Vinny Lecavalier

[Sniped]

Vinny has 15 pts in 28 GP, along with a +/- of -10.

After a strong start to the season, it seems like he has fallen off a cliff; returning from his back injury.

What's are the opinions of this signing and his overall play at this moment in time? Discuss.

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[JDinkalage Morgoone]

Liked the signing at the time, I hope his injuries don't linger. This is a problem if he can't get healthy.

 

[ahthorne]

His possession numbers 5v5 haven't been great at all either. I think he's struggled with his health even when he is in the lineup and additionally I think he's struggled to find chemistry with anybody on the team. He's also done a lot of his scoring on the PP or when the team was really struggling during the rough start.

As stated in another thread, I think Vinny needs to be moved back into the middle and given a pair of wingers to try and gain some chemistry with. Vinny on Couturier's wing just doesn't make much sense to me.

Read-Downie, Schenn-Voracek or Hartnell-Simmonds would be the winger pairs I would use and I think Vinny could play with any of them quite nicely. Vinny with Raffl was solid during the preseason.

 

[cheesesteakarmor]

Posted in the other thread as well:

I'm betting dollars to donuts that Vinny should not be playing right now. All of you keep saying that he has played worse since coming back from the injury, but, do not forget - those are also games that fell within his recovery time period in the first place.

He was likely rushed back (two weeks ahead of schedule!) because of other injuries occurring, and because Berube and/or the FO have zero confidence in calling anyone up (VandeVeld the lone exception).

Remember, the mofo is playing with a bad back.

 

[Funf]

Posted in the other thread as well:

I'm betting dollars to donuts that Vinny should not be playing right now. All of you keep saying that he has played worse since coming back from the injury, but, do not forget - those are also games that fell within his recovery time period in the first place.

He was likely rushed back (two weeks ahead of schedule!) because of other injuries occurring, and because Berube and/or the FO have zero confidence in calling anyone up (VandeVeld the lone exception).

Remember, the mofo is playing with a bad back.

I was thinking along these lines, too. He's been playing about as well as he did in Nashville, the night he got injured.

I'm giving him a few more games before I write him off.

 

[Larry44]

Posted in the other thread as well:

I'm betting dollars to donuts that Vinny should not be playing right now. All of you keep saying that he has played worse since coming back from the injury, but, do not forget - those are also games that fell within his recovery time period in the first place.

He was likely rushed back (two weeks ahead of schedule!) because of other injuries occurring, and because Berube and/or the FO have zero confidence in calling anyone up (VandeVeld the lone exception).

Remember, the mofo is playing with a bad back.

Vinny deserves credit for playing hurt. He got his face smashed in fighting after Emery jumped their goalie. Then he got crosschecked in the back and cracked a vertebrae (and still scored the shootout winner). It isn't like he's falling apart, these are trauma injuries.

Vinny, like Brayden Schenn, is a big strong guy who is built to be a key part of a playoff team. I like the signing still, his ability to pick the corner on a one-timer will pay dividends before the year is out.

 

[FLYERSFAN18]

I am hoping Vinny will turn it around, but if a team offered a 1st round pick for him and he was willing to waive his NMC I would do it. We could then hopefully package that first with ours for an upgrade at first line wing or on defense.

I would do the same for Hartnell and Streit if I got the offer

 

[kelmitchell]

I am hoping Vinny will turn it around, but if a team offered a 1st round pick for him and he was willing to waive his NMC I would do it. We could then hopefully package that first with ours for an upgrade at first line wing or on defense.

I would do the same for Hartnell and Streit if I got the offer

you sir i like your thinking im with you 100% although i do like vinny

 

[Winston Wolf]

The first PP unit should be focused on getting Lecavalier one timers, similar to Washington with Ovechkin, Tampa Bay with Stamkos, or Getzlaf in Anaheim. Instead, he really has no role on either the first or second unit, as Streit is usually the go to guy to shoot the puck on the second unit.

If he's not used in that role, he'll be a complete waste of a signing.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

I'm pretty sure he's going to turn it around.

That being said, he's always been a minus player (-126 for his career) and his productivity has definitely decreased over the last couple of years. 32 in 39 last year was good enough to get him this big contract, did we overpay? Probably. But he was the best out there, so I guess we're stuck with him now.

Hopefully he still isn't hurt and didn't rush back just to enter the line-up again.

 

[Tripod]

I am hoping Vinny will turn it around, but if a team offered a 1st round pick for him and he was willing to waive his NMC I would do it. We could then hopefully package that first with ours for an upgrade at first line wing or on defense.

I would do the same for Hartnell and Streit if I got the offer

As would I...but I don't think those offers are coming.

 

[FLYERSFAN18]

As would I...but I don't think those offers are coming.

I don't know if they are either, unfortunately. Hopefully Montreal will want him since they love accumulating French Canadians whether they are good or past their prime. Lol

 

[Stizzle]

The first PP unit should be focused on getting Lecavalier one timers, similar to Washington with Ovechkin, Tampa Bay with Stamkos, or Getzlaf in Anaheim. Instead, he really has no role on either the first or second unit, as Streit is usually the go to guy to shoot the puck on the second unit.

If he's not used in that role, he'll be a complete waste of a signing.

He should be given Hartnells role on the first PP. That little one-timer play in the slot that Hartnell and Giroux do would be much better with Vinny instead. Hartnell has had a million chances this year and just can't bury it.

 

[BringBackHakstol]

I wasn't impressed with him before the injury either

All he does well is shoot the puck

 

[Harold Bingo]

All he does well is shoot the puck

It's not like the Flyers have a team chock full of those guys. And Vinny was the Flyers best forward for the first 10 or so games. Like others have speculated, I bet his injury is playing a big role in his current struggles.

And if it were up to me, he'd be on the first PP unit. I really don't understand why he's not.

 

[jabba2]

Playing like a man in the twilight of his career. Great shot though. Pretty big negative defensively and appears to get injured now quite often. He should be featured with Giroux on the PP, like mentioned above, to take the most advantage of his biggest asset. Or possibly put Raffl or Timonen on the 2nd PP unit to continuously feed Lecav the puck.

 

[Winston Wolf]

He should be given Hartnells role on the first PP. That little one-timer play in the slot that Hartnell and Giroux do would be much better with Vinny instead. Hartnell has had a million chances this year and just can't bury it.

He's worth a try there, but his sweet spot really seems to be around the right circle.

 

[Winston Wolf]

All he does well is shoot the puck

It's over simplifying it, but the same could be said for Ovechkin or Brett Hull. Not saying Lecavalier will ever be the prolific shooter those guys are, but if he's the triggerman on a top 5 PP (which is where this team should be at), he'd be well worth $4.5M a year.

I don't think he's going to lose that shot with age, so they should really try to fit it into the PP, sooner rather than later.

 

[Sniped]

The injuries are probably what scare me the most. Lightning fans warned us that Vinny is injured quite often. Doesn't look good on his skates either, could be attributed to the back injury and rushing to get back.

 

[Curufinwe]

His injuries in Tampa were from being hit by pucks, though. Totally unrelated to what has happened to him in Philly.

 

[Sniped]

With B. Schenn playing extremely well as our 2nd line center, where the hell does Lecavlier fit into the roster now?

Can't put him at center it looks like and he is making little-to-no impact on the wing.

Does he have a NTC/NMC?

 

[FlyersFan61290]

With B. Schenn playing extremely well as our 2nd line center, where the hell does Lecavlier fit into the roster now?

Can't put him at center it looks like and he is making little-to-no impact on the wing.

Does he have a NTC/NMC?

NMC, not sure if it's modified or not. He's played 37 games and about half of them have been at center/wing. I would give him more time to adjust especially given his recent injuries.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I was a fan of the signing at the time...becoming less of a fan.

It would be nice to know how much his back issue is impacting him.

 

[FLYERSFAN18]

If he is still injured he needs to stay off the ice until he is healthy. If this is how he is going to play at wing then he needs to go.

 

[Legion of Gloom]

Before we signed him I said I hope we do not sign him. When we signed him I thought it was too long in term and a little to much money. But after listening to some of the positive opinion on here I thought maybe it was not bad after all and he is certainty an improvement over Briere.
Hopefully he is playing poorly since he is not playing Centre and will get used to playing wing and some rest at the Olympic break and come on strong for the playoffs, if we make the playoffs.