What would it take for you to trade Simmonds?


Would you take a top prospect and another 1st rounder in this draft? Top ten pick?
- J35Bacher

I'd take a top 10 and run.

50 points from Couturier would be outstanding. That's solid 2nd line center production.
- MJL

I dont know...tampa has 3 centers over 47 pts now rangers 2 over 49 (and stepan has only 61 gp)

I think they can do better than hoping coots can be a 50 pt guy

I dont know...tampa has 3 centers over 47 pts now rangers 2 over 49 (and stepan has only 61 gp)

I think they can do better
- Just5

You cant base it off of what a couple of teams are capable of.

Having a 50 point center is not a give-in in this league. As of right now there are 69 players who have at least 50 points... of those, only 32 are centers.

Great write up as usual Bill! I definitely agree that Coots does a great job defensively and is probably in the top 5 of NHL forwards in that regard, however I do not see an ability to finish. I'm sorry but the fact Vandevelde has 9 goals and gets no power play time, where as Coots gets 2nd power play unit minutes and only has 2 points in that time is somewhat telling about his offensive capability. I do think confidence has a big part to play in it, but how long can that be allowed to continue before he: 1)isn't worth as much in trade or 2)is labeled a "bust"? Sooner or later, something will have to give!

Yea, when he engages himself physically, thats when he is at his best.

He reminds me a lot of Kris Versteeg with some of the stuff he tries to do. Cut out the BS, and play blue collar hockey and you will succeed.
- jak521

Watch B Schenn on the PP. Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds, and Streit, all rack up the points, but B Schenn is an integral part of that unit. He wins a lot of puck battles and puck retreivals, to get it set up. That's how he has to play. Keep it simple, get to the dirty areas, shoot the puck, and go to the net. Take the body on the forecheck. When the pass is there make it, he's a decent passer, but he'll never be a play maker. Simplify his game.

I dont know...tampa has 3 centers over 47 pts now rangers 2 over 49 (and stepan has only 61 gp)

I think they can do better than hoping coots can be a 50 pt guy
- Just5

I know. Last year there were 22 centers in the league who had 60 or more points. look at past seasons.

You cant base it off of what a couple of teams are capable of.

Having a 50 point center is not a give-in in this league. As of right now there are 69 players who have at least 50 points... of those, only 32 are centers.
- jak521

Couturier is more of 3rd line or "defensive" line center at this point. He is really young. He has had flashes of offensive prowess. I am willing to wait and see with him. He is a really good defensive center.

Schenn angers me. I have not really seen that dominating stretch from him like I did with JVR against Boston. He has also been given multiple opportunities to become a 25-30 goal scorer by playing with G&V and on the 1st PP. Schenn is a good player that does not excel at any one part of the game.

If they traded Schenn in the right deal I would be ok with it. Couturier should not be traded in my opinion.

Great write up as usual Bill! I definitely agree that Coots does a great job defensively and is probably in the top 5 of NHL forwards in that regard, however I do not see an ability to finish. I'm sorry but the fact Vandevelde has 9 goals and gets no power play time, where as Coots gets 2nd power play unit minutes and only has 2 points in that time is somewhat telling about his offensive capability. I do think confidence has a big part to play in it, but how long can that be allowed to continue before he: 1)isn't worth as much in trade or 2)is labeled a "bust"? Sooner or later, something will have to give!
- aantny88

How many points on the PP do any of the other players on that 2nd unit have?

Patrice Bergeron. An ideal 2nd line center in this league. Had 2 70 point seasons when he was 20 and 21 and since then is averaging a 60 pt season per 82 games.

Really like Coots' game but a Bergeron he is not nor will ever be. We have an excellent 3C for years to come though.
- Just5

He's Boston's 1C.

He's Boston's 1C.
- Feanor

When Krecji is hurt.

You cant base it off of what a couple of teams are capable of.

Having a 50 point center is not a give-in in this league. As of right now there are 69 players who have at least 50 points... of those, only 32 are centers.
- jak521

Mikko Koivu will get there soon, too.

Another player who has done quite well as a 2-way center without much ability to, dare is say, Finnish.

Would love it if Couturier could turn into this type of player.

I was at the Phantoms game Sunday.
At one point they were outshot by the Kings AHL farm team ( Monarchs) 25-8
Second game in 17 hours.
Hard to judge a tired team but they have zero "pop" in the lineup and not enough quality AHL vets with size.
Ironically some of their best offense came from the point from Adam Comrie, up from the Royals on his 2 way deal the last 20+ games.

Laughton scored on a nice goal coming from behind the net and going high

The Flyers better look elsewhere for goals, it aint coming from the farm team.......

Couturier is more of 3rd line or "defensive" line center at this point. He is really young. He has had flashes of offensive prowess. I am willing to wait and see with him. He is a really good defensive center.

Schenn angers me. I have not really seen that dominating stretch from him like I did with JVR against Boston. He has also been given multiple opportunities to become a 25-30 goal scorer by playing with G&V and on the 1st PP. Schenn is a good player that does not excel at any one part of the game.

If they traded Schenn in the right deal I would be ok with it. Couturier should not be traded in my opinion.
- mickel25

Couturier needs a mental paradigm shift when he has the puck & needs to stop playing as a defensive center in the offensive zone when even strength.....

B Schenn as others have noted has done zero with first line minutes.
Patience for him??? Not much longer, I agree he could go.
Unless the "new coach" can unlock the mysteries of the former best players not in the NHL.......

I was at the Phantoms game Sunday.
At one point they were outshot by the Kings AHL farm team ( Monarchs) 25-8
Second game in 17 hours.
Hard to judge a tired team but they have zero "pop" in the lineup and not enough quality AHL vets with size.
Ironically some of their best offense came from the point from Adam Comrie, up from the Royals on his 2 way deal the last 20+ games.

Laughton scored on a nice goal coming from behind the net and going high

The Flyers better look elsewhere for goals, it aint coming from the farm team.......
- Steelmanpa

Is this the team that has both Jay Rosehill and Zac Stortini?

Mikko Koivu will get there soon, too.

Another player who has done quite well as a 2-way center without much ability to, dare is say, Finnish.

Would love it if Couturier could turn into this type of player.
- Moose_15

Thats actually a really interesting comparison. Both guys are solid, not really flashy, hard working two way centers.. Id be in heaven if he can get to that level in the next few seasons.

Is this the team that has both Jay Rosehill and Zac Stortini?
- jmatchett383

Yes and you didnt bold the word QUALITY

it's a confidence thing for 14. i'm willing to write this year off. hopefully he gets on a tear next year and doesn't look back.

Yes and you didnt bold the word QUALITY
- Steelmanpa

I saw what I did there.

- mayorofangrytown

How many points on the PP do any of the other players on that 2nd unit have?
- MJL

Did I say anything about any of the other guys on the 2nd unit? Nope...simply an illustration of his inability to finish, but since you asked when Umberger has more PP goals there's an issue!

it's a confidence thing for 14. i'm willing to write this year off. hopefully he gets on a tear next year and doesn't look back.
- wilsonecho91

Wasn't this season supposed to be a break out year for him?

And Read was supposed to score 30 goals

I saw what I did there.
- jmatchett383

Rosehill got himself thrown out for the 3rd.

Seeing Stortini killing penalties made me thing of Rinaldo doing the same as mini Zach.....

The Phantoms are too beligerent and not skilled enough

I was at the Phantoms game Sunday.
At one point they were outshot by the Kings AHL farm team ( Monarchs) 25-8
Second game in 17 hours.
Hard to judge a tired team but they have zero "pop" in the lineup and not enough quality AHL vets with size.
Ironically some of their best offense came from the point from Adam Comrie, up from the Royals on his 2 way deal the last 20+ games.

Laughton scored on a nice goal coming from behind the net and going high

The Flyers better look elsewhere for goals, it aint coming from the farm team.......
- Steelmanpa

But this is what is so good about having draft picks. This year we could really go heavy on forwards and have an abundance of guys who could be in and contributing offensively in the next few years.

We already have Nicolas Aube-Kubel who looks to be a real steal. We have Oskar Lindbloom who has had a really good year as a young player (one of the youngest if I remember correctly) in the SHL. He also had an amazing World JR's performance.

So those two guys already in our system. Say with the first pick this year we add Barzal, Marner, Meier, or Rantanen and the second first rounder we add another skilled forward like Svechnikov or Bittner...

We would then have 4 quality forward pieces in the system by the start of next year.

Neither Couts nor B Schenn have lived up to the hype. Yet. They show glimpses but haven't put it together yet. There's still time, obviously, but right now they are might-be's. If the right deal comes along, you take a shot.

Wasn't this season supposed to be a break out year for him?

And Read was supposed to score 30 goals


- Streit2ThePoint

And you would have also tought that at least one guy would get 90 points in the NHL...

Nope. Scoring is way down across the board. That has a trickle down affect as well. Cant predict when a kid is going to have his break out year.