he is struggling mightily right now. hopefully when it becomes evident to all that within the organization that the flyers won't be making the playoffs he'll get some more ice time. today was the second game in a row that he's gotten 10 min. that's not enough for a guy to get out of this funk. i wonder if moving him to wing for a little and having him play up on a line would help out his confidence. richie played wing for a little while when he first started in the NHL.
Lavi should try sheltering him. Stick him on a scoring line, have him face easy opponents, and give him easy zone starts instead of expecting a 20 year old to do the most of the heavy lifting.
Lavi should try sheltering him. Stick him on a scoring line, have him face easy opponents, and give him easy zone starts instead of expecting a 20 year old to do the most of the heavy lifting.
He should be shutting down big centers when he can. Get in their heads like how he can deal with Malkin, cause a mistake and take advantage of it.
Players have sophomore slumps and then bounce back. See Bobrovsky thread.
I'm not worried about the turnovers or the defense or the faceoffs. That will all come / come back. He's a stud defensively and he was dominant at faceoffs in junior and will return to that level as he matures.
What does worry me slightly though is the scoring. He's simply not a 70 point NHL center. He's a 50 point (as in 50 point average per year) #2C w/ elite defensive skills. Anyone expecting more is sure to experience a let-down IMO.
I'd be good with that. 50-60 points with elite defense is a great asset to have.
This. He would be a tremendous asset in our division if that's what he becomes. We're looking at longterm Crosby, Malkin, Tavares, Staal, Kovy, Nash, etc. A player like Couturier is a must.
This. He would be a tremendous asset in our division if that's what he becomes. We're looking at longterm Crosby, Malkin, Tavares, Staal, Kovy, Nash, etc. A player like Couturier is a must.
don't forget Ovechkin and that guy the blue jackets have...what his name?
seriously though ov ever does turn it around he'll be in our "conference" starting next year. similarly if the blue jackets continue to suck they'll pile up some great players, potentially starting this year.
RNH had 52 points in 62 games last year. Edmonton fully expected him to be a top player right away and a top player in the league within the next few years. He is their clear cut #1 centre. He simply has not produced this season.
Couturier had 27 points in 77 games. Obviously he played a big role as a checking centre but realistically isnt a #1 C. On the Flyers he is likely a #3. He could be a #2.
Unless Couturier has forgotten how to play defense/check this year he has no where near the struggles of RNH.
i thought he had a good game tonight. so did the pretty much the whole team in general though so it's kinda hard to judge if he's starting to come out of his funk. i think he needs to string a couple good games together before i can say that. anyway, moving him back to #3 C position was a good move imo.
it's difficult to improve on your offensive game when your coach is using you in a shutdown role. and i personally have no problem with that. he's great at it. the points will come with the years. let us learn to be patient, please.
it's difficult to improve on your offensive game when your coach is using you in a shutdown role. and i personally have no problem with that. he's great at it. the points will come with the years. let us learn to be patient, please.
It's hard when you see players like Huberdeau. Florida showed the patience with him last year, and let him continue to grow offensively. I just hope Philly doesn't stunt his offensive growth. I would love in the summer to sign him to a 4 year-2.5 mill contract and THEN move him into a more offensive role.
RNH had 52 points in 62 games last year. Edmonton fully expected him to be a top player right away and a top player in the league within the next few years. He is their clear cut #1 centre. He simply has not produced this season.
Couturier had 27 points in 77 games. Obviously he played a big role as a checking centre but realistically isnt a #1 C. On the Flyers he is likely a #3. He could be a #2.
Unless Couturier has forgotten how to play defense/check this year he has no where near the struggles of RNH.
Agreed I just used him because he was the only one I could think of that played right out of the draft like Couturier last year. RNH obviously has a higher offensive ceiling.
Couturier just needs time to bulk up, just doesnt look strong enough in the offensive zone, He gets pushed around to easily when on offense.
Let me preface everything by saying like Couturier as a player and I'm aware that he's a great defensive center. That being said, I really don't know what people see in this guy from an offensive standpoint. I understand that his linemates are somewhat to blame but I really just don't see a lot from him with the puck. His board play is good but he's been horrible on the power play. His puck control through the neutral zone is also poor. His production has matched what looks like to me as a defeciency in offensive ability. Schenn has been one of our best players all year and at times looks like our best even strength player but the majority of the fan base values him lower than Couturier. I honestly just think that Couturier is overrated by this fan base (I even saw someone say that he should be the eventual first line center with Giroux on the wing which I find ridiculous) and that's why I'm a proponent of trading him for a good young defenseman.
My questions are, for the guys who value him highly, what do you see his offensive potential as? and who is a comparable player in their prime? (Jordan Staal looks like the absolute ceiling to me).
Also anyone out there like me who view Schenn and Voracek as more valuable developing players?
Big guys like him often their offense suffers in NHL. I think why he slide a little in draft. Just common sense...size compared to fast tempo NHL game. J.Staal has averaged 48 points a year in his career. This year in Carolina playing more offense opportunities he's on pace for 58 pts, based on 82 games. Just harder for them to score like they did in junior. Still, Cout at worst he's 3rd line center, 40pts. At best, he's 2nd line 60pts center.
My dad is starting to hate Couturier for his lack of scoring. Anytime someone scores he says something along the lines of "Couturier would have missed that."
You can tell by the way he is playing that his confidence is shot, I have never seen him turn the puck over so much, which for him is very rare typically. I know he will turn it around, it might take until next year, but the kid has so much talent that he just isn't this bad.
