Cfaub
Windsor is 4th in goals for yes overall but 3rd in goal for per game at 4.23
Kingston is #1 with an average of 4.36,SSM is #2 at 4.34.
Interesting to note after game 4 for SSM, and Kingston Windsor is "#1 at 4.545 in 22 games,both are lower with SSM at 4.36 and Kingston at 4.33.
Should note also Henault only had 3 goals in his 1st 150 games.
Peer started killing penalties after his injury and plus minus numbers are not counted on PPs or PKs.
They have improved in every area from PK to PP, goal scoring, goaltending by starter Medina, it's the reason they have climbed to a tie for 1st and only 3 points away from conference tie.
Those aren't made up facts,improvement from early in the season has been considerable in most areas .
Overall team depth has improved and reflected in the standings,not made up facts but truth.
Early in the season u pretty much gave up on this team,you questioned everything, and in most areas they have proven u wrong,especially goal scoring,goaltending starting goalie I mean (Medina) and standings.
The trades all of 3 them have proven beneficial that's a fact,not a stat.
Have things been perfect, no,name a team in the conference that has,but I gladly will take a 1st place tie at the break,then the early season struggles.
So some I agree with and it'll make you happy and some I agree with and you won't be happy.
First you're right. I was one of the loudest on here when it came to the early season struggles, never have and never will say otherwise. To take it a step further I'm still one of the loudest on here when it comes to the inconsistencies and always will be.
I've always given credit not just for their statistical improvement but their on ice improvement as well but while they have shown improvements on the ice they have continued to show the same sloppy play and lack of effort that had me screaming about their play for their first 10 games or so. That says to me that this team, as is us just as capable of playing the way they did to start the season as they have these last few games because they still play that way for parts of every game.
Overall they have played better, finally starting to play the way they're capable of yet they still have at least a period almost every game where they come close to blowing the game. There's still a lot of issues hidden by improved stats.
Henault, a PPG D is one goal shy of being a goal against every game. That's not a number one D on what is supposed to be a very good team.
The real question becomes what is he 5 on 5, on the PP and on the PK? Obviously my number is wrong if they don't count +/- on special teams. GF vs GA on each of those would be needed to truly show how many goals he's been on for.
We all will gladly take where they're at over where they could be at the bottom of the conference but I'll ask the same question I did in 2019-20, are they truly contenders or are they pretenders?
They improved over the first half, I agree but how much improvement compared to how many issues they still have? They've cut down on their issues but the same issues still exist. The same players are still here and still at the heart of those issues.
Henault is still a defensive liability and others are still having to cover for him more often than not. That's not good for the team's #1 D.
One last time, don't waste assets on a half ass job. They were in this position in 2019-20 and did nothing one way or the other and we all know what a better team, at least offensively did.
Either in or out.
If they're in then go all in. You can't make decisions on what ifs and quite honestly if they're nervous about what may happen that's another reason to build for next year.
If they're out then move on from the OAs, move on from Medina and move on from Cuylle. Anyone else is debatable when we see who will or won't return. Right now if the plan ends up being to build towards next year then you need to find some 03s/04s who will be the core at that point. You need to develop who you have to make sure they're ready. You need to let Downey and the kids take their lumps and learn from it while also having Tovell there as the sacrificial lamb.
Develop the kids, see who fits and the rest become tradable assets as others come up to take their spots.
Just puck a direction and follow through with it but don't stand still and get nothing either way from the season.