Michael Raffl & Steve Downie

[Maverick426h]

ya, that's a little steep. vinny has had a tough year, but he's playing much better of late and has been very good.

plus, mcginn is not a top 6 NHL forward. if he's playing in your top 6, your team has significant problems.



and at that point, is when you slide raffl to the 3rd line, IMO. because without raffl, i dont see the 4th line getting more than 3 or 4 minutes a game.

Sadly though, McGinn is probably a better option right now than Downie was when he got injured. At least he's a big body that can cycle the puck and wreak havoc in front of the net. As previously mentioned, I'm sure Downie had never gotten over his original concussion.

I think Raffl does add a ton of depth for us and he will continue to get some shifts with Couturier and Read or wherever else he's needed. As you're alluding to, Hall and Rinaldo are going to be thought of as too much of a defensive liability in the playoffs and rightfully so. Hall may still occasionally kill penalties and take faceoffs and Rinaldo can deliver some big hits and spark the energy, but that's about it. They have two of the three worst +/- ratings on the team and with low minutes.

 

[awaz]

Sadly though, McGinn is probably a better option right now than Downie was when he got injured. At least he's a big body that can cycle the puck and wreak havoc in front of the net. As previously mentioned, I'm sure Downie had never gotten over his original concussion.

I think Raffl does add a ton of depth for us and he will continue to get some shifts with Couturier and Read or wherever else he's needed. As you're alluding to, Hall and Rinaldo are going to be thought of as too much of a defensive liability in the playoffs and rightfully so. Hall may still occasionally kill penalties and take faceoffs and Rinaldo can deliver some big hits and spark the energy, but that's about it. They have two of the three worst +/- ratings on the team and with low minutes.

agree 100%. mcginn > downie, but in a 3rd line role i like mcginn there. and again, when the bench gets shortened, raffl can take over. i just dont see a point down the stretch here or in the playoffs where berube would trot out a mcginn.hall.rinaldo line.. and your top 9 will be gassed in 3 weeks if you're not playing your 4th line at all.. with raffl, it's still usable to give the other guys a break.

 

[Maverick426h]

agree 100%. mcginn > downie, but in a 3rd line role i like mcginn there. and again, when the bench gets shortened, raffl can take over. i just dont see a point down the stretch here or in the playoffs where berube would trot out a mcginn.hall.rinaldo line.. and your top 9 will be gassed in 3 weeks if you're not playing your 4th line at all.. with raffl, it's still usable to give the other guys a break.

I do think we have some guys who can take more minutes though at the forward position. Raffl is just the main one. Nobody should be running out of gas with 10 forwards who can all log 17-18 minutes each.

 

[awaz]

I do think we have some guys who can take more minutes though at the forward position. Raffl is just the main one. Nobody should be running out of gas with 10 forwards who can all log 17-18 minutes each.

heh, i guess we just disagree w/ that one. down the stretch and in the playoffs, after 70 some odd games, i think guys will get run down.

 

[Maverick426h]

heh, i guess we just disagree w/ that one. down the stretch and in the playoffs, after 70 some odd games, i think guys will get run down.

I'd be more worried about the defense. Guys like Timonen and Streit. Our forwards are younger than our defensemen.

 

[Retroram52]

Raffl's penalty killing abilities are notable but his skating acumen with slashing and closing speed at the net is getting him in position to make some great goals that are a dagger in the heart of the opposition. He is bringing more and more of those types of skills to his play that were not displayed earlier in the year and this is abetting his move into more playing time.

 

[lasgop8]

Mcginn fills in for Downie and we keep rolling 4 lines like we have been. Same type of player in mcginn filling in for downie with Mcginn being a better offensive player than Downie. If it aint broke dont fix it is my opinion.

 

[FlyerFinFan]

heh, i guess we just disagree w/ that one. down the stretch and in the playoffs, after 70 some odd games, i think guys will get run down.

Totally agree and to be honest I feel safe with the 4th line on the ice with Raffl centering it. Take him off and it's a roller coaster. I know that it sounds like a minor thing discussing the 4th line but in a tough 7 game series those extra shifts make all the difference. That is a nice edge to have! Besides I think Rinaldo has a lot to add to this team when he plays smart so nice to see him get ice.

 

[lasgop8]

Totally agree and to be honest I feel safe with the 4th line on the ice with Raffl centering it. Take him off and it's a roller coaster. I know that it sounds like a minor thing discussing the 4th line but in a tough 7 game series those extra shifts make all the difference. That is a nice edge to have! Besides I think Rinaldo has a lot to add to this team when he plays smart so nice to see him get ice.

Especially with the Rinaldo part. We play much tougher of a game when he plays and now that he is getting more ice you can see more of his abilities to play a complete game.

 

[banditshcky11]

4th line? Seriously?

I'd put Vinny in the press box honestly. He looks slow, refuses to play defense in position (he's a wing now not a center) plus he's been completely ineffective and is IMO pulling Schenn & Simmonds down with him because of his poor play.

 

[dspice07]

I'd put Vinny in the press box honestly. He looks slow, refuses to play defense in position (he's a wing now not a center) plus he's been completely ineffective and is IMO pulling Schenn & Simmonds down with him because of his poor play.

i think he is a big part of the recent success of schenn and simmonds now that i think he is much healthier than the first half of the season.

 

[Cobiemonster]

i think he is a big part of the recent success of schenn and simmonds now that i think he is much healthier than the first half of the season.

Vinny has looked healthier and better the last 4 or 5 games or so - he still looks a little slow(I don't think he's ever fast to begin with) but he's making more plays and seems more comfortable with his role

 

[awaz]

i think he is a big part of the recent success of schenn and simmonds now that i think he is much healthier than the first half of the season.

vinny has looked pretty dangerous the past week or so. good puck control and good vision in the offensive zone. defensively that line is mediocre to bad as a whole, it's not just vinny.

plus, if he's gunna shit the bed for 80% of the season and be solid for 20.. he's doing it in the correct order

 

[lasgop8]

i think he is a big part of the recent success of schenn and simmonds now that i think he is much healthier than the first half of the season.

100% correct Vinny looking much much better the last 2 weeks. My thought on this is please let this be a reverse Jagr syndrome who looked like a world beater for us in the 1st half and slowed to a crawl in the second half and playoffs. Vinny just starting to play well and continuing into the playoffs would be a great lift for our team.

 

[Cobiemonster]

vinny has looked pretty dangerous the past week or so. good puck control and good vision in the offensive zone. defensively that line is mediocre to bad as a whole, it's not just vinny.

plus, if he's gunna shit the bed for 80% of the season and be solid for 20.. he's doing it in the correct order

Vinny is looking like Danny Briere in the sense that they get better later in the season, it looks like

 

[JBM73]

We fans (myself included) are not always good at remembering that just because a player returns from an injury doesn't mean that he's 100%. I'd like to think that was the case with Hartnell (foot) last year and Downie (concussion) and Vinny (back) this year.

 

[lasgop8]

We fans (myself included) are not always good at remembering that just because a player returns from an injury doesn't mean that he's 100%. I'd like to think that was the case with Hartnell (foot) last year and Downie (concussion) and Vinny (back) this year.

And Gee the first few weeks.

 

[JBM73]

And Gee the first few weeks.

Yes, even self-inflicted injuries...

 

[dspice07]

Yes, even self-inflicted injuries...

i really want to know what happened here haha

 

[JBM73]

i really want to know what happened here haha

Only Giroux and Akeson know for sure...I'll be keeping an eye on this story again if/when Akeson is let go...I hope Gee paid some hefty hush money.