Post-Game Talk: Pre-Season #6: Thu, Sept. 26 2019, FLYERS 1 at Rangers 2 (SO 0-1), 7:00 pm ET

[CapnZin]

VandeVelde was an NHL-level PKer

Pretty sure he was on one of the worst PK tandems throughout the league over a multi-year span. Yes, he was a NHL PKer, but a good one, no.

Not only that, he contributed to the worst productive line in hockey that the Flyers have seen. Even the Lehtera, Weise, and Raffl Line forecasted higher production than the White, VdV, and PEB (worst offensive F in 15-16).

 

[Qyburn]

So I have no idea why anyone would lose sleep over Stewart.

Because people like you keep insisting that they shouldn't.

 

[Foggy14]

I knew Zibanejad would score. This game was awful.

The Rags are going to be tough in the shootout.

Over the past three seasons Panarin has been 60% and Zibanejad 45.5%.

I think Farabee cemented himself a spot on the 3rd line. Gotta love losing to the ****-out...

Good on Farabee. The kid is a player.

Myers was fine, as was Morin, but unfortunately neither did enough to dislodge Hagg in the minds of ..... whatever I don't even want to finish the sentence. When you add in the uncertainty, all this stuff is even more exhausting.

I'm pretty sure Sam would have cleared the porch a lot better than Hägg on the play that led to the Rags flukey regulation goal.

wouldn’t be surprised if this team has a tough time scoring this year. This game was a snoozefest.

Janey needs a shooter.



Jeannie needs a shooter.



So do the Flyers.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Hagg led the club with five hits... love seeing that

Do you have him in a league where hits matter or something?

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Do you have him in a league where hits matter or something?

 

[Qyburn]

Do you have him in a league where hits matter or something?

It was sarcasm.

On that note I am in a league where hits matter, and I always avoid picking him up out of like teenage-y angst-y obstreperousness. Same reason I don't want any Pens on my team. Tanev was sitting there for days, and he's a hit machine and projected to top 6. All I had to do was drop Sanheim. F that. Some other guy grabbed him today now I'll probably suck. Philly.

 

[dingbathero]

Stewart was born in '87 and is trying to rekindle the magic of that day of Oct 30.

He is singing "Faith" by George Michael..... Released on his B Day.....

He is hanging on.

 

[BillDineen]

Stewart probably wasn't wanted in England, so Fletch is doing him a favor in trying to get Lausanne to sign him. That is the only explanation I have as to why he should go to Europe.

 

[FLYguy3911]

That was a good night.

 

[Curufinwe]

I cling to the fact that Fletch has not actually given Stewy a contract yet. A few other PTO's guys got signed already.

He was awful tonight.

I'm sure NAK would have been just as bad.

 

[Curufinwe]

Why offer a guy a contract just to give up on him with a full season to go still? If they sign him & completely staple him to the press box that’s essentially what you’re doing & defeats the whole purpose of signing him in the first place.

It doesn’t take a whole lot for a spare roster player to play 20+ games in this league.

Stewart as the 14th forward wouldn't be completely terrible.

But they can only carry 13, and the 13th guy is going to play pretty regularly.

 

[hatcher]

FArabee was the best forward and the main forwards except Hayes and Konecny again were not good at all and it lokks like slow starts for them again. Stewart is gone but it was a class A move by Fletcher to invite Stewart to camp and let someone go for his dream again.

 

[Rebels57]

Stewart as the 14th forward wouldn't be completely terrible.

But they can only carry 13, and the 13th guy is going to play pretty regularly.

IF Twar, Bunny, and Farabee all make the team, a healthy Pitlick would be the 13th forward I imagine. Until he is healthy, I can see them keeping Stewart around on the PTO.

 

[offdacrossbar]

hey all. rangers fan here

looks like hayes has settled in. always was a fan of his. hes sneaky smart and a very good 2 way guy. he will grow on you and is the perfect 2C guy. makes your top 6 pretty nasty.

enjoyed watching joel last night. kids a future stud. im from the same hometown north of syracuse. great kid and family. hes gonna be a good one. no doubt. cried a little when we didnt draft him.

good luck this season and good luck with AV. hes a beaut.

 

[Qyburn]

im from the same hometown north of syracuse.

Empathies for that.

Do you have a good support group?

 

[deadhead]

Pretty sure he was on one of the worst PK tandems throughout the league over a multi-year span. Yes, he was a NHL PKer, but a good one, no.

Actually, he had one of the best GA/60 on the PK on the team during his three seasons.
For some reason, when fans here hate someone they can't credit them with anything good, but when they love a player, they brook no criticism.
VdV was a good PK player, he was replacement level or below at ES.
He played b/c there was dreck behind him (and the players behind him are long gone from the organization).

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Maybe they're just bringing Stewart over to Europe on his PTO so that he officially isn't on the books but if he's needed (due to injury) before Game #1 they can sign him and he can play. If no one is hurt they never sign him and once he returns to the US he's released from his PTO. Allows the young players to not have to go through this ridiculous travel and can focus on things here at home.

Not the best idea in the world. Not the worst idea in the world either.

I'm just trying to find someway to justify having him around still.

 

[Striiker]

There's no situation where him playing is acceptable. Playing with 11 forwards is better.

If they don't want 11 forwards then bring someone up from the AHL. Like maybe that NAK guy who is an indisputable better option but got sent down.

 

[Rebels57]

Maybe they're just bringing Stewart over to Europe on his PTO so that he officially isn't on the books but if he's needed (due to injury) before Game #1 they can sign him and he can play. If no one is hurt they never sign him and once he returns to the US he's released from his PTO. Allows the young players to not have to go through this ridiculous travel and can focus on things here at home.

Not the best idea in the world. Not the worst idea in the world either.

I'm just trying to find someway to justify having him around still.

I do think this is their line of thinking, and I get that if it is.

I don't get the over-the-top praise of Stewart by Fletch though. That type of shit bothers me.

 

[Qyburn]

I hope it's all a head game for camp. Just please do not let that bucket of dog **** anywhere near the actual roster.

 

[Curufinwe]

It's as bad as the crap Hak used to say about Lehtera.

 

[CapnZin]

Actually, he had one of the best GA/60 on the PK on the team during his three seasons.
For some reason, when fans here hate someone they can't credit them with anything good, but when they love a player, they brook no criticism.
VdV was a good PK player, he was replacement level or below at ES.
He played b/c there was dreck behind him (and the players behind him are long gone from the organization).

Ok, his average was around the ~6 GA/60 mark where he never played the highest TOI on the PK. On the best PK the Flyers had during his tenure, he was ranked 3/4 for the most F used for GA/60 during the best PK season they had with him. Couturier and Read beat him.

In NHL standards that puts him right about 84th in the NHL during the Flyers best PK season for players that played more than 100TOI on the PK. That means 67% of PKers have a better GA/60 than he did for those parameters. That puts him as your 3rd best PKer for the AVERAGE TEAM. So, was he a great PKer, no. Was he good for what the flyers had, maybe- since their PK sucked.

Using your analysis: (14-15 - 16-17)
He was the best on the Flyers, (second to Wayne Simmonds) for GA/60. That is due to an outlier 14-15 year where his TOI was not high.

Putting this into the league perspective: 64/256 which is a 1/4.

If you normalize his seasons: 101/256 which is ~40%.


So, he was slightly better than average. That makes him a + 2nd partner on the first PK unit. 1/3 he was a prime #1, 2/3 he was a ~2/4, and 3/3 he was 3/4.

His pattern of PK play is the definition of regression. Still, average at best isn’t necessarily something to laud over or even defend.


This is also just ONE metric you’re basing your argument off of

 

[DancingPanther]

Defending VandeVelde in 2019