Joni scratched

looks like Hitch might be a little mad at Joni for he is scratched for Therian. after being benched for the third last game, a litte message for the kid maybe?

Why was Pitkanen scratched? I'm a little dissappointed. Any thoughts as to why he was scratched???

I don't get it either. Therien is dressed, fine by me, he was scheduled to, but put him in place of Vandermeer. I'm guessing something is up with Pitkanen since he was benched in the 3rd period against SJ and now he's benched in favor of Therien.

What a way to kill the kid's confidence. Score big power play goal, make a rookie mistake, and bench him. :rolleyes:

What a way to kill the kid's confidence. Score big power play goal, make a rookie mistake, and bench him. :rolleyes:

Agreed. Score a goal in the 1st, sit on the bench in the third and the GM's box the next game. I didn't see anything in Joni's game against SJ that warranted that kind of treatment.

I thought he left with an injury.

I thought he left with an injury.

they said it was a coaches decison

looks like Hitch might be a little mad at Joni for he is scratched for Therian. after being benched for the third last game, a litte message for the kid maybe?


A few things on why I think Therien is playing tonight instead of Joni.

#1. I think they thought that Seidenberg wore down as the year wen on last year. They don't want that to happen to Joni his first year in NA. Giving him off one of the back-to-back nighters.

#2. L.A. and a few other teams have been decimated by injuries to their defense. Getting Therien some ice time can also serve to showcase him some for a team that may be interested in picking him up.

Good points.

I am annoyed that Pitkanen was scratched in this game. Hitch is showing lack of faith in rookies once again... seems like he will always chose a vet over rookie. He should have had Pitkanen in this game even if he did nothing else other than warm the bench. Would have been nice asset to throwout there on the PP or right now at the end of the game to get some offense going. Pitkanen's shot from the point really helps our offense.

I am annoyed that Pitkanen was scratched in this game. Hitch is showing lack of faith in rookies once again... seems like he will always chose a vet over rookie. He should have had Pitkanen in this game even if he did nothing else other than warm the bench. Would have been nice asset to throwout there on the PP or right now at the end of the game to get some offense going. Pitkanen's shot from the point really helps our offense.

wouldn't get much of a chance when we are constantly killing penalties

I am annoyed that Pitkanen was scratched in this game. Hitch is showing lack of faith in rookies once again... seems like he will always chose a vet over rookie. He should have had Pitkanen in this game even if he did nothing else other than warm the bench. Would have been nice asset to throwout there on the PP or right now at the end of the game to get some offense going. Pitkanen's shot from the point really helps our offense.


It has nothing to due with a lack of faith. Hitch praises him every chance he gets.

This is just a stupid move by Hitchcock, among many others regarding young players. We hear this BS all summer that the younger players will be getting the big roles on the team, while the veterans will be getting their ice time decreased. I've seen absolutely no evidence of this happening. If any other team in the league has a young player who has the skills that Pitkanen has they try to play him as much as they can, but Hitchcock seems so damn reluctant to play any rookies. It's the same as last year, when Seidenberg and Vandermeer got sent down before the playoffs, even though they were outplaying many of the veterans on the team. Even with the mistake leading to the Phoenix goal, Pitkanen has been 1 of the top 3-4 defensmen this year. With that said, there is no justification in sitting Pitkanen. Hitchcock needs to play the players according to their play, not according to how old they are.

if anyone should be benched, Amonte should and let Chouinard play, he is atleast creating chances tonight

A few things on why I think Therien is playing tonight instead of Joni.

#2. Getting Therien some ice time can also serve to showcase him some for a team that may be interested in picking him up.

:teach:

Agreed. Hitch could have sat Jimmy V, but he is solid in his own end where Pitkanen is the young newcomer.

if anyone should be benched, Amonte should and let Chouinard play, he is atleast creating chances tonight

That is pretty much what happened in the third period, Chouinard got quite a bit of ice time while Amonte and some of the veterans sat more.

Maybe this is what Hitch was talking about during the offseason. Give the young players more ice time and sit the veterans when the game is already over. Sounds like an increased role for the young players to me. :rolleyes:

Therien made an awesome screen in front of Hackett tonight. It was impressive. Put that boy on our PP! with Pitkanen at the point :D

Hey guys relax!! Those have been the first NHL games for Joni. I just think Hitch didn't dress him just to allow him a lttle bit of rest. If you want to see Joni on the ice all the season, he cannot play EVERY game!

I don't want to see the same error done with Seidenberg last year. He was dead at the 2/3 of the season...

The paper today says he was banged up in Phoenix. It doesn't sound serious, but bad enough to miss some time.

The paper today says he was banged up in Phoenix. It doesn't sound serious, but bad enough to miss some time.

Lovely.... another "hidden" flyers injury!

The paper today says he was banged up in Phoenix. It doesn't sound serious, but bad enough to miss some time.

Great, another one down. When will it end?

A few things on why I think Therien is playing tonight instead of Joni.

#1. I think they thought that Seidenberg wore down as the year wen on last year. They don't want that to happen to Joni his first year in NA. Giving him off one of the back-to-back nighters.

#2. L.A. and a few other teams have been decimated by injuries to their defense. Getting Therien some ice time can also serve to showcase him some for a team that may be interested in picking him up.

Good points, but with the Flyers games to date being so spread out, I think it's a bit early to sit him on a back to backer. But I'm not a coach with a Cup ring, so I guess I can't really complain.

it's just a cover up that he's injured in my opinion

I don't have a big problem with him sitting him once in a while, especially on a back-to-back nighter.

Only difference is that since he sat him in the 3rd period against Phoenix I would have gotten him back on the ice against LA, then gave him tonight off against the Ducks.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/7072323.htm

I love the overreactions on this board to minor things like this. "OMG!!! THEY SAT A 20 year old ROOKIE FOR ONE GAME OUT OF THE FIRST FIVE!!!! WTF?!?!?" :rolleyes: Geez, relax. There's still 77 more games for him to get into, or have we all forgotten that already? Joni will get his ice time, but as people have pointed out, Hitch wants to avoid him wearing down just like Dennis Seidenberg did last season. And, as the article DrLove linked said, to keep him from getting overwhelmed. It's a pretty smart move, IMHO, and if he got a bit banged up in the Phoenix game, it's an even better move. Give him a rest, try to let Therien make a case for playing time/a trade, and then he's back in the lineup against Anaheim, fired up and looking to show why he shouldn't be benched.

In the meantime, let's try to keep some perspective, folks. #1: it's still early in the season (in fact, we are 6.1% of the way through the season, meaning we have 93.9% of the season still to go), #2: He's just 20 years old, and used to playing in shorter seasons, #3: He's going to be with the Flyers for a LONG time, and don't worry, he'll get plenty of minutes very soon.

That is pretty much what happened in the third period, Chouinard got quite a bit of ice time while Amonte and some of the veterans sat more.

Maybe this is what Hitch was talking about during the offseason. Give the young players more ice time and sit the veterans when the game is already over. Sounds like an increased role for the young players to me. :rolleyes:

I think that had more to do with the score than playing the young players. It was kind of like garbage time in the NBA.