Travis Zajac - 36 takeaways, only 3 giveaways!

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Are you serious with this? Guy is having an outstanding year, but is there a guy more responsible with the puck? He just doesn't make bad decisions, its amazing. That's one of the most ridiculous GA/TA ratios I've seen.

He's got 28p in 48gp, +7, 51.2% FO, 20:03 TOI.

Dude's been a rock this year and continues to be extremely underrated.

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[gretskidoo]

Sounds like the team doesn't want him carrying the puck.

 

[John Pedro]

His only problem is that he's a black hole offensively.

 

[MadDevil]

That's about the same ratio as his shots attempted/shots on goal.

Seriously though, he's been better than the point totals would lead you to believe. I just wish he had more faith in himself offensively. He doesn't shoot as much the last two years as he used to.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

That's impossible. Do you really believe he has only turned the puck over 3 times in 50+ games? Hockey is a game where you take advantage of your opponent's mistakes, and unless you don't touch the puck through the whole game, you are going to turn it over at least once per game.

 

[jdatb]

great 2C

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

That's impossible. Do you really believe he has only turned the puck over 3 times in 50+ games? Hockey is a game where you take advantage of your opponent's mistakes, and unless you don't touch the puck through the whole game, you are going to turn it over at least once per game.

According to the stat keepers, he has. It's not like the rest of the team has crazy low numbers for giveaways. I've been watching him very closely the last few games to see if it holds water, and it seems to. He literally had zero giveaways. He's just extremely conservative with the puck, which sometimes costs him offensively, in my opinion. He doesn't ever try to beat two players at once, he doesn't make blind passes, he doesn't cut into high risk passing lanes, and he doesn't dangle in open ice. It also helps that he's strong on the stick, he's got a long reach, and he gets rid of it quickly.

He's impressive to watch these days.

 

[Nithoniniel]

I think there are two sides to this.

Zajac deserves the praise he gets from WhiskeyYourTheDevils, he is certainly very responsible and smart. I don't think the connection to his low giveaway numbers is all positive though.

Giveaways are a natural side effect of playing an effective puck moving game. That's why you see prominent players all over those lists. In order to minimize them, you also forego making decisions that are the best for maintaining possession and creating offense.

I'd say that Zajac, like a McClement, is consistently making the safest decision, rather than the best decision. But unlike a McClement, he is talented enough to be effective playing that game. His strength along the boards, accuracy in his actions, never making actually bad decisions and constant perfect positioning allows that safe, predictable game to be effective.

 

[Quarter]

You can never trust the numbers recorded for giveaways or takeaways. Ever.

 

[Juicy Pop]

I won't deny Zajac's significant defensive ability but, as in the previous thread, the utility of TA/GA is sketchy at best.

 

[Baemon Severson*]

.5 PPG with a GF% of 60% and shutting down top players. Worth every penny of his contract this year

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

His only problem is that he's a black hole offensively.

I mean, he is on pace for 40+ points

that is far from a black hole offensively. he gets way too much flack.

especially considering the work he does shutting down opposing top line players, I would sign up for 40 points from him every single season.

 

[Juicy Pop]

I mean, he is on pace for 40+ points

that is far from a black hole offensively. he gets way too much flack.

especially considering the work he does shutting down opposing top line players, I would sign up for 40 points from him every single season.

Yep. It's less about the raw points and more about the offensive swing relative to his matchups.

 

[Blender]

He's consistently been one of the top shutdown centers in the league, and his offense has rebounded nicely this season. Still not a center that is going to drive a ton of offense himself, but he's a very reliable player.

Hopefully he actually gets some Selke recognition for once, but I doubt it.

 

[AfroThunder396]

I won't deny Zajac's significant defensive ability but, as in the the previous thread, the utility of TA/GA is sketchy at best.

This is my takeaway as well (no pun intended). Anyone who watches Zajac knows he is a supremely great defensive/possession player, though I wouldn't rely on real time stats to make that argument.

It's nice to see him having some offensive success again. Most of that is due to our outstanding PP and getting paired with Palmieri, but I'll take it.

 

[57special]

Nothing against Zajac, but the giveaway takeaway is one of the most mystifying stats to me. I watch games, then look at the numbers, and they don't add up.

 

[Duke749]

Nothing against Zajac, but the giveaway takeaway is one of the most mystifying stats to me. I watch games, then look at the numbers, and they don't add up.

It's a terrible stat. The worst kept stat game to game. You can't hold any value to it at all unfortunately. Which is a shame.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Very good 3rd line center.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Not that surprising as he seems like a guy who always makes the safe choice, rather than the "best" choice. Hence the overall low point totals compared to his ice time over the last few years.

It's not necessarily a good thing and there's a reason many of the "best" players have high giveaway numbers.

 

[Hisch13r]

.5 PPG with a GF% of 60% and shutting down top players. Worth every penny of his contract this year

The problem was never really the money but the term is way too long

 

[Hisch13r]

Very good 3rd line center.

lolwut? Over a .5PPG and is incredible defensively. He's outplayed Stepan this year, does that make Stepan a good 3rd line center?

 

[FLYLine27*]

lolwut? Over a .5PPG and is incredible defensively. He's outplayed Stepan this year, does that make Stepan a good 3rd line center?

Zajac hasn't hit 50 points in 6 years. And only 25 points last season.

Like i said, he's a good 3rd liner, but just doesn't have the offensive skills to be considered a 2nd line player.

Oh and Stepan puts up .7 points per game in his career, so lets not try and compare them.

 

[Lou's Koolaid]

Patrice Bergeron with less offence. His "bad contract"is holding more and more value do to rising salaries.

 

[Boud]

You can never trust the numbers recorded for giveaways or takeaways. Ever.

The best way to determine the Takeaways/Giveaways is to looks at away stats. A lot of teams pad up the stats of their players, like the Islanders per example.


When you look at away stats you have a better idea without the team bias.

 

[Mad Brills*]

Maybe lou was right?