Does anyone still think we're a playoff team?

[YotesFan47]

Keep the playoff length the same. Shorten the regular season to 70-72 games.

I'd be ok with 72 as well but I think we could see an increase in the sports viewership if we moved to a slightly shorter playoff experience. As it stands now, it takes 2 months to get through the playoffs. If we could cut that into 5-6 weeks ideally, it would significantly help with excitement. I think that is one of the big things football has going for it, there is hype. With so many games in hockey (as much as I love it), there is not enough hype for casual fans, which teams like us need.

 

[rt]

I’d like to see the same number of days in the season with fewer games. I want more days off in between, rather than a shorter season.

 

[Jakey53]

Keep the playoff length the same. Shorten the regular season to 70-72 games.

You would be taking a lot of money out of the owners pockets. Not going to happen.

 

[Mosby]

Yup. A 72-game season would be a 12% reduction from what it is now. At its simplest level, would the players be willing to take a 12% pay cut to accommodate the lost revenue and to play 10 fewer games? I wouldn't think so.

I'm still hopeful something happens when Seattle comes in. Maybe 4 games against the 7 teams in your own division (28 games), 2 games against the other division (16 games), and a home-and-home inter-conference (32 games). That comes out to 76 games.

 

[cobra427]

You would be taking a lot of money out of the owners pockets. Not going to happen.

Seasons aren't getting shorter unless players will give up a ton of money. The owners aren't giving up any money so this just isn't going to happen in any major sports.

 

[MIGs Dog]

.600 is the key number. Need to stay above it to have a chance.

 

[GiveAFlyingPuck]

I think we'll lose the battle of attrition.

 

[Name Nameless]

I think we'll lose the battle of attrition.

Running out of defencemen. I thought it might be due to running out of forwards, when I was pessimistic in the dark, but it seems to be due to running out of defencemen.

 

[MIGs Dog]

I think we'll lose the battle of attrition.

This chart is really telling. Only one team over 200 is in a playoff spot. Every team under 100 is.

 

[YotesFan47]

This chart is really telling. Only one team over 200 is in a playoff spot. Every team under 100 is.

Great post!

That is extremely telling. I am curious if this includes Bolland and Hossa into it's metrics as that would skew the results but we have had a large injury bug hit important parts of our roster.

 

[MIGs Dog]

Great post!

That is extremely telling. I am curious if this includes Bolland and Hossa into it's metrics as that would skew the results but we have had a large injury bug hit important parts of our roster.

It might include Bolland. I see him listed on all of the injury reports, but not always Hossa. Don't know why.

 

[SniperHF]

Every one of those injury reports I've ever seen has excluded those two.

 

[YotesFan47]

It might include Bolland. I see him listed on all of the injury reports, but not always Hossa. Don't know why.

This may not because bubble size indicates the quality of player injured. Given that Hossa and Bolland are effectively irrelevant to the team, I don't imagine they would include them. Maybe they are but the but are a super tiny part of the bubble. After a quick ballpark run on the numbers though it looks like they are not included.

It's crazy to see that we have the largest bubble and are just behind Philly for the 2nd most man games lost, and there are only 3 teams in red above us in wins. Those teams have half our man games lost.

If we were in that range, it wouldn't be a stretch to suggest that we could fall more in line with Boston.

This also shows that Dallas is doing a pretty good job of managing even with the injuries they have dealt with. Kudos to them.

It also indicates that there are some major issues in Buffalo and Edmonton. Maybe coaching, maybe inexperience but those two have relatively low man games lost and low quality of players lost that they should be higher in the standings.

 

[SniperHF]

quality of player injured.

lost to injury at various times:
#2 center / wing
2nd line wing
2nd pairing defenseman
2nd pairing defenseman
2nd pairing defenseman
starting goalie
backup goalie
#3 center
#3 center
3rd line wing
3rd line wing
6/7 defenseman

 

[Imaravencawcaw]

Great post!

That is extremely telling. I am curious if this includes Bolland and Hossa into it's metrics as that would skew the results but we have had a large injury bug hit important parts of our roster.

You have to pay to get full access to their data, but you can see their formulas for free.

The bubble size (amount of value/points lost due to injury) does not include Hossa or Bolland since they have no point share fancy stats values.

The total man-games lost (x axis) might include them but I'm not paying to find out. I guess you could just add up all the games missed by players not named Hossa or Bolland and see if it's close the graph's value of ~275 and know for sure.

 

[YotesFan47]

You have to pay to get full access to their data, but you can see their formulas for free.

The bubble size (amount of value/points lost due to injury) does not include Hossa or Bolland since they have no point share fancy stats values.

The total man-games lost (x axis) might include them but I'm not paying to find out. I guess you could just add up all the games missed by players not named Hossa or Bolland and see if it's close the graph's value of ~275 and know for sure.

Thats basically what I did. used really rough estimates but I came out about 300, which is close enough without those two that I feel certain that they were not included because they would make up 104 games alone.

 

[MIGs Dog]

It's a very strange season when 19 days from the trade deadline and we are 3 pts from a playoff spot, but also 3 pts from last place in the west.

Literally every team in the Western conf could make a run over the final 2 months and squeak in.

 

[rt]

It's a very strange season when 19 days from the trade deadline and we are 3 pts from a playoff spot, but also 3 pts from last place in the west.

Literally every team in the Western conf could make a run over the final 2 months and squeak in.

Loser point isn’t even really helping. It’s just close.

Chicago and Anaheim each has nine loser points only 54 games in. Strip out the loser points and you get:

8. STL - 51gp 24W 27L 48pts
9. VAN - 54gp 24W 30L 48pts
10. ARI - 53gp 23W 30L 46pts
11. EDM - 53gp 23W 30L 46pts
12. COL - 52gp 22W 30L 44pts
13. LAK - 53gp 22W 31L 44pts
14. CHI - 54gp 21W 33L 42pts
15. ANA - 54gp 21W 33L 42pts

 

[azcanuck]

only Anaheim and the Kings look worse then the coyotes.
I still think the coyotes finish bottom 5 in the league. And yes injuries have killed the Yotes chances of actually doing something for a change.

 

[rt]

only Anaheim and the Kings look worse then the coyotes.
I still think the coyotes finish bottom 5 in the league. And yes injuries have killed the Yotes chances of actually doing something for a change.

Well, it inspires some hope for next season anyway. With some luck at the lottery and some injury luck next year, as long as Chayka doesn’t make any more big trades, which he always seems to lose, maybe we’ll finally have a season of worthwhile hockey.

No more Domi and Strome for Galchenyuk and Schmaltz bullshit though, Johnny Boy, we just can’t take any more of that kind of brilliant Boy Genius maneuvering.

 

[MIGs Dog]

Kings and Hawks have both played slightly better than us over the last 10. If this trend continues we could end up bottom 3 in the West.

 

[cobra427]

Kings and Hawks have both played slightly better than us over the last 10. If this trend continues we could end up bottom 3 in the West.

Any of these teams could miss the playoffs or be the top wildcard seed. Its wide open this year.

 

[Grimes]

I'm worried the bottom has just fallen off. The injuries have decimated this team and with such a tight race in the west, opposing teams are not taking us lightly. I'm happy with the progression under RT's system and that we are finding an identity. I think we officially have a top pairing as well. Keller, and Fischer have taken steps back offensively, but have improved their all around games. Galchenyuk has had an off year, but one that is slightly concerning (although I think he will be a beast next year in a contract year). Chychrun has looked like a top 4 with upside when he is actually healthy, which is rare. Garland and Hino have a lot of promise. Crouse is on an upward trajectory. Unfortunately those are all the notes I have this season because it has been impossible to evaluate.

What worries me the most is going into the offseason in the opposite manner as last season. We may bottom out this season due to injuries, instead of last year's promising end. Does that lead to a slow start next season? Or are the players and staff able to chalk it up to inuries and go into next season with a hard reset.

 

[MIGs Dog]

We have officially reached a new low.

 

[MIGs Dog]

Blues win in OT making it 6 in a row. We are now 6 pts out of a wild card and St. Louis has a game in hand.

My playoff optimism meter is fluttering.