Around the NHL 2020-2021 | Offseason Edition

[Pavels Dog]

Meh. Innovation can be overrated at times.

But to indulge, how many forwards have a decent, respectable threat of a point shot (from 60 feet)?

I'm thinking mainly as an option if you don't have offensively gifted D with solid point shots. I would like to see someone attempt powerplay formations that have a lot more movement and switching positions than most PPs do today. Less fixed positions and more cycling to create openings.
Would just be fun to see attempts at changing up the formula, especially on teams that don't have the archetypes required to run effective "standard" powerplays.

 

[Henkka]

per DobberHockey

"power plays per game are up compared to last year but we usually see more penalties early in the year before teams and officials settle in. The real change for me is shots per game. Those have fallen from 31.3 per team per game in each of the last two seasons to 30.4 so far this year, all while goal scoring is up slightly. That means the league average save percentage has crashed from .910 the last two years to .903 so far this year. We will have to give it a couple more weeks to see where this goes, but if anywhere near this level holds, a .915 goalie is going to have a fantastic season. We may need to re-calibrate our expectations for net-minders."

Noticed this too already 2 years ago. Last two-three seasons the general SV% has been getting lower.

Think it was based on goalie equipment restrictions made for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

Explaining the NHL Rule Changes for 2018-19 Season

But usually, the start of the season (first month) is more high-scoring until injuries and exhaust will hit. Less skill and tough schedules will leave their mark.

One thing what was also interesting, was to find out that HD scoring chances are more common at start of the season. And towards the end of the season, chances will "slide" more to Medium-Danger and Low-Danger based. Still the biggest part is HD scoring, but just less. Think this goes with defending ability. Defences suck at start of the season, and as they get better, they will push the scoring chances further generally.

 

[Winger98]

How would they lineup for faceoffs (in your 4-1 scenario)?
3-2 or 4-1?

How about in neutral zone going to Ozone?
staggered formation (zigzag/high-mid-low-high) or vice versa?
View attachment 385705


How about defending?

Depending on how fast your forward group is, I'd be tempted to forecheck three guys with a guy middle back to try to cut off a long diagonal pass and the D back as a last resort. If you have guys out there who can fly and who are smart getting back wouldn't be a huge worry and would be off-set by pressure/turnovers. Ideally, anyway. Also open yourself up to being seriously burned. If you're throwing four forwards over the board at any given time, though, I think you're sort of in for a penny, in for a pound.

 

[Konnan511]

Dirty:

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

 

[MBH]

Depending on how fast your forward group is, I'd be tempted to forecheck three guys with a guy middle back to try to cut off a long diagonal pass and the D back as a last resort. If you have guys out there who can fly and who are smart getting back wouldn't be a huge worry and would be off-set by pressure/turnovers. Ideally, anyway. Also open yourself up to being seriously burned. If you're throwing four forwards over the board at any given time, though, I think you're sort of in for a penny, in for a pound.

NHL could loosen the game up by getting rid of the bluelines.
Huge change for sure.
But I'd love to see a league try it.

 

[Frk It]

2018 draft redo.
Is Rasmus Dahlin still the undisputed #1?

Does Asvech challenge? What about Quinn Hughes?

Still Dahlin for me.

 

[Frk It]

Also Jack Hughes looking like a #1 pick so far.

 

[MBH]

Hard to like the Kings.
Dustin Brown is WAY past it.
Kopitar looks terrible.
Doughty makes mistake after mistake after mistake.
And that's your leadership.
Blake f***ing Lizotte as your 2C??

I like Jeff Carter, though. And Quick still looks pretty good.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Hard to like the Kings.
Dustin Brown is WAY past it.
Kopitar looks terrible.
Doughty makes mistake after mistake after mistake.
And that's your leadership.
Blake f***ing Lizotte as your 2C??

I like Jeff Carter, though. And Quick still looks pretty good.

Petersen is in net tonight if you are talking about this game.

 

[MBH]

Petersen is in net tonight if you are talking about this game.

First two games... this game was only a few minutes old when I posted.
Peterson looks a bit leaky.

Another interesting thing about the two-game series.
LA was completely unprepared for Colorado's pace after two games against Minnesota.
But they've adjusted to the pace now.

Lias Andersson looks like a real NHLer to me.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Also Jack Hughes looking like a #1 pick so far.

Hoping it's enough to push NJ in to a cycle of perpetual mediocrity.

 

[MBH]

Jack Hughes is 5 months older than Alex Lafreniere.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Jack Hughes is 5 months older than Alex Lafreniere.

Better player too in my opinion. We will see, Hughes' offensive upside is higher for me.

 

[MBH]

Better player too in my opinion. We will see, Hughes' offensive upside is higher for me.

Yeah. Hughes is going to be a playmaking wizard.
Not sure how Lafreniere projects. Huberdeau?

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Yeah. Hughes is going to be a playmaking wizard.
Not sure how Lafreniere projects. Huberdeau?

I thought he was kind of an upgraded Huberdeau and really that is a hell of a player. Zibby is underrated but he isn't Barkov either and Bread man is really the player there and it looks like Lafreniere is going to be playing the same wing behind him. So some of this is opportunity, Hubie's explosion came when the right components went around him. He did have to develop that power game at the NHL level and I think Lafreniere will take a little bit to develop there in terms of a year or two because his kind of power game takes a little more time.

It is hard to place him for me. I know you were with me in believing massively in Byfield's talent. I also hesitate in terms of Lafreniere being a Kane or Ovie type of winger, but there are a lot of people that believe that for him.

 

[MBH]

I thought he was kind of an upgraded Huberdeau and really that is a hell of a player. Zibby is underrated but he isn't Barkov either and Bread man is really the player there and it looks like Lafreniere is going to be playing the same wing behind him. So some of this is opportunity, Hubie's explosion came when the right components went around him. He did have to develop that power game at the NHL level and I think Lafreniere will take a little bit to develop there in terms of a year or two because his kind of power game takes a little more time.

It is hard to place him for me. I know you were with me in believing massively in Byfield's talent. I also hesitate in terms of Lafreniere being a Kane or Ovie type of winger, but there are a lot of people that believe that for him.

He doesn't have Kane's puck magic or elusiveness or Ovies power or shot.
I have a hard time imagining what kind of player he's going to be that makes him the obvious #1 pick.
Hossa? I don't think he's that two-way guy. But maybe.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Good for AA to fight for his NHL life, big year for him, glad he seems to have taken it seriously and is off to a good start in LA. He is too good to be in Europe already next year which is his fate if he falls apart and is terrible this year.

 

[MBH]

AA scores again.

Looks better each game.

Showing some commitment to D too

 

[ArGarBarGar]

The Avalanche away uniforms look so terrible. They need to rework the jerseys to have more blue, or change the pants, or something.

 

[lomekian]

AA scores again.

Looks better each game.

Showing some commitment to D too

Wake up call may have woken him up?

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Good for him to try and block that shot, but he didn't even hit the net.

Plus he needs to shoot more than one time a game. Is he not getting the opportunities to shoot? Is he making opportunities happen himself?

 

[Frk It]

He doesn't have Kane's puck magic or elusiveness or Ovies power or shot.
I have a hard time imagining what kind of player he's going to be that makes him the obvious #1 pick.
Hossa? I don't think he's that two-way guy. But maybe.

He excels at puck protection, playmaking (making others better), and hockey IQ/vision. I typically think those types of guys can go pretty far.

I’ve also seen him pull off some pretty slick stuff as far as his hands go.

 

[MBH]

Good for him to try and block that shot, but he didn't even hit the net.

Plus he needs to shoot more than one time a game. Is he not getting the opportunities to shoot? Is he making opportunities happen himself?

Yesterday was the first game where he looked like confident AA.
5 shot attempts.
He's not there yet. But it's coming back.

His away-from-the-puck game is still questionable at times. And his puck retrieval game should be a lot better.

 

[MBH]

He excels at puck protection, playmaking (making others better), and hockey IQ/vision. I typically think those types of guys can go pretty far.

I’ve also seen him pull off some pretty slick stuff as far as his hands go.

I do think he'll have a nice career and play in all star games.
But I just don't see him in the Kane/Ovie pantheon.