Random News, Notes, and Thoughts Thread

[jayc948]

Might as well create one...

So any idea on what the projected lineup will look like? Does Clarke have anything else up his sleeve? Are Gagne and Esche going to be able to be resigned?

[Brash_Fan]

I think they will put Forsberg on a line with Gagne & perhaps with Knuble on the right wing.
They only have 6 wingers signed so far & 6 centers. They need to bring in another couple of wingers.
Try to trade Desjardins for a decent 3 line winger.
They really need to sign Gagne.

One thing that kind of conncerns me though is that they don't have a pure goalscorer in the lineup. Gagne will hopefully score 30 goals, Forsberg 25, Knuble & Handzus around 20.
If Carter & Richards each score around 15 goals it will be very good too. ALong with Kapanen & Primeau

A good amount off players that are able to chip in. But the team don't have a pure scorer who can tallie 40 goals. Forsberg had Hejduk on his side in AVS.

[8BostonRocker24]

Originally Posted by Brash_Fan

They really need to sign Gagne.

One thing that kind of conncerns me though is that they don't have a pure goalscorer in the lineup.

IMO, Gagne is going to have a monster season IF he's paired with Forsberg. Maybe (like you said) drop Knuble on the same line. To add some size. Philly is going to love this guy, He's not a scorer, But he plants himself in front of the net and does not move. There isn't a Defense out there that can remove him from the front of the net, and he is the NHL's best garbage goal scorer. He'll redirect shots, and put rebounds in.

[Brash_Fan]

Originally Posted by 8BostonRocker24

Knuble on the same line. To add some size. Philly is going to love this guy, He's not a scorer, But he plants himself in front of the net and does not move. There isn't a Defense out there that can remove him from the front of the net, and he is the NHL's best garbage goal scorer. He'll redirect shots, and put rebounds in.

Knuble led the Swedish elite league in goals this past season, 26 goals in 49 games. So he definatley have scoring ability. I think that if he's on this line he will be able to score 30 goals.

[Brash_Fan]

Goalies:
Esche
Niittymaki

Defense:
Hatcher
Rathje
Johnsson
Therien
Seidenberg
Desjardins
Pitkanen

Centers:
Sharp
Carter
Richards
Forsberg
Primeau
Handzus

Right wings:
Radivojevic
Knuble
Kapanen
Stevenson

Left wings:
Sim
Gagne
Brashear

[Brash_Fan]

Will be interesting to see how they form their lines. Here's my predictions...

Gagne-Forsberg-Knuble
Handzus-Carter-Kapanen
Sharp-Richards-Radivojevic
Brashear-Primeau-Stevenson

Johnsson-Rathje
Hatcher-Pitkanen
Therien-Desjardins

Extra's:
Seidenberg
Sim

[8BostonRocker24]

Originally Posted by Brash_Fan

Gagne-Forsberg-Knuble
Handzus-Carter-Kapanen
Sharp-Richards-Radivojevic
Brashear-Primeau-Stevenson

Gagne-Forsberg-Knuble
Handzus-Carter-Kapanen
Sharpe-Primeau-Radivojevic
Brash-Richards-Stevenson

IMO, Keith Primeau will center the 3rd line and his line will sent out there night in and night out to shut down other team's top line.
I could also see both Carter and Richards getting time with the second line.

[jayc948]

I'll take a stab at it...

Forwards-
Gagne-Forsberg-Knuble
Radivojevic-Handzus-Kapanen
Richards-Carter-Sharp
Brashear-Primeau-Stevenson

Defense-
Hatcher-Desjardins
Johnsson-Pitkanen
Rathje-Therien

Extras-
Seidenberg
Sim

Goalies-
Esche
Nittyimaki

[paxtang]

Two people putting Primeau on the 4th line? Come on guys.

[jayc948]

Originally Posted by paxtang

Two people putting Primeau on the 4th line? Come on guys.

It's not a knock on his ability at all. It's where I think he would be the most effective, going out and shutting down the other team's top line night after night. Granted I should re-think his linemates if I'm putting him on the 4th line...

[paxtang]

You don't go out and shut the other team's top line out on the 4th line. The 4th line shouldn't get more than 8 minutes a game, otherwise you are taking way to much time away from your scoring lines. Primeau is the 3rd line center, that's written in stone, and I'd put big money on Kapanen as one of his wingers. Who else is there is a toss up, but you can book those two things. IMO, from everyting Hitch has said, his history of taking it slow with rookies, and the fact that he can play the role great has me thinking that Richards at least starts as the 4th line center.

4th line isn't a shut down line. It's an energy line.

[Brash_Fan]

Primeau have been playing wih Brash on the "4th line" before and they have been out there mostly against the other teams top lines. So maybe they will be listed as the 4th line but actually they will log more icetime than then 3rd one. It all depends on the outcome of the games. We'll see.

[paxtang]

Primeau never plays on the 4th line unless he is double shifiting.

[jayc948]

The Philadelphia Flyers have locked up a key part of their roster for next season, signing forward Simon Gagne to a one-year deal worth $2 million US.

The deal is about $25,000 US more than the qualifying offer that was extended to him last month.

Gagne, 25, has been a mainstay with the Flyers since the team selected him 22nd overall in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.

He has 113 goals and 245 points in 354 career games.

In 2003-04, Gagne scored 45 points in 80 games and helped lead the Flyers to the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

His best season thus far came in 2001-2002, when he led the Flyers with 33 goals and finished second in team scoring with 66 points. Gagne was also selected to Canada's men's Olympic hockey team that year and helped lead the red and white to a gold medal in Salt Lake City.

[Brash_Fan]

Good signing, let's hope he will hae a super year on Forsberg's side.