Last week I posted part one of what I’m calling the ‘Retrospective Scouting Report Series,’ where I pull old scouting reports on current Flyers players to see if they’ve lived up to them. The series is done in alphabetical order and excludes players who haven’t played at least three NHL seasons. Due up this week are captain Claude Giroux, defenseman Radko Gudas, and Vinny “Let’s Trade Him to Nashville” Lecavalier.
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Claude Giroux
Drafted: 22nd overall, 2006 (Philadelphia Flyers)
Career NHL stats: 144 goals, 306 assists, 450 points in 496 games
Scouting reports:
Mar 12, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux (28) in the game between the St. Louis Blues and the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
"Assets: Has electric moves, outstanding offensive creativity and smarts, as well as plenty of finishing skills. Is at his best with the puck on his stick. Has amazing hands, which he uses to lay soft passes on linemates’ sticks. Can play both center and wing. Dominates on special teams.Flaws: Doesn’t shoot the puck instinctively, so he tends to pass up quality scoring chances from time to time. Lacks ideal size to win corner battles at the highest level but is extremely courageous and resilient, and physical play doesn’t bother him. Will turn the puck over, since he has it so often.Career Potential: Elite playmaker with game-changing acumen."
"Giroux’s greatest talent is his playmaking ability. Boasting excellent hands and great vision, the diminutive winger is able to use his quick skating ability to turn something out of nothing. Giroux, despite his size disadvantage, does not mind getting his nose dirty, and will stand in to take a hit in order to make a play. He does get bodied often, but the shifty winger is agile enough to avoid checks on a regular basis."
Verdict: Here’s a fantastic article from Philly.com’s Rich Hofmann about how Claude Giroux came to be a Flyer. At times, the Philadelphia media can almost convince you Giroux is a bad captain, that he doesn’t score enough or care enough or talk enough about his team’s shortcomings or whatever else they say.
So it’s funny, in that hyperbolic sort of way, to read that article and compare it to modern times. Sure, Claude Giroux possesses some level of natural talent, as all NHLers do, but he’s the player he is today because he worked his derrière off to become it.
Today, he’s one of the best players in the world. I’d say “elite playmaker” comes pretty close to that.
Radko Gudas
Drafted: 66th overall, 2010 (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Career NHL stats: 7 goals, 25 assists, 32 points in 126 games
Scouting reports:
"Assets: Is a great open-ice hitter and very good at disrupting offensive players’ flow in the game. Will punish players with physicality. Also owns a heavy point shot.Flaws: Doesn’t have high-end puck skills, so he has a tendency to make mistakes with the disc on his blade. Also needs to harness his physicality and avoid bad penalties.Career Potential: Aggressive defenseman with upside."
"Strengths: An older prospect who turned 20 before his draft, Gudas earned a reputation as one of the biggest hitters in this draft class. He competes hard, and despite his small height he loves to take the body. Red Line rates Gudas the third biggest pest in this draft class and compares his demeanor to that of a pit bull. Was named a Western Conference Second Team All-Star in his draft season, partly because he also has the ability to move the puck reasonably well and he has decent mobility.Weaknesses: Stickhandling is considered poor and his decision-making with the puck needs refinement. Because he’s two years older than most of the prospects in this draft, what you see is what you get, to an extent. He’s not going to get much bigger than his current size, although his tenacity compensates for his stature."
Verdict: Gudas has yet to play a single game in a Flyers uniform, but the scouting reports feel eerily similar to a certain forward we recently unloaded on the Boston Bruins. He’s had injury issues in the past (the closest he’s come to playing a full NHL season was in 2013-2014, when he played 73 games for TBL) so it’s hard to say with any degree of certainty what kind of player he is outside of a physical one.
Here’s a good write-up on him from the Tampa side of things. He’ll likely be a bottom-pair guy for the Flyers if he can remain healthy.
Vinny Lecavalier
Drafted: 1st overall, 1998 (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Career NHL stats: 411 goals, 520 assists, 931 points in 1,163 games
Scouting reports:
Dec 20, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Philadelphia Flyers center Vincent Lecavalier (40) with the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
"Assets: Possesses tremendous reach, excellent vision and creativity, as well as a deadly shot. Skates very well for a 6-4 center. Has good hand/eye coordination and a winning attitude. Is somewhat physical and a willing combatant.Flaws: Can go into prolonged scoring funks from time to time. Is in offensive decline, in general. Since he will occasionally drop the gloves, that penalizes his team more because he’s needed more on the ice.Career Potential: Quality, big scoring center on the decline."
"Strengths: Possesses uncanny vision and creativity. Skates very well for a 6-4 center. Has excellent hand/eye coordination and a goal-scorer’s touch.Weaknesses: Will occasionally take matters into his own hands, which penalizes his team because he’s needed on the ice. Has yet to reach expectations on offense."
Verdict: Finding scouting reports on a 35-year-old player is not easy, but you can delve into Internet archives with this April 1998 write-up on Vinny if you’re so inclined. He’s had one hell of a career; one he should and will be proud of once he decides to retire.
Vinny thinks he has more in him, and he’s got to be frustrated by his fourth-line role, but it’s his age has undoubtedly started showing on the ice. He’s a Stanley Cup champion, a four-time All-Star, winner of the Maurice Richard Trophy, among many others.
Vinny’s not a bad hockey player, he’s just been a bad Flyer.
Next: Having Fun With Goals Above Replacement: Part Two