Will Schenn's promotion hurt Couturier's growth?
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Will Schenn's promotion hurt Couturier's growth?
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Center Brayden Schenn, from all accounts, is going to be a quality NHL player.
But it’s fair to wonder if the Flyers promoted him too soon.
Not because of his ability, mind you. The 20-year-old center appears to be NHL-ready.
But I question the promotion if it means center Sean Couturier is only going to get about 10 minutes of ice time, as he did in Thursday’s 5-2 loss to undefeated Washington.
Schenn, recalled from Adirondack on Wednesday, was inserted onto the third line, between Jakub Voracek and Scott Hartnell.
That moved Couturier down from the third line to the fourth unit, where he centered Max Talbot and Andreas Nodl.
Couturier had been averaging nearly 15 minutes a game and had been one of the Flyers’ most pleasant surprises.
On Thursday, he played 10:09, including only 5:36 in even-strength situations.
Coach Peter Laviolette downplayed the development, attributing it to the fact the Flyers had to kill six power plays, which disrupted the rotation of their lines.
True, but the Flyers killed EIGHT power plays against the Kings last Saturday and Couturier still managed to play 14:13.
Any way you look at it, Couturier’s time will be greatly reduced if he stays on the fourth line. Is that good for the development of a fast-emerging 18-year-old?
Center is Couturier’s natural position, but the Flyers might be better-served putting Couturier _ who scored a goal late in Thursday’s loss _ at wing on the third line.
That might mean Scott Hartnell drops down to the fourth line. Yes, it’s an expensive spot for a $4.2 million winger, but Couturier’s development should be the priority.
Schenn was minus-3 on Thursday, but two of the goals Washington scored while he was on the ice were deflected off Flyers.
“I thought he had a strong game,” Laviolette said. “Sometimes the statistics are not a reflection of somebody’s game.”
You could argue that the Flyers would have been better-suited if they hadn’t recalled Schenn until (if) a top-nine forward was injured. Instead, they rolled the dice by scrambling three of their four lines.
Was it the right choice?
Give us your feedback.
* * *
Defenseman Kimmo Timonen injured his right hand blocking a shot and said he didn’t know if he would play Saturday. More will be known Friday….Schenn's line was minus-7.....Schenn won four of 11 faceoffs...The Flyers have allowed five or more goals in five of their last nine meetings with the Caps; they are 1-3-1 in those games…..James van Riemsdyk had seven shots and Jaromir Jagr had five…..Matt Carle and Andrej Meszaros each blocked five shots….The Flyers host St. Louis on Saturday night.
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It's pretty clear....Hartnell and Nodl have no place on this team. We are stuck with Hartnell, so move him to the 4th line and make him place a Rinaldo type game. I'm not sure if we can teach this old dog a new trick, however.— dave1walsh- Flyers lost, time for this dope and Tim Pistaschio to start questioning the C on Pronger.— spittooncj
- Novel idea trade Hartnell with his 4 million dollar cap hit...— sv1968
- With our team has it is we need to make at least 1 move maybe 2 Hartnel needs to go and Noel too Bring back rinaldo so we have a guy out there hitting hard! Asfor Shelly nice guy but too slow! Waive him as no one will trade for him! The 4.2 Cap relief willbe greart add Sheelys 1.1 andwe have spaceto maek a move come the trade deadline if we need too! 5.3 Million in cap space could sign one of our D-Man to a contract extention— srcdaddy1216
- Uuuuugggghhh!!! Can we let the kid play at least handful of games before you guys make the decision that he is an arrogant, ineffective prima dona. Give the kid a break by all accounts he took his demotion well and played hard for the Phantoms. It was the guy's first game in the NHL in quite some time and I thought he looked good. More physical than I expected and he is really strong on the puck. I think it will only get better with time. It was inevitable that Schenn was gong to be on this roster, they chose to insert him now (against a strong team)there is going to be an adjustment period.
I like Couturier as much as you do. Bottom line its October, its a long season and he's 18. If he continues to prove his worth he will be where he needs to be when the games count the most. The roster is going to undergo change to make room for Couturier over time is my guess and Talbot will end up centering the 4th line with Couturier in the top 9. If you want someone to pick on how about Briere (who's been invisible all season) or Hartnell (who certainly hasn't).— topley97 - "who's been invisible all season"--Really?! All six games of the season? He should be run out of town for him for not showing up all season long. Geez, you guys need to chill out and relax!
— Herdman - Never suggested running Briere out of town. I agree with your notion that everyone needs to relax. I was merely trying to point out it didn't make much sense to tear down a player who has played all of one game in a flyer uniform. BTW Briere has been pretty invisible all year. — topley97
- Briere has 3 points and a +3 in 6 games. Not the best on the team but certainly not the worst. — Herdman
- I think just as Couturier need to be in the nhl to develop, I thin Schenn is the same. A combination of youthful exuberance and veteran wisdom is what is going to win a cup. I think just as it seems every one else, that Hartnell is a waste of space and money. Rinaldo's energy and/or Shelley's leadership and fighting are also needed. Not a $4 million role player...thats all he is now. We have to face the facts that this is a younger faster league. Look at all players 20 years old and up and look at who the players are that make $4 million and up. Hartnell is non of them...— flyersrock08
- One of two things will happen in the very near future...they will either deal Hartnell back to Nashville or Couturier will be heading back to juniors.— beagle29
- Hartnell will not be dealt anywhere he does not want to go. He has a NTC. The best bets would be to move him down or buy out his contract. Both still cost $4.2 million. — Herdman
- No, but a -3 debut will probably hurt.— Billb91
- what should he have done on Hartnell's giveaway? stolen the puck before Hartnell could pass it to the other team in the slot? at least one of the others was an odd deflection. no one blames bryz for those kind of goals so don't blame the kid either.
he should be judged on his level of play which i thought was really good for his first NHL game in a while.
as said earlier writers have to sell papers, you don't have to buy into it. if both (schenn and couterier)develop into really good players aren't we better off? one shouldn't be more important than the other at this point.— topley97 - Is it too late for Hartnell to take skating lessons?
