Comedy gold out of Edmonton

[esls79]

Derian Hatcher > Nik Lidstrom

Case closed

Book It!

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

If you honestly think that Nashville's problems (if you can call them that) are because of their blueline I don't know what to tell you.

But let's list at the successful teams (top 3 in each division) this year. Then we'll look at their #1 D-man. The list below is their style and how they're deployed. With the numbers on the right being their team rank in PPTOI and PK TOI among defensemen.

Montreal - Subban (offensive) - 1st in PPTOI, 3rd in PKTOI
Ottawa - Karlsson (offensive) - 1st, 5th
Detroit - Kronwall (more offensive than defensive but sort of 2-way) - 1st, 3rd

Washington - Carlsson (offensive) 1st, 4th
NYR - McDonagh (2 way, even though he doesn't lead the PP) 3rd, 1st
NYI - Hamonic? (they don't seem to have a true number 1 but Hamonic is probably it) 4th, 3rd

Dallas - Klingberg (offensive) 1st, 8th
St.Louis - Pietrangelo (about as 2-way as they come in terms of deployment) 1st, 1st
Chicago - Keith (2-way according to the numbers) 1st, 2nd

Los Angeles - Doughty (2-way) 1st, 1st
Vancouver - Edler (2-way I guess based on deployment)1st, 2nd
San Jose - Burns (offensive) 1st, 2nd


As you can see team success comes from having different types of number 1 defensemen. However, Hamonic and McDonagh are the only number 1s that get deployment favouring the PK over the PP. Every single other team has their number 1 defenseman leading their PP but not necessarily their PK.

One thing that's pretty obvious when looking at that list is that every single good team in the league has a top defenseman who scores to some degree. Which brings us back to the point that started this whole debate... Offensive skill is more valued than defensive skill on the blueline (or any skating position).

I know Nashville's problems aren't their depth on defense or their goaltending for that matter. Their problem is their GM. He's so focused on defense that his teams struggle offensively. He put together some teams in Washington that were loaded on defense as well. It didn't workout their either. Poille needs to trade one of his top four defenseman for help up front.

My point from the beginning has been that the best teams, the ones who win the Cup have at least one guy who can do it all. Doughty & Keith fit perfectly. So it's no surprise that their teams have won the last 5 Stanley Cups. My biggest issue with who wins the top defenseman award every year is it seems like those who vote just look at who the top scoring defenseman is & give him the award. I disagree with this philosophy.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Quite a logjam in the Pacific. Who knows the Oilers could be thinking playoffs??

 

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Justin Schultz trying to hockey...

 

[BGDave]

Justin Schultz trying to hockey...

View attachment 66352

That's a Lowe blow(e).

 

[DragonfromTO]

I didn't even notice until now one of the most interesting details of this defenseman discussion.

#3 in the NHL in blocked shots? Roman Josi.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

I didn't even notice until now one of the most interesting details of this defenseman discussion.

#3 in the NHL in blocked shots? Roman Josi.

I noticed it too. LOL. I just decided to let this die.

Before I made that decision I always ran correlation analyses on team stats. I did points by defensemen per team vs. standings points and I did blocked shots by defensemen vs. standings points.

R-value this year for D points to standings = 0.56 (in the moderate to strong correlation range)

R-value this year for team blocks by D to standings = 0.03 (firmly within the makes no bloody difference range)

 

[DragonfromTO]

I noticed it too. LOL. I just decided to let this die.

Before I made that decision I always ran correlation analyses on team stats. I did points by defensemen per team vs. standings points and I did blocked shots by defensemen vs. standings points.

R-value this year for D points to standings = 0.56 (in the moderate to strong correlation range)

R-value this year for team blocks by D to standings = 0.03 (firmly within the makes no bloody difference range)

I'm surprised it's not slightly negative in all honesty. Like I've said before, if you think about it a team has to be doing a lot of shit wrong/badly (being in your own zone, not having the puck, letting the opposition get in a position where they can shoot) to end up with a blocked shot.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

I'm surprised it's not slightly negative in all honesty. Like I've said before, if you think about it a team has to be doing a lot of shit wrong/badly (being in your own zone, not having the puck, letting the opposition get in a position where they can shoot) to end up with a blocked shot.

I agree. I was a bit surprised too. There are teams that had poor values in both blocks and standings points. Example being Carolina; maybe they do everything wrong and then still don't even bother blocking the shot? I only did shot blocks for this year so a small sample size could be at fault here.

I actually did the points by defenseman one for last year and the year before and if memory serves last year was a 0.53 and the year before 0.66. Pretty strong evidence that points by D-men are important. Correlation obviously doesn't equate to causation but the numbers say that if you're getting good production from your blueline, then your team is probably in pretty good shape in the standings.

 

[forty_three]

Justin Schultz trying to hockey...

View attachment 66352

I love watching a guy who refuses to give up on a puck in close. Keep at it til you bang it in!

 

[dash]

lol at Nikitin - No contact and he flops like a fish leading to a goal against.

 

[dash]

“The team is winning hockey games,” Lowe said. “They’ve been in just about every game they’ve played this year. There’s a lot of steps to take. The good thing is (owner) Daryl Katz and I (believed) the team needed to be trending upwards or getting good by the time we go into the new building, and it looks like the master plan is unfolding as we hoped.”



Kevin Lowe finds freedom in new management role

 

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Bogdan Yakimov has left the Oilers farm team in Bakersfield for the KHL...

 

[dash]

The Nashville Predators were one of the teams who inquired with Edmonton about the price of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins prior to the roster freeze. For Nashville, it’s the same story: the Preds are a gifted defensive team, but thin up front and down the middle. If the Stanley Cup playoffs began today, Nashville would face Dallas in the first round. That probably wouldn’t end well for them. Life is about to get tougher for the sputtering Predators, too. It’s been more than a month since Nashville won back-to-back games - and the Predators have enjoyed the NHL’s fifth-easiest schedule this season, according to hockey-reference.com. Starting on Dec. 29, nine of Nashville’s next 14 games will be against Central division opponents. They are 8-9-4 since playing their first divisional game on Nov. 5.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

The Nashville Predators were one of the teams who inquired with Edmonton about the price of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins prior to the roster freeze. For Nashville, it’s the same story: the Preds are a gifted defensive team, but thin up front and down the middle. If the Stanley Cup playoffs began today, Nashville would face Dallas in the first round. That probably wouldn’t end well for them. Life is about to get tougher for the sputtering Predators, too. It’s been more than a month since Nashville won back-to-back games - and the Predators have enjoyed the NHL’s fifth-easiest schedule this season, according to hockey-reference.com. Starting on Dec. 29, nine of Nashville’s next 14 games will be against Central division opponents. They are 8-9-4 since playing their first divisional game on Nov. 5.

Weber for RNH and Edmonton's first rounder (Auston Matthews)

 

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Weber for RNH and Edmonton's first rounder (Auston Matthews)

I don't know who came up with RNH's nickname on CalgaryPuck, but 'The Tenderness' is a gooder. Watching the game Saturday night against Colorado, it fits as well as he does not like contact.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I don't know who came up with RNH's nickname on CalgaryPuck, but 'The Tenderness' is a gooder. Watching the game Saturday night against Colorado, it fits as well as he does not like contact.

I mean, would you like to absorb physical pain for the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club?

 

[dash]

I mean, would you like to absorb physical pain for the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club?

No I would not, but I also think it is a reflection of the Oilers training staff as they have a history of rushing guys back into the lineup before they are fully healed. Hopefully, they don't make the same mistake with McJesus.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

No I would not, but I also think it is a reflection of the Oilers training staff as they have a history of rushing guys back into the lineup before they are fully healed. Hopefully, they don't make the same mistake with McJesus.

They will. You know they will. 3 pts out of a playoff spot? Come on, man, everything is going according to

“the master plan"

!

 

[dash]