Philadelphia Flyers: Mid-Season Report Card

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Nov 19, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matt Read (24) picks up loose puck away from San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) during the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

Laughton Line Grades

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RJ Umberger – C+

Umberger came into the season with some optimism. He was hampered by injuries the entirety of last season, and he came into camp saying he “felt like a different person.” The new health outlook hasn’t changed the fact that Umberger still looks like an old 33, and has now reached 43 games since his last goal. To his credit, his possession numbers have shown a little uptick since last season, he’s 3rd among forwards in plus/minus, and **drumroll please** his 5v5 assist rate is at a career high. I don’t think that assist rate will still be that high by the end of the season, and Umberger looks like a 4th line player at best.

Scott Laughton – B

With a 5 game cameo as an 18-year old in 2012-13, it seems like Laughton has been on the cusp of the Flyers NHL lineup for years. In reality, he’s still only 21. He bounced up and down between the NHL and AHL last season, but his 6 points in 31 NHL games left quite a bit to be desired. He’s been a lineup regular this season, albeit at less ice time per game. His 5v5 scoring rate has improved nicely and his actually quite high at 1.9 per 60, but he’s has the worst Corsi percentage among all Flyers forwards despite seeing soft competition. As the only waiver-exempt forward on the roster, he is a candidate for demotion if Jordan Weal or Sam Gagner is to get a chance.

Matt Read – B+

Read is another tough player to judge this year. He was miserable last season, although lingering injuries surely played a role there. This season he didn’t seem much more productive, but his advanced statistics demand attention. Only Sean Couturier has a better Corsi-for rate or Corsi percentage than Read, and even with his slow offensive start and “unlucky” PDO, his 5v5 points rate is higher than Giroux, Voracek and Raffl.

Sam Gagner – C+

Gagner has only received limited opportunities this season, and is currently parked in the AHL. He may get another chance sooner rather than later, but there’s no guarantees. His 10-game pointless streak before injury and demotion did him no favors.

Next: Defense Pair 1 Grades

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