Either send Laughton to Lehigh Valley, or let him play. Asinine to make him a healthy scratch so a corpse can play.
- PLindbergh31

agreed

I'm glad the deadline is almost here. There might not be much activity from the Flyers but there should be enough to shake things out for the better.

They have 14 active forwards now not including Couturier, so some kind of move will need to be made when he's ready to come back. Which should be just after the deadline.

How about instead of scratching Read multiple times, maybe, just once, scratch one of the 4th liners...? Every single line on the team has been rearranged so many times, many players coming in and out of the lineup, but they're just locked in stone every night. Only on this team can the 4th line be the 3rd line and are married to one another (polygamously) till death do them part. I get it: they're "reliable." Fact remains they're a group of average 4th liners, with a tweener or two thrown in.

To be fair, I can understand Laughts sitting a game or two. But Read? I see nothing from him BUT effort and solid two way play. And Hakstol cited effort as the scratch reasoning.
- Mononoke

I don't get it, either. But they've actually been getting less ice time than I expected with Couturier out.

I'm actually pleased about Weal replacing Laughton, but nonplussed by Umberger replacing Read. (Note, nonplussed means bewildered, not uninmpressed).

I'm glad the deadline is almost here. There might not be much activity from the Flyers but there should be enough to shake things out for the better. They have 14 active forwards now not including Couturier, so some kind of move will need to be made when he's ready to come back. Which should be just after the deadline.
- Feanor

If they can move any of Streit, MacDonald or Read those would be wins in my book. Wingers like Loui Eriksson and Mikel Boedker are UFA and both top 6 who would look great on our 2nd line if we can clear the cap space.

Sim-G-Voracek
Eriksson-Coot-Boedk
Rafl-Laught-Schenn
PEB-VDV-White
Leier-Cousins-Konekny

I don't get it, either. But they've actually been getting less ice time than I expected with Couturier out.

I'm actually pleased about Weal replacing Laughton, but nonplussed by Umberger replacing Read. (Note, nonplussed means bewildered, not uninmpressed).
- Feanor

No Coots, no Read. Who's killing penalties NOW? White now the second unit? Someone better call your house after the game to make sure you're still alive

Maybe Raffl can finally return to the PK unit.

Maybe Raffl can finally return to the PK unit.
- Feanor

Umby is my guess

Scratching Read to dress RJ. Nah, they're not tanking.

- BiggE

Well, I will tell you that i'd be shocked if they win tonight. Buffalo has some decent talent and I can see us not being able to handle Eichel etc..

If they can move any of Streit, MacDonald or Read those would be wins in my book. Wingers like Loui Eriksson and Mikel Boedker are UFA and both top 6 who would look great on our 2nd line if we can clear the cap space.

Sim-G-Voracek
Eriksson-Coot-Boedk
Rafl-Laught-Schenn
PEB-VDV-White
Leier-Cousins-Konekny
- MrBigglesworth

id rather them get some size with someone like lucic or okposo, loui plays a bit too soft for what they need in the top 6

Umby is my guess
- Mononoke

I wouldn't be opposed to that. His struggles this year have been making plays with his stick, which is not as important on the PK as using size and/or speed to take away time and space. I think even now he'd be better at that than Ryan White who has six goals in 43 games thanks to his surprisingly good hands, but is kind of sluggish and not very smart defensively.

I wouldn't be opposed to that. His struggles this year have been making plays with his stick, which is not as important on the PK as using size and/or speed to take away time and space. I think even now he'd be better at that than Ryan White who has six goals in 43 games thanks to his surprisingly good hands, but is kind of sluggish and not very smart defensively.
- Feanor

Just think about that for a second. 4 mil and traded a viable LW scoring option for a guy who has trouble making plays with his stick...cry

Just think about that for a second. 4 mil and traded a viable LW scoring option for a guy who has trouble making plays with his stick...cry
- Hextall271

Guys in their 30s can fall off a cliff at any moment, sometimes without much warning. That's why you don't want to be stuck with them for too long.

I keep seeing Boedker, Boedker, Boedker. Am I the only one who has little interest in him? He's an OK LW who is going to get an inflated contract in this market.

He's not a great possession player, he doesn't score at even strength, not a goal scorer, and he's primarily a PP point producer -- which he won't do nearly as much on the second unit. He has 12 ES point this year. Laughton has 14. Boedker has quite a few similarities to Brayden Schenn. He's LW Schenn. We already have RW Schenn we can re-sign for cheaper.

PK tonight

PEB - VdV
G - Raffl
White - Umby?

Weal or Cousins might sneak a shift in with White...

I keep seeing Boedker, Boedker, Boedker. Am I the only one who has little interest in him? He's an OK LW who is going to get an inflated contract.

He's not a great possession player, he doesn't score at even strength, not a goal scorer, and he's primarily a PP point producer -- which he won't do nearly as much on the second unit. He has 12 ES point this year. Laughton has 14. Boedker has quite a few similarities to Brayden Schenn. He's LW Schenn. We already have RW Schenn we can re-sign for cheaper.
- Mononoke

Just wondering...who besides OEL is a good possession player on the Coyotes?

But anyway...yeah I have no interest in just about any FA forward or defenseman other than a low risk plug

I keep seeing Boedker, Boedker, Boedker. Am I the only one who has little interest in him? He's an OK LW who is going to get an inflated contract.

He's not a great possession player, he doesn't score at even strength, not a goal scorer, and he's primarily a PP point producer -- which he won't do nearly as much on the second unit. He has 12 ES point this year. Laughton has 14. Boedker has quite a few similarities to Brayden Schenn. He's LW Schenn. We already have RW Schenn we can re-sign for cheaper.
- Mononoke

I think of Boedker as the Belesky of this offseason. The guy who will get paid because he hit FA at the right time.

I actually kind of like the silent jersey retirements...where players just know not to take certain numbers
- YuenglingJagr

This is how I view the number 31. It's retired but not officially retired.

Just wondering...who besides OEL is a good possession player on the Coyotes?

But anyway...yeah I have no interest in just about any FA forward or defenseman other than a low risk plug
- YuenglingJagr

You can be a good possession player on a bad team. Hanzal and Duclair are possession beasts off the top of my head -- I know that. Boedker isn't bad possession wise; he's just an OK possession player. And he's a mediocre ES scorer for all the points he puts up. Just have no interest in blowing cap space for him, especially when he will cost a lot as an UFA. This team needs ES studs badly.

Jason Demers. I would look into signing him to a 4-5 year deal. Righty RD; terrific underlying metrics; rock solid top 4 player. Idk if the Stars let him go, but man, he'd be a great under the radar signing. Only 27 too.

That Roy guy had a hand in that, too.
- jmatchett383

To the best of my recollection Roy never handled the puck quite like hextall. The popularization of the butterfly, that's on roy.

You can be a good possession player on a bad team. Hanzal and Duclair are possession beasts off the top of my head -- I know that. Boedker isn't bad possession wise; he's just an OK possession player. And he's a mediocre ES scorer for all the points he puts up. Just have no interest in blowing cap space for him, especially when he will cost a lot as an UFA. This team needs ES studs badly.

Jason Demers. I would look into signing him to a 4-5 year deal. Righty RD; terrific underlying metrics; rock solid top 4 player. Idk if the Stars let him go, but man, he'd be a great under the radar signing. Only 27 too.
- Mononoke

In terms of possession stats...Boedker is pretty bad even for the Coyotes

I keep seeing Boedker, Boedker, Boedker. Am I the only one who has little interest in him? He's an OK LW who is going to get an inflated contract in this market.

He's not a great possession player, he doesn't score at even strength, not a goal scorer, and he's primarily a PP point producer -- which he won't do nearly as much on the second unit. He has 12 ES point this year. Laughton has 14. Boedker has quite a few similarities to Brayden Schenn. He's LW Schenn. We already have RW Schenn we can re-sign for cheaper.
- Mononoke

I'd much rather go after Nielsen, despite his age.

Nothing is set*, but supposedly Raffl might center Weal and Umby. I was thinking about this the other day when they rushed to call up Cousins...do they just not view Weal as a center in the NHL? He was throughout his AHL days, but could that have been why Cousins leapfrogged Weal for the center spot? The fact that Raffl would be shifted to center when he's primarily LW might prove that to be somewhat true. Which also makes it confusing why they view Laughton as a center right now...but that's a tangent.


*Panotch mentioned Raffl at center. So I'm understandably skeptical

my 3 best Flyer goalies are Bernie Hexy Pelle
- vejim

Same here.

I'd much rather go after Nielsen, despite his age.
- Feanor

I like Nielsen. If he can be scooped up for 3 years, I'd do it. Truly underrated all around player. Problem is, he'd be the guaranteed 3C (can you IMAGINE having three legit checking line centers in the lineup? Matchup hell) and they might be uninterested in signing a center who would bump Laughton to wing. I think Laughts should be wing, but coach and GM seem to disagree.

The 78/76/25 line has been driving me nuts lately. They have been instructed, apparently, to cycle the puck in perpetuity and are forbidden to put the puck towards the net. Last year Bellemare would shoot the puck off the rush and wasn't afraid to get the puck to the net. This year, a guy could be giving him five feet down low and he refuses to abandon the protect the puck, back to the play position. Watch them. It's infuriating. If you are going to give them this much time on the ice, they have to do more than just not give up goals.