Habs Defense

[LaP]

Scoring Chance metrics are pretty flawed. Use expected goals instead.

The worst part of scoring chances and HD scoring chances is the location of the shot plays a too big role and the name of the player and the type of shot/situation a not enough big role. Anyway it was the case some times ago dunno if it's still the case by looking at numbers i would say it's probably still the case. A shot from 1 foot of a goalie ready to make the save by a bottom 6 player is pretty much worthless. Goalies will stop that close to 100% of the time. Yet it will register as a HD scoring chances on pretty much all charts. Yet Ovechkin one timing it from along the board on the PP wont count as a scoring chances at all. If i had to bet my house on one of those 2 shots to go in i would bet on Ovy any day of the week.

A good example of that too is a 2 on 1 Recchi and Turgeon had a long while ago. Upon entering the zone Recchi passed to Turgeon who slap shot it from the blue line (on a 2 on 1 yeah he did that). Turgeon scored with a bullet. Back then it was not a scoring chance since it was a shot from the blueline (dunno if it's still the case). It was still a 2 on 1 and the goalie never expected a one timer from the blue line by one of the best goal scorer ever.

In my beer league i'm far more concerned by the best players taking a shot from the outer limit of a faceoff circle with all the time in the world than a grinder alone in front of the goalie. I'm confident my goalie will stop the grinder this close as long as he doesn't have to move laterally.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Team Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick

Lots of interesting stats.

HDCA one of the best in the league, HDGA one of the worst. Habs limit shots, especially dangerous ones, but the goalies let in to nearly the most. EVERY team will have HDCA and if habs are one of the best most teams give up more of em. So at some point your goalie has to stop the shots.

Sure HDCA isn't the holy grail. Is a DD HDCA the same as a Crosby one? of course not. But I think combining that with SA, SF, and Corsi we can at least take a view that the habs are getting more shots and limiting the shots of their opponents which is what a D should do.

The D is not a bunch of rushers, on an individual basis the names are not sexy. Benn will never be Ekholm, Petry will never be Doughty or Keith, Mete is not Letang. But they are good enough to play within the system and produce positive results.

The myth this summer that they would be a disaster was just that, but if that's the view you have you will see the team through that lens and let the bias sink in so this teams D will be horrible even though the stats are showing otherwise.

No advance stat is the holy grail. Humans with hockey HQ will always be superior. I will give you this Scruba, our D seems to have settled down ALOT as of late. I hope I’m not speaking to soon but I really hope the first 8 games and preseason were just a tough adjustment to a coach implementing a new system.

 

[scrubadam]

No advance stat is the holy grail. Humans with hockey HQ will always be superior. I will give you this Scruba, our D seems to have settled down ALOT as of late. I hope I’m not speaking to soon but I really hope the first 8 games and preseason were just a tough adjustment to a coach implementing a new system.

I think the coach is playing to the strength of the roster and the forwards are committing as well. They have also been a big reason.

The D isn't sexy but its probably the one that Julien wants to play his type of hockey. If Price played better and the offense clicked a few games earlier the team wouldn't be in the hole they have been climbing out of.

Tale of two teams .. 1-6-1 and then 6-2. When the habs get good goaltending like the last 2 games you can see them play differently. I do agree that MB will need to add a Dman or two for the playoffs though.

 

[nhlfan9191]

I think the coach is playing to the strength of the roster and the forwards are committing as well. They have also been a big reason.

The D isn't sexy but its probably the one that Julien wants to play his type of hockey. If Price played better and the offense clicked a few games earlier the team wouldn't be in the hole they have been climbing out of.

Tale of two teams .. 1-6-1 and then 6-2. When the habs get good goaltending like the last 2 games you can see them play differently. I do agree that MB will need to add a Dman or two for the playoffs though.

He will have to add a puckmover likely. But if they can buy into Julien, I’m liking the system he’s implimenting more and more. I liked Claude his first run in Montreal and thought he got fired over something ridiculous. Hopefully this group of guys can keep learning because like you said, it’s a tale of two teams. Poor puck movers. But playing SOOO much more responsible as each game passes on D.

 

[Captain97]

I'd really like the habs to go after calvin dehaan, he may not be the best point producer, but he is a very good skater, better passer than most of our d, and is solid in his own end.

 

[scrubadam]

I'd really like the habs to go after calvin dehaan, he may not be the best point producer, but he is a very good skater, better passer than most of our d, and is solid in his own end.

Sounds like the type of guy CJ would be looking for on our backend.

 

[scrubadam]

I want to see what Schlemko brings to the backend.

I just hope the team doesn't get rid of Mete too quick. There will be injuries and someones play will dip as the season goes along. Even if Mete isn't getting a ton of minutes it would suck to send him down and then have Benn or Schlemko go on the IR for an extended period of time.

 

[Kraken Jokes]

I want to see what Schlemko brings to the backend.

I just hope the team doesn't get rid of Mete too quick. There will be injuries and someones play will dip as the season goes along. Even if Mete isn't getting a ton of minutes it would suck to send him down and then have Benn or Schlemko go on the IR for an extended period of time.

We have Jerabek also though (who we still haven't seen at the NHL level).

I think even healthy, Schlemko back, we could really use 1 more top-4 D. Preferably left-side, but I'd take a righty if that was the only option available.

 

[scrubadam]

We have Jerabek also though (who we still haven't seen at the NHL level).

I think even healthy, Schlemko back, we could really use 1 more top-4 D. Preferably left-side, but I'd take a righty if that was the only option available.

come playoff time I think we need at least 2 more Dmen. You need at least 8 if not 9 Dman for playoffs.

I just have a feeling they will send Mete down and then 2 weeks later someone will suffer a big injury and we will all be saying wish Mete was still here.

He is falling down the depth chart lately as far as Ice time goes but to me that is normal for a 19 year old.

 

[admiralcadillac]

We have Jerabek also though (who we still haven't seen at the NHL level).

I think even healthy, Schlemko back, we could really use 1 more top-4 D. Preferably left-side, but I'd take a righty if that was the only option available.

Schlemko could stabilize alot. He will definitely push Mete to the outside looking in though. I'm curious what the habs will do about that.

 

[Kraken Jokes]

As far as I know, they can send him down till after the WJCs and call him back up after if they need him.

 

[SakuKoivu11]

Just want to say Jordie Benn is a terrible person and human being. He doesn’t belong on this team and is really a bad defenseman.

Also Jeff Petry and Karl Alzner are becoming bevis and butt head. They are horrific together. If only were healthy scratches.

Without Weber we suck on defence. Good night all.

 

[Kraken Jokes]

Just want to say Jordie Benn is a terrible person and human being.