Around the League: 2016-17 edition

[roomtemp]

20 hours ago, NJDfan1711 said:

I was at the game.  It was even more terrible to watch in person.   I always thought the rule was if the player's momentum was stopped, which it looked like it was, that the play was over and it was whistled dead.  The worst part seemed to be that not only did bobble the puck, but he pretty much had to go back/sideways to corral it in order to try to take another shot.

Actually, I take that back.  The real worst part is, now whenever I play my son in NHL 16 for Xbox, I can't say how stupid, unfair, and cheap it is when he skates in circles and goes around and around in a shootout before eventually taking a shot on goal, because they allowed it in a real game!

You got it wrong its the puck not the player that can't go backwards. The puck was moving parallel when it went off his stick and I think the player has a right to set up the shot by bring the puck back. The controversy is was his stopping the puck and then pulling it back that far enough to end the momentum of the puck

[NJDfan1711]

3 hours ago, roomtemp said:

You got it wrong its the puck not the player that can't go backwards. The puck was moving parallel when it went off his stick and I think the player has a right to set up the shot by bring the puck back. The controversy is was his stopping the puck and then pulling it back that far enough to end the momentum of the puck

Gotcha. Still, it's like you said, I guess the hard part is towing the line between whether or not the shooter does in fact have the right to move the puck in any given direction so as to wind up and prepare for his shot, or if in fact more-than-usual backward movement of the puck would constitute stopping its momentum. 

[thecoffeecake]

Any idea if Letang will be in the lineup for Pittsburgh tomorrow?

 

[Crisis]

You guys catch this great ref cam gif of Larsson getting worked by Laine?  It does look like Adam got his stick at the last second to prevent the shot.

 

[RizzMB30]

15 minutes ago, Crisis said:

You guys catch this great ref cam gif of Larsson getting worked by Laine?  It does look like Adam got his stick at the last second to prevent the shot.

 

Getting worked is a little bit of hyperbole.  Larsson defends the play well despite being beat.  

[Devil Dan 56]

2 hours ago, RizzMB30 said:

Getting worked is a little bit of hyperbole.  Larsson defends the play well despite being beat.  

Great play by both players. Laine protecting the puck from the poke with his skate, and then Larsson realizing he's beat and whipping around. Even though he doesn't get the puck, he clearly disrupts the play. That's the kind of little stuff that we don't see at game speed. 

Edited October 24, 2016 by Devil Dan 56

[DJ Eco]

18 hours ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

Great play by both players. Laine protecting the puck from the poke with his skate, and then Larsson realizing he's beat and whipping around. Even though he doesn't get the puck, he clearly disrupts the play. That's the kind of little stuff that we don't see at game speed. 

I forget if it was Severson or Zacha who had an extremely similar play vs. the Wild, I think. He was about to get hustled by a quick rush through the zone, except their backward-swing of the stick completely knocked the puck loose. Come to think of it, it *might* have been Zacha on the back-check after a bad defensive line change, and if he didn't pull it off, it would've been a breakaway (although correct me if I'm wrong on who it was ,etc.)

Edited October 25, 2016 by DJ Eco

[nmigliore]

Ducks finally signed Hampus Lindholm - 6 years / $5.25M AAV. That's nearly identical to the deal Ristolainen got, except Lindholm is a much more well-rounded player. Great deal for the Ducks in comparison.

Edited October 27, 2016 by nmigliore

[Devilsfan118]

So does this deal make Fowler the odd man out?

[lucifer91]

McIlrath on waivers.  I would think that he would get picked up no?

[Devilsfan118]

How many contracts are we at?  I'd take a shot at Mcllrath

[Daniel]

42 minutes ago, Devilsfan118 said:

How many contracts are we at?  I'd take a shot at Mcllrath

You'd have to put him on the NHL roster.   No room or need for him.

[MadDog2020]

Patrick Laine is something else man... Kid is the truth.


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[thecoffeecake]

11 hours ago, nmigliore said:

Ducks finally signed Hampus Lindholm - 6 years / $5.25M AAV. That's nearly identical to the deal Ristolainen got, except Lindholm is a much more well-rounded player. Great deal for the Ducks in comparison.

I'm taking Ristolainen if I'm building a team. 40 points in his 21 year old season, already 6 or 7 this year. 6'4, mobile, and has developed an excellent physical element to his game. Lindholm is a good possession player on one of the best teams in hockey, great, but Risto has a higher ceiling I think.

[dmann422]

Coyotes only two wins so far this season have come against the flyers LOL.

[Onddeck]

2 hours ago, dmann422 said:

Coyotes only two wins so far this season have come against the flyers LOL.

awesome. just awesome

[MadDog2020]

This is a fantastic read that is worth your time: http://www.theplayerstribune.com/jim-rutherford-what-you-dont-know-about-being-a-gm/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=kw&utm_campaign=NonBran&kwp_0=261382&kwp_4=998927&kwp_1=475622


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[Devil Dan 56]

5 hours ago, MadDog2020 said:

This is a fantastic read that is worth your time: http://www.theplayerstribune.com/jim-rutherford-what-you-dont-know-about-being-a-gm/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=kw&utm_campaign=NonBran&kwp_0=261382&kwp_4=998927&kwp_1=475622


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Really really great article. Thank you for sharing. There is so much more to being a GM than just looking at a players goal totals and making a move. 

['7']

Are the Rangers this good? Somebody talk them down please...

[Marshall]

3 hours ago, '7' said:

Are the Rangers this good? Somebody talk them down please...

They're significantly better than I thought and they're pretty legit. They won't keep shooting at this pace but they might be very good indeed. Still wondering if their forwards can keep carrying their D all year long. 

[DJ Eco]

Agreed ^ They're definitely going to be better than I thought they would be, but they're not *this* good. Vesey's shooting at 35% (6 goals on 17 shots in 9 games) at the moment, Girardi has 2 goals, Grabner just scored a hat trick the other night. There will be a regression somewhere around the corner, but overall, I think they're a good team this year that will make the playoffs, probably not contend unless they make a big-time "all-in" trade like they've done before; but can't see that happening.

Edited November 2, 2016 by DJ Eco

[Matteau#32]

2 hours ago, DJ Eco said:

Agreed ^ They're definitely going to be better than I thought they would be, but they're not *this* good. Vesey's shooting at 35% (6 goals on 17 shots in 9 games) at the moment, Girardi has 2 goals, Grabner just scored a hat trick the other night. There will be a regression somewhere around the corner, but overall, I think they're a good team this year that will make the playoffs, probably not contend unless they make a big-time "all-in" trade like they've done before; but can't see that happening.

I love all you advanced stat guys, I find them to be adorable.   Yes, saying Vesey will not score 6 goals every 9 games is real insightful.  That is a pace of 54 goals and I doubt even his mother thinks that is going to happen, not do I think anyone thinks Girardi is going to score 20 goals this season.  But, to even use his TWO goals as evidence is a little ridiculous.  Stepan does not have any goals yet thus far, is that the pace he is going to have for the whole year?  So, any chance that Vesey's drop in shooting percentage and drop in 2/3 goals per game will be picked up by someone else?  If Stepan scores tonight, will we say his current pace is unsustainable?  Zibenijad only has 2 goals?  Guess that means he is only going to score ~18 this year? McDonagh hasn't scored a goal.  Going to whole season without a goal?  Kevin Klein doesn't even have a point yet?  Will that change?  Surprised you didn't bring up Lundqvist's 2 assists and say that is not a sustainable pace for 82 games.  But, wouldn't it be something if he could get around 20 assists this year?

What I like is they are 7-3, getting production from all 4 lines, have a ton of speed, a great forecheck thus far.  AND, they are 7-3 with shaky goaltending at best thus far.  Yes, shaky.  They have been good the last 2 games, but over the first 8 neither Lundqvist or Raanta was any good.  If Lundqvist starts to find his game, they will be dangerous. Doesn't even need to be Veziina candidate good, just not lousy.  And no, I do not think they will average 4 goals per game, considering the last team to do it was the 95-96 Penguins and since 1917, has only been done 118 times and 59 of those were between 1979-80 and 1988-89.

BUT, I do understand it is only 10 games, so still lots of hockey to be played.  I like to wait until we get closer to Xmas to really assess things.  Last year, they were 16-3-2 after 21 games.  Then, had a disastrous Thanksgiving weekend.  Got smoked by Montreal at home the night before Thanksgiving, lost in Beantown on Black Friday, then got shutout by Philly at home that Saturday.   Kind of went downhill from there for the most part.  HOWEVER, last year the hot start was due mainly to Lundqvist. That stretch was one of the best he had ever played.  He cooled off, and so did their record.

Edited November 2, 2016 by Matteau#32

[Matteau#32]

3 minutes ago, Martyisth3b3st said:

It is truly shocking to find that anti-Rangers remark on a New Jersey Devils message board. How dare "those stat people" say something like that?!

I, sir, am incensed. The nerve of some people.

I don't care about the anti-Rangers remarks.  I just love when people try to use the "advanced stats" and simply cherry-pick a few that are unsustainable.  

I just wish the internet and "advanced stats" were around say in 92-93 (I know the internet was around, but not what it is today) for Selanne's 76-goal rookie year, or back in Gretzky's first few years.  And NO, not trying to compare Vesey to either of them (I know someone will try to comeback with that), just the whole concept of the advanced stats and sustainability and all the other non-sense they want.  And, it is not just from Devils fans.  I see Rangers fans doing it as well.  It is as if a player having a hot streak or hot start upsets them.  

[Derlique]

Rangers look good but lets wait for them to play some road games lol

[DJ Eco]

59 minutes ago, Matteau#32 said:

I love all you advanced stat guys, I find them to be adorable.   Yes, saying Vesey will not score 6 goals every 9 games is real insightful.  That is a pace of 54 goals and I doubt even his mother thinks that is going to happen, not do I think anyone thinks Girardi is going to score 20 goals this season.  But, to even use his TWO goals as evidence is a little ridiculous.  Stepan does not have any goals yet thus far, is that the pace he is going to have for the whole year?  So, any chance that Vesey's drop in shooting percentage and drop in 2/3 goals per game will be picked up by someone else?  If Stepan scores tonight, will we say his current pace is unsustainable?  Zibenijad only has 2 goals?  Guess that means he is only going to score ~18 this year? McDonagh hasn't scored a goal.  Going to whole season without a goal?  Kevin Klein doesn't even have a point yet?  Will that change?  Surprised you didn't bring up Lundqvist's 2 assists and say that is not a sustainable pace for 82 games.  But, wouldn't it be something if he could get around 20 assists this year?

I'll take that as a compliment! I don't think what I said is grounded in advanced stats at all, maybe the opposite: it's "law of averages" if anything, as objective and unbiased as it gets really. You've got 10 players with 6 points or more through 10 games (6 games, in Kreider's case), that's pretty awesome. You also may be deluding yourself if you think that's due to system-play that's sustainable. That's not advanced stats, it's just a foregone conclusion that 8 guys won't keep scoring over 15% of their shots in the long-term (6 of which are above 20% and 3 of which are above 30%). I'm not dissecting any aspects or plays within the game to come up with this "opinion", it's just a foregone conclusion, common sense essentially; "law of averages", like I said.

I know it doesn't mean much to you because as a Devils fan, I will never be unbiased to you, but I was more convinced of the Rangers' supremacy last season during their first 2 months than I am so far this season. I guess you can say I was wrong then, so I'm probably wrong now, but I look at the numbers and the players, and I just don't see it. Everything seems to have gone incredibly right for them so far, and if this were the Devils (and it has been in the past; was it 2014 when we had that hot start?), I like to think I'd be saying the same thing.

So I'm sticking to my guns, the Rangers this year are going to be better than I thought they would be, but they're not one of the elite teams out of the East the way their record (and yes, at times, play) suggests at the moment. I don't think Montreal will be either, and I don't have an axe to grind with Montreal, just a lot of the same reasons. Ditto on Minnesota and possibly Detroit.

Edited November 2, 2016 by DJ Eco