Posted: Friday, January 29, 2010, 3:10 PM | 21 comments |
 

What's my line?
options
 

  If the Flyers are going to become a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, they need their top-6 forwards to step up. Quickly.

  With that in mind, coach Peter Laviolette  made a minor line change at Friday's practice, trying to jump-start his top two lines.

   Scott Hartnell and Darroll Powe changed lines. Hartnell went to right wing on Mike Richards' unit, and Powe moved to left wing on Jeff Carter's line.

    Five forwards on the first two lines _ Hartnell, Simon Gagne, Danny Briere, Richards and Powe _ are struggling mightily. (Read more about it in Saturday's Inquirer.) Carter is the lone top-6 forward who has been productive lately.

   Laviolette also said goalie Ray Emery would get his seventh straight start Saturday when the Flyers face the visiting New York Islanders at 1 p.m. Emery is 3-3 with a 2.69 GAA since returning from an abdominal injury.

* * * * * * * * * * 

   Nobody asked me, but....

   Speaking of lines, as this space has suggested before, I would take a look at a French Connection unit that has Claude Giroux centering Briere and Gagne. On the second line, I'd see if Richards centering Hartnell and Carter worked. Third line: JVR-Powe-Asham. Fourth line: Carcillo-Betts-Laperriere.

   Carcillo, Betts and JVR lead the Flyers' forwards in the plus-minus ratings; each is plus-6.

   What are your suggestions for the best line combinations?

 
Posted by Sam Carchidi @ 3:10 PM  Permalink | 21 comments
21
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:23 PM, 01/29/2010
    What about trading Hartnell, the guy has done nothin all year and maybe a change of scenery would help both parties. Looking back at the bone headed moves Holmgren has made? How great would Upshall, Umberger look on that third line and Jones on defense. Yeah yeah, salary cap, but you dont give up speed and scoring, you make your cap work when you have assets like the guys that were given away.
    — Fabulous
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:50 PM, 01/29/2010
    the flyers have third and fourth lines that are the envy of every team in the NHL. the problem is the top two lines are terribly overpaid and horribly under productive. did mike richards even play against atlanta last night? i sure didnt notice him. same for gagne and carter. the only reason i noticed briere or hartnell was because of the hands of stone and the bone head penalties. last night made me sick and i would trade anyone off our top two lines. i truly thought this team was coming together and playing more consistent. last night proved me wrong. this team is as about as exciting and talented as plain toast.
    — canflyfan
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:53 PM, 01/29/2010
    How about 'no trade clause' because that is what Hartell has. He's not going agree to go anywhere unless the Flyers decide they're sellers and he agrees to move along.
    — pizano13
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:04 PM, 01/29/2010
    Flyers just seem to have slightly mismatched forwards, any way you slice them up. Powe seems better suited to be a 3rd line center, with Asham on the wing - but who else? I don't think JVR is a great fit with those two and I'd like to see him stay with Giroux as they may be playing alongside each other for a long time. JVR is a good passer with good vision and needs some finesse players to compliment him (see last night's goal when he started 2-on-1 w/ Giroux to Asham) I don't mind Hartnell-Richie-Carter, as Carter just seems well-suited to play wing, but then either Briere or Gagne has to dip down to 3rd line and neither is a great fit there. I like either one on a line with Giroux but not both; Powe seems a poor fit as winger on the top 2 lines. What about JVR-Giroux-Carter? 'JVR chips it out to Giroux... Giroux dances by the defenseman... leaves the puck for Carter... JVR in front of the net... Carter fires the wrister... SCOOORES!' Then Gagne-Richie-Briere - lots of speed, can play in the corners, mix of finesse (gags and briere) and backchecking (richie and gags) and Hartnell-Powe-Asham as a physical, forechecking line that can also score once in a while. If they could trade two forwards for one better (Gags/Briere/Coburn for Iginla and Phaneuf? Riiiiiight....) I'd like to see Carcillo on a 3rd line with Powe and Asham, then you could plug Pyorala in as a checking 4th-line winger. Also, anybody ever consider Carter playing on the LEFT side? I know its his offwing but man, with that wrister/snapshot... that's where he loves to set up on the PP...
    — Busty St.Claire
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:50 PM, 01/29/2010
    You don't touch the 3rd/4th lines. They're producing consistently and really beginning to enjoy playing with each other. Far as the top 2 go...try EVERYthing. Richie/Carter/Briere might be fun but would lack a net presence. Giroux/Hartnell/Gagne would probably be very productive though in that scenario. I'm with the others though who think it might be time to move hartnell or gagne. Hartnell has been awful all year and is miscast in Knuble's old role. I love Gags but he doesn't look great either and could probably get some value in return.
    — thomaspfoolery
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:36 PM, 01/29/2010
    Claude needs to be in the middle and needs skilled somewhat permanent linemates who can learn his traits and take advantage of his fantastic vision and puck skills. Give him JVR and move Carts to the other wing and fill in the gaps on the other scoring line. Briere should be the top center on whatever team will take his contract that we can convince him to waive his non-movement clause.
    — GNIKGNARLY
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:38 PM, 01/29/2010
    Scott Harntell is a bad 2nd line player but a good 3rd line player. Meaning the Flyers need another skilled forward to put people in their proper roles.
    — bobbyd24
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:41 PM, 01/29/2010
    Fabulous, did you really say "how great would they look in the 3rd line with Jones on defense"? You have a serious case of amnesia about Randy Jones' play, not to mention his salary.
    — duffers
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:53 PM, 01/29/2010
    As or the line combos, well, let's just say I look forward to reading your column Sam about the under-performing "big boys". Richards is so out of whack. He seems to be about 2 seconds off in his decision making whenever he's in the offensive zone. Gagne is what he usually is- timid. Hartnell honestly hurts this team more than he helps it, which is very rare. Briere is the most invisible 6.5 mill player in hockey. Powe is more of a 3rd/4th liner not making much anyway, so it's hard to fault him. At least Laviollette seems to have the marbles to let them know where they stand and what's expected. You have to think he's gotten through to Holmgren about the performance of some of these guys.
    — duffers
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:56 PM, 01/29/2010
    Get rid of Gagne.
    — RUAngry
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:20 PM, 01/29/2010
    all i can say is dont break up the third or fourth lines. JVR-Ash-Giroux and Betts-Lappy-carcillo are the best lines we have going now. between the top two lines there is enough talent (and salary) that they should just shuffle between those lines to find the right combo
    — dnewpher
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:18 PM, 01/29/2010
    Here's a good line: Panaccio, Servalli, and anyone else except Carchidi.
    — UncleEddie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:35 PM, 01/29/2010
    Whatever the line combos, I hope they figure it out soon. It seems that everything they try ends up as a very inconsistent combination. Maybe they're just an inconsistent (not very good) team. I hope I'm wrong, but I just wonder if this team has what it takes to be champions. I suspect we'll find out a lot about this team over the next few months - good or bad.
    — FunkyA
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:02 PM, 01/29/2010
    Ahhh yes. The lovefest for Upshall continues...and Umberger, who has been a significantly minus player since he left Philly. Who else? Oooooh, maybe we talk Primeau out of retirement and get Lindros to come back as a power play specialist!!! I love how people want to make moves just for the sake of making moves.
    — srf466


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About Sam Carchidi
Sam Carchidi is in his fourth year as the Flyers' beat reporter. He became an Inquirer staff writer in 1984 and covered mostly South Jersey high school sports and the Phillies before taking the Flyers beat.

Carchidi has written three books _ the nationally acclaimed Miracle in the Making: The Adam Taliaferro Story, which he co-authored with Scott Brown; Bill Campbell: The Voice of Philadelphia Sports; and Standing Tall: The Kevin Everett Story, which was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He also contributed to a 1993 Inquirer book on the Phillies.

A lifelong South Jersey resident, Carchidi lives in Wenonah with his wife, JoAnn, and their two children, Sara and Sammy.

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