brelic Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I thought the Flyers played well last night. I'd say as well as I've seen in the past 2-3 weeks for sure. Bright spots last night: Mason - he kept his team in it and is a big reason for the win. That was a difficult but blown call on the Senators goal. And there was another blown call in OT that thankfully did not result in a goal. Side note: I thought Toronto had the option to review all goals now... is that only to see if the puck crossed the line? They should be able to review blown calls too. Giroux - it's clear he wasn't 100%, but it's a rare night when Giroux doesn't give all he has to give, and last night was no exception. He's the lifeblood of this team, always giving second and third efforts. He's not perfect, but man, he's passionate. I love watching his game grow over time. Jake - Very strong performance by Jake. The guy is like a bull on skates. You can't check him off the puck easily. Imagine what he'll be capable of in a few more years - he and G could be even scarier, especially if they ever find a real winger for that line. Del Zotto - He got involved in the play on the offense and made some strong defensive plays too. I really like his game. Not so bright spots: Streit - I thought he had a bad game. Turnovers, and confusion in his own end. He didn't have a great game the other night either. Couturier - He looked completely lost last night. Weak on the puck, bad passing decisions, slow decision making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Couturier is getting the raw deal here. I only watched about 15 minutes of the game, but still he seems to be getting the hard minutes. Why not use him on more offensive zone draws with a better winger? The season is all but lost, so why not see what the kid has? It certainly couldn't hurt. At least they can gauge if he is a legit forward or trade bait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 Couturier is getting the raw deal here. I only watched about 15 minutes of the game, but still he seems to be getting the hard minutes. Why not use him on more offensive zone draws with a better winger? The season is all but lost, so why not see what the kid has? It certainly couldn't hurt. At least they can gauge if he is a legit forward or trade bait. You know, I thought that at the beginning of the season, and even a few months in, but now I'm not so sure. It's not like Couturier is making plays that his wingers can't keep up with. He himself has way more games where he looks overmatched offensively than the few bright spots where he looks like he's putting things together. So I wonder now if better wingers would make him better. As the pivot, he's supposed to be the one directing play. On the other hand, better matchups and more offensive zone faceoffs couldn't hurt. Either way, I see more in Laughton's game that suggests he could be a 2nd line center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 At least they can gauge if he is a legit forward or trade bait. Cooter has been "legit" from the moment he laced up the skates with Flyers. I don't get this line of thinking. The only real question is how much offense he will chip in, but shut down centers don't grow on trees...especially when you factor in our division has the likes of Crosby, Malkin, Tavares, Ryan Johansson just to name a few. A shut down center is not a luxury, it's an absolute necessity in the Metro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo1917 Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Either way, I see more in Laughton's game that suggests he could be a 2nd line center. Laughton's compete level is off the charts good.He's got really nice wheels too. Those are things that can't be taught. Couturier, man i don't know what to do there, he's a good player but he's not becoming a great player I don't know how much his skating can improve , but for me that is the thing that is holding him back, he's got really nice hands but isn't that hard to knock off the puck, that is a skill that can be learned and i would love to see some more improvement from him in that area, He can be slow if you can't the get puck from him and right now he's one without the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 Cooter has been "legit" from the moment he laced up the skates with Flyers. But there's an important difference between "legit" 3rd line shutdown center who chips in 40-45 points a year, and "legit" top 6 two-way center who puts up 50-60 points a year. Does Couturier have more value to the Flyers as a 3rd line center? Or as a chip in a trade while his perceived value remains high? Ultimately, can Couturier's shutdown value be replaced at, say, 80% effectiveness by another player while parlaying Couturier into a higher value piece through trade (i.e. an up and coming defenseman)? If you believe his offensive upside is limited (300-game magical mark), it might be smart to trade him within his bridge deal. If not, you keep him and look elsewhere for trade chips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samifan Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Del Zotto - He got involved in the play on the offense and made some strong defensive plays too. I really like his game. After watching Del Zotto play the last couple games, I am only more baffled as to why he was in Berube's doghouse. In Chief We Trust? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 After watching Del Zotto play the last couple games, I am only more baffled as to why he was in Berube's doghouse. In Chief We Trust? It's because he can't keep Schenn scratched indefinitely (I mean, he can, but he won't), and he's not going to scratch his more expensive vets for any length of time. So, MDZ is the natural choice to keep 7 guys fresh. Carlo is an afterthought at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 @jammer2 His ability to shutdown top liners is there, but to me, he is a younger Handzus. Maybe one would keep him as part of the core, but with the log jam at center, he certainly is not making a striking case for himself. Again, I really want to see if his offensive flash is there, but as of now I do not see it. Not suggesting a trade (yet), but I'd like to see him used in different situations is all. At this point it can't hurt to see if he has that offensive prowess that he displayed in juniors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howie58 Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Howdy: I agree that MDZ was good; Comcast commentators said something interesting--he can be an offensive defender but seems best suited when not carrying the puck but as another offensive force in the attack zone...less mistake prone that way. Mason showed why he is worth a long-term contract. His performance was quite remarkable. The discussion on Coots speaks to the broader question of our forward pool. Take G and V out of the picture--who are the real keepers? By the way, I like Coots whether he is or isn't a scorer. Laughton looks good. Then the picture turns elsewhere. Simmonds is a "power play specialist" to use a commentator expression, but will he elevate others? VLC and others...seem almost invisible sometimes. I think that is one real downers of this season. Howie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanaticV3.0 Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Couturier is getting the raw deal here. I only watched about 15 minutes of the game, but still he seems to be getting the hard minutes. Why not use him on more offensive zone draws with a better winger? The season is all but lost, so why not see what the kid has? It certainly couldn't hurt. At least they can gauge if he is a legit forward or trade bait. How much more do some of you guys need to see before you realize that the reason he is used more defensively is because that's what he excels at? He's not getting screwed, he's simply not very good offensively. The third line is perfect for him. Why insist he get 2nd line minutes when he's clearly not that kind of player? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murraycraven Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I thought last night was a great win. It appeared they had some "jam" last night beginning w/ Jake's punch. Jake is an absolute beast and is truly a bright spot in an otherwise dark season... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 @fanaticV3.0 My apologies, are you on the coaching staff? Do you know absolutely that he will not excel at being an offensive center? I haven't seen him get a solid opportunity to do anything other than play a shutdown role. He has shown flashes of what he can be if utilized properly. Anyhow, I can't believe I am wasting bandwidth on you, but lets see if I can simplify it for you: he had back-to-back 96 point seasons In Drummondville. He could have went 1st overall had he not gotten mono. He was not drafted to be a defensive specialist, but he excels at that role because that is what the coaching staff expects from him. He was drafted to be a contributor on both ends on the ice and set up plays. His skating was exposed in the juniors and it was well know that he always had a problem with the first few steps, but that doesn't mean that he can't be an above average forward. Thus far we have only seen what I believe to be part of the package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanaticV3.0 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 @fanaticV3.0 My apologies, are you on the coaching staff? Do you know absolutely that he will not excel at being an offensive center? I haven't seen him get a solid opportunity to do anything other than play a shutdown role. He has shown flashes of what he can be if utilized properly. Anyhow, I can't believe I am wasting bandwidth on you, but lets see if I can simplify it for you: he had back-to-back 96 point seasons In Drummondville. He could have went 1st overall had he not gotten mono. He was not drafted to be a defensive specialist, but he excels at that role because that is what the coaching staff expects from him. He was drafted to be a contributor on both ends on the ice and set up plays. His skating was exposed in the juniors and it was well know that he always had a problem with the first few steps, but that doesn't mean that he can't be an above average forward. Thus far we have only seen what I believe to be part of the package. Stop. Just stop. You can't believe you're wasting time on me? You have no business pretending to be that offended or inconvenienced at someone else when you not only bring this up, but make it the center piece of your argument. You are not allowed to to feel indignant. You have no right to be because the backbone of your argument has no leg to stand on. Stop pretending to be offended. It's completely insincere. You guys who keep bringing it up need to........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murraycraven Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Give credit where credit is due... the Flyers played well last night again and the Cooter line really played well and had some great pressure. Even RJ looked good over the past few games. At this point of the season I really just want watchable hockey and they have provided it the past 2 games. I have to find the story that I read ysterday but it was more or less about how Berube changed up the system a bit (go figure)... at least they are competing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murraycraven Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Couturier is getting the raw deal here. I only watched about 15 minutes of the game, but still he seems to be getting the hard minutes. Why not use him on more offensive zone draws with a better winger? The season is all but lost, so why not see what the kid has? It certainly couldn't hurt. At least they can gauge if he is a legit forward or trade bait. Bert... I think Cooter is legit but the question remains is he a viable offensive forward in this league. I do believe he gets the toughest minutes and agree he should be getting more offensive starts. Maybe he is now but it does not appear that way from what I have watched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Stop. Just stop. You can't believe you're wasting time on me? You have no business pretending to be that offended or inconvenienced at someone else when you not only bring this up, but make it the center piece of your argument. You are not allowed to to feel indignant. You have no right to be because the backbone of your argument has no leg to stand on. Stop pretending to be offended. It's completely insincere. You guys who keep bringing it up need to........Below Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 @Bertmega Bert you're wasting your time. Just be thankful @fanaticV3.0 isn't running the scouting department. He'd pick guys randomly out of a hat. Hell, he'd pass on McDavid since, as you know, "he's done nothing at the pro level to prove he has any offensive talent. His Junior stats don't mean squat, except to fanboys like you who get off on watching teenagers skate around chasing a puck." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertmega Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 @Podein25 Much agreed. And I who doesn't go to their local rink to watch the kids play. I was scouting a under 7 inner-urban league last week lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 @Bertmega Clearly you're a weirdo. Why go to the rink and watch hockey when you can sit at home, cruise the internet and tell people on forums how smart you are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanaticV3.0 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Give credit where credit is due... the Flyers played well last night again and the Cooter line really played well and had some great pressure. Even RJ looked good over the past few games. At this point of the season I really just want watchable hockey and they have provided it the past 2 games. I have to find the story that I read ysterday but it was more or less about how Berube changed up the system a bit (go figure)... at least they are competing... Couturier almost always plays well, he's just not a flashy (or offensive) player. He's not a first or even 2nd line player, but there's nothing wrong with that at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanaticV3.0 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 @Bertmega Bert you're wasting your time. Just be thankful @fanaticV3.0 isn't running the scouting department. He'd pick guys randomly out of a hat. Hell, he'd pass on McDavid since, as you know, "he's done nothing at the pro level to prove he has any offensive talent. His Junior stats don't mean squat, except to fanboys like you who get off on watching teenagers skate around chasing a puck." Tell me how Couturier is going to be a bonafide offensive threat based on those 2 years in juniors again. Pretty please? I just can't get enough of that story. It's one of my favorite fairy tales. It's one of the all-time greats along with jammer's prediction of Carter being a 60 goal scorer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doom88 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Tell me how Couturier is going to be a bonafide offensive threat based on those 2 years in juniors again. Pretty please? I just can't get enough of that story. It's one of my favorite fairy tales. It's one of the all-time greats along with jammer's prediction of Carter being a 60 goal scorer.To be fair, Carter got much closer than Couturier and his junior hype (so far).I get that you draft on potential, and past performance weighs in heavily, but it's just a harder jump to the NHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanaticV3.0 Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 To be fair, Carter got much closer than Couturier and his junior hype (so far).I get that you draft on potential, and past performance weighs in heavily, but it's just a harder jump to the NHL. Correct on both accounts, which makes this argument all the more ridiculous. He was a teenager when he did it playing against other teenagers when he did it. Bragging about that is like Al Bundy reminiscing about the 4 touchdowns he scored in a single game against Polk High. He's playing int he best league in the world. He's clearly not that player and I'm perfectly fine with that given his damn good defensive game. Podein and Bert are making this about me. This isn't about me. It's about Couturier and the kind of player he is and accepting that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doom88 Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Al Bundy...hahahahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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