Post-Game Talk: Canucks 3 Oilers 2 - McDavid meets McCann (again)

[arttk]

I'm thinking not have Dallas Eakins behind the bench automatically means the Oilers will improve this upcoming season even if everything else remains the same.

(granted the OTHER problem with the Oilers is the lack of stability in terms of number of coaches).

Probably will take awhile to reprogram those players.

 

[Intangibos]

That's not really how I would define a great defensive player, but to each their own.

Why not? They both keep pucks out of the net, just the Sedins do it in the offensive zone and often get a goal themselves. Goal differential and zone time are really what's important (if we're talking basic stats). Being good in your own end means nothing if you spend 100% of the time in it, it means your goal differential will be even at best if you play perfectly and never get scored on. I'd rather guys who get scored on 5 times per 60 minutes of ice time while scoring 10 themselves than guys who get scored on twice but never score.

Hockey as a sport is improving because coaches and managers are getting away from their cookie cutter approach putting specific players in specific roles. The reason you don't have 4 Ovechkins on the wing isn't because he isn't good defensively, but because he scores more than he gets scored on. Assuming all competition is equal, the players with the best goal differential are the most effective players, assuming a large enough sample size where luck and hot/cold streaks are evened out. The math problem is figuring out how to get the best goal differential to fit under the cap, and where you may find chemistry to increase those numbers.

 

[m9]

Why not? They both keep pucks out of the net, just the Sedins do it in the offensive zone and often get a goal themselves. Goal differential and zone time are really what's important (if we're talking basic stats). Being good in your own end means nothing if you spend 100% of the time in it, it means your goal differential will be even at best if you play perfectly and never get scored on. I'd rather guys who get scored on 5 times per 60 minutes of ice time while scoring 10 themselves than guys who get scored on twice but never score.

Hockey as a sport is improving because coaches and managers are getting away from their cookie cutter approach putting specific players in specific roles. The reason you don't have 4 Ovechkins on the wing isn't because he isn't good defensively, but because he scores more than he gets scored on. Assuming all competition is equal, the players with the best goal differential are the most effective players, assuming a large enough sample size where luck and hot/cold streaks are evened out. The math problem is figuring out how to get the best goal differential to fit under the cap, and where you may find chemistry to increase those numbers.

How many of the other top defensive players don't penalty-kill and aren't ever in the Selke conversation? They are fine defensively, they aren't top defensive players.