitation of the opponent, he wouldn't be in the NHL. It's the sole reason he is in the NHL. That's why I say he's not a NHL caliber player. Because when it comes strictly to hockey he's got AHL level skills.