League News: NHL Talk - (News n' Scores n' Stuff) - 2021-2 Regular Season Edition, Vol. 1

[CapitalsCupReality]

No I want to credit the turnaround he made last season under Peter Laviolette, and I want to credit Peter Laviolette for likely helping to turn around his career last season. You apparently want to discredit this turnaround, which is disappointing.

Benji vortex alert….sorry man, I don’t play in your make believe world.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Imagine going from Vegas to Buffalo…..Christmas just got dim for Tuch and Krebs lol….

 

[zappa4ever]

Imagine going from Vegas to Buffalo…..Christmas just got dim for Tuch and Krebs lol….

At least they were pawns who didn't make the decision themselves;
think of all the players leaving Playoff Teams/big markets to chase a paycheck so they can earn 23 million for a career with no playoffs vs. 20 million + Cup chances annually

 

[Corby78]

great deal for vegas obviously, and if he can come back on the short side of that medical estimate it could pay off this year.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Imagine going from Vegas to Buffalo…..Christmas just got dim for Tuch and Krebs lol….

Tuch will probably be shipped out at the TDL.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

I hope he recovers full health, but what if Eichel can never play hockey again?

 

[HecticGlow]

I wonder if they try and trade Stephenson before Eichel comes back - he has good numbers that are unlikely to be sustainable when not playing top line minutes for them (which presumably he wouldn’t be once Eichel is in the mix). It’s an interesting one, though, losing Tuch and likely having to move Dadanov - they’re suddenly looking a lot more like a top-6 heavy team with little forward depth beyond that. Separating Patch and Stone might be one way to achieve a better balance, but still.

 

[HTFN]

No I want to credit the turnaround he made last season under Peter Laviolette, and I want to credit Peter Laviolette for likely helping to turn around his career last season. You apparently want to discredit this turnaround, which is disappointing.

Helped him... to turn around his career by... ??? Has to be designing some perfect system and not, like, working with the person right?

It's absolutely crazy to me that rather than listen to the inside sources (including some of the people involved directly) who have clearly made this something of a personal matter you'll double down and insist that it's just always hockey on the ice, all the time. Nobody's attitude or personal life can impact the team at all.

 

[Langway]

Watch yer back, Mike.

 

[twabby]

Helped him... to turn around his career by... ??? Has to be designing some perfect system and not, like, working with the person right?

It's absolutely crazy to me that rather than listen to the inside sources (including some of the people involved directly) who have clearly made this something of a personal matter you'll double down and insist that it's just always hockey on the ice, all the time. Nobody's attitude or personal life can impact the team at all.

People are asking me to believe that Kuznetsov's renewed dedication this offseason, for instance, has been a big factor leading to his turnaround. But how can this be the case when his turnaround, as measured statistically, happened last season and that his performance this season is not all that different than his performance last season?

I think that is where the disagreement lies, and why I don't agree with various lazy narratives about how Kuznetsov finally has his head on straight or whatever.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Lazy narrative indeed.

It’s a naive viewpoint IMO to believe the last off-season and apparent rededication by Kuzy (as noted by Lavi saying he put in the time, and was always on the ice) has had nothing to do with his early season success so far, that everything was all fixed last year…and what….he’s simply getting 19’s servings each night now?

 

[Ridley Simon]

Meh. Buffalo stinks and I don’t like the Golden Farts.

I’m out

 

[Raikkonen]

It’s a naive viewpoint IMO to believe the last off-season and apparent rededication by Kuzy (as noted by Lavi saying he put in the time, and was always on the ice) has had nothing to do with his early season success so far, that everything was all fixed last year…and what….he’s simply getting 19’s servings each night now?

What if Kuzy has been getting rehab in the summer? That would help

 

[John Price]

 

[Calicaps]

People are asking me to believe that Kuznetsov's renewed dedication this offseason, for instance, has been a big factor leading to his turnaround. But how can this be the case when his turnaround, as measured statistically, happened last season and that his performance this season is not all that different than his performance last season?

I think that is where the disagreement lies, and why I don't agree with various lazy narratives about how Kuznetsov finally has his head on straight or whatever.

Because stats aren't everything. His statistics may have been strong but his outcomes sucked. He was visibly disengaged, getting into trouble off the ice, etc. And they eye test, which you dismiss, had many of us commenting on his lack of engagement and poor on-ice contributions. He has said that he recommitted himself this offseason and that fans would see the payoff on the ice as we are. Lavi has noted repeatedly his renewed commitment.

Folks here aren't making shit up. We are seeing the obvious differences in results and hearing the words from the coach and the player himself. If all you trust is the stats, then this won't make sense to you, but if you choose to acknowledge that sports are played by humans with foibles and facets, then you must also recognize that they aren't robots and there's more to their performance than numbers.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

What if Kuzy has been getting rehab in the summer? That would help

Certainly seems like it should lol….

 

[Langway]

Folks here aren't making shit up. We are seeing the obvious differences in results and hearing the words from the coach and the player himself. If all you trust is the stats, then this won't make sense to you, but if you choose to acknowledge that sports are played by humans with foibles and facets, then you must also recognize that they aren't robots and there's more to their performance than numbers.

What stands out to me is that he's playing an additional five minutes a game compared to last season, including some PK time. So, uh, yeah, rates will suffer.

 

[Calicaps]

What stands out to me is that he's playing an additional five minutes a game compared to last season, including some PK time. So, uh, yeah, rates will suffer.

But don't you think it's cause and effect? He's rededicated himself and made a commitment to play hard and the coach is giving him the opportunity to prove it and rewarding him for success, especially the PK minutes.

 

[twabby]

Because stats aren't everything. His statistics may have been strong but his outcomes sucked. He was visibly disengaged, getting into trouble off the ice, etc. And they eye test, which you dismiss, had many of us commenting on his lack of engagement and poor on-ice contributions. He has said that he recommitted himself this offseason and that fans would see the payoff on the ice as we are. Lavi has noted repeatedly his renewed commitment.

Folks here aren't making shit up. We are seeing the obvious differences in results and hearing the words from the coach and the player himself. If all you trust is the stats, then this won't make sense to you, but if you choose to acknowledge that sports are played by humans with foibles and facets, then you must also recognize that they aren't robots and there's more to their performance than numbers.

His outcomes did not suck last year, that’s my entire point. His on-ice goals for differential was the best of any year in his career and the best on the team, his expected goal differential was the second best of any year of his career and behind only Lars Eller on the team, and his defensive game as measured by xGA and GA were the second and third best of any year of his career, respectively, and some of the best on the team. To what do you attribute these facts if not hard work (both on and off the ice) and good coaching?

 

[Corby78]

His outcomes did not suck last year, that’s my entire point. His on-ice goals for differential was the best of any year in his career and the best on the team, his expected goal differential was the second best of any year of his career and behind only Lars Eller on the team, and his defensive game as measured by xGA and GA were the second and third best of any year of his career, respectively, and some of the best on the team. To what do you attribute these facts if not hard work (both on and off the ice) and good coaching?

If advanced stats say that Kuzy had a good year last year, then it makes me question advanced stats, not Kuzy’s actual performance.

 

[twabby]

If advanced stats say that Kuzy had a good year last year, then it makes me question advanced stats, not Kuzy’s actual performance.

Perhaps a little more humility is needed when judging one’s eye test!

 

[Corby78]

Perhaps a little more humility is needed when judging one’s eye test!

An expert scout I am not, but when a lot of smart people see the same thing??? Maybe recognizing that advanced stats are subjective and not unmovable truth? But we have another thread for this….

 

[hb12xchamps]

Kuzy was bad to start the year last season and better in the second half until the second COVID situation. He has looked (with the eye test) leaps and bounds better this season

 

[tycoonheart]

Kuzy was bad to start the year last season and better in the second half until the second COVID situation. He has looked (with the eye test) leaps and bounds better this season

The reason the top line has been so dominant so far this year is coz of Kuzy. Honestly I think this is the best he has looked with the Caps.

 

[maacoshark]

His outcomes did not suck last year, that’s my entire point. His on-ice goals for differential was the best of any year in his career and the best on the team, his expected goal differential was the second best of any year of his career and behind only Lars Eller on the team, and his defensive game as measured by xGA and GA were the second and third best of any year of his career, respectively, and some of the best on the team. To what do you attribute these facts if not hard work (both on and off the ice) and good coaching?

You guys look into to stats way too much to judge how a player is playing.
Stats don't tell you everything.