Thinking about the Lines

[wbon22]

Can you smell it? That is the smell of a rink that has had hockey played on it.

This is when all of the long offseason postulating takes physical form. When Umberger skates with either Cooter or Vinny, or G or...well...that is the fun part.

I have been reading in a couple places that the first choice for the Flyers is to put Schenn on the LW with G and have Cooter's line be the second line (this 1-4 is really a media thing but...) with Simmonds on the RW. Vinny would center the new 3rd line with Umberger and hopefully Akeson if he can win a spot and Laughton will center the 4th line.

This is not a horrible scenerio...if it works. Schenn could work on the line with G if he can get used to being on the wing. He had started to look better and better at Center but may be best suited covering G's flank. Having Cooter pick up the added minutes of the 2nd shift with Simmonds as his new RW with Read on the LW will be the trick...can his/their offense justify the added minutes. I think they can...and it will help shield Vinny defensively but not bury him to the 4th line. It also protects Laughton and keeps the pressure off him.

Who will play wing for Vinny and Laughton will be interesting.

Let the Preseason commence

 

[WOOTPOKER]

I honestly think Schenn's future is at the wing. I know that he is probably more comfortable at center, but I think for his skill set that I've seen, he could be a better fit at wing. And I think we are stuck with Vinny for the next 4 years (which, if he stays healthy, really isn't the worst thing in the world).

I'd like to see something like this:

Schenn - Giroux - Voracek
Read - Couturier - Simmonds
Umberger - Lecavalier - Raffl
Akeson - Laughton - Rinaldo

 

[FlyerFinFan]

I can definitely see these lines or similar...Schenn can play wing especially if he starts training camp there.

 

[chy1127]

I honestly think Schenn's future is at the wing. I know that he is probably more comfortable at center, but I think for his skill set that I've seen, he could be a better fit at wing. And I think we are stuck with Vinny for the next 4 years (which, if he stays healthy, really isn't the worst thing in the world).

I'd like to see something like this:

Schenn - Giroux - Voracek
Read - Couturier - Simmonds
Umberger - Lecavalier - Raffl
Akeson - Laughton - Rinaldo

I think it may start but not stay as:

Raffl - G - Voracek (Raffl has speed to keep up)
Schenn - Lecavalier - Simmonds ( I like Schenn and Simmonds together)
Umberger - Couts - Read ( Couts and Read stay together)
Some combo of Powe, Laughton, Rinaldo, Frenchie and maybe Straka (not sure if he is 4th line material)

 

[Maverick426h]

Overall we have a lot of depth offensively, but it is at center and especially right wing. I'm loving Voracek, Simmonds and Read as 1st, 2nd and 3rd line right wingers respectively. The easy solution at left wing is to plug in Schenn, but then if/when we trade Lecavalier, Laughton and Couturier are moved up a slot and I don't know that I'm comfortable with that.

It's looking like we need to shed $5 million in cap to start the season, but we'll get back at least $7 million from LTIR between Pronger and Timonen. That means our void at left wing on the top line should be resolved via a trade at some point. We need a sniper on that top line and once that problem is solved, I'm loving our depth all across the forward lineup.

 

[awaz]

Schenn.Giroux.Voracek
Read.Couturier.Simmonds
Umberger.Lecavalier.Akeson
Rinaldo.Raffl.PEB/Laughton

this is supposedly how berube plans to start camp. we'll see how long that stays.

I like that set up.

 

[lasgop8]

Schenn.Giroux.Voracek
Read.Couturier.Simmonds
Umberger.Lecavalier.Akeson
Rinaldo.Raffl.PEB/Laughton

this is supposedly how berube plans to start camp. we'll see how long that stays.

I like that set up.

I personally would like to see Raffl on the first line but I guess that would screw up the rest of the lines.

 

[Maverick426h]

My concern is whether Schenn can be a top line player. He really needs to have stepped up his game from last season and that is entirely possible as he only just turned 23. Either way, I think it is temporary until we make a couple trades. G and V can probably dominate themselves for awhile, but entering the playoffs, I'd want a sniper on that left wing and/or someone who can make space for G to work his magic.