Flyers recall McGinn

[doom88]

He's only up because VandeVelde was hurt right?

[radoran]

He's only up because VandeVelde was hurt right?

 

Yeah, VandeVelde is on the injured list.

 

Which doesn't really fill me with joy that there's one capable call-up and then a cliff.

[mojo1917]

McGinn is an injury fill-in, and by all accounts is the best option for such a role that the Flyers currently have.

 

That is the worrying thing.

Is he the best option at this point ?

Straka ? Akeson ? those guys have some skill and some wheels, why not try them out in a bottom 6 role and move a guy currently in the bottom 6 up  ?

 

Bottom line here for me is we're getting a pretty good look at McGinn and he's not turning out to be the next guy the front office ****ed up on by not giving him the proper chance in the right role.  He's no "Patrick Sharp" .  He is what he is , and you said it; he's a call up.

[radoran]

Is he the best option at this point ?

Straka ? Akeson ? those guys have some skill and some wheels, why not try them out in a bottom 6 role and move a guy currently in the bottom 6 up ?

Bottom line here for me is we're getting a pretty good look at McGinn and he's not turning out to be the next guy the front office ****ed up on by not giving him the proper chance in the right role. He's no "Patrick Sharp" . He is what he is , and you said it; he's a call up.

I think a lot of the questions surrounding McGinn getting "snubbed" earlier in the season revolved around the idea that he was, at the time, the team's "leading scorer." I would happily concur that he's not the answer, and doesn't look like he will ever be the answer. He's easy to follow when he's on the ice - look for the guy who is last to arrive in the frame.

Here's Meltzer on Akeson: https://twitter.com/billmeltzer/status/429710185414680576

Akeson is a classic AHL skill player. Not really an NHL prospect b/c he has a lot working against him. - Undersized, averaged-at-best skater and average defensive player (though he's worked hard to improve). Makes it tough.

And Meltzer on Straka: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=52858

Already, there is a hype train gaining steam about Straka's potential to become an offensive impact player in the NHL. I think people would be well-served to dial down that enthusiasm for awhile.

For one thing, Straka is going to need to time in the American Hockey League, perhaps as much as a full season, to continue to work on his game. There aren't many players who stick in the NHL on the basis of their scoring ability alone. To make it to the NHL and stay there, Straka is going to have to score consistently while continuing to improve his all-around. He currently projects as the type of player who will either need to score enough to be a top-six forward in the NHL or who be better suited to the AHL or European play. Some of these players make it, but the majority do not.

...

I am NOT saying that Petr Straka is doomed to be the next Len Barrie or Vaclav Pletka. He has some undeniable NHL-worthy skills and seems to have the right attitude and ambition to improve. Hopefully, he hits the ground running in training camp, dazzles in the AHL and then makes it impossible for the Flyers to keep him out of their NHL lineup. Perhaps he goes on to have a long and successful NHL career.

What I am saying is that over-hyping a player like Straka based on an excellent overage junior season and some an impressive shooting displays at a summer hockey camp is setting yourself up for disappointment. Straka has gotten himself back onto the NHL prospect radar screen, and he's earned the opportunity the Flyers are giving him. But there is still a long way for him to go before anyone starts penciling him into their NHL lineup.

Straka has all of seven goals and 22 points in 51 Phantoms games and is -4.

[mojo1917]

that's a pretty bare cupboard

@radoran

[flyercanuck]

that's a pretty bare cupboard

@radoran

 

 

 Ya, but think of all the fond memories we have of Modry, Prospal, Carcillo, Bryz, Kubina etc. You'll never get value like that out of draft picks.

[murraycraven]

Everyone is spot on about McGinn and his recent play.  He looks totaly lost out there. If you think he looks bad on TV he looks even worse live when you can follow him around even if the camera is not on him.  I was a big McGinn guy as in the past he seemed to add a lot of energy and showed at least some skill.  He is no longer doing that and I cannot wait for him to be sent back down.  It reminds me of David Laliberte.  When he first came up he was like a house on fire, (remember the "Laliberte, What an Entrance!" thread on Philly.com?).  Then he remebered that he was David Laliberte and came back to earth.  Now it appears that McGinn has remebered that he is McGinn.

 

 

This is how I feel Poulin...   When watching on tv I watch him instead of the puck.  It is great he scored a few goals when he first arrived but I guess I just dont see what he brings.  He is an AHLer to me who could be called up due to injury.  Although, there are others I would like to see called up before him.  He has no business playing on the 2nd line.

[King Knut]

I mean I guess I see the logic of putting him there.  Try to utilize what he's good at by putting him with scorers rather than removing what he's good at and leaning on what he's bad at by putting him on the 4th line or the Coots line.

 

It's a pickle, he's not going to get better at this level unless he plays at this level... but this is not the time for remedial catch up NHL symposiums for lagging AHL fill ins.

 

With his history this year, I don't know that I think Downie should be back either.  The hit that took him out reminded me a lot of the hits that ruined Primeau... they didn't even look that bad, but they got him in just the right way.  Feels ugly.

 

He has no business playing on the 2nd line.

[King Knut]

I was just happy to see him turning around and skating back to his own end after he did something to break up the pressure and cough up the puck.

 

That's a vast improvement on it's own.

 

I focused on McGinn yesterday.  He tries, won a few puck battles, but his skating is laborous and does nothing to make the line of Schenn and Simmonds better.  Schenn and Simmonds were far better in the offensive zone with Vinny.  The fourth line was also better with Vinny getting quality chances on net.  McGinn doens't bring anything to the team to make them better than it is with Downie.

[King Knut]

He scored two goals back when the team was desperate for goals and everyone flipped their wig.

The fact that he scored when goals were hard to come by and the team STILL sent him to Adirondack was pretty telling IMHO.

 

I am not sure what people see in this kid.

[murraycraven]

The fact that he scored when goals were hard to come by and the team STILL sent him to Adirondack was pretty telling IMHO.

 

I always thought is was odd they sent him back too... maybe Chief just does not trust him?  Something is up there b/c he was called up a few times and managed to always find himself back to the AHL.  It is an odd situation really.

 

As for Downie - I have never been a fan and hope they pass on bringing him back next year.

[King Knut]

They Said at the time that they wanted him to work on his responsibilities in his own end more.  They were happy with his scoring, but he wasn't hustling back.  Now he's hustling back, but in all honesty, the team around him has just gotten worlds better and he's been learning how to be "responsible" on a absolutely laughably terrible AHL team.  We're surprised he's not better?

 

If they really expected NHL caliber play out of this guy at some point, they should have kept him up with the team and sat him in the owner's box until they needed him.  Practicing with the NHL team as it got good again would have been better for him than playing on a crappy ass AHL team.

 

The AHL is a decent bridge for turning junior and College players into grown men capable of lasting for an 82 game season and maybe some playoffs inside some semblance of a system.  If a player actually is expected to have any skill however, it's just a death sentence to be down there for more than a rookie season.  You might as well go to Sweden or Russia.  You just can't get better against lame competition.

 

maybe Chief just does not trust him?