2014-2015 Around the league thread

[devilsrule33]

Remember, back then most goalies were stand-up.  And, those Edmonton teams were arguably the best of all-time.  At least offensively.  Never as good defensively as the Isles or late 70s Habs.

 

I also have looked up some power play numbers.  Will post later.  HUGE drop-off after 2006-07.  But on the otherhand, remember after the 2005 lockout how the refs were calling obstruction VERY tightly.  People complained that there were TOO MANY power plays and the constant penalties ruined the flow of the game.  Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

If you go back to any season that there was a mandate to increase penalties and take out obstruction, offensive numbers skyrocketed. 1993, 1996, and 2006 are three that come to mind. Top players feasted on all that PP time, and their before and after numbers weren't even close. 

Edited March 17, 2015 by devilsrule33

[Matteau#32]

Haven't checked 96, but I will.  I did look at 93 and it was crazy.  Average was over 7 goals per game.  Didnt realize there was a mandate on those years about penalties.  I was in HS in 93, college 96 and back then I pretty much just watched games, the occassional highlight show and read articles in the paper.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

League numbers changed radically from 93 to 94.  The Devils averaged 3.67 GPG, good for 14th out of 24 teams.  In 94, their 3.64 GPG was good for 2nd out of 26 teams.  93 was really the last big 80s-type offensive year...and 94 saw the beginning of fatter save%s. 

[DJ Eco]

He's not even close to Cooke or Rinaldo.  To say so is ludicrous.  Kreider pushes the envelope, but he can actually play too.  To me, it is nothing more than a guy sliding overly hard into 2nd to break up the double play, giving a guy a shot in the bottom of the pile in football, or pitching high and inside to get a batter to back off the plate.  Grubandson was chirping at him on Sunday, but the guy didn't even miss a shift.  The play on Carey Price, he simply went hard to the net.

 

Okay, maybe not quite Cooke/Rinaldo in their heyday of the worst plays of their career, I'll give you that.

 

But you begin to name 1 or 2 of his famous "plays" and defend them. However, there's 8 or 9 more plays minimum, easy. Maybe up to 10-12. He's been involved in more shady plays in 2 years than most respectable hockey players get tangled up in their careers. He habitually commits these very borderline (and that's putting it extremely lightly) plays and is entering Cooke/Rinaldo territory.

Edited March 17, 2015 by DJ Eco

[Neb00rs]

Tavares has 78, so 80 is not going to be a problem.  There was a thread about this on another board.  I think it is simply teams are playing the match-up game more on the superstar players.  They are still scoring, but not as much.  Whether it is because today's superstar (Crosby, Ovechkin, Tavares, Stamkos, Glass) is not as skilled as earlier years or the players against them are much better is up for debate.  Personally, I think the 3rd/4th line players, the defensemen are MUCH better players than in the mid-90s.  Secondly, I think the first line players are also much better defensively than the first line players of 10-20-30 years ago.  

 

Scoring is also more balanced on teams.  Looked up average goals per game, the last 5 years:

 

This year through Sunday's games:  5.48 goals per game

2013-14:  5.34--only 1 player over 90 points (Crosby with 104).ditto

2012-13:  5.31-- 8 players on pace for over 90 points, 1 on pace for 100 over 82 games.

2011-12:  5.32-- 9 players over 80 points, 3 over 90

2010-11:  5.46--  9 players over 80, 5 over 90

 

Tavares has 72 points, not 78.

 

It's a weird phenomenon this year. League goal scoring this year, is at the same amount as it has been the past three years. Also, yes DR33 is right, PP opportunities are down this year, but powerplay goals have also been scored at the same rate as the previous three years.

 

League average goals scored per team per game:

 

2015: 2.74

2014: 2.74

2013: 2.72

2012: 2.73

 

League average PP goals scored per team per game:

 

2015: .58

2014: .59

2013: .61

2012: .57

 

Before 2012 the goal scoring was higher from 2005-2011. However, in 2012, 13, and 14, the leading scorers all had a higher scoring rate.

 

2015 points leaders (as of 03/17/15):

 

Tavares: 72 (1.01 P/GP)

Ovechkin: 71 (1.01 P/GP)

Crosby: 71 (1.11 P/GP)

Backstrom: 71 (1.00 P/GP)

Voracek: 69 (.97 P/GP)

 

(Kane was at 1.05 before he got injured, Malkin is at 1.08)

 

2014 points leaders:

 

Crosby: 104 (1.30 P/GP)

Getzlaf: 87 (1.13 P/GP)

Giroux: 86 (1.05 P/GP)

Seguin: 84 (1.05 P/GP)

Perry: 82 (1.01 P/GP)

 

2013 (shortened season) points leaders:

 

St. Louis: 60 (1.25 P/GP)

Stamkos: 57 (1.19 P/GP)

Ovechkin: 56 (1.17 P/GP)

Crosby: 56 (1.56 P/GP)

Kane: 55 (1.17 P/GP)

 

2012 points leaders:

 

Malkin: 109 (1.45 P/GP)

Stamkos: 97 (1.18 P/GP)

Giroux: 93 (1.21 P/GP)

Spezza 84 (1.05 P/GP)

no name: 83 (1.08 P/GP)

 

There is a clear drop off in P/GP for the scoring leaders this year, despite the league still scoring at the same rate.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Neb00rs

[Louismydad]

Lindback is playing out of his mind

[Neb00rs]

Lindback is playing out of his mind

 

Good for him. He's had a rough few years, culminating in a trade to the worst team in league history.

[GoArmySports]

Did anybody just catch Colin Cowherd say the Devils manipulated the sytem to win but Gary Betmann stepped in since it wasn't beneficial long term for the sport? I don't think he's ever mentioned us on the show before today.

[MadDog2020]

Did anybody just catch Colin Cowherd say the Devils manipulated the sytem to win but Gary Betmann stepped in since it wasn't beneficial long term for the sport? I don't think he's ever mentioned us on the show before today.

I forgot more about hockey in the last 5 minutes than Colin Cowherd could ever hope to know. So, aside from the fact that what he said sounds like something some jack-off Rags fan probably told him, I wouldn't put ANY stock in anything that guy has to say about anything relating to the sport of hockey.

[Neb00rs]

Panthers lost two straight. They are in trouble.

[MadDog2020]

Panthers lost two straight. They are in trouble.

Good. Higher pick for us.

[Louismydad]

"He gets tripped into goalies because defensmen suck and can't handle him."- rags fan after we were arguing about kreider being dirty

[Neb00rs]

Cam Talbot is playing so well right now, that there is going to be a goalie controversy of some sort when Lundqvist comes back. And that's not a knock on Henrik, that's a compliment to Talbot.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Neb00rs

[MadDog2020]

Cam Talbot is playing so well right now, that there is going to be a goalie controversy of some sort when Lundqvist comes back. And that's not a knock on Henrik, that's a compliment to Talbot.

There won't be any controversy. Lundqvist is the franchise for them.

[Neb00rs]

There won't be any controversy. Lundqvist is the franchise for them.

 

I am not saying Lundqvist is going to lost the starting job in the long term, but if he comes back in and doesn't play superb, the Rags will have go back to Talbot.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Neb00rs

[MadDog2020]

I am not saying Lundqvist is going to lost the starting job in the long term, but if he comes back in and doesn't play superb, the Rags will have go back to Talbot.

But they won't. They'll trade Talbot in the offseason most likely and get a nice return. If Lundqvist struggles a little when he comes back, he'll be given every opportunity to get back in a groove. It's not like the playoffs are in question for the Rags. Lundqvist will have around 11 games before the playoffs to tune up. That's plenty.

[Neb00rs]

Lundqvist - 39 GP, .922 Sv%, 2.25 GAA, 5 SO

 

Talbot - 30 GP, .926 Sv%, 2.19 GAA, 5 SO

[MadDog2020]

Lmfao Brad Richards scores.

[Neb00rs]

But they won't. They'll trade Talbot in the offseason most likely and get a nice return. If Lundqvist struggles a little when he comes back, he'll be given every opportunity to get back in a groove. It's not like the playoffs are in question for the Rags. Lundqvist will have around 11 games before the playoffs to tune up. That's plenty.

 

Yes, they could trade him...as you say, after the season. I am referring to this season only. Yes Henrik will get some tune up games, but if he is not great in the playoffs, I would be surprised if Talbot does not get a look.

[Neb00rs]

Chicago has got a few good goalies themselves. Crawford, Darling, and Raanta all have a .926+ Sv%.

[Matteau#32]

Tavares has 72 points, not 78.

 

It's a weird phenomenon this year. League goal scoring this year, is at the same amount as it has been the past three years. Also, yes DR33 is right, PP opportunities are down this year, but powerplay goals have also been scored at the same rate as the previous three years.

 

League average goals scored per team per game:

 

2015: 2.74

2014: 2.74

2013: 2.72

2012: 2.73

 

League average PP goals scored per team per game:

 

2015: .58

2014: .59

2013: .61

2012: .57

 

Before 2012 the goal scoring was higher from 2005-2011. However, in 2012, 13, and 14, the leading scorers all had a higher scoring rate.

 

2015 points leaders (as of 03/17/15):

 

Tavares: 72 (1.01 P/GP)

Ovechkin: 71 (1.01 P/GP)

Crosby: 71 (1.11 P/GP)

Backstrom: 71 (1.00 P/GP)

Voracek: 69 (.97 P/GP)

 

(Kane was at 1.05 before he got injured, Malkin is at 1.08)

 

2014 points leaders:

 

Crosby: 104 (1.30 P/GP)

Getzlaf: 87 (1.13 P/GP)

Giroux: 86 (1.05 P/GP)

Seguin: 84 (1.05 P/GP)

Perry: 82 (1.01 P/GP)

 

2013 (shortened season) points leaders:

 

St. Louis: 60 (1.25 P/GP)

Stamkos: 57 (1.19 P/GP)

Ovechkin: 56 (1.17 P/GP)

Crosby: 56 (1.56 P/GP)

Kane: 55 (1.17 P/GP)

 

2012 points leaders:

 

Malkin: 109 (1.45 P/GP)

Stamkos: 97 (1.18 P/GP)

Giroux: 93 (1.21 P/GP)

Spezza 84 (1.05 P/GP)

no name: 83 (1.08 P/GP)

 

There is a clear drop off in P/GP for the scoring leaders this year, despite the league still scoring at the same rate.

Yeah, you're right.  Not sure why I read 78 when I checked it.  At 72 points, he should get 80 but it is hardly a guarantee.

 

Have some info on PP's and 80, 90, 100 point scorers, but can't figure out how to post a table on here.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Matteau#32

[Matteau#32]

Chicago has got a few good goalies themselves. Crawford, Darling, and Raanta all have a .926+ Sv%.

There are A LOT of good goalies in the league, which is why I think it was a mistake to give Lundqvist all that money (and, no not just because of Talbot's recent play.  Not Monday Morning QB'ing here).  Difference between the 3rd best goalie and 40th best goalie in the league is very small.  Would rather get the cheaper goalie and have more money available for skaters.

[DJ Eco]

There are A LOT of good goalies in the league, which is why I think it was a mistake to give Lundqvist all that money (and, no not just because of Talbot's recent play.  Not Monday Morning QB'ing here).  Difference between the 3rd best goalie and 40th best goalie in the league is very small.  Would rather get the cheaper goalie and have more money available for skaters.

 

I'd say there are lot more flash-in-the-pan good goalies. They put in an amazing season and get a new contract or get traded and aren't all that great, etc.; and that could very well be what Talbot is this year.

 

That being said, if I were Sather, I would've done what he did 10 times out of 10, in resigning Henrik Lundqvist. Given Sather's track record, do you really trust him with all that money to get the right forward(s)? I'm not so sure I would...

[Devilsfan118]

Lundqvist - 39 GP, .922 Sv%, 2.25 GAA, 5 SO

 

Talbot - 30 GP, .926 Sv%, 2.19 GAA, 5 SO

 

Clearly Hank is benefiting from the team and system in front of him and isn't really all that talented, if an unproven kid can come in and put up similar numbers. 

 

See what I did there?

[MadDog2020]

Clearly Hank is benefiting from the team and system in front of him and isn't really all that talented, if an unproven kid can come in and put up similar numbers.

See what I did there?

Trap brah. System brah. Fatso brah.