Confirmed with Link: Flyers Hire Dave Hakstol as Head Coach

[Larry44]

Voracek clearly suffering from a crisis of confidence so what does he do? Puts him on the fourth line and keeps him there. Ludicrous.

Not really. First, Voracek is on the 3rd line, with Bellemare and VandeVelde. You can call it the 4th, but Jake is 2nd among forwards in ice time, PEB is 7th, VDV is 8th. All well in the top 9.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?reportType=season&report=skatersummary&season=20152016&gameType=2&sort=timeOnIcePerGame&aggregate=1&teamId=4&pos=F

Second, Voracek's confidence was not going to return playing on the top line against top level checking every night. He's still on the 1st PP. He might've gone to Coots' line, but they like Simmonds with Couts and Read, and it's been our best line lately most of the time.

On top of that, Brayden Schenn is thriving at RW with Giroux, so why mess that up?

Ideally, Laughton will step up to 3C role and take Jake with him.

Good teams have balanced lines. Jake will go on a tear soon and score 20 points in 12 games or something and we'll all feel better about it...

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Raffl - Giroux - Schenn
Voracek - Couturier - Simmonds
Read - Laughton - Umberger
VandeVelde - Bellemare - White

They used that at practice today. Hopefully it sticks.

 

[Rebels57]

Voracek - Couturier - Simmonds
Read - Laughton - Umberger

They used that at practice today. Hopefully it sticks.

I like it!

 

[Hurricane28]

Other than the Dallas game, that second line had been good. I would keep it together and replace Raffl with Voracek if you're going to put Voracek on the LW

 

[Curufinwe]

I can't see suddenly putting Voracek on the LW eight years into his NHL career working out. It's a pretty good sign that Hakstol has lost the plot after only two months as an NHL coach.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Their production at ES has started to dry up especially Couturier. You still keep more of a matchup problem with Giroux & Voracek away from each other but now hopefully we can see some better secondary scoring.

 

[TCTC]

Raffl - Giroux - Schenn
Voracek - Couturier - Simmonds
Read - Laughton - Umberger
VandeVelde - Bellemare - White

They used that at practice today. Hopefully it sticks.

I could live with that. It's definitely a step in the right direction.

 

[Lindberg]

I can't see suddenly putting Voracek on the LW eight years into his NHL career working out. It's a pretty good sign that Hakstol has lost the plot after only two months as an NHL coach.

Doing something different instead of continually doing something that isn't working is probably a good idea.

 

[Striiker]

I would have thought it'd be easier to switch Simmonds to LW than Voracek.

I feel like most of the time when he scores off the rush it's when he's on the left side anyway. Like this one, he scored this exact way a few times but I can't remember him ever doing it from the right side.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I would have thought it'd be easier to switch Simmonds to LW than Voracek.

I feel like most of the time when he scores off the rush it's when he's on the left side anyway. Like this one, he scored this exact way a few times but I can't remember him ever doing it from the right side.

He did it in LA at times but he was more so in a checking role there than scoring. He was pretty vocal about not liking it & feeling uncomfortable playing it when they tried him there last year for a couple of games or so.

It sounds like Voracek is pretty receptive to giving it a whirl.

 

[Curufinwe]

Doing something different instead of continually doing something that isn't working is probably a good idea.

Voracek had 189 points in 212 games the past three seasons playing on the RW. 116 of them at ES, most on the team.

 

[Curufinwe]

Raffl - Giroux - Schenn
Voracek - Couturier - Simmonds
Read - Laughton - Umberger
VandeVelde - Bellemare - White

They used that at practice today. Hopefully it sticks.

You know the VandeVelde line will get more minutes than the Laughton line. If Hak wasn't so obsessed with running his plug buddy out there all the time we could have a more balanced and skilled lineup.

Raffl-G-Voracek
Read-Coots-BSchenn
Laughton-Bellemare-Simmonds
VdV-White-Umberger

Couturier and BSchenn score whenever they get to play together, but he refuses to pair them up.

 

[TCTC]

Voracek had 189 points in 212 games the past three seasons playing on the RW. 116 of them at ES, most on the team.

Doesn't mean he couldn't do it on LW. It's worth a try.
Several wingers have switched wings during their career.

 

[GingerFetish]

I'm done with this meme of not putting Giroux with Voracek.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

It's better than keeping status quo. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Lord Defect]

If he is going to try Voracek on the LW why not put him on the wing with G and Schenn?

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

If he is going to try Voracek on the LW why not put him on the wing with G and Schenn?

Giroux's line hasn't been having issues with scoring as of late. He's likely looking for a boast to Couturier's line while maintaining a harder line matchup for the opposing teams.

If the Flyers can find some balanced scoring in their lineup it would go a long way for them. They're relying way too heavy on Giroux right now.

These lines work in theory but ultimately they'll need to show that on the ice where it matters most.

 

[Tripod]

Having Jake and G on different lines does create matchup issues. BSchenn has 7 points in his last 10 games since moved to Giroux's RW. Getting the 2nd line being a scoring threat every game would really help us. And certainly if Jake transitioned to LW, that fills a major hole.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Jake getting real linemates is definitely going to help him. Hope he goes on a tear soon.

 

[Lord Defect]

Giroux's line hasn't been having issues with scoring as of late. He's likely looking for a boast to Couturier's line while maintaining a harder line matchup for the opposing teams.

If the Flyers can find some balanced scoring in their lineup it would go a long way for them. They're relying way too heavy on Giroux right now.

These lines work in theory but ultimately they'll need to show that on the ice where it matters most.

Fair enough.

 

[Curufinwe]

It's weird that Bellmare and Summonds are considered a good enough duo to play in OT, ahead of BSchenn, but he hasn't put them on an ES line together this season. That seems like something worth trying before moving Jake to LW.

 

[bb12]

It's weird that Bellmare and Summonds are considered a good enough duo to play in OT, ahead of BSchenn, but he hasn't put them on an ES line together this season. That seems like something worth trying before moving Jake to LW.

Read - coots - Jake
Laughton - peb - simmonds

I could like that

 

[Random Forest]

It's weird that Bellmare and Summonds are considered a good enough duo to play in OT, ahead of BSchenn, but he hasn't put them on an ES line together this season. That seems like something worth trying before moving Jake to LW.

I don't see why trying Voracek at LW seems so strange. We're thin at that position, and we've never tried our best winger there. He's not currently producing, so when is a better time to give it a shot?

 

[Lindberg]

Voracek had 189 points in 212 games the past three seasons playing on the RW. 116 of them at ES, most on the team.

I didn't deny his past success at RW but he certainly has been struggling as of late to score at even strength. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Perhaps throwing him on the LW will instill some confidence back into him.

 

[Rebels57]

It's weird that Bellmare and Summonds are considered a good enough duo to play in OT, ahead of BSchenn, but he hasn't put them on an ES line together this season. That seems like something worth trying before moving Jake to LW.

Are you aware that Jakes production at ES dating back like 70 or so games, is absolutely pathetic? That was all at RW.

Not sure why you're so hell bent against TRYING him on LW. It can't hurt, because he is not producing at RW..like at all.

Jake may have an easier time entering the zone with possesion on the LW since he will be able to keep the puck to the outside on his forehand, instead of backhand.

Simmonds doesn't receive passes well or pass well on his back hand, which he would need to be able to do playing LW. He is good off the rush on the LW when he is already carrying the puck. That's about it.