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

[Beef Invictus]

He's not even getting that many hits...so he's currently not even doing well with his only skill.

 

[Jack Straw]

Rosehill has more goals this year (1) than Zac. When you're getting outscored by Jay Rosehill it just might be time to re-think your career plans.

 

[Gert B Frobe]

I don't see what he brings. Generally he misses his check and just crashes into the boards. He got the "check of the game" last night which is a total joke. If that's what he brings I will pass. Rosehill has better hands and can fight if necessary.

With Downie on the 4th line it's stupid to have a total plug like Rinaldo out there. McGinn or VV could possibly score once in a while on that line as Downie has some talent.

 

[Funf]

Rinaldo's only asset is his hitting, which he can only do when we don't have possession. And it's not like it's leading to any turn overs or scoring opportunities or anything. If his only skill comes when the other team is controlling the play, and continue to do so after he's done hitting them, I fail to see how keeping him on the roster is benefitting us in any way...

He looked pretty bad on the PK, too, when we tried that.

 

[Ryker]

I don't like what he's bringing this year, either. He grew on me last year, when he drew a lot of penalties and played well enough in other aspects of the game to deserve a spot on the fourth line. He's slowly dismantling all of that this year. He still makes a decent amount of good hits and does backcheck quite nicely at times, though, so I wouldn't say he's totally useless. And yeah, he's damn fast. But seeing VandeVelde play in those past couple of games, I'd definitely go with him over Rinaldo, since he brings all of that and more. I'm not too hot on McGinn, though. He can finish plays, no doubt, but he's worse in other aspects and with can't-stickhandle-for-crap Hall on that line, he's not going to get the chance to get that odd point.

 

[Jack Straw]

I don't like what he's bringing this year, either. He grew on me last year, when he drew a lot of penalties and played well enough in other aspects of the game to deserve a spot on the fourth line. He's slowly dismantling all of that this year. He still makes a decent amount of good hits and does backcheck quite nicely at times, though, so I wouldn't say he's totally useless. And yeah, he's damn fast. ...

I'd give him credit for that too. He does back check pretty well and occasionally comes up with a key play defensively.

 

[BillyShoe1721]

Statistically, he's the least disciplined player in the league. It was debatable how much his hits could actually have an impact on the game, but there was at least an argument he was being effective with the hits last year. This year, I can't remember one bone crunching hit he's thrown.

http://thehockeywriters.com/video-regression-zac-rinaldo/

 

[Beef Invictus]

I'd give him credit for that too. He does back check pretty well and occasionally comes up with a key play defensively.

Occasionally coming up with key plays isn't enough to counter all the negatives.

 

[Flyerfan4life]

that top 10 video made my day..

Zac attack...

 

[GKJ]

im not a stats guy...

im a watching what someones doing on the ice game in game out.

Advanced stats (just like box stats) is recorded data taken from watching what someone's doing on the ice game in and game out.


Everyone knows you're Rinaldo fanboy, but you can't discredit the data taken from watching the games (often over and over again) because it doesn't say what you want it to.

Zac plays a very important role on our club in my view.......it takes a bunch of different type players to make a team .

What important role is he taking? Because every time the team has tried to give him a bigger role, he hasn't been able to deliver, and the Flyers have slipped into constant mediocrity.


It's easy to say "well, he's just a 4th liner, it doesn't really matter," because yes it does. Chicago had 19 skaters average more than 10:00 TOI/G in the playoffs last year, which is more than a full roster. The Flyers have 2 guys they're scared to death to give more than 7.

Damaged Goods, to answer your question, he keeps getting a pass because people think it's ok to have no-talent hacks on the 4th line since fighting and hitting and intimidating wins games

 

[Jack Straw]

Occasionally coming up with key plays isn't enough to counter all the negatives.

Agreed. The occasional nice back check does not get you a roster spot.

 

[Broad Street Elite]

There is no player I have more confidence in to put his team down a man at a critical juncture of the game. I hate that he's on the team and in the organization.

The ability to hit and skate is fine, but when you constantly put your team in a bad spot, can't play sound defense and can't score... gtfo. I hate that the Flyers feel this organizational need to sacrifice skill for toughness. Find tough skilled players or just skilled players.... whatever.

/rant.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

it all goes back to me of what I have said before. I would rather have a team that can roll 4 lines then have players like Rinaldo and Rosehill around.
I really dont see what anyone in the organization sees in Rinaldo and Rosehill. they have brought literally nothing to the team this season.

 

[3Fs]

Reason they are here is to balance things out. If we just had all skilled players, other teams would just beat the snot out of us. Then we all would be crying how we have no toughness and are just a bunch of skilled school kids with no heart. you remember the good old days when Shawn Antoski was the only tough guy we had and a middle weight at that. He was getting the crap kicked out of himself and dudes knuckles were so messed up from fighting sticking up for his teammates, he couldnt hold a stick right. Do you remember those days of us getting pushed around like a bunch of rag dolls...I dont want that again..Just saying.

 

[DeflatedFootball7]

I was impressed with Rinaldo last year. He was great. This year he's just about as useful as a slinky.

The regression really surprises me since the refs were starting to like him last year. Not sure what happened.

In any case I'd rather have Rosehill right now since he can at least fight. Rinaldo doesn't seem to want to do that anymore.

 

[GKJ]

Reason they are here is to balance things out. If we just had all skilled players, other teams would just beat the snot out of us. Then we all would be crying how we have no toughness and are just a bunch of skilled school kids with no heart. you remember the good old days when Shawn Antoski was the only tough guy we had and a middle weight at that. He was getting the crap kicked out of himself and dudes knuckles were so messed up from fighting sticking up for his teammates, he couldnt hold a stick right. Do you remember those days of us getting pushed around like a bunch of rag dolls...I dont want that again..Just saying.

Shawn Antoski played in a different NHL.

 

[Appleyard]

The forward group when fit should really be something like:

Raffl-Giroux-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Downie
Schenn-Lecavalier-Simmonds
Hartnell-Hall-VandeVelde

PK:

Couturier-Read
Hall-Raffl
VandeVelde-Giroux

I mean... that is four lines that can all play hockey. And 3 very good PK units that can alternate and not get tired due to the incessant penalty taking.

Is the 3rd EV line a bit of a defensive liability? Yes... but they should get the easy matchups to mitigate that.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Reason they are here is to balance things out. If we just had all skilled players, other teams would just beat the snot out of us. Then we all would be crying how we have no toughness and are just a bunch of skilled school kids with no heart. you remember the good old days when Shawn Antoski was the only tough guy we had and a middle weight at that. He was getting the crap kicked out of himself and dudes knuckles were so messed up from fighting sticking up for his teammates, he couldnt hold a stick right. Do you remember those days of us getting pushed around like a bunch of rag dolls...I dont want that again..Just saying.

not buying it. The Flyers have plenty of grit and toughness. its not like they have a small team and guys like Rinaldo and Rosehill balance that out. Hartnell,Simmonds,Downie can more then deal with the stupid from the opposition. Brayden Schenn can drop em if needed as well.

 

[Damaged Goods]

Reason they are here is to balance things out. If we just had all skilled players, other teams would just beat the snot out of us. Then we all would be crying how we have no toughness and are just a bunch of skilled school kids with no heart. you remember the good old days when Shawn Antoski was the only tough guy we had and a middle weight at that. He was getting the crap kicked out of himself and dudes knuckles were so messed up from fighting sticking up for his teammates, he couldnt hold a stick right. Do you remember those days of us getting pushed around like a bunch of rag dolls...I dont want that again..Just saying.

No we wouldn't. 53 out of 60 minutes Zac Rinaldo is sitting on the bench and 60 out of 60 Jay Rosehill is sitting in the press box. The sky will not fall if we get rid of the dead weight. There are a growing number of NHL teams who are opting out of this backwards thinking.

Hartnell, Simmonds, Downie, Schenn are tough. Voracek, Couturier, Raffl, Lecavalier, Grossmann and Coburn are all big enough not to be pushed around. And when is the last time you saw "little guys" like Giroux, Read or Timonen get intimidated by anyone on NHL ice? There are enough tall, heavy or edgy players on the team without resorting to useless plugs.

It's time to grow up and stop being afraid of what would happen if we didn't have our safety blankie Zac Rinaldo. There are plenty of bigger, tougher guys on this team anyway.

 

[GKJ]

It's time to grow up and stop being afraid of what would happen if we didn't have our safety blankie Zac Rinaldo. There are plenty of bigger, tougher guys on this team anyway.

Probably wouldn't have both Sedins trying to push Scott Hartnell into the bench.


Oh wait, that still happened

 

[SgtJoseph*]

Reason they are here is to balance things out. If we just had all skilled players, other teams would just beat the snot out of us. Then we all would be crying how we have no toughness and are just a bunch of skilled school kids with no heart. you remember the good old days when Shawn Antoski was the only tough guy we had and a middle weight at that. He was getting the crap kicked out of himself and dudes knuckles were so messed up from fighting sticking up for his teammates, he couldnt hold a stick right. Do you remember those days of us getting pushed around like a bunch of rag dolls...I dont want that again..Just saying.

Thank you for bringing some common sense to this thread ! We have folks who want Rosehill gone, Harts gone, Zac gone etc...........All for a sexy skating team with no real muscle, brawn, and a tough hard edge that is more important than many of the new age timid type fans on here realize !
There was an old slogan we had on our uniform patches back when i worked the SR-71 at Beale AFB back in the late 70s.......PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH . We would get our a$$es kicked with out a few gritty guys coach can have in his arsenal when needed....Boston, Kings, etc etc .

 

[Beef Invictus]

Thank you for bringing some common sense to this thread ! We have folks who want Rosehill gone, Harts gone, Zac gone etc...........All for a sexy skating team with no real muscle, brawn, and a tough hard edge that is more important than many of the new age timid type fans on here realize !
There was an old slogan we had on our uniform patches back when i worked the SR-71 at Beale AFB back in the late 70s.......PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH . We would get our a$$es kicked with out a few gritty guys coach can have in his arsenal when needed....Boston, Kings, etc etc .

Boston has tough players who aren't completely useless. The Flyers have tough players who happen to be completely useless, in Rosehill and Rinaldo. Hartnell has been in that category a disturbing amount as well.

Nobody here is saying "let's have a team of wimpy pushovers!" I have no idea why you're assuming that's the case. No...we're saying "let's not have terrible players on the roster."

Rosehill and Rinaldo are terrible players who do far more harm to the team than good. Those two aren't exactly The Hammer, kicking all of the ass and scoring 20 goals. They're black holes on offense who sometimes fight if someone else is willing to.

The idea that they prevent goonery is absolute nonsense too. They're on the bench 50+ minutes a game. How do you prevent on-ice events when you're never on the ice?

 

[SgtJoseph*]

Boston has tough players who aren't completely useless. The Flyers have tough players who happen to be completely useless, in Rosehill and Rinaldo. Hartnell has been in that category a disturbing amount as well.

Nobody here is saying "let's have a team of wimpy pushovers!" I have no idea why you're assuming that's the case. No...we're saying "let's not have terrible players on the roster."

Rosehill and Rinaldo are terrible players who do far more harm to the team than good.

Respectfully i disagree ! Last time i checked our club is on a helluva roll with the " terrible" players you mentioned ? Chemistry is a strange thing on a Hockey team, i would not mess with it for now......

 

[Beef Invictus]

Respectfully i disagree ! Last time i checked our club is on a helluva roll with the " terrible" players you mentioned ? Chemistry is a strange thing on a Hockey team, i would not mess with it for now......

Hartnell has stopped sucking for a bit, so that's helping; he's on the wrong side of his prime though, so extended suck-streaks are increasingly going to be the norm for him. Rinaldo has been a downright detriment and has had nothing to do with the success...if anything the team has done well despite his efforts. Rosehill has had even less to do with it.

 

[GKJ]

Thank you for bringing some common sense to this thread ! We have folks who want Rosehill gone, Harts gone, Zac gone etc...........All for a sexy skating team with no real muscle, brawn, and a tough hard edge that is more important than many of the new age timid type fans on here realize !

No, we don't want to have teams like the Blackhawks or Red Wings.

There was an old slogan we had on our uniform patches back when i worked the SR-71 at Beale AFB back in the late 70s.......PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH . We would get our a$$es kicked with out a few gritty guys coach can have in his arsenal when needed....Boston, Kings, etc etc .

This is 2014. We're not using transistor radios, typewriters, or 8-tracks either.