News Article: Michael Raffl: One of the best 3rd line wingers in NHL

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Love Raffl in the bottom six. Not a fan of Raffl in the top six.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Raffl is the ideal bottom six player, and why Hextall stresses IQ and two way play.
If he could finish better he'd be a top six winger, and he has shot better lately, but it's always an adventure.
But he's great on the forecheck and maintaining possession while not making the mindfart plays that more talented players tend to commit.

He also exposed Laughton, when Raffl got away from Laughton his scoring took off, without Raffl Laughton has been meh.
This is one of the things that makes Raffl special, he performs well on any line in any role.

In light of this post I must assume you considered it bad coaching to break up the very productive top line and neuter it by putting Raffl on it, while also neutering TK on the 3rd.

 

[duffy9748]

Ideal bottom 6 winger. Hope he’s on the roster for the next 3-4 years.

 

[deadhead]

In light of this post I must assume you considered it bad coaching to break up the very productive top line and neuter it by putting Raffl on it, while also neutering TK on the 3rd.

I thought it was a desperation move when facing a much deeper, more talented team.

 

[slovakia18]

I spoke to Raffl at the World Champs on a few topics. Hope you enjoy!

Q&A with Michael Raffl: Flyers will have ‘a pretty sick...

can u copie that, i cant read it.

generally he is underrated like a lot of other players in that league.

In his whole career in the NHL he has,
64 Goals and 50 Assist but he has 15 GWG. that is really phenomenal.
i don't know all stats but when a guy score 23% of his goals with a GWG he must be great.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I thought it was a desperation move when facing a much deeper, more talented team.

Was it good coaching despite the fact it made no sense and neutered a great line and our best goal scorer, thus making the situation even more desperate?


Wait, what was desperate about the situation in Game 80 when this was done?

 

[deadhead]

That we didn't have a NHL caliber 3rd line that could match up against a team like the Penguins.

 

[Beef Invictus]

That we didn't have a NHL caliber 3rd line that could match up against a team like the Penguins.

And we still didn't. TK doesn't change that. All we did was drop an anchor on the top line and grossly underutilize our best goalscorer in a series where we were gonna need goals. You believe that is good coaching?


It's a simple question, why are you struggling to answer it? It's a yes or no situation, not a "babble nonsense and hope nobody notices I'm afraid to actually answer" situation.

 

[baudib1]

I like Raffl but is he a guy who should be re-signed next year?

 

[Appleyard]

I like Raffl but is he a guy who should be re-signed next year?

If he is at the same cost... I would say 100% for ~2 years or so.

It is pretty impossible to get a guy of his quality for cheaper. Not many bottom sixers can do what he does at 5v5 over 200ft.

 

[Harhis]

That we didn't have a NHL caliber 3rd line that could match up against a team like the Penguins.

So we didn't have NHL caliber 3rd line? So it is good to make it worse defensively? Nec is great offensively but even he can't carry Filppula. So Hak just made 1st line worse offensively and 3rd line worse defensively. That's really good coaching.

 

[ItMe]

Not a Raffl guy at all. He is very replaceable but at the same time, he is not the worst player to have either. Raffl playing bottom 6 for another season isn't terrible, but in no way should he sniff the top 6. Bottom 6 and PK minutes only.

 

[deadhead]

So we didn't have NHL caliber 3rd line? So it is good to make it worse defensively? Nec is great offensively but even he can't carry Filppula. So Hak just made 1st line worse offensively and 3rd line worse defensively. That's really good coaching.

Well, the combination worked pretty well when it was used during the year:

Giroux - Couts - Raffl, GF/GA 8/5, %unblocked shots (basically Corsi): 59.3%
Giroux - Couts - Konency, 33/19, 56.7%
Giroux - Couts - Voracek, 24/10, 54.7%
Giroux - Couts - Simmonds 5/3, 50.5%
What jumps out at you is the key is Giroux - Couts, almost any decent RW will put up good numbers with them

Lindblom - Patrick - Voracek 10/7, 57.5%

The problem was finding any combination that worked with Filppula:
Weal - Filppula - Simmonds, 6/11, 51.4%
Raffl - Filppula - Simmonds, 0/3, 47.0%
Raffl - Filppula - Voracek, 9/3, 46.4%
Konecny - Filppula - Simmonds, 3/3, 42.7%
Raffl - Filppula - Konecny, 4/4, 50.0%

Laughton - Lehtera - Read 1/2, 63.6%
Laughton - Lehtera - Weise 0/1, 54.3%
Raffl - Laughton - Leier, 3/6, 59.9%
Weal - Laughton - Raffl, 4/5, 54.3%
Weird thing with Laughton is his lines have good Corsi and bad GF/GA, both are consistent across combinations.

Fantasy Hockey Line Production | Which NHL Lines Score the Most Goals | leftwinglock.com

 

[gertbfrobe16]

the thing i liked about him is he improved himself by getting stronger and will do what ever they ask.

 

[MacDonald4MVP]

Tied Stammer in es goals this year.

 

[Rebels57]

Tied Stammer in es goals this year.

Stats like this are misleading since Stamkos faces far more difficult competition most nights.

 

[The Madrigal]

Raffl is a really good underrated player. I just dont like how he tends to get put in roles he shouldnt be in. He and Laughton are 2/3's of an elite fourth line.

 

[Magua]

Stats like this are misleading since Stamkos faces far more difficult competition most nights.

And plays with Kucherov and Hedman and company every night.....Raffl played with bottom 6 players for almost the entirety of the season. In addition, Stamkos played 230 more ES minutes.

They're misleading if you want to say Raffl is as good a goal scorer or 1/10th the player Stamkos is, but not to say Raffl didn't equal his goal scoring at ES. Because he did, with worse linemates and in worse minutes. It's pretty cut and dry. Stamkos had a disappointing year goal-wise at ES. I'm sure he'll bounce back. But if it were as you say, Reb, then most top line players would be expected to score less than bottom 6 players. Because they all see better competition. They're also a lot better players playing with a lot better players.

 

[Rebels57]

And plays with Kucherov and Hedman and company every night.....Raffl played with bottom 6 players for almost the entirety of the season. In addition, Stamkos played 230 more ES minutes.

They're misleading if you want to say Raffl is as good a goal scorer or 1/10th the player Stamkos is, but not to say Raffl didn't equal his goal scoring at ES. Because he did, with worse linemates and in worse minutes. It's pretty cut and dry. Stamkos had a disappointing year goal-wise at ES. I'm sure he'll bounce back. But if it were as you say, Reb, then most top line players would be expected to score less than bottom 6 players. Because they all see better competition. They're also a lot better players playing with a lot better players.

Touche.

 

[Lindberg]

Never understood the hate Raffl gets. The guy is a solid NHL player, it isn't his fault his coach over plays him in the top 6. He's a good substitute top 6 guy when you have injuries but he doesn't belong there.