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Knuble is not going to be a "replacement" for Hartnell.
I still believe he has something left. So what if he's slow? Knuble's never made a living off of speed. He's made his money over the years in the dirty areas in front of the net and has been one of the best at it. Ideally he should be in the top-six and should see PP time. That's where he's been able to succeed. Last year once Hunter took over in Washington, Knuble was put down on the fourth line and was next to invisible. Previously under Boudreau Knuble was on the top line with Ovechkin and Backstrom for years and had good chemistry with those two. Shouldn't have been moved off of that line IMO. Was the worst thing that could happen to him last year and his production suffered. He needs to be in the top-six. Like Holmstrom last year he proved to be almost useless at ES at fourth line minutes.
Flyers could use some offense and I still think Knuble can put the puck in the net. It's going to be a matter of using him appropriately and playing him with some talented forwards. He won't do anything in a checking or grinding role. Should be a good signing if that criteria is met. I think he can still produce. Like I said, should also see PP time. Lack of speed won't break him at this point. Plus, he's a leader, a veteran, and he's played for the team before and with some of the current Flyers. Familiarity is good.
Amazing how many players have returned to old teams this year. Begin, Corvo, Samuelsson, Bouillon, Stuart, and now Knuble. Crazy.
With the news Thursday that Scott Hartnell is expected to be out of the lineup for up to two months, the Flyers didn’t wait long to look to find a replacement.
And it’s a familiar face as well.
General manager Paul Holmgren confirmed that pending a physical Friday the Flyers will sign unrestricted free agent Mike Knuble to a one-year contract.
Just hasn't been signed in ink, but it will be tomorrow. It's happening.
Knuble is not going to be a "replacement" for Hartnell.
I still believe he has something left. So what if he's slow? Knuble's never made a living off of speed. He's made his money over the years in the dirty areas in front of the net and has been one of the best at it. Ideally he should be in the top-six and should see PP time. That's where he's been able to succeed. Last year once Hunter took over in Washington, Knuble was put down on the fourth line and was next to invisible. Previously under Boudreau Knuble was on the top line with Ovechkin and Backstrom for years and had good chemistry with those two. Shouldn't have been moved off of that line IMO. Was the worst thing that could happen to him last year and his production suffered. He needs to be in the top-six. Like Holmstrom last year he proved to be almost useless at ES at fourth line minutes.
Flyers could use some offense and I still think Knuble can put the puck in the net. It's going to be a matter of using him appropriately and playing him with some talented forwards. He won't do anything in a checking or grinding role. Should be a good signing if that criteria is met. I think he can still produce. Like I said, should also see PP time. Lack of speed won't break him at this point. Plus, he's a leader, a veteran, and he's played for the team before and with some of the current Flyers. Familiarity is good.
Amazing how many players have returned to old teams this year. Begin, Corvo, Samuelsson, Bouillon, Stuart, and now Knuble. Crazy.
Knuble was moved off of the top line before Hunter took over. After the early season hot streak (the 7-0 start), he struggled. He was demoted to the 4th line while Boudreau was still at the helm.
And it's not just his foot speed that has declined, his hands aren't nearly as quick as they used to be as well. A lot of the pucks he used to bury end up being saved, contested, or forced wide. He's not the same presence in front of the net he used to be. Combined with his reduced speed making him far less effective on the forecheck, he's simply not a player you can feed significant minutes any more.
He can still be useful. He can kill penalties well, he's still a warrior and a leader, and he he's defensively responsible. He can fill in on the PP and can still screen the goalie and be responsible and smart with the puck. But don't expect much production.
Im okay with signing him on the cheap. The plan will be to park him in front of the net and shoot pucks off him, maybe even teach simmonds a thing or two.
He'll come in useful against the Pens. Other than that...
ill take a broken down Knuble of the useless Shelley and Sestito.
Everyone knows he isnt the same player he used to be. 4th line minutes and stand down low on the PP.
ill take a broken down Knuble of the useless Shelley and Sestito.
Everyone knows he isnt the same player he used to be. 4th line minutes and stand down low on the PP.
Yep, I imagine most of his work will be standing in front of the net on the PP. Don't need to be very fast for that.
In that way he'll replace Hartnell, but not in the many other ways Hartnell helped the team.
Knuble was moved off of the top line before Hunter took over. After the early season hot streak (the 7-0 start), he struggled. He was demoted to the 4th line while Boudreau was still at the helm.
And it's not just his foot speed that has declined, his hands aren't nearly as quick as they used to be as well. A lot of the pucks he used to bury end up being saved, contested, or forced wide. He's not the same presence in front of the net he used to be. Combined with his reduced speed making him far less effective on the forecheck, he's simply not a player you can feed significant minutes any more.
He can still be useful. He can kill penalties well, he's still a warrior and a leader, and he he's defensively responsible. He can fill in on the PP and can still screen the goalie and be responsible and smart with the puck. But don't expect much production.
I stand corrected on that. Regardless, Knuble did even worse under Hunter and that's where he stayed the rest of the year. After seeing decreased ice time and even being a healthy scratch for AHL callups, there were reports Knuble became frustrated by the situation and wanted to play, and while never asking the Caps to trade him, voiced his opinion that if he wasn't going to play it might be best for him to be moved elsewhere. Obviously that never happened.
Long story short, Knuble has lost a step (unless you're Selanne, Jagr, or Whitney, who wouldn't at age 40?) but he's got gas left in the tank. Shouldn't have taken him this long to sign somewhere. He's not done yet.
He'll help the pp with some garbage goals which is needed but he'll kill the pp with his penalties. However, when he does that it will be fun to say "knubled!" again and really mean it.
I stand corrected on that. Regardless, Knuble did even worse under Hunter and that's where he stayed the rest of the year. After seeing decreased ice time and even being a healthy scratch for AHL callups, there were reports Knuble became frustrated by the situation and wanted to play, and while never asking the Caps to trade him, voiced his opinion that if he wasn't going to play it might be best for him to be moved elsewhere. Obviously that never happened.
Long story short, Knuble has lost a step (unless you're Selanne, Jagr, or Whitney, who wouldn't at age 40?) but he's got gas left in the tank. Shouldn't have taken him this long to sign somewhere. He's not done yet.
How much did you actually watch him last year? Because it certainly doesn't sound like much. He's getting pretty darn near empty. He can still be a potentially useful bottom six guy, who fills in on special teams on occasion, but he's not useful in a scoring role anymore. There's a reason he was a healthy scratch in favor of AHL call-ups. It's because he wasn't playing very well when he was in the line-up.
Every now and then, he'd show some terrific energy for a game or two. But he couldn't sustain it. And even during those games where he was playing well, he still wasn't actually putting anything on the board.
FWIW, those AHL call-ups are off to pretty hot starts in Dallas (Eakin has 3 assists in 4 games) and Long Island (Aucoin has 3 goals and an assist in 4 games).
