Have you noticed that Richards, Carter and Gagne are not on the team? and that our top 2 centers are small and weak defensively (especially Briere). Our top defensive forward was a 18-19 year old rookie.
Have you noticed that the flyers have Talbot, Fedetenko, Hartnell and Voracek for wingers.
Have you also noticed that the biggest defensive prospect the NHL has seen in years will be our 2/3rd line centre. Not to mention a "mike richards clone" Schenn will be sitting in either 2/3 center position.
Have you noticed that the flyers have Talbot, Fedetenko, Hartnell and Voracek for wingers.
Have you also noticed that the biggest defensive prospect the NHL has seen in years will be our 2/3rd line centre. Not to mention a "mike richards clone" Schenn will be sitting in either 2/3 center position.
But yeah, they don't value defense...........
Talbot is a boss, I agree.
Fedetenko? You havent even seen him play in our system yet. Hartnell is good defensively, but not great.
Voracek shows promise, but is still young and inconsistent.
Couturier is a Boss, and hopefully Schenn develops well.
My point is just that Holmgren had Zero problem shipping out Richards and Carter last year and rolling the dice and leaving a big hole in our roster, lacking strong defensive forwards, outside of Talbot and Hartnell. Couturier being a boss makes it look better now, but he should never have banked on a 18 year old to take such a huge role.
My point: I would not trade Couturier, as his defensive game makes a perfect compliment to Giroux, but I wouldn't bank on Holmgren thinking the same way. Hopefully he doesnt trade him though
I'm not making that claim lightly, either. I've thought hard about how much I value him. After what I saw from him this year, and what his advanced stats say (while playing mostly with plugs against stiff competition), I don't think he should be traded at this time. Especially since the defensive ability of our forward corps would take a big hit afterwards.
Yeh, I put down a list in one of the Couturier threads of his advanced stats, as well as stats from juniors.
The kid was already arguably one of the top 10 defensive centres in the NHL last year if the advanced stats are collated.
Plus he put up the most PPG in the Q as a 17 year old since Crosby... when you look at his resume he was arguably the player who has dominated that league the most since Crosby, he would have won the scoring race 2 years in a row if he had not missed 10 games. (that is without factoring in mono) Factor in the Q is the lowest scoring CHL league as well (yes, it is hard to believe, but true.)
Couturier was really a ~1-3 pick, he was rated as the best prospect for almost a year, and the only knock on him was footspeed, which he has shown is not that bad.
After Giroux he is 2nd on my untouchable list... and it is close.
Also through the last 48 games of the year, once his icetime went up from 10-11 mins, he put up 20 points playing 13-14 mins a night, mainly on PK and with plugs a linemates. There is a reason Talbot had such a good year... look at some of his goals and how big a part Couts plays in them.
Have you noticed that Richards, Carter and Gagne are not on the team? and that our top 2 centers are small and weak defensively (especially Briere). Our top defensive forward was a 18-19 year old rookie. Couturier being a BOSS(and Talbot) saved a lot of grief that our defensively challenged forward crop would have faced.
Have you noticed Couturier, Schenn, Talbot and our latest 1st round pick?
Yeh, I put down a list in one of the Couturier threads of his advanced stats, as well as stats from juniors.
The kid was already arguably one of the top 10 defensive centres in the NHL last year if the advanced stats are collated.
Plus he put up the most PPG in the Q as a 17 year old since Crosby... when you look at his resume he was arguably the player who has dominated that league the most since Crosby, he would have won the scoring race 2 years in a row if he had not missed 10 games. (that is without factoring in mono) Factor in the Q is the lowest scoring CHL league as well (yes, it is hard to believe, but true.)
Couturier was really a ~1-3 pick, he was rated as the best prospect for almost a year, and the only knock on him was footspeed, which he has shown is not that bad.
After Giroux he is 2nd on my untouchable list... and it is close.
Also through the last 48 games of the year, once his icetime went up from 10-11 mins, he put up 20 points playing 13-14 mins a night, mainly on PK and with plugs a linemates. There is a reason Talbot had such a good year... look at some of his goals and how big a part Couts plays in them.
yeah without mono, Couturier would have gone much earlier
I'm under the presumption that either (a) they'll match the sheet and pray there is no lock out or (b) take the picks and try to trade them back to the Flyers or to other teams. Maybe they'll keep them if they feel that they can snag some free agents. Not trading any players for the picks back allows us to try to made another trade (such as Ryan), while trading players to get the picks back shifts our focus to free agents like Semin since we'll have cap space and would be in need of at least one more forward (I'm under the presumption Jake will be moved in a deal).
Maybe Homer will go crazy and trade Bryz to them as part of the deal and we get Rinne back (Mez + Jake + MAB/Gus + pick(s) + Bryz for Weber + Rinne). Definitely part of Homer's MO in sign-and-trades. Yeah right, no one would waive their NMC/NTC to go there.
Flyers forwards were pretty bad on defense last season. However Giroux, Couts, Schenn down the middle should be even better defensively this season. Hartnell is Hartnell. Danny B is awful. Voracek and Simmonds are pretty good. JVR and Jagr werent good at all. They are now gone. Carle was very inconsistent, he is gone. Harry Z was awful but with Wellwood and Fedotenko it should be better in the bottom 6.
If you think about it, Flyers got rid of 2 of their worst 3 defensive forwards in JVR and Jagr. It is a step in the right direction.
If Poile wants to play hardball and wants Brayden Schenn as part of a trade for the best D-man in the NHL then he damn well better do it..... If Homer makes Brayden friggin Schenn the reason this deal wouldnt happen then it will haunt this franchise for years and years to come ... I've said my peace . Just announce something already even if it's before midnight Wed.
If Poile wants to play hardball and wants Brayden Schenn as part of a trade for the best D-man in the NHL then he damn well better do it..... If Homer makes Brayden friggin Schenn the reason this deal wouldnt happen then it will haunt this franchise for years and years to come ... I've said my peace . Just announce something already even if it's before midnight Wed.
The moment we traded for luke was the moment brayden was included in the list of untouchables with couturier and giroux.
If Poile wants to play hardball and wants Brayden Schenn as part of a trade for the best D-man in the NHL then he damn well better do it..... If Homer makes Brayden friggin Schenn the reason this deal wouldnt happen then it will haunt this franchise for years and years to come ... I've said my Peice . Just announce something already even if it's before midnight Wed.
Aww my lil bipolar buddy from the UK is now a grammar cop!!! you're making strides in your useful, busy life I see!!!
