fanaticV3.0

No and nor should be be (full time) imo. I'm fine with him on the fourth line. It might even create some matchups in their favor. But don't play him with them all the time. It's not going to help him. Give him a bone once and a while. Playing with those two full time is just punishing him and the team. I didn't like the terms of the contract (rarely do with Homer), but thought maybe him and Giroux could be our version of him and St. Louis. Vinny just isn't that player anymore and I don't think they ever put Giroux on the wing for longer than a minute.

Really? You think that's a lock no matter who he plays with or at what position? They should have gotten a true winger - that's what we're all saying here instead of asking so many centers to play out of position. How many years have they tried that now instead of simply signing players who play the appropriate position now? It's time for another approach, no?

Alfredsson at that rate - even for one season - is not a good deal imo and I don't think you'd find many Flyers fans congratulating Homer on signing a 41-year old winger for $3.5 mil. It's not a steal or a bargain as far as I'm concerned. Iginla should have fired his agent after seeing that signing.

To be fair to him he has been playing out of position and was one of the few players producing during their awful start. He's been noticeably better since returning to his natural position and I don't think that's a coincidence. I would have kept Jagr too and I don't really take issue with any of the suggestions you offer, but I don't think most of the fan base feels that way. Any time they sign someone over 30, it's doomsday (unless it's Gagne, he's somehow "worth it"). I don't know why they put so much emphasis on the center position. They seem to think they are all more versatile/interchangeable than wingers.

The Flyers always have too many centers. It's one of their things. I think fans would have screamed bloody murder if the Flyers went out and signed Iginla, Alfredsson (him especially because of his age). I can just hear it now. Most fans bitch anytime you sign someone over 30. I always liked Iginla personally. Wouldn't have minded him at all. But if we signed him or Alfie to anything longer than I year I think people would be PISSED. There's people who still bitch about the Pronger deal to this day and he wasn't as old as either one of these guys and was still one of the best defensemen in the game at the time.

Which one of us bumped a 6 month old thread to "prove a point"? Save your crocodile tears for a time when you aren't being a hypocrite. You are so thick, you don't even comprehend simple concepts, like how to have a conversation or form (an even somewhat) strong/informed opinions. Couturier scored his first goal on Nov. 19. It was somewhere around the 20th game of the season or so. Just so you know, that's not so good. He was, how shall I put it...struggling. He's playing better since then (offense is still so-so, but that's not the point) and is having himself a nice season. See, when a player plays better, it doesn't mean he wasn't struggling previously. It's like VLC. He's doing just swell right now, but it doesn't mean anyone criticizing him a week or two ago was "wrong". Does that make sense kiddo? I know these are difficult concepts, but I think you can do it.

He doesn't drink enough milk. Fragile bones.

That's because it is shoulder-to-head. I think this was a result of the angle both players were at at the time of contact, not because of a dirty hit.

F "principal point of contact", Orpik's shoulder never makes contact with Toews' shoulder period. That being said, I don't think it was intentional.

Oh he's definitely look better. That can't be disputed by even his harshest critics. And I'm more than ok with outside the box thinking. I don't think it happens often enough. I have no problem with him on the 4th and special teams. I'm just concerned that play with those two most of the time doesn't help. But if his special teams play can make up for that, so bet it. I love the match up problems it creates.

I don't know how I feel about it. I don't think it looks particularly violent or intentional (in terms of trying to kill Toews). It looks more like incidental contact with the head because Toews is crouched down a little and Orpik is tall.

No it isn't. Even the guys calling the game pointed it out. You can clearly see his shoulder hitting the side of Toews' head.

I think it was a wake up call for him, but I don't know if the 4th line is a legitimate long term option for him. Playing with 4th liners is not going to help his game over the long run and 2 of his last three goals were not because he played on the 4th. The one in the Boston game was on the PP and his 2nd goal in yesterday's game came on assists from Voracek and Timonen; so it was either PP again or he wasn't on the 4th. I'm ok with him playing on the 4th, but only if he's got more than Rinaldo and Hall to work with (even if that occasionally means throwing someone else on the 4th with him).

It kills me. I feel like every time I watch someone take this approach is a really slow journey to the net with a really poor attempt at fooling a goalie or none at all. It's just brutal to watch.

You are easily the dumbest person on this board. The irony of your signature makes me laugh every time I read it.

Therien made a career out of it. Agreed. So was Raffl's. I have noticed this since the Olympics, but what's with this new tactic of skating to the net as slow as humanly possible during the shootout? Seems like a pretty sh!tty strategy.

At least give the guy somebody like Downie or McGinn. I know nobody is please with how he's playing, but Christ, that's not going to change putting him with those two guys. It'd be like throwing Rinaldo on the PP because he's been trying really hard.

I think that's certainly possible, but I still don't think Rinaldo and Hall help him in any way, shape, or form. He needs "something" to work with. You have to create lines that - in theory - have a chance at working. Two muckers and an a washed up 1st line center is an awful combination. If one of those muckers had the slightest bit of scoring touch, that'd at least be something.

I don't see how waving a stick in front of a players face is a sign of intelligence, let alone a clear or obvious one. I think his interest in fashion is just that an interest. He was given those opportunities because of his celebrity status, not merit. Neither of these make him seem smart imo, just fortunate.

In theory I have no problem against demoting a struggling player. But if the goal is to get him out of his funk, Rinaldo and Hall aren't going to help him do that.

I'll bite. Then why isn't he?

I'm curious what makes you think he's particularly intelligent?

Don't understand the signing or the contract? Homer's contracts never make sense, it's easily his biggest flaw, but I get why they did it. They need veterans players. They still do to be honest. But he always signs players for too much and too long. If you would have said Jagr I'd agree, but I want no parts of Briere. He's worse than Lecalvier.

AHAHAHAHAHA!

That's nothing new. We always have at least one of them.