Many Wings Could Take Flight For Flyers

by Ben Rothenberg on Sep 7, 2009 5:34 AM EDT in Features

Dearly departed winger Mike Knuble. Photo via thephillyphour.files.wordpress.com

(If you didn't roll your eyes at that title, you may want to check your pulse).

As Sam Carchidi points out in today's Inquirer, the Flyers had several wings clipped during this off-season. The departures of both Joffrey Lupul and Mike Knuble, plus the acquisition of Ian Laperriere, left the Flyers with too many centers and too few wings. While the desired wing-center ratio for a team should be something close to 2-to-1, the Flyers starting roster is much closer to 1-to-1.

While Carchidi's article focuses on finding wings to add to the roster through rookie camp, it seems to me that the simpler solution would be to find a current center to move to wing. While the duties of a center and winger are not identical, the basic gist of both positions is to score goals. There is less of an emphasis on both defense and play-making for wings, but speed is more of a plus.

With those factors in mind, which potential top-three line center for the Flyers do you think would be able to be the most effective if moved to the wing? Explain your vote in the comments.

Poll

Which Flyers center would be most effective if moved to the wing?

Daniel Briere

348 votes

Jeff Carter

97 votes

Ian Laperriere

33 votes

Mike Richards

8 votes

486 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Carter

They tried moving carter to the wing his rookie year so he could play with peter the great and it did not work briere is the only option of this list im not sure why giroux isnt listed here he should be on carters wing

by Eric10689 on Sep 7, 2009 10:37 AM EDT reply actions

The only real option is Briere. He has played there with some effectiveness already for the Flyers. With his size he could get lost outside the action real easily and be waiting for the slam dunk on the side of the net like just about all his PPGs have been since he got here. It is really not in the Flyers philosophy to have smaller guys at center to begin with.

Carter is a center and I wouldn’t touch him. Richards might be able to move over to the wing, I just can’t envision it.

I can’t say I have follow Laperriere’s career too terribly much since I don’t pay attention to the west coast’s B-list players too often. Although full disclosure: I though Laperriere was a right winger when they signed him.

by ic0n67 on Sep 7, 2009 11:00 AM EDT reply actions

Briere

Briere is the only option from the listed players. The game has changed and a speedy/sniper winger is needed. Briere would fit that role very well. Like was stated above, I dont know about Lapperrieres’ abillities very well. I think a lot of people are expecting him to have Lupols abilities. I think he’s more comparable (in stats) to Carsillo. Please correct me if I am wrong as I am really not sure of either players abilities other than what Carsillo showed in the few games he played with the team last year.

by craiger6 on Sep 7, 2009 11:45 AM EDT reply actions

I don’t think anyone’s expecting Lappy to have Lupul’s scoring skill, because he doesn’t, and that’s not why he was signed. His career stats show that. Based on the forwards he’s going to be playing with and the role he’s going to be in, I think it’s probably fair to expect around 10-15 goals and certainly more than 19 points. But that’s not how he’s going to be judged, because that’s not type of player he is, and if you watch his press conference, he made it very clear — he doesn’t expect to be the one scoring the big goal or making the big pass. He does the things that go unnoticed, but are just as important: he’ll block a big shot that most of other players won’t, he won’t back down in the corner, he’ll stick up for his teammates, or whatever he needs to do for the team to win. He’s a leader (wore an A in Colorado), and he along with Pronger will make sure that the team does not give up 5 straight goals in a potential elimination game at home. That type of person was more needed than another 20-30 goal scorer.

Carcillo, on the other hand … who knows. Maybe he’ll score more than one goal every 24 games and maybe he won’t. The tryout of Mark Bell could ultimately result in Carcillo being pushed from the third line to the fourth line (and Riley Cote, who is now just following everything Carcillo does and has become even more useless, from the fourth line to the waiver wire).

Lappy > (Carcillo + Cote) * ∞

by Ben Feldman on Sep 7, 2009 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Mark Bell

A good point on Bell trying out. Whether or not he makes it, Cote should be shown the door. He does nothing well, one could he’s above average fighter. We have Pronger, Ahsam, Carcillo, Coburn, Lappy and Richie who can all drop em, so what is Cote doing here. WAIVER. I’d rather see Nodl, JVR, Maroon or some other youngster get a shot to prove his worth

by Crosby sucks on Sep 7, 2009 1:34 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks for your insites guys. I have a more clear understanding of Lappys abilities. I do agree that cote needs to go.

by craiger6 on Sep 7, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions

This post is wrong for so many reasons…

First off, he’s on a two way contract so they would never waive him.

Second, you really would rather see Pronger, Richards, Coburn, Asham, Carcillo, or even Lapperiere spending 5 minutes in the box? Your top Dman, your 1st line center, your second line forward, and what may well be the entire third line, that’s who you want sitting out all those fighting majors?

And of the three players you want to replace him with, Riley Cote this season is a better NHL player.

by MarioD on Sep 7, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

And of the three players you want to replace him with, Riley Cote this season is a better NHL player.

As of this writing, sure. But a lot can happen between now and October.

I understand wanting to keep around someone like Cote who has NHL experience, rather than a youngster who may be out of his league (pun partially intended) playing for the big club right now. However, if one of those younger guys impresses enough to get a shot at the regular season roster, Riley should be demoted for sure.

I think that Riley is like Lappy in that the things he does well go unnoticed. However, Riley’s assets are seen off the ice. I think he is a solid team guy and is well-liked, and I respected him a lot for helping out Sbisa last year. So there are good things he does which we don’t see.

However, we need to have the best possible hockey team we can. If Riley is part of the equation, then so be it. If not, I won’t be too surprised or disappointed – provided he loses his spot for the right reason.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Sep 7, 2009 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Totally agree. I was replying to the line “Cote should be shown the door.” Which I took as right now.

I don’t want to see Cote in the playoffs. The role he plays is diminished that time of year, and he becomes a wasted roster spot. However, from October to March, he’s a quality NHL guy.

Also, I forgot to mention the other ridiculous part of the original idea:

Salary hit for this season:

Cote – $550k
Nodl – ~$800k
JVR – $850k

I don’t know maroon’s cap hit.

by MarioD on Sep 8, 2009 2:28 AM EDT up reply actions

I think half the people who read this blog could play better than Cote. There have been many players who were on a team just to fight that ended up learning to play sometime during their career (Domi anyone …), but I can’t see that coming from Cote. Honestly I really don’t know how he made the team in the first place other than a hard fist and a harder skull.

On the notion of Pronger or Richards spending 5 minutes in the box:

First, that it Prongers game. Part of his mantra is that he is going to punish you and if that means dropping them then that means dropping them. He will get fights this year no denying that and I’d be okay with him doing so. If he were the only one who could fight on the team that is a problem, but as stated we have a shit load already. Also … he isn’t your #1 D, that honor still rests with Kimmo Timonen. Even with Pronger in the box there is a high quality person there to fill his space which is going to do even more to better his game knowing that he has someone at his back.

Also, Richards. Again if he were the only one there would be a problem, but there are times when your captain has to lead by example and if rallying the troops means pummeling whomever is causing problems then so be it.

I mean if i had to pick from a lineup someone to lose for 5 minutes, I’d pick the scrub like anyone else would, but there are certain times when your key players have to step up and lead by example and I’m okay with that.

by ic0n67 on Sep 8, 2009 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions

I think half the people who read this blog could play better than Cote.

I stopped reading right here.

by MarioD on Sep 8, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

The people have spoken pretty clearly here. Briere was certainly the player I had in mind when I wrote this, so job well done to the most of you who agreed with me ;)

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by Ben Rothenberg on Sep 8, 2009 5:59 AM EDT reply actions

Briere strikes me as more of a wing anyway – undersized, not a great defender, but fast and a guy that likes to crash the net from the angles. As a center, he ends up playing deeper in the offensive zone than I like, and he’s often unable to knock larger players off the puck in the open ice. As a wing, being deep in the zone is less of a liability, and he’ll often have the boards as a “second defender” to squeeze puckhandlers against. It’ll require a mental shift in play style, but Briere’s not a dummy.

"When you make your final stand
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe"

by The Dark on Sep 8, 2009 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions