Digityman Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 I'm ready for the Weal experiment to be over. It's time to cut ties and move on. If they can trade him for a draft pick do it or off to the phantoms. We've seen the best he has and he's just a really good AHL player. And that's okay. Let it go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted September 24, 2018 Author Share Posted September 24, 2018 47 minutes ago, Digityman said: I'm ready for the Weal experiment to be over. It's time to cut ties and move on. If they can trade him for a draft pick do it or off to the phantoms. We've seen the best he has and he's just a really good AHL player. And that's okay. Let it go. Really? I don't disagree, but I would also be fine with him on the 4th with Raffl and Laughton. But I would also be fine if Weal simply disappeared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted September 24, 2018 Author Share Posted September 24, 2018 Lines for tonight's game per Meltzer. https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Bill-Meltzer/Flyers-Preseason-Gameday-92418-vs-BOS/45/94922 28 Claude Giroux - 46 Mikhail Vorobyev - 11 Travis Konecny 25 James vs Riemsdyk - 19 Nolan Patrick - 93 Jakub Voracek 21 Scott Laughton - 38 Corban Knight - 12 Michael Raffl 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel - 15 Jori Lehterä - 22 Dale Weise 9 Ivan Provorov - 53 Shayne Gostisbehere 8 Robert Hägg - 61 Philippe Myers 47 Andrew MacDonald - 26 Christian Folin 37 Brian Elliott [41 Anthony Stolarz] As a side note, a few guys on Hockeybuzz picked Nolan Patrick as the top breakout player in the Metro this year. https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/HockeyBuzz-Hotstove/Metro-Division-breakout-picks-for-2018-19/187/94921 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted September 24, 2018 Author Share Posted September 24, 2018 If that's the case, I wonder if Weal's absence means anything as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJgoal Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 1 hour ago, brelic said: If that's the case, I wonder if Weal's absence means anything as well. No, I don't think so. Weal wasn't among the guys who skated the "scratch" practice - Goulborne, Leier, Simmonds, Gudas, Friedman, and Sanheim. Sanheim is injured, Gudas and Simmonds are roster locks. Weal and Lindblom appear to be the extra guys tonight, along with Couturier. HOWEVER, the fact that Knight is getting another game with likely NHL players in Raffl and Laughton does seem like he might have a leg up on the 4C spot. Not sure how I feel about that - He's a 28-year-old career AHL guy. Yeah, maybe he can kill penalties, but he wasn't great 5v5 at the NHL level (in an admittedly small sample size). The top Flyers last year averaged around 1:20 on the PK per game. Assumedly, a 2nd or 3rd group forward would get even less. Is that worth the potential scoring upside of a more skilled 4th line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 4 hours ago, Digityman said: I'm ready for the Weal experiment to be over. It's time to cut ties and move on. If they can trade him for a draft pick do it or off to the phantoms. We've seen the best he has and he's just a really good AHL player. And that's okay. Let it go. That is where i am at. Someone will take him on waivers i think. So i would love to trade him for a pick, whatever you can get for him. He just is so easy to knock off the puck and really just hasn't show me much of anything to want to keep him around on the roster over some of the younger kids. So it is time to move him out. Worst case if you can't find a taker try and waive him so he can take Martel's spot on the Phantoms i think he is just a career AHLer at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 1 hour ago, AJgoal said: Not sure how I feel about that - He's a 28-year-old career AHL guy. I'm with you. Not sure how i feel about it either. I mean if it's between Weal and Knight i guess i could see it he brings more physical presence to the 4th line and is a natural center, he brings some better size to the bottom 2 at 6-2 200 compared to Weal at 5-10 179. He is also a former pupil and maybe knows what Hak wants out of the 4th line....otherwise trying to see were it's going. And if this means waiving Lehterrible i would be down with it more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJgoal Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 Re: natural center. Perhaps. But both Laughton and Weal are natural centers as well. Now, both are likely better suited to wing, but I don't think Knight is a better player at center. Yeah, he's bigger than Weal, but I don't think he is better with the puck, better at passing, shooting, etc. Tonight is Laughton - Knight - Raffl. I have a really hard time believing there's more upside there than Raffl - Laughton - Weal or even Raffl -Laughton - NAK. If you're relying on one marginal one dimensional player to improve your PK, there are bigger problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 22 hours ago, OccamsRazor said: Even if Neuvirth's available for the season opener, he'll be in the hospital before the season opener's post-game presser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 6 hours ago, brelic said: 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel - 15 Jori Lehterä - 22 Dale Weise Why is this happening? Are they simply giving Lehtera and Weise a chance to show something, anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 5 minutes ago, ruxpin said: Why is this happening? Are they simply giving Lehtera and Weise a chance to show something, anything? That or if Aube-Kubel can earn a job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 2 hours ago, OccamsRazor said: He is also a former pupil and maybe knows what Hak wants out of the 4th line He's the one who knows?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 Just now, hf101 said: That or if Aube-Kubel can earn a job. If it's about NAK, give him a chance with some linemates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 1 hour ago, AJgoal said: Re: natural center. Perhaps. But both Laughton and Weal are natural centers as well. Now, both are likely better suited to wing, but I don't think Knight is a better player at center. Yeah, he's bigger than Weal, but I don't think he is better with the puck, better at passing, shooting, etc. Tonight is Laughton - Knight - Raffl. I have a really hard time believing there's more upside there than Raffl - Laughton - Weal or even Raffl -Laughton - NAK. If you're relying on one marginal one dimensional player to improve your PK, there are bigger problems. With ten chances, I'll take Knight all ten times over Weal. I'd rather one marginal player with one dimension over a marginal player with no dimensions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 8 minutes ago, ruxpin said: If it's about NAK, give him a chance with some linemates. Maybe they want to see if it is NAK that generates the chances Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted September 24, 2018 Author Share Posted September 24, 2018 20 minutes ago, ruxpin said: Why is this happening? Are they simply giving Lehtera and Weise a chance to show something, anything? Hopefully deciding which of the two they’re cutting. The correct answer is both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 25 minutes ago, hf101 said: Maybe they want to see if it is NAK that generates the chances I suppose I have to allow for the possibility that the staff knows what they're looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 1 hour ago, hf101 said: That or if Aube-Kubel can earn a job. Yeah if he can produce with those two boat anchors he must be a keeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJeremy Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 Weal is a minor leaguer. Vorobeyev is best suited for third line center, you need a big center for third line not a little tinkerbell who cant score or play defense. Tarwynski has looked great, our pussified team could use a big rugged winger with skill who can lay the body. Laughton and Raffl look good. Weal, Leier, Weiss and Letheras days are numbered, I predict none of them will be with the team by the new year . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 Looks like Hart will be the Flyers starter after about 10 games. Elliott is hot slow garbage...SMFH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJeremy Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 Elliott is the next Wally Pip and Hart is Lou Gerigh. Elliot will lose his job no later than January but probably much sooner. Even if Hart is sent down, I can see him coming up to stay after 25 games...he looks poised . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJgoal Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 2 hours ago, ruxpin said: With ten chances, I'll take Knight all ten times over Weal. I'd rather one marginal player with one dimension over a marginal player with no dimensions. What one dimension does Knight bring? He's killed a grand total of 33 seconds of penalty kill time at the NHL level, so there's no guarantee that he can even do it. His defense is marginal, his play driving and scoring are abysmal. Even playing with the corpse of Val Filppula, Weal was able to spend roughly half his time in the offensive zone. Knight barely hit 43%. And even though he didn't produce like he did on Giroux's wing (expected), Weal still posted 21 points last season, including 8 goals. So he does still bring offense. We're talking about two marginal, depth players, it's true. But I don't see any value in Knight whatsoever. To me, he's another Lehtera, or Vandevelde, or PEB. A big guy who offers nothing but the opportunity for the coach to ride him in situations that he does poorly in. At least we know the coach won't rely on Weal defensively. Last year, Lehtera was one of, if not the worst, penalty killer on the team, and the coach used him more as the season went on, not less. He used Lehtera to close out games. The chance that Knight is a failure as a penalty killer and defensive specialist are greater than him being a success. But he'll be viewed as "reliable," and used in key situations, despite repeated failure in those situations. That's my fear. At least with Weal instead of Knight/Lehtera, that role will be filled by a player better suited to it than any of those three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 4 minutes ago, AJgoal said: What one dimension does Knight bring? He's killed a grand total of 33 seconds of penalty kill time at the NHL level, so there's no guarantee that he can even do it. His defense is marginal, his play driving and scoring are abysmal. Even playing with the corpse of Val Filppula, Weal was able to spend roughly half his time in the offensive zone. Knight barely hit 43%. And even though he didn't produce like he did on Giroux's wing (expected), Weal still posted 21 points last season, including 8 goals. So he does still bring offense. We're talking about two marginal, depth players, it's true. But I don't see any value in Knight whatsoever. To me, he's another Lehtera, or Vandevelde, or PEB. A big guy who offers nothing but the opportunity for the coach to ride him in situations that he does poorly in. At least we know the coach won't rely on Weal defensively. Last year, Lehtera was one of, if not the worst, penalty killer on the team, and the coach used him more as the season went on, not less. He used Lehtera to close out games. The chance that Knight is a failure as a penalty killer and defensive specialist are greater than him being a success. But he'll be viewed as "reliable," and used in key situations, despite repeated failure in those situations. That's my fear. At least with Weal instead of Knight/Lehtera, that role will be filled by a player better suited to it than any of those three. Knight has played better in preseason. That's all I got. The rest, point to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 A few observations from last night... - Elliott did not look sharp. The first two goals were stoppable, the next two were tougher. He's only played 4 periods of hockey after a summer of recovery, so there's that. - Vorobyev looked pretty comfortable with G and Konecny. He made several really smart plays defensively and offensively, and part of me wonders if putting him on the top line last night was a kind of insurance test if Couturier isn't ready to go or misses some time during the season. Vorobyev looks like a fine candidate to plug in to that line temporarily. Even with weak faceoff skills, you've got G who can fill in. - Myers had a really shaky game, including an egregious giveaway that led to a goal against. And this was against a mainly AHL lineup. Not sure he's ready, honestly. If they keep him, we need to be ready to live with a lot of those rookie mistakes. - The Patrick line cycled well, and the Vorobyev line was generating chances all night. Also, the Knight line had some really strong shifts. - Top to bottom, our defense had some shaky moments. Still a group that is growing and learning. It will be interesting to see who gets cut today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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