"Why not, he's our best defensive forward?"-Pete Laviolette after 2-1 win VS Bruins
What happened to this exactly? He went from being our best defensive forward to being a 4th liner how exactly? It's becoming a concern for me because this is starting to look like Andreas Nodl except with slightly more skill. Now you may think this is an overreaction but look at the facts. Nodl was a second round pick in 2006. He was dominating at Saint Cloud. Meanwhile Couturier was a first rounder in 2011. He was dominating with the Voltuigers. Both of them imo are being used rather poorly. Nodl should have been an offensive player and he showed some of what he should have been last year. Couturier should be an offensive third liner, and yet he's ******* around on the fourth line. My queston is obvious. Why? Nodl's time has sadly passed. I still like him but he will never be the player he was projected to be. Meanwhile Couturier is being misused right now. It's poor for his development and I don't want him turning into another Nodl. A player who shows flashes but can't get it done because of a goofy development process. Thoughts? (Please no flames )
"Why not, he's our best defensive forward?"-Pete Laviolette after 2-1 win VS Bruins
What happened to this exactly? He went from being our best defensive forward to being a 4th liner how exactly? It's becoming a concern for me because this is starting to look like Andreas Nodl except with slightly more skill. Now you may think this is an overreaction but look at the facts. Nodl was a second round pick in 2006. He was dominating at Saint Cloud. Meanwhile Couturier was a first rounder in 2011. He was dominating with the Voltuigers. Both of them imo are being used rather poorly. Nodl should have been an offensive player and he showed some of what he should have been last year. Couturier should be an offensive third liner, and yet he's ******* around on the fourth line. My queston is obvious. Why? Nodl's time has sadly passed. I still like him but he will never be the player he was projected to be. Meanwhile Couturier is being misused right now. It's poor for his development and I don't want him turning into another Nodl. A player who shows flashes but can't get it done because of a goofy development process. Thoughts? (Please no flames )
the kid is 6"4' 178lbs. how much ice time do you think he can handle and not wear down over the course of the season? He is getting a taste of pro hockey without having to do too much.
As for Nodl, I just don't think he is healthy right now. He will never be able to finish enough on the NHL level to be more then a thiird-fourth liner.
I don't recall if I heard it during one of the games or read it somewhere (maybe even here), but this was a concern seeing as Nodl went from a scorer to a bottom 6 player with little offense. I'm sure though that many of us, if not all of us, want Couturier to get more ice time (not 4th line duty and more pp time). That's one reason why he has not been producing and why it'll harm his long term abilities. I'd rather see him on the 3rd line or be used on the top 2 lines as winger, but getting 4th line duty and pking time makes it seem that he would be better off being able to play more with an expended role or back in the minors than 6-13 minutes a game in a limited role. I thought that with Schenn hurt he would be moved up to the 3rd line, but I was wrong. I am in no way saying he isn't NHL ready and the Flyers are better with him, I just think, and agree with you, that he should be used in ways he is currently not being used that could end up draining his ability to produce offensively just like Nodl. Overall though he is and should be better than Nodl so maybe things will change in the future.
Let me put it this way. Couturier is obviously WAY better then Nodl. But why in the name of hell and high water is he playing with Rinaldo and Shelley on a nightly basis? It's an absolute joke! It needs to change, or his development will be stunted.
I don't recall if I heard it during one of the games or read it somewhere (maybe even here), but this was a concern seeing as Nodl went from a scorer to a bottom 6 player with little offense. I'm sure though that many of us, if not all of us, want Couturier to get more ice time (not 4th line duty and more pp time). That's one reason why he has not been producing and why it'll harm his long term abilities. I'd rather see him on the 3rd line or be used on the top 2 lines as winger, but getting 4th line duty and pking time makes it seem that he would be better off being able to play more with an expended role or back in the minors than 6-13 minutes a game in a limited role. I thought that with Schenn hurt he would be moved up to the 3rd line, but I was wrong. I am in no way saying he isn't NHL ready and the Flyers are better with him, I just think, and agree with you, that he should be used in ways he is currently not being used that could end up draining his ability to produce offensively just like Nodl. Overall though he is and should be better than Nodl so maybe things will change in the future.
Thank you! I don't think people realize how dominating Nodl was at St. Cloud. And look at what he's become now. I just am worried that the same thing will happen to Couturier.
How can you watch the first quarter Couturier has had and come away complaining?
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But why in the name of hell and high water is he playing with Rinaldo and Shelley on a nightly basis?
Everyone knew that this was the sacrifice when they chose not to send him back to juniors. And, after his play through the first 10 games, I don't think anyone wanted to ship him back down.
With the loss of Richards and Powe, there were serious questions about our PK... and, he was a rock. He earned the spot.
"Why not, he's our best defensive forward?"-Pete Laviolette after 2-1 win VS Bruins
What happened to this exactly? He went from being our best defensive forward to being a 4th liner how exactly?
Nothing. I don't see the contradiction here. Couturier is being being used in almost exclusively defensive situations (4th line and PK). He looks great.
I am not a fan of Couturier being used exclusively on the 4th line all season, but I am not so sure that will be the case. I expect the Flyers to make some sort of trade before the playoffs. If that is the case, a forward will probably moved opening up a top 9 position. So if that is on the horizon, limiting his minutes now makes sense. Otherwise, I think he could use more offensive minutes to not hinder his development.
Every game night, a new topic about a player from you. Just use the game thread, man.
And while I'm at it, since when did it become YOUR choice whether I make a thread or not? I'm voicing one of my concerns about a player. Why should I need to be attacked? No one else ever is. Two others agree with me so there is something there obviously. Sheesh...
To have the eighteen year old kid out there, killing a penalty in overtime - says so much about his progress already. He consistently keeps things so calm and collected on penalty kills - with his positioning, stickwork and reading of plays. This kid is still raw in areas - like anyone else his age would be - but the skill he has shown thus far is impressive, to me anyway.
My only complaint with Couturier is his lack of icetime, and maybe more quality linemates. But he does play some hard minutes shorthanded, and might not be the worst thing to keep his icetime down a little bit - to avoid any late season fatigue with the longer schedule he will be playing compared to junior levels.
Nothing. I don't see the contradiction here. Couturier is being being used in almost exclusively defensive situations (4th line and PK). He looks great.
This. I would like to see Couturier used a little more in offensive situations at times as well, but he's been great in his role and has for most of the games racked up a decent amount of minutes, playing in key situations. It becomes a bit of a problem in the games where we're dressing both Rinaldo and Shelley, but hopefully those games won't be too many.
Nödl perhaps should have spent his first professional season solely with the Phantoms. He was pretty terrible in his first stint here. Made me a fan of Kalinski... He turned things around in the AHL though, and came back a much better player along the boards and overall a fairly solid guy defensively. The way you have to adapt your game when you reach a level where your offensive instincts/capabilities aren't enough anymore.
And while I'm at it, since when did it become YOUR choice whether I make a thread or not? I'm voicing one of my concerns about a player. Why should I need to be attacked? No one else ever is. Two others agree with me so there is something there obviously. Sheesh...
Telling you to calm down with making useless threads is attacking? Don't take it so personal man, if you want to talk about a player's game you can very easily just do it in the thread everyone else is. Also I don't care that two others agree with you, it's not 3rd grade, we're not playing a numbers game.
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Thank you! I don't think people realize how dominating Nodl was at St. Cloud. And look at what he's become now. I just am worried that the same thing will happen to Couturier.
Winner.
