Akeson has to clear waivers to get sent back down to the AHL. I would imagine someone would take a flyer on him & put a claim for him.
Laughton looking like he made the team & Raffl coming back from injury we really have no where to put him. I would imagine Akeson isn't on the roster much longer, I think once Laughton solidifies his spot fully & VV comes back from injury the situation will be resolved. Laughton will take a regular spot in the lineup & VV will be an extra foward.
I don't agree with that. I think the notion that your fourth line needs to be populated by big-body grinder types is one of the litany hockey perceptions that has not much basis in reality but persists because it's become so engrained in hockey culture over time. Akeson in a fourth line role (with guys like Bellemarre, not Rinaldo) can be a useful presence, imo.What's the point in keeping him up just to healthy scratch him or play him on the fourth line which everyone admits is somewhere he doesn't fit?
I don't agree with that. I think the notion that your fourth line needs to be populated by big-body grinder types is one of the litany hockey perceptions that has not much basis in reality but persists because it's become so engrained in hockey culture over time. Akeson in a fourth line role (with guys like Bellemarre, not Rinaldo) can be a useful presence, imo.
Of course, it's moot because our fourth line will never not have a Rinaldo type on it.
I don't agree with that. I think the notion that your fourth line needs to be populated by big-body grinder types is one of the litany hockey perceptions that has not much basis in reality but persists because it's become so engrained in hockey culture over time. Akeson in a fourth line role (with guys like Bellemarre, not Rinaldo) can be a useful presence, imo.
Of course, it's moot because our fourth line will never not have a Rinaldo type on it.
Then let him go through waivers. What's the point in keeping him up just to healthy scratch him or play him on the fourth line which everyone admits is somewhere he doesn't fit? If he's as useless as some seem to believe it's no loss. Like I said, it's the least efficient use of the player possible.
Also, Laughton didn't get played until the last few games and Raffl has been injured for a while. Akeson hasn't had a shot at anything for most of the season.
That's not really what I said. A fourth line can be useful defensively or have great forechecking ability or players of the enforcing mold or some combination of any traits. Akeson is a skill player though. He doesn't PK or hit or fight or win board battles or play stellar D. He's got good hands and an offensive skill-set. So either let him provide great scoring in the AHL and help our prospects develop or give him an actual shot at where he can potentially produce in an NHL lineup. Healthy scratching him or playing him on the fourth line is a pure waste of a player asset and contract.
Our fourth line is also populated with the likes of Rinaldo or VandeVelde on any given night. So putting anyone there who has greater skill then a fourth liner like PEB or Akeson or Laughton is a waste and a mismatch.
I'm not saying fourth lines have to be one way or another. It's well known that Akeson is a skill player though, if anything and unless you're an extremely deep team you're not going to have players like that on your fourth line. Even in our SC final year our fourth line was Lappy-Betts-Powe. It's also well known what our bottom six looks like. Hell, Akeson isn't even playing sometimes. On any given night I wouldn't be surprised to see him a healthy scratch.
How are you defining Rinaldo-types? Because there are players like him who are actually good, and then there is what the Flyers think Rinaldo is.
Well VV's injured right now so they need to carry an extra forward on the road. I would also imagine they're trying to see if there's a market for him so they can get something for before possibly giving him up for nothing. I mean someone gave a third round pick for McGinn so there could be a market for him.
He was a bad fit & a bubble player on this team from the start Simmonds, Read, Schenn, & Raffl are all better top 6 options. If Laughton stays up which looks like he is he moves Vinny out of center & on to the wing. Unforunately Vinny & Umberger are here to stay the best we can do is just minimize their role which Berube does a bad job at. Rinaldo's here to stay the organization & Berube love him so it's a waste of air complaining about that at this juncture.
We have 14 forwards right now & somebody has to go. Akeson likely has more value than VV while VV's probably a better fit as an extra forward since he can at least be a decent defensive player on the 4th line while someone like Bellemare or someone else can move of the lineup.
The lineup Berube put out tonight is probably the best we could considering the circumstances with Vinny & Umberger but we'll see if he actually sticks with it.
I just don't really see the point in complaining about Akeson, being PP specialist really doesn't make him much of a useful player. I would imagine when VV gets healthy he won't be on the roster anymore which I really don't see much of an issue with.
VV was healthy for a while and Berube preferred healthy scratching to doing anything with him.
If you think it's about the quality of Akeson as a player then you're missing the point entirely. It's about putting players in the best positions to succeed and being efficient with your personnel. Berube doesn't do either. Akeson is just one of many examples of that. Let him contribute scoring to your AHL team and help grow your prospects or give him a shot on a role with the NHL team that actually fits his skill-set. Letting him just rot on the fourth line or as a healthy scratch is pointless and an inefficient waste. That's a pattern with Berube, not just in regards to Akeson.
Ok so we fire Berube. Who do we hire and why does their system benefit the team?
Seriously question I wonder how many of you can even answer it.
Unskilled players. Perhaps I was being too critical of unskilled players by calling them Rinaldo-types?
Ok so we fire Berube. Who do we hire and why does their system benefit the team?
Seriously question I wonder how many of you can even answer it.
Ok so we fire Berube. Who do we hire and why does their system benefit the team?
Seriously question I wonder how many of you can even answer it.
I rather just ride it out with Berube & hit the reset button in the offseason. We'll get a better selection of coaches as well as more time time to to do a thorough search in the offseason. The silver lining is that Berube is likely driving this team into the lottery.
Go after Babcock? I'd dig it. I like his like possession center lock system.
Unrelated to our current coaching problem, I wonder if one day Timonen ends up as an assistant coach. Seems like the kind of player who could end up as a coach after retiring.