Linemates for Vinny...

[Cheesesteak]

Couldn't disagree more about Ryan. I get to watch a lot of Ducks games out here and the comparisons to JvR are nonsense. The only thing they have in common is that they are both former high first round picks who took a while to bloom.

Ryan busts it out there and is not afraid to do the dirty work in front of the net or in the corners along the boards. He is everything that JvR should have been.

Ryan has heart and has a great knack for putting the puck in the net. He would be an ideal fit for the Flyers top line. Hartnell has had exactly ONE really good season with the Flyers (2 years ago) and is drastically over-paid.

Finally someone that makes sense.

[Digityman]

Gagne kind of seems like a 4th line/checking line kind of player on this team, no?

I think Gagne still has the scoring touch. He's one of those players that always will.

If Vinny can set him up with wrist shots, that might work well. Read has a nice wrister too...

Hartnell - Giroux - Jake

===== Not a big fan of Hartnell up there but...

Gagne - Vinny - Read

===== Read & Gagne have accurate shots and play good defence. Vinny sets them up, they back check for him.

Schenn - Couturier - Simmonds

===== Most offensively gifted checking/hitting line in hockey

Rinaldo - Talbot - McGinn

[AndyS]

@ruxpin

to may toe to mah toe.

he's a clown but when you put him with good players, the line produces. i mean ville leino got paid because he played with hartsy ville leino.

Giroux , Jagr and Hartnell were deadly too. when a guy keeps showing up on good production lines it must mean he brings good stuff to the table.

@AndyS

you see him , and i don't so i wll take your word when you say Ryan busts it...

Ryan is young and has a higher cap hit number than hartnell for a little more production , without sticking up for teammates , having the ability to get top players off their game.

I think Harts makes his lines better because he's tough to play against, i think good players benefit from his presence.

i think Ryan is a good player with great hands that benefits from the presence of Getzlaf ...

I don't think Ryan would be all world on our team.

Ryan has actually spent a lot of time on Anaheim's second line (with Selanne), so his point totals are actually more indicative of his own hustle.

It is reportedly one of the many reasons that he wants to get out of Anaheim.

[AndyS]

I think Gagne still has the scoring touch. He's one of those players that always will.

If Vinny can set him up with wrist shots, that might work well. Read has a nice wrister too...

Hartnell - Giroux - Jake

===== Not a big fan of Hartnell up there but...

Gagne - Vinny - Read

===== Read & Gagne have accurate shots and play good defence. Vinny sets them up, they back check for him.

Schenn - Couturier - Simmonds

===== Most offensively gifted checking/hitting line in hockey

Rinaldo - Talbot - McGinn

I like that 3rd line better than the 2nd line!

Schenn-Vinny-Simmonds!

That would be scary 2nd line! Can you imagine the pounding that the other team's line would be taking from that line??? Ouch!

[flyercanuck]

Maybe this is the lack of sleep for 2 weeks but I'd like to see this:

Vinny - Giroux - Jake

Hartnell - Schenn - Simmonds

Gagne - Couturier - Read

Rinaldo - Talbot - McGinn/Akeson

Multiple reasons -

Giroux sets up Jake and Vinny left and right

Gets Hartnell off the top line making it more productive.

Keeps Schenn and Couturier in their natural positions (doesn't interrupt development)

Laughton stays down for another year to develop.

McGinn and Akeson fight for a spot with Rosehill, Hall and Shelley.

I like the idea of LeCavalier playing wing, not sure if he would. It gives Schenn a better chance of developing, which to me is key.

Not sure you're keeping Laughton off the team this year though. I don't like rushing kids, but he looked NHL ready whenever i saw him play for the Shwa last year.

[mojo1917]

@AndyS

I didn't know that he was playing on line 2

fair enough,

i guess i'm just wary of a grass is greener scenario playing out with him.

[flyercanuck]

@AndyS

I won't argue Ryan has more skill than Hartnell. But Hartnell is hated around the league for a reason. The guy is a pain in the arse to play against. I don't like the term on his contract (and we certainly can't afford Ryans, especially now) but when he's on, he a great guy to have on your team.

[AndyS]

@AndyS

I didn't know that he was playing on line 2

fair enough,

i guess i'm just wary of a grass is greener scenario playing out with him.

I can't tell you what the split was for him (i.e. how much time on the 1st line as opposed to the 2nd), but he definitely did time on that 2nd line.

I'll just say this, he's easily my favorite Ducks player after Selanne. (And, yes, I am biased because he has Philly-ish roots.)

He is just plain fun to watch. He would be unbelievable laying on a line with G & Jake, IMO. Man, that would give opposing defenders nightmares!

And then to have Vinny, Schenn & Simmonds coming over the boards right after that??? Any team without a stellar top-4 on D would be hating life.

[AndyS]

@AndyS

I won't argue Ryan has more skill than Hartnell. But Hartnell is hated around the league for a reason. The guy is a pain in the arse to play against. I don't like the term on his contract (and we certainly can't afford Ryans, especially now) but when he's on, he a great guy to have on your team.

Seems to me that's precisely the problem - he's too inconsistent, IMO. He seems to be a great guy - I have nothing against him personally. But I think he often holds that top line back.

We need a big-bodied sniper on that top line. Ryan fits that bill.

[flyercanuck]

@AndyS

In 6 seasons in Philly Hartnell has scored about 15 less goals than Ryan has in Anaheim. That isn't a huge difference in goal production. And Hartnell brings a whole lot of "intangibles" that take other players off their game that Ryan doesn't.

Personally I'd rather see that kind of money spent on goaltending and/or defence. You're not likely going to move hartnells contract. And his NTC says he's not likely going anywhere anyway.

[jammer2]

I don't really like Harts on the top line, but he's getting paid a lot of money....all that cash is not to disrupt, he has to score at a respectable rate to earn that big raise. Seems to me, the best way to get a bang for your buck out of Harts is to have him paired with Jake and G. Not a perfect situation by any means, but it does make sense.

[Philly29]

Please Holmgren do not trade any of our forwards especially Read or Coots...let them stay and develop and grow as a team I am so tired of this crap from the management...Like idiots they will trade Read not resign Gags and then they will be the slowest team in the league then when the trade deadline comes they will trade Hartnell and Simmonds for speed and then we will be to soft up front....

[LegionOfDoom]

Schenn G Gagne

Hartnell Vinny Jake

Read Couts Simmonds

Rinaldo Laughton Talbot

McGinn /Akeson

[ruxpin]

I don't like any scenario that separates Giroux and Jake. I'd like to see them stay together.

If Vinny is going to play the wing, I understand even less why we got him. The team line seems to be that they "finally got the big second line center" yadda yadda and he is very good on faceoffs. So putting him on wing fails the reason and logic test. I could see moving him up with G on the first PP unit, but not as a regular line.

I am with the folks that grimace at the thought of Hartnell on the top line. I don't think he's a first line player, personally, but I think it was jammer who said that he's being paid first line minutes so stick him there. I guess I agree with that. Ultimately, though, I would prefer Simmonds on the other wing with Giroux and Voracek, but I guess you start with Hartnell up there. Plus, I like Hartnell even less with Vinny and Schenn.

I don't think Gagne is a top 6 winger anymore. He could be, I suppose, but I would take advantage of his 2 way skills and have him on a checking line. He can possibly slide up when needed or for a changeup.

Hartnell--Giroux--Voracek

Simmonds -- Vinny--Schenn

Read -- Couts -- Gagne

Rinaldo -- Talbot -- Rosehill/Hall/McGinn

By the way, I think the Vinny signing probably means McGinn is going somewhere, too. There's really no place for the guy and I don't think he's a guy that should be relegated to 4th line minutes and is out of place in that role. I could see them moving him as a favor "so he can continue to develop and get some ice time" somewhere. They'll move him for Phantom depth or a mid-round draft pick or as a throw-in in a bigger trade.

[HansonBros17]

@ruxpin Not saying that Tye McGinn is the next Patrick Sharp or Sergei Bobrovsky, but why must the Flyers always do this with their good young players/prospects? If Holmgren gets good return in trade that's one thing, but I don't want to see this kid be a throw in.

He's only 22 and played well on the flyers top lines this past season. If there's not a spot open now, there will be in the next year or two. Guys get hurt, he'll get an opportunity. Unless we get equal value coming back, keep McGinn - no more Matt Ellison thank you.

[ruxpin]

@ruxpin Not saying that Tye McGinn is the next Patrick Sharp or Sergei Bobrovsky, but why must the Flyers always do this with their good young players/prospects? If Holmgren gets good return in trade that's one thing, but I don't want to see this kid be a throw in.

He's only 22 and played well on the flyers top lines this past season. If there's not a spot open now, there will be in the next year or two. Guys get hurt, he'll get an opportunity. Unless we get equal value coming back, keep McGinn - no more Matt Ellison thank you.

I completely agree with you. I"m just saying he currently has no place on the team and they'll end up moving him as a result. It's my mantra recently, but "I've seen this movie before."

[AJgoal]

I dunno Rux. He's got one more year left on a two-way contract - trading him doesn't make sense at all. I don't see giving him top line minutes on the Phantoms as bad for his development, either. Ideally you want him to come up to the big club soon - maybe the Flyers find a way to trade Harnell to LA. Maybe they pick up Gagne for one year and McGinn slots in on the third next year.

I do, of course, share your worry that they'll move him "just because."

[canoli]

I just can't get too upset about the "logjam at center" when we're talking about kids basically, guys that are 22 and younger. A year or 2 at wing, what's so terrible about that? Schenn is 21; skating on the wing with Vinny at center...who knows, could be the very best thing for both of them. There's this guy down in Florida - a real twerp compared to most NHLers - but he seemed to have *some* success skating alongside Lecav....