Brayden Schenn, or how not to develop a forward

[wbon22]

It is so easy to forget that Brayden Schenn was the highest rated prospect in the league. He was slated to be the next physical/80 point center to come down the pike....
....and then he was traded to the Flyers.

Since then he has been shifted to right wing, left wing, center, back to left wing.
He has been slagged on in the press for not being a better "fill in the blank".
Truth be told Brayden Schenn was on a decent trajectory last season. He was centering a 2nd line that kicked in goals, ate minutes and banged people around. At the worlds, playing Center he was a force against the finest players in the world (not in the playoffs). He showed he is a very very good center...
...so what happens, in order to make up for not being able to move Vinny, and not being able to really make up for scoring from the wings, they move Schenn to wing.

He isn't a wing. He is a Center. Period.

Brind'Amour suffered as a LW to make room for Gratton. Gratton suffered as a LW to make room for Brind'Amour.

This is a Philosophical player development bad decision from the top, as in Homer...and Hextall and a coach is trying to make the best of a crap hand.

I don't know the long term solution. But Schenn is a center. Let him develop accordingly.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Yes, there's no doubt that Brayden Schenn is a center

That being said, I'm starting to wonder if Brayden Schenn is going to be just another one of those guys, who is solid, but not a difference maker - defensively he's been deplorable and to me that's not really a positional(center or wing) issue, it's a lack of details and understanding on how to be good defensively - the second line for a better part of a year and a half, have been really bad defensively and it kind of starts with the center, which even though Vinny's been centering the line from time to time, Brayden Schenn is a big part of that - the Flyers got Vinny because they thought he could be that second line center who could shoulder the load offensively - he hasn't done it and Brayden Schenn, while he should have been given a better chance and would have gotten that chance had Vinny not been signed, looks like he might not be that answer

Flyers have no problem scoring goals but they need that dangerous number two center that teams fear - it just seems like the Flyers want Couts to be more offensive but what does that say about Brayden Schenn? Do they trust him enough defensively because it seems like in a perfect world, Couts would turn into a Patrice Bergeron type, which would then bump Brayden Schenn to the third line

Some interesting things to consider, because even though Brayden Schenn hasn't gotten a fair shake as far as center and wing goes, his issues are also self-mitigated due to his inability to play decent defense

 

[Raid]

Yes, there's no doubt that Brayden Schenn is a center

That being said, I'm starting to wonder if Brayden Schenn is going to be just another one of those guys, who is solid, but not a difference maker - defensively he's been deplorable and to me that's not really a positional(center or wing) issue, it's a lack of details and understanding on how to be good defensively - the second line for a better part of a year and a half, have been really bad defensively and it kind of starts with the center, which even though Vinny's been centering the line from time to time, Brayden Schenn is a big part of that - the Flyers got Vinny because they thought he could be that second line center who could shoulder the load offensively - he hasn't done it and Brayden Schenn, while he should have been given a better chance and would have gotten that chance had Vinny not been signed, looks like he might not be that answer

Flyers have no problem scoring goals but they need that dangerous number two center that teams fear - it just seems like the Flyers want Couts to be more offensive but what does that say about Brayden Schenn? Do they trust him enough defensively because it seems like in a perfect world, Couts would turn into a Patrice Bergeron type, which would then bump Brayden Schenn to the third line

Some interesting things to consider, because even though Brayden Schenn hasn't gotten a fair shake as far as center and wing goes, his issues are also self-mitigated due to his inability to play decent defense

Hammer hits nail.

 

[flyersfan4706]

I want Schenn at center. He is better at center, is better for the team at center, and is more valuable at center.

But Vinny isn't going back to the wing it seems. I don't think Schenn lasts the year. Just feel that Hexy will have seen enough by the deadline

 

[4thstreet]

I've never been fond of coach's or GM's who think they can draft a player,and then think they will be good enough or will adapt quickly to a different position.

Draft/trade/or bring up a player that can play the position you want them to.Quit fucking around ,like you're Dr.Frankenstein,and you'll create the player you want.

 

[wbon22]

Schenn's defensive issues at Center .... and he has them.... are less extreme, can be mitigated by the better overall puck possessional play and offensive zone pressure. But, he does have holes in his defensive game. As a wing those holes are greater because his natural inclination is to drift to the center in the defensive zone...and that creates two holes. Vinny has the same issue plus 10+ years playing center....

The Flyers need a good second line to be a 1-2 punch with Giroux's. Ideally they would have three lines and an energy line...which is the formula that most of the Western conference is working towards. That would mean that all three top lines...

oh...and where does this leave Laughton? or are Schenn and Vinny to be moved to make room for him? really? what is the long game?

Laughton fyi is a better two way center than Schenn. He may be a better 2/3 option over either Schenn, Vinny or ... well...anyone currently employed by the team.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Schenn's defensive issues at Center .... and he has them.... are less extreme, can be mitigated by the better overall puck possessional play and offensive zone pressure. But, he does have holes in his defensive game. As a wing those holes are greater because his natural inclination is to drift to the center in the defensive zone...and that creates two holes. Vinny has the same issue plus 10+ years playing center....

The Flyers need a good second line to be a 1-2 punch with Giroux's. Ideally they would have three lines and an energy line...which is the formula that most of the Western conference is working towards. That would mean that all three top lines...

oh...and where does this leave Laughton? or are Schenn and Vinny to be moved to make room for him? really? what is the long game?

Laughton fyi is a better two way center than Schenn. He may be a better 2/3 option over either Schenn, Vinny or ... well...anyone currently employed by the team.

That's why I think the solution would be to trade either Brayden or Vinny to clear the logjam - if they could do a Scott Hartnell/RJ Umberger type of deal where in this case, they trade a center for a natural winger, then that would help some

 

[Cobiemonster]

 

[wbon22]

It is interesting that Hextall was with the Kings when they traded Schenn. He should be more willing to make a move than Homer who traded Richards for Schenn and Simmonds.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

It is interesting that Hextall was with the Kings when they traded Schenn. He should be more willing to make a move than Homer who traded Richards for Schenn and Simmonds.

Interesting point

 

[flyersfan4706]

Changes could be coming for struggling Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers | NHL S

Phoenix is trying to move defenceman Brandon Gormley, who isn’t happy in Portland.

Schenn for Gormley seems perfect in a vacuum. Not sure how Gormley has been developing though

 

[Cobiemonster]

Changes could be coming for struggling Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers | NHL S

Phoenix is trying to move defenceman Brandon Gormley, who isn’t happy in Portland.

Schenn for Gormley seems perfect in a vacuum. Not sure how Gormley has been developing though

I know it would be a divisional rival but Brayden Schenn for Adam Larsson would be nice

 

[flyersfan4706]

I know it would be a divisional rival but Brayden Schenn for Adam Larsson would be nice

Yeah I'd be really interested in that. Lamiorello seems set on not dealing with us though. IIRC he took a lesser deal from Dallas for Langebrunner when we were offering more in 2011

 

[Cobiemonster]

Yeah I'd be really interested in that. Lamiorello seems set on not dealing with us though. IIRC he took a lesser deal from Dallas for Langebrunner when we were offering more in 2011

At that time, it was a good thing the Flyers didn't make a move for him - he was washed up, Lou did us a favor

However, if they're not going to play Adam Larsson they might as well trade him for some offense

 

[4thstreet]

My ___________ (sources? gremlins? dart board?) have told me that the Flyers and ____________ (insert team here) were close to making a deal for ___________ (defenseman) but the ____________ (price was too high? negotiations stalled? magic 8 ball didn't approve).

We'll be seeing or hearing this all the way up to trade deadline day.

 

[4thstreet]

should be receiving this week.

 

[awaz]

while it's easy to blame the flyers for mismanaging an asset here, let's not let the player completely off the hook. his 'effort' on the top line, and on the wing, has frequently been sub par. he's not dominant enough offensively to cover up for his defensive lapses and horrendous faceoff percentage (43% last year, 45% two years ago) to play center consistently on a team that has a better option (vinny).

that being said, he was a 20 goal scorer as a 22 year old, and has 3 points in 5 games to start this season, and perhaps more impressively he's even +/-. let's give it some time before we say the flyers mismanaged a player, or that a player is a bust.

 

[chy1127]

I know it would be a divisional rival but Brayden Schenn for Adam Larsson would be nice

That, in my opinion would be highway robbery for the Devils. I liked Larsson when he was drafted but he cant crack the Devils line up. He has not dressed this year. Schenn had 20 goals and 41 points last year. He has a scorers touch but is moving around too much in the line up. I don't think he has matured enough and needs to play with the same guys to develop. Trading a 20 goal score for another 6-7 defenseman? The only moves the Flyers should consider is moving bottom 4-7 defenseman to clear cap space and roster spots. Its not happening until the trade deadline. Schenn may go but for a much higher return than Larsson.

 

[JBM73]

Can we throw in Luke, too?

 

[lasgop8]

From the defense to Schenn to Vinny. Can we at least play some of this season before we trade away our whole team. We aren't winning the cup because we have Larrson or Gormley instead who we want to give up. We have a 4-8 seed with our current team as well as if we had those guys so lets just play some hockey starting with tonight.