If the Flyers can’t upgrade on offense or defense, I think we really have to bank on Morgan Frost making the team now or Nolan Patrick being healthy enough to play.
- SuperSchennBros

Not banking on it, but I hope both happen.

I don’t think JvR is a killer to this team. I don’t think we have enough depth/talent in the middle to help support JvR. If Giroux isn’t going to play center and gets moved to the wing and Lindblom is as good as we think he is, that puts JvR playing on the third line, playing with who? Scott Laughton? Derek Grant? Is Morgan Frost NHL ready? Is Nolan Patrick healthy enough to play? We’ve had much deeper teams in the Briere/Richards era. This isn’t a deep team.
- SuperSchennBros

I really think the extra year for the forward prospects and a healthy Patrick and Lindblom actual make it a bit deeper but certainly equal to the Richard’s era.

You really put him up there w/ McDavid and Crosby and OV? Because the level of production isn't even in the same ballpark.

I'm not even sure if he belongs in the next tier down, with the Malkins, Stamkos' and Matthews'.
- Tomahawk

Eichel is better than matthews and I don’t think it’s close, Eichel is a one man show in Buffalo.

I was kidding. I don't consider him generational. People were trying to tell me he was a few weeks ago.
- Ftown19125

Lol

Eichel is better than matthews and I don’t think it’s close, Eichel is a one man show in Buffalo.
- ClaudeFather

Just no.

I don’t think JvR is a killer to this team. I don’t think we have enough depth/talent in the middle to help support JvR. If Giroux isn’t going to play center and gets moved to the wing and Lindblom is as good as we think he is, that puts JvR playing on the third line, playing with who? Scott Laughton? Derek Grant? Is Morgan Frost NHL ready? Is Nolan Patrick healthy enough to play? We’ve had much deeper teams in the Briere/Richards era. This isn’t a deep team.
- SuperSchennBros

This post kinda reinforces my point that he is a killer to THIS team. I agree that we don't have elite offensive play-making centers, and that's not likely to change for the remainder of JVR's contract. Our top two centers are more defensive or all-around type players than they are dynamic play-makers. And I agree that JVR needs more help in order to be an effective player. But a guy making $7M per and carrying the "goal scoring winger" title shouldn't need the level of help that JVR does. So his contract is an unmovable anchor, and his style doesn't fit with the make up of THIS team. And on top of that we have to deal with his presence blocking other players' opportunities.

I really think the extra year for the forward prospects and a healthy Patrick and Lindblom actual make it a bit deeper but certainly equal to the Richard’s era.
- NC Flyers Fan

I don’t think we’re equal to the Richards era at all.

This post kinda reinforces my point that he is a killer to THIS team. I agree that we don't have elite offensive play-making centers, and that's not likely to change for the remainder of JVR's contract. Our top two centers are more defensive or all-around type players than they are dynamic play-makers. And I agree that JVR needs more help in order to be an effective player. But a guy making $7M per and carrying the "goal scoring winger" title shouldn't need the level of help that JVR does. So his contract is an unmovable anchor, and his style doesn't fit with the make up of THIS team. And on top of that we have to deal with his presence blocking other players' opportunities.
- Big_E_88

It doesn’t enforce anything. If you remove JvR from the line up, we’re a weaker team and you have to ask yourself who fills his role. You have two types of top six towards. The ones that make everyone around them better and the ones that are complimentary. Only Giroux, Voracek and Couturier are expected to make others around them better. JvR on the other hand is only as good as who he plays with. Maybe we should stop lining him up with crap.

Not banking on it, but I hope both happen.
- Ftown19125

I think we’re banking on it. I think we really need one of Patrick or Frost to be able to play.

I think we’re banking on it. I think we really need one of Patrick or Frost to be able to play.
- SuperSchennBros

No I meant I'm not banking on it. I think you're right that the Flyers need at least one of these things to happen.

This post kinda reinforces my point that he is a killer to THIS team. I agree that we don't have elite offensive play-making centers, and that's not likely to change for the remainder of JVR's contract. Our top two centers are more defensive or all-around type players than they are dynamic play-makers. And I agree that JVR needs more help in order to be an effective player. But a guy making $7M per and carrying the "goal scoring winger" title shouldn't need the level of help that JVR does. So his contract is an unmovable anchor, and his style doesn't fit with the make up of THIS team. And on top of that we have to deal with his presence blocking other players' opportunities.
- Big_E_88

This

It doesn’t enforce anything. If you remove JvR from the line up, we’re a weaker team and you have to ask yourself who fills his role. You have two types of top six towards. The ones that make everyone around them better and the ones that are complimentary. Only Giroux, Voracek and Couturier are expected to make others around them better. JvR on the other hand is only as good as who he plays with. Maybe we should stop lining him up with crap.
- SuperSchennBros

I respectfully disagree. I don't think this team is weaker if you remove him from the lineup. Obviously AV agrees, as evidenced by him being a healthy scratch last year. And with the possible additions of Lindblom, Patrick, and Frost back to the lineup, I really don't think JVR would be missed if he were the 13th forward. His lack of versatility really limits what the coach can do with the lineup. IMO We have other guys that if given the same deployment that JVR needs to be effective would put up the same stats while being better all-around players at the same time.

I respectfully disagree. I don't think this team is weaker if you remove him from the lineup. Obviously AV agrees, as evidenced by him being a healthy scratch last year. And with the possible additions of Lindblom, Patrick, and Frost back to the lineup, I really don't think JVR would be missed if he were the 13th forward. His lack of versatility really limits what the coach can do with the lineup. IMO We have other guys that if given the same deployment that JVR needs to be effective would put up the same stats while being better all-around players at the same time.
- Big_E_88

Yeah, AV did healthy scratch him through the playoffs. He also put him back in the line up, where he finally started to score. Lindblom, Patrick and Frost are exactly what you just said...a possibility.

I think it’s very Conveniently forgotten that JvR ended the season with a leg injury. Whether or not that injury continued to weigh him down, I have no idea. What I do know is, JvR was putting up more points than Hayes prior to his injury. What I also know is, Vigneault chose to scratch JvR, while refusing to play JvR with scoring talent. I remember the Hayes, JvR, Aube-Kubel being a very good line prior to JvR’s injury in the regular season but for whatever reason never went back to that well in the playoffs. In my opinion JvR has earned his 7 million per season because he was very productive in Toronto. Some of it because of Phil Kessel. Some of it because of Tyler Bozak. The point is, he’s here now and we know what he is, so it’s up to AV to make things work.

Eichel is better than matthews and I don’t think it’s close, Eichel is a one man show in Buffalo.
- ClaudeFather

No he's not. You have it backwards.