No, Jett Luchanko shouldn’t make the Flyers this season
October 4, 2024
No, Jett Luchanko shouldn’t make the Flyers this season
15 comments
A 9 game trial can’t hurt if we want to give him a spin before sending him back to junior.
But burning an ELC year so he can be a fine 3C tomorrow will be a sign that little has changed with organizational philosophy. A team who has been plagued for years with shortsightedness, who is rebuilding in a short-sighted manner, now would be coincidentally finding an excuse to rush a 13th overall 18 year old to the NHL so they can improve the team ASAP.
gonna get Dainius Zubrus’d
I totally agree. What if we give him 9 games and by the end he’s leading the league in scoring though? I know that isnt going to happen, but what if he lights it up ?
I made this post 2 weeks ago. I still stand by it. He should not play this year.
We have two players on this team who need to be the focus of development this season, in Michkov and Drysdale. While I definitely would’ve been in favor of putting Luchanko on the team if he had banged down the door, that’s not what happened. He held his own for the most part, which is very impressive for a guy who is barely 18, but you don’t put a teenager on the roster simply because he played “good enough hockey” to hang with preseason NHL squads.
Let him thrive in the OHL this year and let the coaching staff focus on fixing Drysdale and maximizing Michkov’s potential. This is obviously a meaningless year in terms of competing for a Cup, so there’s no need to turn the 3C/4C role over to a guy who could develop into something much better if given the right path.
Briere needs to put his foot down with Tortorella and prioritize what is best for Luchanko in the long-term, not what is best for Torts’ 2024-25 Flyers.
Are the Flyers a Jett Luchanko away from competing for the Stanley Cup this season? No, they are not.
They are a few players away from competing for a Stanley Cup years down the road (hopefully).
Based on that, IMO, he goes back to Guelph. They want to give him a few games in the NHL, fine. But he goes back to Guelph this season and we can be optimistic about him coming back to the Flyers next year as well more than a 3C for them.
….who’s saying he should?
9 game tryout doesn’t change anything long term in his development. Let him experience 9 regular season games so he gets a sense, and send him back to juniors. It costs the Flyers nothing to let this happen.
He’s earned a 9 game tryout. But beyond that, yeah, I’d rather he hone his skills further playing big minutes in the OHL.
I have a stupid question, but can those nine games be broken up over the course of the season? Or does it have to be your ‘in for nine straight games’, then you’re back down?
I honestly believe fans are the only ones who think he should make the team. It makes for a good news cycle, but Luchenko was always going to go to Guelph. He’s played well enough to maybe earn a cup of coffee but I’d be stunned if the actual org intended to ever keep him.
He’s 18. He’s under desirable weight. We’d be burning an elc year on a non competing season. He needs more polish to be able to handle a top 6 center role. None of these are knocks on the kid. They’re just things he’ll develop with time. He’s already shown flashes. He’ll get here. But not this season, at least
Frankly unless the flyers with Michkov shock the world and suddenly become a contender, I personally doubt you see Jet next season either. He’s a long term project guy.
There’s not a realistic chance he makes the team for the full year – I don’t think that’s even on the table. I think the argument is whether or not he should get the 9 game tryout with regular season games under his belt.
With that in mind, the argument could be made that playing in those 9 regular season games will make it clearer to him what he needs to work on back with Guelph, while also giving him that reward after busting his ass all camp.
Personally, I’m torn on it. Like last year, he will easily be the best forward on his team (Guelph), and his linemates often can’t finish his chances or properly set him up – so how is he supposed to hone his offensive skills? Jett is in a unique conundrum with Guelph because, why make risky offensive plays that likely will lack finish only to then force yourself to backcheck and support your D men because you’re the only forward fast enough to help them pinch the guy going the other way? But the only way he turns the corner and becomes an impact top-of-the-lineup guy is if he gets those opportunities to score – he already gets plenty of opportunities to clean up his offense’s messes.
When you watch him play for Guelph (and at the World Juniors last year), you already saw this hesitancy to make plays in his game. His overly defensive posture, sometimes trying to support his D men too much instead of getting open once his D man wins a puck battle on his own. He needs to be able to trust his linemates more, and in Guelph, maybe he can’t. While supporting your D man too much isn’t a “bad habit” to fall into, it won’t help him get more offensive reps like the Flyers want.
He’s 18. Give him a minute to grow and gain experience without the weight of the world on his shoulders.
I look at it as this is exciting to have a guy drafted where he was already knocking on the door. Let him cook at Guelph and we know he isn’t a typical Flyers rookie at age 23. Don’t kill the mojo so young. I agreed with a lot in the article.
I don’t get everyone, I’m fine either way. If the staff feels he’s ready, what’s better than having an NHL coach, NHL training facilities, practicing constantly with NHL players, NHL games, etc… sounds like a great way to develop, even if you have ups and downs.
15 comments
A 9 game trial can’t hurt if we want to give him a spin before sending him back to junior.
But burning an ELC year so he can be a fine 3C tomorrow will be a sign that little has changed with organizational philosophy. A team who has been plagued for years with shortsightedness, who is rebuilding in a short-sighted manner, now would be coincidentally finding an excuse to rush a 13th overall 18 year old to the NHL so they can improve the team ASAP.
gonna get Dainius Zubrus’d
I totally agree. What if we give him 9 games and by the end he’s leading the league in scoring though? I know that isnt going to happen, but what if he lights it up ?
I made this post 2 weeks ago. I still stand by it. He should not play this year.
We have two players on this team who need to be the focus of development this season, in Michkov and Drysdale. While I definitely would’ve been in favor of putting Luchanko on the team if he had banged down the door, that’s not what happened. He held his own for the most part, which is very impressive for a guy who is barely 18, but you don’t put a teenager on the roster simply because he played “good enough hockey” to hang with preseason NHL squads.
Let him thrive in the OHL this year and let the coaching staff focus on fixing Drysdale and maximizing Michkov’s potential. This is obviously a meaningless year in terms of competing for a Cup, so there’s no need to turn the 3C/4C role over to a guy who could develop into something much better if given the right path.
Briere needs to put his foot down with Tortorella and prioritize what is best for Luchanko in the long-term, not what is best for Torts’ 2024-25 Flyers.
Are the Flyers a Jett Luchanko away from competing for the Stanley Cup this season? No, they are not.
They are a few players away from competing for a Stanley Cup years down the road (hopefully).
Based on that, IMO, he goes back to Guelph. They want to give him a few games in the NHL, fine. But he goes back to Guelph this season and we can be optimistic about him coming back to the Flyers next year as well more than a 3C for them.
….who’s saying he should?
9 game tryout doesn’t change anything long term in his development. Let him experience 9 regular season games so he gets a sense, and send him back to juniors. It costs the Flyers nothing to let this happen.
He’s earned a 9 game tryout. But beyond that, yeah, I’d rather he hone his skills further playing big minutes in the OHL.
I have a stupid question, but can those nine games be broken up over the course of the season? Or does it have to be your ‘in for nine straight games’, then you’re back down?
I honestly believe fans are the only ones who think he should make the team. It makes for a good news cycle, but Luchenko was always going to go to Guelph. He’s played well enough to maybe earn a cup of coffee but I’d be stunned if the actual org intended to ever keep him.
He’s 18. He’s under desirable weight. We’d be burning an elc year on a non competing season. He needs more polish to be able to handle a top 6 center role. None of these are knocks on the kid. They’re just things he’ll develop with time. He’s already shown flashes. He’ll get here. But not this season, at least
Frankly unless the flyers with Michkov shock the world and suddenly become a contender, I personally doubt you see Jet next season either. He’s a long term project guy.
There’s not a realistic chance he makes the team for the full year – I don’t think that’s even on the table. I think the argument is whether or not he should get the 9 game tryout with regular season games under his belt.
With that in mind, the argument could be made that playing in those 9 regular season games will make it clearer to him what he needs to work on back with Guelph, while also giving him that reward after busting his ass all camp.
Personally, I’m torn on it. Like last year, he will easily be the best forward on his team (Guelph), and his linemates often can’t finish his chances or properly set him up – so how is he supposed to hone his offensive skills? Jett is in a unique conundrum with Guelph because, why make risky offensive plays that likely will lack finish only to then force yourself to backcheck and support your D men because you’re the only forward fast enough to help them pinch the guy going the other way? But the only way he turns the corner and becomes an impact top-of-the-lineup guy is if he gets those opportunities to score – he already gets plenty of opportunities to clean up his offense’s messes.
When you watch him play for Guelph (and at the World Juniors last year), you already saw this hesitancy to make plays in his game. His overly defensive posture, sometimes trying to support his D men too much instead of getting open once his D man wins a puck battle on his own. He needs to be able to trust his linemates more, and in Guelph, maybe he can’t. While supporting your D man too much isn’t a “bad habit” to fall into, it won’t help him get more offensive reps like the Flyers want.
He’s 18. Give him a minute to grow and gain experience without the weight of the world on his shoulders.
I look at it as this is exciting to have a guy drafted where he was already knocking on the door. Let him cook at Guelph and we know he isn’t a typical Flyers rookie at age 23. Don’t kill the mojo so young. I agreed with a lot in the article.
I don’t get everyone, I’m fine either way. If the staff feels he’s ready, what’s better than having an NHL coach, NHL training facilities, practicing constantly with NHL players, NHL games, etc… sounds like a great way to develop, even if you have ups and downs.