Couturier or Schenn?

[RookieInsider]

With "Hartnell down" and out of Philly (Ha see what i did there). Who has a better chance at replacing him on the top line and PP? Who has shown like they could fight for that spot? Is there someone other then these 2 that could take that spot?

[Axeman33]

With "Hartnell down" and out of Philly (Ha see what i did there). Who has a better chance at replacing him on the top line and PP? Who has shown like they could fight for that spot? Is there someone other then these 2 that could take that spot?

Yes. Matt Read, Michael Raffl, Jason Akeson could all be serious candidates for that spot.

[CHunter]

Schenn is a good option....maybe they'll put Voracek down to the wing with Simmonds and Giroux and use Streit and Timmonen on the backend....

[The Bottlenecker]

Please let it be Couturier. When I traded for him in our keeper, the move was mocked by some of my fellow GM's and friends. This could spark the offensive part of his game that has been missing since joining the league.

[Happy Hour]

Gotta go Schenn here, at least until Couturier shows an offensive pulse

[Kabonov]

I think they will give Schenn another chance on top line. Couturier, I believe they are using him more of a defensive center.

[STLblues]

Top six appear to be Read-G-Vorucek and Schenn-Couturier-Simmonds to me, but you never know? Schenn has a real got chance at the top spot as well. I tried to trade for him in my league but the owner wants too much. I picked up a free Matt Read off wire instead.

[strider2k2]

According to FrozenPool the player not named Hartnell who played the most with Giroux/Voracek last regular season was Raffl (14.49% of Giroux's even strength ice time), followed by McGinn (2.69%) and Lecavalier (2.11%). In the playoffs it was more of the same with Raffl seeing the second most time with Giroux/Voracek after Hartnell (21.2% of Giroux's EVTOI), although Schenn saw the next most time (2.06%) followed by Rinaldo (1.69%). Interestingly, Read saw almost no time with Giroux/Voracek (.38% of Giroux's postseason and 1.35% of his regular season EVTOI). I'm sure some of this is because Berube didn't want to break up him and Couturier on the shutdown line, and you have to wonder if he'd be willing to do it next year now that they have Umberger. After looking at this I'm beginning to think that Raffl will be the frontrunner for the top line job, not Read.

[Fast Tony DeNiro]

Raffl played on that top line a lot last season, and did pretty well there. I actually think he'll get the first chance to play with G and Voracek.

Couturier is a center, and I think the Flyers still want Schenn to play that position as well. I know he's played wing quite a bit in Philly but now is the time to move him over to the middle full-time, especially if Lecavalier goes. I think it's between Raffl and Read to play on the top line at even strength, but Schenn could find his way onto the top PP unit for sure.