TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 So far, so good for the embattled forward moving from the confines of his Philly pressbox prison to the relative freedom of Los Angeles' 4th line, and sometimes 3rd line. He's only got one assists in three games so far (not counting today's end results against the Senators), but the man looks alive again, and after having his playing time taken away in Philly, seems to have a new appreciation for being able to play on an NHL sheet of ice...even if it is as a bottom six, mostly 4th line center. It was ALWAYS about the fit for VLC. He simply did NOT in Philadelphia. One could put blame on the GM that signed him to the Flyers (then the coach he thought he was going to play under, Peter Laviolette, no longer being there), but some blame can be put on VLC himself because after the Lightning bought him out, he proclaimed, "I want to go to a big hockey market"...and he also believed himself to still be a top six center, if not a number one. Well, be careful what you wished for Vinny. You could have gone to a smaller hockey community, one where perhaps the structure was more prounounced and could have accepted a bottom six role gracefully and gone on with your career without a hitch. But in the Philly market, if you don't perform well right away, the fans, the media, EVERYONE will let you know about it.....throw in disagreements on how he should be played, cap and salary issues, and you have the makings of a mess. VLC is now getting a final shot to paint a positive to leave behind as a legacy with the Kings. LA is poised to win their division and possibly make a good run, if not another Cup win, in the playoffs. VLC can be a part of that. I am glad for him. Note to future players on the decline who want to make "one last run": Careful where you choose to go....and be honest about what you really have left as a player......take notes from VLC's and the former Flyer GM's folly...it's ALL ABOUT THE FIT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 And just as I finish creating this topic, Mr. Lecavalier strikes with his first LA Kings goal, and gives his team a 2-0 lead over the Ottawa Senators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagerMeister Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 6 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said: And just as I finish creating this topic, Mr. Lecavalier strikes with his first LA Kings goal, and gives his team a 2-0 lead over the Ottawa Senators. An implication of Lecavelier's revitalization.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 They can still have him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbulb Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Vinny would have to score the Stanley Cup winning goal for me to ever have ANY negative feelings about the deal with L.A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 He could score ten...just glad his contract is gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 Obviously, no matter WHAT VLC does in LA, Flyer fans will be glad to see him gone. His contract was a bad fit, his play was a bad fit, his personality on the Flyers was a bad fit. Bad, bad, bad, all around. We all know this. Been covered ad nauseum on this forum. Plus, even if he does score game winners in the post season for LA, those simply would NOT have happened had he stayed in Philly...well, because HE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN PHILLY, not in LA getting the playing time he is getting now. It's a win-win for all. Win for VLC, because he gets to finish his career on a better note (if he really is going to retire...I will believe that when it's official)....and win for the Flyers and their fans because he is off the roster, freeing up cap space and the roster spot, for a player that better fits Philadelphia's needs. I am biased, yes, because I am a long time VLC fan. And I even became a pseudo Flyers fan when he was signed to the Orange n Black (after I got over the vomit inducing feeling of seeing him wear Flyer colors first...hehe)...but after seeing him a regular in the pressbox, no matter WHAT the reason, I knew that was NO way for a player of his caliber to go out. I am still a pseudo Flyers fan because I would like to see another favorite of mine, Radko Gudas do well, but I for one, am sure glad to see Lecavalier enjoy his work once again...and right now, he doesn't even care that he is on the Kings' 3rd or 4th line....he is getting regular minutes at the center position, and is in a system that is better suited for his obviously diminished skills. A defined role for a mind set vet like him goes a long way. Unless the Kings run into the Wild in the post season, yep, I will be a pseudo Kings fan now....and hey, that Luke Schenn, whom I believe got more flack in Philly than he deserved....he's got a chance to prove his detractors wrong as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilldoc Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 @TropicalFruitGirl26 Like I always said....I don't hate VLC. Hated the contract and never should have been signed by Homer. It was a bad fit all around. I do believe he has lost a step and in the right system he can still contribute. However, the Flyers is not that system. I wish him well in LA, however I am extremely happy Hexy was able to move that albatross of a congtract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 23 minutes ago, pilldoc said: @TropicalFruitGirl26 Like I always said....I don't hate VLC. Hated the contract and never should have been signed by Homer. It was a bad fit all around. I do believe he has lost a step and in the right system he can still contribute. However, the Flyers is not that system. I wish him well in LA, however I am extremely happy Hexy was able to move that albatross of a congtract. Exactly. And if it was just VLC being taken off the roster, that in itself is a reason to be glad as a Flyers fan...but Philadelphia got this Jordan Weal, and he becomes anything worthwhile in the NHL, the Flyers can count on that being a bonus. Same as if they pick a real good player in the 3rd round with LA's pick there. Vinny himself was interviewed shortly after he played his last game with the Kings, and he admitted to needing to get up to game speed and that although he was only getting 9-10 min of ice time, right now, that is perfect for him, and he was looking forward to getting his legs back to where he can contribute better, and if asked, participate with more ice time. Sounds like a man who is just glad to be playing the game he has loved all his life to me. As long as he doesn't fancy himself STILL a top six player, I think, if he really wanted to (and if his salary demands weren't ridiculous) he may even stay on with LA after this season and NOT retire. LA is set to have a couple contracts expire (Milan Lucic comes to mind right away.....and only because he will be a UFA and his demands may be more than LA would be willing to pay, after signing Kopitar), so if VLC shows he really can fit well, get himself up to at least 3rd line standards, and play for the minimum for a vet of his tenure, he can prolong his career yet. And why would he expect a big contract...he IS after all, still being paid (and will continue to be) by the TB Lightning for a long time due to that buy out. I dunno..maybe he is dead set on retiring win or lose with LA, but I think its something he may reconsider during the off season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilldoc Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 47 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said: As long as he doesn't fancy himself STILL a top six player and that is the thing...he was NOT gonna be playing top 6 mins in Philly. But does he think he is a top 6 player is a whole different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Vinny ties the game with 12 seconds to go against the Sharks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 9 minutes ago, hf101 said: Vinny ties the game with 12 seconds to go against the Sharks. He was pretty good at the man advantage with the Flyers as well (be it 5-on-4 or 6-on-5). It's 5-on-5 where the problems happened... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 1 minute ago, radoran said: He was pretty good at the man advantage with the Flyers as well (be it 5-on-4 or 6-on-5). It's 5-on-5 where the problems happened... That was 5 on 5, Vinny wouldn't even be on the ice in Philly with the game on the line in the last minute of play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 9 minutes ago, hf101 said: That was 5 on 5, Vinny wouldn't even be on the ice in Philly with the game on the line in the last minute of play. Looked from the goalie stats that it was 6-on-5. My bad if it wasn't. I didn't delve too too deeply into it. VLC had a couple 6-on-5 goals in his 20-goal season with the Flyers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted January 25, 2016 Author Share Posted January 25, 2016 Good to see that he found himself a home with the Kings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 1 hour ago, hf101 said: That was 5 on 5, Vinny wouldn't even be on the ice in Philly with the game on the line in the last minute of play. I went back and looked at the video. I count six Kings on the ice... I kinda figured there was a reason Enroth had 34 seconds less ice time than Jones.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J0e Th0rnton Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 21 hours ago, hf101 said: Vinny ties the game with 12 seconds to go against the Sharks. Jerk! His renewed energy on a new team should wear off soon And the bastard is stealing faceoffs from Carter on my fantasy team! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 lol, here's another Vinny highlight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 5th goal in 8 games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Four on the power play and a fifth on a 6-on-5... I always said he wasn't "done" - just that he didn't "fit" with what the Flyers were doing. I find it harder and harder to believe he's hanging them up after this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 @radoran That would suck....and I feel the same, unless he hits the proverbial wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 37 minutes ago, flyercanuck said: That would suck....and I feel the same, unless he hits the proverbial wall. He won't be in the lineup come playoff time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted February 3, 2016 Author Share Posted February 3, 2016 2 hours ago, Podein25 said: He won't be in the lineup come playoff time. Meh, not so sure about that. If he continues to do what he is doing, I don't see why the Kings WOULDN'T find a place for him on their playoff roster. LA does, after all, roll out 4 lines with regularity. Who cares really if he is getting his production on special teams or on 6 on 5's....bottom line is, he IS getting some production. Not many teams expect a bunch of points coming from their 4th line 5 on 5 anyways, so VLC would be no different here. But of course, in his favor is, is that he still has some of the skill left over from when he was a top six guy, that he can give his team a little extra something on special teams......something not your typical 9 min a night guy can say. I hope the Kings do include him in their playoff roster unless he totally falls off a cliff production-wise down the stretch. And I really hope he reconsiders his stance on whether to retire or not. He's technically got what...two more seasons after this one? Why not play it out on the Kings' bottom six if they don't mind having him for the $2.25M cap hit it will cost them to have him there? Especially if he is still contributing points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 @TropicalFruitGirl26 You might be right. I guess I could see a role for him on the PP in the playoffs, but his lack of speed and his defensive deficiencies could have him in the press box just as easily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 35 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said: Meh, not so sure about that. If he continues to do what he is doing, I don't see why the Kings WOULDN'T find a place for him on their playoff roster. LA does, after all, roll out 4 lines with regularity. Who cares really if he is getting his production on special teams or on 6 on 5's....bottom line is, he IS getting some production. Not many teams expect a bunch of points coming from their 4th line 5 on 5 anyways, so VLC would be no different here. But of course, in his favor is, is that he still has some of the skill left over from when he was a top six guy, that he can give his team a little extra something on special teams......something not your typical 9 min a night guy can say. I hope the Kings do include him in their playoff roster unless he totally falls off a cliff production-wise down the stretch. And I really hope he reconsiders his stance on whether to retire or not. He's technically got what...two more seasons after this one? Why not play it out on the Kings' bottom six if they don't mind having him for the $2.25M cap hit it will cost them to have him there? Especially if he is still contributing points. The PP/6on5 discussion harkens back to a point I made to @hf101 earlier in the thread - and is indicative of the kind of time he was not getting in Philadelphia for the past season and a half and where he did get significant production in his 20-goal season in his first as a Flyer (8 of 20 on the PP and IIRC another two on 6on5). I come not to bury VLC, but to praise him. The popcorn that men serve often live after them while the good is interred with their bones Again, he just didn't fit in Philadelphia because the Flyers had other players that they wanted to use in those roles. I've said many times that it wasn't VLC's "problem" it was the fault of the guy who signed him and then fired the coach he was looking forward to playing with seven games into a five year contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.