Zac Rinaldo (2013-14 season) -- Update Apr. 7, 2014: Suspended four games

[LegionOfDoom91]

You're right that it's in the middle, though I'd probably lean more toward "He's a liability, keep him away from the team." Let's look at it like this: if Rinaldo is vital to your team, you're probably not that good. He's a fourth line player, and he's not even one of those guys like Cooke who takes up time killing penalties. Personally, I'd rather have VandeVelde in that spot.

If the plan is to keep Vinny on the 4th line than I want someone with a little more offensive punch than VV. He's good defensively but I saw nothing offensively from him at all during his call-up's this year.

As of right now I'm rolling with the same line as last night until proven otherwise.

 

[CutOnDime97]

He really has to cut down on the penalties. He's 24th in the league with 29 minors. 2nd on the Flyers (Hartnell has 30). All of this with only 7:42 TOI/G .

 

[Doors]

Agreed, Rinaldo is fun to watch. Screw the haters, keep killin 'em Rinny

Yep, he is a very entertaining player that i love having in the team. Rock on Zac!

 

[ILoveStephanieBrown]

He did come off, for a lack of a better word, dumb in that interview. I mean, he couldn't even really describe his role on the team. Everytime he speaks, he just comes off as wannabe.

 

[Garbage Goal]

That interview hurts my brain cells.

 

[Funf]

OK, let me ask something then since I'm literally right in the middle on this debate (I neither love or hate him). It seems like everyone else I've seen on this board is either completely one way or the other while I can agree with certain aspects of both sides.

Obviously he had a bad game against Buffalo considering he had multiple minors and then the hit that got him suspended. But how often before that was he really a liability? He's a the kind of player that lives right on the edge of what's allowed and what's a penalty, his job is to hit, fight, stir things up, and try to provide energy to the team. He's going to take penalties doing that and a lot of the time when he's gotten those penalties most people have argued against the refs saying he really didn't deserve it. There are times when he does deserve the penalties obviously, but personally I don't think it's often enough to call him a total liability. I think as far as penalties go I'd say Downie hurts the team a lot more, he takes them at really bad times and most of those are really stupid moves on his part. I feel like a lot of Rinaldos penalties are just him being a little too eager instead of being dirty or stupid, and usually he's not taking them at crucial times and hurting the team.

On the other side, I'd certainly rather see a player who can add a bit more skill to the lineup, even if it's a Wellwood type who isn't going to score much but has a chance to. Zac is pretty much energy or nothing since he isn't relevant offensively and isn't great defensively. You have to think, is the energy he brings important enough to the team to keep him on the 4th line? I'd say that's a decent question to ask since you can visibly see the team get pumped up on the bench, most noticeably Simmonds, when Rinaldo has a big fight or hit.

Basically, I don't buy either "He's vital to the team, we need what he brings" or "He's a liability, keep him away from the team"... I'm just not sure.

I think if Rinaldo could control himself, he could be a valuable player. I'd rather have somebody that can play on the PK, but if he could keep the other team on their toes, draw some penalties, play about 5 mins a night, I think he'd be a solid 4th liner.

You can point to the Iginla fight, or the Lucic hit, and say that he's bringing it, but you can also just as easily point to the Dallas incident earlier in the year. The fact of the matter is, he still does dumb stuff, and until he stops, the refs won't give him the benefit of the doubt, as far as calling him for clean hits. After hearing his interview, I just don't see him changing.

I just don't think he's bringing anything to the table if he's taking more penalties than he's drawing (and he is - according to extra skater.com he's taken 14 more penalties than he's drawn this year). Hits are good, but they're not good enough to offset everything else.

But I agree that there seems to be nobody occupying the middle ground. I was never really in either camp myself until recently, but I just can't think of an argument for keeping him around anymore after this season.

 

[CavemanLawyer]

I think if Rinaldo could control himself, he could be a valuable player.

That there is the problem. The team has time and time again shown that they are willing to reward him. Putting him on the PK, putting him on the 3rd line, etc. I remember even seeing him out there with Giroux. The team obviously knows that with his skating skills if he just learned SOME defense and SOME control he could be a staple 4th line two way forward and not some fringe NHL player.... but he really thinks everything is all gravy and he is just a-ok...

 

[Garbage Goal]

For a serious comment Zac Rinaldo is the perfect example of why the Flyers always have a stigma attached to them and even if you don't care about that the guy gets am amazingly bad amount of minor penalties considering how small his ice-time is. He also does something really stupid eventually. That's unacceptable for any team let alone a 4th liner who is best at hitting and fighting and a team that's at the top of minor penalties pretty much every season.

That interview also makes him really easy to dislike since he comes off as arrogant and either delusional or really stupid.

Minor penalties are also never a good thing when you're talking about them in a general way. It leads to penalty kills and goals against and skews ice-time.

 

[DaftCaptain]

Yep, he is a very entertaining player that i love having in the team. Rock on Zac!

Agreed!

 

[Curufinwe]

That interview is scary.

 

[Jack Straw]

Agreed!

I think we can all agree that Zac is entertaining. Unfortunately, "entertaining" doesn't win hockey games. Unless Rinaldo can learn to be something more than just entertaining he's not going to have a very long career in the NHL.

 

[BleedOrange]

You can like or hate rinaldo he will be here for along time can't wait for him to return

 

[bauerhockey02]

You can like or hate rinaldo he will be here for along time can't wait for him to return

I think you meant when saying he will be here for a long time. His spot will likely be taken within the next three years.

 

[Curufinwe]

With Laughton and Leier coming up soon I doubt he'll back after his contract ends.

 

[jabba2]

Refs will be looking to call Rinaldo even more after his performance against Buffalo. That game did nothing to help his reputation.

 

[bauerhockey02]

With Laughton and Leier coming up soon I doubt he'll back after his contract ends.

There is Goulbourne as well. Rinaldo may be given a year or two more but I really don't see him on the team after that. He may even just be an extra skater in two years if he is still on contract at that time.

 

[Garbage Goal]

Bottom line forwards in general aren't usually priorities for teams to lock up. Fringe NHL mainstay 4th liners like Rinaldo also usually eventually get replaced by prospects and signings.

 

[sa cyred]

Bottom line forwards in general aren't usually priorities for teams to lock up. Fringe NHL mainstay 4th liners like Rinaldo also usually eventually get replaced by prospects and signings.

Yep reminds me of when Dan Carcillo fans (who most seem to be Rinaldo fans now. Figures haha) were telling us the same thing. "Carcillo is going to be here for a longg time" and then next season they luckily dont sign him.

 

[Protest]

Rinaldo's biggest problem is that he never changed his mindset, or how he plays the game. In his 5 minute role he's out there to hit anything that moves, try to draw a penalty, and get the crowd and the team going.

When the coach gave him more opportunities he never changed his approach. He still tried to hit everything and stir stuff up. It was like he thought like "this is my shot, I have to make a good impression" so he tried to murder people instead of focusing on hockey. He was being given the chance to play actual hockey and he didn't realize it. Even Carcillo realized that to some extent.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Rinaldo's biggest problem is that he never changed his mindset, or how he plays the game. In his 5 minute role he's out there to hit anything that moves, try to draw a penalty, and get the crowd and the team going.

When the coach gave him more opportunities he never changed his approach. He still tried to hit everything and stir stuff up. It was like he thought like "this is my shot, I have to make a good impression" so he tried to murder people instead of focusing on hockey. He was being given the chance to play actual hockey and he didn't realize it. Even Carcillo realized that to some extent.

Like when he was on the PK and all he did was rush guys instead of playing positionally.

 

[YEM]

Personally, I'd rather have VandeVelde in that spot.

vandevelde is an utter waste of a roster spot

team doesn't "need" Rinaldo, but I do think they're better with him in.

 

[Broad Street Elite]

Like when he was on the PK and all he did was rush guys instead of playing positionally.

How quickly that experiment was killed is very telling about whether Zac's instinctive, oft out-of-control style is coachable. Rinaldo is simply incapable of understanding that certain situations call for a certain kind of play. His style is all one speed, position-be-damned.

Eventually, if Zac keeps playing, he's going to seriously hurt someone. The distinction between Zac and a player like Cooke is minutes, not mentality. Cooke had more opportunity to ruin careers because he played more, but Zac is just as reckless imo.

 

[GKJ]

Like when he was on the PK and all he did was rush guys instead of playing positionally.

How many times have they tried to make him a penalty killer?


Vandevelde may or may not be a waste of a roster spot. I think he is a tweener, but have no complaints about him being in the AHL. However, Vandevelde's usage and modest results suggest that he is not only a better player than Rinaldo, but the Flyers think so too, and don't realize it.