GDT: Game #31 Avs in Arizona 8pm MST/11pm AST/ March 24th 4am Uncle Risto/ 9am Kingslayer

[Cousin Eddie]

Someone on here (TV I think) said that Bennett's power play schemes underperform consistently according to advanced stats, and that includes his time in Los Angeles as well. It IS a systemic issue, whether or not MacKinnon foolishly deferred multiple times in one power play.

I will admit I like the fact they finally addressed some of the glaring issues the power play had (supreme lack of net-front presence and not waiting forever for the perfect one-timer setup) but that took WAY too long and it's still just not enough. Inexcusable that a team that can put this much talent on the man-advantage still struggles to find even consistent scoring.

It's highly unlikely that anything can or even should be done about Bennett this late in the season, but it the power play continues to perform like this he's definitely gone, and then we'll all be asking why he wasn't let go after the Dallas Stars series last postseason.

I literally just gave you the advanced stats in the post you quoted.

I have no idea what the stats were on any other team and quite frankly I don’t care. The Avs have one of the best PP’s in the league based on the advanced stats you’re questioning.

 

[Pokecheque]

I literally just gave you the advanced stats in the post you quoted.

Help me out, where did you post them?

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Help me out, where did you post them?

The post you quoted. I listed CF, SF, SCF, HDCF and XGF which all range from 2nd best to 6th best in the NHL.

 

[Crossfire Hurricane]

Having more points in the regular season has numerous advantages:

First and most obviously: easier opponent in the 1st round (eg. possibly Arizona or LA if the Blues fall out), as well as home ice in round 1 and 2.

Secondly, finishing higher in the league standings improves the chances of having a higher seeding in the semifinals, thus giving the Avs a better chance at having home ice in the last 2 rounds including the cup final. This could also be crucial with regards to avoiding Tampa until the SCF.

Facing Vegas in the 1st round could easily mean a 1st round exit... I'd say it matters quite a bit. Avoiding Tampa in the 3rd round would also be a godsend.

I get these arguments, especially with respect to home ice, but I fully believe the Avs and Lightning are on a different tier than the rest of the league when healthy. Projecting who we'd rather face in what round feels like a crapshoot this far out. Losing to Vegas in the first round would obviously suck, but beating them and getting an easier match up (and possibly some rest and recovery time before the third round) could be beneficial too. Getting Tampa in the third round with a rustier version of Kucherov might be better than facing them in the Finals. Between 2002 and 2017, #2 seeds have made the Finals ~50% more often than #1 seeds, so the advantage seems minimal.

 

[Pokecheque]

The post you quoted. I listed CF, SF, SCF, HDCF and XGF which all range from 2nd best to 6th best in the NHL.

Okay, fair enough. Coffee hasn't kicked in yet. Also, in my defense, for some odd reason this particular page is loading really strangely.

Anyway, I did a cursory search and saw the stats for myself, something still doesn't jive with me though.

Even if Bennett isn't the issue (and obviously even if he is, he ain't the only one) I don't know why this power play is taking so long to sort itself out. There should've been a full overhaul of it after that Dallas series.

 

[Freudian]

 

[The Kingslayer]

Does the seeding even really matter? The first two rounds of the playoffs are intradivision, so likely Vegas and one of St. Louis/Minnesota. Avoiding Tampa until the end would be rad, but the road to the Cup probably goes through them. Losing a few regular season games because of a player whose main duties are going to be opening and closing the door to the bench in the playoffs isn't something I'm going to get worked up over. They just need to be a warm body to give Grub a break when he needs one to keep him healthy, if he gives up 5 goals on 7 shots, so be it.

Oh yah it matters. A lot.

 

[AvsCOL]

 

[AvsWraith]

Being 6'5" is, literally, the only thing JoJo has going for him.

Dude doesn't move at all, doesn't track rebounds at all, and that was one of the worst shootout performances I've ever seen, ever. One deke, and it was over. Just moving slightly to the side and it was over.

The guys on Arizona must've ragged on Kessel pretty thick after he shot the puck right into him on that breakaway. All he needed was one deke in either direction.

I think a few more starts is only going to prove that Buffalo Reporter, Vogl or whatever, right.

Auto-Loss for the Avs whenever Gru doesn't play from here on out.

 

[The Kingslayer]

I don’t think they’ve been as good defensively the last couple games, but the top line has been going off production wise recently. They have 27 combined points in the last four games.

Rantanen is shooting a full shot per game more this season. Up from 2.4 shots/game to 3.4 shots/game. That’s really where the extra goals are coming from, because he always shoots at a high percentage.

On another note, I’m just realizing Donskoi has 21 points in 31 games. Holy hell.

Joonas Donskoi is the best worst player on the team.

 

[the_fan]

Naw. They're keeping Saros. I'm sure they'll listen for deals on him but it'll likely be one of those where someone has to offer them something stupid for the guy they've been grooming as the goalie of the future for a while now, at least the goalie of the near-future until Askarov is ready.

With the right price you can probably get Saros

 

[Pokecheque]

With the right price you can probably get Saros

Of course, but the "right price" would be a LOT.

I dunno, I hate to pull the size queen argument but I'm not sure how much I'd give up to get a guy who's been good but still hasn't yet been proven to be a viable starter, and is, by goalie standards, undersized. There are better candidates out there if the Avs choose to really go and get someone.

Also, not so sure Poile (if he's even the GM once the dust has settled) will hand over a potential starting goalie to a division rival. They're gonna try and retool but they ain't blowin' it up yet.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Of course, but the "right price" would be a LOT.

I dunno, I hate to pull the size queen argument but I'm not sure how much I'd give up to get a guy who's been good but still hasn't yet been proven to be a viable starter, and is, by goalie standards, undersized. There are better candidates out there if the Avs choose to really go and get someone.

Also, not so sure Poile (if he's even the GM once the dust has settled) will hand over a potential starting goalie to a division rival. They're gonna try and retool but they ain't blowin' it up yet.

I mean Saros would be the backup here.

 

[the_fan]

Of course, but the "right price" would be a LOT.

I dunno, I hate to pull the size queen argument but I'm not sure how much I'd give up to get a guy who's been good but still hasn't yet been proven to be a viable starter, and is, by goalie standards, undersized. There are better candidates out there if the Avs choose to really go and get someone.

Also, not so sure Poile (if he's even the GM once the dust has settled) will hand over a potential starting goalie to a division rival. They're gonna try and retool but they ain't blowin' it up yet.

I mean it all depends on the status of Francouz. Only the organization knows if he's gonna come back or not and when is he coming back if at all. Also how much can you rely on Francouz to stay healthy even if he does come back. If he's not coming back this season, Sakic needs to get a legit back up if they want to make a run at the cup. Can't put all the work load on Grubauer, then whoever they get needs to be resigned or kept if Francouz is done next year too. Also I'm not sure if Saros asking price will be way too much. The guy is a back up goalie after all.

 

[Foppa2118]

I still maintain execution has always been the problem with the Avs PP.

Makar doesn't always have a shooting mentality when he's arguably the most dangerous weapon on the PP. MacKinnon needs the puck perfectly in his wheel house to take a one timer. Kadri misses quite a lot of open nets.

Too often they pass around the perimeter looking like they don't have a plan. They're just waiting for someone else to make a play, instead of there being five guys wanting to make a play.

 

[Pokecheque]

Too many guys are deferring, shot selection is still iffy at best, and for some odd reason they've completely and totally forgotten how to deflect pucks (well, they're pretty good at deflecting them into their own net but that's a different story) when that's something they worked on last season.

 

[Pokecheque]

FTR, there is not a ton of correlation between a strong power play (at least in the regular season) and winning the Stanley Cup. When the Hawks won it in 2013 their power play was 19th in the league, and in the postseason, it was even worse (13th out of 16 teams). The Kings the next season were ranked 27th, but then it, like the rest of their team, came to life in the playoffs (I believe it was 6th in the postseason).

Going further, when the Hawks won again in 2015 (go figure, the intervening year the Kings got it, their power play was actually quite good) it was ranked 20th, 10th-best in the postseason. In their back-to-backs, the Pens had a bad regular season power play that improved markedly in the postseason, and then stayed that way the entire next year.

I probably don't need to tell y'all that the Washington Capitals, win or lose, are usually really good on the man-advantage.

I'm starting to feel a little greedy demanding this power play do better. I think it could be a TON better. But that said, it just needs to perform consistently enough in the postseason in order to help the Avs score at a time when you're practically allowed to tackle the opposition.

 

[Avs_19]

The PP at the end of regulation was awful. I don't think there's any denying that if you go back and watch it. Some of the same too fancy and not enough shooting stuff. Kadri also turned it over or lost it every time he touched the puck.

It's harder to complain about the one in OT. They got some good looks, including Makar from the left side, but Hill just stopped them. The only thing I might've changed was Nichushkin being out there because Nichushkin should be out there for all 5 mins of OT.

 

[Pokecheque]

The PP at the end of regulation was awful. I don't think there's any denying that if you go back and watch it. Some of the same too fancy and not enough shooting stuff. Kadri also turned it over or lost it every time he touched the puck.

It's harder to complain about the one in OT. They got some good looks, including Makar from the left side, but Hill just stopped them. The only thing I might've changed was Nichushkin being out there because Nichushkin should be out there for all 5 mins of OT.

I suppose in fairness to them, they all looked dead tired, especially Makar, who had quite possibly the worst game of his pro career thus far. By the time it was tied in the third Arizona found their legs again and really took it to them, hitting them all over the place and beating them to loose pucks. The fatigue really showed on those power plays. A lot of praise is rightly being thrown Hill's way for that save, but that also wasn't a great shot by Makar. He usually picks spots a little better than that.

 

[dahrougem2]

MacDonald should be on both units. That sort of stuff.

Well what the **** is taking so long?

The PP at the end of regulation was awful. I don't think there's any denying that if you go back and watch it. Some of the same too fancy and not enough shooting stuff. Kadri also turned it over or lost it every time he touched the puck.

It's harder to complain about the one in OT. They got some good looks, including Makar from the left side, but Hill just stopped them. The only thing I might've changed was Nichushkin being out there because Nichushkin should be out there for all 5 mins of OT.

The guy is actually unreal in OT. He should be double shifted. If he doesn't score on his first shift, get him right back out there.

 

[Lando929292]

I saw a post about the chyrcrum mackinnon fiasco and it hurt my head how many people said mackinnon did that intentionally. How about the guy that stuck his foot out 3 feet. That's on of the dirtiest plays you can do. I hope someone rocks that guy center ice next game.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Get Saros. They said everyone is for sale in Nashville not named Josi and Rinne. He's only making 1.5 mill and he's a RFA after this season. If Francouz is not good to come back this year or next year, just resign Saros and your goaltending issues are solved

Rinne is untouchable? Is he all of a sudden not a 38 year old goalie with no Stanley Cups rings on a contract year making 5mill? If there’s ever a situation that would make sense to move Rinne to a contender, it would be this year.

 

[TomppaKoo]

Rinne to Avs would be perfect for both Rinne and Avs. He has no cups and is probably going to retire after this season. It would give him the chance to win the cup. I don't know how it works cap-wise, though.

There is no way Predators are going to give up Saros. He is their 1st goalie already at 1,5 M.

 

[Soedy]

I saw a post about the chyrcrum mackinnon fiasco and it hurt my head how many people said mackinnon did that intentionally. How about the guy that stuck his foot out 3 feet. That's on of the dirtiest plays you can do. I hope someone rocks that guy center ice next game.

The Coyotes PBP even said it should be a 5 minute major for MacKinnon. WTF. Atleast he corrected himself in the end.

 

[Ceremony]

The game ended in such a farce I'd completely forgotten about that play. A guy gets hit by someone with their leg sticking out, then gets done for high sticking when he's spun around in the air? It's not physically possible to be in control of your stick when that happens, f*** off.