Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: 3rd Line Center, Bernie Parent & More; Hexy and JVR Transcripts

He also mentioned Claude Giroux shifted back from left wing to center.

IT'S HAPPENING PEOPLE

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD Morning Everybody!!!!

IT'S HAPPENING PEOPLE
- YuenglingJagr

the rapture?

I think NAK and Vecchione could make the team (and should). I think Vorobyev should (and will) go back to the AHL and be the top center for them. I saw some development in his game on the small ice last year that I liked and think it will continue with more responsibility, though I absolutely believe he could play in the NHL.

Well if any of the prospects can’t beat out Lehtera, Weise , or Leier then damn that’s bad

The basketball rivalry is nothing...you will see mayhem when Team Australia takes the ice against the Philippines at the next World Cup of Hockey. Revenge will be ours

The only thing that keeps nak from being a nhl player this year in my eyes is bad penalties and suspensions. He is better than leier and weise without a doubt in my mind.

From the last thread, re Coots/Laughton comparisons

I hear what your saying, but when it comes to Couturier it was much more about his usage than the player himself. He was asked to be a shutdown center, play heavy PK minutes and was rarely give two skilled linemates to work with, and at times, not even one highly skilled linemate to work with.

I'm pretty sure that for example, if the Flyers had added a legit shutdown center instead of VLC prior to the start of the 13-14 season, and they were also willing to move G to LW, then Coots could have easily slotted in between Jake and Giroux and put up 1C numbers.

I don't see the hockey sense and all around skill set in Laughton that I do in Couturier. I do think that Laughton can be a 3rd line player, but when I watch him closely, it just seems to me that his skill set would be better served by having him play the wing. He's not a guy who is going to create a lot of offense for linemates, he's just not that kind of playmaker. That's why if you are going to try him at 3C, I'd like to see an offensively creative player like Konecny on his wing.

Now I'll go back and read Bill's blog, LOL

They're in a tricky spot -- I agree that you don't want somebody blocking Frost or any of the other young players. But at the same time, all prospects are suspects until they make it -- what if they can't hack it?

I think -- if they can identify a decent option -- that I would strongly consider a trade. They are so close to really being able to take a big step. But they need a reliable 3C who can skate and check, and I wouldn't mind another defenseman, 25-30 years old, who can play 17 reliable minutes a night.

They're so close to really being a four-line, three-pair load to deal with. Maybe not in the top 3-5 teams. But somewhere between 6-12.

They are so close

What the hell is going on with Anthony Stolarz? I can’t be the only person who liked what they were seeing from this kid when he played.

Re Allin's last post.

They are close, but I still don't want to be locked into a long term deal for a 3C or a 2nd pair Dman when they have a lot of good prospects knocking at the door. Also, no matter what other moves they make prior to this season, it's extremely doubtful they are contending for a cup with either of their current veteran goalies.

Being patient is hardest when you start getting close to your goal, but that's the most important time to be patient. I'm a big believer in Hart, he has the skills, the work ethic, the mental makeup and focus to be top notch #1 goalie in the NHL and I think he will only spend one year in the AHL. Frost really impressed me with how much stronger he got in just one year and by 19-20, he'll likely be pushing 190 lbs and have the experience of playing in the World Juniors and perhaps some playoff action with the Phantoms on his resume.

On D, I think Myers is damned close, if not ready now and Morin will be in the top 6 by 19-20 as well, even if it's only as a 3rd pair, PK guy.

Now, is not the time to make foolish impulse signings in free agency. They may end up having a similar season this year as they did last, but I can live with that. Development is rarely a linear process and their will peaks and valleys. IF they can improve slightly, maybe break 100 points and win one playoff round, I will consider the 18-19 season to be a success.

I think the 19-20 season will be the one where they take the next big step into being a contender and with the way they've drafted, the window should hopefully remain open for a good, long time.

What the hell is going on with Anthony Stolarz? I can’t be the only person who liked what they were seeing from this kid when he played.
- pharcyde

he's been hurt?

Claude Giroux - Sean Couturier - Travis Konecny
James van Riemsdyk - Nolan Patrick - Jakub Voracek
Oskar Lindblom - Scott Laughton -Wayne Simmonds
Michael Raffl - Jori Lehterä - Dale Weise/ Taylor Leier

love the first two lines. 2nd line is ok. hate the 4th. really would love to see 2 prospects win jobs on merit so tired of the 4th line being whatever is left over

What the hell is going on with Anthony Stolarz? I can’t be the only person who liked what they were seeing from this kid when he played.
- pharcyde

He played well in a very small sample size at the NHL level, it's hard to draw any real conclusions from that. Overall he was solid, but not spectacular at the AHL level, and he's coming off a season in which he barely played at all due to serious injury. Kind of hard to count on him for much at this point in time. He'll need to prove himself first.

What the hell is going on with Anthony Stolarz? I can’t be the only person who liked what they were seeing from this kid when he played.
- pharcyde

You and me both bud. I asked that a few days ago, apparently he's been injured forever now.

Claude Giroux - Sean Couturier - Travis Konecny
James van Riemsdyk - Nolan Patrick - Jakub Voracek
Oskar Lindblom - Scott Laughton -Wayne Simmonds
Michael Raffl - Jori Lehterä - Dale Weise/ Taylor Leier

love the first two lines. 2nd line is ok. hate the 4th. really would love to see 2 prospects win jobs on merit so tired of the 4th line being whatever is left over
- nastyflyergirl

I can live with Lehtera as the 4C, but I'd really like to see Aube-Kubel win that 4RW job. Lehtera flanked by Raffl and NAK should be a pretty solid 4th line.

What the hell is going on with Anthony Stolarz? I can’t be the only person who liked what they were seeing from this kid when he played.
- pharcyde

Stolarz is an RFA this summer. He's been through two major knee injuries -- same knee, same injury, and the reinjury last year was not incurred while on the ice or working out but simply doing day-to-day off-ice stuff -- so they are being very cautious even though he is currently (finally) healthy.

I really like Stolie and Alex Lyon but both, objectively speaking, are middle-grade prospects who likely top out as split-time or backup types to a workhorse at the NHL level. Stolie, unfortunately, lost nearly a full season this year.

Not sure how all of it will play out. Phantoms now have 3 goalies, and Carter Hart will start out splitting time with one of the other two.

They're in a tricky spot -- I agree that you don't want somebody blocking Frost or any of the other young players. But at the same time, all prospects are suspects until they make it -- what if they can't hack it?

I think -- if they can identify a decent option -- that I would strongly consider a trade. They are so close to really being able to take a big step. But they need a reliable 3C who can skate and check, and I wouldn't mind another defenseman, 25-30 years old, who can play 17 reliable minutes a night.

They're so close to really being a four-line, three-pair load to deal with. Maybe not in the top 3-5 teams. But somewhere between 6-12.

They are so close
- AllInForFlyers

I don’t see how jvr doesn’t affect Simmonds. I know they are on different sides but have we not seen Simmonds play LW? Jvr’s presence takes a spot away in the wing group in the top 9. Wade Allison had he not gotten hurt was tracking as a hobey baker finalist as a power forward. Even with him getting hurt Hexy was reportedly pressing him to sign this summer, Wade Allison is not coming in to play 4th line minutes.

I am not advocating trading Simmonds, in fact I think he should be kept and let him hit ufa. Losing productive players in ufa is a simple fact of many good teams.

I get the bad cop, leadership dynamic thing but you have to be careful there or else you wind up giving the guy a backes or Callahan deal for all of those mighty intangibles

If Hextall had zero interest in bringing back Manning and Filppula next season, I would have preferred that he direct the coaching staff to not lean on them so much all the way up to the final whistle of game 6.

Claude Giroux - Sean Couturier - Travis Konecny
James van Riemsdyk - Nolan Patrick - Jakub Voracek
Oskar Lindblom - Scott Laughton -Wayne Simmonds
Michael Raffl - Jori Lehterä - Dale Weise/ Taylor Leier

love the first two lines. 2nd line is ok. hate the 4th. really would love to see 2 prospects win jobs on merit so tired of the 4th line being whatever is left over
- nastyflyergirl

and if Giroux never gets injured we would be talking about

JVR-Giroux-Konecny
Lindblom-Patrick-Voracek
Laughton-Coots-Simmer

we will see how it works out, I guess. The bright side is that the JVR addition both improves the forwards and gives them more flexibility.

predatory

Claude Giroux - Sean Couturier - Travis Konecny
James van Riemsdyk - Nolan Patrick - Jakub Voracek
Oskar Lindblom - Scott Laughton -Wayne Simmonds
Michael Raffl - Jori Lehterä - Dale Weise/ Taylor Leier

I don't understand how Weal, who Hextall specifically mentioned as a center option at his press conference, is not in this projected lineup at all. Weal played a lot more last season than anyone on that 4th line but Raffl.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/...1&sort=evTimeOnIcePerGame

If Hextall had zero interest in bringing back Manning and Filppula next season, I would have preferred that he direct the coaching staff to not lean on them so much all the way up to the final whistle of game 6.
- Feanor

Can't believe they let Manning walk