Prospect Info: 2016-17 Flyers Prospects - Top 20 SKATERS, #4

[Striiker]

Or Konecny.

 

[tade]

Unless Read is traded, I do see VandeVelde starting the season as a healthy scratch. Barring a terrible camp from either Laughton or Cousins and assuming full health.

Schenn - Giroux - Simmonds
Raffl - Couturier - Voracek
Laughton - Cousins - Weise
Read - Gordon - Bellemare

VandeVelde

I'd really prefer to see Read moved and Leier take his spot on the 4th line. Not only would he do a better job in that role, but he would do it at like 1/3 the price.

Edit: Forgot about Schenn's bogus suspension. Looks like VandeVelde still has a shot but hopefully Leier has a terrific camp and preseason so we can keep that stiff out of the lineup.

Not sure what makes you think this way... Leier would do better job than Read on the 4th line right from the beginning? I doubt it.

Read is not the offensive player he once was, we all know that, he probably never will be... but he is still very effective defensive forward who can do his job just fine, and provides a lot of versatility to the line-up, quite a lot of experience and he is also good for 20+ points / season. It's not about having as much young players as possible on the team, they are not always upgrade. Leier will do better in the LV, on the top line, and could make a smooth transition through the season, if he's really that good in LV and we would need a player for bottom 6 on the Flyers.

I understand the argument for the cap space, but if there is no need for cap space, then it is pointless to dump Read. He probably won't be easy to move since he makes 4M in real $ this season and 3.5M in the next season.

 

[Random Forest]

Yeah, Read gets seriously underrated these days. He's not going to put up points, but he has always been a really reliable defensive presence. When he's on the ice, nothing is happening in either zone. For a third liner, that's probably not good enough... but for the fourth line, I don't think you can ask for much more. I'm quite pleased with the prospect of a Bellemarre-Gordon-Read fourth line.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

People haven't adjusted their expectations for Read to this point that's the real problem. They still hold him to the standard that he's a 20-20 guy but the odds of him being that are slim to this point at age 30.

He still does a the little things right which is what you're looking for on the fourth line. Now that's not a great value given his contract but it's not exactly crippling like some seem to suggest.

If you're going to make a defensively responsible fourth line than he's your best winger for that role. He's handled these minutes very well pretty much throughout his career to this point. You're not going to throw a rookie out there on that type of line. Very few could handle it & it's likely not good for their all around development going forward.

 

[Random Forest]

People haven't adjusted their expectations for Read to this point that's the real problem. They still hold him to the standard that he's a 20-20 guy but the odds of him being that are slim to this point at age 30.

He still does a the little things right which is what you're looking for on the fourth line. Now that's not a great value given his contract but it's not exactly crippling like some seem to suggest.

If you're going to make a defensively responsible fourth line than he's your best winger for that role. He's handled these minutes very well pretty much throughout his career to this point. You're not going to throw a rookie out there on that type of line. Very few could handle it & it's likely not good for their all around development going forward.

Yep, exactly this. People are thrown off by the fact that he was was a 20 goal scorer and has a big cap hit, but that doesn't mean he isn't a very useful player to have in the lineup who can move up and down when needed. Players who are capable of playing tough minutes are valuable. Taylor Leier (or whichever rookie) isn't going to be able to replace those minutes for quite some time (if ever).

 

[Curufinwe]

Or Konecny.

Yup, I forgot about him somehow.

I just would not be surprised by Bardreau making the team out of camp since we'll need an extra body, he seems more suitable for the 4th line than Weal, Hextall mentioned him specifically as a candidate, and Schenn will be serving that ludicrous disgrace of a travesty of a suspension.

 

[Curufinwe]

Yep, exactly this. People are thrown off by the fact that he was was a 20 goal scorer and has a big cap hit, but that doesn't mean he isn't a very useful player to have in the lineup who can move up and down when needed. Players who are capable of playing tough minutes are valuable. Taylor Leier (or whichever rookie) isn't going to be able to replace those minutes for quite some time (if ever).

The sample size on Leier is tiny, but he had a rough time possession-wise. Read's goal scoring knack has vanished, but he was able to be a strong possession player even without Couturier.