hf101 Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 That is what is being stated to start the season according to Berube, whoVinny's line mates will be is more of a question, possibly Umberger and Akeson or Raffle The First two lines are stated for the season to be: Brayden Schenn-Claude Giroux-Jakub VoracekMatt Read-Sean Couturier-Wayne Simmonds I really like the look of the second line.
pilldoc Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Agree, I like the first two lines. I am really curious to see how Coots handles being the 2nd line center. With that being said, I was always taught that the 3rd line has more defensive responsibilities. Do we trust Vinny there? He seems like a player without a home. I too am really curious to see who his linemates are going to be.I would bet that RJ already has the one side. It comes down to Raffl and Akeson on the other. The 3rd line could be a Jeckly and Hyde line. They might be able to score some points for you....or defensively it could be a nightmare. Face it....Vinny is a defensive liability.
brelic Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Agree, I like the first two lines. I am really curious to see how Coots handles being the 2nd line center. With that being said, I was always taught that the 3rd line has more defensive responsibilities. Do we trust Vinny there? He seems like a player without a home. I too am really curious to see who his linemates are going to be.I would bet that RJ already has the one side. It comes down to Raffl and Akeson on the other. The 3rd line could be a Jeckly and Hyde line. They might be able to score some points for you....or defensively it could be a nightmare. Face it....Vinny is a defensive liability. I wouldn't get too hung up on traditional "3rd" line duties. The best teams these days really expect all of their lines to be defensively responsible. Coots will still be out there handling the tougher assignments, and Lecavalier will be a little more sheltered - probably getting the assignments Brayden Schenn used to get, but won't now that he's on the top line. THat being said, I would think a line of Umberger/Vinny/Raffl would show much stronger defensive acumen than swapping out Raffl for Akeson. Plus, I think Raffl is too skilled to be buried on the 4th line. Make the 4th line Akeson/Bellemare/Rinaldo, and see what happens
Podein25 Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 I was always taught that the 3rd line has more defensive responsibilities. Do we trust Vinny there? He seems like a player without a home. I too am really curious to see who his linemates are going to be. I think if we had a proper 4th/checking line that played more than 6 min per game, this would be less of a problem. As it is, "What to do with VLC?" is easily the most vexing problem facing the Flyers. It doesn't matter who you put beside him, it seems it all looks bad. Every shift will be a roll of the dice: could be good, bad or (most likely) ugly.
pilldoc Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Good points Pods and Brel. I did not think about that way. Best case scenario, Vinny rebounds from last year and another team has injury issues and you could use Vinny as trade bait. Just a thought.
murraycraven Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 I wouldn't get too hung up on traditional "3rd" line duties. The best teams these days really expect all of their lines to be defensively responsible. Coots will still be out there handling the tougher assignments, and Lecavalier will be a little more sheltered - probably getting the assignments Brayden Schenn used to get, but won't now that he's on the top line. THat being said, I would think a line of Umberger/Vinny/Raffl would show much stronger defensive acumen than swapping out Raffl for Akeson. Plus, I think Raffl is too skilled to be buried on the 4th line. Make the 4th line Akeson/Bellemare/Rinaldo, and see what happens If Bellemare comes in and looks like he did overseas he would be a waste on the 4th line. That is a big *if* but if comes over and looks like some of the tape on him I would put Raffl down on the 4th. Again, it is a big if but his skating and scoring touch (and that shot release) would be better served higher in the lineup.
Podein25 Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Best case scenario, Vinny rebounds from last year and another team has injury issues and you could use Vinny as trade bait. Yeah. Well expectations are certainly low, so it won't take much for him to exceed them.
pilldoc Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Yeah. Well expectations are certainly low, so it won't take much for him to exceed them. So how true that is!
Vanflyer Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 probably getting the assignments Brayden Schenn used to get, but won't now that he's on the top line. for 2.5M more than Schenn gets. Your point is valid regarding lines though. I just throw-up in my mouth a little every time I hear or think about Vinny.
Polaris922 Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 From what I gather reading many of your posts, Couturier's focus on defense has taken away some of his scoring. Only natural of course. But if he moves up to the second line I'm assuming he'll be expected to score more, which leaves Vinny as your defensive center man right? Who else would you guys employ vs a Malkin/Crosby type? Or just roll line for line and see what happens?
brelic Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 From what I gather reading many of your posts, Couturier's focus on defense has taken away some of his scoring. Only natural of course. But if he moves up to the second line I'm assuming he'll be expected to score more, which leaves Vinny as your defensive center man right? Who else would you guys employ vs a Malkin/Crosby type? Or just roll line for line and see what happens? From what I understand in some of the articles and the quotes, Couturier will still be counted on for his defense on a nightly basis. THe difference this year is they want to help him progress his offensive game, so they're giving him a better linemate (Simmonds), and will apparently give him more offensive zone starts. My guess is that Couturier and Giroux would still get the lion's share of TOI against guys like Crosby and Malkin. *If* the 4th line has Raffl and, say, Bellemare, they might be counted on for defense even more than VLC's line. Basically, any line but his
Vanflyer Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 If Bellemare comes in and looks like he did overseas he would be a waste on the 4th line. That is a big *if* but if comes over and looks like some of the tape on him I would put Raffl down on the 4th. I am hoping that Bellemare is not the next "best player not playing in the NHL" situation. The tape on him does look great and I would love to see him as a 3rd liner. It would be great for the Flyers to have three scoring lines with speed.
ruxpin Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 for 2.5M more than Schenn gets. Your point is valid regarding lines though. I just throw-up in my mouth a little every time I hear or think about Vinny. VLC Sucks.
Vanflyer Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 VLC Sucks. Yup and I cringe at the thought of him and Hamburglar on the same line. My dictionary is book marked at the word molasses on that thought.
ruxpin Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 I don't like Vinny on the third line at all. Say what you want about three scoring lines, but Vinny/Umberger/Raffl ain't it. That is a disaster of a line. Vinny doesn't know there's a defensive side of the red line and floats on the o-side of it way too often. The line just isn't good enough to be a third scoring line. Which means they need to be responsible for defense. Are you kidding me? Again...VLC SUCKS. And Umberger was a day away from being bought out by the Columbus Fricken Blue Jackets and saw the bench quite a bit at the end of the season. This was a team that was defense first for the most part. It wasn't because he wasn't scoring that he was riding the pine and nearly bought out. Raffl would be okay with other linemates, but he's not good enough to cover the others Vinny/Umberger/Belle might be slightly better offensively. Maybe not. But it's absolutely not better defensively. So then you have Raffl/Rinaldo/Akeson on the fourth? Or even Belle/Rinaldo/Akeson? What the hell kind of fourth line is that? And while I'm at it, until proven otherwise, I don't like Couturier and Simmonds on the same line. I just don't like the chemistry there. I have no answers for the lines. Any line combo you put up there has VLC on one of the lines, and that just sucks. But, put Akeson/Raffl/Belle on the third line (at least you might actually have a makeshift 3rd scoring line) and stick Rinaldo/VLC/Umberger (way too expensive for a fourth line) and you might be better off.
ruxpin Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Yup and I cringe at the thought of him and Hamburglar on the same line. My dictionary is book marked at the word molasses on that thought. Mine is bookmarked under V. For VLC and Vomit.
Vanflyer Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Mine is bookmarked under V. For VLC and Vomit. Man oh man. Vinny would weep if you and I sat together at a game.
mojo1917 Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 @ruxpinIn fairness how do you know about Simmonds and Couturier's chemistry ?When have they played together for any reasonable amount of time ?
pilldoc Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Mine is bookmarked under V. For VLC and Vomit.Until proven otherwise, VLC on the 3rd line has potential disaster written all over it. I have my bookmark set for Vinny at C for defensively clueless.
murraycraven Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 I am hoping that Bellemare is not the next "best player not playing in the NHL" situation. The tape on him does look great and I would love to see him as a 3rd liner. It would be great for the Flyers to have three scoring lines with speed. Lol... I could not agree more van!
murraycraven Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 VLC and Umberger are a disaster waiting to happen if they play together.... But then again Umberger automatically makes this team better to some folks around these parts... Maybe? Maybe not.
pilldoc Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 VLC and Umberger are a disaster waiting to happen if they play together.... But then again Umberger automatically makes this team better to some folks around these parts... Maybe? Maybe not.RJ, IMO was just stop gap method in getting rid of Hartmell's horrible contract. Nothing more, nothing less.
Vanflyer Posted September 18, 2014 Posted September 18, 2014 But then again Umberger automatically makes this team better to some folks around these parts... Maybe? Maybe not. Yeah, and sugar in my gasoline tank makes my car go faster.
Vanflyer Posted September 18, 2014 Posted September 18, 2014 Lol... I could not agree more van! I am really hoping it is so. Two fold, the tape on him does look really good. Secondly, I really want Laughton to have top minutes in the AHL v. 4th line minutes in the NHL.
King Knut Posted September 18, 2014 Posted September 18, 2014 Not sure about that at all. Is Line 2 going to play against the top lines of others?Coots is already the team's #2 center in terms of playing time, but line 2 would give him much much more even strength time which detracts from his PK minutes which were key. ...Just not sure about this. Whatever. Worth a shot. What's the Worst that can happen?That is what is being stated to start the season according to Berube, whoVinny's line mates will be is more of a question, possibly Umberger and Akeson or RaffleThe First two lines are stated for the season to be:Brayden Schenn-Claude Giroux-Jakub VoracekMatt Read-Sean Couturier-Wayne SimmondsI really like the look of the second line.
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