Ben Eager won "Most Improved" during "The Season that Shall Not Be Named".

Seems fitting, really.

Ben Eager won "Most Improved" during "The Season that Shall Not Be Named".

Seems fitting, really.
- johndewar

Sadly this is true

Ben Eager won "Most Improved" during "The Season that Shall Not Be Named".

Seems fitting, really.
- johndewar

Has entered that Flyers pantheon of legendary skaters such as Riley Cote, Ben Eager, and Andreas Nodl

It's a joke.
Simmons is actually on the real 4th line, minutes wise.
- puckhead17

RJ has done more 5 on5 this season than Simmonds though. Simmonds had a long stint on the 2nd line and a small one on the top line and accomplished nothing outside of the PP. IMO RJ has done more to earn it than Simmonds, which is sad.

RJ has done more 5 on5 this season than Simmonds though. Simmonds had a long stint on the 2nd line and a small one on the top line and accomplished nothing outside of the PP. IMO RJ has done more to earn it than Simmonds, which is sad.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

#Overrated

Klatt's longest-running line was as part of the Minnesota Line with Joel Otto and Shjon Podein -- a tremendous shutdown trio that could also score a bit.
- bmeltzer

Klatt also spent a fair amount of time on the top line, didn't he? I remember Lindros being pissed off that he was traded.

RJ has done more 5 on5 this season than Simmonds though. Simmonds had a long stint on the 2nd line and a small one on the top line and accomplished nothing outside of the PP. IMO RJ has done more to earn it than Simmonds, which is sad.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

What the hell do you expect? Simmonds has spent way to much time playing with guys like Laughton, White, Rinaldo, Etc... get the guy a quality playmaker to center him and watch him score 35 goals. RJ wouldn't score 35 even if Peter Forsberg was his center.

Klatt also spent a fair amount of time on the top line, didn't he? I remember Lindros being pissed off that he was traded.
- FlyerGuy

He was spotted on both top lines, though more with Brindy, but mainly he skated on the 3rd line

But I thought VDV was not an NHL player?
- aightwebang17

What do you really think sir?

RJ has done more 5 on5 this season than Simmonds though. Simmonds had a long stint on the 2nd line and a small one on the top line and accomplished nothing outside of the PP. IMO RJ has done more to earn it than Simmonds, which is sad.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

His stint on the first line had him playing out of position, (LW).
I don't recall his 2nd line stint lasting too long.
I guess his 60 points last season was a farce?

What the hell do you expect? Simmonds has spent way to much time playing with guys like Laughton, White, Rinaldo, Etc... get the guy a quality playmaker to center him and watch him score 35 goals. RJ wouldn't score 35 even if Peter Forsberg was his center.
- BiggE

Thank you!
He's a liability 5 on 5, lets move him.

He was spotted on both top lines, though more with Brindy, but mainly he skated on the 3rd line
- BiggE

ah, I thought he skated a couple of seasons primarily with Lindros and Leclair. My memory is as good as Brian Williams is.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: VandeVelde Seems Like a Lindbergh Award Shoo-in
- bmeltzer

Chris Vandevelde has absolutely made a case for himself. I've never kept hidden my dislike for him but I was proven wrong. I think what's helped his production is being kept in one spot. He was tried at center and lost every faceoff he took. He's still an average at best two way forward but his forchecking game and willingness to drive to the net is what's made him so valuable to this team.

RJ has done more 5 on5 this season than Simmonds though. Simmonds had a long stint on the 2nd line and a small one on the top line and accomplished nothing outside of the PP. IMO RJ has done more to earn it than Simmonds, which is sad.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

RJ Umberger has had steady line mates. Even with Read's massive slump, there is still some familiarity there. Wayne Simmonds has played with Michael Raffl, Scott Laughton, Zac Rinaldo, Brayden Schenn, Ryan White and Peter Straka the last two months. My only knock on Simmonds in recent games is he hangs on to the puck for too long and tries to lead the charge. A Wayne Simmonds shouldn't be the guy to lead the charge for his line.

VDV could go without a goal for the rest of the season and he would still be more worth a roster spot than Zac.

Love that 4th line. If we could unload the French Canadian Albatross this season and buy out Hamburglar for next year we would be well on our way to improvement.
Sorry folks... RJ is simply not a top six player
- 3flyerkids

Still a lot of hating on Vinny. In my opinion Lecavalier is as big apart of the fourth line's success as any. I think he'd be doing even better with more talented players.

VDV could go without a goal for the rest of the season and he would still be more worth a roster spot than Zac.
- Tomahawk

I don't hate Rinaldo but it shouldn't difficult to upgrade over him.

Still a lot of hating on Vinny. In my opinion Lecavalier is as big apart of the fourth line's success as any. I think he'd be doing even better with more talented players.
- SuperSchennBros

More talented linemates would draw more talented defenders.

RJ Umberger has had steady line mates. Even with Read's massive slump, there is still some familiarity there. Wayne Simmonds has played with Michael Raffl, Scott Laughton, Zac Rinaldo, Ryan White and Peter Straka the last two months. My only knock on Simmonds in recent games is he hangs on to the puck for too long and tries to lead the charge. A Wayne Simmonds shouldn't be the guy to lead the charge for his line.
- SuperSchennBros

He's more of a slot, crease banger.
No one expects him to score like a "top of the circles" sniper.
He's forced to do too much, when placed on a line with some of the players you mentioned.

Klatt also spent a fair amount of time on the top line, didn't he? I remember Lindros being pissed off that he was traded.
- FlyerGuy

He didn't spend much time on the top line until 1997-98, actually. His career year the previous season was mostly with the Minnesota Line or with Hawerchuk or Brind'Amour as his center. The next season, after a 19-year-old Zubrus struggled to replace Renberg, Klatt spent some time on the top line.

Kids had a pretty good year....he seems pretty good around the net....wouldn't mind seeing him replace Read on 2nd Pp and plant him in front of the goalie the same way Simmonds does on the first unit.....kid deserves a shot....that whole line has meshed well ...even my whipping boy Vinny has looked pretty good.

He didn't spend much time on the top line until 1997-98, actually. His career year the previous season was mostly with the Minnesota Line or with Hawerchuk or Brind'Amour as his center. The next season, after a 19-year-old Zubrus struggled to replace Renberg, Klatt spent some time on the top line.
- bmeltzer

I loved those mid-to-late '90's teams. I'd watch those games all over again if they were available somewhere in full.

Yeah, I have no life.

Chris Vandevelde has absolutely made a case for himself. I've never kept hidden my dislike for him but I was proven wrong. I think what's helped his production is being kept in one spot. He was tried at center and lost every faceoff he took. He's still an average at best two way forward but his forchecking game and willingness to drive to the net is what's made him so valuable to this team.
- SuperSchennBros

my feelings exactly.

VDV could go without a goal for the rest of the season and he would still be more worth a roster spot than Zac.
- Tomahawk

Rinaldo needs to work on becoming a hockey player in the AHL

It's not a death sentence. Rinaldo can skate and is willing to work. But I think everyone fully realizes that the lack of discipline and skill surpasses his ability to work, and he has to find another way to play the game

I give Vandevelde a ton of credit -- I thought the guy was absolutely an AHL player who had no business getting minutes in an NHL lineup. He has done far more than I ever believed he would, and I totally agree with you: i don't need to see more goals to know that I was wrong, but I hope he keeps scoring 'em

The production aside, VandeVelde has shown he can play a responsible game, he's been good on the PK and he makes few noticeable mistakes. He can also play wing and center. So long as his goal explosion doesn't make him too costly, they can find a spot for him